In Black & White

Special thanks to Bear Cub Backers for sponsoring our trip!

SENIORS: If you have not applied to the colleges you are thinking about attending, please do so ASAP. Some of the 4-year college/universities (KSU & KU) priority application/scholarship deadlines are November 1st. Remember to look for national scholarships through: www.fastweb.com, www.scholarships.com. In late January local scholarships will be available to apply for too.

· Complete your FAFSA: November is the month to complete your FAFSA. Parents and seniors each need an FSA ID to formally sign your FAFSA document. You can go to www.studentaid.gov to sign up for an FSA ID. It is best to complete the FAFSA in the fall semester to be able to receive the best financial aid package possible. November 3rd from 6:30 – 8 pm is FAFSA Night. We will have experts from Sterling College to help students and families complete their FAFSA.

· Campus Visits: if you are not sure where you are going, see me to set up some college visits. This is the best way to see if a college is the best fit for you.

JUNIORS:

· The state of Kansas pays for all juniors to take two assessments, the ACT and WorkKeys. Juniors have already completed the WorkKeys exam.

· The ACT is a national college admissions examination. It consists of four subject areas: English, Reading, Math, & Science. If students are planning to go to a 4-year college, they should take the ACT. On February 24th, all juniors will be able to take the ACT for FREE. You will be able to identify skills for improvement. The ACT is required for entrance at most four-year colleges/universities and high scores can earn additional scholarships.

JOB SHADOW DAY:

· On Tuesday, November 19th, all juniors, and seniors will be going to shadow someone in a career that they are interested in pursuing. It should be a wonderful day for them to learn about themselves and a career they have an interest in.

CAREER SITE VISITS:

This year, freshmen and sophomores will be going on a day-long site visit. Students selected between the following career areas: agriculture, animal care, business, art/graphic design, engineering, first responder, healthcare, mechanics, and personal services. During the day, students will visit 4-6 different companies/organizations and be able to take a tour and listen about their careers. We are excited to see what our students learn from this day-long experience.

ACT

The next ACT test date is Saturday, December 13th. If you would like to take the ACT then, please register at www.act.org. If you qualify for free/reduced lunches, please see me because you will receive a fee waiver for the ACT.

BELOW ARE GREAT FREE ACT TEST PREP SITES for juniors and seniors:

· www.actstudent.org

· www.uniontestprep.com/act

· www.quizlet.com

· www.march2success.com

· www.powerscore.com

What a great start we’ve had to the school year at Sterling Grade School! Our students and staff have jumped right in, and the energy in our building is amazing. Our students have participated in the State Fair, been to a few pumpkin patches, and visited different activities and museums. The next few months are packed with more fun events, learning experiences, and celebrations. We can’t wait to share them with you! Watch for our monthly newsletter that details events, shares our events of the month, and also spotlights different staff each month. We’re also so proud to share some exciting news about our Spring 2025 state assessment results. Sterling Grade School students in grades 3rd–6th scored 21% higher than the state average in English Language Arts and 39% higher in Mathematics! I know those math boxes coming home are hard to understand but keep working through them because their math knowledge shows with these results. Our 5th graders also knocked it out of the park in Science, with 75% scoring proficient compared to 46% statewide. These remarkable achievements reflect the dedication and excellence of our entire school community. Such success doesn’t happen by chance, it’s built on strong early childhood literacy foundations, consistent academic rigor, and a team of exceptional educators and staff who nurture both hearts and minds. From our teachers and paraprofessionals to our team of specialists, secretaries, nurse, custodians,cafeteria staff and parents, everyone plays a vital role in making Sterling Grade School a place where students love to learn, grow, and succeed. While we certainly enjoy having fun together, our top priorities remain loving, growing, and learning, the heart of all we do at SGS. As always, we will work hard and be nice!

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DON’T LET THE FLU GET YOU!

Flu vaccination opportunity. The Sterling Pharmacy will be at USD 376 on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Junior high and high school students can get a flu shot if they have a completed consent and a copy of their insurance/medical card. Your insurance will be filed, and any remainder will be billed to the parent. Grade school students need a parent present to receive the flu vaccination. The pharmacy staff will be in the grade school art room giving flu immunizations after school from 3:30-4:30. More information on the flu vaccination is available from the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/current-vis/downloads/flu.pdf .

WHEN SHOULD MY CHILD STAY HOME?

As we approach the cold and flu season, parents often ask when they should keep their children home from school. They should stay home until they have been free from vomiting, diarrhea, and fever for 24 hours. They should be fever free for 24 hours without the use of pain/fever reducing medications like acetaminophen/Tylenol.

DENTAL CHECKS

Dental checks for the high school will be held February 3 and the grade school will be February 18 and 19. More information will be available closer to time.

LETTERS SENT HOME ABOUT PHYSICALS AND IMMUNIZATIONS

Letters were mailed home if we are needing additional information for your child’s record. If you received a letter about physicals or immunizations, please turn the appropriate paperwork in to the school.

2025 Fall Book Fair – Worth the Hype!

We had a fabulous fall book fair on October 6-8, 2025, in the activity area between the SGS library and the music rooms. Here are some highlights:

• Total number of books sold this fair: approximately 611.

• Our fair sales for the fall totaled over $5,474 in sales during the three-day period. USD376 Libraries earned a net profit of $2,747 in Scholastic Dollars! The SGS library chose to spend $161 using “Share the Fair” funds and Scholastic Dollars on books from the book fair tables.

• Our loose change “Share the Fair” donations totaled $89.71, the result of many generous customers rounding up to the nearest dollar at the cash register and donating cash. This was used to purchase 13 new books for our students and our libraries.

A HUGE thank you is extended to our school and community who helped make our book fair successful. Thank you to Jamie Burtner, Diana Krone, Lesa Flickinger, Chad Farris, Tracy McGlynn, Lori Gillespie, and Anita Taylor.

This highly anticipated event will occur again in the spring. Mark your calendars for the Spring Book Fair coinciding with Parent/Teacher Conferences on April 13-15, 2026.

Thank you for supporting literacy!

Amy Brownlee, District Librarian
Michelle Miller, Book Fair Chairperson

Keeping Students Safe in a Connected World

🌐 Bark for Schools: Monitoring for Student Safety

At USD 376, student safety is our highest priority — including how students interact with their school-issued devices and online accounts. To support this effort, we use Bark for Schools, a powerful monitoring tool designed to detect signs of digital threats or risky behavior.

🧰 What Does Bark Monitor?

Bark for Schools monitors school-issued Google accounts and Chromebooks by scanning:

• Google Drive: Documents, Photos, Videos, Text Files

• Google Docs: Content, Comments, Replies

• Google Chrome: Searches made while logged into a school-issued Google account

This monitoring is done through a secure Chrome extension installed on district devices.

📂 Categories Bark Analyzes

Category

Bullying

Violence

Sexual Content

Depression

Self-Harm & Suicide

Other Risks

Hate Speech

Predatory Behavior

👀 Who Gets Notified?

When Bark detects something concerning, it notifies appropriate school personnel based on the severity. This could include:

• IT Staff

• Building Principals

• School Counselors or Social Workers

These alerts are reviewed during the school day to ensure a timely and effective response.

💬 Why This Matters

Bark for Schools helps us identify concerns early, creating opportunities for intervention and support. It allows us to be more proactive in protecting students’ emotional, social, and academic well-being.

📞 Questions?

We invite parents and guardians to learn more by visiting:
🔗 https://www.bark.us/schools

Or contact your child’s school administrator with questions.

🛡️ Together, we can build a safer digital environment for all students at USD 376.

As USD 376 continues to provide a safe and enriching learning environment, we want to update parents on important policies and practices related to student privacy, technology tools, and your rights as parents. Below are five key areas that are important for families to understand prior to enrollment and the upcoming school year.

📘 Know Your Rights: FERPA Overview

As a parent, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives you these important rights:

✅ Review your child’s education records
✅ Request changes to inaccurate or misleading records
✅ Control disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII)
✅ Opt out of sharing directory information (e.g., name, honors, grade level)

💡 You’ll find FERPA details and opt-out options during the enrollment process.

