ADMINISTRATIONPrincipal-MHS

Dr. Michael Royal

Principal-NF Woods

Devry Gibbs

Assistant Principals

Meredith Bost

Michael Few

Eric Schwarzenegger

Kevin Wilson

Superintendent

Dr. Mark Edwards

School Board

Roger Hyatt

Deborah Marsh

Leon Pridgen

Greg Whitfield

Larry Wilson

WELCOME MESSAGE J U L Y2016

Volume 10Issue 1

659 E. Center Ave.Mooresville, NC 28115

704-658-2580

www.mooresvillehighschool.net

To inspire

young minds

to revolutionize

tomorrow.

Happy Summer Mooresville Families!!

I hope this summer has afforded you some time together with your children. With the summer quickly coming to an end, we are preparing for the upcoming school year.

A few weeks ago we said goodbye and best wishes to the MHS Class of 2016 and in a few weeks we will welcome in the MHS Class of 2020! It is an exciting time to be a “Blue Devil!” Whether you examine our athletic success, accomplishments in the arts, excellence in NJROTC, academic performance or involvement in community service and clubs, Mooresville High School is performing well in all areas. We are determined to build on this momentum and the amazing spirit surrounding our school, and have an even better school year in 2016-2017!

Despite difficult economic times, our teachers have put in countless hours and committed themselves even more to the success of our students. Our students are graduating at a rapid rate, earning more scholarship money, and more and more students are going on to obtain a post- secondary degree. I am proud of our students, staff, administrators, counselors, and parents for the collective effort that has made Mooresville High School a national model for technology use and high academic achievement.

Throughout this year, we will continue to see a lot of “moving parts” at MHS as the construction and renovations continue to take place. Our teachers and students will, again, be flexible and

patient during this transition time, but it will be well worth our efforts after this year!

This will be the most important newsletter of the year. It includes very important information regarding the start of school, policy changes, as well as other vital topics. We

will be focusing on improving our students’ attendance and tardies this school year. Please review these policies in this newsletter and reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. Refer to the entire newsletter for the remainder of the summer as we approach the first day of the new school year on August 29th. Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Michael J. Royal, Principal

2A NOTE FROM OUR SCHOOL NURSEJust a reminder to parents that all immunization records are due on or before the 30th day of school. The records are reviewed from August 29th on. The 30 day count starts with your child’s first day of class attendance. After the 30th day, if records have not been received, your child will not be allowed to attend classes. This is a North Carolina state law and

is followed in our district. It is the parents’ responsibility to make sure the previous school sends the record. It is recommended that you have a copy from the doctor or clinic where the immunizations were received.

If you have further questions, please call my office @ 704-658-2583 after August 22.

~Amber Perkins, RN

FOOD POLICYStudents are not allowed to bring outside food to school for consumption during the school day. Parents are to be reminded that food from local fast food restaurants is not permitted during the school day. Also, students should be reminded that they are not to leave campus during the school day for food as well. When a student is assigned to lunch, they are only permitted in the cafeteria and the amphitheater.

STUDENT SCHEDULESOur administration and guidance staff has worked very hard on our master schedule and student schedules this summer. Due to the continuous efforts of our staff we have again been able to keep class sizes at an appropriate level and offer as many engaging electives in addition to our core courses. Student schedules will be mailed home the week of August 15th. Your schedule will reflect the courses you verified in the spring during the registration process. Again our staff has done the best they can to meet those requests and have made personal calls to families where there has been a need for major changes. Based on these efforts and the limits on movement, there will be no schedule changes. Thank you for respecting this necessary move and we are certainly here to answer any questions you may have upon receipt of your child’s schedule.

CLASS OF 2020 FRESHMEN ORIENTATION EVENTThe MHS Staff and Students are excited to welcome the Class of 2020 to our freshmen orientation event on FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016! This event will be led by a few of our staff members, but primarily, by student leaders called LINK Leaders. The event begins at 8:00am and ends at 12:00pm. It is for students only. The event will begin in our Magnolia Campus Gym (160 S. Magnolia St.). Students should wear comfortable shoes, bring a bottle of water, and no purses/bookbags are allowed. ALL freshmen are expected to be in attendance for the event as they will be receiving their 2016-2017 schedules at the event.

OPEN HOUSEOur Fall Open House event will take place on Tuesday, September 6th from 5:30pm-7:00pm. At this point, our teachers will have had two weeks to get to know your child. Please mark your calendars and make plans to attend so that you can meet each of your child’s teachers. It is a floating, drop-in event, so you may come anytime that is convenient for you within the allotted timeframe. Building a relationship with your child’s teachers early in the semester is vital to their success. All three campuses (Main, Magnolia, and Woods) will be open.

BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODYMooresville High School is looking for those community members who are willing to serve as a positive role model for a student.

We are looking for Mentors who could meet with a student for 15-20 minutes at least twice a month. For additional information or to request an application, you can contact Colleen Kennedy at 704-658-2573 or colleenkennedy@mgsd.k12.nc.us.

3IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATESAugust 2 Parking Passes to Seniors and CCP Students (Magnolia Office)

August 9 Parking Passes to Juniors (Magnolia Office)

August 19 Freshmen Orientation @ Magnolia Campus, 8am-12pm

August 22-24, 27 Deployment Days @ MIS

August 29 First Day of School for students

September 1 Underclassmen Pictures

September 5 NO SCHOOL, Labor Day

September 6 - 9 MHS Fall Book Fair

September 6 MHS Fall Open House Event, 5:30pm-7:00pm

September 14 Early Release Day, 12:26pm dismissal

September 26-30 Homecoming Week

September 26 Make-up Pictures for students

September 27 4.5-week Assessments

September 28 Early Release Day, 12:26pm dismissal

September 29 4.5-week Assessments

September 30 HOMECOMING

October 12 Early Release Day, 12:26pm dismissal

October 13 Annual College Fair, 8:30am-9:30am

October 20 Drama Performance, 7:00pm

October 25 Midterms

October 26 Midterms

October 27 Midterms, Fall Band Concert, 7:00pm

October 28 Midterms

October 31 NO SCHOOL, Optional Teacher Workday

November 1 NO SCHOOL, Optional Teacher Workday

124 Trade Ct • Mooresville, NC 28117704.235.6678 • 800.592.6248

www.newdominionbank.com

Member FDIC

4

TARDY DISCIPLINE PLANThe progression below and consequences will reset at the end of each quarter. The tardy count this year is all-inclusive for the student. Meaning, the tardy count is for total tardies accumulated for all blocks.

• Tardy 1 - Warning & Blackboard Connect Parent & Student Contact

• Tardy 2 - Warning & Blackboard Connect Parent & Student Contact

• Tardy 3 - Warning & Blackboard Connect Parent & Student Contact

• Tardy 4 - Warning & Blackboard Connect Parent & Student Contact

• All tardies after 4- After School Detention (30 min.) & Blackboard Connect Parent & Student Contact by Mr. Akelman

WELCOME NEW STAFF MEMBERS TO MHSClaire Anderson Spanish Teacher

Meghan Andreoli Social Studies Teacher

Brent Bustle Math Teacher

Tiffany Dunn Science Teacher

Marty Paxton Physical Education Teacher

Eric Schwarzenegger Assistant Principal

Joshua Simpson Science Teacher

Josh Stevenson Band Director

2016-2017 BELL SCHEDULE*Please note the school day for the upcoming school year runs from 7:30am-2:21pm

1st Block 7:30 - 9:00

2nd Block 9:08 - 10:38

3rd Block 10:46 - 12:43

1st Lunch 10:46 - 11:10

2nd Lunch 11:15 - 11:41

3rd Lunch 11:46 - 12:12

4th Lunch 12:17 - 12:43

4th Block 12:51 - 2:21

5We firmly believe that good attendance and punctuality are life skills that we have the responsibility to teach each of our students. One of our major priorities this year is going to be student attendance.

From the MHS Student Code of Conduct-

A student is absent from class if his/her attendance is less than 75 minutes of a 90 minute class. A student is absent from school if his/her attendance is less than half of the school day.

