May 2024

Just like that, and here we are in May! As the sun begins to shine brighter and longer, spring activities continue to ramp up to full swing, and students become eager for the summer days ahead, we appreciate parent support to help students stay academically focused during these next important weeks.

Two of our senior students, Keane Haesle and Lily Richardson, recently honored teachers, Damien Gooding and Jake Stark at the annual NISTAR (North Idaho Student Awards Recognition) for their impact on learning. Next week marks Teacher Appreciation Week. We are thankful for our parent support group, CARE, who will lead the celebration. While SHS educators are so appreciative for these kind acts, it is also a reminder that SHS students have a remarkable team to support them and help them reach their full potential. Counselors have been working with students one-on-one to arrange schedules for next year. Junior class students are finishing up state ISAT assessments in ELA, math, and science. Students are preparing to complete AP courses and exams. Senior students will be participating in Scholarship Night, Mock DUI, prom, and much awaited graduation. Spring is a busy time at SHS as we balance wrapping up a year of learning and preparing for the next steps ahead.

Thank you for your partnership to support student attendance and achievement. Please always feel free to reach out to me, the SHS administrative team, counselors, and teachers if you have questions or input.

Sincerely,

Principal Jacki Crossingham

Inspire Compassion “The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

Hello Bulldogs! We have exciting news regarding high school sports. There are many upcoming changes scheduled with facilities including a new track and field as well as a new gym floor upgrade.

LPOSD leadership has been working diligently to upgrade our out of date and unsafe track and field complex. We are grateful for the support and our academically-based athletics approach will be able to support athletes at the next level. Upgrades include the shot put pit, long jump, high jump, and pole vault areas as well as the entire track surface. We are excited to host future home track meets, so please look for the dates on our website.

In addition, we are refinishing the gym floor, repainting, and sealing it off. With 30 years of events, the floor is long due for upgrades and our athletes will benefit a ton. We are installing an upgraded sound system with additional speakers too. We are hoping each event at SHS will continue to offer a positive experience for everyone and again, we are extremely grateful for the opportunity to improve the floor.

With these changes come some inconveniences. Our track will be closed down all summer. We are hoping it will be finished by the end of August. The gym will be closed down starting June 10th, through the end of July. We appreciate all of your support and thank you in advance for all of your patience.

One last reminder. Looking forward, incoming 9th and 11th graders will need a current sports physical for the 24-25 school year. Family Health Center is graciously offering low cost, $10 sports physicals on Wednesday, May 29th from 5:30-7:30 pm. No appointment.

Parents, thank you for all you do. We appreciate your support and hope to continue winning on and off the field.

TJ Clary Athletic/Activities director

Dear SHS Parents and Guardians,

Did you know that staying updated with your student's academic progress and connecting with their teachers has never been easier? Schoology offers a powerful platform for you to access vital information and communicate effectively with our teaching staff.

By using the same login credentials you use for PowerSchool, you can seamlessly access Schoology. Once logged in, you'll find a wealth of information at your fingertips. From grades and missing assignments to detailed class syllabi, Schoology provides comprehensive insights into your student's academic journey.

One of the most valuable features of Schoology is its messaging system, which allows you to directly communicate with your student's teachers. Whether you have questions about assignments, upcoming projects, or simply want to check in on your student's progress, Schoology makes it easy to stay informed and connected.

If you're unsure about your PowerSchool/Schoology login details, please don't hesitate to reach out to the SHS attendance office at shsattendance@lposd.org or contact Erricka Brownell in the counseling department at erricka.brownell@lposd.org.

In April students Keane Haesle and Lily Richardson were recognized along with teachers Damien Gooding and Jake Star at the annual NISTAR banquet in Coeur d'Alene. The banquet was also attended by Principal, Jacki Crossingham and the recipients parents. Keane and Lily were chosen by the administration as students who exemplified in both academics and activities during their course of time at SHS. The students are at the top of their class and will graduate in June with high honors.

Keane and Lily were asked to select an educator who they felt made an outstanding contribution to their scholastic achievement.

Keane selected Mr. Gooding who has taught AP US History, and AP Macroeconomics for 26 years. Keane plans to study biological engineering at Stanford, and later go into either Biotech Research or medical school.

Lily chose Jake Stark who has taught welding, construction, cabinet making, drafting and CAD for 18 years. Lily plans to attend the United States Air Force Academy and study Mechanical Engineering in order to be an officer who designs, develops, and builds new transportation technologies.

Pictured below left to right, Mr. Gooding, Keane Haesle, Lily Richardson and Mr. Stark.

Canyon Lucht was chosen as the April CARE Student of the Month. Canyon was nominated by, Mr. Tigert, his health teacher. Mr. Tigert said "it's been an absolute pleasure having Canyon in class this semester. He walks into class with a positive attitude every single day. Canyon is constantly engaged in class discussions and activities, and it's evident that he not only pays attention, but that he also takes the time to process and actually apply concepts in meaningful ways. He works very well with others, and is kind and considerate. I can always count on Canyon to participate in class discussions; especially when no one else is wiling to. In sum, awesome kid, great attitude, hard worker, participates and communicates well, and is just an overall great human being." Other students nominated were, Maicy Wittmann, Audrey Meek, Clara Campbell, Maya Lowrey, Isaiah Carr, Crosby Schmidt, Caiden Gion, Halo Beckman and Sterling Mills. We also celebrated Peyton Cessna as the Coca Cola Athlete of the Month and Staff of the Month, Troy Minogue.

Our April Staff Member of the Month is Mr. Minogue!

Here are a few of the things that students are saying about him:

He always takes the time in class to make sure all of his students understand a topic. He also never makes class boring or difficult. I think he is also super funny and kind and never raises his tone at his class even when the class is a little noisy.

Mr. Minogue is very kind, and funny, he's a really good teacher too and makes sure we understand the topic. He's a very good teacher and person in general and deserves some credit for working so hard all the time.

The Coca Cola Athlete for the month of April is Payton Cessna. "Peyton is a true student-athlete. She plays at a high level which requires time and dedication all the time excelling in her academics, which speaks volumes to her character, work ethic, determination, and drive.

I have had the opportunity over the last four years to watch Peyton display her personal commitment to strive to be the best in everything she does. This shows Peyton’s hard work and willingness to do whatever is asked of her.
This willingness has also allowed her to gain the respect of her teachers, coaches, and teammates. I am sad to know that this is her final season with Sandpoint Softball as a player and she will be extremely missed." --Head Coach Leah Platt

Progress reports are being updated in Schoology. They will not be emailed. Parents, you will need to check your student's grades via Schoology with your parent login. If you have never logged in, or need assistance with obtaining your password please contact the school office 208.263.3034.

The Sandpoint High School Academic Decathlon team has again put Idaho on the high school academic map! The team of nine students attended the national competition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and scored 5th overall nationally, taking home 5 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 7 bronze medals in the medium high school division. The team missed replicating their 2023 third place finish by less than 5%!

Schools from around the country– both private and public– competed based on school population size and placement at their respective state meets. The three top scoring teams from Idaho competed based on overall school size, and as the state champions, Sandpoint represented well by bringing home the most medals and getting kudos from judges and other coaches. Sandpoint is solidly on the national high school academic decathlon map!

After the competition was over, the team took a walking tour of Pittsburgh to appreciate the exquisite architecture and history in the big city and visited the Carnegie Art and Natural History museum in celebration of a job well done. We admired the works of Monet, Renoir, and DaVinci as well as the actual skeleton of the first t-rex ever unearthed. All students represented the Bulldogs well with stellar sportsmanship and integrity.

This year's national team included coach/teacher Becky Haag, captain Will Clark, and members Jenna Hughes, Laurelyn Eastley, Bryn Eastley, Rachel Fedak, Sophie Capidaglia, Wyatt Lang, Priscilla Hester, and Analise Mullen. The entire experience was inspiring, impactful and successful. We can look forward to maintaining our tradition of academic excellence in the coming years and have begun preparing for next year by diving into the material already. And next year’s science topic is Environmental science so Mrs. Haag can hardly contain her enthusiasm.

