Principal's Newsletter
Sam Barlow High School ~ May 2019
Sam Barlow High School
Website: https://www.gresham.k12.or.us/sbhs
Location: 5105 SE 302nd Ave, Gresham, OR, United States
Phone: (503) 258-4850
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sam-Barlow-High-School/106146596083423
FROM PRINCIPAL BRUCE C. SCHMIDT, JR.
Perhaps the most interesting month of the year is May as it consistently presents both beginnings and endings. We see new beginnings with trees leafing out, flowers blooming, and spring in full force. In May, we see the end of winter’s grip and welcome spring.
A great example of May “beginnings and endings” comes with the Associated Student Body (ASB) election process. Students campaign in the hopes of earning an elected office to serve as leaders of our school. While this is the beginning for the newly elected officers, the existing leaders see their experience coming to an end with the hopes that they made an impact on the school environment.
Another classic example is the forecasting process and creating a class schedule for the next school year. Students begin to see themselves as a sophomore, a junior, or a senior while dreaming of that special class they finally get to take. In this case, we are ending one year by planning for the next; beginnings and endings.
Perhaps the best example of this concept is graduation. Our seniors are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and they know their time as high school students is short, yet they fear what is coming next. While many will tell you they can’t wait to be done and move on, deep down they still wonder what that next step will be like, which ultimately creates a bit of doubt. In many cases, seniors revert to behaviors that you thought were gone after their freshman year (not turning in work, forgetting things, etc.). Please be aware of these changes and emotional times, as this is when our seniors need the most support and guidance. We want them to finish strong and leave Barlow knowing they have done their very best. For our students, they see the end of high school and the beginning of their life.
As parents, we begin to think about when our kids were in kindergarten, when they joined their first sports team, or played an instrument with the school band for the first time, or had their first heartbreak. We are also thinking about all of the opportunities that lie in front of them as they finish high school. Going to school or work, meeting that special someone, or finding a career. As parents, graduation is the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. While graduation may signify an end, it is also a grand entrance to so many amazing beginnings. Enjoy this time!
Bond Update
As I am sure you have heard from your student, or seen as you visit the school, the bond construction project is moving right along. It has been amazing to see the progress made over the course of the school year even though there have been some inconveniences. Please see below for some milestones and highlights:
· Stadium Construction: Since November, we have been furiously working to build a first class sports facility. The turf has been replaced to include our logo and lots of blue and gold, the covered grandstands are near completion, new lights have been installed, the bathroom and concession facility is under construction, and we are poised to lay down a new track surface. This complete redesign will provide our PE classes, athletes, and spectators with an outstanding place to watch our Bruins compete. It is going to be first class!
· Courtyard: The construction team has been working hard to finish off the courtyard before Springfest (May 17). To date, all of the old concrete and brick has been removed and replaced with a newly designed surface. Our planter beds have been filled with great greenery, the covered awning is providing shade for students during lunch, and light poles have been installed in order to create a usable space at anytime. It is absolutely beautiful.
· New Wing: The construction team has been knocking it out of the park to meet deadlines and stay on budget while building our new administrative offices, 17 classrooms, a new bus loop, and other great spaces for students. These classroom and common areas are going to be fantastic for kids in the fall of the 19-20 school year and we can’t wait for you to see this new construction.
· Performing Arts: The auditorium has been undergoing a major facelift. More specifically, it has been completely gutted to a shell and is in the process of being built back. We have new HVAC ductwork, acoustic treatments to make the sound perfect and several areas painted. Soon, we will have a new stage floor, sound and video equipment, lights and rigging, and of course new comfortable seats. The auditorium will be a highlight of this project.
· 200 Hall Classrooms: At the start of spring break we had to close the 200 hall in order to complete some work to get ahead of the construction curve. The hall has been completed and now bolsters new LED lighting, ceiling tiles, and lockers. The team is now working in classrooms and should complete these spaces by the middle of May. We are excited for our students to learn in some quality classrooms.
There is still quite a bit of work to be done, but we are pleased with the work that has been completed and excited about the work that is ahead of us. Many will see this construction project as the end of a 50 year Barlow legacy, but for future generations, this serves as the beginning of a new Barlow filled with hopes and dreams of the future. We look forward to hosting an open house in the fall so our parents and community members can see what their tax dollars have paid for. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the students of our community.
