SPANISH SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
Weeks of April 18 - April 22
From the desk of Sean Hall, Principal
Dear Cougar Families,
We kicked off the week with a massive College and Career Fair. Thank you to the ladies in the Career Center for organizing such an engaging student and community event. It was great to see our students making contacts and getting information which will help them down the line.
Our golf season is off to a great start. We won our first tournament at Redhawk where one of our boys led the team with the top score of 72. We also won our second tourney at Genoa lakes where another student shot a low of 66 to led our team to a victory.
Last week Cougar swim and dive took on Bishop Manogue. The men’s team won 174 to 43 and the women’s had a close loss 134 to 159. The Cougars have been swimming great this season and have already broken two school records! We are looking forward to our upcoming meets against McQueen and then our toughest meet of the year against Reno High. Go Cougars!
Our Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse team is currently on a five-game winning streak with a six and one record ranking them second in Northern Nevada. Our Girls’ Lacrosse team is working hard, playing in snowstorms at times, and has had many close matches. Keep it up guys!
Our JROTC Rifle team is in Utah competing to qualify for the Junior Olympics. We have two shooters who are ranked in the top ten nationally and are very proud of their progress.
The SSHS Army JROTC Drill Team kicked off the WCSD Drill Team season in an amazing fashion. The Cougars competed against the other JROTC programs in our district, as well as Carson NJROTC at Wooster last weekend. Our cadets earned multiple trophies including First Place Overall! Well done cadets!
Finally, finals are coming up soon. We are not allowed to begin finals early. End of course exams must be administered the finals week per the state mandate. We are placing a copy of the schedule below for your reference and planning.
Sincerely,
Sean Hall
Principal
Monday
A Day
1, 2, 7, 3
Tuesday
B Day
4, 5, 7, 6
Wednesday
A Day
1, 2, Cougar Pride, 3
Bell Schedules
Counselor's Corner
Online Registration
Your Online Registration Link for the 2023-24 school year
is in your Parent Portal (Primary Household), Inbox
https://washoenv.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/washoe.jsp
It is very important to do this now, as early as possible, for WCSD data analysis.
Please keep your child’s information current: student’s demographic information
(addresses and phone numbers), as well as Emergency contacts and Health information.
If you would like assistance, please contact the Office: (775) 425-7733
For assistance in Spanish, please ask to speak with: Cristina Avalos
Thank you for helping make Spanish Springs High School 100% in OLR (Online Registration)
Family Climate Survey
The Annual Family Climate Survey window is now open from February 13 to April 28. We appreciate your opinions about your child’s school, which will help the district improve your child’s education.
If you would like to take this survey online, please click here to find the survey link for your school. Families who complete the survey can be entered into a raffle for one of five gift cards.
A Note from the Student Relations Office (SRO)
Attendance
Each month we send out attendance letters to families that have students who have missed more than 10% of the school days throughout the year. Oftentimes, these absences are due to illness (fever, vomiting, etc.) and the absences are marked as "UNVerified, MEDical or DOMestic" on these reports. Unfortunately, none of these are considered "excused" absences without proper documentation. Once our office is presented with the proper documentation from a healthcare provider within three days of the absence, we can then change the coding for the absence to "EMED", which is an excused medical absence. We know that every illness does not require a visit to a healthcare provider, and we appreciate when families call to let us know when and why their children are out.
If you have any questions, please call our office, 775-425-7733.
Thank you and we appreciate your support with these procedures.
School Spirit
Little Shop of Horrors
Prom!
Your 2023 Junior/Senior prom is coming up soon on April 29th, 2023. The theme is going to be Lavender Daze. Buy your tickets online in the webstore or cash or check in main hall at lunch. The cost is $65. Guest passes are available in SRO. Prom will be at Whitney Peak.
- Unfortunately Freshman and Sophomores are not allowed under any circumstance
Prom
Saturday, Apr 29, 2023, 08:00 PM
255 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501, USA
Amazing Artwork!
We are so proud of you!
Two of our students have earned National Silver Medals in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Competition.
JROTC Drill Meet
8:00 AM
North Valleys High School
Lip Sync
Cougar Drill Team
School Newspaper
Parent Announcements
Student Award Night
Save the date. The SSHS Award Night Ceremony will take place on May 24. 2023. Please click on the link for further details.
Vaccination Clinic May 1st
Dear Parents,
Based on a decision by the Nevada legislature and on updated recommendations from the Washoe County District Health Department, students entering 12th grade in a Washoe County School District public, private or charter school are required to:
· Show proof of immunization against quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY, MCV4)
· Received at least one dose of MenACWY (MCV4) on or after 16 years of age.
