SMS Weekly Update
September 8, 2023
Dear Archers,
We are beginning to get settled into a beautiful new school year here at SMS.
This week, our Outdoor Pursuits teacher, Travis Simpson, led an exciting activity that we dubbed, "Action A-Frames". Action A-Frames is a team building activity where participants focus on safety first, while building skills of balancing forces in order to walk the A-frame across a distance with a person suspended on the frame. SMS students did a tremendous job over two days, working on physical skills, team work, communication, listening and leadership skills to successfully accomplish the task at hand. Check out the following photos!
IMPORTANT DATES
September 13
- Early Release, Dismissal at 2:26 pm
- Back to School Night, 5:45 pm - 7:30 pm
September 20
- Early Release, Dismissal at 2:26 pm
- Early Release, Dismissal at 2:26 pm
- Choice Flex
Additional events may be viewed on the SMS Calendar and the District Calendar.
SCHOOL HOURS
Front Office Hours: 7:30 am - 3:45pm
Student Hours: 8:45 am - 3:26 pm (Except on scheduled Early Release days)
Doors Open to Students: 8:30 am (Main Entrance and Activities Entrance)
EARLY RELEASE
Wednesdays: 2:26 pm Dismissal (beginning on Sept. 13th)
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
We have a new format for our Back to School Night event this year. Schedules will be available for pick-up starting at 5:45 pm in the SMS Commons (please use the Activities Entrance). Following a message from our Principal Marianne Funderhide and Superintendent Jeremy Lyon at 6:00 pm, you and your student(s) will then be encouraged to navigate campus by following your student's schedule. This time is available to check out classrooms, see your student's locker, learn classroom systems, meet the teacher, possibly see class artifacts, and ideally become more familiar with your student's school environment and routine. We are excited to invite you and your student into the building so we can put faces to names and continue to foster relationships with all members of our school community.
There will also be tables set up in the commons on the following topics:
- Standards Based Grading
- Q&A: Canvas Support
- ParentVue/Canvas Parent Log-Ins
- Health Acknowledgement & Opt-Out
- Parent Support Organization (PSO)
- Sherwood Education Foundation (SEF)
- Boy Scouts
- Builder’s Club
Additionally, all teachers will have a sign-up sheet for you to fill out if you would like the teacher to reach out to you to answer specific questions that you may have.
We hope to see you there!
TARDY POLICY
Studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Education on truancy, which is connected with tardiness, show that school attendance is a major factor when it comes to school success and student behavior. While it may only seem like 5 or 10 minutes late is no big deal, it directly impacts your child's success, disrupts the learning environment for all students in the class, and is a detriment to everyone’s learning.
Suggestions to help with being on time to school:
Pack backpacks/lunch boxes and lay out clothes the night before.
Set up a “last stop” area-pick an area by the door you leaves from and put everything there for school
Play favorite music that puts you in a good mood and gets you going.
Sherwood Middle School Tardy Policy
FIVE TARDIES IN ONE WEEK ACROSS ALL CLASSES WILL RESULT IN…
1st Offense: One lunch detention
2nd Offense: Two lunch detentions
3rd Offense: Three lunch detentions
*If tardies continue after the 3rd offense, additional consequences and support will be implemented.
We start tracking tardies on Monday, September 11th, and begin holding students accountable for tardies on Monday, September 18th.
PLEASE EXCUSE A TARDY THAT IS OUT OF YOUR STUDENTS CONTROL.
Call The Attendance Line:
(503) 825-5510
Email:
PE PARTICIPATION
Non-Participation in PE Due to Injury:
If you have a student that is injured and needs to sit out from PE, please notify your student's PE teacher directly as soon as possible. Any injury that will require more than 3 days of sitting out must be accompanied by a Doctor's note indicating the type of injury and the dates that the student should sit out for. Students will still be expected to check in with their PE teacher every day, whether they are medically excused or not.
RELEASE OF DIRECTORY INFORMATION
Directory information means those items of personally identifiable information contained in a student education record which is not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released.
All students and families have the opportunity to opt out of Directory Information and to not allow their information to be released. Please complete this Opt-Out form if you do NOT approve the release of your child’s directory information. Student directory information will be released with the absence of this Opt-Out form.
BUILDERS CLUB
We are excited to partner with students at Sherwood High School to form a Builders Club here at SMS. This student-led club was originally developed by and modeled after Kiwanis International, a global network of men and women serving the children of the world. Participants will have a variety of extracurricular opportunities throughout the school year to develop leadership through service to the school and the community. Interested students will have the opportunity to participate in leadership and service activities during their monthly Choice Flex classes. We will also be hosting after school activities on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month. There will be an Activity Bus.
If this sounds like a good fit for your student, please encourage them to sign up for our first Choice Flex class, September 27. Sign ups will happen at school, the week before. We are so excited to work alongside our students to help, "build a better future."
STUDENT SERVICES PARENT PARTNERSHIP
Student Services Parent Partnership Meeting - September 27
SAVE THE DATE! The Student Services Department will be hosting their first Parent Partnership meeting of the academic year on Wednesday, September 27th from 7:00-8:30pm at the District Office. The goal of the Student Services Parent Partnership meetings are to build positive connections and relationships with parents of students with disabilities. These meetings provide an opportunity to learn more about special education and Section 504, and build community with professionals and parents who have a passion for supporting students with disabilities. If you would like more information please reach out to Angela Thiemann at 503-825-5035 or athiemann@sherwood.k12.or.us.
2023-2024 Student Services Parent Partnership Dates:
- Wednesday, September 27th - 7:00pm-8:30pm
- Wednesday, October 25th - 4:30pm-6:00pm
- Friday, November 17th- 9:00am-10:30am
- Wednesday, January 31st - 7:00pm-8:30pm
- Wednesday, February 28th 4:30pm-6:00pm
- Friday, March 22nd- 9:00am-10:30am
- Wednesday, April 24th 7:00pm-8:30pm
- Wednesday, May 29th 4:30pm-6:00pm
ANNUAL NOTICE FOR STATEWIDE TESTING
The Annual Notice for Statewide Tests is published by the Oregon Department of Education at the beginning of each school year. This notice informs parents and families of state testing requirements, why participation matters, and parent and adult student rights regarding state testing.
Please take a moment to review the annual notice for statewide tests.
2023-24 Annual Notice for Statewide Tests
For questions about the annual notice of statewide tests, please contact psalm@sherwood.k12.or.us
