First Week of School Information

Dear GPHS Community, 

We cannot wait for the first day of school on August 28!!!!  Please see below for important information.

From the Dance Director:

Attention all dancers!  Did you miss the dance placement auditions and would like to audition for an upper-level dance class?  If so, please reach out to Mrs. Haffey via email by 8/30 at heather_haffey@hcpss.org.

Building Hours for Students:

7:30am to 2:55pm - For security reasons, students will not have access to the building prior to 7:30 am.  Following dismissal, only students participating in school-sponsored events or awaiting bus transportation will be permitted to remain in the building.

8:00am - 1st period begins.  Click here for the complete bell schedule.  

GPHS Transportation Information:

Driving to GPHS - Please review the traffic pattern by clicking here.

Students Walking/biking to GPHS - Walkers/bike riders should use the Rose Lane entrance. Multiple bike racks are around the building and campus. We advise students to lock their bikes as HCPSS is not responsible for students’ personal property.

Bus Transportation - Please click here to locate your child's bus stop. 

ARL - Students with AM ARL must be outside the cafeteria to catch the bus by 7:55am.

We have created a GPHS Student Transportation FAQ document that shares more information related to student transportation.

Additional information about transportation can be found here.

Before the First Day CHECKLIST for GPHS Students

Check your schedule in HCPSS Connect/Synergy and make note of your 1st period class, teacher name and room number.  

If you are a bus rider, use the Bus Locator Tool to determine your bus stop. Write down/take a screenshot of your bus number and keep it in an accessible location. 

Turn on your HCPSS Chromebook and login. Be sure it is functioning properly.  

Pack your bag the night before! Bring paper, something to write with and a charged Chromebook.

Plan out your meal(s) at https://www.hcpss.org/food-services/

2023-2024 Information from HCPSS:

Throughout the month, HCPSS shared a series of Getting Ready for 2023-2024 messages, which included topics around Back-To-School Basics, Communications and Technology, and New And Important Items. Those messages, as well as additional information regarding the academic calendar, back to school nights, school supplies, resources and more can be found online.

Families Must Complete Family File

HCPSS utilizes Family File for parents/guardians to supply emergency information. Parents/guardians must verify and/or update information for each child every year. More information, including answers to frequently asked questions and tips on troubleshooting, is available online.

Student Schedules - Student homerooms and schedules are now available for all families by logging in to HCPSS Connect Synergy. Middle and high school schedules can be accessed by selecting Class Schedule from the left menu.

New! Student Meals & Payments

New for the 2023-2024 school year, HCPSS no longer will use Nutrislice for school menus or MySchoolBucks for payment. Instead, we have a new parent site for all things food and nutrition. LINQ Connect is a secure, online portal that allows families to make online payments to their child’s meal account, monitor their child’s account, schedule automatic recurring payments, set up low balance alerts, submit a Free and Reduced Meals program application, and more.

Please note: MySchoolBucks meal balances were automatically transferred to LINQ Connect. If your child had a balance at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, when you add your child to your profile, that meal balance will be displayed. To request a refund of meal balances at any time, complete this brief online form.

Health Checks & Protocols

All students, staff and visitors should perform daily health checks prior to entering any school bus or HCPSS building. Parents/guardians should keep their children home if they are experiencing symptom(s) associated with any communicable disease, including COVID, flu, fever, etc. Additional information on communicable diseases and HCPSS infection control can be found online.

FARMs Participation

Many HCPSS families are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program, which provides children with a wide range of benefits including free or discounted college tuition, testing and application fees, academic and athletic program fees and many others in addition to free or discounted meals. Moreover, FARMs participation rates directly impact schools’ eligibility to receive valuable federal Title I funding, which provides resources that play a key role in student success. Families are urged to check their eligibility and complete a FARMs application today.

Drug-Free Campuses

Students and families are reminded that the possession, use, or distribution of alcoholic beverages and other drugs on school premises or at school-related or school-sponsored activities is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to tobacco and marijuana. Details are available in Board of Education Policy 1050 Alcohol, Drug, and Tobacco Free Environment.

Student and Parent Handbook

The HCPSS Student & Parent Handbook can be found online and outlines districtwide practices and policies related to parents and students, including the Student Code of Conduct, school procedures, student responsibilities and more.

 

Your GPHS Team!

Josh Wasilewski, Principal

Joshua_Wasilewski@hcpss.org

Twitter:  @PrincipalWaz

Instagram:  @principalwaz

Samantha Filipiak, Assistant Principal

Samantha_Filipiak@hcpss.org

Adrienne Williams, Assistant Principal 

Adrienne_Williams@hcpss.org

Twitter:  @MsANasir

Instagram:  @itsjustmeadrienne

Cindy Jaksec, Principal’s Secretary

Cynthia_Jaksec@hcpss.org

410-313-7430 GPHS Main

Michael Lerner, AAM

Michael_Lerner@hcpss.org