The Husky Monthly

Somehow it is already November and we are at the end of the 1st quarter of the 23-24 school year!

Our SKORE after school program is off and running and Mrs. Elizabeth Petersen has done an excellent job getting the program organized so students can enjoy the after-school offerings.

📞At the beginning of the year we shared our new cell phone policy via our student handbook and we have appreciated how students have responded to the expectation as well as the support we've received from families.

🚌One area we do need family's support as of late, is with after-school transportation for students. While we partner with North Wasco Transportation, we do ask that families call the school for any change in dismissal plans for their student, by 2:00pm. This allows the necessary time to make sure the message gets delivered to the student so they can safely get to their expected destination.

This past week we began implementing some additional measures at the elementary grades to ensure that each student is accounted for at dismissal, whether they are being picked up, riding the bus, or have a change in their normal transportation schedule. If you would like more information about these measures, please don't hesitate to call the school and ask to speak to myself, Mrs. Fall.

We are also asking families of elementary students who are picking up their student to walk across the bus lane and drive-through lane to the sidewalk out front of the school to pick up their student. In order to keep students most safe, we are asking that students not run or walk across the bus lane and pick up lane in order to get to their family member in the parking lot.

This will also allow us to be able to ensure that the person picking up the student is authorized to pick up that student.

We continue to appreciate families as you partner with us in your student's education. Your student's safety is our #1 priority and making some of these dismissal procedural shifts will help us to continue to improve so we can ensure that each and every student is safe.

As the first quarter draws to a close, we are excited to announce the upcoming family conferences. We extend a warm invitation for you to participate in these important dialogues, centered around your student(s) and their achievements thus far. These discussions are designed to foster meaningful connections between you and your students' education at Sherman County School.

This year family conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, November 8 from 12:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Thursday, November 9 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. K-5 families will receive a link to schedule their conference from their classroom teacher. 6-12 conferences will be on a drop-in basis during the scheduled conference times.

As a reminder, you have the ability to access your 4th-12th grade student’s up-to-date grades and classroom assignments by checking ParentVue. There is a link on the school’s website at www.sherman.k12.or.us or you can download the app from the iTunes or Google Play stores for iOS and Android devices. If you need assistance signing in, please contact the school office.

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The tardy policy outlined in the student handbook WILL be enforced starting 2nd quarter and the remainder of the year. A summary of that policy is as follows: the 3rd tardy in any class will result in a letter being sent home to your parent/guardian. The 5th and subsequent tardies will require attendance to Rules School with the principal during lunch. Please review the entire tardy section in the student handbook.

Join Our Team! Please spread the word!

We are looking for a few highly qualified educators to join our team.

Please note the State of Oregon vaccine mandate expired on June 17, 2023.

Instructional Assistant (NCESD) - Special Education

Public Library Assistant

Media II

Bilingual Instructional Assistant

On Monday, Oct 18, the Sherman County FFA Soils Judging team competed in the State contest in the Willamette Valley. Through the pouring rain, the team judged 4 different soil pits, and placed 5th in state. With their 5th place finish, the chapter is qualified to send a team to the National Land and Range Judging Contest, held in Oklahoma, April 30 - May 2, 2024. The team consisted of Sawyer Baker, Josiah Carlson, Violet Woods, Raul Anaya, T’Sharra Lanthorn, Gage Simpson, Arwen Dorzab, and coached by FFA Advisor Nels Swenson.

IT’S GOOD TO BE GRATEFUL

November is a month we often reflect on what we are thankful for in our lives. Making this kind of reflection a daily habit is a good practice. According to mentalhealthfirstaid.org, an organization that teaches courses in how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in various populations, research has shown that consciously practicing gratitude can immediately reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, providing an immediate 10% increase in happiness, and a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms. These effects wear off, though, so making gratitude a daily habit is a good idea! Gratitude doesn’t just affect your mood, it can also boost your self-esteem, and improve the quality of your sleep. While the idea of gratitude can be a big one for children to understand, as parents we can help them learn how by modeling it ourselves. Saying thank you, acknowledging positive things that happen, and taking an opportunity to self-reflect can help us make it a habit and show our kids the way, too.

Making gratitude a habit can also be a protective factor when difficult situations threaten to send us into a tailspin. Because of its impact on mental health, gratitude reduces the risk of suicide in young adults. A 2015 study showed that “positive self-compassion that includes gratitude helped to reduce the risk of suicide among adolescents following a traumatic experience (Liu et. al, 2020). Since many teens struggle with anxiety and depression, which can lead to suicide ideation, making gratitude a habit can help manage one of mental health’s most dangerous symptoms (adaa.org).

Gratitude isn’t just for Thanksgiving. Why not start making it a habit this month and see how your life changes!

November 2: Last day of quarter 1

November 3: No school--grading day

November 6: Traveling lantern theater visits the elementary

November 7: Picture retakes, 4th grade field trip, middle school basketball begins

November 8: Half-day of school, K-12 family-teacher conferences (see letter above from Mr. Kroll)

November 9: No School, K-12 family-teacher conferences

November 10: No School, Veterans Day (Observed)

November 13: High school basketball begins, school board meeting

November 15: K-5 quarter 1 awards assembly, 2:30pm

November 22-24: No school

(see the District Events Calendar for the complete & most up to date schedule of events)