This requirement affects all students entering 12th grade.
Your child cannot start 12th grade on August 14th, 2023 until proof of the vaccination has been received by the health office. If your child has already received this vaccination, please bring a copy of their shot records to the school health office. A vaccination clinic is being held at Spanish Springs High School on May 1st from 2:30-5:30 PM for students to receive their required school vaccinations. Please see your email for information regarding this vaccination clinic and other available school based clinics if you are unable to attend on May 1st. Please call the clinic at 775-321-3941 with any questions.
College and Career Center
To Seniors and Parents of graduation class 2023 - Scholarship and other information for the class of 2023 is located on TEAMS class of 2023 folder. Seniors, I would advise you to check your class of 2023 TEAMS folder on a regular basis. Parents you need to advise them as well.
The SSHS College and Career Center Page is coming soon. It will allow students and parents to access information about TMCC, UNR, Scholarships etc.
SSHS Class of 2023 SENIORS! SENIORS! SENIORS!
The SSHS Award Night Ceremony will take place on May 24. 2023. Now is the time for you to assemble a list of any/all Scholarships/Awards you will receive from all Colleges, Universities, Trade Schools, etc. This is a great opportunity for you to Brag and Boast. The information will go into the Award Night and Graduation Program.
Tick-Tock!
The cutoff date as in DEADLINE is APRIL 28, 2023, NO EXCEPTIONS!!!
Please send information via email to francine.mcrae@washoeschools.net.
Thank you,
Francine E.
SSHS College and Career Facilitator
Boosters
SSHS Boosters are the best!
How would you like to be part of our amazing Booster team? Check out the flyer to learn more!
Senior Trip
Senior Grad Nite
June 2nd 2023
6 Flags Vallejo
$285 ($40 deposit to hold spot, final payment due May 5th 2023)
Please let me know if you have any questions safensobersshsgradnight@gmail.com or call/text (775)842-9090. Faith Smith
Clubs
Amnesty
FBLA
Friendship Club
Everyone is welcome to join the friendship club. This is a safe and fun space to socialize while learning new social skills. We meet Tuesdays @ lunch in the College and Career Center.
GSA
The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) will be meeting on Fridays during lunch in
Room 110.
Latinos Unidos Club
The Latinos Unidos club will meet every other Thursday in the College Career Center during lunch time. Anybody can join and participate.
Meditation Group
National Honor's Society
Writer's Craft
The writers craft club invites anyone who love to write and would like share their story’s with others who share the same passion. Club meetings are on Thursdays during lunch in room 225
Athletics
A message from the NIAA Sports Medical Authority
If your student is or plans on being a student-athlete please read below.
This is a long message, with a lot of information. Please read it carefully.
In September 2022, the NIAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee met to review the Pre-Participation Physical forms and recommended to the NIAA Board of Control, using the American Academy of Pediatrics Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation forms. The NIAA Board of Control approved the recommendation on January 18, 2023.
The new Pre-Participation form consists of three pages (attached).
Students will be required to submit page 3, Medical Eligibility Form to the school.
Pages 1 and 2, the Health History Form (available in Spanish) and the Physical Examination Form must remain on file with the student’s medical provider.
The goal of updating the form is to:
1. Provide an updated history and physical exam to help ensure safe participation by students.
2. Ensure privacy of the student’s medical information.
The new form includes health history questions that may help pick up conditions or diseases that put the student at increased risk of injury or death. The form helps medical providers make the best clearance decision for each student.
The healthcare provider should provide detailed information about any medical conditions on the sports clearance page entitled Medical Eligibility Form. This form will be submitted to the school. The Health History Form and the Physical Examination Form should remain with the healthcare provider to ensure privacy of the student’s medical information.
We are currently working with Aktivate to update the new physical forms and remove the old forms. Once the update is complete, old physical forms previously submitted will remain viewable, but parents will only be able to download the new forms. Again, only the Medical Eligibility Form should be submitted and/or uploaded into Aktivate.
