Jr./Sr. High School

Start of School Year Information

I hope this letter finds you well as you are enjoying the beautiful summer here in Hastings! School is just around the corner with the first day being August 12th. I just wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you back to Adams Central for another great year and to inform you of some upcoming events and to communicate a few important items.

The information below is for the start of the 2026 -2027 School Year for parents and students at Adams Central Junior/Senior High School. If you have any questions please call the office at 402-463-3285 or email Mr. Harrington at .

The first day of school is August 12th, 2025 at 8:10. Everyone will report to the gym for an assembly and will then report to their Patriot Period. Schedules will be available.

2026-2027 Normal Weekly Schedule

Adams Central Junior/Senior High School Click here to view the Normal Day Bell Schedule

Monday 8:10-3:35
Tuesday 8:10-3:35
Wednesday 8:50-3:35
Thursday 8:10-3:35
Friday 8:10-3:05

Wednesday Late Starts: Starting on August 19th, 2026, and running on every Wednesday through the school year, the junior/high school will have a late start to the school day. School will start at 8:50 with the first bell will ring at 8:45 AM on Wednesdays, with the tardy bell ringing at 8:50. The school building will still be open at normal time and it will be staffed and supervised as though it is a normal school day. Students here at normal times on Wednesdays will report to the cafeteria and will have time to study, read, or complete assignments. Breakfast will be served from 7:30-8:30 on Wednesdays. WEDNESDAY BELL SCHEDULE

Important Dates for the Start of School

August 5th

9:00: 7th Grade Student & Parent Orientation in the Auditorium
10:30: 8th-12th Grade NEW Student & Parent Orientation in the Auditorium

August 10th

1st day of practice for fall sports
Physicals due for all fall sports participants!
11th & 12th Grade Schedule Changes in the High School Office from 9:00-3:00
Open House -> 5:30-7:30 at the Activities Entrance
- 6:00 -> Speaker Mike Donahue from Value Up will be here again to speak to all parents and students
- 7:00 -> Fall Sport Parent Meetings for all Junior High & High School Sports. See locations below:
  - High School Sports
    - Football (Coach J. Lewis) -> Auditorium
    - Volleyball (Coach Lollman) -> Room #402
    - Girls Golf (Coach Hartman) -> Coach Hartman's Room #220
    - Softball (Coach Wahl) -> Room #101
    - Cross Country (Coach Fowler) -> Coach Fowler's Room #215
    - Boys Tennis (Coach Sughroue) -> Coach Sughroue's Room #109
  - Junior High Sports
    - Junior High Volleyball (Coach Fisk) Old Gym
    - Junior High Football (Coach Mulligan) -> Coach Mulligan's Room #206
    - Junior High Cross Country (Coach Trampe) -> Coach Trampe's Room #307

August 11th

9th & 10th Grade Schedule Changes in the High School Office from 9:00-3:00

August 12th

1st Day of School (8:10)

August 14th

7th-12th Grade Picture Day!!!

August 17th

No School - Staff Development

Drop Off & Pick Up Information

As a reminder the pick-up and drop-off lanes are out front of the new office addition only. Please refer to the map or screen recording below for specific instruction on picking up and dropping off your students. We will also continue to have junior high students in grades 7th & 8th dismissed 5 minutes early every day at 3:30 (3:00 on Fridays!).

Adams Central High School Open House -> Monday, August 10th

5:30 - 7:30 -> Open House at the Jr/Sr High School
- ENTER THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES ENTRANCE!
  - All 7th-12th Grade Adams Central Students & Parents/Guardians
  - Get your schedules, fill out forms, & meet your teachers!
  - Schedules will be printed and available for all students through the Activities Entrance by the new gym.
  - Take your parents through your schedule at your own pace and meet your teachers!
- 6:00 -> Speaker Mike Donahue from Value Up will be here again to speak to all parents and students
  - Mike was here last spring twice to speak to our kids and will bring his Value Up Culture Building System to our students this school year.
  - This year Mike will work with us at least monthly to help train our students and staff to continue to foster a positive culture for all Patriots!
- 7:00 -> Fall Sport Parent Meetings for all Junior High & High School Sports. See locations below:
  - High School Sports
    - Football (Coach J. Lewis) -> Auditorium
    - Volleyball (Coach Lollman) -> Room #402
    - Girls Golf (Coach Hartman) -> Coach Hartman's Room #220
    - Softball (Coach Wahl) -> Room #101
    - Cross Country (Coach Fowler) -> Coach Fowler's Room #215
    - Boys Tennis (Coach Sughroue) -> Coach Sughroue's Room #109
  - Junior High Sports
    - Junior High Volleyball (Coach Fisk) Old Gym
    - Junior High Football (Coach Mulligan) -> Coach Mulligan's Room #206
    - Junior High Cross Country (Coach Trampe) -> Coach Trampe's Room #307

