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Family Newsletter for Monona Grove High School
~ May/June 2017
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A Message From Dr. Brost
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Dear Parents and Friends:
We will soon wrap up another school year and graduate the Class of 2017! Even though they are a bit nervous about "leaving the nest," seniors are excited for the next phase of their lives. Seniors will take their Final Exams on May 30, 31, and June 1. Graduation practice is at 9:00 a.m. on June 2. All students participating in Commencement must attend practice. Commencement is at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 4. There is no limit on the number of family members or guests who may attend graduation.
The Mock Accident that was originally scheduled for April 24 was cancelled. We were unable to make the schedule work for this year. We are hopeful that we can hold a Mock Accident next spring.
We are in the process of completing the Master Schedule for the 2017 - 2018 school year. Counselors will call in students if they selected two classes that conflict with each other. We will have all classes scheduled before students are dismissed for the summer. Final details will be taken care of over the summer and schedules will be available in early August.
As we prepare for every high school student to receive a Chromebook next fall, our IT Department has been working hard to plan for distribution and maintenance of over 1,000 devices. As information is provided to you over the summer, please read it carefully regarding expectations for care of the Chromebooks, the use of carrying cases, and the opportunity to purchase insurance. We are excited about the opportunities that this change will provide.
Students continue to be involved in many great experiences beyond the classroom. Some of these include:
- the recent completion of the musical, Les Miserables
- Model UN trip to San Francisco
- State Forensics Meet
- HOSA, FBLA, and DECA competitions
- Jazz Band Festival in Eau Claire
- all of the spring sports
- Spring Drama production on May 19 and 20
We are very proud of the dedication our students, advisors, and coaches make in our co-curricular activities. We are equally proud of how our students conduct themselves when competing and performing.
Please make note of important upcoming events:
- Band Concert on May 4
- Prom on May 6
- Fine Arts Recognition on May 8
- Orchestra Concert on May 11
- Choir Concert on May 15
- Parent/Educator Forum on May 15
- Senior Recognition on May 17
- Big Band Bash on May 21
As both Prom and Graduation approach, please remind your student to make good decisions. We want students to enjoy these celebrations AND be safe. We know from research that teenage brains are still developing. As a result, they tend to think that nothing can happen to them.
We are looking forward to a great end to the school year. Please contact us with any questions.
Sincerely,
Paul Brost, Ph.D.
Principal
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| Summer Office Hours |
Summer office hours vary.
Please call before visiting the office.
June 12 - August 31
Monday - Thursday 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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| Final Exam Schedule |
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June 6
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June 7
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June 8
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7:55-9:05
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Period A1
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Period A5
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Period B3/4
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9:20-10:30
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Period A2
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Period B1
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Period B5
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10:45-11:55
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Period A3/4
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Period B2
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Make up
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2017-18 Student Calendar
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The 2017-18 School Calendar has been approved by the MGSD Board of Education. Click
here to view it.
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| Important Information for Seniors |
SENIOR RECOGNITION
Wednesday, May 17 at 6:30 p.m.
Seniors should report to gym by 6:10 p.m.
FINAL EXAMS FOR SENIORS
May 30, 31 and June 1 during regular classes
Senior make up day on June 1
GRADUATION PRACTICE
Friday, June 2 at 9:00 a.m.
Practice is
mandatory for students
GRADUATION
Sunday, June 4 at 1:00 p.m.
MGHS Gym
Tickets are not required for students or guests, and there is no limit to the number of guests who may attend. Designated seating for the elderly and for persons with disabilities is available. Accessible seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis; due to limited space, we request that only one non-disabled person sit with each person with a disability in the seating area designated for these guests.
GRADUATION RESPONSIBILITIES OF SENIORS
In order to be certified for graduation and participate in the ceremony, seniors MUST do ALL of the following:
- complete courses
- take final exams
- take care of all fines, detentions, and/or suspension time
- meet the 24 credit and specific course requirements
- attend graduation practice
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Senioritis - I'm accepted so I am in, right? WRONG!
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Senioritis: Thoughts from the reviewer of final high school transcripts...An excerpt from a college admissions counselor. Click
here
to read more.
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| Senior Recognition Celebration |
Please mark your calendars for our annual Senior Recognition Celebration!
Join your friends, family, teachers, and members of the community to celebrate the many accomplishments of the class of 2017!
Senior Recognition Night
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
6:30 p.m.
