Sandpoint High School Newsletter
February 2021
From the Principal -
February 2021 Newsletter
This school year continues to be ever changing. It’s been great to see things continue in a positive direction. The recent change in classes was new and different yet also positive. Our emergency schedule, which will continue into next year but more on that later, has created a situation where all students changed their set of classes at semester. So, out with the last set of 4 classes and in with a new set of 4 different classes. Teachers and students have stated they liked the change and it gave them a chance to see new faces, learn new material, and change directions just enough to make this year a bit more exciting.
As for changes, winter sports are wrapping up and spring sports are set to begin soon. Some spring sports have already had informational meetings with potential athletes. As of this writing, Girls’ Basketball has won their district championship and will be heading off to State. Boys Basketball and Wrestling will be finishing their seasons in the next week or so. Dance and Cheer continue to work hard while gearing up for their State Competitions in mid to late March. We have been fortunate to allow our athletes to compete with minimal interruptions.
As for change, we are already having discussions about what next year’s schedule will look like. There have been a lot of positives as well as some negatives to consider from the schedule we put into place this year. Indications are we will continue to be interrupted from an educational standpoint and are getting some requirements from the state we must consider. Therefore, we have decided to run our master schedule much like this year’s schedule (4x4 block) giving us some additional time to make much more permanent considerations and possibly changes. With this in mind, we are also discussing how to best manage some of the downfalls this schedule has presented us. We hope this will create flexibility and create as stable a school environment as possible.
We are also discussing upcoming Prom and Graduation. Though nothing is finalized or approved, we are moving forward with planning for a traditional Prom and Graduation. Student Council is currently working on what Prom could look like with their proposal coming to me soon. Graduation is being considered by the Administration with options to match the current state of affairs we are in later in the year. We have just begun the process of both and will be getting input from stakeholders in the near future.
Sandpoint High School will also be soon presenting a school wide project called B.A.R.K. (Bulldogs are resilient and kind). In collaboration with Rotary and others, Sandpoint High School will be showcasing instances of resiliency and kindness while also asking for students to complete projects demonstrating their personal resilience and kindness. It will culminate in some sort of showcase where students’ projects can earn prizes such as college scholarships. Be on the lookout for it soon!
Yearbook photos are going to be different this year as well. Students will be submitting their own photos according to directions sent to them soon (if not already by the time you are reading this).
Finally, we are in the midst of some concerning times. Our staff was recently given some information we wanted to share with the community. Please use the following link to learn a little more about the situation we are more frequently finding within our schools: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NMI_p8bvVIPZf-nltpuVYJdYCUPkWz-Q/view?usp=sharing
Thanks for your continued support and patience as we continue to deal with the constant changes,
David Miles II
Principal Sandpoint High School
Mr. Martz explains Absences vs Truancy
The coming spring promises warmer, longer, and hopefully sunnier days. History has taught us that this is a time that student attendance declines a bit, and along with attendance there is usually a spring slump in student grades/performance. Given our unique situation this year with students working online, it is important for parents to help keep a watchful eye on student progress as well as attendance.
Regarding attendance, the flexibility built into the SHS attendance policy this year is for situations where parents deem it appropriate for students to not attend live classes. The intention is absolutely not for students to choose on a daily basis which classes they feel like attending or not. When students are absent from class, parents will receive a call from the SHS auto-dialer system to notify you that your student was absent to one or more classes on the given day. If you are receiving calls about absences that you did not know about and/or do not deem necessary, please contact the SHS attendance office at 208-263-3034 x4010 or email patsy.sletager@lposd.org. We will treat these absences as truancy and assign detention time to students. If you do have a special plan regarding attendance for your student, it would be helpful to communicate with the attendance office so we can more clearly track absences vs truancy.Elks Students of the Month-January
CARE Students of the Month - January
Students of the Month- January
- John Keegan
- Paxton Bidiman-Hadley
- Canyon Nash
- Evan Wiley
- Aurla Palmer
- Kami Raver
- Wyatt Shepard
- Kaisa Marks
Congratulations Paxton Bidiman-Hadley - C.A.R.E. SHS SOM!
Paxton was nominated by teacher Pam Webb
Student Council Report
Feb 1st-5th: Counselors week! This week student council, along with the student body, decided to show our appreciation to our hardworking counselors. We did this by allowing students to write kind affirmations about our counselors on hearts. Student council then came in and decorated the outside of the counselors office with the hearts to surprise them. We also treated them to a well deserved breakfast.
Student Council will be checking the compliment box for the time being since there is not a mentor class this term. Keep the positive thoughts coming, the box is located on the podium in the foyer.
Feb 10th: National Flannel Day! We thought it would be fun to celebrate by encouraging the student body to wear their flannels!
