Dear East End Explorer Families,
I hope that you and your students have had a wonderful summer and are getting just as excited as we are to kick off the 2024-2025 school year. As many of you know, last year we, as an Explorer community, focused on building strong systems to ensure a safe and focused learning environment for each and everyone on of our students. We brought back a dress code policy, brought in parent volunteers from our Explorer Family Association to help with restroom duty, and increased staff presence during passing periods, before school, and after school.
This year we are excited to build off the solid foundation we created last year and take YES Prep East End Secondary to the next level. We are kicking off a focus on empowering each and every one of our Explorers.
First, we are expanding our elective and AP Course offerings. Beginning this year, all of our 10th graders will take AP Psychology, all of our 11th graders will take AP US History and AP English Literature, and all of our 12th graders will continue to take AP English Language. We have heard from so many of you that AP offerings are one of the reasons you choose YES Prep East End Secondary and we are excited to see our students excel in these courses and graduate even more ready for college!
Secondly, we are revamping our ‘Explorer Time’, formerly called advisory or BGA time. This time will include additional focus on building students social, emotional, organizational, and study skills, building community as a grade level, and college readiness lessons for students at all grade levels beginning in 6th grade. We believe that these initiatives will further EMPOWER our Explorers and can’t wait to see all they will accomplish in the 2024-2025 school year and beyond!
Below you will find information from our Director of Student Support, Ms. Zimmerhanzel, about school supplies, dress code policy, purchasing uniforms and distribution, and our backpack policy. While most of these policies remain the same as last year, there are a few small updates so please read over these policies carefully.
Additionally, if you are not already doing so, please follow us on Instagram at @ypeastend for all the most up-to-date information and at our website at https://eastend.yesprep.org/.
We cannot wait to welcome each of our new and returning Explorers back to campus on Thursday, August 15th. See you all soon!
To read in Spanish, press here.
Kaitlan Peterson
Principal
YES Prep East End
Please join us at East End Back to School Night on August 8th
Únase a nosotros en la Noche de Regreso a Clases en East End el 8 de agosto.
24-25 Student Dress Code Policy
YES Prep will return to school uniforms for the 2024-2025 school year.
Click here to review and prepare for the East End Secondary campus dress code and uniform policy.
Haga clic aqui para revisar y prepararse para el código de vestimenta y la política de uniformes de la escuela secundaria East End.
Read about the YES Prep Dress Code and Uniform Policy here: yesprep.org/families/dress-code
For this and more information about getting ready for the first day of school, don’t forget to visit YES Prep’s Back-to-School page: yesprep.org/backtoschool
24-25 YES Prep Uniform Store
Visit https://yesprep.revtrak.net/ to purchase them for the upcoming school year!
Reminder that uniforms are only available for purchase ONLINE.
24-25 Middle & High School Supply Lists
Click here to view the school supply list for both middle and high school students.
Haga clic aqui para descargar una copia de list de utiles escolares para estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria.
24-25 School Year Calendar
Click here to download a copy of the complete 2024-2025 school year calendar.
Please Follow us on our Social Media Platforms
You can access our social media accounts simply by clicking the Icons.
East End Athletics Team
Attendance Protocol
Every Minute Counts
Every minute counts when it comes to growing our Explorers and ensuring they achieve their fullest potential. To maximize student attendance, we need your help. It is imperative for students to attend school every day. We understand that illness is beyond your control; however, we want to make sure our Explorers are present all other days. The same applies to students who consistently arrive late or leave early. They are missing important foundational knowledge.
Reasons to Stay Home
- Fever above 99.8 (can return after 24hrs fever free without medication)
- Vomit
- Diarrhea
- Migraine
- Pink Eye
- Poison Ivy
- Rashes (if contagious and not being treated by doctor)
Reasons NOT to Stay Home
- Headache
- Minor Stomachache / Cramps
- Tired
- Missed Bus
- Sick Sibling
- Family member's doctor's appointment
Excused Absences & Submission of Notes
Families are now able to upload student absences and excuse notes into Skyward for approval. Please review this video that details the process.
