Welcome to Maple Hill High School
We are fast approaching the end of the second semester with mid-year exams just a few weeks after we return from the break. It is very important to encourage our students to begin reviewing notes and preparing for exams. All classes will have a mid-year exam. The exam counts as a percentage toward students’ second quarter grades and will be posted on report cards. If the class is a semester course, the exam will be the final.
We know that students need to be in school and class to be successful. Poor attendance is directly related to student failure. Please encourage your child to get to bed early and be well rested for the following day. Have them plan the night before and be organized for the following morning. By having everything in one place, it will eliminate confusion and stress first thing in the morning.
Encourage your child to become involved in extracurricular activities. We have several athletic teams and clubs for students to join. Colleges want to see more than just academic grades. Colleges are also looking for involvement in clubs, school sponsored activities and community service. Currently we are encouraging high school students to become involved with the CES Homework Club. This is a wonderful opportunity for your high schooler to work from 2:05 – 2:45 p.m. with elementary students and academics. Interested students should see their teacher or myself. Students involved in extracurricular activities make new friends, have an opportunity to learn teamwork and responsibility, promote positive behavior, have better attendance and earn better grades.
Student Accolades
It has been a very busy first semester at the high school. Students are becoming very involved with extracurricular activities, especially in volunteering for a number of worthy causes. Key Club is sponsoring a “Share Your Soles” campaign that collects slightly used shoes and sends them off to be redistributed to needy families. Ms. Perry’s Civil Responsibility Class has been involved in several projects from road side clean-up to a CES and High School open gym night. All proceeds will be used to sponsor a bus to help out at the Special Olympics here in Albany. Hoops Against Hunger was a huge success collecting food and money for local families in need. These are just a few activities that high school students are involved in as they make a commitment to give back to the community. There are also a number of individual volunteers that go unnoticed and should be recognized. If you are aware of a student that has done something above and beyond, please pass the information along.Keeping Track of Your Children’s Academic Progress
With all of their generosity, it is very important to keep up on students’ studies. Time management is very important, particularly at this time of the year. I encourage you to log onto the eSchool Parent Portal, available by clicking the link at the top of any school webpage, to keep track of your child’s school work. It is very informative and has received numerous compliments by parents and students. eSchool Portal is very easy to register and use. From the main home page, click on eSchool Portal, go to the last part of the page “First time here? Click here to create a new account”. It is very important that you accurately enter information, especially your child’s ID number. Their ID number can be found on their report card, progress report, or school picture ID. Once the required information is entered, you should be approved within a day or two. If you are having difficulty, please call me or stop in for assistance.Cell Phone Use
We have been experiencing many issues with cell phone use and texting in school. Cell phone use is prohibited in all three buildings during school hours. Texting is a major concern as a safety and classroom distraction. Students found using a cell phone will be asked to give it to the adult in charge. A student found using a cell phone during an exam will receive a zero for the exam and be subject to disciplinary actions according to the schools policy on cheating. Any student found using a cell phone during a Regents Exam will be removed from the exam site, receive a zero for the exam, and be reported to the State Education Department. Currently students who refuse to hand over their cell phones when caught using them have been given a referral with disciplinary consequences as well as a letter sent home. Because we are still experiencing cell phone use by repeat offenders, the high school will be implementing a new cell phone removal procedure that will require parents to pick the cell phone up after it is removed twice.Our students need to understand the seriousness of cell phone use and texting. Colleges have also implemented serious consequences for cell phone use and texting while in class. We want our students to understand and abide by proper etiquette when it comes to all computer technology related tools. Please help us by not calling or texting your child during school hours. If there is an emergency, please call the main office and we will get a message to your child immediately.
