Welcome

Greetings Laurel High School family, 

On behalf of the Laurel High School administrative team, teachers, and other staff members, welcome to the 2024/2025 school year.  Was your summer great?  I truly hope so.  Like every year, we have a lot of work to do but let me first start by acknowledging some of our collective accomplishments from last year.

Our 9th grade promotion rate really shot up. Clearly, Class of 27’ you came into Laurel High School and really took care of business. Great job!  You should be proud of yourselves because we are certainly proud of you. Additionally, although now part of the LHS extended family, we need to give a big shout out to the Class of 24’. The Class of 24’ had a noticeable jump in graduation rate. Once again, this shows that LHS students really know how to make it across the finish line during their senior year.  Lastly, we had a major reduction in suspensions during the 23/24 school year. This means that as a school, we were able to be in school more, taking care of our business, and not at home for disciplinary reasons. Overall, school year 23/24 was a very good year. Way to do it, LHS students.

To the parents/guardians of our upperclassmen, welcome back!  I hope you and your LHS student were able to spend some quality family time together this summer. Your LHS student is now one year closer to the ultimate goal of becoming a High School graduate. We are looking forward to our continued partnership to ensure that the school year 24/25 will be that much more rewarding, in every way, than last year.

To our incoming freshman, the class of 2028, welcome! We are so excited to have you join the Laurel High School family. You will see, right from the start, we are here to support and reward you for doing the right things and if needed redirect you back on the path if you stumble. You are about to embark on a magnificent 4-year journey that you will find fun and rewarding. You will be part of a 9th Grade Academy made up of exceptional educators that will guide you on this journey. I ask that you be respectful, attentive, on-time, and positive about this journey. We will take it from there.

To ensure a safe environment, and a positive and productive learning experience, all students are required to follow these expectations:

1. Attend school everyday, be on time to all classes, be where you belong at all times ready to work hard and learn. (Note:  your school day is now 8:30AM - 3:10PM; you will not be allowed to enter the building before 7:45 AM; see school hours on the school website)
2. Follow Prince George’s County Public Schools Guidelines (Ex. have a clear book bag, use your school issued locker daily, etc.)
3. Follow the LHS Uniform Policy, (which is linked to this letter and also on the school’s website).  Remember, we are a uniform school; NO HOODIES!  {OUR UNIFORM POLICY WILL BE STRONGLY ENFORCED FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR}
4. Wear your school ID around your neck at all times!!! Your school ID is a part of your school uniform.  ID picture dates are August 28th, August 29th, and August 30th. (Note:  9th graders can expect to receive their chromebooks when they take their ID pictures)

TECHNOLOGY- Students will use their chromebooks daily in all classes. Please remind your child to bring their fully charged chromebook each and every day.

BUS SCHEDULES – Will be mailed to you by Prince George’s County Public Schools’

Department of Transportation. Information on bus stop locations can also be found at the PGCPS Stopfinder or call the school for assistance.

END OF SCHOOL DAY - Students are not allowed to remain at school after 3:10 PM, without their adult tutor/club/team sponsor. Any student without an adult sponsor must leave the building at 3:10PM promptly.

Parents, please support and guide your child’s learning by ensuring that he/she:

1. Attends school daily and arrives on time, by 8:15AM, ready for the day's learning
2. Completes all assignments given by teachers
3. Shares school experiences with you so that you are aware of his/her schoolwide endeavors
4. Informs you if he/she needs additional support in any area or subject
5. Know that you support him/her in their efforts to graduate High School as well as their future endeavors be it college, military, or the workforce.

Additionally:

1. Ensure that your student can access their PGCPS email (Required for Canvas). 
2. Parents, please verify your contact information via the parent vue in school messenger School Messenger
3. Also parents, please sign up for ParentVUE through our new student information system Synergy.  ParentVUE is the portal that allows parents and guardians to view information about their student, including classroom assignments and scores, attendance, transcripts, graduation status and more. Synergy ParentVUE
4. Complete the required 24 Service-Learning hours (Note: WE WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS EARLY; THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT)

Here are some important dates:

1. August 23rd (time) - Student Orientation (Specific information is forthcoming- This is for all 9th  graders, as well as all students new to Laurel High School.)
2. August 26th -  First day of school for ALL students
3. September 2nd - Labor Day (School Closed for Staff and Students)
4. September 12th -  Back to School Night from 6-9PM, Back to School Night will be in person..

Use the links below to access the uniform policy and the supply list:

• Uniforms Policy
• School Supply List

Community School Laurel High School family, I’m excited to inform you that we are now a Community School. This means that we will be partnering with the Laurel community to do great things for our students and school. You will hear more about this when you return. As previously mentioned, we are going to be big on rewarding our students for doing the right things. Subsequently, LHS students, there is no time for inappropriate behavior or not taking your classes seriously. We had a lot of students who attended summer school this year. Although I’m happy to say that our students did extremely well in summer school, the goal is to handle your business, between August and June, so that you won’t have to attend summer school.

In conclusion, “go time” is almost here.  I want you all to enjoy these last few weeks of summer. I want you to get all of your materials that you will need for the upcoming school year so that you will be ready to rock and roll on the 26th.  Set the expectation to have a more all-around successful school year. Always remember where you’re at and what is expected of you when you enter Laurel High School. Plan to do great things and you will.   Stay safe!    

Michael Dinkins
Principal
Laurel HS