Scappoose School District News

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Below, you will find links/hot buttons to each school. In this format, click on your chosen school logo, and you will find the same familiar updates and newsletters from your schools.

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This month’s character trait, Empathy, kicked off with a heartfelt story from Tami McDonald. She shared how two thoughtful 3rd-grade students noticed her braving the frosty mornings as a crossing guard and brought her a steaming hot cocoa from Dutch Brothers to warm her up. The top of the cup had an incredible inscription: "Get up early, stay up late (not on school nights), change the world." It was the perfect sentiment, capturing the spirit of empathy and kindness. The students’ act of kindness perfectly embodied empathy and left everyone inspired.

Students then dove into what it truly means to be empathic, learning through a meaningful example from CBS’s Kindness 101 series. The assembly wrapped up with an exhilarating game where students used pool noodles to scoop up scarves and race to fill their baskets. The energy was contagious, and the lesson on empathy was unforgettable!

Scappoose High School students and staff knocked it out of the park with this year’s Thanksgiving Basket Drive! Thanks to their amazing teamwork, generosity, and big hearts, 30 families enjoyed a delicious and memorable Thanksgiving meal. A huge shoutout to everyone who pitched in—you embody the true spirit of giving! Way to go, SHS!

This Thursday, our Preschool students welcomed Wendy from the Scappoose Public Library for an engaging and energetic story time! As part of their learning about the importance of movement and staying healthy, students enjoyed lively stories and music focused on fun and active ways to keep moving. This monthly visit from the Library is a highlight for our young learners, who always look forward to these special story sessions. We’re so grateful for this wonderful partnership and the joy it brings to our preschoolers!

This year, Scappoose Middle School introduced the SMS Sasquatch as their new mascot, and it’s already bringing the community together! Since the start of the year, some staff and students have spotted fellow Sasquatch and snapped photos to share their SMS pride. It’s been amazing to see the creative and fun ways students and staff are connecting with the new mascot—proving that the Sasquatch spirit truly thrives beyond the school walls!

Keep those Sasquatch sightings coming, and let’s celebrate the pride of being an SMS Sasquatch! The latest sighting is of Principal Strachan in Idaho over Thanksgiving Break!

A group of Otto Petersen Elementary students earned Hootie awards last month for demonstrating responsibility, respect, and safety. These students were selected through a drawing at last month’s school assembly to join Principal Ticer and Ms. Kinsman on a walking trip to Starbucks, where they enjoyed a delicious non-caffeinated drink or snack. The outing was filled with laughter, friendly conversation, and a strong sense of accomplishment as students celebrated their efforts in making positive choices. Keep up the great work, OPE students!

The Scappoose High School and Scappoose Middle School choirs lit up the stage last night with an unforgettable festive concert! From timeless classics to one-of-a-kind performances, these talented students brought the house down and left the audience cheering for more. Looking to keep the holiday vibes going? Catch the Chamber Choir spreading even more joy at the Grotto Festival of Lights on December 19th at 5:15 PM. You won’t want to miss it!

On Wednesday afternoon, Warren staff came together for some festive fun– featuring cookie decorating! It was a wonderful opportunity to get creative, share some laughs, and catch up with one another as the winter season kicks off. From sprinkles to icing masterpieces, the cookies—and the conversations—were full of cheer! Here's to spreading joy!

Congratulations to the students at Sauvie Island School for reaching their goal of earning 3,000 "Sauvie Stars" for being safe, respectful, and responsible! To celebrate this amazing achievement, the entire school came together for a fun celebration, including a special visit from the Reptile Man. Way to go, Sauvie students—keep up the fantastic work!

Scappoose High School is excited to invite you to their annual CTE night, Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 from 5 PM - 7 PM. This special event will showcase students' diverse courses and impressive achievements in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

Join in to explore the opportunities our SHS CTE programs offer, enjoy light refreshments, and experience a student art exhibition along with engaging demonstrations run by SHS’s talented students. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the hard work and success of our students and learn more about how these programs prepare them for future careers.

SHS CTE Students and Staff look forward to seeing you there and celebrating together!

