August 2021

Dear Parents,

We are excited to welcome Jenny Fee to St. Joseph Public Schools as our new Superintendent!

I hope everyone has had a fun, exciting, and relaxing summer! St. Joseph is an awesome place in thesummer and we are all lucky to call it our home. Our focus for St. Joseph High School as we continue tomove forward and work through this pandemic is to create an environment at St. Joseph High Schoolwhere students want to come and not a place where they have to come! As always our high schoolfacilities are looking great and we will be ready to welcome students and families back into our buildingvery soon. As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we are excited about the opportunity to workwith each and every student, each and every day, and to inspire lifelong learners and create tomorrow’sleaders in whatever capacity necessary. Our academic programming continues to expand to meet theneeds of every student, we annually have best standardized test scores in the county, and have beenrecently recognized as one of the top school districts in the state of Michigan(www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/michigan/).

We will once again be running our modified schedule on the first day of school in order to get a lot of thefirst day activities and busy work out of the way so that students can get right to learning and teacherscan get busy providing instruction as quickly as possible. Chromebooks will be distributed to everySJHS student the first day of school, the chromebooks will be the device each and every student is tohave with them to use everyday! Please note, we will continue to use Google Classroom as the primarysource for communication between teachers, students, parents, and administration. More informationwill be coming to all of you with Google Classroom as we return to school and attend upcoming eventssuch as Freshman/New Student Orientation and Back to School Night.

Please take a few minutes to read through this newsletter where you will find valuable informationpertaining to the first day of school as well as other information critical to parents, students, and the startof a new school year at SJHS.

The front office staff and administrative team are back from summer break at the high school andavailable if you have any questions. The guidance counselors will return on Thursday Aug. 26th, and willbe working to prepare new student schedules and making final adjustments to student schedules.

We are looking forward to a great year at SJHS!GO BEARS!

Greg Blomgren – Principal

MasksMasks are required while in the building at SJHS. Please see the link here for more information on the mask mandate from Superintendent Jenny Fee.August 23 Family Letter.pdf

First Day of SchoolWe will utilize the morning of the first day to conduct school pictures, class meetings for each grade, homerooms, and Chromebook distribution/trainingfor all students. On the first day of school we will need students to report to the following locations at 7:45am on Tuesday, September 7:

Auditorium – Freshman (Class Meetings)Competition Gym – Sophomores (Pictures & Schedules)Student Center – Juniors (Chromebook & Technology Info)English Hallway – Seniors (Rules & Forms)

• Class Meeting – Welcome back meeting, Guidance Department information, Rules/Expectations, Student Senate, and upcoming events.• School Pictures – Dress code rules apply! Picture packets were recently mailed home. Students will pick up their schedule and emergency

card.• Chromebook/Technology Meeting – Students will receive Chromebooks and additional Technology information/training.• Rules & Forms – Student handbooks will be reviewed online and any other optional forms you would like on file for your student should

be returned and submitted at this time. Please refer to www.sjschools.org to get free/reduced lunch forms, prescription medicationforms, food allergy action plan forms, and student publications/recruitment opt out forms.

** Students will need to return their emergency cards to their 1st Hour teacher on Tuesday, September 7th.

Students will be directed where to go following their first meeting at 7:45am. All staff will be available to assist on the 1st day of school meetings toensure a successful morning. Please remember to let your child know that Senior Mentors will be wearing light blue t-shirts and are available toanswer any questions as well.

St. Joseph High SchoolSchedule – 1st Day of School - 9/7/21

Meeting 1 7:45 – 8:30 (45)Exchange 8:30 – 8:35 (5)Meeting 2 8:35 – 9:20 (45)Exchange 9:20 – 9:25 (5)Meeting 3 9:25 – 10:10 (45)Exchange 10:10 – 10:15 (5)Meeting 4 10:15 – 11:00 (45)Exchange 11:00 – 11:05 (5)

A-Lunch (LUNCH ASSIGNMENTS BASED ON 1st HOUR TEACHER)Lunch 11:05 – 11:35 (30)Exchange 11:35 – 11:40 (5)Class Period 1 11:40 – 12:10 (30)Exchange 12:10 – 12:15 (5)B-Lunch (LUNCH ASSIGNMENTS BASED ON 1st HOUR TEACHER)Class Period 1 11:05 – 11:35 (30)Exchange 11:35 – 11:40 (5)Lunch 11:40 – 12:10 (30)Exchange 12:10 – 12:15 (5)

