Senior Letter 2015 - Needham High School

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NEEDHAM HIGH SCHOOL
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Jonathan D. Pizzi, Ph.D.
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Principal
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TO THINK – TO RESPECT
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April 21, 2015
Dear Grade 12 Parents and Families:
As incredible as it may seem, our seniors are about to begin the last term of their collective high
school career. This is one of the most satisfying times of year as we are able to celebrate as a
community the accomplishments of our kids. The Class of 2015 has brought a lot of pride and
honor to Needham, and we are thrilled to be able to honor them in return. There are many exciting
activities and Needham High traditions that will take place in the coming weeks. In order to make
this an enjoyable and rewarding time for all, we write to outline our expectations for student
comportment and behavior, the roles and responsibilities of the students and parents through the end
of the year, and the key academic and social events that will take place. If you have any questions
or concerns after reading this, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Linda Riley in the Grade Level
Office. Let the celebrations begin!
Academic & Attendance Responsibilities
The most important responsibility for all seniors is to maintain an undivided focus on their
academics. Attending school regularly, prepared, and on time remains students’ full time job. Each
student must earn a minimum of 92 credits to graduate from Needham High School. In addition,
students must complete their Community Service obligations in order to graduate and to participate
in senior activities.
All attendance policies will remain in effect through graduation. A "senior skip day" is neither
allowed nor endorsed by Needham High and will count as an "unauthorized" absence for students
who participate. For those students whose attendance is problematic, absences resulting in credit
loss could have implications not only for graduation but also for final college and postsecondary
acceptances. Legitimate absences due to illness require that a parent call the NHS Attendance
Reporting Line, ext. 2602. Once again, students must meet all graduation requirements, academic
and behavioral, to participate in the graduation ceremony and other senior activities. We are certain
that the record for the Class of 2015 will remain a source of pride for us all!
Student Behavior & Safety
We continue to be steadfast about ensuring student safety during the school day and at school
sponsored events. Unfortunately, the onset of spring and graduation activities too often becomes
connected with the use of alcohol and other drugs as well as other high-risk behaviors. Each year,
some students make bad decisions and as a result endure the consequences associated with those
decisions. These consequences have ranged from school discipline and legal action to life-altering
physical and emotional harm. I ask for your support in keeping all of our kids safe by monitoring
them and by urging them not to let risky behavior and the use of illicit substances ruin this great
time of year. Parents and families should note that Needham High School does not sponsor any
“senior weekend” or “senior vacation” trips. In the past, such unchaperoned events have resulted in
609 WEBSTER ST. • NEEDHAM, MA 02494 • PHONE (781) 455-0800 • FAX (781) 455-5111
drinking, property damage, accidents, and injuries. Therefore, we urge parents to strongly
discourage students from participating in such events.
Senior Contract
Given our commitment to student safety, we are compelled to point out the seriousness of the
"Senior Contract" and the consequences for violating it. The provisions of this contract reflect our
core beliefs and apply to all senior activities and functions. Each senior, parent, and guardian is
expected to abide by the conditions of the attached contract.
Parents and students must review, sign, and return the contract to Mrs. Riley in the Grade Level
Office by Friday, April 10, in order for students to be eligible to attend all senior functions. Please
contact the Grade-Level Office should you have any questions or concerns.
Senior Class Events
Senior class events are a source of fun, pride, and tradition for the NHS Community and provide
students, their families, and the school staff with opportunities to share in and celebrate the
accomplishments of the Class of 2015. Each major activity is outlined below, accompanied by
guidelines for attendance and participation. Please see the enclosed calendar for an abbreviated
listing of these events. Students should remember that these activities are a privilege, and that any
outstanding obligations (including community service hours to be completed, outstanding detention
hours to be served, financial obligations to be paid, unreturned athletic uniforms or equipment, etc.)
must be fulfilled prior to the Senior Banquet.
Senior Banquet
This is traditionally the first scheduled spring event for the graduating class. The Banquet will be
held at Moseley’s on the Charles on Friday, May 8 from 7:00 - 11:00 p.m. This is a semi-formal
event for seniors and NHS staff. Seniors must arrive by 7:45 p.m. to gain admittance unless they
have prior permission from Dr. Pizzi or Ms. Coubrough-Argentieri.
