Good afternoon, this is Steve Mares, Principal of Athens Drive Magnet High School, with a message for Friday, November 4^th. A copy of this message will be posted on our school website (www.wcpss.net/athensdrivehs), emailed to our students, and emailed and texted to our school families.

 

NEW/UPDATED/UPCOMING ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

GOOD STUFF! What a great week at The Drive! Our Band brought home more hardware from their last  competition, including First Place in their Division and the runner-up Grand Champion award; our Men’s Soccer Team won in the First Round of the State Playoffs and represented us well in the Second Round of the State Playoffs; our Fall Play was held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and was fantastic; we had our Marching Band Showcase and were able to honor our amazingly talented Marching Band students; we had our PowderPuff games and while the Seniors took the Championship, the real winner was the Wake County SPCA who we were able to donate $1,600.00 that was raised during this event; we had a Chorus student participate in the North Carolina High School Honors Chorus this past weekend in Winston Salem, meaning she was one of the top 179 high school singers in the state selected via audition to sing in this prestigious Chorus; we had two individual Men’s Cross Country runners who finished in First and Second Place at the Regional Cross Country Meet and our Men’s Cross Country team qualified for the State Championships that will be run tomorrow; we had one Women’s Cross Country runner who qualified as an individual for the State Championships tomorrow; Seniors again ordered their Class Rings, Caps and Gowns, and other Senior items as we move closer to Graduation; we held tryouts for our Winter Sports; we had students raise donations to support a variety of organizations; we had our first class for students who are training to be certified Drone Pilots; we welcomed and provided information about The Drive to hundreds of families who are interested in attending Athens Drive next year at the WCPSS Magnet Fair; and we wrapped up the First Quarter of teaching and learning in a positive manner to name just a few of the amazing things going on! There is always something great going on at The Drive every day! We have a lot to be proud of at The Drive, and I want to thank all of you for all your support in allowing us to serve your (our!) students!

 

END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: Please know that the last day of the First Quarter was yesterday, Thursday, November 3^rd. Please remember that a student’s First Quarter Grade counts for 40% of a student’s Final Grade for the course.

 

NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS ON ELECTION DAY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8^TH: Please know that there is no school for students on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8^th. It is a Workday, but students do not come to school on Tuesday, November 8^th.

 

EARLY RELEASE DAY ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10^TH: Please remember that Thursday, November 10^th is an Early Release Day for students. We will operate on our Early Release Bell Schedule and students will be released at 12:18 p.m.

 

VETERAN’S DAY—NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11^TH: Please remember that Friday, November 11^th, is Veterans Day. Our students will not have school on Friday, November 11^th, in honor of this Holiday. I would ask that we all take time on Friday to reflect on the incredible sacrifices that our Veterans, both active and retired, have made serving our country. For our parents and families who are Veterans, I thank you very much and honor you for your service!

 

FIRST QUARTER REPORT CARDS WILL GO HOME ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14^TH: Please know that First Quarter Report Cards will be given to students in Drive Time on Monday, November 14^th.

 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9^TH—PRE-ACT ADMINISTRATION FOR SOPHOMORES: The PreACT will be given to all 10^th Grade students (except those following extended content standards) on Wednesday, November 9^th. The PreACT is a practice test that predicts how a student will perform on the ACT. Students will need to bring two #2 pencils and an ACT approved calculator. Calculators are not required but are allowed. Here is a link to the ACT calculator policy: ACT Calculator Policy. Please let our Testing Coordinator, Ms. Seese (vseese@wcpss.net), know if you have any questions.

 

WINTER SPORTS NIGHT: Winter Sports Night is going to be on Wednesday, November 9^th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Upper Gym for the parents and student athletes that are participating in a Winter Sport this year. We will start the night with two of our students signing their National Letters of Intent to continue their athletic careers in College. Following the signing ceremony there will be a general information session and then team breakout sessions. Thank you for attending this in-person meeting to get information and learn expectations for the upcoming season.