Class Period 2 12:15 – 12:38 (23)Exchange 12:38 – 12:43 (5)

ADVISORY 12:43 – 12:53 (10)Exchange 12:53 – 12:58 (5)

Class Period 3 12:58 – 1:21 (23)Exchange 1:21 – 1:26 (5)

Class Period 4 1:26 – 1:49 (23)Exchange 1:49 – 1:54 (5)

Class Period 5 1:54 – 2:18 (24)Exchange 2:18 – 2:23 (5)

Class Period 6 2:23 – 2:47 (24)

New Student and Freshmen OrientationOn Monday, August 30, 2021, at 6:30 p.m., St. Joseph High School will hold an Orientation night for all incoming 9th grade students and any other studentsnew to the district. All parents are highly encouraged to attend. Several Clubs & Activities tables may be visited in the Student Center. The Administrationand Counseling staff will provide information from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the John & DeDe Howard Auditorium. Students will be able to pick upschedules at this event and have access to all areas of the building for a walk-through to become familiarized. Senior mentors will be present to assist asbuilding guides. Passwords, locker combinations, and Parent Portal information (both student and parent) will be printed on the schedules.Parents, please park in the parking lot adjacent to the football field.

Parent Contact and InformationParents, it is very important for us to have updated and current contact information on file for all of our parents and students so that we can effectivelycommunicate announcements, schedule changes, important events, etc. We will be using multiple communication tools to make contact: phone calls,mailings, email, and text, so please make sure your information is current and up to date for your student. If your address, cell phone number, or emailaddress changes throughout the year please contact the high school so we can update your demographics. We appreciate your assistance with this!!!(The form was sent home and must be returned with parent signature for all students on the first day during 1st Hour.

Class ScheduleDaily class schedule times, half-day schedule, exam day schedule, 1-hour and 2-hour delay schedules can all be accessed at www.sjschools.org.

Schedules for 10th – 12th GradersStudents will be able to view their tentative schedules on Monday, August 30th by logging into PowerSchool (not the Phone App).

Schedule ChangesThe Guidance Office will NOT be making any schedule changes at this time UNLESS we have incorrectly placed your student in a course that has alreadybeen successfully completed, an incomplete schedule or seniors needing a course required for graduation. Counselors will be available on September 1stfrom 1:00 - 3:00p.m. at the High School for these schedule changes ONLY.

The process for all other requests:You may pick up a drop/add request form from the teacher of the class you want to drop starting Tuesday, September 7. No schedule changerequests will be accepted after 3 pm on September 10.

Telephone Numbers

Administrative Office Greg Blomgren – PrincipalAnn Essig – Principal Secretary

926-3200

Athletic/Facilities Office Kevin Guzzo – Athletic/Facility Director 926-3220Katie Werdann – Athletic/Facility Secretary

Attendance Office Jim Berry – Assistant Principal/CTE DirectorTina Uzelac – Attendance Secretary

926-3205

Guidance Office Amy Peterson – Counselor (A-G)Tracy Wagner – Counselor (H-O)Tracy Olson – Counselor (P-Z)

926-3210

Allison Koch – Guidance SecretaryElizabeth Fairchild – School Social Worker

On-Line Learning Lenny Rothrock 926-3333

Co-op/Work Experience Angie Mellott 926-3217

Staff Changes at SJHS

Amy Peterson – Moves to the High School full-time as a School Counselor

Kim Scouler - Para-Professional

Cassidy VanGilder - 1 Hour English Department

Morgan Altergott - Full-time Mathematics Department

Student HandbookStudents will receive important Handbook information on Tuesday, September 7 regarding rules & forms. Both students and parents should read theStudent Handbook section concerning rules, regulations, and expectations. The students and parents will be asked to sign an Acknowledgement Formindicating their responsibility of reviewing and understanding the rules/expectations of St. Joseph High School (Available on school website atwww.sjschools.org). PARENT LINK HERE Students will also complete a short handbook quiz during the first week of school.