A STUDENT MUST BRING IN A NOTE WHEN THEY RETURN TO SCHOOL FROM BEING ABSENT. PLEASE BRING YOUR NOTE IN TO THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE ASAP.

The following are reasons for temporary non-attendance of students:

Excused Absences

1. Illness, injury, and quarantine

2. Death in the immediate family

3. Medical or dental appointments (with proper documentation)

4. Court proceedings

5. Religious observances with prior notification to the principal

6. Educational opportunities with prior approval from the principal

•Educational opportunities do not include family vacations and athletic-related camps or tournaments

Unexcused Absences

Absence that do not meet the requirements of an excused absence.

Students who miss more than 6 days in a course will not receive credit for that course. ALL absences (whether excused or unexcused) count towards the 6 day limit.

Students whose course credit may be withheld due to violation of the attendance policy have the right to appeal. In cases of extreme hardship (extended hospitalization, serious extended illness) the principal or appeals committee may decide to award course credit. Appeals packets may be picked up in the Magnolia Office and must be returned by the specified due date near the end of each semester along with all appropriate and/or required documentation. The appeals committee will not waive absences due to routine illnesses (flu, colds, etc.), OSS, skipping school, or truancy.

This past year we saw an increase in tardies to first block. This is an unacceptable occurrence that will be heavily monitored this school year. Punctual, reliable transportation to and from school is a student’s responsibility. Students can achieve this by riding a school bus. Students who choose to provide their own transportation accept full responsibility for getting to school on time.

The following is a list of valid excuses for tardiness:

• Illness

• Medical or dental appointments

• Injury

• Court proceedings

• Daycare responsibilities

• Religious observances

• School-related activities

• Others w/ approval of administrator

NOTE: The following circumstances are not valid tardy excuses: missed bus, missed ride, late ride, oversleeping, and routine traffic delays.

ATTENDANCE & TARDY INFO

Blue Devil DispatchJuly 2016

Published Five Times Per YearMooresville City Schools

PO Box 119Mooresville, NC 28115

Issue #1

of Lake Norman

MHS COUNSELING INFO6

JOIN THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT’S BLOG AND BE IN THE KNOW!Receive all the latest and important information, dates and events from the MHS counseling department that you and your student need to know. You will receive email alerts each time the blog is updated by following these two simple steps:

1. go to http://tinyurl.com/mhscounseling1

2. type in your email address in the upper right hand corner

Want to be more “in-the-know” about...

• Scholarships,

• College information/events,

• Summer/employment opportunities,

• Or just what’s going on with the college advising office?

Tap into the Remind101 that suits you and your student! Simply text the correspondingcodeto“81010”fortextalerts!•Seniors:@mhs12th

• Juniors: @mhs11th

• Freshmen and Sophomores: @mhs9and10

• Scholarships: @mhsdollars

• Summer Opportunities: @mhssummer

Not working? Try texting the codes one at a time to 423-465-4047 or email mhs12th@mail.remind.com for email alerts.

Stay tuned to your Remind101 Alerts for Upcoming College Advising Events:

• Senior Night (12)

• Visits by College Representatives to MHS (9-12)

• Campus Visits to Colleges (9-11)

• Junior Night (11)

• Group Trips to College Fairs (9-11)

• After School College Knowledge Workshops (9-12)

• SAT/ACT Registration Drives (10-11)

• College Application Week (12)

• Vea Su Futuro: College Night for Spanish-speaking Families (6-12)

• And More!

7

CALCULATORSParents and families are encouraged to look for deals this summer on a graphing calculator for your student. Although it is not a requirement to own your own, we do encourage families to consider purchasing a TI-83 graphing calculator for your student to use during their math/ science classes. The calculator would be used during all four years of high school and in college as well. Check the local stores and websites for good deals!

DEPLOYMENT OF LAPTOPSStudents will receive their laptops before school begins again this year! We will deploy laptops the week of August 22nd at the Mooresville Intermediate School (MIS) Campus. Students and a parent/ guardian must attend a training that week with the school-issued bookbag, sign the RUP, and take care of the $50 student usage fee before the student receives his/her laptop. Again, students must have the school-issued bookbag in order to receive their laptop. Families are invited to attend any of the trainings listed below and these are drop-in trainings.

Deployment for 4th - 12th grade will be free flowing: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 8:30 am - 7:30 pm; Saturday 10:00 am - 3:30 pm. Deployment will take place at the Mooresville Intermediate School (MIS) Campus.

IMPORTANT DRESS CODE REMINDERS• Students’ tops must have sleeves that completely cover the shoulders.

This means no tanks-tops, spaghetti strapped dresses, shirts with cut-outs, or cut-off tees

• Students’ pants/shorts may not have any rips, tears, or holes anywhere above where the students’ fingertips are when their arms and hands are extended fully at their sides

• Students’ shorts/skirts must have a length that is longer than the students’ fingertips when their arms and hands are extended fully at their sides

As you do your shopping for new “school clothes” we want to provide you with information regarding our dress codes, specifically some reminders that felt needed to be addressed. Listed below is the Mooresville High School dress code along with four important reminders to be noted in bold at the bottom. We need the help of our parents to help support these regulations so that we can avoid potential issues on campus.

The school dress code is in effect once the student steps on the Mooresville High School or NF Woods campus. The specific standards listed below are not all-inclusive, but serve as a basic guideline for all students as to appropriate school attire.

• cannot be a health or safety hazard

• cannot be of an inappropriate length or fit

• cannot show underclothing in any way

• cannot be excessively tight or loose fitting

• cannot show bare midriff and/or cleavage

• cannot be pajamas or other sleepwear

• cannot wear hats/headgear inside the school building at any time

• cannot advertise products prohibited by school system

• cannot have adornments that could be used as a weapon (i.e. chains)

• cannot be/or have perception as gang related

NGK Ceramics USA • 119 Mazeppa Rd. • Mooresville, NC 28115 • 704.664.7000 www.ngkceramics.com

Now HiringNGK Ceramics USA • 119 Mazeppa Rd. • Mooresville, NC 28115 • 704.664.7000

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HIGH SCHOOLMooresville City Schools659 E. Center Ave.Mooresville, NC 28115

Non-Profit OrganizationUS Postage Paid

Mooresville, NC 28115Permit #77

To Addressee or Current Resident

8MHS AP BOOT CAMPMooresville High School will host its annual AP Boot Camp for students new to the Advanced Placement program. The dates of the camp are August 2-4 from 8:00AM to 12:00PM. If you have not registered your child please contact Ms. Lisa Valentine by email lisavalentine@mgsd.k12.nc.us.

STUDENT PARKINGStudent parking is, yet again, at a premium. Just as we have done in years past, we are selling parking passes before the school year begins. New this year, all parking spaces will be assigned to students by lot and space. When a student signs up for their parking lot, they will pick the lot and the school will assign the exact parking space they will use ALL YEAR LONG. Students must park only in their assigned lot and will not be allowed to change parking spaces during the year. We are accepting applications from seniors and CCP students on August 2 and juniors on August 9. Students wishing to purchase a parking pass need to stop by the MAGNOLIA OFFICE Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:00am and 4:00pm. Seniors and CCP students are given first priority followed by juniors. Remember that parking on campus is a privilege and not a right, and can be revoked at any time by the school administration. With the continued construction, we will have even fewer parking spaces for our students as well (the C Lot is closed, for example). If you would like to purchase a parking pass please make sure that you come to the MAGNOLIA OFFICE with the following items:

• $60 in the form of cash or check -Valid Driver’s License

• Vehicle Registration

Prior to purchasing the pass, students will be required to read the parking guidelines and complete the parking contract (must be signed by the parent/guardian). Students will not be issued a parking pass until they have paid any outstanding fines/fees to MHS as well. Parking passes for the Woods campus are sold separately in the NF Woods main office. If you have any questions regarding student parking, please call the Mooresville High School office and speak to Ms. Amy Wilson.