SSHS Newsletter

Dear SSHS Community,

We had a wonderful start to the 2021-22 school year, and the primary reason is because we are so happy to have all of our students back in the building! The energy that the students bring into school every day is what creates the amazing environment for learning and school spirit.

Our Student Council and Class Officers did a great job re-establishing the "normal" SSHS activities for Spirit Week, and we had record attendance at the Homecoming Block Party this year. Kudos to all of our students and staff who worked to make the start of school a success, and for welcoming us all back.

Open House will be held on Thursday, October 7 at 6PM, and will be virtual again this year. Information for the evening was shared via email last week, and there is information below. Please look for an email that morning for the Zoom links to access our teachers.

With the adjusted schedule that was implemented this year, students and staff have been adjusting to the new times. The great news is that over 93% of our students are getting to school on-time for classes. We recently shared information regarding our efforts to address those who are exhibiting tardy behaviors. Our goal is to improve student arrival to school, and this sometimes means that planning ahead to arrive early to campus will help. We know that individuals arriving to campus in vehicles prior to 7:40 are not experiencing issues with traffic congestion. We will continue to look at traffic patterns, and encourage drivers and drop-offs to arrive to campus earlier.

The HS Leadership Team communicates directly with our students through their school email accounts. We share updates with our students as they relate to any adjustments to building procedures, and also send the newsletters, class information, and other important information throughout the year directly to them. Please encourage your children to check their emails frequently for information from us and their teachers. Our communication with parents/guardians is through email (sent via School Messenger) and also through updates on the HS website.

We look forward to a wonderful October with you. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us for support.

Sincerely,

SSHS Leadership Team

Ms. Michelle Tsao, Principal

Mr. Cody Conley, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Johanna Friedman, Assistant Principal

Mrs. Stacey Ralston, Assistant Principal

Mr. Kevin Wolpert, Assistant Principal

October 7 - Virtual Open House - 6 PM

October 11 - Columbus Day - No classes

October 13 - PSAT Day - No regular classes (see information below)

November 2 - Superintendent Conference Day - No classes

The Open House will be virtual again this year. On the morning of October 7, we will send an email to all families with two things:

• Welcome Video from the SSHS Leadership Team
• Zoom links for our teachers for Open House

Students should have received a document with details for Open House, and on the back of that document will be where students will fill in their schedule for you to follow. Please ask your child for this paper, so that you are prepared for the evening program.

You will not need to rely on your child to access Zoom links, as you did last year. The email we will send you on October 7 will include Zoom links to give you the access needed. As long as you have your child's schedule and teacher names, you will be able to meet the teachers!

For your reference, the document is linked below:

SSHS OpenHouse2021.pdf

We hope you'll be joining us virtually for the Open House program, and please don't hesitate to reach out to teachers, counselors, or administrators if you need support.

The SSHS Counseling Newsletter is now available to view. Please click to access the newsletter: SSHS Counseling Dept. Newsletter | Smore Newsletters

Have a wonderful month and please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

The first step to finding the money you need for college: Completing the FAFSA.

A panel of experts will share helpful tips and information to help you complete your FAFSA and uncover the money you need to pay for college. Registration is required to join the event.

Wednesday, October 6 at 7pm ET | 6pm CT | 5pm MT | 4pm PT Register Now

Thursday, October 7 at 8pm ET | 7pm CT | 6pm MT | 5pm PT Register Now

Our School Psychologists and Social Worker have created various resources to share with students and families for social-emotional wellness. Each month, we will share these resources with you. Please see this month's information regarding basic self-care tips.

SSHS will once again offer the PSAT examination free of charge to all Grade 10 and 11 students during the school day.

For Grade 10 and 11 students, detailed information was sent via email in September. A summary of this information can also be found here. Grade 10 and 11 students will report to school as normal, and go to their testing location for an 8 AM start to the exam.

Grade 9 and 12 students will have asynchronous learning. These students will not attend school, instead logging online for their assigned tasks from their teachers.

This summer the boy's cross country team prepared for the upcoming fall season by participating in the Saratoga Summer Running Program through the city recreation department. Besides running over 5,000 miles collectively this summer, they also volunteered their time at Pitney Meadows Community Farm, harvesting potatoes and leading youth activities.

Environmental Science students completed a first day of farm chores in the Sustainability Park, including turning the compost pile, mowing the lawn, and weeding the raised beds. As a tradition, last year's students planted crops that would be ready to harvest in the Fall. The current students found carrots, tomatoes, garlic and sunflowers!

The library is back in full swing with students visiting before school, after school, and during lunch and study hall.

Students in Mrs. Holly Louis's Health Education classes recently participated in a nutrition activity. Students analyzed products' labels & in particular, looked at the products' sugar content. They were asked to place the proper amount of sugar for their assigned products into plastic sandwich bags. Students were made aware that phrases on a label such as; Fat-free, Low-fat, Reduced-fat, Non-fat, Light/Lite, Juice Blend & Juice Cocktail actually mean the product contains more sugar than the "regular" product on the shelf. Did you know that companies add extra sugar to their products? Too much sugar intake per day can lead to laziness, weight gain, high blood pressure & even Diabetes. Check nutrition labels before you buy!

If you have the time, please take the school lunch questionnaire. It will only take about 5 minutes and would be a huge help to the food services department. The goal of the questionnaire is to see how much students are enjoying the school lunch, if the school lunch accommodates all allergies and dietary restrictions well enough, and if the non-mandatory application process for the free lunch is confusing in any way. Thank you for your participation!

Students leaving early for appointments: Any student that needs to leave early from school, must have a note from their parent or guardian. These notes are to be taken to their assigned administrator first thing in the morning. This note will then be confirmed with a telephone call and a release pass then given to the student. In the event a note cannot be given to the child, an email may be sent and a follow-up phone call to verify will confirm the email. A parent may also come in and sign their child out in the attendance office in the case of an emergency.

It's the First Day of School 2021!

Yearbook News:

Yearbooks are currently on sale at a 20% discount.

Yearbooks are just $60 until October 22nd.

We are also offering up to 3 FREE icons with the purchase of personalization.

Please visit: www.jostensyearbooks.com

About Yearbooks | Jostens

There’s no year like yours. Celebrate a year of friends, events, and experiences. Get your high school yearbook today.

www.jostensyearbooks.com

SENIOR PHOTOS are due Wednesday, October 13th.

If your senior has not yet been photographed, please contact Lauren Studios at: 951-272-8600