INCOMING FRESHMEN! MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
August 21 & 22, 9:00AM - 1:00PM (lunch provided)
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
Sam Barlow recognizes students who have shown their Bruin PRIDE by awarding a Student of the Month for each grade level. Students can be nominated for Student of the Month by receiving a PRIDE Note from a staff member throughout the month. The staff then votes for one male and one female student from each grade to receive this recognition. Our outstanding Students of the Month for November are:
MARCH Student of the Month
FRESHMAN
Lucy Ivester
Calvin Khanthavong
SOPHOMORE
Colin Bethurum
Rean Minoza
JUNIOR
Jesse White
Biruktawit Rush
SENIOR
Connor Ropp
Beatriz Fontanel-Solis
PARENTVUE APP (Check your students' progress)
You can download the ParentVue App directly to your phone for free. It’s very simple to do and we have included the step-by-step instructions for you below.
Go to your App store or Android Market and search for ParentVue.
Click ‘install’ and then ‘open’ when installation is complete.
You will have a screen prompting you to swipe left to find your district. If location is activated on your phone, our district should pop to the top. If not, type in Gresham-Barlow School District in the search bar.
Once you choose Gresham-Barlow School District, you will be asked to log in.
Once you have logged in, you will have access to your student's information, such as;
Class Schedule
Current Grades in all classes
Progress Reports
Attendance
Teacher communications
Access to update your contact information
Many more…
You can also select which language you prefer to use by clicking on ‘change’ at the bottom of the screen.
This is a great resource to have at the tip of your fingers. If you need assistance logging in or resetting your password, please contact Teresa Juden at juden@gresham.k12.or.us
Spring Sing
(Performances in Holevas Gym with Silent Auction and Concessions in the Cafeteria)
Join us for a fun-filled evening that includes an AMAZING silent auction, all choirs & individual/small group performances, the traditional CHOIRMAN cake auction and the Treble/Bruin Choir competition! The event is free to attend and $5 for silent auction participation (includes a free drink). See you there!
Tuesday, May 14, 2019, 05:30 PM
Sam Barlow High School, Southeast 302nd Avenue, Gresham, OR, USA
AVID FUNDRAISER
Attendance
In order for students to reach their full potential in the classroom, they must attend school. We want all students to attend at least 90% of all school days. Students should only miss school if they have a fever, have been vomiting, have a medical appointment, or a family emergency. We fully understand that students will sometimes miss school, but limiting the number of missed days is important. Students can’t learn unless they are in class. If we have more students attending at a higher rate, we can also increase the success of our students and our graduation rate.
Please enjoy the start of the second semester. We hope to see you at a school sponsored event or activity. It is always a great experience to see our students competing and performing as it really fosters a sense of community.
TEXTBOOK RETURN
REPORT CARDS ONLINE
Beginning this school year, paper report cards will be available by request only.
You can access your student's progress reports and report cards online through ParentVue. To access the report card from your ParentVue account, just click on the 'report card' button from the menu on the left side of the screen. If you have trouble logging into your ParentVue account or need to get it set up, please contact Teresa Juden in our Student Management Office. juden@gresham.k12.or.us
LIBRARY INFORMATION
Our library is available to students during the school year from 7:00am - 4:00pm. There will be days throughout the year the library will be closed for various events. Please be sure your student checks the library schedule before staying after school to ensure it is open.
SPRING SPORTS SCHEDULES
Visit the Bruin Athletic page to see the latest information on sports schedules.
Dance Team Tryouts for the 2019-2020 School Season
Tryouts for the 2019-2020 Sam Barlow dance team open to current
8-11 grade students.
Pre-Audition Parent Meeting Wednesday May 8 6-7pm - Room 109
Open-Gym 8 7-9pm - Holevas Gym
Attendance at the open-gym and parent meeting are not required in order to tryout.
Tryout Learning Practice Session 13 6-8:30pm - Holevas Gym
Tryout Learning Practice Session 14 6-8:30pm - Holevas Gym
Auditions 15 6-8:30pm - Holevas Gym
Email us questions at barlowdanceteam@gmail.com
After School Tutoring
On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, from 2:30-4:00, we have two of our AVID Tutors that will be in the Media Center to help all students who would like additional support. We have one who will be primarily working with math students, while the second will help with other content areas as needed. However, based on need, they will help any student who shows up.
Please encourage your student(s) to take advantage of this opportunity.
Return Your Library Books!
With the end of this school year fast approaching, the Barlow Library will be needing all student library books returned by the end of May. Please help us to help your student by encouraging them to return their borrowed Library items on time. This is doubly important this year as we will be packing up and moving our entire Library this summer due to scheduled remodeling work in our area. All students can check their own Library accounts on-line through our Alexandria on-line catalog. This can be found on the Barlow Library website. Thanks in advance for your support.
