Please review the following reminders and upcoming events for Mars Area High School: 

Morning Procedures

REMINDER- If you are driving your students to school, please remember to drop them off at the auditorium entrance or at the tennis court lot. Students will then walk to the main entrance along the sidewalk to enter the building. Students should not be dropped off in the bus lane or teacher parking lot out front.

Please note that students need to be in homeroom by 7:35 each day. Students need to arrive in time to get through bag check and to homeroom by 7:35.

School Security

All students who are entering and exiting the building need to do so through the guard area and the main office. Students should not be entering or exiting through any other door in the building at any time. This includes any student leaving sick from the nurse, for a scheduled early release, at the end of the instructional day or for Vo-Tech. Not following this safety procedure will result in suspension.

Attendance — IMPORTANT

Parents/guardians are reminded that, if your child is absent for any reason, you are required to provide a written excuse for their absence within three (3) days of the absence. On the excuse, please provide your child’s first and last name, date of absence and reason for absence. Your child can turn in the excuse at the main entrance each morning or in the main office to the attendance secretary at any time during the day.

As per the District’s Attendance Policy: A maximum of ten (10) days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification shall be permitted during a school year. All absences beyond ten (10) parent notes shall require a medical excuse or will be marked as unexcused.

If a parent/guardian has provided a written excuse after the three (3) days explained above or if a parent/guardian provides more than ten (10) parental excuses in a year, the absence will be considered Unexcused/Unlawful. Class work or tests given on the day of Unexcused/Unlawful absence cannot be made up. The grade for the day will be “0”.

Cell Phone Use in Building

Parents/guardians, please remind your students that they are not to use their cell phones during the school day. If they need to make a phone call, they need to report to the main office to do so. No student has permission to record or take photos of other individuals during the school day- this is a policy violation and the student(s) responsible will face disciplinary action.

Dress Code

Please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the school day. Please refer to pages 23-25 in the student handbook for specific guidelines. Please remind your students that no hats or hoods are permitted in the building during the school day.

Student Early Releases/Parent Pick-Up Reminders

Please be reminded that if you are going to pick up your child during the school day, you need to send a note with your child to turn in that morning when they arrive at school. Please note the time that you will be arriving to pick up your child. If your student can drive himself or herself home, please indicate that on the note as well.

If a student does not have a note and a parent/guardian must call for an emergency, the parent will need to enter the building to pick up their child.

If a student leaves the building without permission, they will receive a day of In-School Suspension. All early dismissals need to occur through the nurse’s office or through the main office with the note provided ahead of time. Please direct your students to go to the nurse, their school counselor or the main office for assistance if they are not feeling well or if they need support during the day.

Bathroom Behavior

Students are permitted to use the restroom as needed throughout the day. However, if a student is late to class or is missing most of the class due to bathroom use, passes may be restricted. Also, at no point should more than one student be in a bathroom stall at any given time. If this occurs students will receive a day of In-School Suspension.

Adjusted Schedule March 27, 2024

On Wednesday, March 27^th Mars Area High School will have an adjusted schedule. Student groups are organizing a Lip Dub and Pep Rally that afternoon.

Students will report back to homeroom after the bell for 9^th period and then report to their locations for the lip dub and pep rally.

Any senior with an early release can return to the building beginning at 1:20 and will need to go back through security to re-enter the building.

Other Important Dates

March

22 - End of Third Nine Weeks
27 - Lip Dub/Pep Rally- Adjusted Schedule
28 - April 1- No School

April

  3 - ASVAB Test
10 - CAP Day
11 - Chorus Concert (6:30 PM)
13 - ACT Test
19 - PSAT 8/9 Test
22 - Parent/Principal Communication Meeting (9:15-10:15 AM)
26 - Art Showcase (6:00-8:00)
30 - Blood Drive- Auditorium

May

  3 - BC3 Placement Testing for CHS courses for 24-25 school year
  4 - SAT Test
  7 - Orchestra Concert (6:30 PM)
  9 - Band Concert (6:30 PM)
10 - Act 80 Day
10 - Prom Walk (5:30-6:00)
10 - Senior Prom
14 - Senior Class Meeting (Activity Period)
15- Senior Academic Awards Ceremony
17 - Cabaret & Jazz Night (6:30 PM)
29 - Graduation Practice and Senior Walk
30 - Last Day of School
30 - Graduation Practice

June

3- Graduation @ the MAC
4- Graduation Rain Date @ MAC or Auditorium