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.

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.

Principal's Message - 4/12/20

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 Instruction Continues This Week

I hope that everyone had a chance to relax and unplug for a bit during last week’s Spring Break. We are returning to remote instruction this week, so I want to encourage all students to resume completing assignments, activities, and modules online beginning tomorrow. Students and parents, please be sure you are checking your email accounts daily for information and updates from teachers.

As we continue remote instruction this week, I want to once again emphasize the importance of communication. Students, if you are having any difficulty with your assignments, please be sure to email your teacher. Our staff is here to help, so please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance. While we will continue to have limited staff on campus, our office will be open. Parents and students, please feel free to call the school or email me, Mrs. Dinkins, or Mrs. Huggins if you have any questions or concerns as we continue through the process of remote instruction.

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.

Principal's Message - 4/5/20

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.

Spring Break This Week

I want to begin this evening by reminding everyone that this coming week is Spring Break for all students and staff. Teachers will not be posting any new assignments or activities during this upcoming week. Students, I hope you will use this upcoming week to take a break from your school work and relax a bit. Parents and guardians, the Forbush High School office will be closed this week; however, you are always welcome to email me anytime if you need anything or have any questions next week during Spring Break.

Meal Services for Students

I would like to also mention as a reminder that meal services for families in need will be provided next week. Many families are facing economic struggles due to the coronavirus pandemic and the effect it has had on many local businesses. Parents, guardians, and community members, I want you to know that your Forbush family is here for you during this difficult time. If there is anything we can do to support you, please reach out to us and let us know. Specifically, if your children have not been receiving meals provided by the school district, those meals will continue to be available for the remainder of the school year. Please feel free to pick up meals at Forbush Middle School or the local elementary schools. Once again, if you have any questions about meals, please call the meal site closest to your home or feel free to email me.

That is all for this evening. As a reminder, be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything happening at Forbush High School. Also, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Principal's Message - 3/29/20

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.

Message for Students

As we move into our second full week of “remote learning,” I want to thank all of the students for their hard work so far. Most students have been actively completing assignments over the course of the week. Please keep up the hard work! Students, if you are not staying on top of your assignments, please get to work this week so you do not fall behind. Additionally, it is very important that students check their emails daily to stay up-to-date on announcements and information from their teachers.

Message for Parents

Parents, thank you for your support and your flexibility during this time. As I mentioned last week, communication is key during this time of remote learning. While many teachers will be working from home while classes are not meeting on campus, teachers will continue to email students and call parents often. Teachers will be readily available between 10am and 2pm each day to quickly respond to emails and phone calls. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to call the school or email me, Mrs. Dinkins, or Mrs. Huggins directly.

Events and Activities

I want to give everyone a few updates about specific events or activities that have been postponed or cancelled:

As most know by now, no in-person, on-campus classes are allowed at any North Carolina public school through May 15. As of now, we plan to resume in-person, on-campus classes on May 18, pending a new order from the state government.

All campus events scheduled from now through May 15 have been postponed or cancelled. Additionally, all events scheduled AFTER May 15, including Prom and Commencement, are still on as scheduled.

Unfortunately, our Spring Musical has been cancelled for this year and will not be rescheduled.

Please be sure to follow our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram) for updates and additional information should any other events be cancelled, postponed, or rescheduled.

Once again, thank you to everyone---parents, students, and Forbush staff members--for your patience, flexibility, and support during this time. Please do not hesitate to call the school or email me anytime if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Principal's Message - 3/22/20

Good evening, this is Dr. Kennedy, principal of Forbush High School.

This is a very unique and unprecedented time in our nation’s history. Our daily lives have been remarkably disrupted by the coronavirus and many of us have been left with more questions than answers. However, in the midst of all the uncertainty, it makes me proud to see how much our community has come together to support one another.

I want to thank all our Forbush parents for their patience and flexibility as teachers have been working diligently to upload assignments and coursework into Canvas for students to complete. I also want to thank all of our teachers and staff members who have worked very hard to make sure our students continue to make academic progress. As we continue to utilize digital remote learning, it is important that students check their school emails daily and stay up-to-date on all assignments in Canvas.

Communication is key during this time. While many teachers will be working from home while classes are not meeting on campus, teachers will continue to email students and call parents often. Teachers will be readily available between 10am and 2pm each day to quickly respond to emails and phone calls. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to call the school or email me directly.

Also, don’t forget that Yadkin County Schools have meals available for children 18 years and younger for pickup at all of the local elementary schools and at Forbush Middle School. Please call the school nearest your location for more information or if you need a meal delivered to your home.

I want to give everyone a few updates about specific events or activities that have been postponed or cancelled:

Seniors, cap and gown delivery has been postponed. Caps and gowns will not be delivered on March 27. As soon as we have a new date, we will communicate that via Remind, social media, and with a phone message. Seniors, please be sure you sign up on Remind for updates (text “@20falcons” to 81010).

The Hunter Safety Banquet that was scheduled for April 4 has been postponed until further notice.

Prom has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 23 at Bermuda Run Country Club.

As of now, all other events scheduled AFTER April 10, including our Spring Theatre performance and Commencement ceremonies, are still on as scheduled. However, please be sure to follow our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram) for updates and additional information should any other events need to be rescheduled.

Once again, thank you to everyone---parents, students, and Forbush staff members--for your patience, flexibility, and support during this time. Please do not hesitate to call the school or email me anytime if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.

Principal's Message - 3/15/20

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.

COVID-19 Updates

As concern over the coronavirus grows in our state, Yadkin County Schools and Forbush High School have put multiple measures in place in hopes of reducing the potential spread of the disease. As you learned last night, Governor Cooper has ordered that all schools be closed for two weeks, beginning tomorrow, Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 27. Additionally, as Superintendent Dr. Martin mentioned in his phone message last Friday, our school district is postponing all field trips scheduled through April 10 in hopes of limiting students’ exposure to outside groups. As April 10 approaches, the school district will re-evaluate before making a determination about field trips scheduled after April 10. The High School Athletic Association announced last week that all spring contests, workouts, and practices have been suspended until at least April 6. Additionally, Yadkin County Schools is postponing all school-sponsored after-school events and activities. This includes our Spring Blood Drive, our JROTC Military Ball, and Driver Education classes. These events have been cancelled and will be rescheduled if possible. All events scheduled after April 10, including Prom and our Spring Theatre performance, are still on as scheduled for now. Again, as April 10 approaches, the school district will re-evaluate before making a determination about events and activities scheduled after April 10. Thank you for your patience and flexibility during this hectic time. Please feel free to call the school or email me directly if you have any questions. Also, be sure to follow our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram) for updates and additional information.

Student Accomplishments
To end on a positive note this evening, I would like to congratulate some of our students on their recent accomplishments:

Congratulations to the Forbush Concert Choir on receiving a Superior Rating at the State Contest last week. Our students scored a 95 out of 100. Congratulations Forbush Concert Choir!

Congratulations to Maddie Dixon, who was named North Carolina State Champion in Microsoft Excel Certiport Testing. Maddie was one of over 10,000 students across the state who took the test last year. She made a perfect score AND completed it faster than any other student who made a perfect score. Congratulations Maddie!

Finally, congratulations to our February Students of the Month: Kevin Benitez, Norah Smitherman, Armando Velasquez, and Morgan Beane

That is all for this evening. As always, please feel free to contact me anytime if you ever have any questions or concerns. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything happening at Forbush High School. Thank you for your time this evening, goodnight.