September Newsletter 2024

The school year is off to a great start! We will share important information through monthly newsletters throughout the year. We look forward to continuing the Shawnee tradition of excellence. Go Indians!

Wednesday, September 25th: 2 hour Delay - Teacher In-Service

Friday, September 27th: Midterm Grades Posted on ProgressBook

Tuesday, October 8th: Fall Picture Retake Day

Friday, October 25th: End of first nine weeks

Wednesday, October 30th: 2 hour Delay - Teacher In-Service

Please be sure to pay your school fees at your earliest convenience. You can pay with cash or check in the East Office, or you can pay with a card online at PaySchoolsCentral. Email any fee questions to Mrs. Rigali at erinr@limashawnee.com

• Direct Attendance line: 419-998-8003. Please leave voicemail.
• Vacation forms: A vacation form must be filled out any time a student goes out of town for any reason such as participating in a club activity, dance competition, etc.
• Unexcused absences: Attendance alerts for UNEXCUSED absences will be sent out through text and email. Students will remain UNEXCUSED unless the parent/guardian contacts the attendance office. Contact must be made with the attendance office no later than the day the student returns to school. If contact is not made the student will remain UNEXCUSED.
• Midterm exams and final exams: Vacation days will not be approved for midterm exams days and final exam days. Midterm exams are January 9th and January 10th. Final exams are May 27th and May 28th. Exams dates are subject to change.

When: September 15th at 4:00pm

Parade Route: Parade will start at the Reinhardt Athletic Complex. It will go east on Zurmehly Road, south on Beeler Road, west on Inwood Drive, north on Yoakman Road, and east on Zurmehly Road; making a circle around the high school.

When: September 21st, 8:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Where: Apollo Career Center

Theme: Hollywood

Tickets: Cost $10.

They will be sold during lunch the week of the dance.

They will also be for sale at the door.

*Out of town guest forms are now available in the East Office.

Forms must be completed and turned in by September 13th.

If you've been to the school, we are sure you've noticed the beautiful parking spots that are painted! Our student government did a great job planning this fundraiser. They sold 70 total spots for a total of $1400. Student Government uses that money to better the school and they are doing that by putting up TVs throughout the building, mainly in the cafeterias, which will scroll through announcements. Awesome job Shawnee students! Click below to check out more pictures.

Students in Mrs. Hefner's Biology class took their learning outdoors to sharpen their observation skills. They explored the school grounds, identifying and classifying living and nonliving objects. With curious minds and keen eyes, they discovered how to distinguish between the two, noting the differences in characteristics such as organization and the ability to respond to the environment. These hands-on activities not only enhanced their understanding of the natural world, but also fostered a deeper connection with the environment around them. Check out the photos of our young scientists in action!

Explore your program of interest by participating in the new “Career Discovery Series” at Rhodes State. During these program specific visits, potential students and guests will get a hands-on experience with the instructors who teach within your desired major. Also, during these visits, you will meet your student success navigator, take a campus tour, and learn about the enrollment process. Cick below for more information!

Please see the message below from GROB if you are interested in their apprenticeship program after graduation:

We are thrilled to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2025 GROB apprenticeship class! Applications can be submitted on our website (see link below). The deadline to apply is March 30th, however, we review applications on a rolling basis. The sooner students apply, the sooner they can go through the application process.

The GROB apprenticeship program is an opportunity to learn an in-demand trade, earn a debt-free college degree, and start your career at a world-class machine tool manufacturer - all while being paid! No experience in manufacturing? None needed! The combination of GROB's in-house training program and your college classes will prepare you to become a highly-skilled mechanical or electrical technician at GROB in just two years.

Students, if you have not joined your Google Classroom for your grade level, please do so ASAP. The guidance department will be posting information and updates in your grade level classrooms throughout the school year.