The SHS Drama Department participated in the Idaho State University One Act Competition on April 19th and 20th in Pocatello. Eight schools presented one act plays and the students were able to take seven workshops from professionals in the field. SHS presented ConText an original one act by Jeannette Hunter. Makayla Upshaw was selected as "Best Supporting Actor" overall and Kitti Warren was selected "Outstanding Actor" in our One Act. The students also attended the ISU presentation of Sunday in the Park with George. The busy weekend was exciting, educational, and allowed the students to meet other thespians from Idaho.

The Sandpoint High School Concert Choir and Chamber Choir participated in the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival on April 19th .

The Chamber Choir won their division and was selected as one of two vocal ensembles to perform at the evening concert with the featured artist in the ICCU arena.

The Director of this vocal group, Jon Brownell, said that the festival adjudicators don’t pick just the

winners to perform, they select only 2 out of all the winners to sing in the night concert. Usually one of the ensembles is an AAAA school group from Western Washington like the Edmonds School District. It’s a real honor to be chosen to perform on the big stage. To know that we were picked as one of the two best vocal groups in the Pacific Northwest is really a feather in our cap.

The three pieces we performed to win our division were “If Ever I Would Love You,” “Exactly Like You,”

and “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me.”

The students did a great job of paying attention to detail and focusing on the little things that

make a good choir great. I was really proud of them. I would also like to give a shout out to our

drummer Will Clark, our bass player Hunter Gunn, and our piano player Laurie Stevens. We could not have done it without them!

Ben Midstokke is a talented young artist who confidently expresses his opinions about art and life. He actively seeks constructive critique to improve his work, demonstrating a solid commitment to artistic growth. Ben's openness challenges me as a teacher to develop quality lessons that support his creative development and help him achieve his artistic goals. His willingness to engage critically with his art and ideas inspires those around him and fosters a dynamic and collaborative learning environment. ~ Ezra Stafford

Mrs. Mullen's Everyday Physics & Chemistry class recently made soap using the cold process method as part of their Materials of Civilization unit.

We've added the instructions below in the link: Soap Making

If you are struggling and need someone to talk to, please reach out to your school counselor. We are here for you!

Last names A-G (9th-11th grade) and A-F (12th grade): Shannon Kerrigan

Last names H-O: Jessica Lippi

Last names P-Z and 12th grade G: Jenay Moore, Counseling Intern

Post-secondary Transition Counselor: Jeralyn Mire

Juniors! We will be sending out information regarding our Junior Jumpstart night. This is an event for students (and their parents), who are planning to attend college after graduation. We will be going over college applications, how to create your college list and more. Look for details in the next Junior Newsletter. Email angela.dail@lposd.org if you did not receive the Junior Newsletter that was sent on March 4, and we will make sure you are on this mailing list.

SENIORS: Cap and Gown pick up will be on Thursday 5/16 in the SHS foyer. Please email amanda.skinner@lposd.org with questions. We will be going into Senior classes this week with lots more information, please check your email for a Senior Newsletter coming soon! If you have not received any of the previous Senior Newsletters, please email angela.dail@lposd.org to be added to the mailing list.

AP Testing: AP testing will be May 6-17. Please make sure your student is keeping up with all AP updates though the 2024 AP Testing group on Schoology. Also, please check your inboxes for AP Newsletters that were sent on April 18 and March 26. Contact the counseling office with any questions.

Calling all parents who want to get involved with Grad Night! You don't have to be a senior parent to help celebrate our graduates! We have opportunities to plan and volunteer for this awesome event. Questions? Email shsgradnightparentcommittee@gmail.com

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with events! SHS Grad-Night

May 6-10 Educator Appreciation Week

May 6-15 AP Testing

May 8 Bike to School

May 16 "Ghost Hunt"

May 17 SHS Student Art Show @ Columbia Bank

May 21 Scholarship Night - Seniors

May 23 Spring Band Concert

May 24 Non Student Day

May 27 No School Memorial Day

May 29 Mock DUI - Seniors

May 30 Choir Spring Fling Concert

June 1 Prom

June 7 Graduation 6:30 pm

Email: beth.dean@lposd.org
Website: SHS
Phone: 208-263-3034

Address: 410 S Division Ave, Sandpoint ID

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandpointHighSchool