SMS Weekly Update

This past week included some exciting events here at SMS. In case you haven't heard from a thrilled student, our Student Store returned this week. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays the Student Store is open at all three lunches. Students can purchase snacks and drinks from the student store using cash, Venmo or Apple Pay. Thank you to our PSO and Nutrition Services for partnering together to provide this opportunity for our students.

Next week is Staff Appreciation Week. We truly feel that we have an incredible group of adults that work in this building to serve the needs of every student. Without their dedication, hard work, and huge hearts SMS would not be the wonderful place that it is. Thank you to all of our staff for their work, and to all of our families for supporting our staff in numerous ways throughout the school year.

We hope you have a joyous and relaxing weekend.

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)

February 2

• District 14 Honor Choir (selected auditioned participants)
• Student of the Month Breakfast - 7:45 am - 8:15 am

February 5 - 9

• Staff Appreciation Week

February 7

• Early Release - Dismissal at 2:26 pm

February 10

• West Salem Jazz Festival

February 15

• NAEP Assessment (Select 8th grade students)

Additional events may be viewed on the SMS Calendar and the District Calendar.

The lunch menu for February has been updated to reflect the weather makeup day on February 19. To view or print the updated menu, please click the link below.

As you know, recently we lost four school days due to inclement weather. Since that time, the Governor declared a State of Emergency, and as a short-term solution, the Oregon Department of Education will pursue a temporary rule with the State Board of Education to provide school districts up to 14 hours of instructional time due to closures caused by extreme weather.

In addition to the exception those 14 hours from the state provides, our district will need to make up one inclement weather day. Please note that this makeup day will occur on Monday, February 19 (Presidents’ Day), which had already been identified on the 2023-2024 academic calendar as one of our inclement weather makeup days. This means that February 19 will be a regular school day.

Additionally, we will need to adjust the length of the 2nd trimester to rebalance the trimesters for the year. The 2nd (current) trimester will now end on Thursday, March 14, and the teacher work day (no school day) will move from Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15. This means that March 11 will be a regular school day, and March 15 will be a no school day.

Everyone is invited to join Sherwood Band and Color Guard for our annual fundraiser, Swingin' the Green on March 2, 2024 for a plated dinner at The Oregon Golf Club in West Linn, Oregon. We will be enjoying music played by the Sherwood Jazz Bands, online and live auction, raffle and other activities. Please save the date for this fun evening. It's our biggest fundraiser of the year! 100% of the proceeds from this fundraiser goes directly to our students!

For more information and to purchase tickets visit swinginthegreen.org today!

The Primary Review Report was sent to Washington County on January 17, 2024. The County will be mailing Exclusion orders next week on February 7th. If you have taken care of your child’s missing Immunizations please disregard this notice. If your student is still incomplete please take care of the missing shots prior to exclusion day which is February 21, 2024. Any student not complete will not be able to attend school until either they have received their vaccine or completed the medical or nonmedical exemption forms. If you have any questions please reach out to our Registrar, Allison Kopp, at akopp@sherwood.k12.or.us or 503-825-5520.

2/7/24 Exclusion letters from the state will be mailed to students who are still out of compliance.

2/21/24 Exclusion Day - All students out of compliance are not able to attend school until their required Immunizations are up to date or the exemptions have been completed.

Medical and nonmedical exemptions are also allowed.

• To request a medical exemption from vaccine requirements, submit a signed statement from your child's physician.

• To request a nonmedical exemption from vaccine requirements, you must do one of the following:
  (1) Talk to your healthcare provider and get a signed Vaccine Education Certificate, fill out the nonmedical exemption section of the Certificate of Immunization Status, and turn in both forms to your child's school; or
  (2) Watch the Vaccine Education Module for parents at: https://www.oregon.gov/OHA/PH/PreventionWellness/VaccinesImmunization/GettingImmunized/Pages/non-medical-exemption.aspx and print out the Vaccine Education Certificate at the end of the module, fill out the nonmedical exemption section of the Certificate of Immunization Status, and turn in both forms to your child’s school.

As we approach a midway point in the school year we want to take the time to remind everyone of the traffic patterns for student drop off and pick up. In order to facilitate a safe drop off and pick up for our students please remember to do the following:

1. Students must enter and exit vehicles on the curb side. Please do not have students come out to the second lane to access vehicles. The second lane should be utilized as a "thru-lane only."

2. Please pull forward as soon as possible in order to help our traffic patterns flow and reduce traffic spillover onto Meinecke.