YES Prep Public Schools defines excused absences as absences due to one or more of the following:
- Illness
- Medical/dental-related, including appointments
- Bereavement/Funeral for immediate family members
- Absences related to the legal system
- Religious Observances
- Any other absence that is protected under State or Federal law.
Truancy Procedures
- 3 unexcused absences: Parent/Guardian will receive a truancy warning letter via Skyward portal.
- 6 unexcused absences during semester: Parent/Guardian conference will be held.
- 9 unexcused absences during semester: Parent/Guardian conference will be held with the student and parent/guardian to discuss possible loss of credits.
What to do if your child is absent
- Families are now able to upload student absences and excuse notes into Skyward for approval. Please review this video that details the process.
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If your student is absent, please notify Ms. Salazar at Oneida.Salazar@yesprep.org to confirm the absence.
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Excuse notes must be submitted within 48 hours of the absence. Only three handwritten excuse notes will be accepted per six-week grading period.
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No student may leave campus during school hours without prior written approval from a parent or guardian; verbal approvals will not be accepted.
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Students are not permitted to call home to be picked up. Instead, they must first see the school nurse, who will contact home if the student needs to be picked up. The remainder of the day will then count as an excused absence.
Early Pick-Up
- To ensure the safety and security of students, staff, and families, early pick up ends at 3:00PM. Parents/Guardians must show a valid ID and sign the student out at the front office.
- We will NOT release students to anyone not listed on the student's profile or who does not have a valid ID.
- Early leaves are unexcused until the office receives a written/medical excuse or a skyward submission.
- No student may leave campus during school hours without prior approval in writing/email from guardian.
- Verbal approval not accepted.
Food or Item Drop-Off
- Front office staff will NOT interrupt classroom instruction to notify your student or call them to the front office.
- Students are responsible for picking up food/items left at the front office.
- Students may not share food with others at any time unless permitted by campus leaders.
- Only parents/guardians/emergency contacts are allowed to drop off food. No food delivery services are allowed.
Student ID
To ensure the safety and security of our school, it is required that all students wear their Student IDs visibly throughout the school day. All students were given a student ID at the beginning of the school year and have been issued replacements when reported lost.
Please make sure your student comes to school wearing their ID every day. Teachers are checking that students are wearing them during 1st period. If students are not wearing them, they will receive a temporary ID sticker and issued a "No ID" Demerit. After 1st period, if a student is seen without an ID, they will be issued an Auto-Detention for removing their ID.
It is a student's responsibility to keep track of their ID. If a student needs a new ID or part of an ID, their account will be charged the following amounts.
- New ID card: $1
- New ID pouch: $1
- New ID lanyard: $1
- ID bundle (all 3): $3
If a student does not have the cash at the time of requesting the ID, the fees will be charged to the student's Skyward Account and will be due by the end of the school year.
Before and After School Expectations and Procedures (Traffic)
All students should arrive at school no earlier than 8:00 AM. There will be a designated area for car riders/walkers to enter school, and a separate entrance for students riding the bus. Parents should follow the red arrows for drop-off and pick-up. Buses will drop-off and pick-up along the blue arrow.
Parents should not pick-up or drop off on San Saba Street. Instead, they should enter Lawndale according to the red arrows in the diagram below.
Student Assistance Forms
We know that you may have some needs that arise as a parent, guardian, or student. You can receive direct help by submitting a “Student Assistance Form” or, a SAF. To communicate any support needs you may have, please click on the SAF link on the district website or use the QR code below. A campus Student Support Counselor will follow-up with you to determine the best way to get your need met. SAFs can be submitted for:
- Urgent family concerns
- Family or student supplies or resources needed for school (i.e. uniforms, calculator, books, food)
- Student social and emotional concerns
- Student home or family concerns
- Student relationship concerns
- Concerns about harassment, race, or equity
