Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,
We hope you have had a restful summer and are looking forward to the return to school. Once again, our facilities are in excellent shape thanks to the work of our facilities department -- Yarmouth High School is ready for the 2022-23 school year!
As the high school’s enrollment continues to grow, so does our faculty. In addition to welcoming the Class of 2026 to the high school, we welcome many new faces to our staff:
- Gabriel Doss, English & Social Studies
- Neal Rioux, English
- Jessica Cardosi, Science
- Brittany Brockelbank, Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator
- Joshua Hontz, Science
- Emily Daniels, Functional Life Skills
- Cheryl Lambert, Health
- Aaron Henry, Music
- Jennifer Adams, Technology Integrator
- Nathan Madeira, Math
- Nancy Hagstrom, World Language
- Madalyn Shircliff, Jobs for Maine’s Graduates Specialist
- Delaney Regan, English
This marks the first “YHS Parent Note” of the year (also posted to the website) and is therefore focused on the many housekeeping items related to the start of school. Please review the following information, and feel free to call or email if you have questions or concerns.
9th Grade Orientation ⇨ A quick reminder that we are hosting an orientation for all incoming 9th grade students on Friday, September 2, from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. See this link for details.
Covid Updates ⇨ The Yarmouth High School COVID-19 restrictions are greatly reduced relative to previous guidelines. The superintendent will update families about changes to any procedures closer to the beginning of school.
Bus Schedules ⇨ Information on the 2022-2023 Bus Schedules for the Yarmouth School Department is now posted on the transportation page of our district website.
Student Schedules ⇨ Student schedules are available on PowerSchool. Students will receive a paper copy of their schedules in advisory on the first day of school.
Reminder of Portland Street Main Entrance ⇨ We have a beautiful new entrance on the Portland Street side of the high school that will be the primary entrance into the building for parents, and students who drive to school. While the West Elm Street entrance will be open for foot traffic and bus drop-off before and after school, it will be locked and serve as a staff-only entrance between 8:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
First Day of School ⇨ We kick off the school year on Tuesday, September 6, which is a BLUE day.
Daily Schedule / Attendance ⇨ We follow an 8:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. school day. We are emphasizing both arriving at school on time and strong daily attendance this year at YHS. To this end, we will have a 7:55 bell alerting students to be in advisory period by 8:00. See schedule details at this link. A reminder, too, that students who participate in athletics, Playmakers, Robotics, Debate, and Math Team must arrive at school by 9:30 a.m. in order to attend those after-school programs.
Student Laptops -- Permission Forms and Payment ⇨ Please see the YHS laptop letter for all information regarding student laptops, permission forms, and payment options. We would like to collect forms and payments by advisory time on Wednesday, September 7, in order to organize an efficient laptop rollout for students this year. (Permission forms and payments may also be brought to the main office on Tuesday, 8/30, and Wednesday, 8/31, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) or Westbrook Regional Vocational Center (WRVC) ⇨ If your student is attending the Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) or Westbrook Regional Vocational Center (WRVC), you may access this resource page for details regarding each school, transportation, etc. Please contact assistant principal Amy Bongard if you have questions about PATHS/WRVC. (amy_bongard@yarmouthschools.org)
Athletics Update ⇨ We are excited to kick off a new school year here with YHS Athletics. Our student-athletes began practices August 15th and are eagerly awaiting opening day. Bookmark our RSchool Today Calendar (link here) for updated schedules for Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, Cross Country, and Volleyball. Please join us for a kick off event on Monday, August 29th at 6:30 pm at the YHS Turf. We will hear from the YHS Captains about their upcoming seasons. Wear your finest navy and white and come cheer on our Clippers!
Student Parking for Juniors and Seniors ⇨ On-site parking on the Portland Street side of the building is available for students in grades 11 and 12 this year. Students who would like to park will need to bring their vehicle registration AND driver's license to the main office in order to be assigned a spot. There is no charge for a parking sticker.
Seniors may register for a parking sticker from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.on Tuesday, 8/30. (This is a "seniors only" slot. If you are not able to come in at this time, you may not be guaranteed a spot.)
Juniors may register for a parking sticker starting from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.on Wednesday, 8/31. Depending on the number of juniors who register for parking, we may not be able to accommodate every 11th grader, so please be sure to register as early as possible.
Junior / Senior Open Campus ⇨ Students in grades 11 and 12 who meet certain criteria will be allowed to leave school during study halls, breaks, and lunches. Please see Open Campus Information for Juniors and Seniors for a full description of the program. (Students should feel free to bring their open campus documents with them if they are registering for a parking pass next week!)
School Nutrition Update ⇨ Our School Nutrition Letter includes a reminder that breakfast and lunch are free for all students this year and information on how to establish an account for your child to purchase snacks and other items that are not part of the regular school breakfast/lunch.
Our best wishes for a successful transition to the new school year!
Patrick Hartnett
Principal