Mustang Minute

⏰ Being On Time Matters

As we begin Quarter 2, Sheyenne High School is placing an increased emphasis on being on time and ready to learn. Tardies may seem small individually, but they add up to lost instructional time and can disrupt learning for both the student arriving late and the rest of the class.

Being on time matters because it helps students:

Maximize learning. Arriving on time means students are present for directions, instruction, and important information at the beginning of class.
Build responsibility and good habits. Punctuality requires planning, organization, and accountability, skills that help students succeed in school and beyond.
Prepare for the workplace. Employers expect employees to arrive on time, be dependable, and be ready to work. High school is a great place to build those habits now.

What You Can Expect in Quarter 2?

Week of November 2: We will communicate with students and families through Schoology, the November Family Mustang Minute, social media and Blackboard about our expectations and the importance of arriving to class on time.

Beginning the week of November 9: Every two weeks, we will review each student's tardies. For every five tardies accumulated during that two-week period, the student will be assigned 90 minutes of detention.

For example:

5 tardies = 90 minutes
10 tardies = 180 minutes
15 tardies = 270 minutes

Students will receive a weekly email letting them know how many detention hours they need to complete.

Making Up Detention Time

We want students to have flexibility and an easy path to getting their time completed. Detention may be served:

Before school
After school
During an open block, if the student has one

Students should report to the office and check in, or make arrangements ahead of time with a teacher. Bring some homework, use the time productively, and the completed time will be recorded.

Why is completing detention important?

Unserved detention can affect a student's eligibility to participate in clubs, organizations, activities, and certain school functions. This includes non-class-related field trips, school-sponsored events such as prom, and, for seniors, participation in the commencement ceremony.

Unserved detention hours also carry forward into the next school year.

Our goal isn't simply to assign detention. Our goal is to help students develop the responsibility to be where they need to be, when they need to be there.

📱 Families: Please Check Infinite Campus Weekly

We are asking families to make a habit of checking their student's attendance and grades at least once each week. Regularly checking Infinite Campus is one of the easiest ways to catch concerns early and start a conversation at home.

West Fargo Public Schools provides its official Infinite Campus Help page with Campus Parent resources, including instructions for accessing the parent portal and app. Once in the app you can click on your student, click the 3 horizontal lines in the top left and click on attendance as well as on grades to view that information.

👉 Infinite Campus Help for WFPS Families [west-fargo.k12.nd.us]

💙 It Starts With Being Ready

Being on time is a small action that communicates something big: I'm responsible, I'm ready, and my learning matters.

Thank you, Mustang families, for partnering with us in helping our students develop habits that will serve them in high school, college, careers, and life. Let's make Quarter 2 a great one, one on-time arrival at a time!

We Want to Hear From You!

At Sheyenne High School, we are always looking for ways to celebrate our successes, improve our work, and create new opportunities for our students. That's where you come in!

Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback with us. Whether you'd like to:

Recognize something we're doing well
Suggest an opportunity for improvement
Share a new idea or program
Explore a community partnership
Connect us with resources or opportunities for students

...we would love to hear from you!

Click the link or scan the QR code to share your feedback. Every response helps us continue to grow and make Sheyenne an even better place for students, staff, and families.

Thank you for being a valued part of the Mustang community! 🐴💙🧡

SHS Important Dates 2026-2027 (families).docx
Help Save Lives at HOSA's Fall Blood Drive!
Join us on November 18th in the MPR for HOSA's 14th Blood Drive!
We invite parents, students, and staff to come together to support our community by donating blood. Every donation can make a difference!
We'll provide refreshments, including:
- Sandy's Donuts
- Cookies
- Salty snacks & more!
Student Donor Incentives
Eligible students who donate may choose one of the following:
- 3 NHS service hours
- 3 detention hours
- 10 extra credit points in Health Sciences
The greatest reward? Helping save lives!
We hope you'll join us in making this year's blood drive a success!

SIGN UP HERE: https://donors.vitalant.org/dwp/portal/dwp/appointment/guest/phl/timeSlotsExtr?token=1eG9jkos5%2Bweq04BS9CjODbq47fPS7xgih9%2FoVHuOyI%3D
Student Travel Opportunity: Is your student interested in seeing the world and experiencing the history and culture of new places? Join Ms. Simenson for a virtual informational meeting about the Italy & Switzerland trip in June 2028 on Monday, November 9th at 6:00 p.m. We'll discuss how this experience can benefit your student, what's included in the trip, pricing, and much more. This opportunity is open to students currently in grades 9-11, and a parent or guardian must join the meeting. Please RSVP using the link to get access to the Microsoft Teams meeting: https://rsvp.eftours.com/et8y655 . If you are unable to attend, please select No, but send info.
Close-Up Join us June 6–13, 2027, for a week in two of the nation's most iconic cities. Close Up's Washington, D.C. & New York City program informs, inspires, and empowers young people to use their rights and take on the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.
The trip is open to all SHS students! For more information, contact Michelene Peterson at mapeterson@west-fargo.k12.nd.us.