💻 Technology in Classrooms: Google Workspace for Education Plus

USD 376 provides Google Workspace for Education Plus to all students, including:

- Google Docs, Slides, Gmail, and Sheets
- Access to secure, educational third-party apps

🔐 Only first and last names + school-issued email addresses are used—no other personal data is shared.

👪 Parental consent is required for students under 13. The school district asks that all students have parental permission. Without it, access to learning resources will be limited.

🌐 Safe Use of Digital Resources: COPPA Compliance

Teachers carefully review every website and application used in the classroom for compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

👀 Parents can:
- Review the COPPA Evaluation Rubric: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1akiefao86f5wIxQT_DHetyS2VW_99a3FrZ9_QB9U8eo/edit?usp=sharing
- View the District App Status List: https://my.catchon.com/public-applications/#/7c5285d51b264e7a814bce147f38ce39

🔐 To improve digital safety, USD 376 will soon require:
- A cybersecurity questionnaire from all vendors
- A student data privacy agreement before app approval

🔐 One-Click Access: Clever Portal

USD 376 uses Clever for single sign-on access to learning tools.

✔️ Data comes from GoEdustar, our secure student information system
✔️ Only minimal required information is shared with apps

Clever ensures streamlined, safe access for students across grade levels. Parents can learn more about Clever by visiting https://www.clever.com/families/resource-hub

📸 Student Photos & Project Sharing: Your Consent Required

Your child’s privacy is our priority.

📷 The district does not share names, photos, or projects online or on social media without your written permission.

📝 During enrollment, you’ll find a Photo and Media Consent Form that outlines how names and images may be used at SGS and SJSHS. Please review the form and assign appropriately while keeping in mind that some activities like to share group photos online as well as with the local news media.

🧩 Final Notes

Our digital tools and privacy practices are designed with your child’s security and success in mind. We thank you for your continued support and engagement.

If you have questions or need help with enrollment or privacy forms, please reach out to your child’s school. For questions regarding Clever, Google, or third-party services, please contact the district’s Information Technology Department at 620-278-3621 extension 4503 or email techcoord@usd376.com.

💡 Why HELPme?

Today’s students and staff face growing mental health challenges. HELPme is a school-based mental health support system that:

- Normalizes asking for help
- Reduces the stigma around mental health
- Supports overall well-being and academic success

Delivered through a secure, configurable mobile platform by STOPit Solutions, HELPme connects school communities to vital resources in a private, dignified, and healing-centered way.

🚀 Key Benefits of HELPme

✅ Improves connectedness for students and staff
✅ Supports all students and staff, regardless of background
✅ Removes shame in seeking help
✅ Provides access to wellness resources
✅ Serves as an early intervention tool
✅ Identifies those in need
✅ Offers virtual therapy via telehealth partnerships

📱 How HELPme Works

HELPme offers three flexible options to access help based on a user’s comfort level:

1. Self-Help: Access a library of wellness and support resources
2. Crisis Counselor Help: Text a trained counselor via Crisis Text Line, available 24/7
3. School/Community Help: Connect directly with school or local support staff

🛒 Connect to Basic Needs Resources

Unmet basic needs are a strong predictor of mental health issues. HELPme helps reduce stigma and connects users to resources like:

- Food assistance
- Housing stability
- Emergency services

"The inability to afford basic needs has been widespread since the pandemic began."

🕒 24/7 Crisis Support

HELPme includes always-on support through the Crisis Text Line. Why it matters:

- Suicidal ideation peaks after midnight
- 65% of texters are reaching out for the first time
- Over 15,000 users last year mentioned imminent risk

Support topics also include grief, eating disorders, anxiety, and more.

🔄 Two-Way School Communication

HELPme promotes student connectedness and a culture of care through private two-way messaging with school staff. According to the CDC:

🛡️ Together, we can support our students' mental health and build a stronger school community. The school district plans to fully implement the “Help Me” anonymous reporting system once the school year begins. Please keep your eyes open for that additional information.