Sunday, May 31, 2020

Principal's Message - 5/31/20

Good evening, this is Dr. Kennedy, principal of Forbush High School. I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend so far. I have a few announcements and updates I would like to share with you this evening.

Virtual Graduation Ceremonies
I want to begin by thanking all of our graduating seniors and their families for participating in the first two days of our Virtual Graduation ceremonies last week. Our first two days went very well and it was great to see so many of our graduates participating in the ceremonies. Parents and family members, we hope you enjoyed the opportunity to watch your graduate receive his or her diploma during these ceremonies. Seniors, we still have two more days available to participate and be recorded for our Virtual Graduation video. We will continue ceremonies tomorrow (Monday, June 1) and conclude on Tuesday, June 2. Please call the school or email me or our Graduation Advisor, Daniel Hutchens (daniel.hutchens@yadkin.k12.nc.us) if you have any questions. In addition to being recorded receiving your diploma, you will also have the opportunity to take some pictures with your family. Thanks again and we look forward to celebrating with you over the next two days.

Summer Hours
The 2019-2020 school year has officially come to a close. Grades have been finalized and report cards will be available beginning June 8 for pick up in the office. Grades can also be accessed via PowerSchool. Beginning tomorrow (Monday, June 1), we will begin our summer hours. The Forbush High School office will be open from 8am to 4pm, Monday through Thursday. We will be closed on Fridays. If you have any instructional materials that need to be turned in, including chromebooks, please bring those items to our office as soon as possible.

Thank You
That is all for this evening. This will be my final Sunday phone message to you as principal of Forbush High School. I will be stepping into a new role in the coming weeks as Director of Secondary Schools and CTE for Yadkin County Schools. While I am excited about this new opportunity, it is definitely bittersweet, as I have greatly enjoyed my time here at Forbush High School. However, I am grateful that I will still be a part of the Forbush community, albeit in a different role, as these last four years in Yadkin County have been very special to me and my family. It has been an honor and a privilege to have served as your principal. Thank you for your support of me, our staff, and the students here at Forbush High School. I will forever remember and cherish my time here as principal of this great school.

So for one final time… as a reminder, be sure to follow Forbush High School on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for announcements and updates. Also, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Principal's Message - 5/24/20

Good evening, this is Dr. Kennedy, principal of Forbush High School. I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend so far. I have a few announcements and updates I would like to share with you this evening.

Chromebook Collection for Underclassmen
This upcoming week is the final week of the 2019-2020 school year. The last official student day for the semester is Thursday, May 28 and the final day for teachers is Friday, May 29.

We will continue collecting chromebooks for students in grades 9, 10, and 11 this week. Chromebook return for underclassmen will be held Tuesday, May 26 from 11am to 2pm and Wednesday, May 27 from 4pm to 7pm. Please follow the normal route for student drop off and pick up. Staff members will be posted outside of B-Building at the front of campus to direct you and to take up all chromebooks and power cords. If you have any questions, please email FHS Media Coordinator Sarah Frazier (sarah.frazier@yadkin.k12.nc.us).

Class of 2020 Virtual Graduation
Seniors, if you have not signed up for a day and time to be recorded for our Virtual Graduation, please do so as soon as possible. Though we are planning to hold a traditional ceremony on July 31, there is no guarantee that state restrictions will be lifted so that we can hold that ceremony. As such, we want to make our Virtual Graduation ceremony as special as possible for our seniors. In addition to being recorded receiving your diploma, you will also have the opportunity to take some cap and gown pictures with your family. These pictures will be made available to you later in the summer free of charge. If you have any questions about our Virtual Graduation, please email Graduation Advisor Daniel Hutchens (daniel.hutchens@yadkin.k12.nc.us).

Yearbooks
The following is an update regarding yearbooks. At this time, we do not know when our yearbooks will be shipped to us. Because of the global health crisis, there was a delay in the completion of our yearbooks. At this time, we are projecting a mid-to-late July arrival of our yearbooks, though this time frame is also subject to change. Once we know an exact ship date, we will inform the community via our social media outlets.

That is all for this evening. As a reminder, be sure to follow Forbush High School on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for announcements and updates. Also, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Principal's Message - 5/17/20

Good evening, this is Dr. Kennedy, principal of Forbush High School. I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend. I have a few announcements and updates I would like to share with you this evening.

Closing up the School Year
The 2019-2020 school year is quickly coming to a close, and it goes without saying that we have had a very unique end to the spring semester. As a reminder, teachers will not be posting any new assignments through the remainder of the term. Students are encouraged to complete any missing assignments by the end of this week if they are looking to improve their final grade. The last official student day for the semester is Thursday, May 28 and the final day for teachers is Friday, May 29.

