2016 Scholastic Art Award Winners

The HHS Visual Art Department is pleased to announce the winners of the 2016 Regional Scholastic Art Awards. These pieces of student art received Gold Keys, Silver Keys, and Honorable Mentions.

Click here to see all the art of the HHS 2016 Winners!

Be Admitted 2016

The HHS Guidance office is sponsoring a college planning evening titled BE ADMITTED.  The event will be held on January 26, 2016 at 7:00PM in the HHS auditorium.

All the evening is geared for juniors, all students and parents are welcome to join the Guidance staff for this event.  The evening will prepare you to navigate the college search and application process with knowledge and confidence and prepare for road trips during April vacation.  This is an exciting time and we look forward to kicking off the process with you!

Upcoming iPass/iParent Upgrade

During Winter Vacation, the Holliston Public Schools has scheduled a required upgrade to iPass/iParent. This upgrade has two changes which will directly affect you. The first is the appearance of iPass. The look and feel of iPass is getting a modern, more colorful look. iPass will still operate the same way and your username and password will remain the same, only the look is changing.

The second significant change to the iPass upgrade is that iPass will no longer be compatible with most versions of Internet Explorer or Apple Safari. You may be required to use the latest version of Firefox or Google Chrome to use iPass. This change may necessitate upgrading the version of Firefox or Google Chrome you are currently using.

During the upgrade, iPass will be unavailable on Wednesday December 23rd for several hours but will be up and running again when students and faculty return from Winter Vacation.

Homework-FREE Vacations

After much conversation through advisories and examining data regarding the need to reduce the stress students are feeling, and with overwhelming support from the faculty, Holliston High School is implementing three homework free vacations during winter break, February Vacation and April Vacation. 

As we approach the first of these vacations, HHS wanted to remind the community that no homework will be assigned for any classes in order to provide students an opportunity to rest, relax and reconnect with families. With the busy lives our students have, their participation in clubs, activities and athletics, as well as part-time jobs and other commitments, we hope that this change will have a positive effect on students and families.

Happy Holidays,

Nicole Bottomley

Principal

Holliston High School

Photo credit: Andres Nieto Porras via Creative Commons

Health Reminders

According to Holliston Public School Policy

All medications taken by students during the school day must be administered by the school nurse. Students are Not Allowed to carry any medication with the exception of emergency medications (e.g. epinephrine, asthma inhalers ) which must  have the proper documentation (Licensed Prescriber written order and signed parental consent  on file).M.G.L.105.CMR 210.00 – MGL C.30A S.8 C112.S.80B  

Student illness and/or injury during the school day must be reported to the school nurse. If a dismissal is warranted, the school nurse will contact the parent/guardian to make arrangements for dismissal. All students dismissed for illness/injury MUST be dismissed though the nurse’s office.

TO ALL Grade 10 PARENTS/GUARDIANS:
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS are required by Massachusetts Law, (M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 57). During the high school years, a physical is required for Grade 10 students. For the class of 2018, a physical performed between March 1, 2015 and June 1, 2016 is acceptable. If your student has had a recent physical exam, please send a copy to the HHS Nurse or please schedule a physical exam appointment for your child. All Grade 10 Physical Exams are due in the school nurse’s office by June 1, 2016.

HHS Placed on AP District Honor Roll

Holliston High School Placed on the College Board’s 6th Annual AP® District Honor Roll for Significant Gains in Student Access and Success

425 School Districts Across the U.S. and Canada Are Honored

Holliston High School is one of only 425 school districts in the United States and Canada being honored by the College Board with placement on the 6th Annual AP® District Honor Roll for increasing access to Advanced Placement (AP) course work while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams. AP courses are the most academically rigorous courses offered in US high schools and students who achieve a score of 3 or higher on the nationally-developed AP exam are eligible to receive college credit for the course.

Inclusion on the 6th Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on the examination of three years of AP data, from 2013 to 2015, looking across 34 AP Exams, including world language and culture. In order to receive this prestigious honor, a high school must:

• Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent in medium districts, and at least 11 percent in small districts; 
• While at the same time either: 
• Increasing the percentage of students who passed the AP exam (received a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP exam); or 
• Maintaining a pass-rate greater than 70% 

“We blew those numbers of out the water,” said Superintendent of Schools Bradford L. Jackson. “Between 2013 and 2015, Holliston High School increased our participation rate by 43% while our passing rate has stayed above 80%, far above the state and national average.”

According to Holliston High School Principal, Nicole Bottomley, “Increasing access to our most rigorous courses has been a goal of Holliston High School over the past several years. The faculty worked very hard to make adjustments to our course offerings and to encourage students who might be reluctant to challenge themselves. At the same time, our teachers maintained the high academic standards required of students who take Advanced Placement courses which resulted in HHS maintaining such a high passing rate.”

“That the committed teachers and administrators in this district have both expanded AP access and also helped their students achieve high levels of performance on AP Exams shows they’re delivering opportunity in their schools and classrooms, and it is a real testament to their belief that a more diverse population of young people is ready for the challenge of college,” said Trevor Packer, the College Board’s senior vice president of AP and Instruction. “Congratulations to these teachers and administrators, and to their hard-working students.”

Panther Spirit Wear Holiday Sales

HHS sweatshirts, hats, bags, and other items make great holiday gifts!

HABA is offering special opportunities for students and parents to purchase Panther Spirit Wear for the holiday season.

New Items:

• Fleece/Nylon Double-Sided Sports Blanket
• Long Sleeve Tee with Panther Chest Logo

Where can I buy merchandise?

• HHS Girls Basketball Game 12/11, 6-8p
• HHS Winter Track Meet 12/12, 9-11a
• HHS Boys Basketball Game 12/15, 6-8p
• HHS School Lunches 12/17, 10:30a-12:45p
• Online at http://hhs.holliston.k12.ma.us/haba-spiritwear-store

Cash, checks and credit cards accepted    

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