PlainFacts

My school bus has some windows welded/superglued open, So during freezing temperatures the windows stay open and you cant close them, Why is this allowed? (student)
A: It is not allowed to have school bus windows super glued open or shut. It would be helpful to us if you could message back with the bus number so we can see if someone super glued them open on purpose.

Q: With Shen now supplying pencils to students do we have a contract with Ticonderoga pencils, and if so, how long does the contract last for? Shen seriously needs to change to a different brand of pencils. Ticonderoga used to be the stand alone best pencil, but their pencil quality has now degraded so much that we are lucky to get 3 or 4 pencils out of each 12 pack that sharpen normally without either the lead constantly breaking or the wood of the pencil not sharpening correctly where the other 8 or 9 pencils are basically wasted and is also a waste of district funds. Every teacher I have talked to (at the elementary level) has had the same problem, and it doesn’t matter what type of sharpener you use – school ones, handheld, electric, etc. Please consider changing brands as soon as it is possible to do so, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the first complaint we’ve received regarding Ticonderoga pencils and this is the second school year providing them. We purchase these through the Central Warehouse bid process, which runs through mid-January. In the past we received multiple complaints when we’ve awarded the contract to a manufacturer other than Ticonderoga.

Q: I was under the impression that the project to install Air Conditoning in Orenda was done this summer. My child told me that it is very hot in the school and that there is no A/C. Has the timeline for completion changed? Thank you.
A: Air conditioning installation is scheduled to be done this coming warm season (Spring of 2024)

(3/15/23) Q: Why was no announcement made to parents and guardians of a student being arrested and sent to juvenile detention after fighting with brass knuckles? (parent)
A: No student was sent to juvenile hall– this information is inaccurate. Additionally, we will never announce specific information about a students’ disciplinary circumstances. If there are reasons for the school or the district to be concerned about a particular situation that potentially places students in general in harm, information is provided accordingly.

(3/8/23) Why is traffic an unexcused absence? On March 2nd the light on Moe road was green long enough to allow 2 cars through, Students like myself shouldn’t have to pay the price for something we have 0 control over. I left my house at 7:50 and didn’t get to school until 8:10 which was not my fault at all.
A: Traffic varies from day to day, and there are many factors. Traffic alone is not a reason to excuse an absence or tardiness. If there are impassable roads or roads closed that are unforeseeable, the tardy would be excused. BOE policy 7110 and 7110R discuss student attendance.

(3/7/21) Will shen offer AP Precalc in the future? (student)
A: Though we do not currently offer AP Pre-Calculus, we are committed to offering college credit bearing options for Pre-Calculus in the future, whether through AP or CHS.

(3/20/23) Q: It is my understanding that Shenendehowa hired an additional SRO this year. In years prior, we have always had an almost daily presence from our SRO. This year, weeks go by with out seeing one. What are the expectations and requirements? Should we only be seeing them once every few weeks at the elementary level? What benefit is the extra SRO providing if their presence is significantly less? (employee)
A: They are in every building everyday unless there is an immediate urgency that requires them to be somewhere else. If you are not specifically seeing your SRO contact the building principal or Becky Carman.

2/24/23 – Q: Is it within district policy for Skano to have events where adult attendance is not overseen by the main office and the main entrance? For example, I recently attended their Valentine’s Day Kindergarten event. Parents signed-in and sign-out using the “honor system” and used a side door. I was told by a fellow parent that is standard policy there. They use the “honor system” or support staff, never the main office and never the main entrance. It seems as though it would go against safety regulations. Wouldn’t you want to closely monitor who is coming and going in your school building?
A: Thank you for your concern. All parents attending the Valentines party were greeted, asked for the reason of their visit and then buzzed in by the main office. At no time were the visiting adults unmonitored. With large events, we use a sign in and sign out at the location of the classroom event. […]