Senior Prom
The prom is the premiere formal social event for the graduating class. This year, the prom will be
held at the Fairmont Copley Hotel on Thursday, June 4 from 6:00– 11:00 p.m. Ticket pricing
for this year: $65 (4/27-5/1); $75 (5/4-5/8); $85 (5/11-5/15.) Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for photos,
and students must arrive by 7:15 p.m. to gain admittance unless they have prior permission from Dr.
Pizzi or Ms. Coubrough-Argentieri.
Class Day Baccalaureate Ceremony
The Class Day Baccalaureate is a very special event at which the school community joins with
students’ families to celebrate the academic accomplishments of the Class of 2015. The ceremony
includes the awarding of academic scholarships, the conferring of departmental and memorial
awards, and student speeches and musical performances. While all seniors are encouraged to attend,
students receiving awards will be notified in advance and are required to attend. Class Day will be
held in the Needham High School “A” Gymnasium on Sunday, June 7, from 2-4 p.m.
Recommended dress for guests is smart/business casual (light clothing is recommended as the
gymnasium can become quite warm). Students should dress in attire that reflects the formal nature
of the ceremony. Business casual attire (pants, shoes, collared shirts, skirts, dresses, no shorts or
sneakers) is expected for students. In addition, students are required to wear their graduation
gowns (without caps) for this ceremony.
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Graduation
Graduation is a formal ceremony. It will be held on Monday, June 8, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. at
Memorial Field on the Admiral Gracey side of Needham High School. This is an outdoor
ceremony. The ceremony is one of the most impressive, meaningful, and enjoyable civic traditions
in the community, and it is planned to ensure that each graduate receives respectful
acknowledgement as they receive their diploma. Therefore, the use of noisemakers of any type,
decorations on caps, or other distractions is prohibited as they detract from the recognition each
graduate should receive. Students must demonstrate behavior that reflects the formal nature of the
ceremony and are expected to abide by all school rules.
Alternate Location: In the event of inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances, this
year’s alternate graduation location will be Matthews Arena at Northeastern University, 238-262
St. Botolph Street, Boston, MA. If this location is used, the ceremony will begin at 6:30pm. The
decision whether or not to use this alternate location will be made by Monday morning, June 8 at the
latest. In the event of rain, the mandatory rehearsal on graduation day will be held in Needham High
School’s “A Gym.” More detailed information will become available as events warrant.
Student Graduation Dress: Seniors are expected to dress appropriately for the graduation
ceremony. All seniors will wear caps and gowns, under which shall be worn business formal attire
appropriate to the nature of the event (this means no shorts).
Graduation Photographs: Lifetouch Portraits, Inc., of Massachusetts will be photographing the
graduation. Students' pictures are taken as they receive their diplomas. Families will receive a
mailing from Lifetouch Portraits, Inc., with instructions for purchasing graduation photographs.
We thank you for your time and attention to the great deal of information we have provided. Once
again, please contact the Grade-Level Office should you have any questions or concerns. We have
every reason to believe that this commencement season will be our greatest yet, and we look
forward to honoring and celebrating the Class of 2015!
Sincerely,
Jonathan Pizzi, Ph.D.
Principal
Alison Coubrough-Argentieri
Grade 12 Assistant Principal
Enclosures
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Needham High School
S ENIOR F INAL E XAM S CHEDULE
MAY 27-JUNE 1, 2015
MARCH 27, ACA & JDP
Final Exams
Exams or final assessments must be scheduled in all classes. Students must remain in their exam
rooms until the end of the testing period. Students must report to homeroom and all scheduled
exams. Students who do not have a scheduled class need not attend school during that exam
block.
SENIOR FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE
Date & Day
Tuesday, May 26
B Day
Schedule
Last full day of classes for seniors.
Period 4 Exam
Wednesday, May 27
C Day
Thursday, May 28
D Day
Friday, May 29
E Day
Homeroom
9:50 – 11:20 AM
Period 2 Exam
8:00 – 9:30 AM
Tuesday, June 2**
G Day
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9:35 – 9:45 AM
Period 3 Exam
9:50 – 11:20 AM
Period 7 Exam*
8:35 – 9:45 AM
Homeroom
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9:35 – 9:45 AM
Period 5 Exam
Homeroom
Monday, June 1
F Day
8:00 – 9:30 AM
9:50 – 10:00 AM
Period 1 Exam*
10:05 – 11:15 AM
Period 6 Exam
9:50 – 11:20 AM
Final Examination Pick-Up
& Student-Teacher
conferencing by
arrangement
Make-Up Examinations by
arrangement
N/A
*Due to Common Planning Time, these exam periods are reduced from 90 to 70 minutes. Where appropriate,
teachers are asked to account for the time difference when developing their exams. If this is not possible, and
students are unable to complete their final exams within the 70 minutes, students will be afforded the remaining 20
minutes of testing time (directly following each exam period) in an alternate location under administrative
supervision. Alison Coubrough Argentieri will contact teachers regarding this process.
** Please note: Senior teachers must submit term 4 and end of year grades by 5PM on Wednesday, June 3.
609 WEBSTER ST. • NEEDHAM, MA 02494 • PHONE (781) 455-0800 • FAX (781) 449-5111
Needham High School
CONTRACT FOR SENIOR FUNCTIONS
Class of 2015
Student Name_____________________________________________ Homeroom________
Please print legibly.
This signed, completed contract must be returned to the Grade-Level Office no later than Friday, April 10, 2015
for students to be eligible to take participate in senior events. Any student found to be in violation of this
contract will be subject to discipline, legal action, and/or loss of the privilege to attend any/all senior events
including Senior Banquet, Senior Prom, Class Day, Graduation, and the All Night Party.
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From Needham School Committee Policy JFCI
Use of Drugs, Alcohol, or Tobacco
"The School Committee prohibits possession, use, purchase, or sale of drugs, drug paraphernalia, or alcohol in any
place or vehicle under school jurisdiction, and at all school-sponsored activities regardless of locations.
"Any student who violates this prohibition or who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol at any such place,
vehicle, or activity shall be suspended from school for at least three days and shall be subject to additional
disciplinary action."
"Further violation of drug and/or alcohol laws by any person will be reported to the police for appropriate action."
“Tobacco use by students is banned at all school-sponsored events and on all school-sponsored transportation”
Upon deciding to attend a school function or allowing a student to attend such function, the undersigned
recognize their responsibilities and obligations according to school rules. In addition, the undersigned agree to the
following conditions:
1. Student/Parent will not sponsor a pre-function party at which alcohol is available to minors.
2. Student/Parent will not, knowingly, attend/allow a son/daughter to attend a pre-function party at which
alcohol is available to minors.
3. Student/Parent understands that no one will be admitted to the function later than 45 minutes beyond
starting time, unless prior written approval has been given by the Principal or his designee.
4. Student/Parent understands that any suspicion of student drinking or drug use will be referred to the
police to be treated as a violation of law.
5. Student/Parent understands that any student who, in the opinion of the Principal or his designee, is
under the influence of drugs or alcohol, is subject to the discipline policy established by Needham
High and the School Committee.
6. Student/Parent understands that drinking in cars, limousines, or other transportation is illegal and will
be treated as a police matter.
7. Student/Parent understands that any guest/date of a student who is not a Needham High student is
responsible for complying with the rules described above and the policies of NHS and the Needham
Public Schools.
8. It is the student's/parent's responsibility to inform the guest/date of the conditions described in this
contract and the policies of the NHS and Needham Public Schools.
Student Signature_____________________________________________
Date_________
Parent Signature______________________________________________
Date_________
Needham High School
S ENIOR A CTIVITIES C ALENDAR
CLASS OF 2015
UPDATED MARCH 27, 2015
Below please find a list of group activities for the Class of 2015. Please review these event details carefully, and
contact Linda Riley or Assistant Principal Alison Coubrough-Argentieri in the Grade Level Office should you
have any questions or concerns.
