High School Back-to-School Important Information

July 28, 2020

 

 

Dear Pinecrest High School Families,

 

We hope you are having a blessed and restful summer. As you know, this summer has been busier than usual. Our COVID-19 task force has been working around the clock, alongside our administrators, to ensure that we are prepared to welcome our students and families back to campus. Things are going to look very different in many ways, but one thing that will always remain constant is our focus on keeping Christ at the center of everything we do. This year will be like no other, but we continue to push forward in our mission of forming Christian leaders eager to transform a global society. 

 

Some changes have taken place in the high school over the summer. We welcome two new Social Studies teachers: Ms. Chelsie Beck and Mr. David Lakin. In addition, Mr. Eric Pfiel is joining the Science department, and Ms. Marjorie Poss is our new Counselor. All of our new teachers, along with our already established team, bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that will benefit all of our high school students. We are excited to have them all on board. 

 

Below you’ll find a list of our high school administrative team, as well as helpful information and links. We look forward to seeing you on campus soon!

 

God bless you!

 

Beth Howard

High School Principal

 

 

 

Mrs. Beth Howard - Interim Head of the School and High School Principal

Mrs. Amy Bowman - High School Dean of Academics

Mrs. Meg Bohn - High School Dean of Students

Mr. Shawn Coury - Athletic Director

Ms. Marjorie Poss - High School Counselor

Mrs. Teresa Fleck - High School Learning Specialist

Miss Emily Roman - High School Campus Minister

Fr. Terrance Allen - High School Chaplain

Ms. Catherine Cooney - Science and Math Department Chair

Mrs. Carla Chwat - English and Social Studies Department Chair

Dr. James Stone - Theology and Foreign Language Department Chair

Ms. Erin McGraw - Fine Arts Department Chair

Mrs. Marlene Hendricks - Assistant to the Deans in the High School 

Mrs. Jill Lagomasino - Registrar

 

 

Click here for a calendar of key dates.

 

 

Wednesday, August 5th, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

All new HIGH SCHOOL students meet in the High School Lobby at 2:00 pm to meet the high school administrative team, learn about the campus, and more. Please be sure to bring a face covering and maintain appropriate social distancing. 

  

 

Due to our increased safety protocols, we will be modifying our traditional “Meet and Greet” to be integrated into our first day of classes on August 6th. All students will report directly to their homerooms on the first day of school, where they will hear important announcements from the administrative team and go over practical details with their homeroom teacher.

 

 

High School student schedules can be found on the Paladin Portal. If you have any questions about your schedule, please contact our High School Dean of Academics, Mrs. Amy Bowman. 

 

Thursday, August 6th, 2020. Please plan on arriving at 7:45 am and reporting to homeroom. Homeroom assignments can be found in the portal. 

 

Hours of Operation

 

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 7:45 am - 3:15 pm

Wednesday, 7:45 am - 2:30 pm

 

Click Here for the High School Bell Schedule 

 

 

In order to comply with our COVID-19 protocols, the High School Curriculum night previously scheduled for Thursday, August 13th will most likely be rescheduled as a virtual event. More information on this event will be forthcoming. 

Pinecrest Academy does not offer formative preparation class for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Preparation for this sacrament occurs in the family’s parish. Some parish programs recognize the foundation preparation process a student receives at Pinecrest Academy, but that decision is left to the discretion of each parish pastor. The Chaplains and Campus Ministry Office are happy to assist families and students wishing to know how to proceed in this process.

 

In the morning, please drop your child off at the main entrance of the High School building. Please do not allow your child to exit across traffic. Students may be dropped off no earlier than 7:15 am. Please note that the High School building will not be open until 7:30 am. This will be very important this year, as we cannot allow groups of students to congregate in hallways. 

 

The afternoon carpool line consists of two lanes formed to the left and right of the main driveway, outside the High School. The lanes will go one way, both in the morning and in the afternoon. 

 

 

Please be sure to complete the requested Health screening process before bringing or sending your child to school. Instructions on accessing the health screening app will be forthcoming directly from our nurse, Mrs. Missy Collins. Additional information on COVID-19 safety procedures and the required COVID-19 waiver can be found here. (You’ll need to log in to the portal to view.) This waiver is found on the Resources page on the Portal under “Student Health/COVID-19 Resources.”

 

 

The Paladin Portal is an interactive platform that can be accessed from the home page of the school website, allowing students and parents to view current assignments, grades, attendance, and special events. Please make sure to update personal information on the Paladin Portal. Contact Mrs. Rose Mary Herbert if you need help logging in.

 

 

Parking passes will be assigned to students and distributed on the first day of school. Parking space assignments can be viewed in the Portal. Please make sure you also email Mrs. Meg Bohn a copy of your driver’s license. If you have any questions about parking, please contact Mrs. Bohn. 

 

 

The Parent-Student Handbook can be found in the Paladin Portal under the high school community group. All high school students and parents are required to read the handbook. We will be continuing to update the handbook over the next few weeks.

 

 

There is a $750 participation fee to cover various expenses and the cost of the band trip. For further questions, or to get information about joining the band, please contact our Band Director, Mr. Jason Sneath. 

 

 

All high school students are required to purchase their books. All books are listed by class through the online bookstore on the school website. Not all classes require textbooks. If you have questions about books, please contact our Dean of Academics, Mrs. Amy Bowman. 

 

 

Teachers will provide a syllabus for students during the first week of school. The syllabus contains the required list of supplies.  

 

 

Uniform requirements can be found in the Paladin Portal under the resources tab. Please click here for the uniform at a glance. Uniforms need to be purchased through Mills Uniform Company. Gently used uniform items may also be purchased at the Paladin Shop on campus. Visits to the Shop are by appointment only, July 29th through September 30th. Learn more HERE. If you have questions about the school uniform, please contact our Dean of Students, Mrs. Meg Bohn. 

 

 

We are excited to continue to offer a meal plan for our students, but to meet COVID-19 guidelines, two modifications are necessary: During our YELLOW phase, lunches are prepackaged for student pickup, and there is no cash option. MEALS MUST BE PRE-ORDERED. You may begin placing orders on Friday, July 31.  Here’s how to order lunch for your child:

 

1.     Log in to the Paladin Portal from the homepage of the Pinecrest website;

2.     Click the “Lunch Service” link on the Resource page and set up an account;

3.     Proceed onto the site to place your order.

 

Students who wish to bring their lunches may purchase pre-ordered drinks by following the instructions above. Please note that due to COVID-19 guidelines, students will not have access to a microwave. 

 

 

In cases of absence or tardiness for illness, emergency, or other special situations, a parent should notify the school via email at hsattendance@pinecrestacademy.org before 7:45 am.

 

 

This year our High School students will be bringing their technology to class with them. Click here to read more details on our BYOD policy. 

 

Study Hall is a non-graded course with mandatory attendance that provides students time to study, complete homework, and meet with teachers, faculty, and staff members, as needed. As with any other course, students are allowed to use their electronic devices, under the supervision of the study hall teacher, for educational purposes.

 

 

All High School students are required to complete ten Core Service Hours. Campus Ministry will review this requirement with students and parents regarding expectations. Questions about service hours should be directed to Emily Roman at eroman@pinecrestacademy.org.

 

 

Ordinarily, we offer state-approved Driver’s Education through the Academy of Action Driving School in Cumming. At this time, we are not hosting any outside-of-school activities on our campus, in compliance with our COVID-19 safety protocol. If you have questions about finding alternative driver’s education opportunities, please contact Robert Haynes at (770) 889-1023. 

 

 

The graduation fee for this academic year is $300 per student, which includes the cost of caps and gowns and other related expenses. The fee must be paid in full by the end of the first semester.  

 

AP Exam Fees 

 

The Advanced Placement (AP) exam fee is $100 per course and must be paid by the end of the first semester. All students enrolled in an AP class are required to sit for their AP exam and pay the associated fee.