SMS Weekly Update

We were so pleased to have parents and guardians join us for fall conferences last week.

Thank you to all who participated and helped make these conferences a success!

We have plenty to look forward to in the following months. Please see the following information:

November 7

• PSO Meeting, 9:00am - 10:00am

November 9

• Early Release, dismissal at 2:20pm

November 10

• Veterans Day Event, 8:00am - 9:30am

November 11

• Veterans Day Observed, NO SCHOOL

November 16

• Early Release, dismissal at 2:20pm

November 17

• SMS Band Bingo, 3:00pm - 9:00pm

November 18

• Staff vs Students Flag Football Game

November 21-25

• Thanksgiving Break, NO SCHOOL

November 30

• Early Release, dismissal at 2:20pm

December 2

• End of Trimester 1

December 5

• Teacher Workday, NO SCHOOL

December 7

• Early Release, dismissal at 2:20pm

December 14

• Early Release, dismissal at 2:20pm

December 19 - January 2

• Winter Break, NO SCHOOL

January 3

• Professional Development Day, NO SCHOOL

Additional events may be viewed on the Sherwood Middle School Calendar.

SMS Site Council meets once a month, from 7:30am-8:15am in the SMS Community Room.

Site Council is a great opportunity for parents or guardians to be involved in the betterment of our school! Site Council duties include the review of data, identification of school improvement needs and supporting our school improvement plan, to name a few.

The Student Services Department invites parents to join Sherwood School District's monthly Special Education Parent Partnership meetings. These meetings provide an opportunity to build relationships, learn more about special education, and network with professionals and parents who have a passion for supporting students with disabilities. If you would like to join the Student Services Parent Partnership, please click here.

Starting Monday (11/7/22), the School Nutrition Services Team will be offering the option to purchase a 2nd entrée!

• All students' lunch accounts must have a positive balance in order to purchase a 2nd entrée.

• All 2nd entrees will be $3.00 each.

The first round of notices have gone out to families this week, and additional notices will be sent over the next few months. Below are important dates to keep in mind as we go through this process:

1/11/23 The first report is due to the County.

2/1/23 Exclusion letters from the state will be mailed to students who are still out of compliance.

2/15/23 Exclusion Day - All students out of compliance are not able to attend school until their required Immunizations are up to date or the exemptions have been completed.

Medical and nonmedical exemptions are also allowed.

• To request a medical exemption from vaccine requirements, submit a signed statement from your child's physician.
• To request a nonmedical exemption from vaccine requirements, you must do one of the following: (1) Talk to your healthcare provider and get a signed Vaccine Education Certificate, fill out the nonmedical exemption section of the Certificate of Immunization Status, and turn in both forms to your child's school; or (2) Watch the Vaccine Education Module for parents at: https://www.oregon.gov/OHA/PH/PreventionWellness/VaccinesImmunization/GettingImmunized/Pages/non-medical-exemption.aspx and print out the Vaccine Education Certificate at the end of the module, fill out the nonmedical exemption section of the Certificate of Immunization Status, and turn in both forms to your child's school.

All lost and found items will be collected, bagged, and labeled weekly. Any unclaimed items will be donated to Goodwill on the last Friday of every month. Please have your students check the lost and found each week for any missing items. Thank you.

If you or your student has lost a valuable electronic device on school grounds, please contact the front office. These types of items will be kept in a secure location.

Sherwood School Districts’s chronic absenteeism rate has more than doubled since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chronic absence (missing 10% or more of school) is an early warning sign that students are at risk of not reading proficiently by the end of third grade, struggling academically in middle school and dropping out of high school.

Getting back into the habit of daily attendance matters more than ever. As a district, we are committed to partnering with families to reduce chronic absenteeism. One step we will be taking is early communication to families notifying them of attendance concerns. If a student has missed more than 10% of the school year, the school will be reaching out to parents/guardians either with a phone call or a letter. Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as connect with their peers and teachers.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your child to thrive and succeed in school through regular attendance. For tips on how to help your child build healthy attendance habits, see this helpful handout .

• Limited time: the sale only runs through November 18th.
• A portion of the proceeds go to the school.
• Apparel will be delivered to students at school the week of December 12. If purchasing as a gift, please email ntannler@gmail.com to arrange alternative pick-up.