 

BAND’S FALL CONCERT: Our Band’s Fall Concert will be held next Wednesday, November 9^th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free, and this will be a wonderful night of incredible music!

 

WINTER PERCUSSION AND WINTER GUARD ENSEMBLES: Any student interested in performing in our Winter Percussion or Winter Guard ensembles should visit our Band’s website (athensdriveband.com) or see Dr. Markoch within the next 2 weeks. Rehearsals for these two programs are beginning soon!

 

SPRING MUSICAL AUDITION WORKSHOP: Any student who is interested in auditioning for our Spring Musical, Seussical, the Musical, can participate in an Audition Workshop after school on Wednesday, November 9^th from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. in the Chorus Room. During this meeting, Ms. Hayes and Ms. Santa Croce will review audition requirements, music cuts, and other important information. Applications for the Technical Crew will be available on Monday, November 14^th. All students are welcome to participate, regardless of previous theatrical experience!

 

MAGNET THEME SHOWCASE OPEN HOUSE ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17^TH FROM 5:30 P.M. UNTIL 7:00 P.M.: I look forward to opening our school on Thursday night, November 17^th, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., for our Magnet Theme Showcase Open House to share information with prospective families. For additional information on this event and our Magnet Tours, please visit the Information Page on our Athens Drive Magnet High School website to find out what we are all about. Once again, I would like to thank our families, students, and staff who will be sharing information with students and families who are interested in attending Athens Drive during our Magnet recruiting events. Thank you for letting interested families know about this great opportunity to visit our school! Please know that it continues to be an honor and pleasure to serve such an incredible school family!

 

PRINCETON REVIEW PRACTICE TESTS: The Princeton Review and our Wake County Public Library are partnering this school year to bring students and parents valuable practice tests and information sessions! We are combining two of our most popular information sessions; High School Academics and College Admissions and Crafting Your College Application Essays. This opportunity will be held virtually on Wednesday, November 9^th, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Please read our Event Flyer more information!

 

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION MONITORING ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (BIMAS-2): In our continuing efforts to support the well-being of all our students, Athens Drive will be administering a universal screener of social, emotional, and behavioral health beginning in February, 2023. WCPSS is using the BIMAS-2 research-based screening tool. Last school year, we piloted the screener with our Ninth-Grade students. This school year, we are expanding our roll out to include all students. We believe this will help all our students succeed in and out of the classroom by identifying students who may benefit from additional social and emotional supports and interventions, much like some students benefit from additional academic supports and interventions. You and your student are not required to take any action. Your student's Second Period teacher will complete a questionnaire about your student's actions and emotions displayed in class during a one-week time span. The screening window will occur in the Second Semester, sometime during or after February, 2023. All students are automatically opted into the screening. However, parents reserve the right to opt their students out of being screened or being included in the data we collect. Opt-Out letters were sent home with students on Tuesday, November 1^st, and only need to be returned if you do not wish for your student to be screened. If you would like more information about the universal screener, please visit our website at www.wcpss.net/universalscreener. Please feel free to reach out to our Student Services team, as well, if you have any additional questions or concerns.

 

POINSETTIA SALE BENEFITING OUR MEN’S LACROSSE TEAM: Our Men’s Lacrosse is sponsoring a Poinsettia Sale that supports our team. The Lacrosse team is selling Red or White 6-inch Poinsettias. These are perfect gifts for the Holiday season. The price is $11.00 for each poinsettia, and they can be purchased by check (made payable to “JAG Club”), cash, or online payment. There is a special price of $10.00 for each plant if you purchase five or more. The poinsettias will be able to be picked up at the front of Jaguar Stadium on Saturday, December 3^rd, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Orders will be taken through Wednesday, November 23^rd. If you are interested in purchasing a poinsettia, please contact an Athens Drive Men’s Lacrosse Player or email athenslacrossefundraising@gmail.com. Thank you for your support of our program!

 

YEARBOOK SENIOR RECOGNITION ADS: Senior Recognition Ads to be printed in our Yearbook are available for purchase until Monday, November 14^th. Please know that all information regarding Senior Ad requirements can be found on the Yearbook website at athensdriveyearbook.weebly.com. Please know that Yearbook Senior Ad purchases include the purchase of a Yearbook, so families should not purchase a Yearbook as a separate line item. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Luna, our Yearbook Advisor, at eluna@wcpss.net.

 

SENIORS—CAP AND GOWN ORDERS: Families of Seniors, please know that Cap and Gown Ordering information was distributed during Drive Time class last week and Jostens was here this week to meet with students and take orders. Please be sure to review this information that your Senior has been provided. Please know that it is the responsibility of every Graduating Senior to get their own Cap and Gown. A Senior can use a sibling/friend’s Cap and Gown if they wish (it must be the Royal Blue color—our official gown) and then they can order a 2023 tassel online. The cost of the Cap and Gown is $35.00 (plus tax, shipping, and handling) and can be paid online through the Jostens website (www.jostens.com). If you aren’t prepared to order at this time, please know that you can order online at any time. However, PLEASE order before Winter Break (Wednesday, December 21^st) to get the group pricing discount. If you have any questions, please contact our Senior Class Advisor, Mr. Remaley (cremaley@wcpss.net).  You can also click HERE to access more information on ordering your Cap and Gown.

 

CLOSING THOUGHTS AND TAKE CARE: I have been fired up over the course of the last week with all the good stuff happening at The Drive! I thoroughly enjoy seeing our incredible students follow their passions and thrive in their excellence! I continue to be fired up to continue to highlight the incredible teaching and learning that happens every day at The Drive! I hope you all make it a very enjoyable weekend! Please continue to check the Athens Drive website (www.wcpss.net/athensdrivehs) for general information and to help you stay informed. As always, please continue to be safe, and take care of yourselves, your loved ones, and each other. GO JAGS!

 

 

REMINDER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKLY MESSAGES:

 

ACCESSING TEACHER/COURSE INFORMATION: To best support the academic success of our students, every teacher has created a Learning Management System in Canvas. Students and families can access these resources by finding their teacher on our Faculty Directory on the Athens Drive Magnet High School website. Students who are out of school due to absences must utilize this resource to stay up-to-date with class assignments and resources.

 

LUNCH TIME TUTORING: To support the academic needs of our students, we have students and teachers available to tutor students in all subject areas during Lunch. Every Tuesday and Thursday, during both “A” and “B” Lunches, students can receive help in subjects where they may be struggling. “A” Lunch tutoring happens in Room 2616 and “B” Lunch tutoring happens in Room 2714. This is a great opportunity for our students to receive help during the school day to support their learning.

 

GRADUATION DATE FINALIZED FOR THE CLASS OF 2023!! I am happy to announce that our Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2023 will be held on Saturday, June 10^th, 2022, beginning at 12:00 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center! I look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of this incredible Class at our Commencement Exercises! Seniors, and their families, please also know that we will be holding a MANDATORY Graduation Rehearsal at Athens Drive on Thursday, May 25^th, beginning at 7:25 a.m. in the Main Gym.

 

IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN THE SENIOR REMIND GROUP: As we discussed in our Senior Class meeting this week, we need our Seniors (and their families) to stay connected to EVERYTHING Senior related. We do not want our Seniors or Senior families to miss anything related to their Senior Year. To make this happen, we need all Seniors and their families to join the Senior Remind message group today! If you are using the Remind App, then enter the class code: @theremaley. If you are not using the App and prefer a text message, then text the message: @theremaley to the number: 81010. Mr. Remaley, the Senior Class Advisor, will use this source to get important Senior information to our Seniors and their Senior families daily at 2:30 p.m. The reply option on Remind is NOT turned on so if you have questions, please email Mr. Remaley (cremaley@wcpss.net). Please be sure to sign up TODAY and do not miss a thing from Senior Year!

 

SENIOR EXAM EXEMPTION: For the 2022 – 2023 school year, once again, Seniors can be exempt from Non-State Mandated Final Exams and Field Tests based on the following criteria: Students who have a Final Course Grade of “C” or higher are eligible to be exempt from Final Exams. Absences will not be considered in determining Senior Exemption status for the 2022 – 2023 school year. 

 

SENIORGRAM IS NOW AVAILABLE: Please know that we have posted our SeniorGram with important dates and information for Seniors and their families. Thank you for marking these important dates down so that our Seniors have a fantastic finish to their High School career!

 

SENIORS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE MENINGOCOCCAL BOOSTER VACCINATION: North Carolina law requires all rising 12^th Grade students to receive a Meningococcal Vaccine Booster before starting 12^th Grade. Please know that the vaccination must be done before the 2022 – 2023 school year begins. Families will need to provide a copy of their student’s immunization record showing proof that the Meningococcal Vaccine has been completed prior to the first day of school. This is a 2-dose immunization; the 1^st dose was required in the 7^th Grade in the WCPSS. Please click here for more information. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Carrillo, our Data Manager, at acarrillo@wcpss.net, contact our Student Services Department at 919-233-4050, or fax your immunization updates to 919-670-4457. Thank you for taking care of this required vaccine!

 

SCHOLARSHIP BULLETIN: Seniors should already be signed up for Mr. Grabiec’s Scholarship Remind message, as we covered this in our Class Meeting and during Drive Time. In addition, please see our Scholarship Bulletin for additional Scholarships available for students.

 

SENIOR RECOGNITION ADS IN YEARBOOK: Senior Recognition Ads are available to purchase. Please celebrate your Seniors and reserve a space in the Yearbook for a personal message and photos to recognize your student’s achievements. All purchase information is available on the Yearbook website. Please note that your Senior Recognition Ad purchase INCLUDES a Yearbook, so there is no need to purchase a Yearbook as well. Senior Recognition Ad spaces will be available for purchase until Monday, November 14^th. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Luna, our Yearbook Advisor, at eluna@wcpss.net.

 

DOING SOMETHING FANTASTIC TO BE FEATURED IN THE YEARBOOK? Our Yearbook staff is always looking for events and students to feature and write about. From starting their own business, excelling in a sport off-campus, volunteerism, and being driven in their passions, out students are amazing! If you think your student would like to be in the Yearbook for something they have done or for something in which they are exceptional, please let our Yearbook staff know. Contact forms around being featured are linked on the Yearbook website.

 

PURCHASE A YEARBOOK: The Yearbook summer sale continues through Friday, August 26^th. The Yearbook will be available to purchase for $65.00 during the current sale time. After Friday, August 26^th, the Yearbook price will return to its normal Fall price of $75.00 until late September. Yearbooks can be purchased from the Yearbook website https://athensdriveyearbook.weebly.com/ throughout the school year. Last year, our Yearbooks sold out before delivery, so please purchase early to ensure you have a copy. If you have questions, contact Ms. Luna, our Yearbook Advisor, at eluna@wcpss.net.

 

PLEASE USE OUR CARPOOL LANE INSTEAD OF OUR JUNIOR AND SENIOR PARKING LOTS: I would ask that all families who are carpooling our students please use the Carpool Lane we have established in the entrance to our campus from Avent Ferry Road. We are finding that there are many families who are using our Junior and Senior Parking Lots in the back of school off Jaguar Park Drive to pick-up their students and that is causing considerable congestion for our Juniors and Seniors who are trying to leave campus. Thank you for being considerate of our Juniors and Seniors and not creating additional traffic and congestion in our Junior and Senior Parking Lots.

 

STUDENTS LEAVING CAMPUS FOR LUNCH: As we are discussing in our Class Meetings, Juniors and Seniors who have an approved Off-Campus Lunch Pass are the only students who may leave campus for Lunch. A Junior or Senior student cannot leave campus during lunch without having an authorized Off-Campus Lunch Pass. Freshmen and Sophomores are NEVER allowed to leave campus during the school day, unless on an approved school trip. If a Junior or Senior would like to purchase a Lunch Pass (the cost is $10.00 for the year), please visit the Off-Campus Lunch Pass Google Form we have created located on the Athens Drive Magnet High School website to complete the Application. Thank you for your support in ensuring our students do the right thing and stay on campus during Lunch.