Underclassmen Chromebook Collection
We will begin collecting chromebooks for students in grades 9, 10, and 11 at the end of this week. Chromebook return for underclassmen will be May 22, 26, & 27 at the following times:

Friday, May 22: 3pm - 6pm
Tuesday, May 26: 11am - 2pm
Wednesday, May 27: 4pm - 7pm

Please follow the normal route for student drop off and pick up. Staff members will be posted outside of B-Building at the front of campus to direct you and to take up all chromebooks and power cords. If you have any questions, please email FHS Media Coordinator Sarah Frazier (sarah.frazier@yadkin.k12.nc.us).

Virtual Graduation
Seniors, if you have not signed up for a day and time to be recorded for our Virtual Graduation, please do so as soon as possible. In addition to being recorded walking across the stage and receiving your diploma, you will also have the opportunity to take some cap and gown pictures with your family. These pictures will be made available to you later in the summer free of charge. If you have any questions about our Virtual Graduation, please email Graduation Advisor Daniel Hutchens (daniel.hutchens@yadkin.k12.nc.us).

That is all for this evening. As a reminder, be sure to follow Forbush High School on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for announcements and updates. Also, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Principal's Message - 5/10/20

Good evening, this is Dr. Kennedy, principal of Forbush High School. I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend. I have a few announcements and updates I would like to share with you this evening.

Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2020
I want to begin this evening with some exciting news regarding our Graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020. Because of the current worldwide health crisis, holding our traditional ceremony at Wait Chapel on May 27 is not possible. Over the course of last week, high school seniors and their parents were asked to complete a survey to provide their feedback on this year’s Graduation ceremonies. The majority of those surveyed indicated they would like for the Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2020 to be delayed until later in the summer. A similar survey was conducted for Starmount High School and their results mirrored ours.

As Dr. Martin mentioned in his message Friday evening, the Yadkin County Board of Education has approved for the Forbush High School Graduation to be rescheduled for Friday, July 31 at 9am. This change was made in hopes that state restrictions will be relaxed enough by that point in the summer to allow for our school to host a traditional graduation ceremony in our stadium.

In addition to the delayed graduation ceremony, we are also planning to record and broadcast a “virtual” Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2020. Each senior and a limited number of family members will have a scheduled time to report to school. Each senior will have a cap and gown picture taken, will receive their diploma cover, and will be recorded having their name called as they walk across the stage. The video footage will later be edited together to create a “Virtual Graduation” video that will be released later in June. We have made the decision to move our traditional ceremony until July 31 while also conducting a “virtual” ceremony so that we can recognize and honor are graduates in as unique and memorable a way as possible.

Seniors and parents, we will be in touch with you in the coming days to schedule a day and time when you will need to come to the school for your video and photo. Please check your email, listen for phone messages, and follow our social media accounts for more information.

Important Dates and Information
I want to remind everyone about a few important dates regarding remote learning as we close the school year. As a reminder, no new assignments will be posted by teachers after this Friday, May 15. All students will have the week of May 18 through May 22 to complete any missing assignments to improve their 4th quarter grade if they choose to do so. As I mentioned previously, the State Board of Education passed a policy with regards to grading options for students in grades 9, 10, and 11. Parents, if you have questions about the grading options, feel free to email your child’s teacher. You may also call or email me if you have any questions or need assistance.

That is all for this evening. As a reminder, be sure to follow Forbush High School on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for announcements and updates. Also, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Principal's Message - 5/3/20

Good evening, this is Dr. Kennedy, principal of Forbush High School. I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend. I have a few announcements and updates I would like to share with you this evening.

Important Dates
I want to begin this evening by sharing a few important dates with everyone as we begin the process of closing down the school year. Teachers will continue to post new assignments for the next two weeks. However, no new assignments will be posted by teachers after Friday, May 15. All students will have the week of May 18 through May 22 to complete any missing assignments to improve their 4th quarter grade.

Grading Options for Freshmen, Sophomores, & Juniors
As I mentioned last week, the State Board of Education passed a policy with regards to grading options for students in grades 9, 10, and 11. All teachers have emailed parents and students with detailed information about those grading options. Parents, if you have not already done so, please let your child’s teachers know what grading options you will be choosing for each class. If you have questions about the grading options, feel free to email your child’s teacher. You may also call or email me if you have any questions or need assistance.

Prom
The following announcement is in regards to Prom. Unfortunately, due to the current restrictions in place caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our 2020 Prom has been cancelled.

Yearbooks
The following is an update in regards to yearbooks. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the plant that produces our yearbook has been temporarily shut down. However, when the books are printed and shipped, we will let you know the game plan to pick up your book. Currently we are looking at the books being shipped in June, though that is subject to change due to the current circumstances. You can check to see if you have pre-ordered a yearbook at yearbookordercenter.com or by emailing our Yearbook coordinator, Mrs. Dorman.

That is all for this evening. As a reminder, be sure to follow Forbush High School on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for announcements and updates. Also, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Principal's Message - 4/26/20

Good evening, this is Dr. Kennedy, principal of Forbush High School. I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend. I have a few announcements and updates I would like to share with you this evening.

Remote Learning
As you likely know by now, Governor Cooper announced this past Friday that schools will remain closed through the remainder of the school year. Remote learning will continue for all students through the end of May. As of today, no final decisions have been made regarding school-related events scheduled for the end of May, including Graduation. It is our hope and intent to hold a graduation ceremony for our seniors, so please be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks.

Grading Policy Changes
In addition to Governor Cooper’s announcement, the North Carolina State Board of Education approved several changes to the grading policy for high school students in grades 9, 10, and 11 last week. Our district office is working closely with all school principals to review these policy changes and additional information will be shared with parents and students later this week. Please listen out for a phone message later this week and also be sure to follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram) for the latest updates.

Drive Thru Cap and Gown Distribution
The following reminder is for our seniors: Forbush High School is planning a “drive thru” Cap and Gown Distribution this Friday, May 1 from 11am to 2pm. Seniors, you can come by at any point during that time frame to pick up your cap and gown. Have your gold “ticket form” ready to turn in when you arrive. Please also bring your chromebook and charger to turn in unless you are still working on online classwork. Additionally, please bring money to pay for any school fees or debt, if applicable, as well as any library books or items you need to turn in. We will not be handing out medals or honor cords at this time; those items will be distributed at a later date. You can also pay your Jostens balance on this day (using cash or a card), or you can pay your Jostens balance online through their website. When you arrive on campus, play follow the normal route for pick up and drop off in front of B-Building and remain in your cars at all times. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me or Mr. Hutchens.

Senior Spring Spotlight
In the midst of this worldwide health crisis, our hearts are heavy for our Seniors who are missing out on so many spring activities and events this year. We want to recognize these students as best we can. We will continue showcasing our Seniors whose spring extra-curricular activities—including clubs, concerts, and athletics—have been postponed or cancelled due to the current health crisis. We will be highlighting almost 100 seniors who were or would have been involved in spring activities, spotlighting 3 or 4 a day for the next several weeks. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram so you don’t miss any of our Senior Spring Spotlights!

That is all for this evening. As a reminder, be sure to follow Forbush High School on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for announcements and updates. Also, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Principal's Message - 4/19/20

Good evening, this is Dr. Kennedy, principal of Forbush High School. I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend. I have a few announcements and updates I would like to share with you this evening.

Virtual Spirit Week
Monday - Pajama Day
Tuesday - Jersey Day
Wednesday - Senior Day (make a video or sign giving the Class of 2020 a shout out)
Thursday - Throwback Day
Friday - Falcon Day (Freshmen wear blue, Sophomores wear red, Juniors wear white, and Seniors wear black)

All students, staff, parents, and community members are invited to participate. Please share your pictures and video posts via Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and be sure to tag Forbush High School.

Senior Spring Spotlights
In the midst of this worldwide health crisis, our hearts are heavy for our Seniors who are missing out on so many spring activities and events this year. We want to recognize these students as best we can. So, beginning tomorrow, Monday, April 20, we will begin showcasing our Seniors whose spring extra-curricular activities—including clubs, concerts, and athletics—have been postponed or cancelled due to the current health crisis. We will be highlighting almost 100 seniors who were or would have been involved in spring activities, spotlighting 3 or 4 a day for the next several weeks. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram so you don’t miss any of our Senior Spring Spotlights!

Remote Learning
As a reminder to all students, please continue to check your email daily and continue working on assignments at home. If you have questions, please reach out to your teacher by email. Students in grades 9, 10, and 11 are still receiving grades for assignments, so if you have fallen behind on your work, please try to get caught back up as quickly as possible. If you are having difficulty or need assistance, please email your teacher. As always, you are welcome to email me, Mrs. Dinkins, or Mrs. Huggins as well if you ever have any questions or concerns.

For students completing work packets, completed assignments can be dropped off and picked up at the school anytime between 8:30 and 3:30. Additionally, work will be delivered to students on Tuesdays and picked up on Thursdays. Students, please have assignments complete and ready to turn in by Thursday morning so that these assignments can be taken back to the school.

That is all for this evening. As a reminder, be sure to follow Forbush High School on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for announcements and updates. Also, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.