The Fashionable Times Blog Principal's Message 3.3.19

Greetings Fashion Families from your Principal, Daryl Blank.

This Monday, March 4, we are following a regular school day where students will follow a full day schedule between the hours of 8:10 am and 3:37 pm.  .  We are NOT on our special first Monday schedule – again, I repeat, we are NOT on our special first Monday schedule. 

The first marking period ends this Wednesday, March 6.  Make sure you and your child are checking Jupiter Grades to know where they stand in their classes.  Report cards will be distributed on March 14.

This week on Thursday, March 7 and Friday, March 8, we are very excited to welcome you to Fashion for Parent Teacher Conferences.  Thursday’s conferences will be from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm.  Friday’s conferences will be from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

The morning of afternoon Parent-Teacher conferences on Friday, we will be holding our annual Career Day for the students of the High School of Fashion Industries.  During this morning session, we have over 50 guest speakers who will visit our school to share their experiences with our students.  The speakers will cover career opportunities among all 4 of our majors – Fashion Design, Graphics & Illustration, Fashion Marketing and Visual Merchandising.  Please make sure that your child attends Career Day – it is very important in their preparation for college and career.  Career Day is brought to school by the Advisory Board of the High School of Fashion Industries

Next week, HSFI is thrilled to continue again this year our Family Visitation Days on Thursday, March 14 and Friday, March 15.  During HSFI Family Visitation Days, you will be able to observe your children in action in their classes.  You may come and leave when you wish during those days.  During your child’s lunch period, you and your child are invited to lunch in the Principal’s conference room.  Assistant Principal Danielle Silva will be welcoming you in the school lobby and giving you an orientation for the visit.

Next Monday, we will on a special First Monday schedule, but we will not be using the special First Monday activities that we have been using for the last three months.  The attendance for First Monday has been poor. In December, we had 295 students absent; in January 480 students absent; and in February 522 students absent.  We cannot afford as a school to have such poor attendance for this one day every month as it impacts student instruction and the school’s standing.  For now on First Mondays, we will move to a traditional schedule where classes are condensed into a shortened school day.  Moving forward, I would like to engage the school community in conversations about possibly reorganizing First Mondays with students getting grades and/or credit for the activities. This would hopefully correct the attendance issues. 

It is critically important that all HSFI students check their HSFI email & Jupiter Grades everyday.  We will be sending important information out through these tools – if students do not check them, they will miss out on some valuable opportunities and not know what is going on in the school.

Thank you!