S t u d e n t s r e p o r t t o

c l a s s a t 7 : 5 0 a m .

T a r d y B e l l i s a t

8 : 0 0 a m . P l e a s e

s e e o u r w e b s i t e

f o r a f u l l b e l l

s c h e d u l e .

P a r e n t s m u s t

u t i l i z e t h e c a r

r i d e r l i n e a t t h e

m a i n e n t r a n c e o f

t h e s c h o o l f o r

s t u d e n t d r o p o f f

a n d p i c k u p .

P l e a s e h e l p u s

s a f e g u a r d s t u d e n t

s a f e t y . D o n o t

u s e t h e b a c k o f

t h e s c h o o l f o r

d r o p - o f f o r p i c k -

u p d u r i n g t h e

s c h o o l d a y .

In this issue:

Back to School! 1

School Policies 2

Athletic Updates 3

Class of 2015 Senior

Planning

4

Community Read 6

Attendance Procedures 7

Marvin Ridge High School

Maverick Message

Volume 8, Issue 2

September 2, 2014

The mission of Marvin Ridge High School is to educate all students

in a safe, inspiring, and globally aware environment that promotes

respect for diversity, lifelong learning, challenging athletics, and

extra-curricular experiences that foster successful living.

Back to School Activities a Major Focus!

2014 Orange Crush Shirts

are here!!

Pre-ordered shirts are available for pick-up

during lunch! A limited number of extra

shirts will be available for physical purchase

on Wednesday, September 3 during lunch.

All other shirts will be pre-order, either in

person with cash or check on Wednesday,

September 3 or online September 2-19. This

is the only Orange Crush shirt that includes

our Wells Fargo Cup State Championship,

so order yours as soon as possible!

PTSO Open House

Come out and meet your student’s teachers on Monday,

September 15 at 6:30. Please stop by the PTSO table at Orien-

tations and Open House to see how you can volunteer to support

your Mavericks.

Marvin Ridge High School Page 2

MRHS Key Policy Review

During Grade Level Assemblies the first week of school, we have covered our school dress code, key aspects of the

UCPS Student Code of Conduct, attendance/tardy information and more. All students were asked to sign a form that

they understood the policies as reviewed and taught by class period teachers. In the scrolling announcements section of

our website, we have included links to both our Marvin Ridge High School Student Handbook, and the Union County

Public Schools Student-Parent Handbook for 2014-15.

For quick reference, the Dress Code and Cell Phone policies are listed below. We wanted you to be aware of the content

of these policies as we will be enforcing consequences. One item that has been added to the Dress Code is highlighted for

your reference.

Marvin Ridge High School Dress Code If a student’s dress or appearance is so unusual, inappropriate or disruptive to the learning environment, the student will

be required to change the offending dress or appearance. Clothing that attracts undue attention to the body’s form or con-

tour is inappropriate for school. Students are responsible for exercising good judgment in dress and grooming. Students

who violate the Dress Code will report with a written pass to the front office; repeated offenses will be recorded and con-

sequences will be issued. Every effort will be made to handle dress code issues within the first period class. Guidelines

for high school dress include but are not limited to the following criteria:

Shorts, skirts, dresses, etc. must extend to a student’s fingertips when the student is standing up straight. No holes are

allowed above the fingertip length.

Shirts, sweatshirts, blouses, or shorts that are worn with leggings, spandex pants, or yoga pants must extend

to a student’s fingertips when the student is standing up straight.

Shirts must cover the torso (including the stomach, back, and cleavage) and straps must be at least 3 inches or 3 fin-

gers wide.

No mesh or racer-back tops, see-through material, cut-off shirts, halters, skintight clothes, or clothing of any type

that exposes the torso, profane words, drug or alcohol advertising, sexual innuendoes, or other unacceptable graphics.

Students must wear shoes (no bedroom slippers).

“Drag and sag” pants violate dress code.

No gang related clothing, paraphernalia or gang related tattoos.

Visible undergarments are prohibited at all times.

No hats worn inside the building. No pajamas (including pajama pants), hats, or sunglasses (unless medically needed) are allowed in school. *The administration reserves the right to set additional dress code rules on an individual basis if the student’s clothing is

disruptive to the school environment.

Cell Phones (Per Union County Public Schools Policy)

Except pursuant to an authorized instructional purpose and as an instructional tool under the guidance and direction of a

staff member during a school activity, students will not use cellular phones, CD players, iPods, MP3 players, headphones

and DVD players on campus from the first bell of the day through the last dismissal bell. Except as identified above, cell

phones must be turned off and out of sight (in book bag, pocket, or purse) at all times. Use of a cell phone is defined to

include, but is not limited to phone ringing,

talking on phone, taking pictures, browsing, gaming and text messaging. These items may be kept on campus in a locked

vehicle without violating school policy. School is not responsible for loss or damage of any kind to the above named

items.

First Offense: Confiscate items and return only to parents after the school day ends. If use of cell phone results in

violation of other policies, including, but not limited to school based rules, further discipline may be applied. Second Offense: Parent conference required and may include 1 day of In-School Suspension, After School Deten-

tion, or Saturday School. Third Offense: Parent conference required and may include 1 day of In-School Suspension, After School Detention,

or Saturday School. The student cannot bring the item to school for the remainder of the school year, except as au-

thorized in writing by the school principal.

** PHONES WILL ONLY BE RETURNED TO PARENTS AFTER THE SCHOOL DAY ENDS.**

Marvin Ridge Mavericks

Athletic Booster Club

First General Meeting:

Wednesday, 9/17 at 7:00pm

Visit the gomavericks.org web-

site to join and support our

athletic program and to volun-

teer your time to help the

Mavs!

Last Week’s Results:

Tennis lost to Ardrey Kell; Golf

defeated Providence Day; Soccer

beat Ashbrook; lost to CATA; Vol-

leyball won over Latin and Hick-

ory Ridge; Football bye week and

Cross Country not in action.

This Week’s Schedule:

Tuesday—September 2:

Soccer @ Home 4:30, 6 PM

Wednesday—September 3

Volleyball @ Home 4:00 PM

Thursday—September 4

Tennis Away v. Providence; JV

Football Away v. Ardrey Kell

Volleyball @ Home 4:00

Soccer @ Home 4:30, 6:00

Friday—September 5:

Varsity Football @ Home vs. Ar-

drey Kell - Wells Fargo Cup Cele-

bration!

Congratulations to Team Volleyball, Maverick Baseball Standout

Page 3 Volume 8, Issue 2

Go Mavericks!!

Maverick Athletics….from Athletic Director Tom Jamerson

Calling All Maverick Athletes from the 2013-2014 Season! Whether you are a 2014 graduate or current student athlete, we want you to help us celebrate our first ever Wells

Fargo Cup 3A State Championship! During half time of the Marvin Ridge-Ardrey Kell home game on September 5, we will recognize all athletes and coaches from 2013-2014 teams with a special Maverick Walk and on-field ceremony. Tickets are $6, and kick-off is at 7:30.

Be sure to join us, and come out to support your Mavs in Action!

Congratulations to Mavs Volleyball team who

finished in second place at the Best of the Best

tournament the weekend of August 22. They

defeated Charlotte Catholic for the first time in

school history!

MRHS senior Max Wotell has been selected to

represent the United States as a member of the

USA Baseball 18u National Team. The selec-

tion took place on August 28th at the end of the

USA 18u Team Trials in Houston, TX. Team

USA will train in Houston before departing to

La Paz, Mexico on Wednesday September 3 to

compete in the COPABE 18u Pan American

Championship from September 5 through Sep-

tember 14. Cuba, Venezuela, and Mexico will

represent strong challenges as Team USA seeks

to defend their gold medal from 2013. Max, who

has committed to play baseball at the Universi-

ty of Arizona, will finish his four year varsity

career next spring with Coach Mennitt and the

Maverick Baseball Team.

