High School
Parents & Students
Our faculty and staff are committed to your child’s success and will strive to meet the students’ academic needs while encouraging our students to grow socially and emotionally. It is the responsibility of every member of our community to contribute to a school environment that is positive and safe. Together we can safely say Gouverneur will continue to provide an exceptional place for our students to learn and grow. More so than ever High School students will be expected to speak and act appropriately. They will be held responsible for their words and their actions. When necessary the school and parents will collaborate to ensure that the student is held accountable for their behaviors that can negatively impact the high school.
As always, if we can be of assistance, please contact our office. I hope you enjoy the remaining days of your summer.
Sincerely,
Cory E. Wood
High School Principal
Electronic Devices
Cell phones and other electronic devices brought from home may not be used between 7:30 AM and 2:30 PM. These items may be confiscated by staff and returned to students at the end of the day from the office. Repeated offenses will result in the items being returned only to the parents or guardians of the student. The administration reserves the right to examine the content of any confiscated device before returning it to either the student or parent.
Homework & Communication
Importance of Homework
Homework is a component of the student’s day that needs to be carefully managed, so many of our students have activities after school that it can be very easy to procrastinate or be neglectful when it comes to homework, however, there is a strong correlation between student’s success and homework completion. Besides the obvious impact on the quarterly grade, the skill development and practice that homework provides is the most important facet.Parents play an important role in assisting in the following:
- Reinforcing the importance of completing homework and being positive with the approach.
- Helping establish a routine for homework completion and overall organization during the first week of school so that your child does not fall into bad habits.
- Stay informed. Communicate with your child and their teachers to stay aware of what is needed for success.
Communication From School
Open communication between school and home is essential for our work with students. To that end we maintain schoolTools Parent Portal. This is efficient way for families to monitor student progress. Teachers and parents are encouraged to establish communication lines early in the school year. Teachers are encouraged to call parents with the good, and where necessary, the not so good news.Attendance & Health
School Attendance
Regular attendance to class is one of the most important aspects of a student’s educational program. This ensures the effectiveness of the learning process and provides for an environment which is conducive to group and individual learning.SAFETY: The attendance office will always err on the side of caution when it comes to student attendance. If we are unsure of a validity of a note or phone call, we will contact a parent. Please do not take offense to this as we are merely keeping our students’ best interest at heart.
ABSENCE: A parent/guardian must call the Attendance Office each day a student is absent. The information we need is the reason for the absence and the length of time (if known).
LATE ARRIVAL: A parent/guardian must call the Attendance Office if a student is coming in late to school. Please provide the reason for the late arrival and estimated time the student will arrive. All students must be dropped off in front of the building (canopy) and sign in at the Attendance office before going to class.
EARLY DISMISSAL: A note or a phone call from a parent/guardian is required if a student needs to be dismissed from school early. Please share the time the student is leaving and the reason for the early dismissal. Notes/phone calls should come to the Attendance Office prior to the start of the school day. Students will receive early dismissal passes from the Attendance Office and sign themselves out prior to leaving school. Students may be picked up at the canopy entrance.
SICK STUDENTS: Please remind your child that if they are feeling ill, they need to report to the Health Office. Our nurses will assess the situation and contact parents if they feel the students should go home. Students should not determine on their own, without consulting our school nurses and/or parents, their ability to stay in school.
Health Office Information
DOCTOR NOTES: if a student has an injury, minor/major surgery, or extended illness, please request a note form you doctor. Any head injury will require a doctor’s note stating the diagnosis and listing restrictions or clearance. All doctor’s notes should state the restrictions necessary for PE class/sports and/or the school day. A note stating the student is cleared to participate is also required. See the district website for more information about the return to play after head injury. If your student is signing up for a fall sport, bring the doctor’s notes to the interview with the nurse. This is especially important if the illness/injury/surgery occurred after the end of last school year when the doctor’s note would not be on file. All doctor notes should be brought to the health office first where copies will be made as needed for PE Teacher and coach.MEDICATIONS: ALL medications taken during the school day or school activities require a doctor’s note with specific instructions, a parent note and the medication in the original container. Medications are to be brought to the health office with the above paperwork by the parent. This includes all over-the-counter items, such as Tylenol or Advil.
Transportation & Buildings
Traffic Flow on Barney Street
- All traffic signs around the building will be enforced. Special attention should be given to hours for parking near the building.
- During morning drop off and afternoon pickup, traffic will be directed to move in a westerly direction on Barney Street from Rock Island and Caroline Streets to Gordon Street. This will allow curbside drop off and pick up in front of the school without having students cross Barney Street. Afternoon pick up may also take place near the Middle School entrance.
- Students who have used district transportation to come to school and leave campus to loiter off school grounds will be in violation of our Code of Conduct and appropriate disciplinary steps will be taken.
Student Parking
Student drivers must register their vehicles in the main office of the high school.Starting with the first day of school, all student parking during regular school hours is restricted to the High School parking lot. A small area of this lot will be strictly reserved for staff and handicap parking. All drivers are expected to respect these posted areas.
Building Access & Late Transportation
Gouverneur High School will be open to students who need to be dropped off early at 6:50 AM every morning. Students who report to school prior to 7:15 must report to the cafeteria. After 5:00 PM those who participate in after school clubs, community organization and/or sports will be able to utilize the canopy entrance, Senior High parking entrance and the back bus entrance but will not have access to their lockers or classrooms. The upper floors of the building will be locked to student access. Students involved in extra-curricular activities should be supervised by an adult and will only be permitted to wait in the lobby when their activity is completed.
Additionally, if for any reason you or your son/daughter needs to enter the building after 7:30am, once the school day has started, you must enter at the canopy entrance and sign-in; all other doors will be locked. We appreciate your support in providing a safe environment for all students and staff! Please feel free to contact any of the building administrators with any questions or concerns.
Late bus transportation is provide Monday-Thursday each week at 5:00 PM. Students are required to have a pass from the teacher they stayed late with to ride the late bus. There will be no late run the night preceding a break.
Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) is a premier cooperative partnership linking Syracuse University with secondary schools. Through this partnership, high schools can offer qualified seniors the opportunity to enroll in SU courses for university credit. Teachers who have qualified through SUPA as SU adjunct instructors teach enhanced concurrent enrollment university courses in high schools during the school day. SUPA began in 1972 as an attempt to address "senioritis," the tendency for seniors who have completed their graduation requirements to relax rather than prepare for the transition from high school to college.
Courses We Offer At GHS
American History, Biology, Calculus, English, Forensic Science, Public Affairs, and Spanish
Transcript Requests
https://exchange.parchment.com/
Students should NOT request transcripts until grades are officially submitted; 6-8 weeks after a course is complete). Please be aware there is now a $12 fee for each request.
Alma Mater
Among the hills of Old St. Lawrence
Stands the school we love so well.
Where we spent so many bright and happy days;
Its fond memories will linger
In our hearts to cheer and bless
As we toil along life's rough and rugged ways.
Then her praises we will sing
Till the echoes 'round us ring
And we'll sing them with a will forever more,
For we're singing of the glories
Of our dear old G.H.S.
May they echo from the mountains to the shore.