The winter months bring with them the possibility of busses being on snow routes, school closures, or delayed openings due to severe weather conditions, power outages, or other unexpected events.

With student safety leading these decisions and an understanding of the disruption these closures and delays cause our families and staff, SSD is committed to announcing changes to the school schedule as early as possible. If conditions are severe enough to threaten the safety of students traveling to and from school, a decision will be made the night before. Otherwise, decisions will be made by 6 a.m.

How we will notify you:

• FlashAlert.net
• Phone call
• District email
• SSD App notification
• Facebook
• Instagram

2024-2025 SSD Snow Routes can be found on our website HERE. Additionally, snow routes are listed on the District and individual school websites at the top of each page. If you have questions about bus pick-up or drop-off locations, please contact First Student at 971-290-4020.

We hope that providing this information will make inclement weather days easier to navigate.

Dear SSD Community,

On behalf of the Scappoose School District, I am excited to share our Strategic Plan along with an opportunity to participate in a community survey whose results will help guide our strategic initiatives for the next six years. I invite each of you to be part of this journey and encourage you to participate in our Community Survey to help shape the district’s future. Your feedback is invaluable.

Please look for the survey link below, on our website, in the District newsletter, and on our social media pages. The survey will be open until December 20th. In addition, you can find the Strategic Plan Foundational Pillars, as well as a four-page informational document on our District website or here in our SSD District Newsletter. This plan represents our commitment to excellence across every part of our education system.

This strategic vision and survey opportunity are truly community endeavors as we continue to bring together voices from our students, families, staff, and community members to build a future where every student is prepared to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

Our mission is clear. With the support of families and our community, we are dedicated to developing students who are leaders, effective communicators, critical thinkers, and principled, caring individuals. This focus guides all we do, ensuring a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for our students’ emotional, social, and academic well-being.

Our strategic plan stands on three foundational pillars:

1. Promoting Excellence in Student Learning – through expanded opportunities in academics, the arts, athletics, extracurriculars, and a commitment to nurturing each student’s unique potential.

2. Supporting Our Staff – By recruiting, developing, and retaining outstanding educators and staff, we’re focused on continuous professional growth and well-being within our teams.

3. Engaging Our Community – with a focus on strengthening our partnerships with families and the community through open communication and collaboration, therefore creating a thriving educational experience.

Together, we will continue to foster passionate, lifelong learners who are ready to lead and succeed.

Thank you for being part of our mission and for supporting the success of all Scappoose students!

We invite you to take part in our Community Survey. Simply click the link or scan the QR code below to share your feedback.

Scappoose Community Survey Fall 2024

Thank you for your continued support,

Sincerely,

Tim Porter

Superintendent

Scappoose School District

We’re excited to share that our Food Service Menu system has recently been upgraded! In this video, I'll guide you through the new features, making it easier than ever to stay informed about menu items and their nutritional details.

You can access menus on each school’s website or on the District page—conveniently located in the Quick Links section both at the top and bottom of the page, as well as under the Food Service Department tab.

Once you click the menu link, you’ll be directed to the EZSchoolLunch landing page where an Allergen Disclaimer will appear. From there, you can simply select your school and the menu you would like to view to see what is being served.

Each item includes detailed nutritional information and you can easily browse by day, week, or month

If you like to keep a printed menu, just hit the "print" button to get the full month's menu in a handy calendar format.

We hope this upgrade makes it easier to plan meals and ensures you have all the information you need to feel confident about the nutritious options we offer. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our Food Service Director, Barbara Foti.

Thanks for helping us keep mealtime healthy and informed!

Keeping our students healthy is a top priority, and we need your help! Please keep your student home if they are experiencing a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or any symptoms of contagious illness. Staying home when sick helps prevent the spread of illness.

Click the links below for some important guidelines about recommendations on when to keep students with symptoms out of school.

As the school year begins, we must prioritize safety around our school grounds.

Drivers: Please exercise caution and be aware of the increased pedestrian and cyclist traffic during drop-off and pick-up times. Adhere to posted speed limits and remain vigilant for crossing guards and children crossing the streets. Your attentiveness can prevent accidents and ensure the safety of our students.

Walkers and Bike Riders: Please remain alert and follow all safety guidelines while traveling to and from school. Use crosswalks and obey traffic signals. If biking, wear a helmet and ensure your bike is equipped with lights for visibility.

Together, we can make sure that our children have a safe and positive experience as they travel to and from school. Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your continued support in keeping our school community safe.

If you have SNAP benefits, your student(s) are directly certified and no application is necessary.

If you applied and were approved for Free or Reduced meals during the previous school year, you must reapply for the current year. The grace period ends on Oct 14th. Please apply before that date as you will be responsible for any balance on your child’s account until you are approved.

If you are denied with the Federal income guidelines, Oregon has expanded the income to qualify more families for free meals. Please fill out an application to see if you qualify.

For applications, visit:

Scappoosek12.org/departments/food-service

Click on “Free and Reduced Meals”

You will also find a link for the Income Guidelines

As we begin the school year, we would like you to be aware of how Scappoose School District communicates. We strive to develop and deliver clear, timely, and accurate information about the district and all that is happening in and around our schools. We seek to provide resources and materials to ensure families, students, staff, partners, and community members are informed about our key priorities, community events, our successes, and obstacles.

We look forward to communicating with you and your family!

Information is conveyed primarily via:

BlackBoard Messaging: Directly from the District or Individual Schools via a variety of mediums; email, text message, app notification, automated phone calls.

• The SSD App: To get the App, simply go to the App Store on your device and search for “Scappoose School District.” From there, you can choose which schools you want to get new/alerts from.

Scappoose School District Website:

• www.scappoosek12.org

• School-specific websites: (These can be navigated to from the SSD main webpage)

School Newsletters:

• These will be sent out every Friday to your email inbox

District social media sites: Please follow us!

• Facebook: Scappoose School District

• Instagram: @Scappoose_Schools

FlashAlert notifications:

• Scappoose Flash Alert Page This is mostly for inclement weather

Letters/emails to parents/guardians

To streamline our social media communication and ensure that accurate information reaches our community, we are transitioning to an information only/no commenting approach for our social media posts. This change is designed to minimize negative or irrelevant comments and to encourage direct communication with our District Office or individual schools. By doing so, we aim to prevent the spread of misinformation and ensure that the community receives official responses through the appropriate channels. We believe this approach will enhance the clarity, positivity, and effectiveness of our communications. If you have any questions regarding information in our posts, please connect the relevant school or District office directly. You can still look forward to all of our usual content and information throughout the year.

Thank you for being a vital part of our SSD family! We wish you the very best start to the school year!

Thanks,

Scappoose School District

Come out and Watch Scappoose School's Student Athletes Play!

For more information, you can find Scappoose Middle School and High School sports schedules on the schools’ web pages under “Athletics.”

See the links below for more information.

It’s one of the best ways to stay informed on both District and School specific information in real time, right on your smartphone!

If you don't yet have the app here is how to get it:

1. Search; “Scappoose School District” in your device's App store

2. Download the App to your phone/tablet and click “Open”

3. There will be a pop-up and click “Choose from list”

4. Choose the schools you would like to receive news/alerts from

5. CONGRATS! Your App should now be set up!

To become a substitute in the Little Lilu Preschool, you will need to apply through ESS and complete the Central Background Registry (CBR). This additional step allows you to be eligible to sub in the LIttle Lilu Preschool classroom at Warren Elementary.

Here is the Link to CBR

The CBR is an online application and will require free fingerprinting that individuals often coordinate with a local business (there are several options for fingerprinting in Hillsboro or up Highway 30).

Individuals with questions on the CBR application process can contact Jen Stearns, jstearns@scappoose.k12.or.us.

OEA Choice Trust (OEA CHOICE WELFARE BENEFIT PLAN) supports the well-being of Oregon’s public education employees. Scappoose School District has received a grant to support our employee’s well-being. OEA Choice Trust files an annual report with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). You can visit the OEA Choice Trust website to see how to request and receive copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof.

Website: https://www.scappoosek12.org
Location: 33589 SE High School Way Scappoose, OR 97056
Phone: 971-200-8000