SJHS Newsletter 8.21.26

Important Events:

• August 26 - 29 - 84th Annual Apache County Fair
• August 28 - No School / Apache County Fair Day

Upcoming Events - Save the Dates:

• September 1 - School Board Meeting
• September 7 - No School / Labor Day
• September 8 - PTSO General Meeting
• September 11 - 9/11 Program at SJHS Football Game v. Round Valley (more info to come)
• September 22 - NHS Blood Drive

Dear SJHS Families,

This week brings one of our favorite community traditions—the Apache County Fair, running Wednesday through Saturday, August 26-29. Many of our students will be competing in a wide range of categories, from art and baking to agriculture and livestock. Whether they are showing a pig, baking a pie, performing with a school music group, or entering one of the many creative and technical competitions, we are incredibly proud of their hard work and wish each of them the very best. Our students truly shine when they share their talents with the wider community.

As a reminder, school is in session Monday through Thursday this coming week. Thanks to our Governing Board, we do not have school next Friday (Apache County Fair Day). We encourage our students who are not competing during school hours to enjoy the fair that day, as well as after school throughout the week, and on Saturday. We love seeing our students involved in community events, and we hope everyone shows up and gives support to our SJHS participants.

I also want to share some information regarding attendance. Over the first two weeks of school, we have noticed a growing number of students spending extended time out of class, which is tracked through our Securly Pass system. Some students are leaving class multiple times a day for bathroom breaks and not returning for extended periods of time. These "bathroom" visits add up quickly, and a handful of our students have already missed close to three hours of instruction due to frequent hall pass use. NOTE: If you are curious if your student is one of the frequent hall pass users, reach out to our Attendance Secretary, Alex Montgomery at alex.montgomery@staff.sjusd.net, who can provide a detailed report of your student's hall pass usage and instructional time missed.

A 2021 educational study found that missing just 10 classes in 9th grade (not full days, simply 10 class periods) reduced the probability of on-time graduation by 2%, lowered math and ELA test scores by 3-4% of a standard deviation, and reduced course grades by 17-18% of a standard deviation. In other words, every minute out of class adds up and equals missed instruction, missed practice, missed opportunities to ask questions, and unnecessary academic struggle.

To help your student stay on track academically, please encourage them to use the restroom between classes, at lunch, and before or after school, and to remain in class during instructional time. Being on time and present for the full class period makes a meaningful difference in their learning and progress.

Thank you for your continued partnership in helping our students succeed both in the classroom and in the community. We look forward to cheering on our SJHS students at the fair and celebrating their accomplishments.

With appreciation,
Mrs. Mo

Our Attendance Office is currently experiencing some voicemail technical difficulties. Our IT team is working on it, but some messages may not be coming through.

If you’ve left a voicemail and haven’t heard back, please give us another call or email Alex Montgomery at alex.montgomery@staff.sjusd.net.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we get this fixed!

Click the button below to see the August Attendance Newsletter! Including ...

• Meet Mrs. Montgomery - Attendance Secretary
• Attendance Goal Update from 2026
• Important Reminders
• A Word from Mr. Bradshaw
• Updated Attendance Codes for 2027
• Attendance Tips

Just a reminder... appointments can be made online to see Mr. Johnson through our high school website or by using the link https://calendly.com/rjohnson-staff/30min.

Keep in mind the two week window for changing your schedules has ended. Any future schedule changes will only be allowed for special circumstances requiring administration, teacher, and academic counselor approval.

Warmly,

Rick Johnson
Academic School Counselor

• Monday, August 24 @ 11:45AM - in Mrs. Johnson's Art Classroom

• Wednesday, August 26 @ 11:45AM - Lunch Meeting in the Career Center

Dear NHS Members and Families,

Welcome back to a new school year! I am excited to work with our NHS chapter members this year. Our group stands for 4 core values: scholarship, service, leadership, and character. This year, we have big plans to grow as leaders and help in our local community.

See below for more important information:

• Next Chapter Meeting: August 26, 2026, in the Career Center during Lunch (I will have pizza available)
• First Chapter Blood: September 22, 2026, 10:00am - 3:00pm Letty A. Patterson Auditorium (see flyer)
• Member Profiles: Please make sure that you can log into the NHS Google Classroom for all updated announcements. If you do not have access, please contact me so that I can send an invite.

What to Expect This Year

• Regular monthly meetings to plan events.
• Group and individual community service hours.
• Fun leadership and campus-wide projects.

Thank you for your hard work and commitment to excellence. I look forward to seeing what we achieve together this year!

Mr. Johnson

Here's what's happening this week:

• August 21-22 - Girls & Boys Soccer @ Payson
• August 22 - Volleyball @ Show Low
• August 24 - Girls Soccer @ RV
• August 26 - JV Football @ Winslow
• August 27 - Girls Soccer vs Camp Verde, Football vs Holbrook

SJHS Classes of 1977 and 2002: mark your calendars and save the date, as we'll be honoring your classes during homecoming this year on Friday, October 2, 2026.

Please reach out to your class officers or select a representative to reach out to the school on your class's behalf. We will need to know who will be speaking for your class at the assembly and how many will be attending the luncheon by September 21.

Don't know who's in the class? Check out the QR code.

Get & Stay Connected! Scan the QR codes to keep up on the latest happenings at SJHS. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch our daily morning announcements, and don't forget to turn on notifications. #like #subscribe #keepitreal

A Booster Club membership drive will be happening at home football and soccer games starting this fall. More details to come!