SPANISH SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
Week of October 30 - November 3
From the Desk of the Principal, Sean Hall
Hello Spanish Springs High School Families,
I am looking forward to sharing some great news from around campusl.
Our Girls Varsity Soccer team has made the playoffs. Well done ladies!
Our Varsity Football Team will be going to the playoffs in November. The team shut down the Reed Raiders last week 30-24. I would like so mention how respectful our student sections was at the game, they conducted themselves with the spirit I would expect from our students.
Our Varsity Volleyball team are the co-league champs going into regionals. The volleyball team has the best record to date, and we really hope the student body will pack the stands in their upcoming matches at playoffs.
Our Cross Country Team will be running at their regional match tomorrow at San Rafael and we hope they continue to do great.
Congratulations to our Girls Golf team for a good season and special shout out to our two student athletes who made the honorable mention for the all league girls golf team.
Our Boys and Girls Tennis teams finished their season in third and fourth place. It was fun to go and see their matches this season.
I would like to welcome Abigail Bennett to our school as the new Varsity Volleyball Coach next year. Ms. Bennett played volleyball at Gonzaga and was a recruiter for Gonzaga as well. She comes to us with an impressive coaching career and we are looking forward to her stepping up from the assistant position to the the full time coach next season.
Congratulations to the Speech and Debate students who won competitions. Thank you to the students, staff, and parents who helped make the event a success.
Our band program has been placing in their competitions and I am very proud of the amazing things they are doing both on the field and off.
Last year, our JROTC qualified for the National Raider Competition, and I am excited to announce that after last weekend's competition here at SSHS, they qualified for next years national competition as well. They will be departing this week for nationals in Fort Knox Kentucky. Good luck Cougar Raider Team.
Finally, I have wonderful academic news. Last spring our graduation rate improved by 4%. I am happy we are at 83.09% and look forward to seeing more exciting growth in that number. Our graduation rate is a culmination of hard work from our students, teachers, and parents to help our students succeed.
Have a safe three day weekend.
Sincerely,
Sean Hall
Principal
A Message from WCSD
School Climate Survey
Monday
B Day
4, 5, 7, 6
Tuesday
A DAY
1, 2, 7, 3
Wednesday
B Day
4, 5, Cougar Pride, 6
Bell Schedules
A special note from the counselors
Nevada Promise Scholarship application deadline October 31!
The TMCC Nevada Promise Scholarship is a unique scholarship established by the Nevada Legislature for Nevada high school graduates to attend community college.
If you are part of the graduating class of 2024, make sure to apply by the October 31st deadline.
October is National Bullying Awareness Month
Bullying is unacceptable and comments or conduct that disparages or demonstrates hostility or aversion should not be tolerated. By being accepting, kind and inclusive, you can help make the world a better place. Together we can create a world without bullying!
TIPS FOR PARENTS
THE WORLD IS RAPIDLY CHANGING – EMBRACE THE CHANGE!
Digital technology and the internet now play a huge part in all of our lives – especially our children’s. For the most part, school, work and social lives are now all successfully integrated with the internet, offering opportunities that we could have only dreamed of a few years ago – with our children at the forefront of this exciting age of change. Try and embrace the change by seeing it as an adventure rather than a challenge!
LEARN WITH YOUR CHILD
If we are to help our children reach their full personal and academic potential in this new technological era, then we must learn with them on how to use the internet responsibly and safely. Your children might even be able to teach you a thing or two!
STAY A STEP AHEAD OF YOUR CHILDREN
This can be a challenge for many parents who are unfamiliar with the technical devices, websites and social media platforms that their children visit. This parents guide will help you to understand the dangers posed to children online and how to deal with them together as a family.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
It is vital that your child or children can come to you with their online problems, and communicate freely without the fear of losing internet privileges, such as the closing of their social media accounts or confiscating devices such as mobile phones or laptops. If you can build a relationship with your child/children, where they feel comfortable sharing their online problems with you, it is much more likely that you will be able to help them with any online problems that do occur in the future – before they escalate to the point where your child/children cannot see a way out of the situation.
TOp Tips for Kids
GOLDEN RULES FOR CYBERBULLYING
DON’T RETALIATE
Do not respond to abusive messages or threats. It could make things worse and you might be accused of cyberbullying. Internet trolls want a reaction from you – why give them what they want?
TELL SOMEONE YOU TRUST
Don’t try and deal with this alone – talk to somebody you trust such as your parents, a friend, a family member or a teacher about it. New perspectives can help you to find new solutions.
SAVE EVIDENCE
Record and store any abusive posts, emails or messages. Some types of cyberbullying, harassment and online abuse constitute a criminal offense, and you might need to demonstrate ‘ongoing harassment’ for legal action to be successful at a later date. For help with how to store evidence, visit our technical advice section.
BLOCK AND REPORT
You can stop someone from sending you abusive messages and posting nasty comments on most major platforms by blocking and reporting them to the site administrator. Visit our social media guide to learn more about the reporting procedure for each individual social media platform.
ASK YOUR SCHOOL
Schools and colleges should have an anti-bullying policy which covers cyberbullying and online abuse. Ask what support your school can offer.
NEVER SHARE PASSWORDS
Never share your passwords with anybody, even your friends! If you do, you could lose control of your own accounts, and have trouble regaining control of them. People can then share your personal information publicly. Treat your passwords like your toothbrush – change them frequently and don’t share them with anybody!
NEVER ARRANGE TO MEET IN REAL LIFE
If anyone you don’t know tries to arrange to meet you, tell your parents or somebody you trust immediately. Never meet anybody you don’t know and don’t share personal information with them such as real names, addresses, emails or phone numbers.
THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK
Most online problems start with a misunderstanding, so think about what you really want to say before you start to write. Everybody that uses the internet should have a basic understanding of “netiquette”.
DON’T GET CAUGHT UP AND DON’T BE A BYSTANDER!
Avoid becoming involved in cyberbullying campaigns. Don’t pass on or promote an abusive or rude comment, message or picture just because “everyone else is doing it.” Stop and think about how that person feels.
REPORT CYBERBULLYING
If you see someone is being cyberbullied don’t just stand by and let them suffer. Report it to the platform you are using, your parents or a teacher at your school.
If you need help or support:
THE CYBERSMILE FOUNDATION – cybersmile.org
https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/facts
https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/what-you-can-do
https://www.dosomething.org/us/causes/bullying
https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/what-parents-can-do-about-childhood-bullying/
Safe and Healthy Schools Commission Meeting
On behalf of the district’s Safe and Healthy Schools Commission, you are invited to the Safety Forum on Monday, October 30. The form includes local experts who will share information on vaping, and social media safety and discuss screen time concerns.
The forum is open to families, students and the community and will be presented via Zoom.
Spanish interpretation will be provided. All the information is available at washoeschools.net/safetyforum
Monday, October 30, 2023
12 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. – virtual meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86299318002?pwd=3xqnE4LZ7Mtt3s27NCKnKc8ZogBgba.1
Senior Ads for the yearbook!
The yearbook class is offering the opportunity for you to design your own senior ads for the 2024 yearbook. Just go to yearbookforever.com to purchase and design a tribute to your graduating senior. Click the link below for the flyer which should have all the information you need; however, if you have any questions, please email the yearbook adviser, Terri Gil, at tgil@washoeschools.net
Make sure to preorder your yearbook by December 15th in order to guarantee your student receives one. Purchase yearbooks at the webstore, www.washoeschools.net/sshs. If you have any trouble logging in or ordering, please contact our bookkeeper, Megan Svare, at msvare@washoeschools.net
All sales are final.
Yearbooks
Please remember with yearbooks, all sales are final.
Testing
Library Website
AP FEES
PSAT
We are excited to announce we will administer the digital PSAT at Spanish Springs High School during the month of October 2023. This year, the PSAT will be administered online only using school laptops. To prepare for the PSAT, all students will need to create a CollegeBoard account and use the links below. You will need to download Bluebook on a personal device to take practice tests.
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/preparing
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/taking-the-test
Please refer to the attached PSAT Flyer for more registration and payment information. Thank you.
Upcoming College Fair Event
Career Center Website
School Spirit
Speech and Debate
Leadership
Trick or Treat the Halls
Thank you to our students and community for another great Trick or Treat Event. Ours clubs and groups put together an event which not only was fun for the participants, but also benefitted local charity. Well done Cougars!
Charity Volleyball Game Practices
Charity Volleyball Practices
9am-12pm in main gym
Spanish Springs Cougar Band
Spanish Springs Competition 10/27
Damonte Ranch Competition 11/4
UNR Regional Competition 11/11
Sparks Hometown Christmas Parade 12/2
Band Winter Concert 12/5
We are going to Nationals!
Greetings!
Your Spanish Springs HS Army JROTC program hosted the Silver State Brigade JROTC Raider Team Championships on Saturday and the Male team finished First Place Overall for the 5th consecutive year!
Our other teams from SSHS in the Varsity competition were the Mixed Team and the Female team - each team placed Second Overall! The JV Male team swept the other JV teams at all four JROTC Raider team competitions!
Next up: The JROTC Male and Female teams are traveling to Fort Knox, Kentucky Nov. 1-6 to compete at the JROTC Raider Nationals.
Huge shout out to the football and soccer coaches for sharing space on the upper fields, and to our amazing head groundskeeper, Josh Crawford, for advising us with where and how to best store our team equipment.
MSG "B"
Art
Do you love art and want to be a part of making our school a more creative place. Please join us in room 147 Wednesday September 13th during lunch. This is an important meeting please be there.
Clubs
African American Student Union
The African American Student Union meets Wednesdays during lunch period 11:48 to 12:18 in the College and Career Center. The African American Student Union Club is open to all Spanish Springs Students. All current and new students are welcomed to come join in this special club.
Amnesty Club
Come join the amnesty club. We’re a club focusing on improving both our community and the world we live in through community service and other services like that. We meet every Wednesday at lunch in room 217
Interact Club Meeting 10.16.23!
Take action, build international understanding, and make new friends around the world.
Interact clubs bring together students to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self.
Where we meet: SSHS Library
When: Lunchtime, 1st and 3rd Mondays of every month!
What are the benefits?
Connect with leaders in your community and around the world to:
- Take action to make a difference in your school and community
- Discover new cultures and promote international understanding
- Become a leader in your school and community
- Have fun and make new friends from around the world
Key Club
Key Club meets in room 111 every TUESDAY during lunch. Join us to participate in diverse community activities.
Latinos Unidos
Come help us show diversity by joining Latinos Unidos! This club is a safe space for everyone. Join us on Thursdays during lunch in the College and Career Center
National Art Honors Society
Do you enjoy art? Come join our new chapter of the National Art Honors Society. Meet in 147 Wednesday 8/30 at lunch to find out more information! Cordero and Stanford would love to see you there!
National Honors Society
Hey cougars! Do you want to be more involved within our school and community? Do you want to make your college resume look its best? Come and join the National Honors Society! We meet every other Thursday at lunch in rooms 219/220! This club is for sophomores and above with at least a 3.25 GPA! We hope to see you on august
31st!
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!
Athletics
purple pride!
New Volleyball Coach 2024
The SSHS Athletic Department is honored to announce the new Volleyball Head Coach Abby Bennett. Abby brings many years of experience to the program which include being a Division I collegiate player and coach at several levels:
Gonzaga University (1999-2003) Middle Blocker
Snake River Volleyball Club (2004) Coach
Lewis and Clark State College (2004) Program Volunteer
Central Washington University (2005-2006) Assistant Coach
Gonzaga University (2006-2011) Assistant Coach = During this time coached 16-1 and 18-1 National Club teams for Evergreen Region Volleyball Association
Gonzaga University (2011-2015) Athletic Department
Spanish Springs High School (2022-Present) Assistant Coach
congratulations!!!
Congratulations to Volleyball Head Coach Frank Sandomenico and the Team for winning the 5A North League Championship. The NIAA North Region Volleyball Tournament begins next week, and the Volleyball team will host either Bishop Manogue or Galena on Wednesday 11/01 at 6:00 PM.
Congratulations to Football Head Coach Rob Hummel and the Team for a 2nd place finish in the 5A Division 2 North League and earning a Bye this week. The NIAA North Region Football Tournament begins this week, and the Football team will host either Reed or Damonte Ranch on Friday 11/03 at 6:00 PM.
Congratulations to Girls Soccer Head Coach Kiley Valencia and the team for a 4th place finish in the 4A High Desert League and qualifying for the NIAA North Region Girls Soccer Tournament which begins next week. SSHS will be at Bishop Manogue on Tuesday 10/31 at 3:30 PM.
Student Game Attendance
Student Backpacks are NOT allowed at Athletic Events. Any student with a backpack will NOT be allowed entry to a game.
Skateboards and Scooters are NOT allowed at Athletic Events. Any Student with a skateboard or scooter will NOT be allowed entry to the game.
SSHS Hometown Ticketing
SSHS Parents and Students:
SSHS is only accepting online Hometown Tickets for all Athletic Events this school year and all Fall Sports ticket are currently available for purchase.
We will NOT have a cashbox available at the events.
Adult Tickets = $10.00 (Seniors 62 years and over receive free entry)
Student Tickets = $5.00 (Students 8 years and under receive free entry)
Military Personal Tickets = $5.00 (with valid ID)
SSHS Students who have purchased their Activity Fee and have Activities Fee (AF) paid on their Student ID will get free entry to all regular season home events. Activity Fee for the school year is $25.00, and all student-athletes are required to pay this fee.
Middle school students need to have a parent with them to enter the event.
All WCSD Employees and a Guest get into all regular season games (home and away) with a current school ID.
NIAA App
Register My Athlete
Athletic Contacts
Cougar Well Being
SSHS Food Pantry
COVID 19 Updates
Masks
Immunizations
Hello, this is an important message from the Washoe County School District:
The State of Nevada requires the meningitis vaccine (MCV4) and the Tdap vaccine for all Nevada 7th graders and new students in grades 7-12 enrolling in the Washoe County School District.
As of the 2023-2024 school year, a student 16 years of age or who is enrolling in the 12th grade in Nevada schools must receive the meningitis – or MCV4—vaccine.
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
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, click here.
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 sshsattendance@washoeschools.net or use this link: SSHS Attendance 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: Intervention / The Absence Request Form and App (washoeschools.net)
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 (HDED) code is used for COVID exclusions when there is a positive COVID case. Current exclusion period is 5 days and can be extended up to 10 days in the event that a student still has symptoms. COVID excluded students will be placed on Temporary Distance Learning and will complete missing classwork per the make-up work policy. The HDED codes do not count towards chronic absenteeism.
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.
DMV Certification of Attendance
Spanish Springs High School assists with the student DMV Certification of Attendance required by the DMV using the following options:
OPTION 1 – Electronic
DMV Certifications of Attendance can be requested from the WCSD Student Records Department.
Effective July 1, 2019, in an effort to provide better and more secure service to our students ALL student records requests can be made online using the automated student record / information request system. Please go to this link on the Washoe County School District website to fill out the form: Application for DMV Certification Form or go to https://washoeschoolsnv.scriborder.com/
OPTION 2 – Hard Copy
If requesting a hard copy from the SSHS Attendance Office, the Student Information section must be completely filled out. SSHS does require 24 hours to complete and review the students’ attendance, it will then be available for pick up in the front office.
Hard Copy link: DMV Certification of Attendance Form
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; the previous completed semester’s percentage is used to determine eligibility. Chronic absenteeism rules are set by State and Federal guidelines.
DMV QR Code
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.