September 11th, 2022

This information is important for the upcoming week.

Important Upcoming Dates:

September 22nd - Back To School Night (6 pm)
September 26th - Senior Parent Meeting (6pm)
October 5th - Student and Teacher Holiday
October 12th- PSAT and Senior Convocation (10am)
October 24th - Student and Teacher Holiday
October 28/29th - Homecoming Weekend
November 3rd - End of First Quarter
November 7/8th - Schools closed

HCPSSchoolCalendar2022-23.pdf

This Week at DSF

Tuckahoe Community Health Fair:

Please spread the word to those in our community who could benefit from this free community health fair that the Tuckaho YMCA will be hosting on Saturday September 17th from 10AM – 2PM. The purpose of this event is to serve our refugee and immigrant populations by connecting them to healthcare resources, such as, dental screenings, vision screenings, blood pressure checks, blood sugar testing, flu shots, health insurance, etc. All of which will be free. If any issues are found, we will connect them to free or low-cost clinics for treatment.

TK COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR 2022 Molina VER 8.5X11.pdf

Dennis W. Spurrier-Training Room Dedication

In 1976, Dennis Spurrier, MS, ATC, VATL was the first athletic trainer hired by Henrico County Public Schools. He served as the ATC at Freeman HS from 1978-2019

September 23, 2022, Football game vs Mills Godwin 7:00pm kick-off

Plaque halftime dedication will be conducted
Pre-game celebration will be available starting at 6:00pm in the Main Gym for friends, family, and co-workers
A sheet cake will be provided
Parking will be available in the student parking lot by the tennis courts
If there is a need for special parking, please contact Vance Harmon rvharmon@henrico.k12.va.us to reserve a spot behind the gym
Those attending the pre-game celebration will be invited to sit in the bleachers as a group
Tickets can be purchased digitally at https://gofan.co/app/school/VA7792

Senior Parent Info Night - September 26th

Greetings Class of ‘23 Parents and Caregivers,

Please plan to attend Senior Parent Night on Monday, September 26th at 6:00 pm in the Freeman Auditorium. Information about senior year events, the college application process, and the senior exam exemption policy will be shared.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Class of ‘23 Team

Cara Jean O’Neal, Assistant Principal,

Carter Reilly, Miggen Carlson, Ashley Albanese- Senior Class Sponsors

Susie Good- School Counseling

Senior Families - You are invited to our kick off to graduation event, Convocation! We hope to see you there.

SENIOR PORTRAITS AND/OR RETAKES

SENIOR PARENTS - Please remind your students about the upcoming Senior Portrait session if they haven't already taken them. September 22nd and 23rd in the small gym. Scan the QR code or click here to sign up: Senior Portrait Sign Up. Students must be logged into their HCPS account to sign up.

DSF All Night Graduation Party (ANGP)

SENIOR FAMILIES, the All Night Graduation Party (ANGP) Class of 2023 needs your help! We are looking for one or two parents to co-chair

the event with one of last year’s co-chairs, Valerie Hendricks. We are also looking for volunteers for the following committees - food, activities, decorating, prizes and fundraising. ANGP is a Freeman tradition that has been happening for over 30 years, and is a fantastic way for the graduates to celebrate graduation in a supervised, alcohol-free and drug-free environment. Please contact Valerie at dsfangp2023@gmail.com to learn more about how you can volunteer at ANGP this year!

Chipotle Night to Support the DSF Band Boosters

Consider a Donation to the

FREEMAN FUND

The PTSA Freeman Fund is Freeman High School’s ONLY Academic Fundraiser

2 Easy ways to donate:

Online at www.freemanptsa.org or use the QR code below
Send Cash or a Check in an envelope marked PTSA and ask your student to drop it off in the Freeman office

Please give now and support Freeman during the 2022-2023 school year.

Every dollar counts!

Donations support our teachers, students and staff!
We are 1/5 of our way to our goal of $10,000
Thanks to the families who have donated!

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!

Questions? Contact Annette Doll at annettedoll@verizon.net

From School Counseling

Evening School and Fall Online PE Registration

Students - registration for Evening School courses and Fall Online PE is now open. Students may register for courses by visiting this website. A selection of academic courses may be offered as well as Driver’s Education, online PE 9, and online PE 10. Registration and payment must be submitted no later than September 23, 2022. Please see your school counselor if you have questions.

Senior Classroom Presentations

School counselors visited Government classes on September 6th and 7th to discuss postsecondary planning. School counselors will begin meeting individually with every senior the week of September 12th. You may access a copy of that classroom presentation here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vlf1uS9NvbjlD8vChQ8Vrykp1wKduGfX/view?usp=sharing

GRASP Advisor - Assistance with Financial Aid

Mrs. Beth Metcalf will serve the Freeman community as our GRASP advisor again this year. She will be meeting with seniors and their parents/guardians to discuss financial aid and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Mrs. Metcalf will be at Freeman on Tuesdays each week. To sign up for an appointment with her, please click here. Please be sure to review important information and steps you should take prior to your GRASP appointment here.

College Visits to DSF During Freeman Focus

We are excited to welcome representatives from numerous colleges into our school this year to lead informational sessions during Freeman Focus. Students are required to sign up ahead of time and will not be permitted to attend without pre-registering. To see a list of visits and sign-up, please click here.

Previously Posted Information

EASY REFERENCE GUIDE TO ALL THINGS ATTENDANCE

DAILY ATTENDANCE

ABSENCES: CALL ATTENDANCE OFFICE (804) 673-3700 EXT. 1 TO REPORT STUDENT ABSENCES OR SEND A NOTE* WITH STUDENT UPON RETURN TO SCHOOL (TECH STUDENTS: CALL DSF AND TECH CENTERS FOR ABSENCES)

*NOTES FOR STUDENT ABSENCES: STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED 10 SICK DAYS PER YEAR (WITH A NOTE OR PARENT/GUARDIAN PHONE CALL); AFTER 10 SICK DAYS, A STUDENT MUST HAVE A DOCTOR’S NOTE FOR THE ABSENCE TO BE EXCUSED – IT IS HELPFUL TO BRING A DOCTOR’S NOTE AFTER A VISIT, SAVING PHONE CALLS AND PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTES FOR WHEN A STUDENT IS HOME SICK

LATE ARRIVALS: SEND STUDENT TO SCHOOL WITH NOTE (FROM DOCTOR [PREFERRED] OR PARENT/GUARDIAN) – LATE ARRIVALS ARE NOT ACCEPTED BY PHONE

EARLY DISMISSALS: IF A DISMISSAL IS KNOW IN ADVANCE, SEND NOTE TO SCHOOL WITH STUDENT (NOTE SHOULD HAVE STUDENT’S FULL NAME & GRADE, REASON FOR DISMISSAL, PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME AND PHONE NUMBER) – THIS WAY, STUDENTS CAN SIGN THEMSELVES OUT ON THE DISMISSAL LOG AND MEET THE PARENT/GUARDIAN IN THE PARKING LOT

IF THE STUDENT DOES NOT HAVE A NOTE FOR DISMISSAL, THE PARENT/GUARDIAN MUST COME INTO THE SCHOOL TO PICK UP THE STUDENT. THE PARENT/GUARDIAN MUST BRING A PHOTO I.D. TO THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE AND SIGN THE STUDENT OUT ON THE EARLY DISMISSAL LOG

NOTE THAT EARLY DISMISSALS ARE NOT ACCEPTED BY PHONE, FAX, EMAIL OR TEXT – IN ADDITION, WE WILL NOT CALL A STUDENT OUT OF CLASS AHEAD OF TIME – ONCE WE HAVE VERIFIED THAT THE PHOTO I.D. IS ON OUR AUTHORIZED PICK-UP LIST, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO RETRIEVE THE STUDENT FROM CLASS.

COLLEGE VISITS

COLLEGE VISIT PRIVILEGES ARE EXTENDED TO JUNIORS AND SENIORS, AND WITH PROPER DOCUMENTATION, WILL NOT COUNT TOWARD EXAM EXEMPTION

PROPER DOCUMENTATION:

1. LETTER/NOTE FROM THE COLLEGE PROVING THAT THE STUDENT ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE COLLEGE FOR A TOUR/VISIT [PREFERRED] - MOST COLLEGES HAVE THEIR OWN FORMS, AND ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE

2. CONFIRMATION OF THE SCHEDULED VISIT

3. IF A TOUR/VISIT IS NOT POSSIBLE, A PICTURE OF THE STUDENT TAKEN IN FRONT OF THE COLLEGE SIGN WILL BE ACCEPTED

PSAT Information - October 12th, 2022

9th and 10th grade students are automatically registered to take the PSAT 8/9 (9th grade) and the PSAT/NMSQT (10th grade) tests on Wednesday, October 12th. The county pays for the tests so 9th and 10th graders take it free of charge!
11th grade students can sign up to take the OPTIONAL PSAT/NMSQT test on the same day by registering AND paying the $18.00 fee. Juniors can qualify for college scholarships or the national merit program based on their scores.
- Register here: www.tinyurl.com/DSFPSAT22
- Pay online here: https://osp.osmsinc.com/HenricoVA/login.aspx?ReturnURL=Payment.aspx OR via cash/check (made payable to Freeman HS) which you can turn into the main office by Sept 12th.
- 11th grade students must register and pay by Monday, September 12th! NO LATE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED!
The HCPS official PSAT letter can be found HERE.
Any questions? Email Mrs. Reilly, DSF Testing Coordinator, csreilly@henrico.k12.va.us

Introducing: Freeman Family Teacher Shout- Outs!

As a part of our culture of appreciation and acknowledgment of the positive things that happen at DSF each week, we ask our staff to share "Shout-Outs" or positive messages about a colleague from the week prior. We publish them for the whole staff to see as a way of growing the good and celebrating wins.

I'd love to have the community's help. I'll post this link each week and deliver any "shout-outs" to our whole staff in our internal weekly newsletter. If you hear of a cool lesson, or a teacher or counselor goes out of their way to make your student's learning experience better, send in a quick note using the form below. Thanks for considering, your appreciation means a lot!

Link to Submit Shout-Outs to a Staff Member

Class or 2024 Fundraisers: House Flag!

Buy a flag to support the Class of 2024 and this year's prom! They are full size, double-sided with a pole sleeve. Great as a house flag or as decoration in a bedroom or basement. Show your Freeman Family support by purchasing here!

Welcome Letter from our PTSA President

Dear Freeman Families,

Welcome back to school! I hope this message finds you healthy

and rested and ready to jump into a fantastic school year. It is

an honor to serve as your PTSA President this year. We have a

group of dedicated PTSA volunteers ready to support programs,

events and activities around DSF.

Please visit www.freemanptsa.org for all the info you need,

including how to donate to the Freeman Fund. This is our

main fundraiser, and it is 100% direct donation to DSF

PTSA. You might ask: Where does that money go?

We have already used Freeman Fund donations to add a reading corner in a French classroom;

purchase some music stands for Chorus; support professional development for the Math

department. In the last year, we have also used funds to support needs through School Counseling;

buy chess boards and clocks for the Chess Club; help the Black Student Union with their officer

transition ceremony; assist with travel costs for Scholastic Bowl Team to go to Nationals and much

more. Keep an eye on the Freeman Forward and our website for more info on how your donations

help. Your contributions to Freeman Fund go right into the hands of our students, teachers,

families. Every donation matters!

Go to freemanptsa.org and click GET INVOLVED for direct links to support your PTSA!

Another way you can support DSF PTSA is to link your Amazon Smile account to Freeman PTSA.

Search Douglas S Freeman High PTSA on Amazon Smile and a % of your sales come back to our

PTSA.

You can also link your Kroger and Publix grocery store cards to Freeman PTSA. Both of those

bring dollars to us while you shop! Thanks for your help.

If you would like to add your name to the Freeman PTSA volunteer list, please send your email

address to: volunteersfreemanptsa@gmail.com. Our family volunteers are recruited through SignUp

Genius requests throughout the school year. By providing your email, you will be included in these

requests.

Our first PTSA meeting will be a brief one on Back to School Night, Thursday, Sept. 22. We

will vote on the budget and share some plans for the year. We look forward to meeting you all!

Other meetings are held monthly at 5:00pm in the DSF library. Check freemanptsa.org for

meeting dates. Everyone is welcome! It is a great place to hear updates from Dr. Marshall and

Ms. Smith (Director of School Counseling), and we value input from each one of you.

Here’s to a wonderful year for all of us! I look forward to seeing you at DSF soon. Go Mavs!

Amy Boyle

freemanptsapresident@gmail.com

Fees, Forms and Powerschool

We are strongly encouraging all forms and fees to be completed online. Fees can be paid in the Online School Payments system (linked on atdsf.com) and Forms can be submitted through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. I am proud to announce that our division has waived the Laptop fee and several other required items for every student this school year. With that news, we have moved on from the traditional and terribly-named “fee nights” and are encouraging all families to pay the minor required fees online:

Use this link as a one-stop shop for online HCPS services: https://henricoschools.us/online-services/

Choral Boosters Fundraisers!

Support DSF Choral Department by purchasing your Fall Mums and Pansies - sale runs through Sept 16! Order pick up Oct 5:

https://annual-fall-flower-fundraiser.cheddarup.com

Freeman Maverick Tervis Tumbler pre-orders for the month of September! These make great Christmas gifts! 1 for $25 or 2 for $40 - Support the Choral Department and show your school spirit - Go Mavs!

https://dsf-choral-booster-merchandise.cheddarup.com

Student Dress Code

The Henrico County Code of Conduct mandates a dress code to ensure a proper learning environment. Students are expected to review that policy prior to choosing clothing and those not adhering to dress-code will be asked to change. Those who repeatedly violate this Code of Conduct policy will be subject to disciplinary action. Please help us avoid that situation by speaking with your student about the dress code.

Cell Phones in Class

The HCPS Code of Conduct stipulates that student cell phones must be off and away during instructional time. This year at DSF, students may be asked to place their phone in a designated location in most classes during class time. Students who do not and whose phone is out without permission during class time will have that device confiscated and turned into the main office. Phones will be retuned to parents and guardians. Students may use the main office landline to inform parents that their phone was confiscated.

Student Drop-Off and Pick-up

Student drop-off and pick-up locations are in the student parking lot behind the Baseball field, off of Camden Drive. Parents are asked to pull into the main student parking lot when picking up students at dismissal. Parents should not use the visitor's parking lot in front of the school to drop off or pick up students during the start of the school day (8:30 to 9:15 a.m.) or at dismissal (3:30 to 4:15 p.m.). Please note that it is extremely unsafe, at any time of the day, to drop students off on the curb in front of the school. The Drivers’ Education Lot across Camden Drive is ONLY for buses. Let’s ensure the safety of our young drivers by following this request.

Sign Up for Parent Accounts

Now more than ever, staying connected with the school and your child’s teachers is important to your child’s success in school. Henrico parents can create accounts to view grades and attendance information through PowerSchool, access assignment information through Schoology, and receive communications through the SchoolMessenger App. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to set up your access to these tools. If you need assistance, please reach out to our Innovative Learning Coach, Jessica Ciokan (jkciokan@henrico.k12.va.us).

PowerSchool Parent Portal - click here then choose “Create Account” tab
Schoology - click here for directions
SchoolMessenger App - click here to sign up to receive school and teacher communications in one place. (click here to learn more)

Key Resources for 2022

The information below had been posted in weeks prior, but is still relevant and important. Click the topic to read the collapsed text below it.

All Things DSF: www.atdsf.com

Please bookmark www.atdsf.com. This is a one-stop resource for all the links, refences, sign up forms and information you might need. We are constantly updating it and use it to house important school-wide virtual events as well.

Important Links:

Key Resources:

All Things DSF Website (AKA: “at dsf”): www.atdsf.com
Freeman PTSA Website: www.freemanptsa.org
DSF Athletics Calendar (always up to date): www.colonialdistrictva.org
Mr. Marshall on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@dsfMrMarshall
Freeman Official Instagram: www.instagram.com/freemanhighschool.official
Freeman Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreemanHighSchool.official/

Athletics/Activities Calendar

(Best viewed on a computer or tablet, Click here to open in a new window)

Athletics Boosters Membership Information

Each year, nearly 800 students at Douglas Freeman compete on multiple athletic teams. With your membership in the Booster Club, you support our programs and you save money on admission to home sporting events. See our website (www.dsfathleticboosters.org) for details about benefits associated with each membership level. Athletic passes and tickets may be used for all home Varsity and JV athletic events, excluding tournaments and Invitationals. Without a Booster Pass, costs per sporting event are $8 for football and $6 for all other sports. Preferred parking applies to all home football games except Homecoming. Tickets and passes from prior seasons are no longer valid.

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