Marvin Ridge High School Page 4

Maverick Counselor and Administrative Assignments for 2014-2015

In Order to Fully Serve Students and Families :

A - G (all grades) - Ms. Lori Sgan, Counselor and Mr. Dave Thomson, AP

H - O (all grades) - Ms. Lisa Stipp, Counselor and Mr. Matt Lasher, AP

P - Z (all grades), IB - Ms. Ann Ennis, Counselor and Ms. Lisa Justice, AP

Student Support Counselor - Ms. Jessica Pierce

Caps and Gowns

should be purchased

through Jostens. All

seniors should have

received the order

form from Jostens in the mail this summer. All

Seniors will wear the traditional orange gradua-

tion regalia. Packages ordered will be delivered

to seniors at school in the Spring. Cords for

honors will be ordered by clubs and organiza-

tions during the school year.

College Acceptances and Scholarships

should be reported to Guidance. Your counselor

is excited to hear your great news. The previ-

ous graduating class earned over $19 million in

scholarship dollars. Please turn in copies of

your scholarships as we are sure you can sur-

pass that total!!

Recommendation requests should be directed

to the staff member and any required forms

should be provided to the staff member at the

time of the request. Please be sure to give staff

members ample time so that they can fulfill

your request.

Senior Athletes seeking to play college athlet-

ics should visit the NCAA website to review eli-

gibility requirements and speak with their

counselor and coach to make sure that they

meet requirements.

Senior Breakfasts occur each month in the

media center. The first breakfast will be in Sep-

tember.

Senior News and Updates

Attention MRHS Class of 2015 Students

and Parents: The official senior t-shirt

can be ordered now! Opportunities to sup-

port senior activities throughout the year are

also listed. Please remember that parent sup-

port is vital to maintaining traditions such as

senior breakfasts, special gifts for seniors at

games, and the senior banquet! We would like

to add even more, so please consider doing your

part today! The order form is available by

clicking here. At this time, we are collecting t-

shirt orders in order to submit another batch

for printing. Please get your today!

If you missed Senior Night by Guidance

on September 2, please find important infor-

mation on our website, including an electronic

copy of the Senior Planning Guide.

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines of Note:

September 12—School Nomination for NC

State Parks Scholarship and UNC-Chapel Hill

Morehead-Cain Scholarship

September 19—Lowell Bryan Scholars Pro-

gram at Davidson College

October 3—Wendy’s High School Heisman

Josten’s will return to campus on Mon-

day, September 8! Seniors can place Cap

and Gown Orders as well as other items

and regalia.

Marvin Ridge High School Page 5

As part of our school’s mission, our community comes together to discuss a global

topic in the fall during an event called Community Read Day. The aim of this

program is to empower our students with global knowledge and a respect for di-

versity that will help them be successful citizens in a changing global communi-

ty. This year we will be using the following five books to explore Chinese cul-

ture. Please select one of the following books to read over the summer.

** Community Read Day and Activities will take place in October. A final date will be chosen by

our administration and site-base team members.

1) Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman

2) Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People by Helen Zia

3) American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

4) Driven Out: The Forgotten War Against Chinese Americans by Jean Pfaelzer

5) The Hundred Secret Senses: A Novel by Amy Tan

Students, what should you do?

1) Select at least one book from the list to ex-

plore.

2) As you read, keep an open mind and con-

sider what you are learning from the book.

Practice all the great reading strategies you

have learned in school like questioning, sum-

marizing, annotating, predicting, inferring,

visualizing, connecting, and evaluating.

3) Use the website above to learn more.

4) Be prepared to participate in the Commu-

nity Read Day events in the fall including

class discussions and writing assignments in

all of your classes.

Parents, how can you get involved?

1) Using the list of options, help your child

choose a book that you think best meets his or

her needs intellectually and emotionally.

2) Help your child find a copy of the book by

purchasing a copy or checking one out from a

library.

3) Feel free to join the community read by

reading one or more of the books on the list.

You will even have the opportunity to partici-

pate in book club discussions with other par-

ents and staff on Community Read Day.

4) Talk with your child about the book. See

the suggestions below.

5) Encourage your child to pick up other

books that interest him or her.

If you’d like to help your child practice effective reading skills in alignment with the Common

Core Curriculum, consider asking him or her the following questions. Always follow up their

answers to any questions with “What makes you think that?” or “How do you know?” Citing

evidence that supports their knowledge or arguments is an important life skill.

