School District of South Orange and MaplewoodCOLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL
17 Parker Avenue • Maplewood, New Jersey 07040973-762-5600 x1012 FAX 973-378-5234
Dear Columbia High School Families:
I hope that you are enjoying a fun
and restful summer.
It is with great pride that I
assumed the role of Principal of Columbia High School on July 1. I look
forward to working with you to make Columbia High School the best-performing
school in the nation, one where we work together to meet the academic,
intellectual, social, and emotional needs of each of our students every day.
Last year, as Assistant Principal, I
had the good fortune to work with now-retired Principal Smith and Assistant
Principal Healy. They, the students, teaching faculty, staff, and community
of our two towns greeted me with enthusiasm and were supportive as I
transitioned into the position and were even more so after I accepted the
position of Columbia’s principal. The
high standards, commitment, and deep talents of our teachers and the work
they do with our students everyday are, I believe, the best that our public
schools have to offer. I look forward to working in partnership with them and
you in the years ahead. CHS students and
teachers produce some of the most impressive academic, artistic, and athletic
results in the entire state. We look forward to building on the work done in
previous years this school year and for years to come.
This year we welcome Ms. Cheryl
Hewitt and Mr. Charles Ezell as Assistant Principals. Mr. Ezell joins us as
Assistant Principal for Grade 9 and Ms. Hewitt is the Assistant Principal for
Grade 10. Mr. Michael Healy will guide our juniors through this important
year in their lives, and Dr. Jennifer Giordano, Director of Guidance and
Counseling Services, will act as grade-level administrator for all matters
relating to our seniors as they move toward graduation on June 24th.
The expectations we set for our students
are high, and our goal at CHS is to make sure that every student is challenged, nurtured, engaged, and supported every day. High school is a
four-year journey. Your students (and you) may encounter choppy waters some
days and smooth sailing on others. We are always here to support them and you. Our Guidance and Counseling staff, the
district’s Special Services team, ESS, The Loft, our Intervention and
Referral Services and 504 processes, the district’s Parenting Center and
social workers, and, most importantly, your child’s teachers, are here to
guide them and you on their path toward graduation. Our teachers are here in the afternoons for
academic support through our afterschool conference periods, and our library stays
open after school for students to do homework and research. Our partnership
with the Achieve Foundation, our own Peer Mentoring program, and other
community organizations allow us to refer students for academic support and
guidance as needed and to support their efforts toward excellence.
Your student, of course, bears
primary responsibility for his or her own
efforts and attitude – which
are the two primary determinants of achievement and success. How our students
choose to come to school is critical to their success. Their choice to be on
time every day, with homework done, with eyes and ears tuned toward
instruction, ready to engage with their coursework and teachers seriously and
with their peers in a way that is supportive and constructive – these are the
building blocks of achievement that will allow them to shine and be
successful.
Please stay engaged and support your
students with us throughout the year by:
·
joining and supporting the CHS Home School Association (HSA) at www.columbiahsa.org
·
attending school athletic, arts and other events
·
following Ms. Aaron on Twitter at @CougarPrincipal for updates
and insights to the great things that happen at CHS each week
·
asking your child to share his or her concerns, successes,
frustrations, and learning experiences at the dinner table, in the car, at
breakfast, or whenever your family life and schedules permit you to have
conversations that show your student that you value school and their efforts toward being a
successful student
·
attending Back To School Night to hear from your child’s
teachers (Wednesday, October 1), and, most importantly,
·
communicating with your child’s guidance counselor, teachers,
and grade-level administrators when you have questions, concerns and compliments
Also, please mark your calendars for
Wednesday, October 15. On that
morning, all sophomores and juniors
will report to school at 8 am to
take a free PSAT. All other students report at 10:45 am to begin their academic day. This administration of the
PSAT, funded by our district, allows all of our sophomores and juniors to
assess their academic skills and progress to date and informs our
understanding of areas of academic strength and potential as they move
through high school toward the worlds of work, higher education, careers, and
vocations. Find out more about the PSAT at collegeboard.org.
A revised Student/Family Handbook
will be available on our website for the start of this new school year.
Please take time to review it with your child and be in touch if you have any
questions. Please note procedures for lateness, absences, and expectations
for student conduct. Please take some time to speak with your child about the
need for thoughtful and responsible use of social media, and please be aware
that our policies regarding cell phone use at school are designed to help our
students and staff focus on instruction. Finally, enclosed please find an important update from Dr. Giordano regarding class schedules at Columbia this year.
I look forward to the school year with you and your child, and thank you in advance for supporting our work here at CHS. Go, Cougars!
Best regards,
Elizabeth
M. Aaron, MAT, M.Ed.
Principal
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