WELCOME TO UPPER SCHOOL Orientation for 9 th grade parents

ATTENDANCE Who do I call if my child is sick?

Nuts and bolts of attendance The school day begins promptly at 8:00. If your child is sick, please call the attendance voic ( ) or call or Lynne Bell ( , before 8:00. Attendance is taken at assembly, in advisor groups, and in first period classes. If we have not received notification of an absence, we will call home. Students who are late to school should sign in in the Upper School office.

What happens if my child is tardy? When a student is tardy 4 times (per quarter), s/he will serve a 1 hour after school detention. After 6 tardies, a letter is sent home and parents are called. We waive tardies in the event of extreme weather and when we know of terrible traffic conditions. We do not waive tardies when a parent calls and says “my child is going to be late”.

What happens if my child has a doctor’s appointment? Please call Lynne Bell in advance of the appointment. With your permission (and only with your permission) we will allow a student to sign out and leave. They are expected to sign back in (in the US office) when they return to school. Without a note or phone call giving permission for a student to leave campus, Lynne will call home to verify.

What if my child falls sick at school? Students who become sick at school should report to the health center. If a student needs to be dismissed due to illness, they must be checked out through the health center.

What do I do if I know my child is going to be absent? We ask all students with a prearranged (or excused) absence to fill out an “intended absence form” (informally known as a purple sheet). The sheet is signed by parents, the student’s teachers, his/her advisor and the dean of students.

ATHLETICS

Nuts and bolts of sports Busses leave campus for the farm at 3:15 and return to campus between 5:45 and 6:00. Students must attend school to be eligible to participate in after school athletic events. Students who miss one (or more) class due to illness will be evaluated by the health center. Athletic schedules can be found on line. When practices or games are cancelled, students are notified via . Game cancellations are posted on the website, and parents can sign up for text or notification of cancellations.

PE requirements Any student not participating on an athletic team is required to elect one activity per term (fall/winter/spring). Students are notified of class offerings via and assembly. Independent contracts are available for those who participate in out of school lessons or activities. Contracts are signed by the student’s parents. Rhode Island law requires 100 minutes of physical education per week.

COMMUNICATION

Who do I call? Advisor – the advisor is the first point of contact and is the person most likely to have a comprehensive overview of how your child is doing. Dean of Students (Peter Lau) Head of Upper School (Neeltje Henneman) Health Center (Nurse Kathy McKenna or our school counselor, Peggy O’Neil)

ADVISING SYSTEM – Points of contact All advisors will make contact within the first two weeks of school. Teachers will complete anecdotal reports at the end of the first 4 weeks of school. Advisors will call home. 1 st quarter grades and comments will come home in early November Parent/Advisor Conferences are on November 15 th.

Upcoming parent events Dinner for Families of Color (Friday, September 6 th ) New Families Dinner (September 10 th ) Back to School Night (September 19 th ) Dinner for LGBT families (September 20 th ) 9 th grade parent evening (October 10 th )

The Website If you haven’t already done so, log in and check your profile for accuracy of . Please check the master calendar regularly. It’s a good first stop when looking for forms. The Weekly Word is sent out Thursday at 3:00 pm and often includes links to important information.

ORIENTATION How do we help 9 th grade students make the transition to Upper School?

Orientation Schedule 8:15 Check-in with advisors and peer supporters (courtyard) 8:30 Assembly in Wheeler Hall 9:00 Tour 10:00Full Upper School in Wheeler Hall 11:00Advisor group meetings/lunch 12:30Student led assembly 2:00 Class meeting/advisor time 3:00 Dismissal

Building class unity during the first weeks of school Jamboree – M slot, September 12 th – news students are assigned their colors Septemberfest – September 12 th – Wheeler Farm Class retreats - September 13 th

Co-curricular activities A wide range of options will be introduced to your child over and in assembly. Club fair – September 19 th. We encourage 9 th grade students to try a range of activities.

And finally... Please don’t hesitate to call or send an with any questions or concerns. Neeltje Henneman (401) , Peter Lau (401)