IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL NORTH CATHOLIC FAMILIES
The following information will help get new families started at North Catholic. However, even veteran NC families are invited to read through the following information to either refresh what is already known or learn about updates to NC policies and procedures.
Parent Portal
The parent portal serves as the main communication channel between administration and families. The portal holds all account information and student information including attendance, schedules and grades. Access to the parent portal is found on the school website: www.northcatholic.org. Usernames and passwords were created during the enrollment process and can be used in accessing the Parent Portal.
-
Families are encouraged to review and edit all information on the Portal, paying particular attention to ‘Family Information’ (on the left). Families are asked to complete the sections marked Student Information, Parent 1 information, Parent 2 information, Medical Info, and all Emergency Contact information). This information is need in case of an unforeseen emergency circumstance, including illness.
-
The ‘Student Information’ section should be reviewed to ensure that students’ names are spelled correctly and the date of birth is accurate.
-
The ‘Health Information’ section must be reviewed to ensure that all pertinent information is provided pertaining to student health, including any and all allergies. Please be sure to indicate if over-the-counter medications may be administered by authorized school personnel. The school office usually maintains a supply of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Benadryl and Halls cough drops, but parental consent via the Parent Portal must be given for these medications to be administered at the student’s request. In addition, please visit https://www.northcatholic.org/ The additional health-related consent forms are located under the tabs Student Life/Student Forms.
Tuition Accounts/Billing
Tuition and billing information can be accessed through the Parent Portal by clicking on the Billing tab. Tuition payments should be made via the portal by the 15th of each month beginning in July, unless other arrangements have been made with the Business Manager, Brian Gauntner. Mr. Gauntner can be reached via email at bgauntner@northcatholic.org.
Schoology/Student Devices
Students will receive their class schedule on the first day of school. Student devices (Microsoft Surfaces) and Schoology access information will be distributed at the start of the new school year. Devices must be returned in June at the end of each school year. Instructions will be shared at the appropriate time.
Schoology is the learning management system at NC that students and parents will use to view current assignments and current quarter grades. You will receive further instructions on how to set this up via the Parent Portal and/or the Office Newsletter closer to the beginning of the school year.
Uniforms
Lands’ End is our uniform provider. To access uniform information, go to www.landsend.com and enter school code 900156324. A Used Uniform Sale will be held during New Student Orientation on August 11, 2022 at the “bus entrance” of the school. (Cash and check only)
-
Blazers - Required for Mass days. The office is unable to lend blazers and ties to students. Students without the appropriate clothing will be written up. The school logo should not be embroidered on the blazer.
-
Ties - $20 each and can be purchased at the front office, with cash or checks (made payable to NCHS).
-
Skirts - Must be no shorter than two inches above the knee. Please be sure to measure skirts in the front and the back for consistency and accuracy. This will prevent your daughters from incurring any uniform infractions. Girls MUST wear shorts or solid colored, ankle-length cotton leggings under their skirts at all times. Solid khaki skorts, consistent in color and length, can be work as well.
-
Shirts – Red or white polo shirts with the North Catholic crest may be worn by students from August through October 15 and in the spring starting on April 15 through the end of the school year. Outside of these months, students are required to wear the button-down oxford-style shirts/blouses. Girls' oxford-style shirts require the crest, but boys' shirts do not since their ties display the crest.
-
Gym Uniforms - Gym Uniforms are not sold through Lands’ End. Students are required to wear a North Catholic shirt and any brand of long gym shorts or sweatpants in a solid red or black color. The NC Spirit Shop will open a “pop up” shop at the Main Entrance of the school during New Student Orientation on August 11, 2022.
Please note: CWNC is no longer permitted on uniform pieces, gym clothes or spirit wear. Only North Catholic or NC gear is permitted.
Spirit Wear
The North Catholic Spirit Shop is available online at anytime! Families are invited to visit https://northcatholic.itemorder.com to check out the many styles available to students and family members. Items purchased online will be shipped directly to the recipient’s home. Occasionally, in-person sales will be held on campus. Notices about these sales will be sent via the Office Newsletter. Questions related to Spirit Wear can be directed to Ms. Kasey Jones at kaseyjones@northcatholic.org.
Transportation
Transportation is facilitated by our Transportation Coordinator, Mrs. Carolyn Standish. She will provide student information to the appropriate district/bus company. Families do not need to contact Mrs. Standish to add students to the list, as they are automatically added to the roster upon official North Catholic enrollment.
The following districts are considered ‘busing districts’: Ambridge, Avonworth, Freedom, Hampton, Mars, North Allegheny, Pine Richland, Quaker Valley, Seneca Valley, and South Butler/Knoch. Students residing in these districts that are within ten miles of NC will be bused by the district. Prior to the start of the school year, students should receive information from the district about bus number, pick up location, and pick up/drop off times. NOTE: Seneca Valley families will be notified by Mrs. Standish instead of the District.
Families who live OUTSIDE the ‘busing districts’ receive North Catholic Transportation, provided by Monark Student Transportation. Students will be assigned to buses NC1-NC9 and routes for these buses are re-evaluated each summer. Monark Student Transportation provides busing information to families prior to the start of the school year.
Weather-related delays & closures
Guidelines regarding two-hour delays and cancellations can be found in the Student Handbook and on the parent portal. North Catholic High School utilizes the One Call system to announce weather related delays and campus closures. This call is sent to the primary household phone number as provided in the parent portal. One additional phone number per student is permitted for the One Call system and can be added by emailing the appropriate information to the Main Office at office@northcatholic.org. Please note: While weather can result in a campus closure, online learning may be utilized to reduce the number of school cancellations. Teachers will communicate with students regarding lessons and work via Schoology.
