Principal's Message:
Dear Novato High School Families,
With only 17 school days left we are making plans for the end of school and the beginning of the 2023/24 school year. Our teachers are working hard to prepare for finals and the many tasks that are involved in closing and preparing for the summer and fall. We also hope this week of staff appreciation brought them joy and helped them feel rightly loved. As we are recognizing educators, lets congratulate our NHS staff honors for this year:
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Golden Bell Teacher: Tina Schumikowski - thank you for piloting new math supports for EL students and creating whole school wellness videos
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Golden Bell Classified: Lisa Ferrigno - thank you for stepping into all the hard, complicated tasks: graduation, budget, angel campaigns
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Rotary Teacher: Taylor Mancini - thank you for leading MSA in their 20th anniversary year and all the ways you engage in difficult conversations that help us grow as a staff
- In our eyes, all NHS staff are shining stars and contribute to our success with students
Now that we are on the home stretch, we need to make extra efforts to get to the finish line. I will continue to reiterate, team work, holding students and all of us accountable, bell to bell teaching and learning and most importantly, guiding our students to the end, especially our seniors. Please remind your student(s) to be mindful and end the school year strong and confident.
The upcoming senior finals schedule was planned intentionally to provide senior with an opportunity to prepare for graduation and other senior activities. Taking senior finals is not the end of school and seniors must attend class for closing instruction and possibly any make up work. So, seniors, make sure to attend class as we prepare for your graduation.
We want to wish all students the very best as they prepare for their finals. I recently read an article to help us understand why we give finals at Novato High School and schools across the country. Here is a brief exert from the article:
Finals are necessary because they allow students to make connections between the topics they learned over the semester. Throughout the semester, students take countless tests, quizzes and do projects to show their understanding of a topic. These assignments track and assess a student’s progress over the course of the semester. One might say that the need to take a massive final exam at the end of the semester is not needed because the teacher already knows the student’s ability. Although that may be true, the purpose of finals is not for the teacher, but instead to benefit the student. By studying and reviewing a semester’s worth of material, students are able to make connections between units and achieve a comprehensive understanding of the subject. And through a complete understanding of the subject, the hard work that students put in through the semester is not gone to waste because they’re able to take away a complete picture of the subject area.
Finals are a tradition every year at Novato High School and they’re there for a reason. NHS students gain valuable life experience and holistic knowledge from finals and afterward, they can enjoy and look back upon an amazing school year.
Senior Awards Night is this Thursday, May 18th, and we are excited to see our fabulous seniors receive their awards. If your senior is receiving an award please attend. It’s a once in a life time opportunity and your senior has worked hard to earn this recognition.
Prom is coming and we are all excited to see our seniors and their dates have a wonderful time. Thank you to all staff members that will be attending and helping supervise. As a reminder, alcohol, drugs, vaping and any other inappropriate use of a substance will cause a student to be restricted from entering the prom and there will be follow up with disciplinary action up to removal from the gradation ceremony. I am sorry to say, but this type of behavior and the indulgence and use of inappropriate substances continues to be a problem across the country for highs school students. At Novato High School we must enforce our policies for students who violate the rules. So please have those hard conversations with your student.
Our staff has been in conversation and review of a new schedule for next year. Basically it’s an either/or scenario. One of the schedules proposal is with what we now call “Access,” formerly Office Hours, which will be 50 minutes a week for specialized services for students in the form of academic support. The other proposed schedule is a regular bell schedule without the “Access” time. If you would like additional information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Looking forward to a strong and dignified closing of school. Thank you Novato High School Parents for sending us the very best students. Working together we can make each and every student successful.
Upcoming Calendar
May 16 & 17 Block Periods: Senior Project Presentations (CFA)
May 17 at 7:30pm Rock Band Concert (HopMonk Tavern)
May 18 at 6:00 pm Senior Awards Night (CFA)
May 20 7:00-11:00 pm 2023 Prom (The Pearl, SF)
May 22-25 End of the Year Spirit Week
May 23 at 5:30pm "Screenagers: Under the Influence" Community Screening (C4A)
May 23 6:00pm ELAC - last meeting (Library)
May 24 2:20 pm Wellness Fair & End of the Year BBQ “(The Pit”)
May 25 12:00pm End of the Year Rally (Gordon Gym)
May 26 No School - Vacation Day
May 29 No School - Memorial Day
May 30 Regular M/Th/F Schedule (periods 1-7)
May 30 5:30pm School Site Council (East Annex)
May 31 Regular M/Th/F Schedule (periods 1-7)
May 31 7:00am Senior Breakfast (Old Gym) *SIGN UP TO SUPPORT
June 1 Block Day: 1/OH/3/5/7 Senior Finals
June 2 Block Day: 2/OH/4/6 Senior Finals
June 5 Regular M/Th/F Schedule (periods 1-7)
June 6 Block Day: 1/OH/3/5/7 9th-11th Finals
June 7 Block Day: 2/OH/4/6 9th-11th Finals
June 8 Minimum Day (9th-11th) / Seniors - Graduation Rehearsal 9:00 am (Athletic Field)
June 9 9:00 am Class of 2023 Graduation (Athletic Field)
June 12-August 19 Campus Closed Except Gyms, Fields, Library & 1900 buildings
Sincerely,
Rey Mayoral, Interim Principal
[email protected]
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