Resource Centers & Common Areas
Resource Centers
Resource Centers are areas in the school where students can go during their unscheduled time. Teachers are often available in the resource centers or in nearby classrooms or offices during their unscheduled time to meet with students.
Rules for student behavior in common areas:
- Students sit only on the furniture- not the trashcans, windowsills, heaters, floors, or steps in the way that blocks passage.
- Book bags should not litter the floor. Students should not leave their book bags in the atrium or other common spaces while doing other things. A book bag left for a long period of time in the atrium or other common space should be brought to the main office.
Bill Cogswell Center for Mathematics (Math Resource Center - MRC)
The Bill Cogswell Center for Mathematics combines an office area with student work areas. The student work areas provide study carrels for silent individual work and test taking and tables for quiet group work. The resource area is staffed by the Math Educational Assistant and Math teachers; all are willing to help students with their questions.
English Resource Center (ERC)
The English Resource Center serves as the English Department Offices with tutorial help and some student conferences scheduled there. Specific course-related materials, places to use them, and adults to assist are found generally in the Media Center.
Science/World Language Resource Center
The resource center is a quiet but not silent study area staffed by an educational assistant. The resource center may be used for studying independently, working in small groups (four or fewer), or accessing science and world language materials. The educational assistant is available for helping students, monitoring tests, checking out books and materials for instructional projects, and assisting with copying machines.
Social Studies Resource Center (SSRC)
The Social Studies Resource Center will serve as the Social Studies Department Offices with tutorial help and some student conferences scheduled there. Specific course-related materials, places to use them, and adults to assist are generally found in the Media Center.
Common Areas
Counseling
The Counseling Office is an area where students can study, socialize quietly, and use numerous college, financial aid, private school, summer program and alternative learning reference materials.
Computer Labs
Computer labs are located in Rooms 272, the design lab, and the digital arts lab.
The Computer Lab is considered a quiet work area where individuals are required to respect the rights of others. Specific rules governing behavior will be displayed in the Computer Lab. Individuals are responsible for being aware of and obeying those rules. Failure to do so may result in expulsion from the lab; habitual disregard for the rules may necessitate the loss of the privilege to use the resources of the Computer Lab. As always, students using any computing resources at Hanover High School must adhere to the guidelines described in the school's Acceptable Use Policy.
Room 272: The "upper lab" area contains Macintosh desktops, charging stations, and the Help Desk. The lab serves both individual users and classes and provides access to software to support instruction. Teachers are requested to schedule class time in the lab at least one week in advance. When classes are not scheduled, the lab is open to individual students on a first-come, first-served basis.
Design Tech Lab: The design tech lab is located in the basement and provides access to specific software used in technology and design courses. These computers are used in conjunction with scheduled courses and are available to students outside of class with teacher permission only.
Digital Arts Lab: The digital arts lab is located near the athletic entrance and provides access to specific software and printers used in art classes, including but not limited to InDesign and Photoshop. These computers are used in conjunction with scheduled courses and are available to students outside of class with teacher permission only.
Design Lab
The Design Lab is open to all students; the only restrictions are that students:
- Have something definite to do (i.e., complete plans of a project);
- Pay for the materials used;
- Work only when the Labs are open;
- Not exceed their capabilities concerning use of the Design Lab machinery
- Have received permission before beginning.
A more detailed Open Lab policy is posted in the Design Lab.
Atrium
The Atrium is a singular and special place in the life of Hanover High School. It has evolved to become an informal space where the following can happen:
1. Socializing
2. Doing school work - especially group work
3. Thinking and reflecting
4. Club and group promotion and sale activities
5. Presentation & displays by outside groups & organizations
And in order for these things to happen well, some general expectations should be followed:
1. Watch the level of your noise - vocal and electronic
2. Be cheerful, social and pleasant
3. Clean up your table when you leave - even if it isn't your trash
4. Be an active citizen of the Atrium - keep it special
5. Remember - the Atrium is the first thing visitors to us see - make it good
Library
Hours:
7:30AM-4:00 PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday; 7:30AM-3:00PM Wednesday and 7:30AM-3:30 PM Friday *Hours are subject to change based on staffing.
Purpose
The Hanover High School Library's primary purpose is to support and enhance the instructional program of the school. It serves as the focal point for all types of resources, print and electronic, in-house and online, and is the place where students can expect to receive help locating and using information. Students are encouraged to ask questions regarding their research, as well as their leisure reading needs, and to make suggestions for materials they would like the Library to purchase.
Student Expectations
The Library should be thought of as an environment where students are able to study, do research, and read. Students may use room 171 (the main area of the library) for group study and browsing whenever classes aren't scheduled into them. The level of noise should not exceed a normal conversational volume, and should not make it difficult for other students or the staff to do their work. While talking and studying in pairs or groups is permitted in Room 171 and the classroom area (172B), talking is not allowed in Room 172 (silent study). Silent Study is for silent, individual study and research when not in use by a class. The conference room (170B) is also available for silent study and/or small group work with permission from the library staff. The staff assumes that students will behave thoughtfully and responsibly while in the library. Any student whose behavior infringes on the rights of others to work in a quiet and purposeful environment may be asked to leave the library.