Community Read Day in the Fall, and a follow-up activity in the Spring, give parents opportunities to volun-

teer as well as promote the global perspective and goals of Marvin Ridge. Stay tuned for more information

in future newsletters and on our website.

Reminder: Community Read—Summer Reading 2014

2014-2015 Attendance Procedures from Ms. King-Pierce

Page 6 Volume 8, Issue 2

Absences

Absences are COUNTED BY CLASS. Any student who misses

more than 15 minutes at any point in a class will be considered

absent from that class.Any student who is absent more than sev-

en times from a class may not receive credit for that class. All

absences, including parental sign-in or sign-outs, WILL BE

RECORDED AS UNEXCUSED UNLES A LAWFUL EX-

CUSE NOTE IS SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE WITHIN 3

DAYS OF THE ABSENCE. Students may miss up to 3 days

per school year for college visits. A SIGNED note FROM

THE COLLEGE must be presented within 3 days of the ab-

sence in order for the absence to be coded as an excused college

visit. Absences for educational reasons MUST BE AP-

PROVED BY ADMINISTRATION PRIOR TO THE AB-

SENCE. Parent notes referencing a student’s illness will be

considered excused. However, they are not automatically

waived, and may count against the student’s allowed 7 absences

per class.An absence may be excused but not be waived. Ex-

cused & unexcused absences count in the 7 absences a student

is allowed to have before they are in danger of failing the class

for attendance, waived absences do not count in that total.

The following absences may be excused and waived ONLY

WITH THE LISTED DOCUMENTATION: Doctor/dental

appointment with a note from the doctor or dentist within 3 days

of the absence. Required court date with a note from the court

or attorney within 3 days of the absence. Death in the family

(Union County allows for this to be excused and waived for the

death of a parent, grandparent or sibling) with a cop of the obi-

tuary or funeral program. In this instance, documentation may

be provided within two weeks.

The following reasons will be included in the “unexcused” ab-

sence category: oversleeping, running late, car trouble, traffic

issues, sibling or parent illness or appointment, family trip,

etc…

Chromebook Distribution—Beginning Thursday, September 4 For students who have returned permission forms, we will process

Chromebooks through our 3rd Period Classes beginning Thursday,

September 4.

An online orientation done on campus is required upon the first

login of the year, and then students may take their Chromebooks

home. Students are expected to bring their laptops to school daily

and to abide by all UCPS and MRHS policies regarding care and

internet use.

The annual Technology Fee is due by September 30. You may pay

this online or with cash or check in the front office.

More information, including a Parent’s Guide to Chromebooks and

Digital Citizenship, will be provided in next week’s newsletter.

Early Dismissals

If you are aware of a doctor/dentist or any other appoint-

ment for your child, please send in a note with your child’s

first and last name, time to be released, and phone number

where you can be reached. PLEASE be aware that no

student will be released without written permission or a

parent coming into the office to sign out the student. If

your child is sick and needs to leave early you must either

come in to sign them out, send a fax to 704.243.0012 or

email to Ms. King-Pierce Melissa.king@ucps.k12.nc.us . If

someone other than a parent will be picking up your child,

written permission with the person’s name must be included

in the note or fax. Any student leaving without permis-

sion and/or not signing out at the front office will be consid-

ered truant.

Late Arrivals

Please have your child bring in any doctor/dental/court or

sick note when they arrive in school or within 3 days of the

appointment to be considered excused. All students must

sign in at the front office when they arrive . If a student

arrives late for any class without a valid note and excuse,

they will be sent to SMC (student management center) for

the remainder of that block. All students must sign in if

they arrive in-between classes as well. Please keep in

mind that bringing a note in does not excuse your student if

it is not a valid reason.

15 minute rule

Students can not miss more than 15 minutes from any class

period in order to be present for that class. This also in-

cludes 3rd period which includes lunch periods. The 15

minutes can be any time at the beginning, during or at the

end of that period. Therefore if you arrive within the first

15 minutes of the block you will be counted tardy instead of

absent.

Questions about attendance? Please contact Melissa King-Pierce

at melissa.king@ucps.k12.nc.us