Dear Santiam Canyon School Community:
February always gives us a natural opportunity to pause and reflect. With Valentine’s Day at the heart of the month, the theme of love tends to surface in many visible ways — but this year, I’ve been thinking more about the quiet, steady kind of love that defines our schools every single day. Not the greeting-card version, but the kind shown in action: teachers who stay late to help a student finally understand a concept, bus drivers who greet each child by name each morning, and staff members who listen with patience and without judgment while ensuring our buildings are safe and welcoming. That daily commitment is a powerful reminder of the maxims that anchor our work — Stand Together, Find Your Path, Never Give Up.
Those phrases reflect who we strive to be as a district. We stand together by supporting one another and assuming positive intent. We help students find their path by creating environments where curiosity, belonging, and opportunity thrive. And we model perseverance, for our students and for one another, by staying focused on what matters most: doing what is best for kids. February reminds us that when we lead with care and remain united in purpose, our schools and our community are stronger for it.
Ms. Nieraeth
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This year, Santiam Junior/Senior High School proudly introduced a new course designed to better serve our students with special needs: Modified Physical Education. Led by Mr. Clint Forste and supported by Ms. Jordan Young, this class creates an inclusive and supportive environment where students with disabilities can participate in physical education in ways that are meaningful and appropriate for their individual needs.
In addition to receiving specialized instruction, students also have opportunities to join general education P.E. classes, fostering a more unified experience where all students can learn and grow together. This collaborative approach promotes inclusion, teamwork, and school community, and could be the beginning of Unified PE at SJSHS.
Looking ahead, Mr. Forste plans to expand the class to include lessons focused on life skills and health education, ensuring students gain not only physical activity, but also valuable tools for everyday living. We are excited to see this program continue to grow and provide a well-rounded, holistic experience for our students.
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This month, the district began providing breakfast and lunch to the preschool students — an exciting step forward in supporting our communities' youngest learners. This is a partnership between Santiam Canyon School District and Strengthening Rural Families, the organization that runs the community preschool.
This initiative began when Kaytlyn Courtney, the teacher at the preschool, shared with Lisa Follis and me the challenges many preschoolers face arriving at school without having eaten. Due to session start times, meals at home often do not align with young children’s natural eating schedules, leaving some students hungry and not fully ready to learn. After hearing these concerns, I asked Mrs. Follis to reach out to the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to explore whether preschool could be included in our district’s food service program. We were thrilled to learn that ODE approved the request.
Mrs. Follis worked closely with ODE to ensure the preschool site met all requirements and that every meal component complies with USDA regulations. Mrs. Courtney and Mrs. Follis then collaborated on menu development and coordinated with district cafeteria staff to ensure meals could be properly ordered, stored, and prepared.
These meals are provided free of charge to preschool students under the district’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) designation.
On the first day of service, Mrs. Courtney reported that everything went smoothly. She expressed appreciation for Barb Tuers and the cafeteria staff for preparing meals for pickup and delivery to the preschool. Most importantly, she shared that students were excited to receive their meals and appeared more focused afterward, exactly the outcome we hoped to see.
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When Gates Elementary School teachers Melody Munger and Cathy Griswold created the elementary school Post Office in 1987, they probably didn’t anticipate their hard work and creativity leading to a beloved, decades-long tradition in the Santiam Canyon School District. The post office was later taken over by second grade teacher Laura Lyon, and has remained in the charge of second grade teachers ever since.
The Post Office is traditionally held for two weeks around Valentine's Day, and creates an opportunity for all students and staff in any district building (preschool, elementary school, and the Jr/Sr high school) to write letters to one another. Second grade students collect, count, sort, and deliver every letter with the help of instructional assistants and volunteers. This year’s post office was February 2-12 and yielded 2,008 pieces of mail.
What a great tradition that keeps on going!
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Santiam Leadership is proud to kick off this year’s Doernbecher fundraising campaign! Our goal is to raise $10,000 to support the incredible work of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
Our students have been working for months to plan exciting events that bring our entire community together for a great cause. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, including:
- 🎉 Bingo Night
- 🏃 3K / 5K Fun Run
- 🏀 Three-Point Competition
- 🤝 Sabotage Basketball
- 🍽️ Local business-hosted fundraisers
We invite you to check out our event calendar, which is packed with fun activities and generous local businesses partnering with us to help reach our $10,000 goal.
Every dollar raised makes a difference in the lives of children and families who rely on Doernbecher’s life-saving care.
Please keep your eye out on SJSHS's Facebook page for the calendar of events.
Thank you for supporting Santiam Leadership and helping us make an impact!
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Santiam Elementary School's library has "RECOMMEND A BOOK" cards that students can recommend their favorite books to their peers! We LOVE that our students are sharing book recommendations with each other!
