Any student who has not received their required immunizations will be required to get them between now and the end of winter break. Please contact our school nurse, Laura Moorefield, at lmoorefield@iwcs.k12.va.us or 757-357-3108.

As we embrace this holiday season, there are a few items your school nurse wants you to know to have a safe and healthy holiday.

1. Washing your hands is the best prevention of flu-like illnesses.

2. In order to protect those you care about, it is OK for you to skip holiday events. If you, or your family members, are not feeling well please limit your activities and personal contacts.

3. With so many viral and bacterial infections occurring in our community, the only way to know if it is flu, COVID, strep throat, RSV etc is to test and/or see your healthcare provider.

4. It is also the cold and sore throat season. Many times students have minor symptoms and are able to participate in a full day of school. Use of over the counter medications often help students feel better and make it through a school day. Please use extreme caution and follow manufacturer recommendations for the amount of medication to give and the spacing of doses.

5. It is often tempting to send over the counter medication (OTC) such as cough drops, Tylenol, sore throat lozenges or allergy medications with them to school. Students are not allowed to carry over the counter medication with them at school or on the bus. All medications must be brought to the school by a parent or guardian and signed into the health clinic. Additional information can be found in the IWCS Policy JHCD-R. Here is an insert of that policy identifying required information. “Over-the-counter medications require parent consent on the medication form. Such permission shall include the name of the medication, the required dosage of the medication, and the time the medication is to be given. Such medication must be in the original container and delivered to the principal, school nurse or school division designee by the parent/guardian.” In order to assure student safety OTC medications are to be in a new unopened container.

The SHS Best Buddies help stuff Toys For Tots bags for Santa to give out.

Seniors: Share a little bit about your personality by including a quote under your senior portrait in the yearbook! The deadline to submit your quote is Friday, Dec. 1. Submit via this Google Form: https://forms.gle/P6h6P1dHSjr5jX4P7

All quotes must be school appropriate and should be no more than 150 characters. Please use quotation marks and include the author of your quote in your submission. Yearbook staff and SHS administration reserve the right to reject your quote if it doesn't meet guidelines.

Examples of what is NOT acceptable:

• References to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gangs

• Foul language

• Quotes that are sexual or contain vulgar innuendo

• Nonsense or inside jokes

• Anything that belittles another person's ethnicity, religious/political beliefs, sexuality, gender, physical/mental ability

Good questions to ask yourself: Does this quote stand the test of time? How will I feel when my parents and the community see this?

Tell Prestige Photography what your senior photos mean to you for a chance to receive one of three $1,000 scholarships* toward your academic or career goals. Simply submit your application and a one-page essay by January 31, 2024 to qualify.

APPLY NOW

In a continued commitment to serve students from across the Commonwealth of Virginia, Radford University is launching the Radford Tuition Promise.

Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, incoming freshmen and transfer students with Virginia residency whose families have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $100,000 or less according to their 2022 federal income tax and a Student Aid Index (SAI) of less than $15,000 as determined by the FAFSA will receive federal, state and gift aid to cover the cost of their tuition at Radford University.

Radford Tuition Promise is funded through federal, state and institutional gift aid. This means qualifying students will not be required to take out a student loan for their tuition cost.

In order to be considered, students must apply for admission by Radford University’s regular admission deadline (February 1 for new freshmen and March 1 for transfer students). Students must also file the FAFSA by the March 1 priority deadline and include Radford University using student code 003732.

Interim reports will be issued December 12.

All IWCS Schools and Offices will be closed December 18 - January 1.

January 2 is a student holiday/staff workday.

The 2024 Virginia School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions will be administered

starting in January to all students in grades nine, ten, eleven, and twelve and all classroom
instructors and licensed staff in your building, regardless of the grades served by the
individual. To opt out, please read through the attached letter and contact Danielle Hewitt.

Parent Letter

Now meets every Monday *AND* Thursday after school

from 3pm to 4pm

in the library.

Students must have a ride home.

Contact Mr. Pape apape@iwcs.k12.va.us

Tickets to the “Choraliers Carol by Candlelight” concerts at St. Luke’s Historic Church are sold out! Thank you to all who have reserved their seat at a concert to support the Choraliers as we raise funds to travel to Washington, D.C. and Maryland for a competition in May of 2024! If you missed your opportunity to get a ticket to St. Luke’s, then come support us performing the same program at the Suffolk Cultural Arts Center on December 9 at 5:30pm. Tickets are $10 if purchased in advance, and $15 at the door. Please contact Mrs. West at kwest@iwcs.k12.va.us to buy your ticket in person at SHS. Online ticket purchasing: https://suffolkcenter.org/performances_events/smithfield-choraliers-holiday-concert/

Click the link below to view a video spot for the Choraliers' holiday performance in Suffolk.

The holiday SHS Chorus and Band concert will be held on December 7 at 7pm in the SHS auditorium. Please come and support our talented musicians in this joint concert that is sure to get you in the holiday spirit!

Website: https://shs.iwcs.k12.va.us/
Location: 14171 Turner Drive, Smithfield, VA, USA
Phone: 757-357-3108
Twitter: @OfficialSHSPack