Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,
We hope you have had a restful summer and are looking forward to the return to school. We are excited to be on a more typical schedule of five full days of in-person learning each week, and we look forward to having everyone back in the building. Once again, our facilities are in tip-top shape thanks to the work of our facilities department -- Yarmouth High School is ready for the 2021-2022 school year!
As the high school’s enrollment continues to grow, so does our faculty. In addition to welcoming the Class of 2025 to the high school, we welcome many new faces to our staff:
- Melissa Audy, English
- Anne Gregory, Social Studies
- Adrienne Hanson, Science
- Brigitte Kearney, School Counselor
- Melanie Lord, School Nurse (starts on 9/13)
- Bryan Quigley, Science
- Maddie Reaves, Math
Some of our veteran staff are also taking on new or expanded roles:
- Pat Conley / library ed tech
- Dave Cousins .5 support ed tech & .5 attendance coordinator
- Sarah Holmes / interim AD
- Kyle Hutchinson / special ed ed tech
- Joe Morrill / building substitute teacher
- Molly Prouty / full-time math
- Sandy Thomas / full-time health science
This marks the first “YHS Parent Note” of the year (also posted to the website) and is therefore focused on the many housekeeping items related to the start of school. Please review the following information, and feel free to call or email if you have questions or concerns.
9th Grade Orientation ⇨ A quick reminder that we are hosting an orientation for all incoming 9th grade students on Monday, August 30, from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. See this link for details.
Covid Updates ⇨ The re-opening plan approved by the Yarmouth School Committee recently includes the following:
- All students, staff and adults in the building must wear a face mask when indoors. This includes when riding the bus.
- Face masks may be taken off in outdoor settings.
- Masks may be removed when actively eating or drinking (if eating indoors, individuals are required to put their masks back on when not actually eating or drinking).
- Staff and students will maintain 3 feet of social distancing throughout the day to the greatest extent possible.
- For a detailed overview of the district reopening plan, please review our COVID-19 Information and Updates Page. We will update families about our procedures on a regular basis.
Bus Schedules ⇨ 2021-2022 Bus Schedules for the Yarmouth School Department are now posted on the district website. Be ready for school to start on Wednesday, September 1! Read more here: https://www.yarmouthschools.org/article/519068
Student Schedules ⇨ Student schedules are available on PowerSchool. Students will receive a paper copy of their schedules in advisory on the first day of school.
New Main Entrance ⇨ We have a beautiful new entrance on the Portland Street side of the high school that will be the primary entrance into the building for parents and students who drive. While the West Elm Street entrance will be open for foot traffic and bus drop-off before and after school, it will be locked and serve as a staff-only entrance between 8:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
First Day of School ⇨ We kick off the school year on Wednesday, September 1, which is a BLUE day. There is NO LATE START on September 1; students should report to advisory by 8:00 a.m.
Daily Schedule / Attendance ⇨ We are returning to our traditional 8:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. school day. Note that period 3 is now a BLUE day class that meets every other day. See schedule details at this link.
A reminder, too, that students who participate in athletics, Playmakers, Robotics, Debate, and Math Team must arrive at school by 9:30 a.m. in order to attend those after-school programs.
Student Laptops -- Permission Forms and Payment ⇨ Please see the YHS Innovation Center website for all information regarding student laptops, permission forms, and payment options. We would like to collect forms and payments by advisory time on Thursday, September 2, in order to organize an efficient laptop rollout for students this year. (Permission forms and payments may also be brought to the main office on Monday, 8/30, and Tuesday, 8/31, from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) or Westbrook Regional Vocational Center (WRVC) ⇨ If your student is attending the Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) or Westbrook Regional Vocational Center (WRVC), you may access this resource page for details regarding each school, transportation, etc. Please contact assistant principal Amy Bongard if you have questions about PATHS/WRVC. (amy_bongard@yarmouthschools.org)
Athletics Update ⇨ Fall Sports are back! Please join us IN PERSON for cross country, football, field hockey, soccer and volleyball competitions this fall! Wear your Navy and White, and when joining us for volleyball choose your most festive face mask! See you on the fields!
Student Parking for Juniors and Seniors ⇨ On-site parking on the Portland Street side of the building is available for students in grades 11 and 12 this year. Students who would like to park will need to bring their vehicle registration AND driver's license to the main office in order to be assigned a spot. There is no charge for a parking sticker.
Seniors may register for a parking sticker starting from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.on Monday, August 30. (This is a "seniors only" slot. If you are not able to come in at this time, you may not be guaranteed a spot.)
Juniors may register for a parking sticker starting from 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.on Tuesday, August 31. Depending on the number of juniors who register for parking, we may not be able to accommodate every 11th grader, so please be sure to register as early as possible.
Junior / Senior Open Campus ⇨ This year students in grades 11 and 12 who meet certain criteria will be allowed to leave school during study halls, breaks, and lunches. Please see Open Campus Information for Juniors and Seniors for a full description of the program. (Students should feel free to bring their open campus documents with them if they are registering for a parking pass next week!)
School Nutrition Update ⇨ Our School Nutrition Letter includes a reminder that breakfast and lunch are free for all students this year and information on how to establish an account for your child to purchase snacks and other items that are not part of the regular school breakfast/lunch.
Pest Management Policy ⇨ Yarmouth High School’s pest management policy can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/yhspestmgt
Our best wishes for a successful transition to the new school year!
Amy Bongard, Assistant Principal