SIS Weekly Bulletin 08/27/2026

September 1: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

September 1: SIS Cross Country Begins - after school

September 2: SIS School Picture Day

September 7: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

September 11: SIS Family Picnic, 5-7 p.m.

September 15 & 17: IXL LevelUp Testing

September 16: SIS PTO meeting, 5:30 p.m. at Three Lions Pub

September 17: SIS Parent/Guardian Orientation, 6-8 p.m.

September 21: NO SCHOOL - Yom Kippur

September 22-25 & 28: SCHOOL SAFETY WEEK

September 29: SIS Picture Retake Day

October 2: SIS Outdoor Experience (7th grade)

Hello SIS Families,

Next week, we officially kick off the 2026–27 school year! Our teachers and staff have spent this week learning, planning, preparing classrooms, and getting ready to welcome students back to SIS. We are excited to begin a new year focused on creating a school community where every student feels connected, supported, and challenged to grow.

It was wonderful to see so many of our incoming 7th graders at today’s Meet & Greet! Students did a fantastic job navigating the building, practicing their schedules, meeting teachers, and connecting with one another. Events like this help take some of the uncertainty out of starting middle school and allow students to walk through the doors on Tuesday feeling more comfortable and confident.

As we prepare for the first day, I want to highlight a few expectations that will help us start the year strong.

Cell Phone & Wearable Technology

As shared in my Welcome Back Letter, the district has implemented a new Personal Communication Devices (PCD) Policy for the 2026–27 school year. At SIS, cell phones and wearable technology, including smartwatches when used as communication devices, must remain powered off and may not be used during the school day. Our goal is simple: to reduce distractions and create an environment where students can be fully present for learning, relationships, and their school community.

As a reminder, we are asking all families to complete the Cell Phone/Wearable Technology Form by September 1 indicating whether their student will bring a cell phone and/or smartwatch to school. Your partnership in reviewing these expectations with your student before Tuesday will help us begin the year with consistency.

Bluetooth Earbuds & Headphones

Students may not use Bluetooth earbuds or headphones during the school day. If a student is seen wearing them, they will be redirected to put them away. Continued non-compliance will result in confiscation and an office referral. Please ensure your student has a wired pair of earbuds or headphones available for school-related purposes.

Student Binders

We are continuing our schoolwide binder organizational system this year, and every student will receive a binder on the first day of school. Organization is an important skill for middle school students as they learn to manage multiple classes, assignments, materials, and responsibilities.

Our binder system provides students with a consistent structure across their classes while helping them develop responsibility and independence. These habits also connect directly to the skills we want our Greyhounds to demonstrate as members of The PACK—Perseverance, Accountability, Communication, and Kindness. We ask families to help reinforce the importance of maintaining and using the binder throughout the school year.

Mark Your Calendars

• First Day of School: Tuesday, September 1

• SIS Back-to-School Picnic, hosted by PTO: Friday, September 11

• First PTO Meeting: Wednesday, September 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Three Lions Pub — we’d love for you to join us!

• SIS Parent Orientation: Thursday, September 17 from 6:00–8:00 p.m.

As we launch a new year, I am grateful for the partnership we share with our SIS families. Middle school is a time of tremendous growth, and when school and home work together, we create the consistency and support our students need to thrive.

Enjoy your final weekend of summer break. We are excited to welcome our students back on Tuesday and begin another great year together!

In Partnership,

Tiara Rogers, SIS Principal

• On Tuesday, September 1, all students will report directly to their Homeroom class by 8:15 a.m. where they will receive:
• Their Student Binder with a copy of their schedule
• Login credentials and Food Service PIN for making cafeteria purchases
• Their locker assignment (if not already received at the Meet and Greet on August 27)
• Their Chromebook and charger
• Students can bring as many of their school supplies as they feel comfortable bringing on the first day, and will store them in their hall lockers.
• A portion of each of their classes throughout the day will be devoted to orientation topics, policies laid out in the SIS Student Handbook, and some community building activities.

We no longer require boxes of tissue on the school supplies list, but we still count on families to donate this vital resource as early and as often as they are able. If you have the means, please consider sending a few boxes of tissues in with your student during the first few days of school. All of our noses will bless you!

Should families have to donate facial tissues to schools?

Schools already provide essential hygiene supplies—such as toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, and period products—by purchasing the lowest-cost options available. While this keeps budgets under control, it often results in low-quality items. If facial tissues were added to the school budget, they would likely be purchased in the same way. Anyone who has had a cold can imagine how unpleasant it would be to rely on tissues that feel like institutional-grade toilet paper.

Adding facial tissues to the budget would also require shifting funds away from instructional materials such as books, classroom supplies, and other learning resources. Although bulk purchasing might meet student needs, estimating the exact amount needed each year is difficult.