Media Center Resources
The resources available in the library are a necessary and integral part of the life of the Hanover High School community, therefore, everyone needs to be responsible for keeping the resources in good condition and easily available for use. Borrowers need to sign out what they use and return it, in good condition, at the specified time. Most library resources may be signed out on either an overnight or a monthly basis. Detailed circulation policies are on the library website. All resources should be returned promptly by the due date. Students are expected to be responsible for and thoughtful about the materials they use or borrow. When several sections of a course or several courses are given research assignments in the library, students are expected to act fairly and with respect for each other’s right to access needed materials and pursue their work at all times. The library staff may use several avenues to ensure that materials borrowed are returned, including loss of borrowing privileges until overdue materials are returned.
Confidentiality of Library User Records
The Hanover High School Library complies with the New Hampshire Library Records Confidentiality Law (HB 36) passed on July 21, 1989. “This act...protects the confidentiality of library user records. Library user records include library, information system, and archival records related to the circulation and use of library materials and services. These records are confidential and shall not be disclosed without the consent of the user or pursuant to subpoena or court order.”
Briefly, the law means that the Library staff cannot legally tell anyone what materials another patron has borrowed. Students or staff who wish to borrow materials signed out by another patron will not be told who has the material; a member of the library staff will attempt to obtain the needed material for the borrower.
Overdue notices
Overdue notices are emailed to students quarterly. The library does not charge fines for overdue materials, however, students will be billed for the replacement cost of the material at the end of each semester. Access to other library materials may be restricted until the bill is paid or the materials returned.
Other Libraries
Dartmouth Libraries
Baker Library is located across the green from Hopkins Center. Hanover High School junior and senior students are permitted use of library research facilities at Dartmouth College only after they have exhausted resources at the High School and Town Libraries and, through the high school, the State Library. To be permitted use of Dartmouth Libraries, a student must pick up an official permit from the High School Librarian. Students enrolled in Dartmouth College courses will receive their permits through the mail. Unless the student is enrolled in a Dartmouth Course, only one nonrenewable, two-week permit per student per year is allowed.
Howe Library
The Howe Library is located on East South Street in Hanover and is an attractive space for doing schoolwork and for reading. Students living in Hanover and Norwich are eligible for a library card at no cost. The school purchases cards for tuition students so that all students may use the library at no cost. To obtain a card, a student should go to the main desk at Howe.
Hanover High School will assist Howe Library with collecting fines from tuition students for overdue materials since use of the library has been arranged through the school. In these cases outstanding Howe Library bills will become a financial obligation to the school if Howe is unable to collect monies for overdue or lost materials.
Common Resources
Student health services include traditional vision and hearing screening, first aid, injury assessment, dispensing prescription and over-the-counter medications, maintaining immunization records, and providing ongoing health counseling. High school students may carry over-the-counter medications kept in the original containers, but all prescription medications must be delivered in the original prescription container and kept locked in the Health Office to be dispensed by health personnel. A student who is sick and needs to go home should go to the health office to be evaluated by the nurse. A nurse will contact parents to make arrangements for the student to leave school. A student with a health concern is welcome to come to the health room with questions. As approved by Council and Administration in 2015, condoms are available free of charge in the Health Office.
Passed by The Council, Spring, 1992
Amended October 13, 2000
Purpose: To give teachers, students, parents and the community a place to share their opinions with the school community.
Location/Description: The opinion board will be placed centrally in the school.
Guidelines: The guidelines for the board will be as follows — (1) all opinions must be signed on the front of the submission and (2) all opinions must be in good taste (no profanity or personal attacks). Submissions must be of reasonable size to permit a variety of opinions to be displayed. These guidelines will be posted next to the opinion board.
Procedure: Anyone submitting an opinion may request that The Council place the issue discussed in the opinion on a future Council agenda. The opinions will be reviewed by the Guidelines Committee, a subcommittee of The Council. The Guidelines Committee will be composed of two students and one faculty member of The Council. Interested members may submit their names to the Moderator who will select the committee members. The committee’s responsibility will be to check that the submissions meet the two guidelines and to bring to The Council opinions (1) which the writer of the opinion has asked to have placed on The Council’s agenda and (2) which the Opinion Board Committee feels need The Council’s attention. Rejected submissions will be returned to the community member for resubmission. In the event of a controversy, the opinion will be submitted to J-Comm for a final ruling to ensure that the opinion is within the guidelines.
Purpose: To give teachers, students, parents and the community a place to share their opinions with the school community.
Location/Description: The opinion board will be placed centrally in the school.
Guidelines: The guidelines for the board will be as follows — (1) all opinions must be signed on the front of the submission and (2) all opinions must be in good taste (no profanity or personal attacks). Submissions must be of reasonable size to permit a variety of opinions to be displayed. These guidelines will be posted next to the opinion board.
Procedure: Anyone submitting an opinion may request that The Council place the issue discussed in the opinion on a future Council agenda. The opinions will be reviewed by the Guidelines Committee, a subcommittee of The Council. The Guidelines Committee will be composed of two students and one faculty member of The Council. Interested members may submit their names to the Moderator who will select the committee members. The committee’s responsibility will be to check that the submissions meet the two guidelines and to bring to The Council opinions (1) which the writer of the opinion has asked to have placed on The Council’s agenda and (2) which the Opinion Board Committee feels need The Council’s attention. Rejected submissions will be returned to the community member for resubmission. In the event of a controversy, the opinion will be submitted to J-Comm for a final ruling to ensure that the opinion is within the guidelines.
The opinions will be posted every Friday for a period of two weeks, and at the end of that time, if the person wishes to keep his or opinion posted that person must resubmit it. An online opinion board, established by the HHS technology coordinator, exists in parallel with the hall board as a virtual representation. Opinions to be submitted to the online board must follow the guidelines identified above.