Whitehall High School’s winter concert will be performed 7 p.m. Dec. 20 in the auditorium.

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Schools will be closed for winter break Dec. 23-Jan. 2. Classes will resume Jan. 3, 2017.

Have a happy and safe holiday with family and friends!

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The modified kindergarten schedule in the event of school delays is as follows:

Morning kindergarten starts 10:50 a.m. and ends 12:40 p.m.

Afternoon kindergarten starts 1:25 p.m. and ends 3:15 p.m.

For the modified kindergarten schedule, the bus for afternoon children will arrive approximately 50-60 minutes later than the regular pickup time for school.

Due to weather and traffic conditions, the school transportation office cannot predict the times for the different bus stops. Please do not call the office.

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Attendance is very important. Parents and guardians must make sure their child attends school on a regular, daily schedule. The Pennsylvania Department of Education is closely monitoring attendance records for all students. Consistent attendance is important in each child’s learning experience.

If a child is absent, a written note with a specific reason and signed by the parent or guardian is required immediately upon return of school.

If a student is traveling, an educational trip form is required. Those forms are available in the office and should be completed prior to travel. Trips may never exceed seven days; additional days will be considered illegal absences. The district is closely monitoring unexcused absences. All absences are marked unexcused. This is changed to a legal excuse once a written note is given to your child’s teacher. An unexcused absence occurs when no note is written by a parent or guardian providing the reason for the absence.

If a student has four unexcused absences, the information will be turned over to the attendance officer. The parent or guardian will be charged with truancy and be required to appear before Whitehall’s magisterial district judge.

If a student is absent for more than 16 days during the school year, a doctor’s note will be required for each additional absence, or those absences will be illegal.

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Do you have any school news? This column is a compilation of upcoming school events in the Whitehall-Coplay School District. Teachers, administrators, parents, students, coaches, PTSAs, club advisers and any other community members are invited to share their upcoming activities. Email me at jamb87@hotmail.com with “Whitehall-Coplay School News” in the subject line at least a week before an event.