Major Handbook Rules and Items to ReviewEach year it is important for us to review how the building is operating as we continue to strive to make it the best educational environment that we can. Weannually update and revise the handbook to meet MASSP and NEOLA guidelines. We encourage all parents to review the new handbook and discuss withyour student. Students will be receiving the handbook information on the first day of school and will be signing an acknowledgment form indicating theyhave received the handbook information and will follow the rules and guidelines outlined in the student handbook. Some of the major items to review havebeen identified below and the Administrative staff would encourage you to have a discussion with your student (note: some of the changes in handbookmay have been edited since the deadlines for publishing handbook).

● Cell Phone Use – We will continue to implement the Red / Yellow / Green card system in all classrooms regarding student cell phone use. Itwill be assumed that any student entering a classroom is under a “Red Zone,” which means no cell phones should be visible. A “Yellow Zone”may be displayed by the teacher if he/she wants to allow students to use (1) ear-bud or (1) headphone. Finally, a Green Zone may bedisplayed when a teacher assigns a lesson where a cell phone can enhance the learning goal. The entire cell phone policy may be found onpage 19. Students may use cell phones before and after school, as well as during lunch; however, if headphones/earbuds are worn, then (1)ear must always be exposed. Specific consequences for cell phone violations may be found within the cell phone policy section.

● Attendance Policy – We are continuing to simplify Attendance processes while keeping effective, reliable, and timely attendance. Parents,your timely communication regarding your student’s attendance is vital in this process. Please be sure to review the Attendance Codes on page6. Also, please review the Attendance Make-Up Contract information (Pg. 7 in handbook).

● Discipline – Disciplinary infractions and intervention guidelines will adhere to the Michigan School Codes seven mandatory school factors.Note that not all disciplinary infractions or interventions may be listed in the handbook but the Administration reserves the right to address eachincident and will work to treat each situation consistently with previously established rules, regulations, and consequences for similar incidents.(Pg. 9-14 in handbook).Vaping – There has been an increase in Vaping activity with today's teenagers. Please be aware of the following resources related to studentuse... MASSP / Handbook Letter American Lung AssociationSurgeon General Letter

● School Dress – (Pg. 18 in handbook) Parents and students please review prior to returning to school on the 1st day. We do not want dress tobecome a distraction to the educational setting. All staff will be regulating this very closely over the first couple of weeks and we need to makesure what students are wearing to school is appropriate.

The policy for “school dress” has been included below for your review:We believe that student dress is a factor in the establishment of an educational atmosphere and that clothing should be appropriate forschool. Standards of dress which clearly deal with the health and safety of students will be upheld. Forms of student dress are acceptable aslong as they are neat, clean, and not considered distracting from the educational process, and one’s dress should comply with applicableschool laws for the State of Michigan. The Administration reserves the right to determine what is appropriate dress for the place and situation.Students in non-compliance will be required to make necessary modifications, serve in-school suspension, or face suspension from school.

Within this framework, the following guidelines have been established but are not limited to:● Footwear is required.● Profanity, vulgar suggestion, alcohol, tobacco, or illegal substance logos printed on clothing is prohibited.● Hoodies may be worn in the building, but not over the student’s head. Repeat offenders will lose the privilege of wearing

hoodies in the building.● (NEW) - hats, bandanas and durags may be worn in the building as long as they do not become a distraction to the learning

environment. Teachers may ask students to remove their hats during a test or assessment. Hair accessories will be allowed.● Coats may not be worn to class under ordinary circumstances.● Shoulders must be covered with at least a 2-inch width strap (no spaghetti straps or tube tops). Neckline shall not permit

overexposure. No Tank Tops.● No exposed midriff when student extends arms toward floor.● Skirt and short length must reach the palm of hand length when arms are extended toward the floor.● No exposed undergarments; or pockets extending out from cut-off shorts.● Jewelry or apparel that creates a health or safety hazard is not permitted. This includes spiked necklaces, studded or

spiked bracelets, and hanging chains.● Mask Information - please see information above from Mr. Blomgren

● Student Valuables – Students are encouraged to NOT bring items of value to school. Items such as jewelry, expensive clothing, electronicequipment, large quantities of money, and the like, are tempting targets for theft. The school cannot be responsible for their safekeeping andwill not be liable for loss or damage to personal valuables. If a student elects to bring personal items to school they should be kept locked intheir locker(s) and not left unattended. (Pg. 25 in handbook).

● Technology Acceptable Use Policy (Pg. 30 in handbook).● Video Monitoring Systems (Pg. 24 in handbook).

School HoursStudents are not permitted inside the school building more than 30 minutes before the start of their first class (7:15am) without prior approval orsupervision of a teacher. Students are not permitted to remain in the school building beyond 30 minutes after the completion of their last class (3:15 pm),unless they are involved in an after school-related activity or being supervised by a teacher. The main entrance to the high school will be the designatedwait area for students waiting for a ride after 3:15 pm. Parents please make arrangements for this daily; we will not be allowing students to loiter inthe building after designated times.

Calling in AbsencesParents, when your student is absent, please contact the Attendance Office either by phone (926-3205) or email (tuzelac@sjschools.org) to excuse. Whena student is absent (full or partial day), our building procedure requires that an explanation of the absence be furnished to the Attendance Secretary. Theparent should notify the school on the day of the absence. Please understand that excused absences must be entered manually into the computer andmay not immediately show on the Parent Portal until the following day. Requests for changes can only be done through conversation with the AttendanceSecretary, Teacher, or Administrator.

Student IllnessDuring the school year, if a student becomes ill during the course of the school day, we ask that they report to the Attendance Office. Mrs. Uzelac willcontact a parent and we will ask that a parent/guardian come and pick up the student if they are unable to return to class. We ask that students not exit thebuilding without checking out first.

Important Notice from Berrien County Health DepartmentTo parents/guardians regarding student absences from the Berrien County Health DepartmentBerrien County Health Department is working directly with your child’s school to make Berrien County a healthier place to live. The State of Michiganrequires schools to report the occurrence of certain illnesses to the local public health department on a weekly basis. (Public Act 368 of 1978). To assistyour child’s school in reporting communicable diseases to the public health department and preventing disease outbreaks, please be specific when reportyour child’s absence.

When Calling in for a child please include the following information:1. The symptoms of the illness (Vomiting and or diarrhea, fever, cough, sore throat, rash etc.)2. The type of illness, if known, and who identified the illness3. Your telephone numberYour cooperation with St. Joseph Public Schools and the Berrien County Health Department is greatly appreciated.

High School “Back-To-School” NightWe are planning to host this event face to face at this point. We will communicate with everyone leading up to the event in case we were to switch to avirtual Back to School Night. The event will take place on Monday, September 13, 2021. We are encouraging parents to check Power School for yourstudent’s schedule. Please plan to arrive by 6:15p.m, first hour class will begin at 6:30 pm. Announcements for parents will take place in their child’sfirst hour class. Parents will then be released for classroom visitations for the opportunity to meet their child’s instructors. We hope to see all parentsthere for this informative evening.

PowerSchool Parent PortalThe PowerSchool Parent Portal at the High School has been a great success. The program will once again be up and running for use by parents andstudents once the Guidance Department has solidified all student schedules. Note: parents will use the same passwords as last year; students will also beusing the same passwords as last year. All Parent Portal information will be on printed schedules that students will pick up at the Freshmen/New studentorientation on August 30. We hope to have the Parent Portal open on August 30 so students and parents can view schedules online prior to the first day ofschool. For more information, please contact the Guidance office (926-3210).

Food Service ProgramWe are pleased to inform you that St Joseph Public Schools will be participating in the Seamless Summer Option as part of the National School Lunch andSchool Breakfast Programs for the School Year 2021-2022.

The GREAT NEWS is that ALL students enrolled at our school can receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at NO CHARGE to your household each day. Allmenus are posted on our website.

Ala Carte items will be available for purchase. No charging is allowed. Parents can deposit money in their student’s account by credit card using thewww.sendmoneytoschool.com website or the student can purchase items with check or cash.

Breakfast and Lunch are FREE to ALL but we still need your household to fill out and sign the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application (if applicable).Applications can be found online at www.lunchapp.com or a hard copy from your school. This information is critical in determining the amount of money thatour school receives from a variety of State and Federal supplemental programs like Title I A, At-risk (31a), Title II A, E-Rate, etc.

If you have any questions please contact Demrhy Youngquist @ dyoungquist@sjschools.org or 269-926-3127.

