Back to School - Upper School

Get ready for the 2021-2022 school year!

We’re excited to welcome you to campus. Here’s what you need to know and do to ensure your year gets off to a great start. Before we dive into the details, please take note of Menlo’s COVID-19 protocols for testing and masking so you are ready for the first day of school.

Upper School: Important Dates

Date	Event
Thursday, Aug. 5	Instructions for accessing Upper School schedules were sent in this email with online change request instructions.
Thursday, Aug. 19	COVID-19 PCR Testing Clinic. 11:00 am-4:00 pm, Spieker Center Lobby, for unvaccinated individuals and students who are not yet fully vaccinated (14 days after the final vaccine dose). Pre-register at Inspire Diagnostics here.
Monday, Aug. 23	Please make sure you place your lunch order via Nutrislice for the first 10 days of school by this date. Freshmen, you’ll also want to order for Orientation on Aug. 25. (Details below). Parking permits for juniors and seniors are distributed by the security office. If you haven’t already, please complete this form. Contact Director of Security Mustapha Moutri.
Tuesday, Aug. 24	Freshman Pre-Orientation Meet and Greet Event. 4:00-5:30 pm, US Quad. An informal fun get-together for students. Sophomore Welcome Back Event. 6:30-8:30 pm (note revised time), US Quad. The Class of 2024 is invited to reconnect before the school year starts. Enjoy dinner, games, and fun! RSVP here.
Wednesday, Aug. 25	Freshman Orientation. 9:00 am-2:30 pm, Martin Family Hall/Athletic Center. (Best to arrive between 8:55-9:15, activities kick off at 9:20 am.) Freshmen should order lunch for this day (see instructions below.) See more info from Freshman Dean in this email. 2:30-3:30 pm, Locker Assignment and Tech Help (OPTIONAL). Menlo Technology Department will be on hand if you are having trouble logging into your Okta/Canvas/Email accounts, and the Student Life Office will help you sign up for a locker if you would like one. Note: the Freshman Parents’ Coffee, originally scheduled on this day, has been rescheduled for Friday, Aug. 27, Off Campus. COVID-19 PCR Testing Clinic. 11:00 am-4:00 pm, Spieker Center Lobby, for unvaccinated individuals and students who are not yet fully vaccinated (14 days past final vaccine dose). Pre-register at Inspire Diagnostics here. Knightbook Photos for Seniors. 3:00-5:00 pm. Sign up for a time here. Also, see this email about special senior mini sessions with Still Light Studios. Senior Class BBQ. 5:00-7:00 pm, US Quad.
Thursday, Aug. 26	First Day of Classes. School begins at 8:50 am with spirit assembly in the US Quad. Schedule Change Requests: students can continue to make course change requests online or, as of this date, they can contact Dr. Hammack in the Academic Office (above College Counseling) or Frances Ferrell in the Student Life Office. Note: if you’ve already made a request(s), it is logged, and we will continue to work on these requests two weeks into the start of the school year.
Friday, Aug. 27	Freshman Parents’ Coffee. 8:30 am, Off Campus, Details to come. (Note this date was rescheduled from Aug. 25.)
Saturday, Aug. 28	Upper School Back-to-School Movie Knight. 6:00-10:00 pm, on the Loop. Students can bring blankets, lawn chairs, food, and drinks for this Upper School Movie Knight. Students can show up as early as 6:00 pm to reserve their spot and enjoy music and movie trivia before the film starts. The movie, The Incredibles, starts at 8:00 pm. For Menlo students, faculty, and staff only; no outside guests.
Monday, Aug. 30	Knightbook Photos for Sophomores. 10:00-10:40 am and 11:50 am-12:30 pm. Sign up for a time here. You can also drop in before school from 8:15-8:45 am.
Wednesday, Sept. 1	Knightbook Photos for Juniors 10:00-10:40 am and 11:50 am-12:30 pm. Sign up for a time here. You can also drop in before school from 8:15-8:45 am. First Upper School MSPA Meeting. 9:15 am, Virtual.
Thursday, Sept. 2	Knightbook Photos Last Call: Drop-in Times. 8:15-8:45 am; 11:10-11:50 am (lunch); 3:15-3:30 pm (after school). Ninth Grade Parent Information Evening. 6:00-7:30 pm, Virtual. COVID-19 PCR Testing Clinic. 11:00 am-4:00 pm, Spieker Center Lobby, for unvaccinated individuals and students who are not yet fully vaccinated (14 days after final vaccine dose). Pre-register at Inspire Diagnostics here.
Various	Fall Sports: Baseline testing must be complete before the start of practice. See details below. Parent Events and Socials: Check your Grade Level News pages for details. You can also view and subscribe to the full school calendar.

Before School Starts, Do This:

1. Turn in your Health and Athletic Forms

If you haven’t already, please submit your forms through Magnus Health Student Medical Record (SMR), our partner in collecting and managing student medical information. Athletic forms and all health forms were due Aug. 1. Questions? Contact the School Nurse.
Upper School student-athletes will need to complete baseline testing with Menlo’s sports medicine team before any participation starting Aug 6. The School has streamlined its baseline testing, and students may sign up using the scheduling app here. All testing will be conducted in the Athletic Center. For the latest athletics information, schedules, and updates at menloschool.org/athletics.

2. Review COVID-19 Health and Safety Details

Please review Menlo’s COVID-19 protocols here, and make sure to upload your COVID-19 vaccination card or email it to the school nurse (once).
Students who aren’t fully vaccinated (two weeks after the final dose) by Aug. 19 will need to upload a negative PCR test each week by Sunday at 3:00 pm. To attend the opening of school events, the first test should be administered between Aug.19-21 and uploaded by Sunday, Aug. 22. Menlo will offer testing clinics on campus on Thursday, Aug. 19; Wednesday, Aug. 25; and every Thursday thereafter. Pre-register with Inspire Diagnostics here.

3. Get your Class Schedules and Request Course Changes

Instructions on accessing your course schedules were shared in this August 5 email, which also outlines how you can request changes to your schedule if needed.

4. Order Your Lunches

To start the year, Menlo’s Dining Commons will be closed, but our food service provider, FLIK Dining, will be serving boxed lunches for all students, faculty, and staff.
FLIK uses the Nutrislice app for online ordering. All orders must be placed the previous Monday at 4:00 pm to receive lunch for the following week. You can order up to two weeks in advance. Please order by Monday, Aug. 23, for the first two weeks of school (Aug. 26-Sept. 2). Freshmen, you’ll also want to order for Orientation on Aug. 25.
If you have food allergies, please make sure to fill out the ‘dietary needs’ box before checkout.
Learn more about Nutrislice and setting up your account here.

5. Sign Up for Knightbook Photos

Students in grades 10-12 need to sign up for a time to take a Knightbook photo for Menlo’s online directory. Freshmen, no need to worry about this, as you’ll take yours at Orientation.
We are excited to be working with a new photography partner, Still Light Studios. Once the photos have been taken, we’ll send parents instructions on viewing and purchasing prints through Still Light’s online gallery system.

6. Get Your Locker, Books, Laptop, and Supplies

Lockers: Students in grades 10-12 can sign-up for lockers in the Quad in person on Aug. 26-31. There are a limited number of lockers: first come, first served! Freshmen: no need to do this; you’ll sign up at orientation on Aug. 25.
Books: To see what books are needed for your courses, please visit the Menlo Booklist generator. Your booklist will specify the correct ISBN # of the edition you’ll need for class, and you can keep track of your shopping list and what you’ve already purchased by marking “Need it” or “Have it.” Books can be purchased from any retailer that stocks the correct ISBN (such as Amazon, Powell’s, Bookshop.org, Kepler’s, etc.)
Technology: You’ll also need to ensure you have a laptop for the start of school. Get some gadget advice and learn about technology at Menlo.
Supplies: In case you’re wondering what Upper School students will need for the first day, in addition to their fully-charged laptop, students should be ready with a binder or notebook, assigned summer work, and a pencil or pen. There isn’t a master list of required supplies for Upper School students as each student’s needs will depend on their courses. Teachers will let students know what supplies will be needed for each class.

7. Finish Your Summer Assignments

Review and complete your summer reading and assignments. Many classes have multiple summer readings or detailed teacher instructions; please double-check your assignments.

8. Getting to Campus

Help reduce traffic! GO MENLO is THE way the Menlo community gets to and from school. Commit to walk, bike, carpool, or ride the train or bus. You can also take one of the Menlo buses, from San Mateo/San Carlos/Redwood City, Woodside/Portola Valley, East Palo Alto/Palo Alto/Menlo Park, and Cupertino/Los Alto. You can also use the Carpool Map to find other Menlo families for a carpool. Additionally, you can sign up for the Caltrain Shuttle here.
If you signed up for our bus program, you should have received additional onboarding information by email. All buses will arrive at 8:20 am and leave school at 3:30 pm. If you haven’t received additional information or if you have decided not to have your student ride the bus, please contact Chrissy Orangio as soon as possible.
Under CDC and San Mateo County guidelines, students will no longer need to social-distance on the buses, but well-fitting masks will be required on the bus regardless of vaccination status (no gaiters).

9. We’ll see you on the first day!

School begins at 8:50 am with a spirit assembly on the US Quad. August 26 will be a Day 0, where each class meets for 35 minutes. The regular 7-day rotating schedule begins with a Day 1 on August 27.

Questions?

These people may be able to help, or you can email info@menloschool.org. You may also want to check out the Menlo Dictionary to help understand the programs and terminology at Menlo.

New families: Your Menlo Okta login information was sent on August 4. If you have trouble logging in, please contact techticket@menloschool.org with your child’s full name and grade level. We will respond to you in a timely manner.