Dear SMS Family,

I want to take a quick moment to introduce myself and welcome you back for the 2024-2025 school year! After spending almost ten years in the classroom and fourteen years in school leadership, I feel blessed to support you all as we move through the often tumultuous middle school years. I’m looking forward to helping make school feel more fun, more secure, and more successful for students and families. I’m honored to be able to work with you all when students return to the classrooms this August.

We do have some changes and improvements in store regarding more options for the activity/lunchtime window and some changes in how we manage cell phones this year as well. Our goal is to create more opportunities for students to be in the present moment with their classmates, more focused on their learning, and more connected to each other with their words, thoughts, and appropriate conversations.

As a parent of two current Sherwood students, I am fully invested in this journey with you over the coming years. I am also a little sad that I missed out on some of our SMS open house fun this past week as I had to leave early to fly my Sherwood High School graduate down to the University of Arizona and drop her off for her freshman year. These next few years will go incredibly fast, so let’s all do everything we can to make sure we have a safe, fun, and productive first year together!

Sincerely,

Andy

August 16

• Open House 10:00am-2:00pm

August 27

• First Day for 6th grade

August 28

• First Day for 7th & 8th grade

Sept 2

• Labor Day - No School

Sept 4

• Early Release -- dismissal 2:26pm

Sept 6

• Picture Day (during science)

Sept 9

• PSO meeting -- 1:00pm-2:00pm

Sept 11

• Early Release -- dismissal 2:26pm
• Back to School Night -- 5:45pm-7:30

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

Front Office 7:45 am - 3:45 pm

Student Hours 8:45 am - 3:26 pm (M/T/Th/F)

Student Hours 8:45 am - 2:26 pm (W-Early Release)

Doors Open to Students 8:30 am

Student Schedules are now visible via StudentVUE and/or ParentVUE. Locker assignments will also be available and can be found in the Student Information tab at the bottom of the page under “Student Locker”. If you are having trouble accessing ParentVUE and/or StudentVUE please reach out to the school.

SCHEDULES ARE NOT FINAL UNTIL THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

Up until classes begin, small movement within the Master Schedule may result in student schedule changes. Please make sure you continue to check Student/ParentVUE until school starts. Unless a student has an incomplete schedule, has been placed in the wrong Math class, or a schedule shows incorrect information, requests for schedule changes will not be granted.

Orientation for new 7th and 8th graders will be held on Tuesday, August 27th. This event will take place from 9:45 am to 11:00 am. Please drop off and pick up your student at the Activities Entrance (black gates) on the East side of the building. To get there, enter the SMS parking lot at the traffic light and then turn left at the stop sign, following the curb to the black gates. Members of the SMS Counseling Team will be out there to greet the students.

This event is for students only.

Please call 503-825-5522 with any questions or concerns.

The SMS Counseling Team

School pictures will take place throughout the day during Science. Photo packets will be distributed in class prior to September 6.

Retakes will be on October 18.

Please visit the Nutrition Services Webpage for nutrition information, menus and pricing.

For those families who may qualify for free or reduced lunch benefits, it is important that you complete the Free and Reduced Meals Application online or pick up hard copies from the office. In order to be eligible for additional benefits (such as reduced fees) you MUST complete and submit the Permission to Share Form which can be found on the last page of the application. Click here for forms.

NOTE: If you completed the Free and Reduced Meals Application online, the Permission to Share Information Form still needs to be completed and returned to your student's school or mailed to: 21920 SW Sherwood Blvd, Sherwood OR 97140. Attn: Gia Saporito.

If you would like to add funds to your students lunch account online, please click the button below for instructions.

How to Excuse Your Child

To report an absence for your student, please email SherwoodMiddle_Notification@sherwood.k12.or.us preferably in the morning. Absences must be excused within 48 hours. You may also call the attendance line at 503-825-5510 or send a signed note with your student upon return, or through your ParentVUE account.

Please include the following information in your email, voicemail, or note:

1. Name of student
2. Parent/Guardian Name
3. Date of absence
4. Reason for absence
5. Phone number where Parent/Guardian can be reached

Picking up Students During School

If you need to pick up your student during school hours, the office will need to know in advance. You can email, call, or send your student to school with a signed note. Please share this required information:

1. Name of student
2. Parent/Guardian Name
3. Date and time of absence
4. Reason for absence
5. Phone number where Parent/Guardian can be reached

Important! : We realize that unforeseen circumstances may arise and you may need your student right away. We will do our best to accommodate this, however, it may or may not be done in a timely manner.

48 Hour Policy

All absences must be excused within 48 hours. The 48 hour window begins at 8:00 a.m. on the day of the student’s absence and ends at 8:00 a.m. 48 hours later. Any absence not excused within that 48 hour window will be considered unexcused. No exceptions.

Are you interested in XC? We would love to have you! No experience is necessary, but we do expect kids to try their best and follow the rules for safety and respect. If they are a beginning runner they will initially "run-walk-run-walk" at practices, but are expected to be able to run the full workout within 4 weeks (no matter what speed).

Practices start on Monday, August 19 from 9:00 - 10:00 AM at the covered area behind SMS. Practices are Monday - Thursday. Once school begins on August 27, practices will be at the same location from 3:45 - 4:45 PM.

If you are not able to attend summer practice, it is fine to start when school begins.

We will not have a finalized meet schedule until after the start of the school year. However, we do know all meets will be after school M - Th. The season ends by the end of October.

Sarah Giles (sarahogiles@gmail.com) and Dani Coughran (dcoughran@sherwood.k12.or.us) are the co-head coaches. Feel free to email them for further information.

The fee will be $150 and can be paid by September 1st via Venmo at sherwoodtrack.com. Contact a coach to request a scholarship if there is a need.

Bring/wear to practice: a full water bottle, appropriate running clothes for the weather, and running shoes.

Register at www.sherwoodtrack.com

Yearbooks are 10% off through October so purchase NOW and customize anytime throughout the year. Must be purchased by May 1st to get your book in time for the end of year signing events.

*ALL STUDENTS MUST SELECT YOUR 24-25 FLIGHT TIME TEACHER FROM THE DROP DOWN BOX WHEN ORDERING. This can be found in Student/Parent Vue.

Incoming SMS new students: Your school code is 101612219220699 which is different from your elementary school treering code. You can still login under the same treering account but will add your SMS code to purchase and customize your 2 FREE pages in your book. This code is also shown on the flyer. On Facebook: "Sherwood Middle School PSO" shares Yearbook info throughout the year as well as the SMS Newsletter.

“SHARE is a place for families to seek information, resources, and support services. The SHARE Center’s purpose is to strengthen community partnerships and decrease barriers related to student success, thereby improving the ability of all children and families to engage fully in a positive school experience”. - SHARE Center, Sherwood School District (please visit this page for more information)

If you need support obtaining school supplies, please reach out to the Share Center.

Please click the button below to find out more information on the optional device protection plan.