2/24/23 – Q: February “break”/ April “break”- Who is this a break for? My daughter has homework/ project drafts in 3 classes. Why are teachers assigning these things over break weeks? – Parent
A: Thanks for sharing your concern. Shenendehowa homework regulation states: Assignments over vacation periods should be rare and limited to projects that began in advance of the break period and extend beyond the break period. Projects may be assigned well in advance of a school break with a deadline several days (or weeks) after the conclusion of […]

2/13/22 – Just curious if there is any data on the success of the block schedule…Our kids are thriving with it. Also wondering from the teacher’s perspective… – Parent
A: The shift to a block schedule was made to support the student experience by maximizing learning, helping students prepare for fewer classes each day, and minimizing the number of transitions. While there are benefits and drawbacks to every type of schedule, and opinions vary, feedback from multiple student focus groups has been positive. Student […]

2/10/23 – Q: It would be helpful to know where the Class of 2022 decided to attend college. Is there a published list somewhere? – Parent
We do not publish a list of where students decide to attend college.

2/7/23 Are absences due to state championship level sports competition excused if the sport is not affiliated with Shen? Student
A. In some cases it may depend on the details, but for the most part, contests that are not affiliated with Shen would not be considered excused.

2/7/23 Why are we paying our security offices to be at away games.. is it not the away schools job to pay for security ? Parent
A. We don’t pay security officers, we pay Chaperones to be present at all contests, home or away.

2/3/23 2 part report card question.. 1.) It looks like “achievement list” means an average of 85+ ..Does it have anything else(meaning) attached to it? 2.) Can u go over the meaning of the effort and conduct numbers given? – parent
A. Here’s the link to the Effort and Conduct Rubric: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1efYuv-0pfZnXG2c4YrOOV1u4b0J8R4qdPlzcugCxGQE

12/15/22 please take care of the people hanging out in bathrooms at the high school. They are always taking the stalls and vaping. Student
A. Yes, this is constantly being monitored by staff. Students caught are disciplined under the student code of conduct.

12/15/22 I feel as if my rights as a citizen have been violated by school employees. According to BOE Policy 8420, “people refusing to salute the flag may not be required to stand silently or leave the room. The act of standing itself is considered a ‘gesture of acceptance’ and the option of leaving the room is considered ‘punishment for nonparticipation.'” While making my way to advisory, I was forced to “stop for the pledge.” I believe that being stopped for the pledge against my will is an infraction of the policy. This is absolutely unacceptable. I expected Shenendehowa High School to actually follow their vision of making the school “a culturally-responsive and inclusive school community where respect and civility are modeled by all.” Clearly Shenendehowa is ill fit to educate students if they cannot even educate their staff on their own policies. Shen claims to hire for excellence, apparently seeking individuals who are “Open minded.” Shen may claim to such virtuous values, yet fails to even begin to realize them. Where are they in practice? Student
A. Students are never required to say or stand for the pledge. However, students may not be disruptive during the pledge. Students that are still talking in the hallways are asked not to be disruptive during the pledge.

12/15/22 Are senior final year graduation rankings calculated with weighted or unweighted grades? Student
A. Both – we have a weighted and unweighted rank.

11/30/22 – When are the HS report cards going to be available on the portal. I checked Documents and Backpack but nothing is there. Thanks! – Parent
A. They should be available now.

11/30/22 – This may sound like a silly question, but is there any way to still obtain a 2019-2020 high school yearbook? I have a yearbook from every year except for that one so I just wanted to see if it would somehow be possible. Thanks – Student
A. The best person to check with is Mr. Davidson, the yearbook advisor, in the HSE library.

11/30/22 – Food service is charging $1 for fruit snacks and a bag of chips. These are not healthy items to begin with so I question why they are offered. But the price they are charging is unreasonable. Young kids especially do not understand that these items cost extra when the cafeteria workers offer them. – Parent
A. Below are some guidelines that we have to follow. And as far as price, we are on par with other districts yet still well below what retailers sell these items for. USDA recently published practical, science-based nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages sold to children at school during the school day. The standards, […]

11/30/22 – Is Shen Science night going to happen in 2023? – Community Member
A. Yes. It is in the district calendar. See the SAVE THE DATE FLIER and LINK TO EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION.

11/3/22 – When is the Junior Prom? – Student
A. Junior Prom is set for Saturday, May 13, 2023. You can view all upcoming events for your individual school by visiting the calendar page (https://www.shenet.org/about-us/events-calendar/) and selecting your particular school.

11/2/22 – I was told from teachers about senior skip day. Is it a legitimate excuse not to be in school? – Student
A. There are no approved senior skip days. Anyone without a legal excused is marked unexcused.

(Update from previous post) 11/2 – Where can I find the professional photos of the green and white awards taken this year? – Parent
A. Here is a link (https://www.shenet.org/photos-now-available-for-the-following-high-school-ceremonies-national-honor-society-green-white-awards-rho-kappa-inductions-national-language-honors-society-and-tri-m-inductions-click-for-full/) to all HS ceremonies where Lauren Studios provided photography services, including the Green & White Awards.

11/1/22 – Is there a “High School profile” document published somewhere on the Shen website? This is a document colleges use to compare/evaluate high schools and is usually available publicly, but largely unknown to students/parents. – Parent
A. Yes, you can find the document linked on the High School page of the website, along the right hand side under High School Links. Here is the document for quick reference: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X-9scGz6ykcGDpLFC5TWQbeAiIU94g8S/view?usp=share_link

11/1/22 – Who is the yearbook vendor for HSE and HSW? – Parent
A. Jostens.

11/1/22 – If my son, who is now a junior, passed his Global Regents last year, does he need to take the US History Regents this year? – Parent
A. Yes.

10/31/22 – If I have donations of Shenendehowa branded clothing, where can I drop them off? – Parent
A. Each building should have a white bin that accepts donations all year long. If you cannot find the bin at your homeschool, parents and community members are welcome to drop off donations at the Shatekon Elementary vestibule during school hours.

10/31/22 – Will Skano Elementary School continue to be allowed to have their all-female running club? – Parent
A. Skano doesn’t have an all female running club this year and hasn’t had one for the past several years.

10/31/22 – Will picture retakes be available for this year? If so, what day will they take place in High School West, and will the re-taken photos be added to the yearbook? – Student
A. HSW picture retakes are set for November 1.

9/22/22 – Are parents allowed to pick up their children in the senior parking lot? – Parent
A. Pick up has to be in the circle. Picking up in the parking lot creates more congestion and an already busy situation worse.

9/22/22 – When will students be notified for National Merit Semifinalist? – Parent
A. They were notified last week.

9/22/22 – Would it be possible to have someone directing traffic at the HSE drop-off in the morning, when turning back onto main campus road? I rarely drop off but had to two times since school started and both times it was almost impossible to turn out. – Parent
A. The High School has campus security out directing traffic, however we have limited security officers. They are put in locations that lead into the school parking lot to help reduce the potential for accidents. Campus security has also been alerted about those who go above the 15mph speed limit.

9/20/22 – Why isn’t Driver Education being offered in person this Fall? – Parent
A. Due to the shortage in qualified instructors both both classroom and in-car instruction, there unfortunately is no in-person instruction this fall.

9/9/22 – Who do I contact if I have concerns about a staff member? – Parent
A. You can reach out to any of the Academic Administrators or the building Principal.

9/9/22 – My son still has old classes on his Google classroom. Can you tell us how to get rid of them? I’m not seeing a way to edit or get rid of classes. – Parent
A. Your son’s teachers from last year have to archive the classes so they don’t show up in his Google Classroom.

9/8/22 – Can HSE students pay cash for lunch? – Mary Moore, Parent
A. Yes, cash is accepted.

9/8/22 – Will high school students be allowed to carry backpacks again this year? – Andrea Lala – Parent
A. Yes, backpacks are allowed.

9/7/22 – Why are juniors who have JCP first block no longer allowed to have late arrival this year? This is a much needed benefit our junior was really looking forward to this year. That opportunity for extra sleep with a challenging course load, a sport, and a job would be such a help! – Parent
A. This was only permitted during COVID restrictions and was for grades 6-12. It is now back to just grade 12.

9/2/22 – Is there a requirement for middle schoolers to do certain hours of volunteer work? Where can I find information on how to document their volunteering hours? – Parent
A. If it is for NJHS, please talk directly to the advisers. If not, check with one of your respective administrators.

9/1/22 – Will copies of final transcripts be sent home to seniors who graduated this June 2022? If not, how do we get a copy for our personal records? – Parent
A. You can reach out to the High School Counseling Center for that information. Phone Number: 518-881-0313.

9/1/22 – When will the HSE gym floor renovations be complete? Disappointed that this isn’t done in time for the girls volleyball season. – Parent
A. The anticipated date for the gym floor’s completion is October 1st.

9/1/22 – Is it true that for the 2022-23 school year, we can now track our kids buses? – Parent
A. While Dr. Robinson did mention that technology in his welcome video, we have to clarify that feature will most likely be rolled out to parents at the start of the 2023 calendar year. This fall, it will be in beta mode and testing before it can be launched live to families. We apologize for […]

6/14/22 – I used to upload videos for projects that I did in class to YouTube, however since then accessing videos uploaded by my school account has been disabled, so I have no way of accessing those videos. Would there be any way to recover these projects, as I would like to keep them. Thank you. – Student
A. Google put age restrictions on all students’ YouTube accounts (not just at Shen) and lots of students lost access to their videos. It’s possible you could visit your old channel’s URL (if it’s still available online) with a different Google account, and download them from YouTube with an online service that you trust.

6/14/22 – What is the field construction going on to the south of Koda? – Shane Squires, Parent
A. The work being done is part of the May 2021 Capital Project that was approved by voters. Work began on the Koda turf field at the end of May 2022. Here is more information on the Capital Project: https://www.shenet.org/capital-projects/.

6/9/22 – If the Clifton Park Soccer Club is no longer playing rec games at Shatekon on weeknights, can they please remove the goals? They’re enticing to our students and they are not allowed to use them. Plus they are an eyesore. Thanks. – Employee
A. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The district will be reaching out to CP Soccer Club.

6/7/22 – Are there plans to return to regular Driver’s Ed in the fall? – Parent
A. Due to NYSED and DOH guidelines, as well as a major shortage of driving instructors in our area, the current plan for the Fall Driver Ed program will be to continue with parents providing the in-car portion of driving instruction to students. Here is the link to the Driver Ed webpage to check for […]

6/7/22 – My son has Regents on the 15th, 16th, and 17th. After that does he need to return to school for the next week? – Parent
A. If he does not have anymore Regents exams, that is correct, he does not need to return to any regular scheduled classes. Classroom instruction is done on June 14 for Grades 9-12.

6/3/22 – Who can I contact about getting access to past projects from art classes in order to put together a portfolio? – Gabby Catello, Former Student
A. Please reach out to Academic Administrator for Fine Arts, Frank Rosselli by email rossfran@shenschools.org or phone (518) 881-0370.

6/2/22 – Will students need cash to buy snacks at the Koda dance? – Parent
A. If students would like snacks then yes, they should bring cash.

6/2/22 – Is there a confidential way to report safety concerns to the district? For example, our building’s staff room has a door that does not lock. It has been brought to the building principal’s attention for years. – Employee
A. Within BOE Policy 5630 there is a health and safety document/process that the district follows and has had in place for years. Here is the link to the form. In addition, you can always reach out to the Director of Policy and Community Development, Rebecca Carman at the District Office.

6/2/22 – What colors are the cords for all the different honor societies at Graduation? – Student
A. You can find all the cord information on the Graduation Information page (bottom) here: https://www.shenet.org/shen-high-school/graduation-information/

5/25/22 – I’d like to bring up how uninformed students and staff have been about the senior prom. Every question I’ve had there have been multiple faculty members who say they have no idea about anything that’s happening. I had no clue the guest form was due this week and would not have known if I hadn’t gone out of my way to email two separate administrators with questions. Please, become organized for next year. – Student
A. Email correspondence has been sent to students on several occasions. Any questions can be directed to the class advisors.

5/25/22 – Regarding graduation at SPAC, why is there not a limit as to how many seats a family may save? At the very least, every parent/guardian should be guaranteed a seat. Please respond as I have read feedback after graduation in prior years at SPAC. – Parent
A. Yes, there is no limit on guests at graduation. Administration knows that each graduate brings approximately just over six guests when we average it out. Of course, some have 20, and others have 1. Immediate family varies significantly from family to family, and it would not be plausible to reserve seating. There would not […]

5/25/22 – Why are students no longer allowed to leave a class on Google Classroom? This is problematic if a student is no longer in a club and needs to leave the class. It would be very helpful if this policy was revoked. – Student
A. Please reach out to the owner of the Google Classroom you are referring to.

5/24/22 – When will the elementary schools be getting air conditioning? – Employee
A. As part of the 2021 Capital Project Referendum approved by voters, air conditioning in the remaining elementary buildings is slated for Summer 2023. Here is the full details surrounding the Capital Project: https://www.shenet.org/capital-projects/.

5/24/22 – Can you give us an explanation with what’s happening with Regents this year? I have had conflicting responses from different teachers. – Student
A. Here is the most up-to-date Regents Exam schedule (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s0xZtqxLOsDwgWdhcg-RSt7p39uN_K06bM2Tgr_h12w/edit?usp=sharing) that is also posted as a stand alone link on the Shen High School page.

5/20/22 – When will the aides and monitors be notified in writing about their end of the year work day requirements? For example – do we have to work the half days in June as half days or full days? – Employee
A. The information was sent out to List-Shen on April 28th and employees may locate their updated work calendar for base pay on InsideShen. You can also reach out to your supervisor or building principal if you have further questions.

5/12/22 – Where can I find information on the candiates for the school board? – Vincent Paruolo, Community Member
A. You can find all the information from the PTA Council and STA hosted candidate forum from Monday night as well as the bios of each candidate running here: https://www.shenet.org/missed-the-board-of-education-candidate-form-click-for-the-video-link-public-hearing-of-budget-set-for-tuesday-may-10-at-7pm-more-info/. You can also visit the Budget Development page for more details on the Budget and the Bus and Multi-purpose vehicle proposition. The district looks forward […]

5/10/22 – There was a photographer taking pictures Wed. May 4 of each athlete/family/coach at the signing ceremony for DI,II, & III colleges. How can I get pictures of my son? I can only see a photo of one girl online on Shen High School page. Your help is appreciated since we were seated next to my son and couldn’t take a picture. – Kara Matthews, Parent
A. Thank you for your question. The link to the album has now been included on the Athletics page post and can be found here: https://brianvphotography.smugmug.com/Spring-Collage-Letter-of-Intent-day-2022/n-7PJL38/. Congratulations to you and your son!

5/6/22 – Has a final decision been made regarding free meals continuing for students? – Community member
A. No, a final decision has not been made on free meals continuing for the 22/23 school year. Communication will be sent out over the summer as to the final decision.

5/6/22 – Can you please send ONE email to families stating that buses will be running late for the remainder of the year, instead of an email and a text every morning and every afternoon? – Parent
A. The Transportation Department will continue this practice for the remainder of the school year as it not only informs the community with up-to-date information, it helps tremendously limit the very high call volume the department receives if frequent communications are not sent out.

5/6/22 – Is there school on Friday, May 27th? – Student
A. Correct, there will be no school (treated like a Snow Day) on Friday, May 27.

5/3/22 – Any idea why the girls varsity basketball team was allowed to host their year-end banquet offsite at a hotel, while the girls varsity soccer team was told multiple times that we weren’t allowed to go offsite and had to host on campus? That definitely doesn’t seem fair. Why were we stuck in a cafeteria and auditorium versus the Hilton like we always go to? – Student
A. Up until very recently (within the last two weeks), the Athletics Department just approved banquets to resume off campus.

4/25/22 – I saw that the question regarding the dates for Koda’s 8th grade dance and 8th grade Koda graduation was answered on March 8, 2022 and simply stated, “Those dates are still TBD. More communication to follow once plans are finalized.” It has been over a month and Koda families still have not received any information. Please advise. Thank you. – Parent
A. There is no additional information on the dance yet, but here are the details for the Koda moving up ceremony: Save the date for Wednesday, June 22 between 1:30-4:00pm. This is a half day for Koda 8th grade students so they will be dismissed from school at 12:15pm. All 8th grade students are welcome […]

4/25/22 – Please get teacher supervision in the main bathrooms at HSE. The smoking problem is a huge issue, especially in the morning before class. – Carlie Tucker, Student
A. Thank you for your comment. HS staff will continue to monitor bathrooms with administrators and hall monitors but will be extra vigilant with the main lobby.

4/25/22 – If you did corrections on a quiz but the teacher hasn’t put in grade corrections when the due date to put in grades are over can they still put the grade in? – William Zhang, Student
A. The grading window is reopening this week (week of 4/25/22) for teachers to make changes.

4/22/22 – “Why aren’t HS report cards for the 3rd quarter on the portal yet?” – Parent
A. Report cards for Q3 are posted on the Portal. They are located in the Backpack, which is the furthest tab on the top right. If you are having trouble locating the Backpack information, please reach out to the Office of Student Learning and Data Accountability at 518-881-0600.

4/13/22 – In order to have a free lunch, do you have to get milk with your lunch? – Student
A. It is not mandatory. The district encourages all students to take milk if they choose and if the student has a milk allergy, there are milk alternatives available for students.

4/11/22 – Why is the Grammarly extension on the Chrome web store blocked by the administration? And you better give a good reason because this is ridiculous. – Student
A. Unfortunately we do not have an EdLaw 2D agreement which is required by NYSED. The only option would be to purchase a site license for them to sign an agreement which is not currently under consideration.

4/11/22 – How can seniors who missed the Physics field trip last year join it this year? – Student
A. Unfortunately, this trip is tightly tied only students who are currently enrolled in Physics because the field trip is directly associated with those courses. On the trip, students gather information and complete required labs for the course. It’s not designed as a social gathering or fun trip. It is meant to be experiential learning […]

4/11/22 – What happened to the Traffic Control Person at the High School East roundabout and school drive in the morning? Is there any way you can stop cars from taking a left turn from the roundabout onto school drive? This is blocking traffic in the round about during morning drop off. Thank you. – Vidya Mannepalli, Parent
A. Facilities and Operations has two security staff in the morning. The School Resource Officer used to help out around the circle. He has been taken off that detail. The district’s primary goal is getting the buses out in a timely manner. Staff are at HSW in the morning getting buses out and at HSE, […]

4/11/22 – Where could I find out more information about Shen’s Thrift Shop? – Parent
A. You can find out more information by visiting this web link (https://www.shenet.org/shen-thrift-shop-will-be-accepting-donations-to-the-bountiful-backpack-program-on-wednesday-april-27-at-shatekon-elementary-more-info/) or on the District’s Facebook page.

4/11/22 – With the paper shortage the district is experiencing, should the PTA units be using building supplies? – Parent & Employee
A. You are correct that the district is experiencing a paper shortage. Building supplies should only be used by district personnel for staff and student purposes. There is a partnership with the PTA’s, however, if they purchase their own paper then they can make copies at the building(s).