School PicturesPicture Day is the first day of school, Tuesday, September 7, 2021. Our picture company is Geskus Photography, Inc. To order your students photos online,www.geskusphoto.com/fallorders, or call toll free at 800-473-3885. Online code is 3714XBEBRTESJR. Everyone, including seniors, needs to get a picturetaken for I.D. cards. These cards are used for lunch and Media Center checkout. Seniors may use this picture for the yearbook as well. Retake day isFriday, October 8. Senior PicturesThe yearbook staff needs to have a color picture of each senior by January 31, 2022. The basic guidelines for the yearbook photo are as follows:wallet-sized, head/shoulder, all color, indoor vertical shot (an outdoor pose with a clean, simple background is acceptable). The Picture Day photo will beused if the senior or photographer doesn’t submit one. Photos can be emailed to or shared with Mrs. Joyce Hunter at jhunter@sjschools.org. If you havefurther questions, contact Mrs. Hunter at 926-3357. This link includes further senior picture information, a yearbook order form, and a senior ad form: Classof 2022 Yearbook information

School YearbooksThe 2020-2021 yearbook will be distributed during the first two weeks of school. Pick-up information will be provided soon. A few extras will beavailable for $65.

1:1 Chromebooks @ SJHSSt. Joseph High School is transitioning to a 1:1 Chromebook school beginning with the 2021-2022 school year. All students will be issued adistrict-provided touch screen Chromebook and charger on the first day of school and do not need to bring their own device. BYOD will no longerbe an option for students at St. Joseph High School--please leave personal laptops and tablets at home. We are looking forward to being fully immersed inthe Google environment and are excited to provide all students in St. Joseph Public Schools with a device. Students are expected to bring their fully-chargedChromebook to school each day. Care of the device is the responsibility of the student. All families are asked to complete a 1:1 computing agreement viathis link. The agreement includes the option to purchase damage insurance for $20 which covers the device should it be lost or broken. More informationregarding the Chromebooks will be shared with your child on the first day of school and with parents at back-to-school night.

Google Classroom - Learning Management System

St. Joseph Public Schools will continue to use Google Classroom as its primary Learning Management System (LMS). The purpose of an LMS is forteachers to communicate assignments and deliver digital learning resources to students, as well as provide course information for parents. All students inSJPS automatically have a Google Classroom account. Teachers will share more information with their students during the first week of school regardinghow to join their Google Classrooms for each class. Additionally, all students will be invited to be a member of a Google Classroom specific to theirgraduation year. Instructions on this, as well as other relevant technology information, will be shared with students on the first day of school.

Work Experience StudentsStudents applying for Work Experience will meet with Mrs. Angie Mellott during their release time on Tuesday, September 7th and Wednesday, September 8th

in room L808. Please have students bring a recent pay stub or written verification of current employment to this meeting. Mrs. Mellott can be reachedat amellott@sjschools.org or by calling 926-3217 if you have any further questions.

Career & Technical Education (CTE Off Campus Classes)If any students are taking off-campus CTE classes, then please be aware that the first CTE class will not meet until Wednesday, September 8. All CTEstudents will be required to meet at St. Joseph High School on September 7 with Mr. Berry (CTE Director) and Mrs. Cohoon in the L806 computer lab duringthe scheduled time for important CTE course information.

Supplemental Insurance InformationFor any parents interested in supplemental insurance, First Agency specializes in athletic insurance, blanket accident insurance, clinic insurance andsports camp insurance, summer camp insurance, youth sports insurance, student health insurance, sports insurance, school insurance, and special eventinsurance.

The school district does not provide medical coverage for students. If there is an accident, the bills are the parent’s responsibility.

If parents are interested in purchasing the supplemental insurance, they should visit the following website and look up “St. Joseph Public School” to reviewoptions:

https://www.1stagency.com/mischools/?SchoolId=328

Assistance: Access to needed health services is critical for healthy children and contributes to successful education. The MIChild/Healthy Kids is a servicethat provides insurance coverage to those Michigan children who may not have health insurance. If interested in more information on this program, contactKim Keppler (Medical Social Worker) at the Berrien County Health Department (269) 927-5693.

Closed CampusA reminder to parents and students: St. Joseph High School is a closed campus. This means a student is not permitted to leave the High Schoolgrounds or assigned area without permission. This includes the lunch period.

Student ParkingWe want to encourage our students to park in the student lots during the time they are in the building and not on neighboring streets. We want to do ourbest to be good neighbors. For this reason, we are continuing the window parking sticker system.

