Message from the Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Welcome back to school. We have spent the summer preparing our building and student schedules for the 2008-2009 school year. We are now ready and anxiously await the arrival of our students. Please note below special bulletins to help in planning for the beginning of the school year:

• Homeroom assignments for all students will be posted on the Daniel Hand website, in the newspaper, and on channel 19 beginning the middle of August.

• Freshmen orientation will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27, in the Dining and Assembly Hall. Students will be escorted to homerooms by upperclassmen. During this time, they will receive their class schedules, an orientation including a tour of the building, and have an opportunity to ask questions. At the same time the administration will be hosting a freshmen parent orientation in which your questions and concerns will be addressed.

• The first day of school for ALL students will be Thursday, August 28. It is our expectation that all students will report to homeroom at 7:25 a.m. At this time, they will receive their schedules, handbooks, and other miscellaneous information. For the remainder of the day they will follow an abbreviated class schedule, including lunch. This year the cost of a full lunch will be $2.75. An a la carte menu is always
available.

• The students will be receiving The Handbook for Students and Parents during homeroom on the first day of school. This book contains important information about academics, student services, student conduct expectations, activities, the school calendar, bell schedules, and other pertinent information. We ask that you take time to review this book with your student and sign and return the receipt of
information form.

• Safety concerns and efficiency in traffic flow require that parent pick-up and dropoff be in the back of the west building (gymnasium) before and after school. Late arrivals (after 8:00 a.m.) or early dismissals (prior to 1:45 p.m.) will be in the front of the east building (main office). In an effort to alleviate traffic congestion in the mornings and afternoons, we ask that you encourage your children to take the bus.

• Due to a limited number of parking spaces, parking privileges will only be available to seniors. Information regarding parking procedures and parking applications will parking will remain the same as last year ($60). Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

• In an effort to encourage home/school communications, conferences to discuss student progress will be ongoing and scheduled throughout the year at the request of parents or teachers at a mutually agreed upon time. Communication opportunities may include telephone conversations, team meetings, individual parent teacher meetings, e-mails, teacher newsletters, teacher websites, etc.

• Throughout the school year five DHHS Newsletters will be published on the website. These newsletters contain good news about student accomplishments, friendly reminders, notes from our health office, and updates from guidance and couseling services, and the library media center. We also encourage you to access our school website, www.danielhand.org. This website is updated regularly in an effort to keep you informed about present and future events. There are those times when notices such as weather-related schedule changes or information of an immediate and important nature need to be communicated. In these instances we use our DHHS Listserv. Please go to our website and follow the posted directions to sign up. It takes just seconds!

We look forward to sharing the school year with our students, and welcome and invite you to become an active part of our school community.

Sincerely,

Barbara J. Britton