A more practical and flexible solution is to request voluntary donations throughout the year. If every student was able to bring three full-sized boxes, the communal supply might be sufficient. Families who can contribute more are welcome to do so, while families on tight budgets are not obligated to contribute at all. This approach helps maintain an adequate supply of tissues without burdening teachers or reducing funding for essential classroom materials.

Thank you!

We appreciate when guardians report student absences to the SIS office in a timely fashion. Whether your student needs to arrive late, leave school for an appointment, or will be out for the whole day, you now have three ways to report the information so we can keep things flowing smoothly. Please use whatever reporting method is easiest for you!

1. Leave a voicemail on the attendance line at 414-963-6959
2. Email sisinfo@shorewood.k12.wi.us
3. Use the Infinite Campus Portal (More > Absence Requests)

For medical appointments, please submit the slip you receive from the doctor's office after the appointment to the main office, either on paper or via email to sisinfo@shorewood.k12.wi.us.

When your student was in elementary school, it may have seemed natural for you to notify their teacher about absences and appointments. You do not need to do that in grades 7-12. The office will record attendance information in Infinite Campus, where all of your child's teachers will see it.

Refer to the SSD 7-12 Grade Attendance Guidelines

To learn more about reporting student absences through the Infinite Campus website, please click here for a brief introduction or here for a video. The Campus Parent (Infinite Campus app) is available both on the Apple and Google Play stores. If you need help with accessing Infinite Campus, please contact Iris Bohan at ibohan@shorewood.k12.wi.us for assistance.

Please read this newsletter from Aramark Food Service and check out the September Food Service menu for SIS. This one-pager includes the main menu choices each day of the month. Please visit https://shorewoodschools.nutrislice.com/ for more entrees as well as nutrition and allergy information.

Scholastic Reflections will photograph EVERY student on the morning of Wednesday, September 2. Please make sure your student attends school that day if possible. School pictures are extremely helpful for allowing staff to visually identify students and maintain seating charts. The school picture is used in our Yearbook, and every student receives a complimentary photo ID card. Ordering prints of school pictures is optional; you will receive instructions for online ordering once the photos are ready to view. Please note that you can order school portraits throughout the year, but after Retake Day a ship-to-home charge may be automatically added to the cost. There will be a Picture Retake Day on Tuesday, September 29.

Thank you in advance to the three parents who have already volunteered for Wednesday to help make sure that students are camera ready!

The SIS PTO says welcome to a new school year! Please read this letter that explains how you can give a one-time donation to help support all the wonderful extras the PTO plans to provide for our staff and students this school year, as well as opportunities for you to lend a hand!

Please join us for our first meeting on Wednesday, September 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Three Lions Pub. All are welcome! If you’d like to be involved in PTO planning and leadership, or just to help out when extra hands are needed, please send an email to sispto414@gmail.com

SIS Family Handbook

SIS School Supply List 2026-2027

SIS Bell Schedule

SIS A/B Day Rotation

SIS School Fee Schedule

SIS Athletics Calendar

2026-2027 Instructional Calendar

Every year SIS creates the kind of Yearbook that most of you are probably familiar with from previous school years. At SIS, students who are interested in designing the Yearbook are encouraged to join the Yearbook Club. More information on that will be coming during the first weeks of school. Families can preorder a Yearbook by purchasing through Infinite Campus. (In the Fees tab, scroll down to click the Optional Payments button, and add “SIS Yearbook” to your cart.) The cost is $12, and Yearbooks will be distributed in June. Place your order anytime throughout the school year; we will send periodic emails to families who have not yet ordered a yearbook, to repeat these instructions.

If you would like to purchase a yearbook but are facing financial challenges, please email sisinfo@shorewood.k12.wi.us to request a yearbook free of charge. Thanks!

SIS Cross Country is popular with students in both grades. Practices will begin on September 1, and the season will be approximately 5 weeks long, with one-hour after-school practices daily, and weekly meets that offer everyone the opportunity to compete. To sign up for the season, please submit this SIS Cross Country Registration Form. If you have questions, please contact Coach Dan Simmons: dansmmns@gmail.com or 608-698-5302.

Students who participate for the Cross Country season will be charged a $50 Athletic fee, which may be waived for families who qualify for the Free or Reduced Price Meal program.

The Shorewood School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, creed, ancestry, pregnancy, marital or parental status, gender identity or expression, veteran status, physical, mental, emotional or learning disability, or any other legally protected status in its educational programs, activities, or employment with the District. The District also provides equal access to the BSA Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following designee handles inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: District Compliance Officer, 1701 E. Capitol Drive, Shorewood, WI 53211, 414-963-6902, complianceofficer@shorewood.k12.wi.us