MHS
attendance and participation
flu vaccine reminder
AP Exam registration
Financial Aid Sessions
Parent/Guardian Volunteer Group
chromebook expectations
AP information
drop-off instructions
transition to hybrid meeting
AP exam information
self-guided tours for 9th graders and transfer students
financial aid meetings
class of 2021 yearbook
parent/guardian volunteer group
return to school October 15 and 16 information
self-guided tours for freshman and transfer students
class of 2021 financial aid planning
Textbook pick-up the week of 9/21
Virtual Curriculum Night 9/24
August 25, 2020
Dear MHS Students, Parents/Guardians, and Staff,
I am writing to you today to share with you important information regarding student schedules, PSAT/SAT testing, and transition planning in advance of the virtual “Reopening of School” meeting scheduled for this coming Thursday.
Last week at the School Committee meeting, I shared publicly that a master schedule rebuild was a very strong possibility at MHS. We are charged with delivering educational programming to multiple cohorts of students, and in a way that allows for equitable access to our Mansfield High School teachers. Currently, we are planning for three cohorts of students:
Virtual Remote Cohort - Remote learning for the entire academic year for students who have registered
Hybrid Cohort- Remote in September with a move to Hybrid in October for most students
Daily Cohort- In-person 4+ days a week starting in September for students with identified needs
Rebuilding the master schedule is not something I want to undertake during the final hour, but in looking at enrollment across all cohorts relative to staffing, it is very clear that we must rebuild.
What does a schedule rebuild mean for ALL students?
We CAN confirm that all students will receive the courses they need in order to make progress toward graduation.
We will use the student academic and non-academic elective preferences submitted in the spring to rebuild, and will work hard to accommodate student preferences. However, expectations should be adjusted - it is unlikely that we will be able to meet the percentages we are accustomed to meeting in regard to student primary/alternate choices.
Students in all three cohorts will have access to a similar, limited range of academic and non-academic elective offerings. Please know that movement to the Virtual Remote Cohort from the Remote/Hybrid/In-Person Cohort (and vice versa) will not grant additional access to AP courses.
If you sent a letter to Ms. Karidoyanes, Director of School Counseling, over the summer with regard to level changes, those changes will be carried over into the new schedule build.
We can no longer guarantee the academic and non-academic electives confirmed in the July 6th mailing home; this includes AP courses and academic electives.
After schedules are released, changes cannot be accommodated unless for an error (i.e. 9th grade student in a 10th grade class).
Due to the timeline, course confirmations will not be mailed home- students will access their new schedules with updated courses at the start of school via Aspen X2. We will send more information when available.
In addition, MHS will no longer serve as a testing site for PSAT/SAT testing this fall due to staffing constraints brought about by the pandemic. This means that we will not serve as a test site for the Saturday, October 3rd SAT national test administration, nor will we be scheduling school-based testing. More information will be made available in the coming weeks from the School Counseling Department regarding revised testing requirements, as well as other information for college admissions.
Members of the Class of 2021- please rest assured that we will continue to provide robust and up-to-date post-secondary planning support! We are on schedule to run a virtual Senior Parent Night on Thursday, September 17th. At this event we will share with you the information you need to prepare for college applications, and to navigate the evolving application landscape. We are learning that admissions offices are reviewing applications differently this year and taking a more holistic approach; we will share details with you as we learn them.
For our incoming 9th grade students and transfer students- we will have a dedicated time for questions from 7:45 to 8:15PM during the virtual “Reopening of School” meeting this Thursday to address transition needs and concerns. We are planning a virtual orientation prior to the start of school, and an opportunity for new students to visit MHS in person in early October before our move to the Hybrid model.
While these changes are far from ideal, please know that we are working diligently to provide the best experience possible for all students within the established parameters. We will continue to share updates as we have them so check your email regularly for the latest news. Please join us this Thursday, August 27th at 7PM for the virtual “Reopening of School” meeting - a link will be posted on the website.
Take care,
Mary Watkins
Principal