Class of 2025 code: ilbhj45

Class of 2026 code: z3h7vu2

Class of 2027 code: afspz6w

Class of 2028: vsjnjxh

You have the right to know about the teaching qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher in a school receiving Title I funds. The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act requires that any local school district receiving Title I funds must notify parents that they may ask about the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teacher. These qualifications include:

1. Whether the teacher has met the Ohio teacher licensing criteria for the grade level and subject areas in which the teacher provides your child instruction.
2. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or temporary status that waives state licensing requirements.
3. The undergraduate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate degree or certification (such as National Board Certification) held by the teacher and the field of discipline of certification or degree.
4. Whether your child is provided services by instructional paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

If you have any further questions, please contact Michelle Knippen, Director of Special Services at 419-998-8038.

Mid-term Progress Reports will be available on ProgessBook for parents to view. We encourage you to access your student’s account on a regular basis to follow their progress over the course of the school year. Paper copies of mid-term reports will not be mailed out to parents unless you formally request that we do so. Please call or email Mrs. Jennifer Minnick in the Guidance Office at (419) 998-8004 or minnickj@limashawnee.com to request the mailing of a paper mid-term or for help logging into your parent ProgressBook account.

Most letters and reminders being sent from the high school will now be sent by email. Please make sure you have provided an updated email address in Final Forms, and be sure to check your email for informational letters from the high school over the course of the year. Paper mailings will not be mailed out to students and/or parents unless you formally request that we do so. Please call or email Mrs. Tina Hershberger in the West Office at (419) 998-8001 or hershbergert@limashawnee.com to request paper mailings.

Please be sure to check our webpage regularly for the latest news and updates regarding events and information for this school year. We also encourage you to sign up for the Shawnee Local School District app on Google Play or the App Store.

A new scholarship was created to benefit our seniors, starting with the Class of 2022: The Lima Shawnee Scholarship Fund. If you are interested in donating to the fund, please the image below and follow them on Facebook at Lima Shawnee Scholarship Fund for updates and more information. We appreciate all efforts to pay it forward to our seniors. Thank you for leaving your legacy on our community.

• Take the ACT at least one more time.
• Research careers, programs, and colleges that align with your interests and future goals.
• Meet with your school counselor for a credit check and discuss senior profile.
• Learn about FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
• Begin applying to colleges through their online applications. Many schools use the Common Application OR individual applications on their website.
• Request letters of recommendation from staff members for college applications and scholarships.
• Begin scholarship search. Check the guidance website for a list of local scholarships.
• Are you an athlete? Are you interested in playing sports at the collegiate level? You need to register for NCAA Eligibility Center and send transcripts. Click here for more information.

Please click here to view the schedule of upcoming college representatives visiting SHS this fall. This will continue to change so please refer back to it weekly to stay up to date. Students are officially permitted to attend 5 of these sessions throughout the fall. Students will use the link at the bottom of the form to sign up individually for each rep they want to speak with and pay close attention to the date and time. Students should check with their teacher (unless it's during Connections) ahead of time. We'll be taking attendance at the rep meetings. If students don't sign up ahead of time we will ask that students return to class, and if students do sign up and decide that you don't want to attend, students should email their counselor so we know who to expect. Please stop in guidance if you have questions.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in youth. Knowing the warning signs and how to respond is crucial and can save a life. Check out the National Institute of Mental Health's infographic on warning signs, and their five action steps to #bethere and help someone that is having thoughts of suicide. Feel free to save and share these resources!

Click here to view a catalog of resources in Allen County, Auglaize County, & Hardin County.

Click here to view a list of community resources in Lima.

Ohio CareLine: 1-800-720-9616

Crisis Text Line: Text "4hope" to 741741

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Hopeline: 1-800-567-HOPE

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE

Youth Crisis Hotline: 1-800-448-4663

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Our job as a guidance department is to support, advocate, and care for the needs of the whole student. We assist students with academic concerns, friendship troubles, study skills, personal problems, college/career planning, etc.