Eighth Grade Handbook for Parents/Guardians
Enclosed in this packet is information I hope will answer many of your questions.
8th Grade Schedule at a Glance
September
• September 2, 2009 –Open House
• September 8, 2009 -1st 8th Grade Parent Meeting
• September 11, 2009- Magazine Fundraiser Starts
October
• October 10-12, 2009- Columbus Day Soccer Tournament Fundraiser
• October 1-26, 2009- Butter Braid Fundraiser Starts
November and December
• November 4, 2009- Election Day Bake Sale
• November 6, 2009- Butter Braid Pick Up 3:00 to 5:00 P.M.
• November 10 to December 1, 2009- 8th Grade Wreath Sale
• November 20, 2009- Middle School Dance
• November 18, 2009- Windham Tech Open House 6:00-8:00 P.M.
• November - Lyman High School Vo-Ag Open House
• December 1, 2009 (Hand in to Ms. Guzman) Windham Tech Applications Due
• December 7, 2009- ( Hand in to Ms. Guzman) Lyman High School Vo-Ag
Application Due
• December 17, 2009 -ACT Magnet School Open House 6:30 P.M.
January
• January 8, 2010 8:00 A.M. -Guidance Breakfast
This is an opportunity for parents to ask specific question about the high
school that they are considering for their child. Principals and school
counselors from Bolton, Windham, Lyman Memorial, Windham Tech, and ACT Magnet
High School will address concerns and answer questions. The Guidance
Breakfast is scheduled from 8:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M. in the Porter Conference
Room.
• January 13, 2010- Bolton High School 8th Grade Open House: 7:00-8:30 P.M.
January and February
• The student, school counselor, and parent/guardian will meet to discuss high
school and course selection for each child. The eighth grade teachers will
make recommendations of appropriate course levels for each student based on
student grades, ability, interests and work ethic. Appointments for these
meetings will be available during the day as well as in the evening and all
meetings will be held before the February vacation.
• Each receiving high school will host an Open House for all incoming
freshmen. A notice will be mailed to parents/guardians from each high school.
Parents are encouraged to attend these informational evenings with their
children.
• February 12, 2010- Pasta Dinner and Middle School Dance
• February 15, 2010 -ACT Magnet High School Application due date
• February 22, 2010 – Lyman High School Vo-Ag Program Interviews should be
scheduled before this date.
• End of February- During the month a Notification of Admission from Windham
Tech High School will be sent home.
March/April
• Students who applied to the Lyman High School Vo-Ag Program will receive
information regarding acceptance and a commitment about attending must be made
by the student.
• Order Caps and Gowns for Graduation
May
• May 7, 2010- Middle School Dance
June
• June 3-4, 2010- Class Trip to New York City
• June 11, 2010- 8th Grade Class Picnic
• June 15, 2010- Last Day of School and Graduation (may change with additional
snow days)
High School Choice
Occasionally a student or a parent/guardian is uncertain as to which high
school best meets the individual student’s needs. You should discuss your
concerns with the eighth grade team, school counselor or anyone at the school
that you feel will help you make a decision.
In order to help your child make a decision regarding which school to attend,
a “shadowing” experience may prove valuable. Please have your child speak to
the school counselor at Porter for information on how to “shadow” during the
winter months. Also, Windham High School will be giving the option of
shadowing an older student;
If you would like your child to shadow at any other school, the arrangements
should be made directly with that school and confirmed with the Horace Porter
School Counselor.
Designated High Schools
1. ACT Magnet High School
896 Main Street
Windham, CT
2. Bolton High School
73 Brandy Street
Bolton, Connecticut
3. Lyman Memorial High School
917 Exeter Road
Lebanon, Connecticut
4. Windham High School
355 High Street
Willimantic, Connecticut
5. Windham Technical School
210 Birch Street
Willimantic, Connecticut
Permission Slip
During your child’s eighth grade year, there are many planned class outings
that will take place. This includes all events related the end of the year
activities, parents and guardians should remove the permission slip, fill out
the pertinent areas, and return it to the School Counselor by October 30,
2010. Other permission slips may be necessary during the year for additional
outings. Your child will be responsible for bringing the slip home for your
signature. During the school year you will be reminded of these events as
they will appear in the monthly school calendar and weekly newsletter.
Fundraising
The opportunity to fundraise will be available this year. If students and
their parents would like to be involved in this, please let the class advisor
know. This year parents are asked to fill out the enclosed form and return it
to the 8th grade class advisor by
October 30, 2010. This form asks parents if they want their student to go on
the trips and details a payment schedule.
All fundraisers must be pre-approved by the Columbia Board of Education. The
following fundraisers have been approved in the past and used to offset the
cost of eighth grade expenses:
• 8th Grade Reader’s Digest Magazine Sale
• “Butter Braids” Fundraiser
• Election Day Bake Sale
• Holiday Wreath Sale
• November Middle School Dance
• Candy Bar Sale
• Spaghetti Dinner, Basket Raffle and Middle School Dance
• May Middle School Dance
• 8th Grade Car Wash
Individual Fundraisers
A separate account is maintained for each student. Once a student reaches the
required amount to cover his/her individual trip costs, excess monies are then
put into the general fund. Periodic reports detailing individual student
accounts will be mailed home during the school year.
• Magazine Sale—37% of individual student sales are placed in the students’
individual accounts. This takes place in September.
• “Butter Braid” –Each student will receive $4.50 per “Butter Braid” he/she
sells.
• Candy Sale—45% of an individual student’s sales are placed in his/her
individual account. Candy may NOT be sold in school, at after school
activities, or on buses. Students who do not adhere to this policy will lose
the privilege of selling candy.
• Working at 8th Grade Fundraisers—Students are given the opportunity to sign
up to work shifts at various fundraisers. Each student is credited $5 per
hour, with the total credited to the student’s individual account. We
encourage and try to let as many different students work as possible
throughout the year. Parents will also be given a $5.00 credit per
fundraising shift. All credits will go directly into the assigned student
account.
• General Fund Account—All monies raised at these fundraisers go into the
General Fund of the 8th grade class. Some fundraisers that are considered
general fundraisers are The Spaghetti Dinner and Basket Raffle, the Election
Day Bake Sale, Car Wash, Dance Ticket Sales. Money in this account is divided
evenly among all students in the 8th grade, after expenses are taken out.
Bills are then sent home to cover the remaining cost of the trip. Ms. Guzman
is responsible for all individual student accounts. Please feel free to
contact her with any questions.
Graduation Activities
• Caps and Gowns
o Each student buys his or her own cap and gown to keep. Our school colors
are black and gold. Approximate cost is $17.00.
• Yearbook
o Jostens Yearbook Company and Mrs. Marian Lowry oversee the class yearbook.
The yearbook will be available for purchase by the entire school. Approximate
cost is $20. Further information explaining the process will be provided
during the school year.
• Graduation
o The ceremony takes place at Windham High School in the Auditorium with the
awarding of diplomas and a full ceremony at 4:00 P.M. Students are expected
to remain in school until 1:10 P.M. on the day of graduation. Graduating
students should not wear: blue jeans, sneakers or shorts under their gowns.
Students should be at the high school by 3:30 P.M. No tickets are required
to attend the ceremony. There is no assigned seating for the graduate’s
family and friends.
• Graduation Dance
o Each year there is an 8th grade dance held at from 7-10 P.M. on the evening
of graduation. This activity is free of charge to all Porter’s 8th grade
students. Porter’s seventh grade students are welcome to attend this event.
This is a parent lead activity.
• Video/DVD
o In past years, a parent of an 8th grader has volunteered to collect photos
of each student as well as several group photos, which have been made into a
video to be sold at the end of the 8th grade year. The video is shown at the
beginning of the 8th grade graduation dance. This is a parent lead activity.
Outings and Trips
• 8th Grade Picnic .
o Holiday Hill
The 8th grade class will spend an all day “fun day” at Holiday Hill, located
in Mansfield, CT. The resort provides a wide variety of sport activities, has
a beautiful pool, tennis and basketball courts, and an all you can eat buffet.
The cost of this has been incorporated into the total money needed for the
over night class trip. In 2009 the individual cost was $20.00.
• Class Trip
o For the 2009-2010 school year, the 8th graders will be going on a one night
overnight field trip. The students may travel to New York City and enjoy the
educational and cultural opportunities offered in this area. This activity
will only take place if all parents are willing to follow the fundraising
arrangements and agree to the financial plan for payment. If we have the
trip, it will take place in the spring. Student participation is at the
discretion of the parents and Horace Porter School. Students will be
considered eligible based on academic success and appropriate behavior.
Please see the enclosed letter and permission slip further discussing this trip.
**Please note: If you have a financial hardship, funding can and will be
provided to your child if they are willing to work all of the fundraisers.
Please contact Ms. Guzman with concerns no later than October 2, 2009.**
