Dear Parents and Students of Voorhees High School,
I hope that you are having a relaxing and rewarding summer. It has been a busy summer at Voorhees as we prepare for the new and very different start to a school year. I know it is not going to be the typical start of a school year and hopefully we will get back to a more typical schedule sometime in the near future. Until then I thank you in advance for your understanding of our efforts to provide a high quality of education while keeping our students, staff and the community safe. Enjoy the remaining weeks, and we look forward to seeing you.
Please take a moment to review the following information:
Opening of School
**Delayed for in-person instruction until September 14th – All Students will be on 100% virtual instruction through September 11th due to building closure**
Students in Group B with the last names beginning with M-Z will report to school on Monday, September 14th when we are able to reopen for in-person instruction. Use the following link for the hybrid schedule to further understand when your group is to report to school or attend virtually:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pll5Bmfqt809IMuk7oSlG8vSE3jUTaV0/view?usp=sharing
An email was sent to inform you how you can print student schedules from Aspen, our student information system.
Our guidance staff has made extraordinary efforts to personalize each student’s schedule. Long hours have been spent planning, assisting in course selections, and refining conflicts. This process should have effectively addressed any of your scheduling concerns. Please realize the amount of effort already expended and the constraints of course availability, class size, and room availability.
Mask Requirement
Masks and face coverings that cover the mouth and nose are required while on the Voorhees High School campus at all times. Please note that masks with vents and exhalation valves are not permitted. The CDC recommendations for wearing masks can be found here. Based on recent studies, we are discouraging the use of gaiters and bandanas as face coverings as they are found to offer the least protection. We recommend students where cloth masks, N95 masks or surgical masks as these were found to offer the most protection.
School Administration
Voorhees High School implements an assistant principal model for supervision of students and subject areas.
The following are the areas of responsibility:
Mrs. Kieffer : Class of 2021, Child Study Team and Special Education
Mr. Simpson : Class of 2022, Business, Fine and Practical Arts, Social Studies, and World Language
Mr. Maslonka : Class of 2023, English and Guidance
Mrs. Cantagallo-Rohm : Class of 2024, Math, Science, and STEM
Mr. Baumann : Athletics, Health and Physical Education
Senior G.A.I.N. Time
Please note that with the new Rolling Drop-Block Schedule, during the lunch blocks, seniors will be assigned to a designated classroom for the study hall portion of the block. This study hall is not considered G.A.I.N. Time, and students must report to and remain in the designated classroom. This is because we cannot accommodate the entire senior class in the eating areas during the lunches. G.A.I.N. Time will be for the 55 minutes regular block study halls.
Student Parking
An email concerning parking will be forthcoming. Due to the hybrid schedule to start the school year, we will temporarily allow eligible juniors in addition to seniors. Please check your email for the information.
Parent/Student Handbook
The Parent-Student Handbook and calendar are available on the Voorhees website. Most of the information disseminated to you will be online. If you do not have access to the Internet, please inform us so that we may arrange to mail materials to you. We encourage you to become familiar with the information contained in the handbook and mark the dates of important school events throughout the year. Some of the dates to note are listed below.
Required Summer Reading
All students will be assessed on their summer reading during the first week of school.
Student Activities
One of the many strengths of Voorhees High School is the large number of students involved in co-curricular activities. Students who become involved in the school broaden their experiences and increase their enjoyment of high school. Whether it is athletics, theatre, music, clubs or student government, I encourage you to participate in one or more student activities. Not only will you find the experience to be rewarding, but you also help make Voorhees High School a better place.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely,
Ron Peterson