ACTIVITY BUS
After-school activity buses are available for students who stay after to meet with a teacher, or work in the library. Students must know their address to ensure they get on the correct bus. The activity buses leaves the school at 4:00pm.
Routes can be found in the document attached to this newsletter. Questions can be directed to First Student Transportation, 503-665-8193
SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM
Meal Prices:
Breakfast is FREE
Lunch $2.80
Reduced prices - Free
To pay online, click here and sign on or register.
ACTIVITIES
Parking Passes for 2019-2020
Parking at Sam Barlow High School is a privilege and requires a permit. Due to extremely limited space, parking passes will only be sold to qualifying Juniors and Seniors in late August. Passes will be sold in the Student Management office to students who are good attenders, have no outstanding fees or fines, and hold a valid driver’s license and insurance.
NOTE: Students who have less than an 85% attendance rate will not be eligible for a parking pass.
Guidelines and applications will be available on the school website in early August.
PSAT test date set!
The 2019 PSAT test date has been set for Wednesday, Oct 16, 2019. The test will be held at SBHS starting at 7:30am. Please note: this test is given 1 time per year, nationwide. This will be the only opportunity for your student to take this test at Barlow High School for the 2019-20 school year. The state of Oregon will allow sophomores to take the test for free. Juniors must pay a fee to take the PSAT. Prices will be announced in the fall. Juniors are urged to participate in the PSAT as this is the qualifier for the National Merit Scholarship. Watch for registration (through the bookkeeper) in late September.
Career Exploration
If your student is interested in any of these career exploration opportunities have them see LindaLee Frazier in the College and Career Center.
May 10th- PGE is holding a PGE Career Day, 5 students are going to learn about Linemen, the Yard, Metermen, the High Bay. The students even get to meet the hiring department to learn about internships and pre-apprentice opportunities.
May 23rd- Future Careers in Video Gaming presentation. Our guest speaker Matthew Callahan will share about his path to a career in video games. As a youth, he was passionate about WWII history and he began playing a WWII video game (now WWII Online)- fast forward 13 years he now runs the company. 60 students can come to the presentation in the Media Center, on May 23rd. They will learn that different skills, from computer coding to marketing, writing, graphics that are needed in the video game field.
May 21st and June 6th- Construction Luncheon will take 15 students each lunch through our construction site allowing them to learn about the may trades going on here at Barlow. Then we have a pizza lunch and Q&A session.
May 28th is the Evening of Excellence. For the first time, we will include recognition of students who completed a CTE program here at Barlow in woods, metals, technology, culinary, and marketing. They will receive a cord to wear at graduation.
SOPHOMORES & JUNIORS
Sophomores & Juniors: Don’t know what to do during the summer break? Check out your summer options in the College & Career Center – There are many places you can visit and colleges to be researched and a lot have summer specific programs. Come learn how to schedule a college visit over the summer. Taking a tour of a college campus is always the first step to deciding where you should spend the next two or four years learning. Students can research job options and places to volunteer in the C&CC, too.
The College & Career Center and ASPIRE offers all parents and students a copy of our publication, “Make the Most of Your Freshman/ Sophomore/ Junior/Senior Year.” This booklet is a resource for students and parents – filled with reminders, timelines and other great reference information. We have many other publications that will help you plan your future, too.
Juniors should be registered for the upcoming SAT and ACT tests offered in May, June & July. If you have not done so, come to the C&CC immediately to get directions on how to do so. If students are eligible for free and reduced lunches, please see the counseling office for a fee waiver for these tests. Student should consider registering for the fall tests, as well.
**Evening of Excellence Tuesday, May 28th 7pm Main Gym:
Seniors: Here is your chance to shine! Have you recently received an offer of a college or local scholarship? Please report scholarship information to Mrs. Neuenschwander in the College & Career Center. Also, if you have signed up to serve in the military after high school, please let Mrs. Neuenschwander know. How about athletic commitments, or apprenticeships? This information is important for the Evening of Excellence and for Graduation Commencement. We want to make sure you are recognized for your achievements!
**Please add this date to your calendar and plan to attend the Evening of Excellence awards night. Additional information will be going out soon.
All students should continue stopping by the College & Career Center regularly to check for new scholarships. There are also computers available for researching colleges and scholarships. Even if you don’t think you can get financial aid, you can win scholarship money.
Remember, ASPIRE advisors are available during the lunch hour (11:30- 1:30) to help students with resumes, research, proofing essays and answering questions.
