
Principal's Newsletter
Sam Barlow High School ~ September 2022
Sam Barlow High School
Website: https://www.gresham.k12.or.us/sbhs
Location: 5105 SE 302nd Ave, Gresham, OR, United States
Phone: (503) 258-4850
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sam-Barlow-High-School/106146596083423
Twitter: @BarlowPride
FROM PRINCIPAL BRUCE C. SCHMIDT, JR.
I hope this finds you and your family doing well after a great summer break. We are so excited to begin the 2022-23 school year next week. We have been making all of the essential preparations to welcome your student back to Barlow and the entire staff is anxiously awaiting the return of our Bruin family.
While we primary goal is to provide a rich academic experience, we are also focused on teaching essential skills that will help our students be successful in their lives beyond high school. Setting goals, personal accountability, acceptance and inclusion of their peers, and learning to persevere through challenges are some of those key skills. As parents there is a fine line between "letting them grow up" and "removing all barriers". So please consider the following as you send your student off to school:
- Activate and monitor your ParentVue account to make sure they are turning in all assignments, keeping good grades, and attending school. If they are not meeting the expectations you have set, talk to them and help them set a plan to do better. If they are meeting your goals, congratulate them.
- Let them struggle a bit. Life is not always comfortable and easy. It is okay for them to face challenges. Coach them to stick with it, to talk to their teachers and coaches, and to self-advocate. It is easy for us adults to send an email on their part. Teach them how to communicate their needs.
- Don't go "hands-off". Even our most successful students need support, reminders, and guidance. Stay involved, attend school events, volunteer if you can, and read the newsletters we send so you stay informed. Keeping connected is a great way to start conversations at home.
We want our parents to be involved, we want our parents to ask questions, and we are always open to discuss any challenges or successes your student is facing. This is a family oriented business and we can't address challenges unless we know they exist. Thanks for keeping an open line of communication.
I wish you all the best this holiday weekend and for the start of the school year. I can't wait to see the kids return and to hear all about their goals and aspirations for the year to come.
Here's to a successful 2022-2023 school year and Go Bruins!
IMPORTANT DATES
- Tuesday, September 6th is a full school day for Freshmen Only
- Wednesday, September 7th is a Wednesday Late Start for ALL Students
- Friday, September 9th is our first home Football Game at 7:00pm
Starting the School Year Strong
As you enjoy the last few days of summer, there are a few suggestions I would like to make that will help your student transition to their school year successfully. I am sure many of these suggestions will be met with groans, but these are helpful tips that will really make your student’s life a bit easier.
Start talking to your student about what they would like to accomplish this year in school. Keep in mind that this doesn’t necessarily have to focus on grades. Goals could be around developing better or new friendships, spending more time with family, getting a part time job, or even attending some sporting events at school. The key here is to have a meaningful conversation with your student about their hopes and ambitions for the year.
Encourage your student to pick up a book, magazine, or an on-line news source to read on a regular basis. If they read for 30 minutes a day, this will get their brains working and exercising to better prepare them for the flood of information they will get when the start school. Think of it as a “warming up their brain” period.
Take some time with your student and help them organize their room to include a place to do homework or study. This can be as simple as a stack of pillows that they push against the wall while they read or do math, or as elaborate as a dedicated chair and desk. Along with establishing a “place for school” at home, this gives you some time to work with your student, talk to them, and see what they are looking forward to this school year.
If you have not already done this, take some time to relax and talk with your student. Whether it is a 10 minute or 30 minutes conversation, taking a few minutes to talk, catch up, and visit with your child will make a huge difference in your relationship. The conversation doesn’t need to have a purpose other than to just talk. The time you spend now is a great investment. That way, when it comes time to have more challenging conversation in the middle of the school year, you have practiced how to talk with one another and it will be much easier to communicate.
Getting ready for school to start is often one of those last minute rushes (trust me, I have kids also) that sometimes sneaks up on us. If you take a bit of time and gradually ramp up to the start of the school year, kids will have a smoother transition and more success when beginning. Please be sure to enjoy the last few days of summer away from school and with your family and we look forward to seeing you soon. Go Bruins!
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
I know many of you are wondering if there is a "supply list" for students who attend Barlow. The answer to that is "No". As students enter high school, and attend seven different classes a day, each teacher will have unique requests for students in terms of what they will need in class. While that is the case, I have provided a foundational list of suggested supplies that will get your student 90% of the materials they will need begin their year. Please reference the list below so you can hit some of those "Back to School" sales.
- A backpack. Preferably one that will hold a Chromebook
- A 2" binder with dividers for each class.
- A Scientific Calculator, preferably, a TI-84 plus (this will last all four years at Barlow). If this is a financial challenge, we do check these out to students through our Textbook room.
- Pens and pencils
- Looseleaf binder paper college ruled
- 5 subject spiral for core classes (Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science)
Some teachers may have suggestions for their classes, but the above items should be sufficient and set your student up for success.
STUDENT DROP OFF AND PICK UP GUIDELINES
While we always encourage students to take the bus to school, we also understand that there are times when students must be dropped off or picked up from school. In order to make this a smooth process, there is a structured process for moving through the parking lot.
Student pick-up and drop-off will be located in the Main Parking Lot off Lusted Road. Please be sure to review the diagram that outlines the process before you head to school on the first day. Understanding the procedures will be critical with respect to improving traffic flow. The more people who follow the procedures as detailed the better. Please help us out by following the guidelines.
STUDENT LOCKERS
Lockers are issued through request only. Students will find a QR code displayed on television monitors and posted on bulletin boards throughout campus. Once they scan the QR code, they will enter the requested information, be issued a locker, and receive an email to their school Gmail account with the locker number and combination. Lockers will be assigned throughout the first two weeks of school on a first come, first served basis.
