The tragedy that took place in Newtown Connecticut last Friday is the unthinkable for schools and communities.  These acts of of violence are happening too often given the fact that they should not happen, ever.  When these violent acts occur it can foster feelings of helplessness in terms of preventing them from taking place.  While no school can insure immunity from violence it is comforting to know that close personal relationships can provide a network where people feel supported and secure and where those who need help in any way, can get it.  We will continue to provide our students and staff the very best that we can to make them feel safe, secure and supported here at school.  Our hearts go out to the families and the community of Newtown Connecticut.....

I wish you the very best during this upcoming Holiday break. 

Thank you to all parents who have completed the online or paper versions of the parent survey.  We will keep this survey open until Friday December 21st, for those of you who have not completed it.  We have also utilized a student online survey to get feedback from our students.  Both surveys are produced by AdvanceEd, the company that we are working with for our required accrediation this year.  Our staff completed a similar survey during the November 29th inservice day.  In January we will look at all of the results as we focus on defining school improvement goals for the remainder of this school year and next. 

Our boys and girls basketball teams will be traveling to Portland on Tuesday December 11th to play in the Rose Garden, the venue that the Portland Trailblazers use for their games.  It is a special arrangement that has allowed them to play their scheduled game against Estacada in the Rose Garden.  The girls game tips-off at 5:30 PM and the boys game tips at 7:00 PM.  Tickets to this game also entitle you to attend the January 19th Trailblazer game against the Milwaukee Bucks, a great deal see you at the game!

The parent advisory committee met on Thursday December 6th to review proposals for revising or creating policies in the following areas; High School Classes/Courses for 8th Graders, Honors Diploma, Valedictorian/Salutatorian and Grade Point Averages (GPA) and Weighted Grade Point Averages (WGPA).  We will meet again on Monday January 7th at 3:30 PM in the Library.  Please know that you are welcome to attend this meeting if you are interested.  Also know that these policies will need Board approval prior to any implementation and that the earliest implementation would be for the 2013-14 school year. 

It will be a busy three weeks before the Holiday break.  Sporting events a music concert (17th), Santa's breakfast (8th) and food drives are all ahead of us in the weeks to come.

In all of this, I would like to ask parents assistance in one particular area.  We are conducting a parent survey.  The survey will be emailed home to parents who have provided email addresses.  It is an online survey and when it comes to your email address, please consider completing it.  It should take 15-20 minutes to complete.  If you do not receive it by email or if you do not have any Internet access please contact the school.  We will be glad to add your email address and send it to you or mail you a copy of the survey.  The survey is an important part of our Accreditation process that we are undergoing this year.  Results of this survey will help us in selecting school improvement goals.

I hope that everyone had an opportunity to spend time with family during Thanksgiving Break.  I was fortunate to spend some time with my son in the Spokane area, and catch a couple of Zag basketball games during my visit.

We are looking very carefully at the schedule for next year, already.  We are very aware of the lack of elective courses currently offered.  It is an area that we hope to make some positive change in for next year.  We are also looking at making changes to courses with an eye on advanced course offerings, maybe expanding them to some degree.

I want to share that our students have just been outstanding in so many ways this year.  We have instituted some rule changes in the building and the response in terms of their actions, from the students, has been one of compliance with those rules which has lead to a more orderly building both in and out of the classroom.  We are working hard at holding students accountable for regular attendance at school.  We believe that if students attend regularly, they will be successful at moving towards graduation from high school.  Our fall sports had great seasons with virtually all teams experiencing league and state involvement at the end of their seasons.  Lastly, what great attitudes your kids have.  They are upbeat, positive, and involved in their school and education...thanks parents!

Congratulations to the volleyball team on their 3rd place finish at the state volleyball tournament that just concluded at Lane Community College in Eugene!  The team was able to defeat Madras on Saturday afternoon for the third place trophy.  Our football team lost a tough one on Friday night to Gladstone.  They concluded a great season where they finished second in league, and won a play-in game.  On both teams, the senior leadership was great to see and it was that leadership that helped in insuring outstanding seasons.

A reminder that there is no school the week of November 19th-23rd.  Monday the 19th-Wednesday the 21st, schools are closed due to furlough days.  Thursday the 22nd and Friday the 23rd schools are closed for the Thanksgiving Break.  School resumes on Monday November 26th.

We continue to extend an invitation to any parent who is interested, to serve on our Parent Advisory Committee.  This committee will meet as needed to review school improvement recommendations that come forward from the Curriculum Committee.  If interested, please contact the high school or Mr. Everett directly.

Progress reports will be sent home the week of December 3rd-7th.  At that point we will be closing in on the end of the first semester, with 6-weeks to go.  Semester grades are important for a number of reasons.  These grades are recorded on transcripts and transcripts are used to determine eligibility for many things including; athletics, National Honor Society, college entrance, entrance into the military etc.  Please encourage your son/daughter to do their absolute best in their classes to insure that their transcript reflects their level of achievement in school.

We are still looking for a few more parents to sit on a parent advisory committee at the high school.  This group will meet as needed throughout the year to review and provide input about school improvement issues.  If you are interested please contact the high school.

Both boys and girls soccer teams had tough, season ending losses last weekend.  It concluded their outstanding seasons!  Volleyball and football teams move on to the next rounds in state playoff competition.  Football will play this Friday at Gladstone High School.  Volleyball will play on Friday afternoon at Lane Community College.  Good luck to both teams!

A reminder to parents to please make sure that you are contacting the school to communicate about any absences for your student.  The focus is on having students in attendance, each and every day throughout the school year.

Lastly, it is definitely fall now.  Hope you are enjoying the change of seasons.

Congratulations to our fall sports teams as they wrap up their league seasons.  Volleyball finished first in league completing an undefeated league season.  They now enter the first round of the State Playoffs which begin on Saturday November 3rd with a home match.  Football finished second in league with their win over Tillamook last Friday.  They will have a play-in game, at home, this Friday night.  Boys and girls soccer finish their league seasons this Tuesday.  Depending on results of those games, each has a chance to participate in the play-in games this Saturday.  Cross country finished last Thursday at the district meet held at Camp Rilea.  We had three all league runners and a successful season overall.  It has been a great fall sports season and I applaud our coaches and athletes for their efforts. 

We are looking for a few more parents to join our Parent Advisory Committee.  This committee will meet periodically throughout the year to discuss school improvement issues.  If interested please contact Mark Everett at the high school. 

This year's senior students, in addition to accumulating 24 credits in the correct content areas, will need to have met the state reading and writing standard as well as meeting the personalized learning requirement in order to graduate.  For seniors who have not yet met the reading and writing standard, they will be provided opportunities to do so on state tests as well as on in class assignments.  We have a Graduate Committee at the high school and we meet monthly to discuss seniors and their progress towards graduation in June of 2013.  Our goal, of course, is that every senior student graduates in June!

Fall has set in now in a big way.  Rain and cool temperatures are now the norm.  With this weather change we typically see student attendance drop off a bit.  I encourage students and parents to work together to insure that regular school attendance continues.  We believe that if students are in classes regularly, progress towards gradaution will continue. 

Congratulations to our volleyball, football, soccer and cross country teams as they complete their league seasons and look to the state playoffs. 

Just a reminder that conferences are this week on Thursday (5-8 PM) and Friday (8 AM-12 PM).  It is important to attend conferences in order to have an opportunity to speak face-to-face with your son or daughters teachers.  If you are unable to attend, I encourage you to contact your students teachers either via email or phone to check on progress in classes. 

We are looking for 1-2 parents who would be willing to serve on the high school Site Council.  This group, made up of parents, teachers, classified and certified staff meets once a month to address issues related to school improvement and professional development.  If interested, please contact Mr. Everett at the school. 

The weather has turned, just in the last few days, to a more typical rainy and windy pattern.  After school sporting events continue and and our fall teams are competing well in their league contests.  Bring the umbrellas and continue to support our teams through the fall!      

Homecoming 2012 is now in the books.  There was the tapping assembly, daily class competitions, dress up days, a poster and float contest a parade a dance and after school sporting events.  It all culminated in the football game on Friday night where the Homecoming Queen was selected and where the football team defeated Seaside High School.  Leadership students and the student body did a wonderful job of showing their school spirit throughout the very busy week of events. 

Congratulations to Maddison Kellas who was selected as the Homecoming Queen for 2012!!

The end of the first grading period is just over a week away.  Teachers will be completing progress report grades next Thursday.  A reminder that these grades are progress to this point in the semester and that there is still 12 weeks left in this semester. 

We will hold parent/teacher conferences on the evening of Thursday October 18th (5-8 PM) and on the morning of Friday October 19th (8 AM-12 PM).  Parents will be given a copy of their students progress report when they arrive at school for conferences.  For those who are unable to attend, we will mail them home.  If you are unable to attend please be aware that you can contact your son or daughters teachers via email or by phone.

With the emphasis on student attendance this year it is very important that parents contact the school or write a note with a specific reason for your students absence.  The more detailed the communication from home regarding absences the more efficient we can be here in the office in terms of getting it excused.  Thanks in advance for your assistance.   

Welcome to this site.  My goal is to provide current information to parents regarding Banks High School.  Doing a blog is new for me and it seems as though it may be a good way to communicate quickly and easily. 

The start to the school year has been a good one.  Within the first week of school all students were presented, in the classroom, with information regarding the revised Student Handbook.  The handbook is now arranged alphabetically to make finding information easier.  It also has some new sections in it but for the most part is similar to handbooks in the past. 

We are putting a strong emphasis on some particular areas of student conduct.  The first is in students having regular attendance.  We are checking daily on students who have unexcused absences and will be in conversation with those students and parents about this issue.  The second is in making sure that all students who are in the hallways during class time, have a hall pass.  The hall pass is the permission for students to be out of class and it is a focus for this year.  The third area is in making sure that students who have cell phones or music devices at school have them "off and put away" during the time they are in a classroom here. 

I have to commend all students on the outstanding way in which they have responded positively to these changes.  There have been some conversations about the changes, with students, but in all cases they have been appropriate and mature.  The feeling in the hallways and in the classes is one which promotes academic achievement and accountability. 

Fall is now here and the weather is turning cooler.  Sports are in full swing, homecoming is next week, the pep band sounds great and after school percussion and jazz band are starting up.  It's a busy, exciting time of year!