Good afternoon!
In preparation for our home football game, we would like to remind parents about our guidelines that were implemented last year to provide a safe environment for all to enjoy the football games and other sporting events. Please make sure you are familiar with these procedures, as they will be reinforced starting with the home game on Friday night, August 30th at 7:00 p.m., against Washington Wilkes. Tickets for OCHS football games can be purchased with cash at the gate or online at www.https://gofan.co/app/school/GA5213.
o No passes out. Reentering the stadium requires purchasing another ticket.
o The Oglethorpe County School System is a Drug-Free Zone.
o No alcohol or tobacco products are allowed.
o Smoking and vaping are prohibited.
o Parental supervision is required for non-high school students. These students must enter with a supervising adult.
o All students must remain in the bleachers unless visiting the concession area or restrooms.
o OCHS students will not be allowed on the visitor side.
o Outside footballs and other toys will not be allowed.
o Book bags will not be allowed.
o No dogs except for service dogs.
o Walkways must remain clear.
o Horseplaying will not be allowed in the stadium.
o No one should be standing in front of the press box.
o Please keep handicap areas clear for those who need them.
o Failure to comply to these guidelines will result in removal from the stadium with no refund.
o Security and game administrators will monitor the premises.
We thank you in advance for helping us make the football games and all sporting events an enjoyable experience for all.
Please remember that all campuses are smoke-free/vape-free environments. We have young lungs present and want everyone to feel comfortable in the car rider line, at events, or on all campuses. Thank you in advance for helping us with this requirement.
We are seeing a MAJOR increase in students being in possession of vapes and using vapes, with many of these being THC vapes. Please discuss with your child the dangers of vaping, and in particular, the dangers of using a vape given to them, as they have no idea of what the contents are in the vapes.
o According to vaping statistics, 1 in 20 Americans vape and youth e-cigarette use has increased by 1,800%.
o It is estimated that more than 2.5 million high and middle school students use vaping products. E-cigarette use is considered to be at an epidemic among adolescents.
o Research shows that 1 in 5 non-smoker high school students have used vape pens.
o According to the CDC, e-cigarettes contain nicotine which can harm an adolescent’s brain development and lead to lung damage.
• A new law has gone into effect requiring schools to provide diabetes information to parents and guardians. HB1183 requires schools to provide diabetes information to parents/guardians of students in grades 6-12. The information is posted on the website and we have included a link here, too: https://tinyurl.com/39zu3pud (English) and https://tinyurl.com/3dnryfsx (Spanish).
Finally, at our strategic planning meeting in June, parents indicated they would like a list of who to call for information in our district. For example, who to call or email for help with PowerSchool, attendance, school lunches. Please send me your ideas as to what you want us to include in this list. We want this to be useful for you!
Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend!
Sincerely,
Beverley Levine
Superintendent, Oglethorpe County School System