Student Services - Counseling
Shannon Kerrigan, LMSW, Last Names A-G
Sara Gosling, M.S., Last Names H-O
Tavi Brandenburg, M.Ed., Last Names P-Z
Jeralyn Mire M.Ed., Post-Secondary Transition Counselor
Kendall Lang, College and Career Mentor
Amanda Skinner, Counseling Office/Records Coordinator
Erricka Brownell, Assistant Counseling Office/Records Coordinator
Bulldogs: Adaptable, Resilient, Kind (BARK)
We’ve been putting the BARK in the Bulldog! Throughout February staff, students, and community members are sharing brief stories of their own resilience on the student announcements. We are hopeful that celebrations of resilience will remind us of our own strength during times of challenge. We will be launching the showcase portion of this celebration in March. We are looking forward to student submissions that illustrate their own take on resilience. We are fortunate to have a partnership with the Rotary and they have dedicated scholarship money to the winning submissions. Stay tuned for more details!
The showcase categories are as follows:
Visual arts (painting/drawing/ceramics/etc),
Performing arts (dance, play, video, music),
Written (poem/short story),
Graphic arts (digital media),
People’s choice (from any category)
Service learning/volunteerism (pay it forward)
Higher Ed Tour, Scholarships and FAFSA
Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors – the 2021 Idaho Higher Education Tour is here! The week of February 22-26, learn about all twelve colleges and universities throughout the state via Zoom presentations and hear directly from their representatives. This is an EXCELLENT opportunity to learn more about higher education options offered in the state of Idaho and a chance to chat live with representatives from each college and university. Follow the link below to see times of each presentation! Times will vary throughout the week, but presentations will also be available after as each will be recorded and posted by IACRAO. Go to https://iacrao.weebly.com/springtour.html to see times and more information on the event. Explore your Idaho options and see what each institution can offer you as a student!
Seniors! Local Scholarships are right around the corner and we have such an amazing community! We have opened our local scholarship page for seniors so check it out. There is a scholarship for every senior to apply for! We will be sending out more information on the process and what scholarships are available so seniors and senior parents, be on the lookout for that email.
Also, don’t forget to be filling out and submitting your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)! Schools are beginning to send out financial aid packages. Please see Jeralyn or Kendall in the Counseling Office if you need help or have any questions. (www.fafsa.ed.gov)
SAT Prep Class
For Juniors and Sophomores who want to test prep for the SAT, this is a great opportunity! Linda Larson is offering an SAT Prep Class leading up to the SAT on April 13th. Please see the information below if interested.
When: March 8, 15, 22, 29 April 12
SHS SAT Test Date: April 13
Time: 5:00 pm to 6:10 pm Each student will also receive 30 minutes of private tutoring per week. Classes will be recorded and available for students who can’t make this time slot. Where: Zoom Cost: $135.00 - includes student guide and private tutoring. * A small number of scholarships are available. Contact Jeralyn Mire. What to expect: Learn all skill sets that will be on the test. Expect a 100 - 200 point improvement over your PSAT score if all class assignments are completed. Deadline March 1: Class is limited to 20 students. Email the information below to satprepsandpoint@gmail.com and send your payment via Venmo to @Linda-Larson-12
Send check for $135.00 to Linda Larson
607 S Division Ave
Sandpoint, ID 83864
PSAT Scores: Reading______ Math _____
Name of Student: _______________________________
Cell Phone: _______________________________
Email address: _______________________________ Parent name: _______________________________
Parent phone number: _________________________ Parent email: ________________________________
Bulldog Activites and Sports
Lady Bulldogs Go for a Dunk at State!
Athlete of the month
The Coca-Cola Athlete of the Month is a student athlete who is recognized for their athletic performance, as well as their positive dedication to Sandpoint High School through leadership and their commitment to show up everyday.
Darren Bailey
From the Coach -
“Darren is a great role model as a student athlete. He does an excellent job of excelling in both areas. Darren has also demonstrated perseverance after fighting through a major knee injury, recovery and now being a consistent contributor to our team. He always has a good attitude, win or lose, and he’s been fun to coach.”
Interact
"Warming Hearts" is creating 100 cold weather kits for the local homeless population. The organization was founded by Interact Club member Camille Neuder (Distinguished Young Woman of Idaho.) These kits will include wool socks, gloves, hats, blankets and a short note of encouragement all in a waterproof, reusable bag. With winter temperatures getting colder every day, and unfortunately, the Sandpoint homeless population at an all-time high, the time for action is now. "To make a change, 'Warming Hearts' needs your help," Neuder said. All funds collected through the fundraiser will be directly used to improve the lives of people in need. Material donations are also appreciated and accepted through a collection bin in the Sandpoint High School foyer. "Be part of the change today," Neuder said. "Help warm the bodies and hearts of people in our community." To contribute, please scan the following QR code which is connected to "Warming Hearts" fundraising account.
Aca Deca Wins!
You are invited! Student Art Show
SHS would like to invite the students and their parents who participated in the Student Art Show to view the show on Friday, February 26, 2-6 pm.
We are not having a reception for the public, but we would like the students to have the opportunity to show off their work to friends and family.
Here is a link for the public to view the show: https://www.artinsandpoint.org/student-art-show