All incoming freshmen for next year (Class of 2027) will be required to use the new physical forms. Please make sure you give this form to parents at your informational meetings. While it is recommended that all student-athletes use the new form, existing student-athletes can use the old physical form until June 30, 2023. Only the new form can be accepted, NO exceptions, beginning July 1, 2023. Please note that as of the sending of this notification, the NIAA will no longer have the old physical form available on the website.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Athletic Secretary Kelly Deen 775-425-7733
Thank you,
SSHS Athletics
File attachments:
NIAA_PhysicalForm_Approved1-18-23.pdf
NIAA App
Hometown Ticketing
Athletic Contacts
Cougar Well Being
SSHS Food Pantry
Nutritional Services
COVID 19 Updates
New
The Washoe County School District consistently meets with the Washoe County Health District to receive updated guidance regarding the safest way to respond to illness in the school district.
Per the Health District, beginning on January 10, 2023, the following ‘exclusion practices’ (guidelines for when students and staff may return following illnesses) will be observed in WCSD schools and other workplaces:
- Fever – The ill person needs to be fever free for 24 hours without medication prior to return.
- Vomiting/diarrhea – The ill person should not experience any vomiting/diarrhea for 24 hours without medication prior to returning.
- Rash of unknown origin – The ill person should not return to school or work until a medical exam confirms these symptoms are not contagious. If it is a contagious skin infection, the ill person must remain away from school or work until 24 hours after treatment has begun. Children or staff who have a rash with a fever should not be allowed to return until fever has been gone for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and should not return until there have been no new lesions for 24 hours.
- Yellow or greenish drainage from eyes, nose, or ears – The ill person can return to school or work if they have taken antibiotics for the 24 hours before returning or drainage has completely resolved.
- Sore throat – The ill person will be sent home and should be seen by a healthcare provider if symptoms worsen. The ill person may return the following day if symptoms improve.
- Cough – The ill person may attend school or work unless they have a fever or other symptoms indicating a possible infection.
- COVID – If diagnosed with a lab confirmed test or home test, the ill person will be excluded from school or work for 5 days, and may return on day 6 if they can wear a mask for the next 5 days.
Please consult with your school nurse if you have any questions. A general illness screener is available to help parents and staff determine when students and staff should stay home at www.washoeschools.net/selfscreening
These updated practices are not only for students but also for employees.
Thank you.
Masks
WCSD Air Quality Webpage
Yearbooks
After School Tutoring
Bus stops are limited to the following locations:
- Alice Taylor
- Spanish Springs Elementary
- Sky Ranch MS/Bohatch ES
- VanGorder
- Wingfield Hills Rd and Lawry Dr.
- Wingfield Hills Rd and Darby Rose Lane
- Sparks Blvd. and Henry Orr Parkway.
Paper tutoring
As you may know, the Board of Trustees recently approved the implementation of the tutoring service Paper for all students in grades 6-12. While staff training for Paper are ongoing, this service is now active. Students can access this free 24/7 online tutoring service at any time.
Paper provides:
- Unlimited 24/7/365 tutoring support — sessions can run for as long as students need.
- Revisions for any typed writing assignments.
- Tutoring and writing support in 4 different languages — English, Spanish, French and Mandarin.
More information and resources for parents and students is available on our website at www.WashoeSchools.net/Paper.
Students can access Paper through by logging in to Clever with their student login and password. A login link for Clever is also available on that webpage.
If a student has any issues logging in to Clever to access Paper, they can reach out to our Family Tech line for assistance at www.washoeschools.net/familytechsupport
Thank you!
Project 150 Teen Shopping Boutique
Each Wednesday from 1:30p – 4:00p and the first
Saturday of each Month from 10:30a – 2:00p
Clothes, shoes, school supplies, toiletries and much more
Free with high school ID
· Project 150 Reno Boutique - 1340 Foster Dr. - Reno, NV 89509
· Follow us at Project150 Reno on Facebook
· Call (775)203-4755 or email info@project150reno.org
· Project 150 Reno non-profit provides basic needs for homeless, disadvantaged, and displaced high school students.
The Washoe County School District or the Board of Trustees neither endorses nor sponsors the organization or activity represented in this document. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.
Driver's Education Class
DMV Certification of Attendance
· DMV Certifications of Attendance are processed at the district level by the Student Records Department.
· Visit the WCSD web page: www.washoeschools.net and select:
STUDENT AND PARENTS
>STUDENT RECORDS
> CLICK ON BACKPACK CURRENT STUDENT.
FILL OUT INFORMATION, AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE CHECK THE DMV BOX.
· Please allow one week of processing time.
· Please note: Students who miss 10% or more of the total number of class periods for any reason during a semester (high school) for each course will be chronically absent and do not meet the DMV Certification of Attendance requirements. Chronic absenteeism rules are set by State and Federal guidelines.
