Good Afternoon, this is Steve Mares, principal of Athens Drive Magnet High School with announcements and summer updates for our school families.
First, I would like to give a warm WELCOME TO THE ATHENS DRIVE HIGH SCHOOL FAMILY to our newest Jaguars! I would also like to give a shout-out to our rising Seniors who are moving into their final year of high school! I look forward to serving all of you this year and I am also looking forward to a fantastic school year!
Throughout the school year, I will be providing weekly announcements on Friday afternoons through text and email messages to our school family members, posting the message on our website under the Principal Message icon, and the PTSA will email a copy of the message out to their email groups. I hope you find this an informative weekly update.
Please understand that we are continuing to finalize our Master Schedule for the 2018 – 2019 school year. As new students continue to enroll, as we work to ensure students are on course for Graduation, and as we review academic data from last year to ensure students are placed appropriately in courses that move them towards their post-secondary goals, schedules continue to change and are updated. Our plan is to have our student schedules finalized this weekend, and on Monday, August 13th we will open them for students to see in PowerSchool. If you would like a copy of your schedule, student schedules will be available for pick-up in the Student Services Office from Monday, August 13th through Friday, August 17th from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. daily. Schedule Change Request forms will be available on the Athens Drive website and in the Student Services office beginning on August 13th. Please remember that schedule changes will only be considered for the following reasons:
1. Enrolled in a course you have already completed and received credit.
2. Enrolled in a course for which you have not met the prerequisite.
3. Do not have a full schedule of 4 classes each Semester.
4. Want to move up/drop down a level in a core class (Must have signed Release form if dropping Honors/AP course).
5. Course needed for promotion and/or graduation.
All completed forms must be submitted to the Student Services office by August 21st, at 2:30 p.m. The Student Service office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. All request for schedule changes must be completed on the Schedule Change form, no exceptions. Counselors will not be available to see students and/or parents who walk in with schedule change forms. Please understand that forms will be processed in the order in which they are received.
Our annual Freshman Camp for all new Ninth Grade students will take place on Thursday, August 16th. Sign-in and Registration will take place from 7:30 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. and activities for students will last from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 12:15 p.m. Parents and guardians are invited to stay and attend the Freshman parent meeting that will take place in our Auditorium from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 9:15 a.m. Students and parents will then have the opportunity to walk their schedule, visit teachers, and their classrooms from 12:30 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. I would like to encourage parents and guardians to pre-register your students by visiting the Athens Drive High School website and click on the Freshman Camp banner. We look forward to a fun and informative day welcoming the newest members of our Jaguar family to The Drive.
Parking passes for Juniors and Seniors in good standing for the 2018 – 2019 school year are now available. Please know that on July 10th, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) Board of Education approved a $30 increase to the student parking fee, raising the cost to $200. Students interested in securing a Parking pass for the 2018 – 2019 school year should carefully read and follow the guidelines on the application. To complete the Parking Pass Application process, please complete the on-line parking registration. Then, please print & complete the one-page paper application. Please note Parent’s signature must be notarized on the first page of the application. Please complete the On-Line Payment to pay for the Parking pass. You will then need to print your on-line receipt to include with your application. Please make a clear photocopy of your valid North Carolina Driver’s License (permanent photo—a permit temporary license will not be accepted) and vehicle registration(s). Finally, please remember that students must have cleared all fees or fines they have, as a Parking Tag will not be issued if the student has any outstanding fees or fines owed. Parking tags may be picked up Monday through Thursday, between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Please know that Parking tags and Off Campus Lunch passes are two separate applications.
Off Campus Lunch passes for Juniors and Seniors in good standing for the 2018 – 2019 school year are also now available. A student cannot leave campus during lunch without having an authorized Off Campus Lunch pass. To complete this process, please print and complete the one-page paper application. Please note that the parent’s signature must be notarized on the application. Please complete the On-Line Payment to pay for the Off Campus Lunch pass. You will then need to print your on-line receipt to include with your application. Finally, please remember that students must have cleared all fees or fines they have, as an Off Campus Lunch pass will not be issued if the student has any outstanding fees or fines owed. Passes may be picked up Monday through Thursday, between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Please put down on your calendar that our Fall Meet the Teacher Night will be held on Wednesday, September 13th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., prior to our Meet the Teacher Night, we will be holding a Senior Parent Meeting and also at 5:30 p.m., our PTSA will be providing information on how to support our school through volunteering and donating to our PTSA. Thank you for saving this night to engage with our faculty and connect to the school.
I am fired up to announce that our Graduation date and time for our Class of 2019 has been finalized! Our Seniors will be Graduating on Wednesday, June 12th, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. Please be sure to save this date and time to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2019! In addition, Seniors need to also be sure they attend the mandatory Graduation Rehearsal on Monday, June 3rd, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center.
Thank you to all our Seniors who have taken the opportunity at the end of the last school year or during the summer to get their Senior Portraits taken so that we can include their picture in our yearbook! We want to be sure that every rising Senior gets his/her picture taken in order for them to be included in the yearbook. If your Senior has not had his/her Senior portrait taken, please know that make-up pictures will be held in September by appointment and announcements will be made through Mr. Remaley’s Senior information that he will distribute.
If you are interested in supporting Athens Drive Magnet High School in a tangible manner, the PTSA could use your help. With the Graduation of many of our PTSA Board members’ students, the PTSA has many opportunities for our new families to be a part of the PTSA and make a significant difference in the teaching and learning at The Drive. If you are interested in serving in any capacity, please email our PTSA President, Lysa Fulbright, at president@athensdriveptsa.com. Thank you for considering serving in this manner to support our students, families, and school!
WCPSS student Bus Transportation information will be available in PowerSchool. We are told that Bus Transportation information will be updated and visible for students and families in PowerSchool on August 17th. On your PowerSchool account, look for the transportation tab to see your student’s transportation status and type. If your student is a bus rider, stop and route information will also be provided. I hope this information makes for a smooth transition to start the year with regards to Bus Transportation.
Our Fall Athletic Season is beginning next week! We have our Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Tennis, and Cross Country teams all beginning competition this coming week. Please check out the Athens Drive Athletic website (http://www.wakecountyathletics.com/athensdrivehs) for all our game dates and times. Sports passes for the 2018 – 2019 school year are now on sale on the Jag Club website (https://www.athensdrivejagclub.org). Sports passes are good for all home events throughout the year, except for Endowment games and Playoff games. If you are interested in purchasing a sports pass for the 2018 – 2019 school year, please visit the Jag Club website (https://www.athensdrivejagclub.org) and click on membership at the top of the page. Our first football game is at home next Friday, August 17th, against Cardinal Gibbons High School. We look forward to a large crowd to represent ADN (Athens Drive Nation), support our student athletes, and enjoy all the entertainment of Friday Night Lights (e.g., great football, our award-winning Band, cheerleaders, Blue Crew, etc.). Thank you for your support of our student athletes and athletic program!
As we start this new year, I want to thank each one of you for allowing us the honor and pleasure of serving your student! Please know that I understand the great responsibility that you place on us, and please know that we are passionate about providing all our students a safe, inviting, and rigorous school climate where our students can build on their strengths and interests and reach their ultimate potential. I believe in our teachers, I believe in our students, and I believe that we have a school family that cares and supports students. Please know that we are committed to working hard this year to challenge each student, meet their individual needs, and help each student successfully Graduate and reach their full potential. I understand and am thankful for the privilege I have to serve you all, and I continue to be proud to be a part of the Athens Drive family. Again, I would like to welcome all our new students and families to the Athens Drive High School family! We have a great school family, and I am excited about this coming year of teaching and learning! Please continue to check the Athens Drive website (www.wcpss.net/athensdrivehs) for general information and to help you stay informed. I hope your summer is going well, stay cool in this heat, and enjoy the last few days of summer prior to the first day of school on August 27th! Go JAGS and please take care.