 

STUDENTS MUST HAVE A VALID PARKING PASS TO PARK ON CAMPUS: I would like to ask all students and parents to help us ensure that only those students who have a valid Parking Pass park on campus. Please understand that any student who parks on campus must have a Parking Pass and park only in their assigned area. It is important for us to know who is parking on campus and have parent permission for students to drive and park on campus. We will begin to ticket students who are parking on campus without having a valid Parking Pass to park on campus. Please also understand that Athens does not retain any of the money collected for the Parking Passes—the money collected for Parking Passes goes directly to Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) and pays for our Security Officer on Campus who patrols the outside of the school. If a student wants to purchase a Parking Pass, they can still purchase one. Students interested in securing a Parking pass for the 2021 – 2022 school year should carefully read and follow the guidelines on the application. To complete the Parking Pass Application process, please complete the On-Line Parking Registration.

 

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL ON CAMPUS: Please know that we have several different areas on campus to support the safe arrival and dismissal of our students. You can visit our Transportation Information section on our website to get additional information and maps on where to drop-off and pick-up our students. Please know the following information:

 

• Special Transportation Arrival and Dismissal: The entrance to our campus off Athens Drive is only for students who require Special Transportation to get to school each day. Families who have students who have special needs may use this entrance as well. This entrance is NOT to be used for our general carpool students.

 

• Carpool Arrival: Please remember that ALL carpool arrival is handled through our Carpool Loop in the Carpool Parking Lot through the entrance from Avent Ferry Road. If you are planning on leaving to turn Right on Avent Ferry, please enter the Parking Lot from Avent Ferry Road and be in the Left Hand Lane to drive all the way up the Carpool Parking Lot and around the semi-circle at the top of the Parking Lot. Please pull all the way up to the end of the semi-circle and stop and drop your student off. If you are planning on leaving to turn onto Athens Drive, please enter the Parking Lot from Avent Ferry Road and be in the Right Hand Lane to drop your student off and then turn right to drive to the Exit to Athens Drive. Please be sure that your student is ready to exit the car as you come to a stop to expedite the carpool process. Students can begin exiting their vehicles at 6:45 a.m. to enter our school. Please remember that students should be dropped off in the morning with enough time for them to be in class, ready for learning at 7:25 a.m. Please also remember to not drop your student off at any other location around campus or along either Avent Ferry Road or Athens Drive. Thank you for helping us ensure the safety and well-being of our students.

 

• Carpool Dismissal: In the afternoon, we will also use our Carpool Loop in the Carpool Parking Lot that is accessible through the entrance from Avent Ferry Road. I would ask that when you arrive you drive all the way around the Parking Lot and pull up almost to the Exit of the Parking Lot. Cars will line-up in two single file lines, staying to the right and left of the middle of the Parking Lot so that cars can pass in between to Exit. As soon as cars begin to back up through the semi-circle, we will begin two lines to help us keep cars off Avent Ferry Road and traffic flowing. As students are picked up, we will move the cars forward to keep the Carpool line moving. Once your student has been seated in your car, you can move to the left lane and careful drive to the exit of the Carpool Parking Lot. Please be safe and aware of your surroundings as you drive through Carpool to ensure the safety of our students and each other!

 

• Bus Transportation: If your student will be riding the bus to school, students and families that have transportation eligible bus riders can find our new Bus Routes for the 2022 – 2023 school year posted on the Bus Routes page of our website. Please find the intersection nearest your residence and that will be your bus stop. Please be familiar with your bus route and plan to get to your bus stop at least 20 minutes early. Wake County Public School System will also share your student’s transportation route, stop, and estimated bus arrival time on-line in PowerSchool. In addition, please understand that due to a shortage of Bus Drivers, we will have several “double back” routes; meaning that one bus will run two routes each morning and afternoon to pick-up and drop-off our students. Thank you for your support.