Students must register their vehicles in the Attendance Office. Upon properly registering the vehicle, students will be issued a parking permit. The permit isto be attached on the passenger side of the front windshield in a non-obstructive position. The cost of the parking permit will be $10.00 for the 2021-2022school year. If a student previously registered a car, that permit will remain good for the year. All cars parking on school grounds during the school day willrequire the sticker.

A student can register more than one car. These permits provide us the ability to recognize and communicate easier with car owners. For example, astudent leaves their lights on; we can quickly identify the owner of the car. It also assists us with building security.

Students may stop in the Attendance Office at any time to get their registration taken care of. The Attendance Office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00p.m. until the time school starts. Parking Stickers will be required by September 27. Reminders will be announced.

Student FinesParents, please be sure to have your students pay their fines for any of the following: books, textbooks, class related novels, calculators, chrome books,and power cords to Ann Essig (Principal’s office) or Chastity Edlefson (Media Center).

Bus TransportationIt is time for "Back to School" and we have an important update regarding transportation. Your child(ren) are now REQUIRED to register for bustransportation online. There is a link to sign up under each school tab on the St. Joseph website and also under the link under Parents and then underTransportation.If you have any further questions, please call the Transportation Department at 269-926-3900. High School students will not havebus tags, but we still need them to sign up so we have an accurate list of students riding our buses. **Masks are required by all students thatride a Bus or Van, per federal guidelines.

Student-Parent Driver Drop-off ZoneLakeview Avenue drop-off: For cars coming to the back of the school for drop-off, the designated area will be towards the south side of the building. Thisdoor will be open until the start of the school day. This allows parents to drive forward, giving more room for traffic and making our best effort of not havingcars backed up on the street. Once the school day starts all students will need to enter through the main entrance of the high school on Circle Drive.

College Fairs…Mark your CalendarsThe Fall 2021 College Fair will be held at Lake Michigan College on Monday, September 20rd from 6-7:30pm. It will be in the Grand Upton Hall in the MendelCenter. There will be financial aid information sessions. Please visit http://www.lakemichigancollege.edu/collegenight for more information.

College Rep Visits at SJHSJuniors & Seniors - sign up for a max of 3 college rep visits found on the Guidance website: College Rep Visit Sign Up Link. Check often as reps contact ustypically from September through December. Visits usually last about an hour, take place in the SJHS Guidance office or auditorium and cover all topicsranging from admission requirements to what life is like on campus. See your counselor for further information.

Grief Support Group at SJHSLory's Place offers regularly scheduled sessions at St. Joseph High School throughout the school year. Each session brings students together who aregrieving after the death of a family member or friend. These sessions are open not only to students who attend sessions at Lory's Place, but also tostudents who cannot come to Lory's Place because of transportation problems, work or schedule conflicts. Lory’s Place professional bereavement staffmembers and trained volunteers facilitate the school group sessions. These peer group sessions are a safe, comfortable place for your child to sharefeelings, do grief-healing activities and receive the empathy, advice and hope needed for the grief journey. Please contact your high school counselor formore information.

H2O GroupWell of Grace Ministries offers free regularly scheduled sessions at St. Joseph High School throughout the school year. The sessions are offered duringthe school day, once a week for six weeks each. This is open to young ladies, with proper permission forms submitted to their counselor. It's a safe placefor girls, ages 13 to 18, to connect, increase self-esteem, find potential and explore possibilities, defining who you are on the inside and out, andcelebrating what makes you unique. For more information, please see your counselor.

Band and Orchestra Parents (We need YOU!!!)First, the Band and Orchestra Parents Organization would like to thank all of the dedicated parents – past and present – for all that’s been done to bring ourinstrumental programs to their current level of achievement. It's that time of year again--time to start signing up for stuff! If you're interested in helping theBand and Orchestra Parents with concerts, scholarships and the artists in residence, among other things, in order to keep the kids sounding GREAT, goahead and sign up on this google doc form: https://goo.gl/forms/1XGXWqy4rITpVnj32

The Band and Orchestra Parents need you to help with one of our biggest fundraisers for the instrumental music programs at St. Joe--Football Concessions.Whether you can volunteer at one or all of the games in any capacity, we'd LOVE to have you! Please use the link below and feel free to put in anycomments regarding jobs with which you feel most comfortable. If you can only work part of a shift, it's OK! Please note that as well.https://signup.com/go/NPWYmFGMany hands will make for light work for all – AND – will make for continued success.