Senior Activities*
Time
Day
Tuesday, April 7
Friday, May 8
9:35AM – 9:45AM
7:00PM – 11:00PM
Event
Location
Senior Class Meeting
Senior Banquet
Auditorium
Mosely’s on the Charles
7:45AM – 5:00PM
AP Examinations
Needham High School
Monday, May 18
8:00AM – 12:50PM
Senior Reality Fair
Needham High School
Wednesday, May 27 – Monday, June 1
8:00AM – 11:20AM
Senior Final Exams**
Needham High School
Senior Prom
Fairmont Copley, Boston
Class Day Baccalaureate
NHS A Gym
Monday, May 4 – Friday, May 15
Thursday, June 4
6:30PM – 11:00PM
Sunday, June 7
2:00PM – 4:00PM
Monday, June 8
4:15PM (SHARP!)
Report for Graduation
NHS B Gym
Monday, June 8
5:00PM (SHARP!)
Graduation Begins
Memorial Field
Monday, June 8 – Tuesday, June 9
9:30PM – 6:00AM
All Night Party
Pollard Middle School
Graduation Rehearsals‡
Day
Tuesday, June 2
Wednesday, June 3
Time
11:30AM - 12:30PM
11:30AM - 12:30PM
Event
Graduation Rehearsal
Graduation Rehearsal
Monday, June 8
12:30PM - 2:00PM
Graduation Rehearsal
Location
A Gym
A Gym
Memorial Field
(weather permitting)
*
Seniors who have completed their obligations will not have to report to school on Tuesday, June 3- Friday, June 5,
except for graduation rehearsals.
**
See attached Senior Final Exam Schedule.
‡
Graduation rehearsal is mandatory for all students participating in graduation.
609 WEBSTER ST. • NEEDHAM, MA 02494 • PHONE (781) 455-0800 • FAX (781) 449-5111
Class of 2015
Needham High School All Night Party
Monday, June 8, 2015
POLLARD MIDDLE SCHOOL - 10:30pm-5am
Congratulations - you’re almost there! It’s hard to believe that the end to the school year is
fast approaching and it is almost time to graduate the class of 2015. The Needham High
School All Night Party Committee is working together with community groups to provide
an evening of fun-filled activities and most importantly a safe haven for this celebratory
night for our graduates.
The All Night Party (ANP) was first organized in the late 50's and has been a Needham
tradition ever since with over 90% attendance. The ANP is just that -- a wonderful event
for our graduates to come together with their classmates and enjoy a safe environment to
reminisce and celebrate their graduation. As its name suggests, this event is an all night
party for our graduates and our committee’s main objective is to keep our students safe.
Please keep in mind that this event is an all night party with no early departure. If a
student must leave earlier than 4:15am, we WILL REQUIRE PARENTAL CONSENT
and we will contact the parent directly from the event (even if that means waking you
up). Keeping our students safe is of the utmost importance.
The evening is hosted by a DJ and events and games are featured all night for our kids to
enjoy. A big part of the evening is our prize raffle which occurs every 15 minutes. Past
prizes have included gift certificates, dorm refrigerators, event tickets, etc. We also keep
the graduates fed all night with the generous support of the Needham Women’s Club,
Exchange Club, and local businesses.
The cost of running this party is significant and it is done solely by donations from family
and friends of Needham High students and local businesses. We need your help and ask
for your donation to help us meet our budgetary needs. Please consider donating to the
ANP by filling out this form and returning your donation to (please make checks payable
to NHS - All Night Party):
NHS ANP
c/o Stephanie Wallace
81 Gary Road
Needham, MA 02494
We greatly appreciate your donation and remind you that we can only do this with your
help and support. Thank you.
Beth Warner (bbwarner@rcn.com)
Needham High School All Night Party and the entire All Night Party Committee
Graduating Class of 2015
NHS - All Night Party
Monday, June 8, 2015
POLLARD MIDDLE SCHOOL
10:30pm-5AM
Yes, I’m happy to donate to the NHS Class of 2015 All Night Party.
Please include your donation by filling out this form and returning it to:
NHS ANP
Stephanie Wallace
81 Gary Road
Needham, MA 02494
Your Name:_________________________ Address:_________________
Email:_____________________________
Amount Enclosed:_____________________
TAX ID: 51-020-8904
PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO NHS - All Night Party
THANK YOU!
In addition, if you wish to donate gift cards, gift certificates, event tickets, or
items to put towards our prize raffles (we raffle prizes every 15 minutes
throughout the night), please contact Beth Warner @ bbwarner@rcn.com.