Student Absences/Early Dismissals/Late Arrivals
All of these instances should be reported on the parent portal. A student arriving late or leaving early due to a doctor/dental appointment, will be asked to provide an excuse from the medical provider. Students missing school due to illness are asked to have their excuses reported through the portal. The portal is utilized to record student attendance and absence. Written notes are not required.
Changes to student attendance must be entered into the parent portal by 8:00 am after which the portal is no longer accessible (during school hours). In the case of an emergency and an early dismissal is needed past the 8:00 am deadline, parents must call the Main Office and speak to a member of staff to request the early dismissal. Early dismissals submitted to the portal after 8:00 am without a parent-staff phone conversation will not be granted. Parents/guardians picking up students for early dismissals do not need to come into the office to sign out the student. This is also not required when students are returned to school.
Tardies
Students are considered late when they are not in their first period classroom at 7:58 am. Any student not in the first period classroom by 7:58 am, even if inside the building, will be marked Late Unexcused.
Parents/Guardians do not need to sign students into school when are arriving late, however, information should be entered into the portal to allow for the student record to accurately reflect attendance. Please be advised that late arrivals due to sleeping in, heavy traffic, etc. are not excusable tardies; these types of tardies will be recorded as unexcused.
Absence excuses must be submitted within three business days of the occurrence; after three days, the absence will remain unexcused. Unexcused absences/tardies and other issues related to student attendance, should be directed to Mr. John Benzing via email at jbenzing@northcatholic.org.
Student Drop Off/Pick Up
The doors at the Main Entrance to North Catholic High School are unlocked at 7:15 am each morning. Students receiving private transportation to school should be dropped off at the Main Entrance of the school (by the Bell Tower) after 7:15 am. Drivers must pull as far forward as possible so as to avoid congestion stretching to Hillmont Drive. Please do not stop in the crosswalk! Students should exit vehicles expeditiously once the vehicle reaches any section of the parking lane to ensure a steadier flow of traffic.
Students utilizing private transportation at dismissal should meet drivers in the Faculty parking lot at the end of the day. Vehicles should occupy a lined parking space, avoiding unlined curbs to prevent traffic and safety issues. Vehicles parked in unlined spots will be asked to relocate.
Please be considerate of the handicapped parking spots. North Catholic is a handicapped-accessible building and there are several students and faculty members who rely on wheelchairs or other equipment to navigate the campus. Handicapped parking spots should only be utilized by those in need of the assistance.
Student Drivers/Parking Permits
The student parking area is located across from the Main Entrance, to the left of the Faculty parking lot. Student parking passes will be available prior to the start of the new school year. Parking passes are good for one year and are subject to specific rules and regulations; violating these rules may cause your child to lose their driving/ parking privileges. Infractions include, but are not limited to: speeding in the parking lot, reckless driving, numerous unexcused late arrivals to school, numerous discipline infractions, etc. Rules and regulations for parking permits are detailed in the permit packet that is provided by Mr. Benzing who oversees the Parking Permit Program. Parking permit packets can be accessed on the website under Student Life/Student Forms.
Student Schedules & School Supplies
Students will receive their class schedules on the first day of school.
To avoid making any unnecessary purchases, it is recommended that families refrain from purchasing school supplies until after the first day(s) of instruction. Teachers will communicate supply recommendations to students during classes. Students should come to the first day of classes with a backpack (non-rolling backpacks only please), one notebook and a pen or pencil.
Lockers
All freshmen will be assigned a locker on the first day of school. Students in grades 10-12 will only receive a locker assignment upon request. The request form can be located on the school website under the Students & Parents tab. Requests will be accepted through Monday, September 12, 2022.
Lunch Accounts
Students use their student ID number to pay for school lunch. Student ID numbers are found on the Parent Portal under the Student tab. Utilizing the Student ID, lunch accounts can be set up using PaySchools Central, a downloadable app, during the first week of classes and throughout the school year. Lunch money can be added to a student’s account via credit or debit cards through the app and become available to the student immediately. Funds can also be added to a student account when a check made payable to AVI Foodsystems is sent into the school.
Ms. Alyson Hillwig is the Food Service Manager. Questions related to lunch accounts can be directed to her at ahillwig@northcatholic.org.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are grateful to the many parents who have a desire to serve our school community, in keeping with the spirit of family and hospitality that is rooted in the Marianist charism. During a typical school year, there are many opportunities to volunteer at the school. Please refer to upcoming Office Newsletters to learn more about opportunities as they become available.
Access to General School Information
- A printable 2022-2023 school calendar is on the website.
- The Student Handbook is also located on the website and contains a large amount of information. Each family is encouraged to become familiar with the handbook to gain a better understanding of the school’s mission, as well as student expectations.
- The Parent Portal can be accessed through the school website by clicking on the Students & Parents tab and clicking on the Parent Portal. Please use the portal to report absences, late arrivals and early dismissals. The Portal also manages tuition accounts, student schedules and grades.
- The Office Newsletter is emailed weekly during the school year and biweekly during holiday breaks and summer months. The Newsletter is sent to Household emails listed in the Parent Portal. If a second parent within the family would like to receive the newsletters, please send an emailed request to the Main Office. Additionally, newsletters can be accessed on the school’s website under the Students and Parents tab.
-
If a second parent within the family would like to receive the newsletters, please send an emailed request to the Main Office at office@northcatholic.org.
- Some classes require summer coursework to be completed prior to the start of the school year. Please refer to the school website for the course-specific work the 2022-2023 school year. If you have any questions regarding the content, please contact the specific teacher of the class or department chair.