4/4/22 – Can we have all the information on the senior prom? I’m having a hard time finding any information. – Student
A. The senior prom is set for June 4th. Advisors will be sending out information soon.

4/4/22 – Can High School West students eat lunch in the library? – Benjamin Gaylord, Student
A. There is no eating in the library at High School West or High School East.

4/4/22 – Is there a field trip for seniors at the end of the year? – Hope Tidgewell, Student
A. No, specifically for the seniors. However, the Physics classes typically have a trip that includes many seniors.

4/4/22 – Does Gym count towards your GPA? – Student
A. It does not count towards the student’s GPA but it is required to graduate.

4/1/22 – Are there plans for an in person college fair at the HS anytime soon? – Student; Parent
A. Yes, there was just an in person college fair on March 23. Upcoming fairs can be found by visiting the College & Career Center page: https://sites.google.com/shenschools.org/hs-counseling-college-career/home.

3/31/22 – Why do we keep using GoFan when they are charging our students service charges on everything? Prom tix are expensive enough and should not have a service charge attached. Students used to pay $1 to go to a football game and now tix have additional service charges. Either Shen should be absorbing this fee for our students or not use it for everything just because it’s confusing. Prom tix that are $85 each – $170 per couple should NOT have a service charge. – Parent
A. Administrators and advisors have been working with the business office. Online ticketing prevents handling upwards of $50,000 and the class does absorb some of the cost for Prom or else the tickets would be more. With the price of food, labor shortages, etc… they had to work really hard with caterers to create a […]

3/29/22 – I am curious as to why the library enforces a seating policy extremely arbitrarily which prevents many students from receiving valuable peer tutoring, this is NOT a good learning environment. – Student
A. Please speak with the librarian or an administrator if you have concerns.

3/29/22 – Is there an eSports team or gaming club in HSE or HSW? – Student
A. There has been some interest and Mr. Davidson in the HSE Library has been meeting with students. If you are interested, please see Mr. Davidson to get involved.

3/29/22 – I heard that there are “furries” at the school and litter boxes in the nurse’s office? I am assuming it is a rumor, but I was just curious. Thanks for your help. – Parent
A. This is not true.

3/29/22 – Hi, this is just a friendly request. In the high school when a student is cvl and there is a sub, it is typical for the.google meet not to be opened by the sub. I understand this and don’t raise an issue with it. However, some teachers don’t post a note on Google to let the CVL students know the teacher won’t be in and that there is no google meet. This leaves the conscientious student to keep trying to enter the meet for a long time in case a teacher is just late opening the meet, which happens sometimes too. My friendly request is this – can there be a better, reliable system in place so cvl students know there is a sub and therefore there is no google meet so a student doesn’t have to just keep trying to get into a class that isn’t even going to be opened? It’s really frustrating for a student. Thanks. – Parent
A. Teachers typically post in Google Classroom if they are out.

3/25/22 – What happened to egg sandwiches at breakfast? – Student
A. Unfortunately, we are experiencing a supply chain shortage which sadly means “Shenwiches” are out of stock as of right now, but will be back soon.

3/25/22 – Does Shen offer a “Green Club” or a club that students can participate in to learn about, support and influence decisions that support the school’s sustainability plan? – Renee Devine, Parent
A. Yes, there are a handful of environmentally focused clubs at Shen. A full list can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UNYXp7TWdhnusgaIa7yoV81H_6CF0CocD_11Ep78Ev8/edit?usp=sharing and among them are: Environmental Clubs and Garden Club.

3/25/22 – Is there a summer camp program for Tennis in 2022? Who can I contact to get more information? – Parent
A. Our 2022 Summer Camps can be found here: https://sites.google.com/shenschools.org/community-ed-svc/home/community-education/summer-adventures. The best person to contact is Jon Conover, Shen Summer Adventures Coordinator, at conojona@shenschools.org.

3/25/22 – Can transgender students use whatever bathroom they choose? – Student
A. The district’s policy ( https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NGH8mKSROE-UKt6789FaJ8cMyakXEmohs71R9clnl0Y/edit?usp=sharing) and regulation (https://docs.google.com/document/d/12od39J7MDTe0mLHaKuiU_PjJyarVjEi2nXzDczWjG8E/edit?usp=sharing) on use of bathroom and locker room facilities clearly states the full details at all buildings and levels.

3/14/22 – What is the weight average and unweighted average to last year’s valedictorian and salutatorian? – Jing Bourassa, Parent
A. This policy (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kJkfBHSI8LNqcRmw14_Sq7–0og5qicv-mi_HjIjM98/view) might help address your question. There are always questions about the weighting of grades since the senior year grades are not weighted until the final grades are submitted. This means awards calculations do not weight senior year grades when done in the spring.

3/11/22 – Why did Shen shut down the Republican Club? – Student
A. The Republican Club is not shut down, they are still up and running.

3/11/22 – Several years ago there was an organization on campus that gave away Prom Dresses. Can you help me identify this organization so we can donate? – Parent
A. The High School has reached out to 99.5 The River to see if they are doing it again. They have not heard back. The person who used to run it is no longer there.

3/11/22 – Will a senior get anything special for having a class rank in the top 10 like in the past? – Student
A. In the past, students with a 95 or higher cumulative average receive a medal and are recognized at graduation.

3/11/22 – Where is the junior prom going to be held? – Student
A. Saratoga City Center

3/11/22 – Is the GPA and class rank recalculated at the end of senior year? Does it affect anything? – Student
A. Yes, after the final grades are submitted. It would impact final rank, although that happens after graduation.

3/8/22 – What are the dates for the eighth grade dance and the eighth grade Koda graduation? – Parent
A. Those dates are still TBD. More communication to follow once plans are finalized.

3/8/22 – Would it be possible to have an SIS email message distributed to parents when report cards were final and available on the Parent Portal? Thank you. – Parent
A. This information is communicated through the district calendar (the printed version) as well as on the Portal. Anytime the district has to make adjustments, which does happen, an update will be posted within the District Announcements section of SIS, which is seen at the top when you sign in. Example below… You can see […]

3/8/22 – Am I correct that lunch in HSE has been reduced to pizza (1 slice) one day and mozzarella sticks the alternating day? Salad and fruit…No meats, chicken patties, stuffed smells etc. If so, why? – Parent
A. Due to short staffing, there is now a limited menu at HSE. Below is what Food Service offers. Daily: Chicken Patties and Deli Sandwiches, Salads and other fruits and vegetables Monday and Friday: Pizza Tuesday: Mozzarella sticks Wed: Cooks special Thursday: Bosco sticks The menu that is posted on the website has all the […]

3/8/22 – What is Superintendent’s Conference Day? What happens? And why do we miss school? Just curious. – Student
A. Superintendent’s Conference Day is a planned full day of professional development for teachers, support staff and administrators. This day is an opportunity for all employees to engage in real-life practical professional skill work that helps them stay at the top of their game in the classroom and in their daily roles in the educational […]

3/8/22 Will Shen get charging ports for electric cars added to school parking lots? – Employee
A. At this time, there are no immediate plans in the works. With that being said, the district will be assessing the future usage of electric vehicle charging stations as well the data points to support the potential of electric buses.

3/8/22 – I am concerned about the school allowing dogs in the buildings. I understand dogs may help calm some students, but what about the students that are afraid of dogs? My child is very nervous around dogs and becomes very anxious. An unleashed dog ran into his classroom recently and jumped on his desk. This does not create a safe environment for all students. – Parent and Employee
A. We thank you for sharing your concern. Please reach out to your student’s teacher and/or counselor to address this situation to make sure there is a safe environment created for all.

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