Learn more about the program: closeup.org
Attendance Guide for Families
The list of ACT National Testing Dates is here. Sheyenne High will be a national testing site for April 10, 2027.

Month at a Glance

· November 2-5 Class Meetings during Advisory

· Wednesday, November 18: Site Visit (WFPS educators visit SHS) + Blood Drive in MPR

Wednesday, November 25-Friday, November 27: No School

Quarter 2 Conferences are Thursday, December 3!

Sheyenne families, we look forward to welcoming you to Quarter 2 Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, December 3 4pm-7:30pm. Conferences are a great opportunity to connect with teachers, celebrate your student’s progress, and work together to help them finish the semester strong.

🎓 Senior Parents & Guardians: While you’re here, please join us for a Financial Aid Presentation at 6:30 p.m. in the theater. This is a great opportunity to learn more about financial aid and preparing for the next steps after high school.

We hope to see you on December 3!

Community Resources

WF Eats November Calendar

Salvation Army Christmas Food Box: Christmas Food Box Program 2026 (Registration closes on November 13, 2026) *See Attached Flyer for Additional Information

****Families may register for one holiday assistance program only (gifts) — either the YMCA Giving Tree or The Salvation Army****

Salvation Army "Angel Tree" application link: SAAngelTree.org (Registration closes November 13, 2026) *See attached flyer for more information

YMCA Giving Tree Application link: Giving Tree | YMCA OF THE NORTHERN SKY

"Give Kids a Smile Day" Free Dental Services: *See attached Flyer

School Resources

The SHS Career Center is available to help your learner explore their future Choice Ready goals. Be sure to check out the website for updated part-time job offerings and scholarship opportunities. Find the Mustang Scholarship list here: Mustang Scholarship Page. Find part time job opportunities here: Part Time Jobs.

Visit our Sheyenne Activities Site for information on calendars, live stream, event tickets and more!

2026-2027 SHS Winter Activities:

Boys Hockey – Begins on Monday, November 9. Grades 9-12

Boys Wrestling – Begins on Monday, November 9 at 3:45 PM in the SHS wrestling room. Grades 9-12

WF United Girls Wrestling – Begins on Monday, November 9 at 4:30 PM in the Liberty Middle School wrestling roomGrades 7-12

WF United Girls Hockey – Begins on Monday, November 9 at 4 PM in the WF Sports Area. Grades 9-12

Girls Basketball –The season begins on Monday, November 23 at 3:45 PM in the SHS main gym. Grades 9-12

Boys Basketball – Begins on Monday, November 23. Grades 9-12.

Boys Swimming – Begins on Monday, November 30 at 4:15 PM at the Hulbert Aquatic Center. Grades 7-12

Speech – Begins on Monday December 7. Coach Krista Hulderman. Grades 7-12

For more information on the activities above, please visit the Sheyenne Activities website. Activities - Sheyenne High School

**All player participation fees should be through Arbiter or with cash/check made out to SHS activities before the first contest of the activity. Registration is to be complete with a valid sports physical on file in the registration profile before the start date of the activity. Players will not be permitted to participate or try out without the completed registration and sports physical submitted online. For questions on registration or payments, please email the activities administrative assistant, Corissa at ckolesar@west-fargo.k12.nd.us.

Purchase your event tickets or activities passes at GoFan
All high school students get a free pass for the year - get that at GoFan as well

🎉 Mustang Booster Club Update – Get Involved & Stay Connected! 🐎

Your Mustang Booster Club is hard at work supporting our amazing students and their activities — and we’d love for YOU to be part of the excitement! Here’s what’s happening and how you can jump in:

💙 Become a Member – Show Your Mustang Pride!

Join the Booster Club and help make a difference! Scan the QR code or visit mustangboosterclub.org

to sign up and support our students in style.

Transportation & Building Hours

SHS Opens at 7:30am; Closes at 4pm except for those in activities or working with teachers
Busses drop off/pick up at door 26 on the south side (please no parents here!)
Parents drop off/pick up at door 1 on the east side
Students can park in the South Lot, West lot and East lot
Students can only enter through Door 1 (east) and Door 26 (south)
Passes are required to park in the student lots (no pass, parked in the wrong lot or parked illegally will result in a $10 ticket)
Passes can be purchased for $15 at myschoolbucks.com and picked up in the office (they can be picked up at Back to School Night if purchased prior to that).