All Sherwood schools will be participating in our second round of lockdown drills for this school year January 29 - February 9. Lockdown drills are an essential part of our emergency preparedness, and help students and staff to practice specific actions that would occur in an emergency situation. Practice drills such as these are also an opportunity for our administrators and staff to collaborate with the Sherwood Police Department to continue improving our safety plans. You may notice increased police presence if you are on/near our campus during a lockdown drill, as our SROs do participate in checking our building security during the drill.

During drills, staff and students are secured within their individual classrooms/offices, and there is no movement in the building. No one will be allowed to enter or exit the campus until the drill has been completed.

For more information on District emergency response protocols and communication, please visit the SSD website here.

We will hold our annual SMS Battle of the Books on Thursday, February 22nd. Teams will compete during second and third period for a chance to compete in our building championship! The SMS Championships will take place the next afternoon on Friday, February 23rd.

Please see Mrs. Siebers in the Media Center for more information.

Are you interested in learning how to curl? Have you wondered what the sport is all about? In 1998 curling was formally approved as a Winter Olympic sport. Maybe you could be the next Olympian!

Our FLEX club will learn:

• Curling terminology (signals to yell to your teammates)

• How to score each game (the math behind curling)

• How to play (the sheet of curling ice; signals; equipment; strategy)

• The chemistry and physics behind curling (How is friction used in curling? How does the weight of the stone affect its velocity?)

• Opportunity to practice curling on dry land (this includes stretching and warm-ups)

• Field trip to a curling facility to practice on ice in April

Please reach out to Mrs. Strausbaugh (7th grade math) or Mrs. Blythe (6th grade math) for more information if you are interested in joining this new club during Flex.

Sherwood Middle School has been selected to participate in the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Often referred to as the "nation's report card" this assessment is conducted at hundreds of randomly selected schools across the country each school year in order to determine how students are progressing in their education. This assessment will be provided to 50 randomly selected 8th grade students on February 15th.

NAEP staff will determine the students selected. If your 8th grade student is selected you will be notified in early February. Students will complete this assessment during the school day and will be excused from class in order to do so.

For those attending the East Coast trip, the second fundraiser flyer for See's Candy is in the front office. Forms and payments are due Monday, February 5th to room W-6. Orders may be picked up in Sherwood on February 12th.

We continue to get a lot of items in our Lost and Found. It would be helpful if items were labeled with your student's name, as we attempt to return all lost and found items back to their owner if at all possible.

Students may check the lost and found before school, during lunch, after school, and during passing times.

Parents are welcome to come look in the Lost and Found for missing items before school or after school after checking in at the main office.

We are excited to share an update regarding Flex Time. As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering academic success, we will be extending Flex Time opportunities for the remainder of the school year. Beginning in January, students will have the chance to attend Flex Time twice a month on Wednesdays. This expansion provides an even greater opportunity for our students to engage in personalized learning experiences and receive the support they need.

What happens during Flex Time?

Flex Time is a dedicated block of time in our schedule designed for students and teachers to meet for a specific need.

During Flex Time, students can:

1. Get Additional Academic Support:
   Whether they need clarification on a challenging topic or want to reinforce their understanding, Flex Time provides an environment for academic support. Teachers may utilize this time to assign students to a Flex to ensure that they are getting the additional time and targeted support in areas of need.
2. Attend Academic Extensions:
   For those eager to explore subjects in greater depth, Flex TIme offers academic extensions, providing students with the chance to delve into advanced topics and expand their knowledge.
3. Participate in Clubs:
   Flex Time provides a platform for students to engage in extracurricular activities through club participation. These clubs are diverse, catering to a range of interests and provide opportunities for students to connect and share passions.
4. Experience Enrichments:
   Beyond the standard curriculum, Flex Time features enriching activities that encourage creativity, critical thinking, and exploration.

How Can Your Child Make the Most of Flex Time?

• Student autonomy: encourage your child to take an active role in their education by choosing sessions that align with their needs and interests.

• Discuss with your child how they can utilize these opportunities for academic growth and enrichment.

We believe that Flex Time serves as a valuable resource for our students, promoting not only academic success but also fostering a sense of responsibility and independence in their learning journey.

PreK is currently enrolling students for Fall 2024! If your child will be 4 on September 1st, they qualify for Sherwood School District's PreK program. Interest Forms are being accepted now, and class placements will be determined Monday February 12th! Get your fall plans in place today!