Thanks to Ms. Martinez for coming up with this idea!
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Santiam Wrestling is proud to announce that three athletes have qualified for the State Tournament at the Portland Memorial Coliseum February 26th and 27th.
Justice Faville (165 lbs.) captured the District Championship, while Jayden Kuvaldin (132 lbs) and Eli Pearcy (138 lbs) each earned 3rd place finishes to secure their spots at state. Lane Korkow (138 lbs) placed 6th and was just one match away from a wrestle-back opportunity to qualify.
All four competitors are sophomores, and with Faville and Pearcy making their second consecutive state appearances, the future is bright for Santiam Wrestling.
We also commend the continued improvement of Alex Bell, Damon Davidson, Tommy Anderson, Layla Mask, Graeson Wisner, and Anthony Wisner. Despite injuries cutting short the seasons of Carson Childress and Natalie Ayars, we look forward to their return next year.
Congratulations to all of our wrestlers for their hard work and dedication this season.
Thank you to the Coach Crowston and his crew for all their hard work this year!
Go Wolverines!
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One of the ways Santiam Elementary celebrates excellent student behavior is through our quarterly reward parties and trips — and our second quarter celebrations were a huge success!
Kindergarten through 3rd grade students enjoyed a special trip to the Star Cinema, where they received a movie snack pack and watched Zootopia together. An impressive 96% of our K–3 students were eligible to participate — a tremendous accomplishment that reflects their hard work and positive choices throughout the quarter.
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Our 4th and 5th grade students headed to Northgate Bowl for a bowling celebration. Students enjoyed time with friends, bowling and snacks, before returning to school ready to finish the day strong. We’re proud to share that 93% of our 4th and 5th grade students earned eligibility for this event!
A special thank you to the Santiam Canyon School District PTO for generously funding these trips and snacks. We love celebrating our students’ efforts and successes. Positive behavior creates more opportunities for learning and strengthens the vibrant, supportive community we are building at Santiam Elementary.
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Congratulations to Haylie Cole for earning the Quinn Scholarship.
Established in 1996 by Stanford Smith, the Quinn Scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior from Santiam High School. Through the University of Oregon Foundation, Mr. Smith created this endowment to help cover the costs of attending the University of Oregon. Combined with additional scholarships and grants Haylie may receive, this award will provide her with a full ride to the university.
This outstanding achievement reflects Haylie’s hard work, dedication, and strong character. Her commitment to excellence both inside and outside the classroom has truly paid off, and we are incredibly excited to see her take this next step.
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For the first time in school history, students from our Advanced Band represented Santiam at the Oregon Music Education Association’s District 11 Solo and Ensemble Festival at West Albany High School. This milestone highlights the continued growth of our music program and the dedication of our student musicians.
Santiam was represented by two groups: a mixed quartet featuring Krystina McClure, Brielle Mack, Bethany Tobey, and Alexis Canturias, and a clarinet trio consisting of Riley Foster, Bethany Weikum, and Elizabeth Fromby-Meyer. While placements have not yet been released, our students performed well and had the opportunity to compete alongside and learn from musicians across Linn County.
We are very proud of these students for representing Santiam with excellence and professionalism at this prestigious event.
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A regular attendance routine is important for your child’s wellbeing and learning. These tips can help you decide when to keep your child home when they don’t feel well.
SEND ME TO SCHOOL IF...
• I have a runny nose or just a little cough, but no other symptoms.
• I have NOT had a fever overnight and have NOT taken fever reducing medicine during that time.
• I have a mild stomach ache.
• I have not thrown up overnight and can drink liquids without throwing up.
• I have a mild rash and no other symptoms.
• I have eye drainage WITHOUT fever, eye pain or eyelid redness.
KEEP ME AT HOME IF...
• I have a temperature higher than 100.4
• I have thrown up two or more times in the past 24 hours.
• My stool is watery and I may not make it to the bathroom in time.
SEEK MEDICAL CARE IF...
• I have a temperature higher than 100.4 AND any of the following: ear pain, sore throat, rash, stomachache, headache or tooth pain.
• I have stomach pain and fever, I have bloody or black stool, or I am dehydrated (tired and sleepy, dry mouth) and/or I have not urinated in the last 8 hours.
• I have a persistent cough or trouble breathing, or have a fever with the cough.
• I have eye swelling, eye pain or an eye injury.
• I have a rash that has blisters, is draining, is painful, looks like bruises, and/or I have a fever with the rash.
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March 9 - 19 - Doernbecker Activities @ SJSHS
March 11 - Regular School Board Meeting - 6pm SES Commons
March 12 and 13 - Parent/Teacher Conferences for SJSHS (grades 6 - 12)
March 23 - 27 - Spring Break
March 30 - School Resumes
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