Cell Phones

No Personal Devices During the School Day

🕗 From 8:25 AM to 3:35 PM, students may not use or carry:

📱 Cell Phones
⌚ Smartwatches
💻 Personal Tablets & Laptops
📡 Any device that can send or receive messages

This applies to all areas: instructional spaces, hallways, lunchroom, and shared spaces.

🏫 Sheyenne High School Procedure

✅ Devices must be stored in lockers (or left at home/in cars)
❌ No devices in pockets or backpacks (backpacks go straight to lockers)
🚫 No device use during lunch, passing time, or Open Campus (if staying on campus)
🛑 Leaving class? Your device stays in your locker

⚠️ Consequences for Violations

Applies across all WFPS high schools

1st Offense – Device to Main Office, student picks up after school
2nd Offense – Parent/guardian must pick up
3rd Offense – Parent pickup + behavior plan
4th Offense – Parent pickup + 1 day ISS
5th Offense – Parent pickup + 1 day OSS
6th Offense – Transition to Virtual Program for the rest of the semester (or longer)

Let’s stay focused. Let’s stay connected—in the right ways.
Thank you for supporting a distraction-free learning environment!
💙 Go Mustangs!

Lockers & Attendance

All Sheyenne High School students are expected to use their assigned locker and school-issued lock to securely store personal belongings during the school day.
PE Lockers: Students enrolled in Physical Education are provided a locker. Please remember to lock up all personal items to help keep belongings safe.
Attendance matters. One of the strongest predictors of student success is consistent attendance and active participation in class.
Families play a vital role in student success. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure students attend school regularly and are engaged in learning each day.
In our block schedule, each class period represents a significant amount of instructional time. If an absence is unavoidable, students should communicate with their teachers before and after the absence to stay current with coursework and assignments.
Whenever possible, we encourage families to schedule vacations and extended trips during school breaks to minimize missed instructional time.
If your student needs to be absent or leave school for an appointment, please contact the school in advance so we can accurately record attendance and support a smooth dismissal process.
Tardies: Arriving on time helps students start each class prepared for learning. Five unexcused tardies (UT) in a single week result in one hour of detention and may affect eligibility for extracurricular activities.
Unknown or Unexcused Attendance: Missing class without authorization, or failing to follow proper attendance procedures, results in an unexcused absence (U) and one hour of detention. One or more unexcused absences may impact participation in extracurricular activities.
Attendance accountability is important. Unresolved attendance concerns or unmet detention obligations may result in restrictions from participating in school activities, including dances and graduation ceremonies.

Our goal is not simply to enforce attendance expectations but to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed academically, socially, and personally. Thank you for partnering with us to support strong attendance habits and a positive school experience for all Mustangs. 🐴💙🧡

Mustang Time (Advisory & Flex)

Advisory/Flex:

Mondays all students are in advisory, Tuesday-Friday all students can flex schedule unless otherwise noted (Flex starts September 21 as long as we have a tool to manage it )
ALL students use Securley Flex, which is a new tool that we will be gaining access to very soon.
Attendance is taken and counts for eligibility

Mondays in Advisory (all grade levels earn credit):

Activities: Grade checks, weekly planning, and flex session sign-ups.

Freshmen: Freshmen 101 Modules.
Sophomores: Focus on Choice Ready
Juniors: Cybersecurity Modules (required for graduation)
Seniors: Senior Capston
Choice Ready Dashboard Updates: Once per quarter per grade level

The Mustang Post is expanding into five magazines this year! Look forward to the first release of each magazine in October followed by two releases every following quarter for a total of 35 publications.

The Mustang Post – This one’s aimed at delivering general and feature news on events and life at Sheyenne High School and the community.
Gamer Points – Love gaming? Gamer Points delves into gaming both on the screen and tabletop: boardgames, video games, roleplaying games, and anything about the gaming business.
Medium – Medium’s niche is all about art and artists both at Sheyenne High School and abroad. Painting, sculpting, digital, whatever medium an artist uses, you’ll find them in Medium.
Pixels & Print – If entertainment on the screen and page brings you joy, check out all the student articles on movies, TV shows, novels, manga, and more.
Play By Play – Play by Play has everything sports and leisure. F1? Done. Football? Of course. Swimming? Diving? Track & Field? Volleyball? Croquet? It’ll all be here.