7th Grade Orientation

9:00 AM on Wednesday, August 6th in the High School Auditorium.
You and your student will be able to get their schedule and walk throughout the building to find their classrooms.
All 7th graders must have an updated physical and immunizations! Please talk with the office if you have any questions!
If you have any questions please call the office at 402-463-3285 or email Mr. Harrington at scott.harrington@adams-central.org.

8TH - 12th GRADE NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

10:30 AM on Wednesday, August 6th in the High School Auditorium.
You and your student will be able to get their schedule and walk throughout the building to find their classrooms.
If you have any questions please call the office at 402-463-3285 or email Mr. Harrington at .

Schedule Changes

7th - 8th - 9th Grade Schedule Changes: See Mr. Smith

10th - 11th - 12th Grade Schedule Changes: See Ms. Fisher

ALL SCHEDULES ARE FINALIZED FOR THE SEMESTER ON FRIDAY AUGUST, 14th!

Paperwork and Forms to Complete <- There will be NO PowerSchool Access Until Complete!

PowerSchool Forms

This year again we will be utilizing PowerSchool to collect signatures and to share important documents. Parents need to log into their PowerSchool account and then click on “Forms” which is towards the bottom on the left side after you log in.

Forms to be completed include:

Acceptable Use of Computers/Networks
Receipt of the 2026-2027 Students-Parent Handbook
Student Contacts
Update Demographics: This is super important this year as we are transitioning from Remind to using a new communication app called “BrightArrow.” BrightArrow syncs with PowerSchool and that is where we pull contact information to send out messages and forms. BrightArrow also has an app for your phone to download and log into that will open a 2-way communication chat with your student’s teacher, sponsor, or coach. Click here for more information on BrightArrow.
Digital Equity Survey
Annual Health Statement

Physicals

Sports/Athletics: All students who wish to participate in a sport/athletics MUST have a physical completed prior to being allowed to practice and compete in events. These need to be turned into the Front Office. All other forms necessary for an athlete to be cleared to participate are on Powerschool under “Forms”.
7th Grade: All incoming 7th grade students are also required to turn in a physical and immunization record to the school office.
New Students to the Adams Central District are also required to turn in a physical and immunization record to the school office.

Policy/Procedures Updates

We will continue to have late starts on Wednesday mornings at 8:45 to provide professional development time for our teachers.
Cell phones will be required to be put in a cell phone holder/organizer during class time. If you need to get a hold of your student during class time, please call the office at 402-463-3285.
We have increased the time between classes from 3 minutes to 4 minutes with the expectation that students use the restroom or talk with another teacher during passing periods and NOT during class time.

Dress Code Refresher

(These are just a few of highlights from the full dress code policy on pages 45-46 of the AC Student-Parent Handbook.)

No visible body piercing (other than ears). Small clear, non-colored plastic studs in noses are acceptable.
If a student chooses to color their hair, it must be of natural color. Examples of unacceptable hair coloring, but not limited to, are green, blue, bright red, orange. Students’ hair will not be a distraction to the teacher, classroom instruction, or student learning. Examples of distracted hair but not limited to Spiked or Mohawk.
Clothing with tears, rips, or holes that expose flesh or underclothes (including, but not limited to tights, leggings, etc…) are not acceptable. The taping of these holes is not acceptable. Jeans that have holes below the thigh area will be allowed.
Shirts/blouses, which show midriff skin or are cut too low are not acceptable. Tank tops are not to be worn by male students. Female students’ straps on tops must be at least one and one-half inch in width or about two finger width. No spaghetti strap tops are allowed. No shoulderless tops or off the shoulder tops will be allowed.
The doors to the school will open at 7:00 each morning. School begins at 8:10 each morning. Please make sure your student is on time to school each day. If your student is tardy by 20 minutes or more it is marked as an absence. Ten absences or more in any particular class can result in loss of credit for that particular class. It’s very important that your student is at school on time and here daily.
Oversized apparel, including baggy or sagging pants, shorts, or skirts worn low on the waist are not permitted.
Pajamas, slippers, or other similar clothing are not to be worn in school.

Attendance & Tardy Policies

Circumstances of Absences – Definitions. The circumstances for all absences from school will be identified as School Excused or Not School Excused. Absences should be cleared through the Principal's office in advance whenever possible. All absences, except for illness and/or death in the family, typically require advance approval.

School Excused.
- Any of the following circumstances that lead to an absence will be identified as a School Excused absence, provided the required attendance procedures have been followed:
  - Impossible or impracticable barriers outside the control of the parent or child prevent a student from attending school. The parent may be required to provide the school with documentation to demonstrate the absence was beyond the control of the parent or child. This could include, but is not limited to documented illness (including physical or mental illness), court, death of a family member, or suspension.
  - Other absences as determined by the principal or the principal’s designee.
Not School Excused.
- Absences that are not school excused may result in a report to the county attorney and may be classified as follows:
  - Parent acknowledged absences are those in which the parent communicated with the school in the prescribed manner that the child is absent and is the parent’s responsibility for the extent of the school day.
  - This includes vacations or other events that do not meet the criteria for a School Excused absence.
  - Other absences are those in which the parent has not communicated a reason for the student’s absence.

Absence Procedure. In its Student Information System, the District may identify many different codes that provide greater definition to the circumstances of a child’s absence, but all of the codes need to be identified to parents and students as fitting into one of the above defined absence circumstances.

Attendance Codes

Attendance Rules, Procedures, and Forfeiture of Credits

Excessive absenteeism is defined as more than ten absences per semester for each individual class period, OR FIVE DAYS PER QUARTER OR ITS HOURLY EQUIVALENT, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST, for any Not School Excused Absences. Students participating in sanctioned school activities under the supervision of a school staff member will be considered present.
A student who is absent more than ten times from any class in a semester will lose credit for that course unless the principal determines that, due to the nature of the absences, credit shall be granted. A student may earn back absent days and/or class periods if approved by the principal. A student will match minute for minute the time they were absent from school. After fourteen days of absenteeism, the make-up option is no longer available. The student may also be removed from the class for disciplinary reasons once ten days of absenteeism has been reached.
All absences shall count towards the ten-day limit, except those that are marked School Excused. Medical absences, supported by a doctor’s note, will be marked “D” by administration and will not count towards the ten-day limit.
The school will notify a student and their parent/guardian when the student has accumulated seven absences in a semester. The parents may also be requested to meet with the Principal to discuss the attendance issue. A report will be filed with the County Attorney if the parent/guardian refuses to meet with the administration and the attendance problem continues. A second and final notification to the parent/guardian will be made after the ten absences. This will notify parents/guardians of their child’s loss of credit or possible retention. Students and parents may appeal the decision of the principal to the Superintendent of Schools.
At eight (8) Not School Excused Absences per semester, the school may reach out to support services such as CASA or STARS for support to regain regular attendance for any student.
Students who become ill at school must check out at the office. Students leaving school for any other reason must be cleared in advance by a telephone call or note from the parent-guardian and check out at the office. Failure to properly check out of school when leaving early or arriving late will result in in-school or out-of-school suspension.

Adams Central Jr/Sr High Tardy Policy

For each tardy above 3 per semester for each individual class, the students will serve a lunch detention.
At 7 tardies for an individual class per semester, a meeting will be held with students, parents, and administration to develop a plan to reduce tardiness. One (1) day of In-School Suspension will also be assigned after seven (7) based on an individual class basis.
After ten (10) tardies per semester for an individual class, three (3) days of In-School Suspension will be assigned. If multiple classes have 10 tardies, then a maximum of five (5) days of In-School Suspension will be assigned. Another meeting will be held with students, parents, and administration to review and adjust the students attendance plan. Which could include a referral to community agencies.
If after 12 tardies and a plan has been implemented and the tardiness issue has not been resolved, then administration reserves the right to deem this class as an excessive absence from the classroom and the students (9-12) will lose credit in that class. Classroom teachers can have individual consequences for tardiness to class that could be, but not limited to: reduced participation points, before or after school detention, or reduced points on classroom work for that day.

Homecoming & Prom

A student that has five (5) Not School Excused absences and/or 7 tardies for an individual class in the first or fall semester will be ineligible to attend the Homecoming Dance.
A student that has seven (7) Not School Excused absences and/or 7 tardies for an individual class in the second or spring semester will be ineligible to attend Prom.