Letter to Salpointe Families - July 21, 2022

July 21, 2022

Dear Salpointe Families,

We are looking forward to the 2022-2023 academic school year! Students are already back on campus practicing sports and attending camps. We hope that you are enjoying these final weeks of summer vacation. 

We are grateful for your concern and support this week as we recover from the fire in the 700 English wing. We have significant work to do before school starts, but we will face this challenge with grace and resilience. The six classrooms that were destroyed will be temporarily replaced with upscale modular classrooms. 

In order to guarantee a safe and fully operational campus, the beginning of school has been postponed by one week:
     Monday, August 15 orientation for freshmen and transfer students
     Tuesday, August 16 first day of school for all students 

Please note two adjustments to the academic calendar:               
  • Fall Break will be Thursday to Sunday, October 13-16. Students will have classes on Monday, October 17.
  • Monday and Tuesday, December 12 and 13 are class days; exams will take place on Wednesday through Friday, December 14-16 and Christmas formal will be on December 16. Christmas Break will be December 17, 2022 to January 3, 2023.

Much has happened on campus this summer in preparation for an amazing upcoming school year as we renew our commitment to mission-driven holistic education with particular focus on wellness and academic excellence.
 
We are excited to announce the launch of the Salpointe Wellness Program. We are establishing a world-class program, implementing best practices from across the country. The program will embrace six dimensions of wellness: spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, social and environmental.

We recognize and appreciate that the last two and a half years have been challenging. We have re-established the signature Salpointe experience in every way possible. We encourage you to assist us by planning to be an engaged parent, by familiarizing yourself with MyPointe and the Parent/Student Handbook, and by coming to campus to support and cheer on your Lancer! And please assist us by championing the dress code. The “dress for success” attire that is being enforced this year is not new. We are revitalizing standards that may have been sidelined over the past couple of years.

Orientation Information for the Class of 2026 and Transfer Students
The Class of 2026 will have orientation on Monday, August 15 from 8:00 am to 3:10 pm.  Students       should report to Kalil Family Gym at 7:45 am.  

Transfer students will have orientation on Monday, August 15 from 8:00 am to 12:50 pm. Students should report to Foundation Hall at 7:45 am.  
  • Orientation is for students only.
  • Students will need to be in Salpointe Dress Code for orientation day.
  • During orientation, freshmen and transfer students will meet their Lancer Leaders. Lancer Leaders serve as mentors to new students to assist them in making the transition to Salpointe.  
  • Lunch will be provided for all students. There will be a number of options to choose from; however, if students have dietary restrictions, please have them bring their lunch.
  • Please have your student bring a water bottle that can be refilled during the day. Water refill stations are located throughout campus.
  • Students will be dismissed at 3:10 pm. Please pick up your student at the Glenn Street drop off area.
  • Freshman and transfer ID cards will be issued during orientation. This ID card is used as a “debit card” to purchase lunch. For more information about food service and paying for lunch, click here. Families of new students can start to load money onto their online accounts after August 1, 2022. Returning students can reload their existing accounts at any time. 
First Day of School
The first day of school is Tuesday, August 16 at 8:05 am. This will be a full school day.  All students are required to be in dress code attire. Students should arrive with backpacks and all textbooks, ready to begin high school! Also, come prepared to buy lunch by loading your mySchoolBucks account on your ID card or bring a bag lunch.  New students will receive ID cards on orientation day. Returning students will receive ID cards on Tuesday, August 16 in the morning.

Back-to-School Night
Please mark your calendar for Back-to-School Night on Monday, August 29 from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. This event gives you an opportunity to meet your child’s teachers as you visit each classroom. The program will begin in Foundation Hall at 5:00 pm. Please bring a copy of your student’s schedule so you can locate appropriate classrooms.

Website
The Salpointe website is our main means of communication with you. Everything is available to you: calendars, schedules, textbook list, handbook, sports information, summer assignments, etc. 

Tutoring
Tutoring will start on Wednesday, August 31 and run every week, Monday-Thursday.  Tutoring in Math, English, Science, Theology and Spanish will begin each day ten minutes after dismissal and last for 85 minutes. Students should report to Foundation Hall to receive free tutoring services. Attendance records for tutoring can be viewed through myPointe to monitor student participation. Check the Weekly Peek for more information. 

Counseling Department
All counselors will be available in their offices in the O’Rielly Student Services Center beginning August 1. Contact information for all counselors can be found here.

