Dear Parents/Guardians:

The beginning of the 2026-2027 school year is quickly approaching, and as the primary contact parent for your son or daughter, we are communicating some beginning of school information with you. Once again, this year, the High School is excited about the opportunity to partner with you and your son/daughter in obtaining student goals and meeting expectations and requirements. Please take a few moments to review the information below.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:

The first day of school for students will occur on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. High School students arriving at school before 7:45 AM must report to the HS/MS Cafeteria. On the first day of school, students will report to homeroom for the first 35 minutes of Block 1. Homeroom teachers will distribute/collect forms, distribute locks and locker information. Please be sure that all forms have been completed and submitted electronically by Monday, August 24th .

IMPORTANT DATES AND REMINDERS

 9 th Grade Orientation is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18 th @ 5:00 pm for 9 th grade students and their parents.

 10 th -12 th Grade (Meet-the-Teacher) is scheduled for Tuesday August 18 th beginning at 5:00 pm and ending at 6:30 pm for students in grades 10-12 and their parents.

 Seniors are required to stay for IL (10:49 am - 11:29 am) on Monday, August 24th and Tuesday, August 25th.

 Homecoming will be Thursday, October 15, 2026, and will occur between the boys soccer game vs. Shalom and the girls soccer game vs. William Penn.

 The HS Homecoming Dance will be on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Student Council will be communicating more information on this event.

 If your child is late, missed a day of school or is leaving early for an appointment please provide an absence excusal note and email that absence excuse to attendance@fairfield.k12.pa.us

 Student parking forms are available, and the forms were sent to applicable HS students in late July via Parent and Student Square. The cost is $10 for a parking space.

BUILDING ENTRANCES:

All High School students will need to enter the building utilizing the main MS/HS Entrance at the rear of the building or the HS Gym Lobby Entrance. Please remember that students are no longer be able to gain entrance into the school building at the student parking lot entrance which is the side entrance near the greenhouse. This change was enacted a few years ago as a safety measure for all students and staff. Please plan ahead so students arrive in timely manner for their Block 1 class that begins at 7:55 am each morning. Seniors who have a schedule that allows them to arrive late or

leave early must sign in at the MS/HS upon arrival and scan out using a QR Code when leaving early. QR Codes are conveniently placed around the HS for easy student access.

STUDENT LUNCH ACCOUNT:

Please monitor your student’s account on a regular basis. The price of a high school student lunch is $3.25, student breakfast is free and the price of an additional or single purchase of milk is 75 cents. Free or Reduced Price School Meals Applications are available online using the Compass website. There is a link to the Compass website on the District website under Food Service.

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION:

To help better ensure the health and safety of your child please log into your SKYWARD account and update the emergency contact information and health information prior to the first day of school. This information helps to ensure that the FASD High School can contact the appropriate people in the case of an emergency.

STUDENT HANDBOOK:

Please take time to review the Fairfield High School Student Handbook with your child before the start of the school year. The handbook is posted on our school website. An electronic signature and acknowledgment checkbox are required to confirm you have reviewed the handbook with your student and that confirmation is located in Skyward when you

complete the Student Information Update Form.SKYWARD: It is imperative that parents/guardians complete the 2026-2027 Student Information Update Form on Skyward. This form is now live on the platform. You will not be able to view your student’s profile (including scheduling and grading)

until this form is submitted. In addition, you will be asked to update the media permissions for your child.

ONLINE GRADEBOOK:

The ability to monitor your student’s academic success and progress in his/her present classes may be securely viewed through the web access. The Fairfield Area School District provides this access through the electronic grade book SKYWARD. If you do not have access to SKYWARD, please email the high school secretary millerb@fairfield.k12.pa.us . A link will be sent to your email for you to access your account. Note: If you have previously registered last year, registration is not required again this year.

NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS:

The High School student handbook was sent to HS Parents and Students via Parent Square. You and your student will be able to access the handbook when the HS Student Handbook is updated on the website in August. If you do not have internet access to view the Student Handbook, please contact the HS Office to receive a hard copy of the student handbook.

The student handbook includes information on the Individuals with Disabilities Act, the Pennsylvania Special Education Regulations and Standards, Notification of Rights under PPRA, and the Right to Request Teacher Qualifications, and the Notification of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Additionally, these notices can be found on the High School Web Site under the Notifications Tab.

Please remember that the High School is only a phone call or email away. Please do not hesitate to call (717-642-2004) or email if you have questions and concerns, and we will work to answer them as efficiently as possible.

Thank you for your continued support of the Fairfield Area High School! GO KNIGHTS!!!

Keep Moving Forward,

Brian W. McDowell

FASD HS Principal

High School Students. Make sure you have logged in to Student Square and completed the start up paperwork. This year all the information is in one place and requires one signature. Parents will be signing their paperwork through Skyward. If this is not completed you will be completing it the first day of school.

https://www.parentsquare.com/schools/42785/signable_form_templates/91911

Seniors you have a senior privilege form that must be signed by a parent if you plan on leaving early. All forms are due by 9/2/26

High School Counseling Office – Welcome Back!

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a fantastic summer and is ready for another great school year. The Counseling Office is excited to welcome you back, and we look forward to supporting you throughout the year. Please review the important information below to help you get off to a successful start.

Student Square

All students should already have Student Square and should check it regularly. This is the primary way the Counseling Office will communicate with students throughout the school year. Information about activities, scholarships, job opportunities, scheduling, important deadlines, and other announcements will all be posted there. You are accountable for checking Student Square regularly.

Thank you to everyone who already uses the app regularly! If you have friends who have not downloaded Student Square yet, please encourage them to do so and begin checking it frequently.

Students with 504 Plans

All high school 504 Plans are renewed each September to ensure accommodations are current for the new school year.

Parents will receive an email to schedule a meeting at 7:30 a.m. on a date of their choosing in September. Students are expected to attend as well. Meetings may be held in person, by phone, or through Google Meet (whichever is most convenient for the family) but participation in a meeting is required. Meetings will include the current semester teachers, parent, student, and school counselor. If no changes are being made, the meetings can be quite short.

Prior to meeting, I will send the current 504 Plan to parents, students, and teachers so we can use our meeting time efficiently to review, update, or continue the existing accommodations. After the meeting, paperwork will be sent home that must be signed and returned to complete the renewal process.

Seniors

Senior meetings will begin in September. I will be sending out a link to sign up in the next week or two. During your individual meeting, we will:

• Discuss your plans after high school.
• For those who are college bound we will review information for FAFSA, scholarships, internships, letters of recommendation, and college or career planning.
• For those on other pathways, we will make sure you also have everything you need for your individual plan.
• Ensure your schedule meets all graduation requirements.
• Review Keystone Exams, Act 158 requirements, and develop a plan if additional requirements still need to be completed.

Please remember:

• You may not have gaps in your schedule.
• Students are not permitted to leave campus and return during the school day (for example, leaving for lunch or making a quick trip to a store).
• If you have approved Senior Leave, you must return your signed parent permission form. Without the completed form, your schedule will be filled with classes.
• Students with Senior Leave are expected to arrive when their scheduled classes begin and leave once their school responsibilities are complete, unless they have made arrangements with a teacher for academic purposes.
• Senior Leave is intended for work, college courses, internships, or managing a rigorous academic schedule. It is not intended as free time to remain in the building to socialize.

Schedule Changes

Students have through the first 3 days of school to change their schedules for the SEMESTER (Q1 and Q2). Students who wish to make changes to their schedules up through the first three days of school should utilize the Google Schedule Change Request form posted in StudentSquare. I will then message you in StudentSquare to confirm your change, or provide you with next steps. Please attend your classes as listed on your schedule until I message with you regarding the changes. All schedule changes for the first semester will be due on Friday August 21st at 3pm.

Student Parking

Students are required to park only in their assigned parking space. Please help us keep the parking lot organized by parking in the correct location each day.

Snacks

We have seen an increase over the last year or two in students asking multiple teachers and staff members for snacks throughout the day. If you would like a snack during the school day, please plan ahead and bring one with you.

If you or your family are experiencing difficulty affording or accessing food, please reach out to Ms. Brenda or Ms. Mathews. We are here to help connect you with available resources.

Students, stay informed! Regularly check the School Student Square for your graduation year to stay up to date on important updates and reminders .

Students make sure your chromebook is charged! You will be using them the first day of school to sign paperwork!

Submit Records: Copies of your child’s records can be emailed to 📧 ebaughk@fairfield.k12.pa.us or dropped off at the main office .