EHS September Family Newsletter
Back-To-School Edition
Staff, families, alumni, community partners, and most importantly, students have pulled together in countless ways out of genuine care for one another, Eastside pride and a shared belief in what education can do for our young people - our future leaders.  

We know that our challenges are not behind us, and I want to acknowledge how much work we have to do as a school in order to make good on our commitment to see all of our students succeed. Here a few of the things that you should see from us in the year ahead:

-We will balance our students’ need for academic learning with their need for compassion and trauma-informed care in the midst of a uniquely challenging moment for our global, national and local community. 

-We will do everything we can to stay connected to our students in this time of physical distance, and find new and innovative ways for students to connect with each other and feel a part of East High School. 

-We will celebrate the diverse identities, cultures and voices of our community. It is easy to say that we value diversity at East. We strive to ensure that all members of our community actually feel valued in our school, and in every classroom. 

-We will continue to evaluate our ways of working, our programs, and our student learning outcomes through the lens of equity and social justice. We are not succeeding unless all members of our community have the opportunity to succeed. 

-We will listen to our students and families about your experiences at East High School and will partner with you in charting the path forward for our school community.   

I am certain that we will not get everything right in this unprecedented year, but we will always strive to do better for our students. Our staff choose to do this work because there is nothing that matters more to us. 

As always, we are lucky to be at East.  

Brendan Kearney 
Principal  
East High School Quarter 1 Schedule
Student schedules are available in Infinite Campus and through the "Campus Parent" and "Campus Student" app on mobile devices. If you see an error or need to make a schedule change request, students will need to complete the Schedule Change Request Google Form using their MMSD account.

There is a special schedule for the first day of school (Tuesday, September 8th) when all seven classes will meet for shorter class periods, so that students can meet all of their new teachers and classmates and participate in orientation activities.
Attendance and Excused Absences
Did you know attendance in the first month of school can predict good attendance through the school year?
Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. Find out more on the MMSD Attendance Website.

We want to be sure to emphasize that this year we ARE taking daily attendance during virtual learning this Fall.
On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays:
Students will be marked absent if they do not do one of the following for EACH SCHEDULED CLASS:
  • Attend the synchronous, or live, real-time instruction (in Zoom)
  • Complete and submit an asynchronous, or independent learning task assigned by the teacher on the virtual learning platform
  • Engage in two way communication (phone call, email exchange, or office hours virtual visit) with the teacher of the course for each class

If students will miss a synchronous scheduled class, their absence should be reported/excused by a parent/guardian using the same procedure as they would during the normal school year (options listed below).

On Wednesdays:
Attendance will be based solely on completion of asynchronous tasks and/or any two way communication that may occur.

Students will be marked absent if they do not do one of the following on Wednesdays:
  • Complete and submit an asynchronous, or independent learning task assigned by the teacher on the virtual learning platform
  • Engage in two way communication (phone call, email exchange, or office hours virtual visit) with the teacher of the course for each class

School Information
Have a question about policies and procedures at East High School? 
Chances are it is covered in our East High School Supplement To The District Policy Guide. In addition to the District Policy Guide and the Behavior Education Plan, this resource has a wealth of information specifically related to East High School including topics such as attendance, safety and security, extra-curricular activities, grading, credit requirements, lockers, parking, and more.
Staff Contact Information
Our staff are here to support our students and families.
Our Administrative & Support Staff, Student Services, and Neighborhood Contact Information can all be found online. Teacher contact information and weekly messages can be found on the Virtual Learning Hub. Each student also has a Virtual Mentor listed in period 10 on their schedule that can assist with questions and concerns.
Get Connected, Stay Informed
Communications @ East High School
INFINITE CAMPUS
The "Campus Student" and "Campus Parent" apps are designed to provide real-time access to student information. The easy-to-use design displays what is currently happening in the classroom so you can understand, monitor, and participate in the educational process.
  • Announcements - Quickly see district announcements as they are posted.
  • Assignments - Browse assignments by specific class or due date.
  • Attendance - Review attendance events in summary and detail form.
  • Grades - Immediate access to grades as they are posted.
  • Schedule - Review schedules from anywhere, at any time.

The same information can also be accessed on the web through the Parent/Student Portal online.

WEEKLY PURGOLDER PRESS
The Purgolder Press is a weekly newsletter sent to East High School students, parents, and staff with information about events and announcements for the upcoming week. The link to the information will be emailed each Friday, previewing the upcoming week. It will also be available on the East website and previous weeks will be archived on the East website.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Our social media platforms are used to provide timely information and highlight and celebrate the diversity and achievements of our East High School Community.
Follow us on Twitter: @madisoneasths
Like us on Facebook: @purgolderpride
Follow us on Instagram: @purgolderpride
Materials Distribution Make-Up Days
Did you miss the Materials Distribution days last week? Did you change classes and need new materials?
Students/families who still need to pick up materials (like textbooks, school supplies, supplemental materials, and planners) from East can FILL OUT THIS GOOGLE FORM and attend a make-up day on Wednesday, September 9th or 16th from 12-4pm or make other arrangements. Remember to check the list of courses that require physical materials to be picked up. Not all students have classes that require physical materials. Students with music and math classes will receive information from their teachers during the first week of school about how and when musical instruments and calculators will be distributed.
Chromebooks, Wi-Fi & Tech Support
If you are looking for support with access to instructional resources, need a password reset, need assistance with your student issued device, or need to request a Hotspot, please reach out to to our East LMTS (Library Media Technology Specialist), Jen Milne-Carroll. Students having issues with their Chromebook can also FILL OUT THIS GOOGLE FORM or can call MMSD's tech helpline at 608-204-5678 and leave a detailed message that includes the student's name, student ID (if available), school, and the nature of the call.

Note: As of August 17th, students will need to use their 6 digit ID number to log into Chromebooks instead of their email address. The default password for high school studnets is a lowercase letter "x" followed by their 6 digit birthday (2 digit month, 2 digit day, two digit year) followed by a capital letter "X" (xmmddyyX).

We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure all students can access the internet for virtual learning. You can find internet access options here.

Chromebook Exchange
9th graders were asked to exchange their Chromebooks in August. Those who have not done so can attend a make-up day this week (schedule below). East 10th-12th graders were not scheduled to exchange their Chromebooks and do not need to unless their device is not working.

Chromebook Exchange Make-Up Days at East High School
These make-up days are a perfect time for any student/family that missed their date to pick up a device, did not have a device in the Spring, are new to the district, or still need to exchange a device.

  • Tuesday, September 8, 8am-3pm
  • Wednesday, September 9, 12-7pm
  • Thursday, September 10, 12-7pm
  • Friday, September 11, 8am-3pm

Zoom Expectations and Etiquette
This fall we will be using Zoom as our Virtual Learning platform. Take a look at our instructions on what Zoom is and how to use it as well as helpful tips for families and guidelines for students to ensure everyone has a good Zoom experience.
East High School Spirit Wear
Show your Purgolder Pride!
Madison East Booster Club has East High School apparel for sale online and will arrange for contactless delivery to Eastside Madison homes.