High School Media CenterThe HS media center needs volunteers for the coming school year. If anyone is interested in helping in the MC for an hour or two, or once a week, thenplease contact Dr. Jamie Culver at jculver@sjschools.org to learn more about potential opportunities.

Guidance OfficePlease take a look at the following and note by last name which of the school counselors your student will be working with for the 2021-22 school year.Please note the NEW alphabet assigned to counselors for this year:

· Mrs. Amy Peterson – Last names A-G· Mrs. Tracy Wagner – Last names H-O· Mrs. Tracy Olson – Last names P-Z

Assessment Testing DatesMME April 14 - 16PSAT/NMSQT Oct. 13 (for Juniors)SAT Apr 14AP Testing May 2 - 13

Note: National Testing Dates for ACT & SAT are listed in the Student Handbook.

Scholarship OpportunitiesDuring the course of the year, parents of Juniors and Seniors should periodically check our website. All scholarship information brought to the attention ofthe guidance department will be posted on the website. A great deal of money is available out there for students who are willing to fill out the applications.Become familiar with the scholarship opportunities that are available at the colleges your student will be applying to.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)• Available in October• Use taxes from two years ago, which have already been submitted to the IRS last year• Enables more filers to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to easily import verified IRS tax returns, reducing the need to later amend the forms• Will substantially sync the college application and financial aid application calendars• Removes barriers created by priority filing deadlines, ensuring students have equal opportunity to be considered for all available funds• Likely will receive financial aid eligibility information in advance of college decision deadline, encouraging more thoughtful and

informed enrollment decisions

National Honor Society TutoringNHS Tutors will be available in mid-September. If you need further information, please contact Ms. Nicholie at nnicholie@sjschools.org.

Publications – Annual Opt-Out Notice for Secondary StudentsIn the St. Joseph Public School District, students may be photographed or videotaped and their name and/or work displayed for educational and/or not-for-profit use in the newsletter articles, school informational publications, building videos, school news broadcasts, athletic team rosters, club rosters, aswell as district, building, and classroom webpages, etc. If you do not want your child identified in publications such as above, please print off the form atwww.sjschools.org, click on parent’s tab, and you will find the opt-out form; fill out the form and submit to Guidance Secretary, Allison Koch by September 7.Requests must be made every year in order to ensure that the student’s identity will not be released.

Student Recruitment – Annual Opt-Out Notice for Secondary Students – Class Lists & DirectoriesFederal law requires the School District to provide secondary school students’ names, addresses and telephone number to recruiters upon request. Asecondary school student or the parent of the student may request the student’s information not be released. This can be done by completing and returningthe Student Recruitment Opt-out form. If you do not want your child’s information made available to recruiters (i.e. military recruiters; recruiters frompost-secondary institutions, including trade schools; private institution recruiting, such as banks and credit unions; and recruiters from prospectiveemployers, etc.), The form is available at www.sjschools.org, click on parents tab and you will find opt-out form. Requests must be completed and returnedto the Guidance secretary, Allison Koch by September 7. This request must be made every year in order to ensure the student’s identity will not bereleased.

Athletic InformationFall sports have started. We encourage participation in extracurricular activities as much as possible for our students. If your son/daughter is interested inplaying a sport and needs information, please contact the Athletic Office at 926-3220.

Passes, schedule information, and Bear Wear is available in the Athletic Office. Family, student, and season passes are also available this year.Tickets can be obtained by stopping by the High School Athletic Office. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Monday – Friday until the start ofschool. The athletic office will be closed Friday, September 3, 2021.

Dual Credit (Accuplacer Testing)Reminder if you have signed up for a Dual Credit class for 2021-2022 school year there are testing requirements that must be met. Deadline for theAccuplacer testing is Aug. 26th, 2021. Accuplacer testing is offered at Lake Michigan College, we recommend you email LMC Placement Center foran appointment, assessmentcenter@lakemichigancollege.edu to take your test remotely. LMC to visit all dual credit eligible classrooms onWednesday, September 8th. Deadline for Dual Credit registration is Friday, September 10th. Important New Note: One change this year is thatfirst-time early college students will need to complete an online early college application PRIOR to testing and registering:https://mylmc.force.com/apply.