PARENTVUE APP (Check your students' progress)
You can download the ParentVue App directly to your phone for free. It’s very simple to do and we have included the step-by-step instructions for you below.
Go to your App store or Android Market and search for ParentVue.
Click ‘install’ and then ‘open’ when installation is complete.
You will have a screen prompting you to swipe left to find your district. If location is activated on your phone, our district should pop to the top. If not, type in Gresham-Barlow School District in the search bar.
Once you choose Gresham-Barlow School District, you will be asked to log in.
Once you have logged in, you will have access to your student's information, such as;
Class Schedule
Current Grades in all classes
Progress Reports
Attendance
Teacher communications
Access to update your contact information
Many more…
You can also select which language you prefer to use by clicking on ‘change’ at the bottom of the screen.
This is a great resource to have at the tip of your fingers. If you need assistance logging in or resetting your password, please contact Brandie Seibel at seibel6@gresham.k12.or.us
PARKING PASSES
In order to park at Sam Barlow High School, students must purchase a parking pass. Parking passes will be sold before school, after school, or during lunches the first week in Student Management. For detailed information on parking at Sam Barlow, please review the Parking Pass Informational Letter. The cost of a parking pass will be $30.00 for a Main Lot pass and $25.00 for an Annex Lot pass. All parking passes will be sold based on the following criteria:
To purchase a parking pass, students must meet the following criteria:
You must be a Junior or Senior
Attended at least 85% of the days during the second semester of the 2021-22 school year
Have a valid Oregon Drivers License
Have current car insurance
Completed the Parking Pass Application. The application must be printed and completed prior to purchase. If you need a copy, please have your student stop by the Student Management Office.
If students met the above criteria, Seniors, CAL students and those who have a zero period will be given first priority on purchasing parking passes. All other Juniors will be placed into a lottery system with numbers being drawn randomly the week of September 6. Students whose numbers are drawn will be notified by Student Management.
PSAT GIVEN ON OCTOBER 12
Each year students can take the PSAT as either a preparatory exam for the SAT or to qualify as a National Merit Scholar. This exam is geared towards Juniors, therefore, any Junior who would like to quality for a National Merit Scholarship must take this exam.
We will be offering the PSAT for Barlow students on Wednesday, October 12. To sign up for this exam, please read below:
- Focus is for 11th graders (though freshman and sophomores can also sit for the exam).
- The cost for the exam is $12.00. You can have your student pay our bookkeeper through either a check or cash, or you can pay online at PSAT Pay Online
- Students must pay for the exam by Monday, September 12
While many colleges and universities no longer use the SAT as an entrance requirement, and are "test blind", there are several scholarships that utilize a combination of Grade Point Average (GPA) and an SAT score to evaluate student performance. So please consider this practice opportunity for your student as it will give them a good idea of what these standardized tests are all about.
ATTENDANCE
In order for students to reach their full potential in the classroom, they must attend school. We want all students to attend at least 90% of all school days. Students should only miss school if they have a fever, have been vomiting, have a medical appointment, or a family emergency. We fully understand that students will sometimes miss school, but limiting the number of missed days is important. Students can’t learn unless they are in class. If we have more students attending at a higher rate, we can also increase the success of our students and our graduation rate.
MAIN OFFICE FAQ's
What are the office hours?
7:00am - 3:30pm daily
Closed on holidays and some inservice days
What is the main office number?
503-258-4850
Can I leave a message for my student?
Yes. If necessary, we can take messages from a parent or guardian only. Messages will not be delivered to class except in an emergency, but will be held in the office. Students are paged during designated paging times, and it is the student’s responsibility to pick up the note.
Can I bring a present or send flowers/balloons to a student?
We are unable to accept gifts, flowers/balloons for students. We will refuse all attempted deliveries.
Can I deliver coffee/specialty drinks to my student?
No. We will not accept any Dutch, Black Rock, Country Coffee, etc.
Additional questions?
Please call us! 503-258-4850
Who Can Help?
If you have concerns about your child’s schedule or other issues, the following are the staff to contact. Email is a quick way to get answers to the questions you might have.
COUNSELORS (Caseload by Last Name)
A-C Shae Morris morris62@gresham.k12.or.us
D-H Erin Boelow boelow@gresham.k12.or.us
I-M Paul Quirke quirke@gresham.k12.or.us
N-Sa Oscar Rethwill rethwill@gresham.k12.or.us
Sc-Z Molly Ninneman ninneman@gresham.k12.or.us
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER
Kimberly Louvin louvin@gresham.k12.or.us
HS SUCCESS COACH
Amanda McLeod mcleod2@gresham.k12.or.us
ELL LIAISON
Brinidey Gil-Salado
NURSE
Miriam Ward ward31@gresham.k12.or.us
ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
Ryan Alexander alexander9@gresham.k12.or.us
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS
A-G Heidi Husbands husbands@gresham.k12.or.us
H-O Jason Bhear bhear@gresham.k12.or.us
P-Z Doyle Huelsman huelsman2@gresham.k12.or.us
SBHS Calendars
If you would like to subscribe to Sam Barlow calendars on your phone or other devices, use the links below:
Activities - SBHS Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/gresham.k12.or.us_73jhabthgqh7h2910qn0c6baq8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
Athletics -SBHS calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/gresham.k12.or.us_kv7l5hldmkp5s4cgp4dmg8fnls%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
Sam Barlow Main Public Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/gresham.k12.or.us_4jj9ve163iticdogb11b6ggp1s%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics