Miller News

At SHS, We Strive to Show Up S.H.A.R.P.

Self-Aware Honest Accountable Respectful Persistent

Dear SHS Families,

Assembly Schedule Day – Tuesday, October 21

We’re excited to provide students with a special schedule focused on preparing for life after high school. This day is all about helping every student take important steps toward graduation success and planning for the future ahead.

We’ll be following an Assembly Schedule so each grade level can take part in meaningful, grade-specific activities:

Freshmen – Commons: Class meeting & Understanding Your Transcript
Sophomores – Assigned ACT classrooms: Understanding & Interpreting ACT Score Reports
Juniors – Auditorium: Pre-bubbling for the ACT
Seniors – Gym: Class meeting with Senior Counselor and College and Career Coordinator

All students will see their October 28 ACT classroom assignments posted outside the Counseling Office.

Understanding how these pieces fit together helps students make informed choices that lead to positive outcomes in high school and beyond.

For the success of all students,

Principal da Silva

General 🗓️

Oct. 13: Picture Day

Oct 21: Assembly Schedule (ACT Bubbling)

Oct. 18: Homecoming Dance

Oct. 22: Booster Auction Planning Meeting

Oct. 25: Trunk or Treat (See info below)

Oct. 28: Partnership Council @ 5:30 in Library

Oct. 28: ACT Testing (See info below)

Oct. 28: College Visit Day to OSU, WOU, Linn-Benton or UO (Seniors)

Oct. 30, 31, Nov. 1: Hanging By Our Fingernails~38 7:00 pm (Start time for Halloween is 6 pm)

Oct. 31: AVID 9/10 Visit Day to UO

Nov. 7: No School/Grading Day/End of Quarter 1

Nov. 11: No School~Veterans Day

Nov. 20, 21: Parent Teacher Conferences (Save the date~More info to come!)

Sports Events🏃🏻‍♂️⚽️🏐🏈

Find all athletic events at this website.

SHS

About 90 SHS students attended the College Fair at LCC today thanks to the coordination and support of Cindy Dapkus. More than 75 colleges and universities from across the country were represented. Our Millers are preparing for a bright and successful future!

October 13th

Pre-order pictures online here

Picture Day has been rescheduled for Monday, October 13th. Thank you so much for your flexibility as we work to make up our original date. Students will be called down by grade level and alphabet throughout the day. We appreciate your support in helping us ensure all students receive their IDs for our new check-in process. Please note: Make-up day is no longer on the 14th, but TBD.

📅 October 28: District ACT Testing & Senior College Field Trips

On Monday, October 28, all Springfield High School students will participate in a districtwide testing and college-readiness day.

9th graders will take the PreACT 8/9
10th graders will take the PreACT
11th graders will take the ACT
12th graders will attend college field trips

All students should arrive between 7:45–8:00 a.m. and report directly to their assigned testing rooms (or to the commons if they are seniors). Students will be admitted to testing rooms between 8:00–8:15. Students who arrive late will be placed in a late-testing room and will finish later than their peers.

What to Bring:

#2 pencils
Approved calculator

Please do not bring cell phones or smart watches. If brought, they must remain in lockers or be placed in classroom bins before testing begins.

Dismissal & Transportation:

Testing will finish between 1:00–1:30 p.m. Students may eat lunch and wait in the commons until buses arrive or parents pick them up at the regular dismissal time.
Students who wish to leave early may do so once testing concludes, but they may not re-enter the building afterward, as other testing will still be in progress.

Why It Matters:

These assessments help us understand student learning needs, plan academic supports, and identify opportunities for advanced coursework. The ACT also plays a significant role in college admissions and merit-based scholarships, so we encourage students to do their very best.

Thank you for supporting your student’s success on this important day!

Sign-up information will be sent next week!

The end of Quarter 1 is coming up quickly! Grading Day will be on November 7th. Our Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on the following days:

Thursday, November 20th, 4:00 - 8:00 pm

Friday, November 21st, 8:00 - 12:00 pm

Parent-Teacher Conferences are an excellent way to get to know your student's teachers, their schedules, academic expectations, and progress. Please partner with us to improve your child's high school experience by participating in parent-teacher conferences! We look forward to meeting you.

Planner Checks

The 9th Grade Success Team met last week to decide on our monthly focus to support 9th graders. With the idea of getting them off to a strong start, we decided to focus on organization. Our focus for this month: Planners!

Why planners? Because they’re a simple but powerful way to build organizational habits, and they connect beautifully with our Tier 1 strategies and WICOR practices. When we model and normalize using planners, we give 9th graders the tools to keep track of what’s happening inside and outside of class.

What YOU can do at home:

Ask your student to show you their planner!
Help them personalize their planner and use it as a communication tool between home and school.
Ask them specific questions about their homework, classwork, or projects.
Encourage their organization by promoting the use of their planners.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your 9th graders and their success!

Our electronics-free school day continues to go well! It’s been great seeing more engagement in classes, face-to-face conversations, and positive connections across campus.

Quick Reminders:
Cell phones must remain off and away in backpacks or lockers throughout the school day.
Please continue arriving on time and returning promptly from lunch to keep our day running smoothly.

We’re proud of our students for showing what it means to be SHARP every day!

85 to Thrive

As part of our 85 to Thrive campaign, we are emphasizing the importance of strong attendance. Starting with the upcoming Homecoming Dance on October 18th, students must have at least 85% attendance to participate in school events.

Why 85%?

Research shows a clear connection between consistent attendance and academic success. Just as we love to see the energy and excitement you bring to school events, we want that same commitment in the classroom; being present, focused, and engaged in learning.

How attendance is calculated?

Attendance is the percentage of classes a student attends, determined by dividing the number of periods present by the total number of scheduled periods. Both excused and unexcused absences count.

How to check eligibility and buy tickets?

Students must obtain an official eligibility card, stamped by Mr. Webb or Mrs. Matthews in the Attendance/Student Services Office.
Present this card when purchasing your ticket.
Tickets will be on sale soon (dates to be announced) through Friday, October 17th.
If you are unsure of your current attendance percentage, please see Mr. Webb or Mrs. Matthews for clarification.

Important: If you qualify when tickets go on sale but drop below 85% by October 17th, you may lose the privilege to attend the dance. If you are currently below 85%, there’s still time to improve your attendance before October 18th!

Hours are changing

Primary Care will be available on Thursdays and Fridays only starting October 20th. Please plan ahead for student physicals and wellness checks.

October 25

Looking for Candy Donations and Participants for this year's Booster Trunk or Treat on October 25 in the student parking lot!! Please reach out to jhorne@shsboosters.net to sign up or if you have questions.

COLLEGE AND CAREER CORNER: The College and Career Center is located in the library and welcome to all grades for drop-in visits and appointments with Mrs. Dapkus and our amazing UO SAIL mentors.

UPCOMING CCC EVENTS:

10/15 FAFSA Night 6:30pm in the library

10/17 University of Oregon 11:00 in the library

10/23 Linfield University 9:15 in the library

10/23 Oregon State University Application Workshop 11:30 in the library

10/24 ASVAB 8:00 in the library - must sign-up through form in Google classroom

10/28 College & Career Readiness Day all students

10/31 Western Oregon University 11:30 in the library

11/4 Portland State University 9:15 in the library

LCC APPLICATION Seniors, apply to LCC in the College & Career Center. Mrs. Dapkus has a FEE WAIVER CODE!

SENIORS - The Early Action Deadline for most colleges & universities is November 1st! By getting your application in early, you have more opportunities for scholarships $$$ within the college of your choice. If you have a GPA of 3.85 or higher and are planning on UO as an option, please aim to submit your application by 10/15. The UO STAMPS & Presidential scholarships have a deadline of Nov. 12.

ASVAB The ASVAB is a skills assessment exam that can help a student identify career paths that may align with their strengths. Our first opportunity to take the test is on October 24th. 10-12 grade students may sign-up in the Google classroom.

FAFSA NIGHT Seniors & families, you are invited to attend our FAFSA Night on October 15 from 6:30-8:00pm in the library. Before then, both student and contributor need to create a FSA ID. For the FAFSA workshop, bring a computer and 2024 tax return for contributors (parent).

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES are available for all students. Keep an eye on the SHS Spreadsheets in the Google classrooms for upcoming scholarships to be posted.2026 Senior Scholarships 9-11 GRADE Scholarships 25-26

Students, there are hundreds of opportunities for you! Wondering where to start? Check out SHS Job Board Volunteer HERE!