Dear Students and Parents of the Class of 2021,
Welcome to Voorhees High School! In a few short weeks, you will begin a very exciting and rewarding high school career. In the next four years, you will have many and varied opportunities for growth and success in academics, co-curricular activities, and student government. I encourage you to get involved right from the start. You will find that participation in one or more of these areas will add to your high school experience. The weeks and months ahead will be challenging, but please be assured that we will provide you with encouragement and support in every way possible.
We have scheduled an orientation program for freshmen on Wednesday, August 23, beginning at 9:45AM in our auditorium. On that day, a bus will pick you up at your bus stop exactly two hours later than the normal pick-up time. Bus route information will be available under the Transportation tab in Aspen on or around August 14. Lunch will be available in the cafeteria. Traditional lunches are offered at $3.25 and Featured Favorites, including Boar’s Head deli sandwiches and salad lunches, at $4.25. Students may also bring a lunch from home. Drinks will be available for sale. The program will conclude at 3:10 PM, at which time a bus will take you home.
This year each class has an assigned assistant principal. Mrs. Kieffer is the assistant principal for the Class of 2021 and will remain with the class until graduation. Please feel free to contact her with any of your questions or concerns.
Reminder: Online Pre-Payment Cafeteria Account – MySchoolBucks:
PLEASE ACTIVATE YOUR MySchoolBucks ACCOUNT PRIOR TO THE AUGUST 23 ORIENTATION
Starting in the 2017-2018 school year, students will no longer be able to use cash to pay for their meals or snacks in the cafeteria. Parents must set up an online account through MySchoolBucks (for website, click here). In doing so, students can then enter their student ID number into a keypad at the register and money will be deducted from their online account. This will speed up service in the cafeteria. Money can be added to the MySchoolBucks account through a credit card online, or giving cash or checks to the cafeteria staff who will input the money into the student’s account. If you already have a MySchoolBucks account and need to add your freshman student, you can now do so as freshmen ID numbers have been uploaded to the system. For more information on MySchoolBucks, please visit our Food Services website, click here. Keith McCaffrey is the Food Services Director from Pomptonian. He can assist with any questions. Please email him at kmccaffrey@nhvweb.net.
Student IDs
Students at Voorhees are required to carry their photo identification badges. You will be photographed early in the school year and provided with a badge as soon as they are processed.
PTSO
The Parent Teacher Student Organization plays a vital role at Voorhees. One of its most important functions is Project Graduation. Through a series of fundraisers throughout the year, the PTSO provides a substance-free night of celebration for our seniors following graduation. Please join and lend your support to this very important organization.
Parent/Student Handbook
The Parent-Student Handbook and calendar are available on the Voorhees website. We encourage you to become familiar with the information contained in this reference and mark the dates of important school events throughout the year. Of particular note, please read over the attendance policy, the dress code, and the electronic devices policy. These are areas that raise many questions every year for freshmen and their parents.
Access to the Student Information System (Aspen)
In late July, parents/guardians should have received login information to access Aspen, our student information system. This system will allow you to view your student’s schedule, assignments, attendance, locker information, and fees. In addition, your student’s bus route and pick-up time will be available in Aspen. (Please note, the transportation department will not be mailing home bus cards.) If you already have an account in Aspen from last year, please note that your freshman will be automatically added to your account. Freshmen will receive their own log-in for Aspen during orientation. If you have any issues with your Aspen account, please contact our database manager, Sherri DiMarcello, at sdimarcello@nhvweb.net.
Chromebooks and Internet Access
Our school district has launched a 1:1 initiative that provides a Chromebook and an assigned network password to every student. Chromebooks will be distributed to freshmen during orientation on August 23. However, a parent/guardian must complete the Chromebook agreement form in Aspen in order for your student to receive a district-issued Chromebook. See under Page Directory, then Technology Forms in Aspen.
Students also have the option to bring their own device to school. For more information on suggested devices and things to consider, please visit our technology services website (click here). If your student would like to bring his/her own device, we have a separate agreement form that must be turned completed in Aspen. The student’s device will need to be registered on our school server, which can be done at orientation, or the student can bring his/her device to the Technology Resource Center by the cafeteria during the regular school day.
To access the school’s network, all students must agree to the district’s technology acceptable use policy. This form is also posted in Aspen under the Technology Forms section. Please complete a Chromebook agreement form and the acceptable use policy form prior to Freshman Orientation so there is no delay in providing your student a Chromebook, or registering a personal device.
Meet the Teachers Night
Meet the Teachers Night will be held on Thursday, September 7 at 7:00PM. This program is intended to provide an opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and receive an overview of the curriculum. The program is not intended for one-on-one conferences. If necessary, conferences may be scheduled through your child’s guidance counselor.
Random Substance Testing
The North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional School District Board of Education has adopted a random substance testing policy. All students who participate in a co-curricular activity not required for graduation are subject to random substance testing. Any student planning to participate in a co-curricular activity must submit a consent form signed by his or her parent or guardian to be eligible for participation. This form must be returned to the school on or before the first day of participation in an activity. If you have any questions, feel free to call (908) 638-6116.
Bullying and Harassment
Bullying and harassment of any kind are not tolerated at Voorhees High School. The complete Board of Education policy on bullying and harassment can be found on the Voorhees and district websites.
TEACHNJ Act
The TEACHNJ Act requires an educator evaluation system that began in 2013-14. Districts must comply with elements of TEACHNJ, as well as other statutory requirements.
One of the requirements is that teachers, with approval from their principals, set Student Growth Objectives (SGOs) for their students at the start of each school year and are assessed on whether those objectives are met at the end of the year. National, state, or district-developed assessments should be used where available to identify the measurable goals for each objective. Teachers may also use collaboratively-developed assessments for SGOs, including portfolios of student work. Teachers are required to set at least two SGOs for the 2017-2018 school year.
Please understand that, due to these requirements, our students may be given pre-assessments in their classes during the first weeks of school. These pre-assessments will be used as a formative tool to measure growth and will not affect the student’s grade.
Again, on behalf of the faculty and staff, I welcome you to Voorhees High School. I look forward to meeting you on August 23. Until then, enjoy the remainder of your summer.
Sincerely,
Ronald J. Peterson
Principal