Information for how to get the attendance for DMV is permanently found at:
The complete WCSD policy can be found here: WCSD DMV Attendance Policy
Tech Support
The hours are:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 7am-2:30pm and Tuesday, Thursday 11:30am-7:00pm.
Attendance
Attendance Policy
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Spanish Springs HS follows all WCSD Attendance Policies and Procedures.
For information on the WCSD Attendance Policy as required by NRS, https://www.washoeschools.net/Page/16915.
Reporting a Reason for an Absence
Parent/guardian must email, call or request an absence via the portal/app to report your student(s) absence, To verify the absence it must be done so no later than three (3) days after your student is absent. The Attendance Office is unable to record reasons for absences older than three days without a doctor’s note.
Emailing in a reason for an Absence (preferred method)
Absences may be reported by email. Please email mailto:sshsattendance@washoeschools.net and include:
· Your student's name
· Date of birth
· The date
· Length of the absence
· The reason for the absence
Changes will be made in Infinite Campus when the email is processed.
Calling in an Absence
To verify an absence, contact the Attendance Office call 775-425-7733 x 1. Voicemail is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please leave a message with the following:
· Your student's name
· Date of birth
· The date
· Length of the absence
· The reason for the absence
· Your contact information
Changes will be made in Infinite Campus when the absence is processed.
Requesting an Absence via the Parent Portal/App.
A new functionality was added to the Infinite Campus parent portal and app. It enables parents/guardians to request an absence via the portal/app. The portal/app accepts requests for absences for the current date or future dates only.
For step-by-step instructions, visit https://www.washoeschools.net/Page/17303
Changes will be made in Infinite Campus when the request is processed.
Picking Up a Student or Street Passes
When you need to pick up your student early from school, please be aware of the following procedures:
-You may call in advance to have your student waiting for you when you arrive. Please call the Attendance Office at 775-425-7733 x 1 with the exact time and reason your student needs to be dismissed.
-You may come into the Attendance Office to pick up your student. You will be required to show your ID on arrival. Please allow enough time for us to send for your student as it is difficult to send for a student during passing time or during lunch.
-ONLY LEGAL GUARDIANS may pick up a student. Anyone other than a guardian will need to have the guardian contact the attendance office in advance to give permission for the student to be released. If the person picking up the student will do so on a regular basis and is not the legal guardian, there is a form that can be completed giving permission for the student to be released with another adult. This form is valid only for the current school year and will need to be signed and turned in by the legal guardian.
Chronic Absenteeism
Students who miss 10% or more of the total number of class periods for any reason during a semester (high school) for each course will be chronically absent. Chronic absenteeism rules are set by State and Federal guidelines.
Students will not be retained or fail a course (high school) based on attendance. However, students who miss 10% or more of class periods for any course that meets in a semester will be chronically absent in that course(s).
If the student must miss an entire class period for any reason, it is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to see that a written/verbal verification is provided to the school prior to, during, or within three days of an absence. Failure to do so within three days of the student's return to school will result in the absence being coded as Unverified (UNV).
Intervention Guide for Families
COVID Exclusions
The Health Department Excluded OR Contact Tracing (HDED or HDCT) code is used when a school has been notified by Washoe County Health Department or Washoe County School District that a student is excluded from school. The HDED and HDCT codes do not count towards chronic absenteeism.
WCSD does not currently have permission from NDOE to conduct temporary distance learning during COVID Exclusions this year. The Make-up Work Policy for missed assignments is followed for these absences.
Transportation Blackouts Absences
WCSD does not currently have permission from NDOE to conduct temporary distance learning during transportation blackout dates this year. Absences due to not having bus transportation are not exempt and do count towards chronic absenteeism. The Make-up Work Policy for missed assignments is followed for these absences.
Make-Up Work Policy for an Absence
Make-up work must be provided for any absence by the teacher, but it is the student’s responsibility to request the make-up work in advance or on the first day s/he returns to class. Because it is impossible to make-up some in-class assignments, coursework of a similar nature may be given. It is the student’s responsibility to turn in all make-up class work at the designated deadline. Failure to complete the make-up work within the designated deadline will result in no credit being received for the make-up work.
Students will have the number of days absent plus one to complete missed make-up work or concepts missed beginning on the day the teacher provides the missed assignments to the student. Teachers must provide missed make-up work or concepts missed within two days of the student’s return to class.
Guide to Attendance for Families
This guide, available in English and Spanish, helps parents, guardians, and families understand the various components of the attendance policy. Click on button below.