“A Tradition of Excellence”
August is here! Mr. Bryant and I are very excited to start the 2008-2009 school year. Our wonderful custodial staff has been working hard over the summer to get our building into prime condition. Many of our support staff have returned to work, eager and ready to begin. Our teachers have been attending professional development sessions and are getting their rooms ready to go. August is a great month – full of hope and new beginnings.
One of my hopes is that you will be able to attend our Open House on August 20th. At this time a wide variety of activities will occur – schedule pick up, new student orientation, student pictures, a student activity fair, and “Meet the Teachers” just to name a few. It will be an evening full of energy as we open the 08-09 school year.
Something that I am looking forward to is R.A.M. Bell (Ross Advisory Mission Bell). The purpose of this program is to ensure that all students reach their fullest potential. Every student will be assigned an adult advisor that will meet with them each morning for all four years of high school. During R.A.M. Bell, advisors will share information about upcoming events, monitor the academic progress of students, and provide support for the struggles of the adolescent years. As Robert DuFour, national educational consultant, states, “Public schools in the United States are now being called upon to achieve a standard that goes far beyond the goals of any previous generation – high levels of learning for all students” (Whatever It Takes, 2004). R.A.M. Bell will help the staff of Ross High School work towards this goal.
R.A.M. Bell does create the need for an adjustment in the bell schedule at Ross High School. As you can see below, the start and stop time for students has not changed. Students will report to their advisor by 7:20 each morning. The passing time between classes is still five minutes except for the first pass between R.A.M. Bell and 1st Block.
R.A.M. Bell 7:20 – 7:28
1st Block 7:32 – 9:00
2nd Block 9:05 – 10:32
3rd Block 10:37 – 12:37 (30 minutes for lunch)
4th Block 12:42 – 2:10
As always, if you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions, please feel free to contact me at any of the venues listed below. RHS truly is an “excellent” place!
Lani Wildow
Principal, Ross High School
513.863-1252 / rohs_lw@swoca.net
Upcoming Events for August / September 2008
August
20 Open House
21 Teacher In-Service Day
22 Teacher In-Service Day
23 Band Tag Day
25 First Day for Students – Extended Advisory Schedule (50 minutes)
Vocal Music Boosters 7:00 pm
26 Extended Advisory Schedule (25 minutes)
28 Class Meetings 9th – 7:30 am; 10th – 9:00 am
Jostens available at lunch
29 Class Meetings 11th – 7:30 am; 12th – 9:00 am
NHS packets distributed
Senior Mock Interview surveys distributed
September
2 Band Boosters 7:00 pm
8 Athletic Boosters 7:00 pm
9 SAT registration Deadline for 10/4/08 test
10 Board work session 6:30 pm
11 NHS Parent Information Night 6:30 pm
RHS PTO Meeting 7:00 pm
13 ACT Administration
18 Ross Snow Club Early Bird season passes to Perfect North Slopes available
19 ACT registration deadline for 10/25/08 test
22 Vocal Music Boosters 7:00 pm
24 Progress Reports distributed to students
PTO Product Survey
25 Board Meeting 6:30
26 SAT registration deadline for 11/1/08 test
30 NHS packets due
Open House – “A New Beginning” (August 20, 2008)
The start of each new school year holds promise – the promise of a new beginning. The 08-09 school year is no exception. Open House will be held before school starts on August 20 from 4:30 – 9:00 pm. It is imperative that all students and parents make plans to attend. Below is a list of activities that will be available during this time.
What When
Schedule Pick Up 4:30 – 6:30
Fee Payment 4:30 – 9:00
Parking Pass Pick Up 4:30 – 9:00
Lunch Pre Pay 4:30 – 9:00
RHS PTO Sign Up 4:30 – 9:00
Progress Book / CNotify Sign Up 4:30 – 6:30
Conference Sign Up 4:30 – 9:00
School Pictures for Grades 9, 10, and 11 4:30 – 9:00
Student Activity Fair 4:30 – 7:30
Jostens representatives available for 10th grade class ring orders 4:30 – 7:30
New Student Orientation 5:00 – 5:55
Returning Student Orientation 6:00 – 6:30
Meet the Teachers 6:45 – 9:00
We have added a “Lunch Pre Pay” to the schedule. Dottie Schmidt, our district’s cafeteria supervisor, will be available so that you can ensure your child has money on his/her lunch account for the first day of school.
Your child’s schedule will have the fee amount printed on it. After you pick up the schedule, please be sure to stop by the fee table. We can accept cash or check.
New Student Orientation will be a time for both students and parents to meet the administrators of Ross High School. During this time, we will share information that will help your child have a successful high school experience.
Returning Student Orientation is for all students in grades 10-12 and their parents. The administrative team will share information about the new R.A.M. Bell program and answer questions.
Students – Be sure to come prepared for your school picture. Picture package information will be available at this time, so you will need to bring your parents and an appropriate form of payment.
A Few Reminders …
Supplemental Reading
All level one, level two, and AP English students have supplemental reading assignments. These assignments are designed to keep students engaged and active in the learning process throughout the summer. If you are in need of a supplemental reading packet, please stop by the main office at RHS.
Senior Pictures
Baker Photography is the official photographer for the Ross High School yearbook. To be included on the composite picture, you must have a sitting at Baker Photography. The deadline for completion is December 1, 2008. For more information, please call Baker Photography directly at 513.868.2676.
Busing
In order to ride the bus to school for the 2008-2009 school year, you must complete a bus registration card or use the online registration at www.rossrams.com. This is to ensure that your child is routed for the first day of school. Each child in your family needs to be registered separately to account for all routing times. Registration information is also available in the high school office.
Code of Conduct
Students will receive the RHS Code of Conduct on the first day of school during R.A.M. Bell. Please remember, the high school dress code is slightly different than middle school. All shorts and skirts must be no more than six inches from the middle of the knee and no frayed, ripped, or torn clothing is permitted – even if the clothes are purchased in this manner. Students are expected to be in proper attire on the first day of school. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ross High School at 863-1252.
“Limitations are just minor aggravations.
Really, anything is possible.”
Author Unknown