Resource Officers at SJHSWe will again collaborate with the St. Joseph Police Department and have a resource officer present at the high school throughout the day at SJHS.Our goal is to integrate this individual into our school community and family like any other staff member, the resource officer will interact with thestudents, staff, and community like any other employee within our district. We are excited about this ongoing partnership and feel the resourceofficers have become a part of our school family here at SJHS while also providing another layer of safety and security for our school, students, andstaff.

Boys and Girls ClubWe are excited that we will once again be offering the services of the Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor at St. Joseph High School. Programmingfor the boys and girls club will be conducted on a daily basis and will extend beyond school hours up until 6pm. Exact scheduling, location within thebuilding, and program details are currently being worked out and will be available hopefully as we return to school in September. With programmingsuch as “Passport to Manhood”, “SMART Girls”, and “Power Hour” to name a few, we are thrilled with the potential impact this could have on ourstudent population and school culture.

We look forward to seeing everyone soon! Have a great remainder of Summer Vacation!

St. Joseph Public Schools

COMPLAINT PROCEDURES FOR NONDISCRIMINATIONSection IAny person who believes that s/he has been discriminated against or denied equal opportunity or access to programs orservices may file a complaint, which may be referred to as a grievance, with the District’s Civil Rights Coordinator, Directorof State/Federal Programs, 3275 Lincoln Avenue, St. Joseph, MI 49085, 269-926-3100.

Section IIA person, who believes s/he has a valid basis for a complaint, may discuss the matter informally and on an oral basis with theDistrict’s Civil Rights Coordinator, who will investigate the complaint and reply with an answer to the complainant. If theinformation procedures do not resolve the matter to the complainant’s satisfaction, or s/he skips the informal process, s/he mayinitiate formal procedures according to the following steps:Step 1Investigation by the District Civil Rights Coordinator: A person may initiate a formal investigation by filing a writtencomplaint with the District Civil Rights Coordinator. The complaint must contain the name and address of the individual orrepresentative filing the complaint, be signed by the complainant or someone authorized to sign in sufficient detail to informthe Civil Rights Coordinator of the nature and date of the alleged violation, and propose a resolution. The complaint must befiled within thirty (30) calendar days of the circumstances or even giving rise to the complaint, unless the time for filing isextended by the Civil Rights Coordinator for good cause. The Civil Rights Coordinator will conduct an impartial investigationof the complaint. As part of the investigation, the Civil Rights Coordinator shall interview any witnesses and review otherevidence provided by the complainant. The investigation shall be completed within ten (10) business days of the writtencomplaint being filed. The Civil Rights Coordinator will notify the complainant in writing of his/her decision and will maintainthe District’s files and records relating to the complaint.Step 2If the complainant is not satisfied with the Civil Rights Coordinator’s Step 1 decision, s/he may submit in writing, a signedstatement of appeal to the Superintendent of Schools within five (5) business days after receipt of the Coordinator’s response.The Superintendent shall meet with all parties involved, formulate a conclusion, and respond in writing to the complainantwithin ten (10) business days of receiving the written appeal.Step 3If the complainant remains unsatisfied, s/he may appeal through a signed written statement to the Board of Education withinfive (5) business days of his/her receipt of the Superintendent’s response in Step 2. In an attempt to resolve the complaint, theBoard shall meet with the concerned parties and their representative within twenty (20) business days of the receipt of such anappeal. A copy of the Board’s disposition of the appeal shall be sent to each concerned party within ten (10) business days ofthis meeting.

Section IIIPROHIBITION AGAINST RETALIATIONThe Board will not discriminate against, coerce, intimidate, threaten or interfere with any individual because the personopposed any act or practice made unlawful by any Federal civil rights law, or because that individual made a charge, testified,assisted or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under those laws or because that individualexercised, enjoyed, aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of any right granted or protected bythose laws.

The complainant may be represented, at his/her own cost, at any of the above-described meetings/hearings.The right of a person to prompt and equitable resolution of the complaint shall not be impaired by the person’s pursuit of otherremedies such as the filing of a Complaint with the Office of Civil Rights or the filing of a court case in the appropriate FederalDistrict Court. Use of this internal complaint procedure is not a prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedies.

The individual may also, at any time, contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Cleveland Office, 600 Superior Avenue East, Suite750, Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2611; Telephone: (216) 522-49790; Fax: (216) 522-2573; TDD: (216) 522-4944; E-mail:ocr.cleveland@ed.gov; Web: http://www.ed.gov/ocr