Message sent to all DGS Students and Families on August 5, 2021
Greetings South High Students and Families,
I am extremely excited to send you this informational email about the start of the 2021-2022 school year, and even more excited to see the students return to the building. I wait with anticipation for them to see their new spaces.
On Monday evening at the Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Thiele outlined our plans for returning to in-person learning. Our goal remains to return to as close to pre-pandemic school as possible. As we begin, the remaining adjustments are the wearing of masks, trying to maintain social distancing and contact tracing/quarantine. Click here to read of the communications issued so far, including health and safety protocols. As of now, everyone, including staff, students and visitors, will wear masks while they are inside of the building. Masks will only be removed indoors when we are eating or drinking. Masks do not need to be worn during outdoor classes provided social distancing can be maintained. Masks must always be worn while on the bus or inside any district vehicles, including Driver Education cars.
Thank you for those families who completed the enrollment process this summer. If you have not yet completed the process, please do so quickly so that your student does not miss valuable class time.
On the first day of student attendance, students will follow partial day schedules. From 8-11:30 a.m., 11th and 12th grade students will attend school; 9th and 10th graders will attend from 11 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. There is no lunch service on that day, but there are special activities planned for during lunch periods. The bus schedules have been updated on the website. Eligible bus-riding students should check their school email for route assignment and pick up time. For sophomores and freshmen, busses will run three hours later than normal for pick-ups on that day only. After that first day, we will follow our normal eight-period day schedules. Mondays always begin at 9:20 a.m. and all other days begin at 8:00 a.m.
Parents who drive their students to school should use the West Events entrance drop off circle or the Dunham Road drop off circle. To minimize traffic, we encourage eligible families to use the provided bus transportation.
The changing nature of last school year prohibited us from gathering pictures of all students. Because of that, students will receive a temporary digital student identification (ID) card via email. They will be able to display this ID on their Chromebook or phone. On August 16 or 17, underclassmen will have their picture taken and updated student ID’s will be issued soon after. We appreciate the students’ flexibility in using digital ID cards.
Student schedules will be available to students in Home Access Center beginning on Monday, August 9, 2021.
To help ease the transition back to school, we are offering students the opportunity to come to school to see the changes in the building. On Monday, August 9 from 3 to 6 p.m., we will host a “Student Open House” so the students can walk the building, find their classes and consider how they will navigate the new spaces. We will have upperclassmen leaders in the hallway to provide direction and to answer any questions. Students should only arrive during that time frame and enter through the main entrance. A mask will need to be worn at all times while in the building. Student Activities will also be selling senior t-shirts during this time.
This email is designed to provide start of school information. Look forward to an August update from me where I will highlight happenings in our school for the month. Stay well and we look forward to seeing you all soon,
Mr. Schwartz