 

NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND COUNSELORS: It is my pleasure to introduce new Counselors and an Assistant Principal who have joined our school family! Here are the names and break-down of the Alphabet for our Administrators and Counselors for this year:

 

Student Last Name:	Administrator	Counselor
A – Cl	Mr. Clinkscales	Ms. Crutcher
Co – Ha	Mr. Coats	Ms. Huber
He – Mc	Mr. Katz	Ms. Dickson
Me – Sam	Ms. Harris	Mr. Grabiec
San – Z	Ms. Wiggins	Ms. Hegarty

 

PLACES FOR STUDENTS TO EAT LUNCH ON CAMPUS: Please know that ONLY Juniors and Seniors with an approved Lunch Pass are allowed to leave campus for Lunch. Sophomores and Freshmen are NEVER allowed to leave campus during the school day, unless on an approved school trip. Student who remain on campus to eat Lunch have multiple options for where to sit during Lunch. Students can eat in the Cafeteria, the Gym/Auditorium Lobby, the Courtyard, the cement area outside of the Gym/Auditorium Lobby, use the Basketball Courts behind the Lower Gym, and hang out in the open area outside of the Lower Gym. It is my expectation that students exhibit positive behavior as they eat Lunch or hangout in these areas.

 

JUINIORS AND SENIORS LEAVING CAMPUS FOR LUNCH: Juniors and Seniors who have an approved Off-Campus Lunch Pass are the only students who may leave campus for lunch. A Junior or Senior student cannot leave campus during Lunch without having an authorized Off-Campus Lunch Pass. Freshmen and Sophomores are NEVER allowed to leave campus during the school day, unless on an approved school trip. If a Junior or Senior would like to purchase a Lunch Pass (the cost is $10.00 for the year), please visit the Off-Campus Lunch Pass Information on our website. Finally, please remember that students must have cleared all fees or fines they have, as an Off-Campus Lunch pass will not be issued if the student has any outstanding fees or fines owed.

 

WHAT LUNCH DO I HAVE? “A” LUNCH OR “B” LUNCH? A student can determine if they have “A” Lunch or “B” Lunch depending on what course they have Third Period. If a student has an Arts, English, Math, Occupational Course of Study, Social Studies, or Special Education class, then the student will have “A” Lunch. That means the student will go to First Period, then Second Period, then Lunch, then Third Period, and then Fourth Period. If a student has a CTE, English as a Second Language, GradPoint, Physical Education/Healthful Living, Science, or World Languages class, then the student will have “B” Lunch. That means the student will go to First Period, then Second Period, then Third Period, then Lunch, and then Fourth Period.

 

ATTENDANCE INFORMATION: We are continuing to implement new procedures for Student Check-In and Check-Out and are working to go as paperless as possible with regards to our Attendance procedures. I would ask that school families please use our Attendance-Specific email address (athenshs-attendance@wcpss.net) to send any communication regarding Attendance. Any emails from parents/guardians, doctor’s offices, etc. need to be sent to that email address. In addition, when a parent/guardian comes to school to check-out or check-in a student, the parent/guardian will be using a QR Code that we have posted on the Front Door of the school to complete our process. As soon as the parent/guardian is done entering the information in the Google Doc, we will contact the student’s teacher and the student will come to the Front Doors of the school for Check-Out. Please remember that for safety reasons, there are no student Check-Outs allowed after 1:45 p.m. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we implement these new procedures!

 

PUBLIC LIBRARY WILL OPEN AT 4:00 P.M. EVERY AFTERNOON: Please know that the Wake County Public Library in our school will change its operational hours and will not open until 4:00 p.m. each afternoon. Students will not be able to remain on campus to wait for the Public Library to open. Thank you for your understanding for the safety of our students and staff with regards to these Public Library operational hours.

 

CHANGE MADE TO OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOL CALENDAR: In case you missed the news this week, the WCPSS Board of Education approved a “Calendar Out” day for all Calendars (except the Year-Round Calendar) on Tuesday, November 8^th, Election Day. This means there will be no school for students on Tuesday, November 8^th. Families can find the WCPSS Traditional Calendar for the year.

 

BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR: As we begin a new school year, I would like to remind all our students and families to be respectful of our Athens Drive neighbors. Please remind your students to park legally, drive in a safe manner, throw trash away properly in trash cans, and use appropriate language as they walk, drive, and move around our school campus. We want to be responsible and respectful neighbors, and I ask that we all represent The Drive in only the highest manner. Thanks for helping to carry on over 40-year tradition of excellence both inside and outside of the classroom!

 

DRESS CODE: Parents, I would like to enlist your support in helping us maintain appropriate dress at school. Wake County Public School System has a Dress Code Policy. Please be sure that students do not wear clothing that violates the dress code. Hats, hoodies, do-rags, and bandanas will also not be allowed to be worn on school grounds. Thank you for support in ensuring our students dress appropriately for teaching and learning every day!

 

VOLUNTEERING AT ATHENS DRIVE: Now that school family members and visitors are allowed in the building without COVID-19 restrictions, please remember that if you would like to volunteer at Athens Drive, or in any Wake County Public School System school, you must register prior to helping with any tutoring, office support, PTSA, Athletics, Band, Chorus, Theatre, or Club activity this school year. You can register to Volunteer at a computer in the Library during school hours. Please come to the front doors, buzz in, and let our Receptionist know you are here to register as a Volunteer. Thank you for your service and thank you for helping us maintain a safe school climate conducive to learning.

 

APPLYING FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS FOR THE 2022 – 2023 SCHOOL YEAR: Please know that Breakfast and Lunch will now be free to all students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals for the 2022 – 2023 school year. Students must apply for free and reduced-price meals to obtain these benefits. Parents can complete a meal benefits application online at https://www.myschoolapps.com/. Paper applications also are available at all schools. More information can be found at WCPSS Free & Reduced Meals. Thank you for taking care of this important responsibility so that we can ensure that our eligible students can take advantage of this benefit.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS: Athens Drive Magnet High School has a variety of Social Media Accounts that students, staff, school families, and the community can follow to stay abreast of what is happening at The Drive. Here is an updated list: 

• Instagram: 
• School Instagram: @AthensHSMagnet 
• Student Services: @athensdrive_studentservices 
• The Torch (Yearbook): @athens_torch 
• The Oracle (Newspaper): @athensoracle 
• ATV (Morning News Program): @atvjagnews 
• Athens Athletics: @athensjags 

• Twitter: 
• School Twitter: @AthensHSMagnet 
• Student Services: @ADHSStudentSvcs 
• PTSA: @AthensDrivePTSA 
• The Torch (Yearbook): @athenstorch 
• The Oracle (Newspaper): @athensoracle 
• ATV (Morning News Program): @atvjagnews 
• Athens Athletics: @athensjags 
• Athens Drive Student Government: @ADHSExecBoard 
• STEM Academy: @AthensSTEM 
• Health Science Career Academy: @ADHS_HSA 
• Athens Career Corner: @ADHCareercorner

• Facebook: 
• School Facebook: Athens Drive Magnet High School 
• Athletics: https://www.facebook.com/Athens-Athletics-108865961678322

• Remind:
• Senior Class Messages from Mr. Remaley, Senior Class Advisor: text to 81010 @theremaley
• Senior Scholarship Bulletin Information: https://www.remind.com/classes/mgrabiec/people#:~:text=remind.com/join/mgrabiec

ATHLETIC SPORTS PASSES: Athens Drive Athletics Sports Passes are now on sale for the 2022 – 2023 Athletic year! All passes this year will be Digital, via the GoFAN platform. We offer four levels of sports passes; Student Pass, Individual Pass, Family Pass, and Go Jags Family Pass. If you purchase a Go Jags Family Pass, a customized Paw Print on the sidewalk outside Jag Stadium is included with your package. To get the Paw Print painted prior to the Fall Season, please make sure you purchase your Athletic Sport Pass by Sunday, July 31^st. If you have any questions regarding Athletic Sports Passes for the 2022 – 2023 Athletic year, please reach out to our Athletic Director, Coach Travis Seese (tseese@wcpss.net). We are looking forward to a great athletic year!

 

TICKETS:  Individual Game Tickets to all events this year are sold through the GoFan platform. Tickets for all events for the Fall season are posted on our GoFAN Platform Website and can be purchased anytime. In addition, we are accepting credit and debit cards at the gate this year. However, please understand that we will NOT be accepting cash at the gate, as all tickets must be purchased either through the GoFan Platform Website or with a credit/debit card at the gate.

 

SPORTSMANSHIP:  For our 2022 – 2023 athletic season, a major focus of our Athletic program is to promote positive, competitive sportsmanship. When attending any game home or away, please remember you are representing Athens Drive and it is important to be a positive role model for our student athletes and school family! You can find our Fan Code of Conduct for all our athletic facilities HERE.

 

GAME TIMES: Please know that game times and dates will change throughout the year due to weather, referee requests, and other factors.  Please make sure you are following us on Social Media to get up to date information regarding game changes and start times. You can find us on Twitter (@athensjags), Instagram (@athensjags), and Facebook.  The standard start times for our events this fall are:

 

• Varsity Football: 7:00 p.m.
• JV Football: 6:30 p.m.
• Varsity Soccer: 6:30 p.m.
• JV Soccer: 4:30 p.m.
• Volleyball: JVB- 4:00 p.m., JVA: 5:00 p.m., and Varsity: 6:00 p.m.
• Tennis: 3:30 p.m.
• Cross Country and Gymnastics: Vary by Event

 

ATHLETIC SPONSORSHIP: One of the ways we raise funds to support our Athletic Department at Athens Drive is by selling Sponsorships to local businesses. If you own a company or work at a company that would be interested in sponsoring Athens Drive Athletics, please contact Coach Travis Seese, our Athletic Director, at tseese@wcpss.net. Our Sponsorship Levels link provides information on Sponsorships. Thank you for your help in finding ways to continue to fund our Athletic Department programs!

 

JAGUAR PAW PRINTS: Jaguar Paw Prints are on sale again this year for the athlete recognition paws that lead up to Jaguar Stadium. If you purchase a Go Jags Family Pass, it is included with your Pass membership fee. However, if you would like to order a Paw Print separately, please fill out this Paw Print form and we will send more information to you on how to purchase the Paw Print for the 2022 – 2023 school year.

 

LIVE STREAMING OF EVENTS IN OUR GYMNASIUM AND JAGUAR STADIUM: We will be offering Live Streaming again this school year through the NFHS Network. You can purchase the Live Streaming package by visiting the WCPSS Live Streaming Website and clicking on Athens Drive.

 

JAG CLUB VOLUNTEERS: We are looking for volunteers for our Athletic Booster Club that provides support for our Athletic Teams at Athens Drive.  If you are interested in volunteering with the Jag Club, please contact our Athletic Director, Coach Seese at tseese@wcpss.net and/or Richelle Laskey at richellejagclub@gmail.com.

 

JAG CLUB FACEBOOK GROUPS: The JAG Club has created Facebook groups for each Class to provide parents/guardians with up-to-date information regarding what is going on regarding Athens Drive Athletics as well other information. If you would like to join one of the JAG Club’s Facebook groups, please click on the appropriate links: 

 

Seniors           

Page Monitor: Richelle Laskey richellejagclub@gmail.com

Senior Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Athens-Drive-Sophomore-Parents-100112738558727

 

Juniors

Page Monitor: Aylin Gay aylin.gay@gmail.com

Junior Facebook pages: http://www.facebook.com/groups/athensclassof2024/

 

Sophomores

Page Monitor: Karen Taylor karentaylor2000@gmail.com 

Sophomore Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/groups/520790015923241/?ref=share 

 

            Freshman

            Page Monitor: Lori Airee my6blessings@yahoo.com 

Freshman Page: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1436009150248819/?ref=share_group_link