Seniors: should have received a link to a senior survey at your last class meeting. Please complete the questions by May 7th so that this information can be included in your graduation program. The information listed there is self reported, so it is up to seniors to provide the information promptly. Don’t forget to get your candy bar for turning in this information! Stop by the C&CC to get it.
SENIOR PARENTS!
Graduation is June 11th, 5:00 PM - Veteran's Memorial Coliseum
You can access a lot of information regarding your student's senior year by visiting the Senior Information page on our website.
The next meeting is Monday, May 20 @ 6:30pm in the Staff Cafeteria.
BIG News for Seniors regarding the Oregon Promise!
The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) recently gave seniors important news.
This year there will be an INCOME CAP for students applying for the Oregon Promise (community college tuition assistance) grant.
Tentatively, this means that senior students who:
· have a 2.5+ GPA,
· complete their Oregon Promise application by June 1, 2019
· submit their FAFSA
· go to school in the fall (or within 6 months of graduating)
· and have a FAFSA EFC below $18,000 will receive free tuition assistance.
The minimum value is approximately $2000 and up to $7000 (over two years or up to 90 college credits earned.)
What does this mean? It means there are kids out there who are guaranteed FREE money and they only have until June 1 to complete the requirements to receive it. The clock is ticking and there is no second chance if they miss the cut off.
The Oregon Promise application page is: www.oregonstudentaid.gov
The FAFSA page is: www.fafsa.ed.gov
Congratulations, Lions Scholars
Please congratulate the following students for their recognition on April 17th at the Gresham Lions Breakfast Club scholarship awards dessert. Our remarkable 17 top GPA seniors spent the evening with our local Gresham Lions Breakfast Club members, their families and Dr. A. Perera, GBSD Superintendent, as keynote speaker.
Four of our seniors were awarded $1000 each to be used for their future college expenses.
These winners were:
- Alexa Baily
- Chloe Davis
- Gabriela Medina
- Darcy Pound
The recognition winners were:
- Tara Dunlap
- Alexis Gover
- Katherine Hardenbergh
- Laila Hardisty
- Jenna Jette
- Jaclyn Jimison
- Sophia Kahl
- Sherry Mindiola
- Rylee Ramsey
- Connor Ropp
- Rachel Stanley
- Yiu Tran
- Drew Turner
- Williams
MAIN OFFICE FAQ's
What are the office hours?
7:00am - 3:30pm daily
Closed on holidays and some inservice days
What is the main office number?
503-258-4850
Can I leave a message for my student?
Yes. If necessary, we can take messages from a parent or guardian only. Messages will not be delivered to class except in an emergency, but will be held in the office. Students are paged during designated paging times, and it is the student’s responsibility to pick up the note.
Can I bring a present or send flowers/balloons to a student?
We are unable to accept gifts, flowers/balloons for students. We will refuse all attempted deliveries.
Can I deliver coffee/specialty drinks to my student?
No. We will not accept any Dutch, Black Rock, Country Coffee, etc.
Additional questions?
Please call us! 503-258-4850
Who Can Help?
If you have concerns about your child’s schedule or other issues, the following are the staff to contact. Email is a quick way to get answers to the questions you might have.
COUNSELORS
A-E Michelle Kahan kahan@gresham.k12.or.us
F-J Erin Boelow boelow@gresham.k12.or.us
K-Ra Oscar Rethwill rethwill@gresham.k12.or.us
Re-Z Molly Ninneman ninneman@gresham.k12.or.us
LICENSED SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER
Kimberly Louvin louvin@gresham.k12.or.us
HS SUCCESS COACH
Paul Quirke quirke@gresham.k12.or.us
ELL LIAISON
Karen Galicia galicia4@gresham.k12.or.us
ATTENDANCE LIAISON
Ryan Alexander alexander9@gresham.k12.or.us
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS
A-G Cheeri Schacht schacht2@gresham.k12.or.us
H-O Tim Collins collins19@gresham.k12.or.us
P-Z Kelly Hart hart29@gresham.k12.or.us
SBHS Calendars
If you would like to subscribe to Sam Barlow calendars on your phone or other devices, use the links below:
Activities - SBHS Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/gresham.k12.or.us_73jhabthgqh7h2910qn0c6baq8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
Athletics -SBHS calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/gresham.k12.or.us_kv7l5hldmkp5s4cgp4dmg8fnls%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
Sam Barlow Main Public Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/gresham.k12.or.us_4jj9ve163iticdogb11b6ggp1s%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics