Skyview High School
February Newsletter
“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Dear Storm Families,
As we begin Semester 2 of the 2018-2019 school year, I am thankful and endlessly hopeful for our amazing students at Skyview High School. Our staff and students continue to strive for excellence on a daily basis while overcoming any challenges that are placed in our way.
As the largest comprehensive high school in Vancouver Public Schools, our challenge has been individualizing curriculum to meet the needs of our diverse students. Through multiple levels of academic, behavior and social interventions we have taken this challenge on with a high level of success. This is evident in our 2017/2018 On Time Graduation rate of 98% as released by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. This places us at the top of our comparator schools in the State of Washington.
Additionally, our Magnet Open House on January 16th was packed with families interested in joining the exciting opportunities that Skyview has to offer. The night was filled with hundreds of families throughout the building asking questions of athletics, band, dance, clubs and, of course, our award winning SMTM program. Kurt Schmidt (SMT Coordinator) and the entire SMTM staff were inundated with kids and parents in the 600 wing. It is such an exciting time to be part of StormNation!
Semester 2 also means that we are getting closer to graduating the Class of 2019 and sending all of our kids off on summer break. However, we have lots of work to do and I hope all of our scholars will take this new semester as an opportunity to renew our core values of trust, integrity and commitment to excellence.
Best regards,
James Gray
ATTENTION all Interested Soccer Players!!
February is prescription drug, club drugs and children of substance abusing parents’ awareness month.
Children raised in homes with parental substance abuse are more likely to …
- Develop anxiety and depression
- Have problems in school
- Act out aggressively
- Become addicted to alcohol and other drugs
Effects of Molly
Like any other stimulant, MDMA will increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Other physical effects include tremors, muscle cramps, nausea, faintness, chills, sweating and blurred vision. People who use MDMA are also at risk of dehydration, which may not seem like a big deal, but by interfering with the body’s ability to regulate its temperature, it puts you at risk of dangerous, sometimes fatal, overheating.
MDMA can also be extremely dangerous in high doses or when multiple small doses are taken in a short amount of time (usually in an attempt to maintain the high). High levels of the drug in the blood stream can increase the risk of seizures and affect the heart’s ability to maintain its normal rhythm.
Shortly after taking MDMA, it is possible to feel confusion, depression or even severe anxiety—but these psychological effects have also been reported to occur days or weeks after taking the drug.
Prescription Drug Abuse
- Abusing opioids like oxycodone and codeine can cause you to feel sleepy, sick to your stomach, and constipated. At higher doses, opioids can make it hard to breathe properly and can cause overdose and death.
- Abusing stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin can make you feel paranoid (feeling like someone is going to harm you even though they aren’t). It also can cause your body temperature to get dangerously high and make your heart beat too fast. This is especially likely if stimulants are taken in large doses or in ways other than swallowing a pill.
- Abusing depressants like barbiturates can cause slurred speech, shallow breathing, sleepiness, disorientation, and lack of coordination. People who abuse depressants regularly and then stop suddenly may experience seizures. At higher doses depressants can also cause overdose and death, especially when combined with alcohol.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our Prevention/Intervention Specialist, Donna Holland, at 360-313-1300 ext 5984 or by email Donna.Holland@vansd.org
Pollution prevention help needed!
We depend on clean streams, rivers and lakes for swimming, fishing and wildlife habitat. Today, the biggest threat to the health of our waterways comes from pollutants left outside that get picked up by stormwater. Many of these pollutants come from everyday activities such as lawn care, having pets, driving and home improvements.
Here are three easy things you can do at home to prevent pollution from reaching our streams, rivers and lakes.
Scoop it, bag it, trash it. Stormwater carries pet waste left on the ground to storm drains, which discharge to waterways, untreated. Fecal coliform is one of the top water pollutants in local streams, and pet waste left outside is a main contributor. Pet waste also harbors harmful organisms that can persist for months, such as E.coli, hookworms and giardia. Take the Canines for Clean Water pledge at www.cleanwaterdogs.com, and Clark County will send your pooch a free bandanna.
Don’t drip and drive. Fix that leak! Vehicle fluids are toxic to humans and fish, and even small drips matter. A study of Puget Sound found that more than 66 percent of oil pollution came from small vehicle leaks and drips. Every time it rains, those drips are carried to storm drains before emptying into our streams, rivers and lakes. Fixing leaks will keep your car running well and reduce water pollution. Get a free leak inspection and up to $50 off leak repairs at www.fixcarleaks.org
Practice earth-friendly yard care. Using fewer fertilizers and pesticides is good for your family, your pets and our waterways. When over-applied or spilled on hard surfaces, fertilizers and pesticides are carried by stormwater to our streams, rivers and lakes. Nutrients in fertilizers cause potentially toxic algae blooms that also deplete dissolved oxygen needed by fish. Always read the label and use only as directed. Sweep up spills rather than washing them away. Find more earth-friendly yard care tips at www.stormwaterpartners.com
“Only rain down the drain” begins at home; thank you for being part of the solution.
SMT BLAST NIGHT
February 15th @7:00-11:00 pm
Theme is Meme
In-District Boundary Exceptions
In-District Boundary Exceptions for students NEW to Skyview in the fall of 2019 will be accepted Jan 8-Feb 28, 2019.
The form can be found at: https://vansd.org/wpdm-package/in-district-choice-transfer-form/?wpdmdl=36570&refresh=5bff046f105a71543439471
If your student is accepted to Skyview, they will be able to forecast for classes in March of 2019.
Should the Feb 28th date be missed, your BE will be added to the group that will be processed May 1.
Attention Parents: PLEASE check your student's lunch accounts
We have a lot of students in the negative balances. If you don't have parent access to check your student's account, please contact the office so they may assist you in setting up your account.
If you already have Family Access please click the link below to check the balance:
Thank you,
Kitchen Manager- Judy Amituanai
Club Shout-Outs
- DECA will be going to the State Competition February 28th-March 2nd. Skyview has 15 students attending!
- Drama is holding auditions for Skyview's production of Macbeth: February 6th: 3-5pm February 7th & 8th: 215-4:15pm
- Knowledge Bowl has qualified two teams for the Regional Championship competition to be held in Longview at Lower Columbia Community College on Monday, February 25th. The team has been working hard for months. Congratulations to Gage Blackwood, Isaac Brown, Jaden Gabbard, Hayden Heitz, Larry Huang, OJ Kamboj, Survir Kaur, Ella Kononency, Jaxon Mills, Harrison Nabors, Allie Owen, Thomas Schmidt, Katy Schmitt, Aaryak Shastri and Nate Welker.
- Speech and Debate finished their regular season strong. They head to the Regional qualifiers in mid-February. Seniors, Justin Lindsey, Eoin Tyrrell, and Amberleigh Packard all finished their four years of team commitment with top places district-wide. The Skyview community commends them for their accomplishments in speech and debate over the last four years, and wishes them good luck in their State and National qualifier tournaments.
Skyview High School Booster Club Updates
A big thanks to StarCycle in Felida for hosting a Skyview night
Next Booster Board Meeting is Tuesday, February 26th
New way to stay in touch with Booster Happenings
The Remind app
Text @skyviewboo to the number 81010
Join the VPS team!
We are currently seeking substitute and permanent applicants for Paraeducator, Bus Driver, Nutrition Services, and Custodial. To view a complete job posting and apply, visit the district website; https://vansd.org and select VPS Jobs. Qualified applicants will be invited to interview.
If you need assistance, please contact the Human Resources Department (hrdesk@vansd.org or 360-313-1080).
Visitor Management System -Raptor
Skyview High School
Website: skyview.vansd.org
Location: 1300 NW 139th St
Phone: 360-313-4200
Twitter: @SkyviewStorm