Monona Grove High School Auditorium
Refreshments will be served following the program
Students who will be recognized during the program will receive a letter in early May.
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| Senior Pictures and Ads for Grads |
Senior pictures and Ads for Grads
must be turned into the high school office by Friday, September 29, 2017, in order to make the deadline for the 2017-2018 yearbook.
The digital photo can be on a CD or emailed to mg.yearbook@mgschools.net. Write your child's name in permanent marker on the disk. Most photographers have this option available and will send pictures to us directly. Some photographers charge for a CD or for the digital image. Please check with your photographer. A printed senior picture will not be accepted .
Please remember that no hats or weapons can
appear in any of the pictures and
senior pictures must be from the waist up.
Please make sure you have your pictures taken several weeks before the September 29 deadline. July and August appointments give the photographer plenty of time to get proofs back and send us the pictures. Photographers need several weeks to get proofs back from the lab. If your child takes their pictures the week before September 30, you will not be able to meet our deadline.
If you do not make the deadline, you will not be able to have your child's senior picture or Ad for Grad in the yearbook.
If you have any questions, you can call Ms. Dames at 608-316-1855 or e-mail her at mg.yearbook@mgschools.net. Please contact her with any questions before June 9 or after August 31.
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| Report Card Deadline |
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June 30 will be the final day parents will be able to print or view report cards for the 2015-16 school year. After that date, only information for 2016-17 school year will be available.
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| AP Exam Reminder |
A reminder to students who have registered to take the AP Exams. These exams will be administered the first two weeks in May ~ make sure you know what days your exams are offered. All exams will be at the district office, so please make transportation arrangements and arrive on time. Parking is limited, so please carpool if possible.
Morning exams require you to arrive no later than 7:40 a.m., afternoon exams have an 11:40 a.m. arrival time. If you have questions, please see Ms. Bishop in the student services' office.
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| Online Registration Opens May 1 |
Online Registration for Returning Students Begins
May 1, 2017
Online registration for returning students begins on May 1, 2017 and ends on June 30, 2017. Families of returning students are required to register each year. You will receive an email at the end of April with instructions on how to complete the online registration process.
If you do not receive the email, or have questions regarding the process, please email the district registrar at
Lynn Hammersley
to help you.
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Parent Educator Forum Meeting
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All parents/guardians of MGHS students are welcome to attend the Parent Educator Forum meeting on Monday, May 15, at 6:30 p.m. This will be the last meeting of the school year!
Parent Educator Forum is an informal meeting in which Dr. Brost gives a brief overview of current issues in education and events occurring at the high school, occasionally followed by group discussion. There is no formal agenda, it's an opportunity for parents to have contact with high school staff, without dues or volunteering. Typically, we meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30 in the IMC (library) for about an hour. This is a great opportunity to meet with Dr. Brost in a small group setting, hear what's going on at the high school level and discuss issues!! Parents interested in what is discussed can email Lisa Stangler at jlstangler@hotmail.com to get notes from our most recent meeting. We'd love to see new faces!
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Homework Help
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The Overtime Program is a program for students who need a place to do homework after school and for students who need extra time to complete an assignment or get extra help in a class. Some students may be assigned to Overtime by their teachers if there is a need.
Overtime takes place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 in the IMC. Please encourage your student to take advantage of the Overtime Program if they need additional help with an assignment or in one of their classes.
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News from the Student Services Department
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Students are encouraged to build a relationship with their school counselor during their high school years. Passes for appointments during school hours may be obtained by stopping in Student Services. Each student has been assigned a counselor based on the student's last name. Ms. Bishop has A-G, Mr. Groff has H-O and Ms. Burke has P-Z. Although students are assigned to a certain counselor, a student may seek assistance from the counselor of their choice.
In addition, the Student Services Department includes Ms. Macias, School to Work Coordinator (co-op and apprenticeship information), Ms. Frain, School Social Worker, and Ms. Smith, School Psychologist. All are available to meet with students and parents to help with academic, career, social and emotional needs.
Student Services welcomes all students! Please remember to stop in to make an appointment.
Jobs Information
All jobs and contact information can be found on the Student Services website.
Summer Opportunities
Is your student looking for opportunities to explore new areas of interest or extend their learning over the summer? If so, check out these two resources that helps connect students with summer opportunities at college campuses throughout the state.
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| Financial Aid Offers...Now What? |
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Many students have reached out with questions regarding their financial aid offers. The Student Services Department has reached out to the Karla Weber, Communications Manager at the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid, for some general information that is applicable to all colleges.
Please see the attached article for information regarding next steps in making decisions related to financial aid. Also, remember that your best resource to answer your financial aid related questions is the financial aid office at the college where you will be attending in the fall.
The offers of financial aid have arrived. Now what?
Where do you start? Read
more
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| Prom and Post-Prom Information |
Prom is May 6, one week from Saturday!
- Prom will be held in the MGHS Commons on May 6
- Tickets will NOT be sold at the door
- Doors open for parents at 7:30 p.m.
- Doors open for students at 7:45 p.m.
- Grand March begins at 8:00 p.m.
- Dance begins at 9:00 p.m. and ends at 12:00 a.m.
- No students will be admitted to the dance after 10:00 p.m.
Students should be prepared to have all bags, pockets, and coats inspected upon arrival. Please also remember that there is no re-entry to the dance and that no one will be allowed admittance to the dance after 10 pm
. All other school rules apply. Be safe, be smart, and have fun!
Remember the fun will continue after the dance with the Post-Prom Party. Here are the details:
- The party will be held at Rockin' Jump Madison, 2700 Novation Parkway.
- Party hours are midnight to 3 a.m.
- All attendees must have a signed waiver on file before they can participate. The waiver can be submitted online and can be found on the Rockin' Jump Madison website home page: http://madison.rockinjump.com/ If 18 or over, you can submit the waiver yourself. Those under 18 must have a parent or guardian submit the waiver.
- All juniors and seniors are welcome, whether attending prom or not. Other students are welcome if they attend prom as the date of a junior or senior.
- Remember to bring a change of clothes.
- Attendees will have access to all Rockin' Jump activities - trampolines, rock wall, etc. The required socks are also provided with your ticket.
- Pizza, beverages and other snacks will be provided.
- Door prizes will be awarded all evening, including five grand prizes at the end of the party. (Must be present to win door prizes.)
- Consider leaving bags and purses in your vehicle. Students should be prepared to have all bags, pockets, and coats inspected upon arrival.
- No admittance after 1 a.m., or re-admittance if you leave before 3 a.m.
- All other school rules apply
Tickets will be on sale next week during lunch periods, May 1-5, for $5 each. Tickets will also be available at the door for $10 each, space permitting. We strongly encourage you to purchase your tickets in advance.
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| Congratulations Ms. Ramirez! |
Each year, Monona Grove Education Foundation awards grants to teachers who apply for innovative, creative and out of the box plans for their MG students. MGEF grants allows Monona Grove's teachers to push themselves and their colleagues to explore innovative and creative teaching methods for the children of our district. The grant winners are featured each year at MGEF's annual gala which celebrates the entire Monona Grove School District. On March 14
th, the MGEF Board of Directors awarded grants for the 2017 grant cycle. Congratulations to MG High School Spanish teacher Kiley Ramirez. Ms. Ramirez's grant is for teacher training for World Language in 21
st century language standards.
Congratulations Ms. Ramirez!
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| What are Pocket Points? |
Monona Grove High School has joined over 250 college and High School campuses around the country and joined Pocket Points. Pocket Points is an app for your smart phone that helps students gain points towards incentives and coupons, just for staying off of their devices during school.
The program is free, voluntary, and only allows students to gain points from
7:45 to 3:15
,
Monday
through
Friday
, while they are in the actual high school building. For every twenty minutes that a phone is locked, the student will receive 1 point. The points are redeemable for incentives from teachers in the building, as well as the school store.
Incentives include 2 for 1 movie tickets and free popcorn with a purchase at the concession stand. Points can also be redeemed at local businesses. If you own a local business and are interested in having coupons available for MGHS students, please contact Mr. Roth at the High School.
If a High School student does not have a smartphone, but wants to take part in the school incentives, they can contact Mr. Roth to set up the program.
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| Accessing ACT Scores |
How can a student view his or her ACT score online?
- To create a student account, click the link to the ACT web account, choose "Create Account", and complete the necessary information.
- In order for state testing scores to match to the student account, the first name, last name, date of birth, email address, and home address need to be entered exactly as they were provided on the student answer document.
- If the matching fields provided during the account creation process do not match up with what the student provided on the answer document, then the student will need to contact Student Services (ACT-WebAccount@act.org) to get assistance with matching their scores to their web account.
- Scores are loaded in the system routinely, so if the student at first does not see their results when creating an account, they should check back periodically within the 3-8 week period post testing.
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| News from the Fine Arts Department |
MG Bands Kick Off Spring Performances
at Eau Claire Jazz Fest
Spring is a busy time of year for MG band members. Jazz One and Two recently traveled to the UW-Eau Claire Jazz Fest, where both bands had excellent performances. The festival is one of the premiere jazz fests in the Midwest, drawing more than 50 top high school groups. Band members were treated to an evening concert that featured UW-Eau Claire Jazz One with professional guest artists, drummer, Carl Allen, and jazz legend, Doc Severinsen on trumpet. At age 89, the former leader of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show Band is still playing great and thrilled the audience with an electrifying set of jazz classics.
We hope to see many people at upcoming performances, which include:
- May 4 - Spring Band Concert, 7:30 p.m.
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May 8 - Fine Arts Awards, 8:00 p.m.
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May 11 - Orchestra Concert, 7:30 p.m.
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May 15 - Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m.
- May 21 - Big Band Bash, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
- May 29 - East Side Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m., Monona Drive
The Fine Arts Awards night is set for Monday, May 8, at 8 p.m. in the Auditorium. Fine Arts students and families should have received an electronic invitation to the event. Any student who participated in Model UN, Art Club, Musical, Forensics, Drama, Show Choir, Jazz Band, Pep Band, State Solo/Ensemble, or Pit Orchestra is encouraged to attend. If you believe you should have received an invitation and did not, please contact Mr. Dorn at
Patrick.dorn@mgschools.net
or 316-1810. Please plan on attending the event. It's a quick, fun and relaxing night for much-deserved recognition.
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| B.S.U. Gives Back to the Community |
MGHS Black Student Union is always finding ways to give back to the community. On Friday, April 7, the club volunteered at Second Harvest Food Bank. Together, they portioned almost 4,000 lbs of food that will go to our neighbors in need. Second Harvest estimated that this equates to about 2,040 meals! Way to go BSU!
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| Alice Through the Looking Glass |
Monona Grove Drama Club is proud to present...
Alice Through the Looking Glass
May 19 at 7:00pm
May 20 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm
Please join us on a magical journey as Alice steps into a larger then life, game of chess, with hope to one day be Queen!
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| Forensic Team Attends State Festival |
The Forensics team attended the State Festival at UW-Madison on Saturday, April 22. The team performed superbly, earning 3 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. Special congratulations to team president, Claire Hoenecke, who received a perfect score this year and every year she's attended State.
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| Visit the Eagle's Nest - Now Online!! |
Show your spirit! Visit the
Eagle's Nest for proud parent t-shirts, stadium blankets and much more!
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| News from the Athletic Department |
Sign up for Summer Sport Camps through MGHS
Offerings include:
- Boys Basketball, Grades 2-8
- Boys and Girls Soccer, Grades K-8
- Football, Grades 5-12
- Girls Basketball, Grades 4-8
- Volleyball, Grades 5-12
- Wrestling, Grades 5-12
Please contact Activities/Athletics Administrative Assistant Nicole Poley at (608) 316-1371 or
nicole.poley@mgschools.net with questions.
Online Athletics Registration coming soon!
Monona Grove High School will be moving to an online registration process for athletics, starting in time for the 2017-18 school year. The online registration will take place through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
Please keep an eye on your Infinite Campus Inbox as fall draws near, as the link to register will be shared out via an Infinite Campus Message.
Fall Sports Registration
The pre-season athlete meeting for parents and students will be held on Tuesday, August 1 in the Monona Grove High School Auditorium. There will not be a registration meeting beforehand, so the meeting will start in the auditorium at 6:00 pm.
This meeting is designed to inform both parents and student athletes of the expectations Monona Grove High School holds for their athletes.
Fall Sport Practice Start Dates are as follows:
- Boys & Girls Cross Country - Aug. 14
- Football - Aug. 1
- Girls Golf - Aug. 7
- Boys Soccer - Aug. 14
- Girls Swim - Aug. 8
- Girls Tennis - Aug. 8
- Volleyball - Aug. 14
The 2017-18 Winter Sport Meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 30 and Monday, Feb. 26, both at 6:00 pm.
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This is a timely topic and caregivers will want to be informed, in order to have a better understanding of how to support and respond helpfully to your child. On March 31, 2017
Netflix launched 13 Reasons Why (13RY), a TV series based on a popular novel of the same name. The fictional story is a cautionary tale of a young girl's suicide, and covers other sensitive subject matter as the series progresses. In response to the series, JED and SAVE developed talking points to assist parents, teachers, and other gatekeepers in talking to youth about suicide as it relates to the situational drama that unfolds in 13RY. Read more
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| Intercultural Dialogues |
Student's in Ms. Wagner's 1A English 9 class had the opportunity to hear a presentation from former MG grad, Molly Romaniak, who is attending UW-Madison. Molly is currently taking a class called Intercultural Dialogues, which focuses on issues of diversity in different settings in society. As part of her coursework, she was able to present an outreach project to our English 9 class, teaching the students some of what she learned this semester.
Molly's goal was to talk with high school students about these topics before they get to college. Her presentation fit in perfectly with our current unit of study,
To Kill A Mockingbird, through which we discuss and examine privilege and prejudice in multiple aspects of a person's identity and employ empathy to understand situations from various points of view.
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Infinite Campus Information
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Is your Infinite Campus Information Up to Date?Do you have a change of information such as a new doctor, a new e-mail address or phone number? It is very important that all of your information is up to date on Infinite Campus. Please log into your Parent Portal and enter the new information.
Infinite Campus Mobile App
Parents may access Infinite Campus on their mobile devices. The mobile app information can be found at the bottom of the parent portal window. The District ID is GJGZMY.
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Reminders from the Attendance Office
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 24 hour Attendance Line: 608-316-1393
The Attendance Office is open from 7:15-3:45. Parents may call before or after school and leave a message regarding their child's attendance.
Parents are required to call the Attendance Line prior to 10:00 A.M. on the day of the absence.
Please be sure to indicate the student's name, grade, date of absence and reason for absence when calling.
Students must have absences excused within 24 hours after they return or the absences will be considered unexcused.
The MGSD recognizes a positive relationship between good school attendance and success in school and employment.
A student's attendance in school becomes part of his/her permanent school record and is often the subject of inquiry by employers. Most importantly, however, is the need for students to be in school to interact with the teacher and with other students as they gain the knowledge that is necessary for successful completion of the course of studies Monona Grove High School provides.
Excused Absences
Parents may excuse, in writing, a student for any reason
PRIOR
to the day of the absence. (Wis. Stats. 118.15(3)(c). If an excuse is not given prior to an absence, the school, not a student's parent, excuses an absence. Monona Grove High School will excuse a student from school for the following reasons:
- personal illness;
- illness in the family for which the student is required at home;
- funerals and weddings;
- religious holidays;
- legal obligations;
- dental, medical, and orthodontic appointments;
- family vacations that cannot be scheduled during non-school times or other family approved vacations or school visits with prior approval; and
- an emergency situation which must be reviewed by the assistant principal.
Unexcused Absences
The school will not excuse an absence for any reason other than those listed above. Specifically:
- single period absences for illness when the student fails to report to the Nurse's Office
- absences related to vehicle problems during the school day
- oversleeping
- absences due to working on other school work will not be excused unless it's a school-sponsored field trip.
Parents will be notified of unexcused absences by phone or mail. Students with unexcused absences from classes or study halls will be assigned one, two-hour after school detention per period missed.
Leaving School Early
Monona Grove High School is a closed campus except for the following occasions: lunch, cooperative education programs, medical/dental appointments, sudden illness, or open campus students. During passing times, students must remain on school grounds. All students wishing to leave school must obtain permission from their parent, the assistant principal, or the school nurse in case of illness. Students will not be allowed out of class for illness unless they are going home. At that time, the student must sign out in the Attendance Office and receive an out pass. If he/she plans to return to school, he/she must sign in upon returning. Students are not allowed to have other students drive them anywhere during the school day.
Planned Absences and Vacations
Occasionally a student will know in advance that he/she will be absent from school. This can be excused if, and only if, a planned absence form is
completed prior to the absence. This requires that the student notify his/her teachers of the planned absence so that school work missed during the absence can be given to the student. This must be done at least three days prior to the planned absence. Planned absence forms are available in the Attendance Office and are required for absences of 2 or more days.
If forms are not completed and returned before the student leaves, the absences will be unexcused.
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