Tip Line: (520) 485-2212
The tip line is available for both parents and students to anonymously report concerns to Salpointe administrators. The tip line accepts text messaging as well as voice messages and is monitored daily. Please note: This system is not for emergencies. 

Dress Code
We have made minor revisions to the existing student dress code. The dress code changes apply to pants, shorts and outerwear, but not polos. All students are required to wear collared polo style short or long-sleeved shirts with a Salpointe logo. The dress code is important to promote a conducive learning environment, cultivate a serious approach to academics, relieve social pressure to keep up with current trends or styles, and limit comparisons or competition among students. The dress code also supports the dignity of the individual based on character rather than on appearance. Click here to see details about the dress code.
 
Salpointe Spirit Store 
Summer Hours
  • July: Closed 
  • August: The Spirit Store will reopen on Monday, August 1 and will return to normal store hours beginning Monday, August 15 at 7:30 am. Please check the website for more information.
Salpointe Polos
Exercise Science (PE) Uniforms
  • Students participating in any Exercise Science (PE) courses are required to wear the approved Salpointe PE uniform. PE uniforms are available only in the Spirit Store.  
Parking Permits
  • Parking passes will be issued using the same online process as in years past. Students need to fill out a parking pass request form on the Spirit Store website and pay $20 for a one-year pass. Students can come to the Spirit Store to pay for and pick up parking passes during regular store hours throughout the school year. Students must have a 2022-2023 parking pass to park on campus.
If you have any questions, please email the Spirit Store Manager at mwood@salpointe.org. Messages are checked regularly. Follow us on Instagram for updates, store hours and specials! @salpointespiritstore. 

Student Drop off and Pick up
Student drop off is limited to Copper Street and the Glenn Street and Mountain Avenue gates. 
  • Copper Street entrance is open from 7:30 am - 8:10 am.
  • Glenn Street and Mountain Avenue gates open at 7:00 am.
  • The Click Library is open Monday - Thursday from 7:30 am - 5:30       pm and Fridays from 7:30 am - 3:30 pm.
No student drop off or pick up is allowed in the Cherry/Copper employee parking lot.

Regarding student pick-up: Please do not arrive for student pick-up any earlier than ten minutes prior to dismissal. Arriving early creates traffic congestion in the parking lots, resulting in overflow onto city streets. Tucson Police will issue citations for traffic hazards. 

Due to high traffic volume and congestion, please consider alternate pick up locations: Cherry Avenue, Copper Street and the Mountain Avenue gate.

Please note: Vehicles exiting from both Glenn Street and Mountain Avenue parking lots are “right turn only.”

Food Service Program
Salpointe is committed to providing nutritious and tasty meals for our students. We offer daily breakfast and lunch services, as well as an after school snack bar. Breakfast is offered before school and is served until 8:10 am The daily menu is available by logging into myPointe. Click here for more information.

When do I eat lunch?  
Salpointe Catholic has two lunch sessions. Students are assigned to lunch based on the location of their 4th period class. Students who have 4th period classes in the 200 and 800 wings, gym and weight room, Brandsma Hall (711, 712, 713 and 714), modular classrooms (formerly rooms 701, 703, 705, 706, 708 and 710), and rooms 400, 401, 402 and 404 will have first lunch period. All other students will have second lunch period. We will review lunch periods with all new students at orientation on August 8.

Locker Information
After lockers have been assigned, we will send additional information via myPointe.

myPointe Troubleshooting
If you experience difficulty with your myPointe account, email Mr. Jeff Mounts at jmounts@salpointe.org. New students will get their myPointe account information at orientation on August 15.

School Photos 
Freshmen will have school photos taken on orientation day. Sophomores and juniors will have school photos taken on the first day of school. All students must follow hairstyle guidelines, be clean shaven, and be in dress code for school photos.
 
Seniors should have their senior portraits taken by Rembrandt Photography, our official photographer. All seniors who wish to have their photographs in the 2022-2023 yearbook must have their pictures taken by Rembrandt Photography between now and September 23, 2022. Call now to make an appointment at 520-797-9200. Students must be clean shaven for the senior photo. Please contact Keith Shinaberry at kshinaberry@salpointe.org for more information. In order to provide a consistent, high quality yearbook, only pictures taken by Rembrandt will be printed in the Salpointe yearbook.

In closing, we ask God’s blessing on our school, faculty, staff and community. We thank you for your confidence in Salpointe Catholic. 

Sincerely,

Kay Sullivan, President
Ardemis Martin, Principal
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Salpointe Catholic High School

1545 E. Copper St.,
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 327-6581
Attendance: (520) 327-1990
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