Dear SSHS Students and Families,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome everyone to Saratoga Springs High School and the 2023-2024 school year. Summer has been a busy time here at the high school, with major building enhancements underway through the district’s capital improvement project, The Legacy Project. We look forward to an exciting year where students will have opportunities for growth and enrichment that provide a solid foundation for their future success.
Classes begin on Thursday, September 7, 2023 with an A Day schedule. Students should report to school each day early enough to be in their Block 1 classes before the 7:49am daily start time. The ABCD rotational day schedule is published on the high school website for your planning purposes. SSHS has one small change to the bell schedule this year. Our school day will again run from 7:49am – 2:20pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesdays, our students are dismissed at 2:05pm for teacher collaboration time. Buses will depart the high school within 10 minutes of the dismissal time each day.
New Student Orientation: Wednesday August 30, 2023 & Walkthroughs, Thursday, August 31, 2023:
New Student Orientation is open to all Grade 9 students and new students to the district. We will welcome new students in two groups.
Time Group Goals
- 5:00-5:45 PM: Group 1 – Students Last Name A-K SSHS Landmark Tour
- 6:00-7:00 PM:Groups 1 and 2 Together in Auditorium HS Leadership Team Presentation
- 7:15-8:00 PM: Group 2 – Students Last Name L-Z SSHS Landmark Tour
This evening will help students acclimate to the high school by providing important transitional information. Some topics to be discussed include resources for student assistance, answers to frequently asked questions, academic and behavioral expectations for students, opportunities for involvement, and reviewing the high school and student schedules.
All students will have the opportunity to walk through the building on Thursday, August 31 from 9am – 2:30pm. We will have administrators and members of the Student Council available for questions, directions, and maps of the campus. The Counseling Office will be open to answer questions and/or explain student schedules.
Device Distribution:
Devices will be handed out to students during the walkthrough day, Thursday, August 31. Families must complete the SSCSD Device User Agreement (scan the QR code at the bottom of this letter) prior to picking up a device. Students must bring their student ID from the previous year to obtain a device in room A115.
School Bus Information:
SSCSD uses Traversa Ride 360 for transportation information. This app will provide secure access to “real time” student transportation schedules, student ID card scans, estimated arrival time at the bus stop, and notifications. The Ride 360 app will be necessary to obtain student transportation information prior to the first day of school. The SSCSD transportation department will notify families in late August when bus information is uploaded to the app. Please use the QR code below to set up an account as soon as possible. Students will receive new ID cards, at school, in September.
Cafeteria:
LINQ Connect a llows you to view menus and manage student meal accounts. You can set up one time payments, set spending limits, transfer funds between students, set low balance notifications, and more. It is an easy way to manage meal payments without the hassle of sending cash in to school. If you have any difficulties accessing your LINQ account, please contact LINQ support at support@linqconnect.com.
SchoolTool:
To maintain timely communication with families and students, we will be using SchoolTool to post schedules and report cards. We will send a ParentSquare reminder each interim period, every 5 weeks, and marking period, every 10 weeks, to remind families and students to check on their academic progress. However, we continue to encourage you to regularly check SchoolTool for updates on grades, attendance, and assignments. ParentSquare will e-mail and text important school information based on the contact information currently in SchoolTool. If you do not have computer access and would like to have items mailed home, please notify the main office of the high school.
Other Key Information:
Your student has been assigned to a school counselor and an administrator. Working together, this team will provide personalized support for your child. Counselor designations are available on SchoolTool, and the administrator’s name will appear when you hover over the white flag beneath your student’s picture.
It is important that the information we have for you and your child(ren) is accurate in SchoolTool so that you may access all important documentation. In the next couple of weeks, you will receive communication from the District via ParentSquare regarding an Annual Parent/Guardian Authorization Form, which all families need to complete to ensure that we have accurate contact information.
Your student’s schedule for the 2023 -2024 school year can be viewed on SchoolTool beginning August 26. Students will notice that lunch periods are now indicated for their block 3 classes. Students should check their schedules again before the first day of classes to ensure there have not been any changes. Please call the Counseling Office if you have any questions regarding the schedule.
SSHS frequently communicates with students directly via their school email accounts and with families through ParentSquare.
I look forward to welcoming all of our students to the high school and the energy associated with the start of a new school year. See you in September!
Sincerely,
Michelle Tsao
Principal