Principal’s Message

August 2023

A message from Ms. Cassandra Brackenridge, Assistant Principal of Building Control

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! As your new Assistant Principal of Building Control, I'm excited to start this year with a renewed focus and vision on forging a lasting relationship with the community that will promote our students to a new level of success in their academics and in the school environment. With that being said, I want to reiterate and send out important information as the school year starts.

This year will be exciting, and full of ups and downs, good and bad times, and engaging in difficult conversations, but we must never forget that our teachers and students need and deserve the best versions of ourselves every day. I challenge everyone receiving this letter to ask themselves, "Do You Believe?" We Must.

A few items to note:

DRESS CODE

Per Student Handbook it is the expectation that ALL students to dress in a manner that is appropriate for a school day, and which will not substantially disrupt the educational process and climate or be a safety or health concern. Clothing must be worn in such a way that genitals, buttocks, and breasts are fully covered with opaque fabric. At a minimum all students must wear the following: A Shirt (with fabric in the front, back, and on the sides under the arms), AND Pants/jeans or the equivalent (for example, a skirt, sweatpants, leggings, a dress or shorts), AND Shoes.

Students Cannot Wear or carry to class:

• Violent language or images.
• Hats, hoods as headwear, bonnets, durags, berets, visors, helmets, and caps.
• Shirts that show midriffs or tube tops.
• Images or language depicting drugs or alcohol (or any illegal item or     activity).
• Images or language depicting hate speech, profanity, pornography.
• Images or language that create a hostile or intimidating environment based on any protected class or consistently marginalized groups.
• Any clothing that reveals visible undergarments
• Accessories that could be considered dangerous or could be used as a weapon.
• Any item that obscures the face or ears (except as a religious observance, medical reasons, or state health mandate).
• Outerwear – coats, lined jackets, lined hoodies, vests, gloves, scarves, sunglasses, backpacks, over-sized purses, book bags and sports bags.

Parents, please make sure your student is adhering to the dress code policy. Failure to do so will result in student having to do 1 of 3 options:

1. Students will be asked to put on their own alternative clothing, if already available at school, to be dressed more to code for the remainder of the day.
2. Students will be provided with temporary school clothing to be dressed more to code for the remainder of the day.
3. If necessary, students’ parents may be called during the school day to bring alternative clothing for the student to wear for the remainder of the day.

CELL PHONE

Per Student Handbook, Electronic devices will be defined as, but not limited to, cellular phones and portable internet devices. All electronic devices should remain in silent mode to minimize potential disruptions to the educational environment. Cellphone usage is not allowed in the classrooms except:

1. Used during passing periods and lunch
2. Included as part of pre-approved classroom and/or school-sponsored activities

Failure to adhere to District 215 cell phone policy will result in a school intervention/parent contact/consequence.

If you still have any unanswered questions, please refer to the student handbook for a more detailed description of expectations. It is located on the school’s website.

COMING THIS YEAR….

• PARENT VOLUNTEERS
• HALL SWEEPS. DON’T GET CAUGHT!
• SECURITY WANDS 
• LUNCH TARDIES

There are many great things that parents can do at home to help their students continue to succeed in the classroom and the school environment. Some of these things include:

1. Checking your student’s Google Classroom every night for assignments and important notices from teachers.
2. Being an active listener and encouraging students to discuss their day at school.
3. Setting aside time each afternoon/evening for reading and homework completion.

I look forward to meeting and working with all of you this year. Please feel free to contact me anytime with questions or concerns you may have regarding your student. With the cooperation of both school and home, I know we will have an excellent year.

Sincerely,

Cassandra Brackenridge 
Assistant Principal of Building Control
Thornton Fractional South High School