Student Drivers
As students receive their driver's license and want to park on school property they need to understand that there is a huge responsibility and paperwork that needs to be on file in the main office. A copy of the registration and insurance card for the vehicle as well as a copy of their driver’s license must be kept in the main office. Students are assigned a specific parking spot and their tag must be displayed. Driving to school is a privilege – a student with more than 5 unexcused tardies to school will loose their driving privileges for up to 5 school days. Students need to be in school and class on time. An explanation of excused and unexcused tardies to school is in their student handbook. Oversleeping, car wouldn’t start, or had to stop at Dunkin Donuts, are not excused reasons to be late to school. A doctor's appointment is an excused tardy to school with a note from the doctor's office – just about all doctor's offices will provide you with a note. The following website from State Farm is a good sites for parents of new drivers, www.betterteendriving.com. If you come across other helpful sites please share them.College Update
It is never too early to start the college search and begin to apply for scholarships and grants. Mrs. Morocco from our guidance department has done a wonderful job with the guidance website. Please take the time to see what colleges are visiting Maple Hill as well as what scholarships are available to be filled out and submitted.After School Help
Students are encouraged to stay after and get help from their teachers from 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. This is a great time for students to get individual help from their teachers. We also have Mrs. Ashby in the library to work on math skills and help students organize their notebooks and Mrs. Peter is available on Tuesdays to help students with science skills and lab requirements If a student is not staying after for a sport, study hall or with a teacher, they should not be hanging around. We clear the hallways at 2:05 p.m. and treat after school as a quiet and non-distracting environment. Students are expected to sign in with the teacher they are staying with. We keep a weekly log that can be shared with parents.Contacting Teachers
Contacting teachers via e-mail is a great way to be sure your child is not falling behind. A complete list of teachers and their e-mails are located on the left side of the web page at the “Contact Us” link.Scheduling and Distance Learning
Mrs. Hebert and Mrs. O’Leary in the Guidance Office have started informing students of the scheduling process early this year. The Guidance Department has been to each student’s English class to talk about mandated courses they need for next year as well as electives. Very soon, your child will be coming home with information about their schedules for next year. Ask them what they intend to take and spend time looking at electives with them. Besides the traditional courses students can take, Maple Hill students also have the opportunity to take Distance Learning courses from across the state. These courses are traditionally courses that our students cannot take due to small enrollment or teacher availability. Schodack Schools was recently recognized in the November/December Legislative Commission on Rural Resources.Students are being surveyed to see which of the following courses have the most interest. Those with the most interest will be offered, depending on where they are scheduled during the day according to the Distance Learning network. Detailed course descriptions can be found at www.dl.neric.org.
Course offering for 2009-2010 school year: Chinese I, Chinese II, French IV, Civil Rights Movement, Topics of East Asia, Journalism, Abnormal Psychology, Business Ethics, Gothic Literature, Genetic Concepts, Military History, Civil War, Holocaust, Sign Language, Movies & Music, Agricultural Business, Meteorology, and Latin Study.
Sincerely,
Mr. Horan
Principal, Maple Hill High School
732-7701
- Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy for Students
- Extra Curricular Contract
- Extra Curricular & Athletic Contract
- Guest Authorization
- Parking Registration Form 2008-2009
- Student Safety Contract
The Paw Print - Senior Newspaper
The Paw Print, Maple Hill High School's Senior Newspaper, is available online this year so the community can see the great work our students are doing. Click here to see issues of The Paw Print.
Have a Question?
If you have a question, concern, or need anything that will help your child's education, please feel free to contact Maple Hill High School faculty or staff.
- Main Office - 732-7701 (phone), 732-0494 (fax), Maple Hill High School, 1216 Maple Hill Road, Castleton on Hudson, NY 12033
- Principal Robert Horan - rhoran@schodack.k12.ny.us
- School Counselor Teresa Hebert - thebert@schodack.k12.ny.us
- School Counselor Lisa O'Leary - loleary@schodack.k12.ny.us
- Nurse Lynda Essenter - lessenter@schodack.k12.ny.us
- Athletic Director Pat Kenna - pkenna@schodack.k12.ny.us
