Yours, Mine and Ours

School Security is everyone's concern.

In light of the events of the past week everyone's awareness is heightened. Just in the past week we have had a number of incidents involving individuals who have been found on school campus. All these people turned out to have legitimate business with school, but had failed to check in at the main office. The administrative team truly appreciates the staff who phoned the main office with their concerns and their location.

Obviously, I want everyone to continue to cry wolf every time. Every false alarm is worth the wear and tear on the soles of my shoes on the chance it saves one individual soul.

Thank you to everyone for their excellent job during our recent Lockdown Drill. We were able to identify some areas we need to rethink and rework. An example for me was  how do substitutes relay information without computer access. We have already put a new plan in place for this type of situation. Please make sure your room is equipped with both red and green papers in case we lose computer access in an emergency. If you do not have these sheets please let me know and I will get them to you bright and early in the new year. We have also received input from staff, students and parents with thoughts about our policies and procedures.

The administration team continues to evaluate and make changes to our safety procedures on an ongoing basis and to that end we will be having a lockdown drills about once a month. The goal is to have the lockdown drill procedures become second nature to our staff and students without their importance being dulled.

Please continue to do all those little things we already do as second nature like...

1. Making sure all students have passes when traveling in the building,

2. Having all visitors sign-in at the main office before being dealt with in our shops not open to the public. We will gladly call for a student escort for these individuals, call and tell you they are coming and direct them around the back of the building to your shop door or take a message for you if you so wish.

3. Staying hyper-vigilant. A heighten awareness is the unfortunate way of the world in which we live today. If you find someone on the campus you are unfamiliar with please ask who they are or call a member of the administrative team so that we can identify them.

School security is  your business, my business and above all our business.

Please enjoy your vacation and your time with friends and family. They are reason for everything else we do in this world.

Mark

Student Happenings

Hello,

As we enter the busy holiday season, I am pleased to let you know about a few student led activities that will be happening in the coming weeks and months.

Eric Norlin, Class of  2005 from Automotive, is leading an effort to collect unwrapped toys for children that were effected by Hurricane Sandy. The BPA (Business Professionals of America) group in the school will be responsible from gathering the toys from the box daily. The box will be placed in the foyer outside the restaurant and salon. We invite one and all to participate in this worthwhile cause.

Meghan Connors, a senior in Allied Health, is spearheading an effort to show a little school spirit and holiday cheer. On Friday, December 21st, we invite everyone to wear a holiday sweater. Look for the posters going up soon.

In January, Friday the 11th, the BPA group will be hosting a movie night as a fundraiser. They will be viewing Marvel's The Avengers in the Lecture Hall. A donation of $3.00 is required for a ticket and tickets will be on sale in lunches beginning next week. Once again, look for the posters going up soon.

Finally, the Business Professional of America students as a community service project will be working with the American Red Cross on a school-wide blood drive. This blood drive is set for Friday, February 15th, 2013, and will run from 8 am to 1 pm. In the past, South Shore has partnered with the Red Cross to run a very successful drive. The drive will be open to all staff and students, over the age of 16, who meet the Red Cross's criteria. As in the past, students will have scheduled appointments and teachers may make use of prep time to facilitate a better experience for all.

Please keep and eye out for these events and participate whenever and wherever you can.

Mark

The Short Week Ahead

As we enter the busy holiday season, we at South Shore have our own crazy agenda of events. During the short Thanksgiving week we have a number of activities to check off our to-do list.

1. We continue our Spirit Week Activities with a series of days.

Monday is Mustache Monday.    Tuesday is Twin Day. Wednesday is Color Day.

Teachers are asked to wear RED on the half day.

2. We will be having a BUS EVACUATION DRILL. These are required by the State Department of Transportation to be done twice a school year. What does this look like? Every student must evacuate the bus through the back emergency door leaving all their personal items behind. Students will then need to re-enter the bus to get their school supplies.

Depending on the weather forecast, we will be holding one during morning drop-off during the week. What does this mean to my class or shop? Students might be slightly late for their first period locations by just a couple of minutes.

3. On Tuesday morning is TOUR DAY, we will be hosting 8th graders from the Town of Hanson. These future students should arrive just before 8:30 and the tours should be finished by 10 am.

4. As usual, the half day is chocked full of activities. The annual SENIOR BREAKFAST for the senior fall athletes and their parents will be held in the cafe at 9:30 am

We will be having a PEP RALLY at about 10:30 am. Student will be reporting to their 7/8 class and then called down to the gym by grade level. Teachers are expected to accompany their students to the gym when call upon. We will once again be trying to sit students by grade levels.

5. On Thursday, we host the Thanksgiving Football Game at SSVT vs. Southeastern at 10 am. Come out and support the team as they aim for the Superbowl Title!

There is no substitute, but...

You need to be out of the building for the day. Perhaps you’re sick, or have a personal matter to attend to, or a professional seminar to attend—but then you think...who is going to be the substitute? Am I creating more work for myself in the long run? Will the assignments I leave behind actually be carried out? All great questions and concerns to be sure.

The district continues to look to increase our substitute pool. We have added a number of additions over the past couple of weeks—a couple in the vocational realm and a few in the academic arena. We continue to look for individuals that can meet the needs of our teachers and therefore our students. Please fell free to give me post-absent updates on any concerns or kudos for the substitute. Remember if you have a substitute you feels does a good job you can request them and depending on their availability I will get them into your classes.

The particulars are as follows: Pays is $75 per day. A candidate can choose to work in academic, vocational or both. They can work Monday through Friday, or signify the days they are available. College experience is not required, but preferred. However, we do ask that they have experience with adolescents.

If you know of anyone who is interested in substituting please ask them to contact me.

Mark

Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign!

In our continued effort to make the building and grounds safer for student and staff alike, we will be making some alterations to the traffic flow around the building.

First and foremost, we will continue the counter-clockwise driving flow around the building that has become the norm, but we will be heightening it. Starting on Monday, October 29, 2012, our school buses will follow the same route the regular traffic currently flows. This will mean the reversal of direction in the bus cage, but will mean that buses will no longer be passing behind the building at the end of the day as you try to clean out your shops and classrooms.

Secondly, we will be cleaning up some of our signage issues around the campus. This will mean the removal of a number of signs that may be confusing to our visitors and clientele as well as the creation of new signage to better identify locations of specific venues like the Brass Lantern, Salon Beverly, Main Office and Guidance. These new signs are going to placed on the facade to the entrance of the "new" building making them visible as a visitor enters the grounds.

We will also be repainting new arrows, lines and Do Not Enter signs strategically on the pavement around the building. In addition, we will be creating "Visitor Only" parking spots in the front of the building. The goal is to try and prevent visitors from parking along the driveway out front during the school day creating a safety hazard for Hanover safety personnel and ourselves.

As always, we can not keep our students, fellow staff members and building safe without your help. If you are leaving your classroom or shop unintended, please make sure that all doors are shut.

Extra-Curricular Happenings:

A Fellowship Group was recently formed at South Shore. This assembly of young people meets on Monday afternoons in Graphic Communications. The primary objective for this group is to grow and bond with one another. This group is open to any adult or student of any faith or no faith to discuss how their beliefs shape their lives.

The Outdoor Adventure Club is headed to Roger Williams Zoo this Thursday night, October 25, 2012, to view hundreds of Jack O'lanterns. The cost transportation and the event is $20 and is open to any staff member who'd like to attend. Please see Alison Thibodeau for further details.

Professional Practice

How does a garden of opportunities grow?

Great ideas need time to grow! A number of groups, clubs and shops have been stepping up with great experiences and opportunities for our students and staff. Unfortunately, the district has not been getting these ideas in time to plant the seeds for growth with the staff, students and community. If your group, club or shop has an experience you feel is worthy of your students’ time, please give us the time to do a proper rollout in the building and outside the building. We are looking for a 30-day notice before the event so that we can make use of the website and other technology to trumpet these great opportunities to one and all!

Questions about how the plant the seeds of a great event? Contact Mark.