Steamboat Springs High School PIC Newsletter

Our "Cookies and Cuties" distribution during Finals Week has been a success (see photo above). We will continue to offer fruit and handmade cookies made by our awesome PIC parents for the rest of the week.

We had a very informative December PIC meeting and presentation by Millie Flanigan, PA about Marijuana and the Teenage Brain. Please see the section below for more tips and information regarding this topic.

December is also the kick-off for the City Market Rewards Program sign-up! Help us raise money for SSHS clubs, organizations, events and school/classroom projects just by shopping at City Market or any Kroger store. All you need to do is register your City Market card, designate Steamboat Springs High School "PIC" as the beneficiary, and a percentage of your purchases will be donated to our school. This does not interfere with your gas points or other City Market programs.

**Please note, you need to re-register your City Market card on their website every year, beginning December 1.

T o register, go to https://www.citymarket.com/topic/city-market-community-rewards and click on Enroll Now. See below for more information.

In January, we will have a local dietitian joining us to talk about the importance of nutrition and "feeding" the teenage brain. We hope these monthly speakers are helpful to you and inspire dialogue with your families.

Our next PIC meeting is Wednesday, January 10, 12-1pm in the SSHS media center.

Thanks so much for all of your support and Happy Holidays!

Respectfully,

Stephanie Smith and Robin Schepper

SSHS co-chairs

[email protected]

Principal's Report

Message from Principal Taulman:

We are all preparing for Finals Week and want to support our students as much as we can. Make sure they get plenty of sleep and good nutrition. Just so you know the schedule for finals week:

Monday, December 18: Access Day
Tuesday, December 19: 1st hour: 8:40-10:25am
Break: 10:25-10:45am
2nd hour: 10:45-12:30pm

Wednesday, December 20: 5th hour: 8:40-10:25am
Break: 10:25-10:45am
6th hour: 10:45-12:30pm

Thursday, December 21: 3rd hour: 8:40-10:25am
Break: 10:25-10:45am
7th hour: 10:45-12:30pm

Friday, December 22: 0/8th hour: 8:40-10:25am
Break: 10:25-10:45am
4th hour: 10:45-12:30pm

Happy Holidays to all!

Counselor's Report

Counselors are working with students to help them determine their schedules for the next academic year.
17 students are graduating mid-year
Colorado Mountain College (CMC) came into SSHS to talk about their classes
If students want to add/drop a class, the deadline is January 12th. Schedule change form can be found here.
Graduation requirements changed last year to help students.
To find out more about the counselors and their services, please visit here.

Counselor Newsletter Archive

Highlights from our November

Guest Speaker, Millie Flanigan , PA

To continue to help parents understand what is facing teenagers, we featured another speaker, health care provider, Millie Flanigan, to talk about marijuana and the teenage brain. Some of the highlights include:

It is important to start talking about marijuana earlier and earlier, even as early as 6th grade.
Marijuana has changed since the 1960s and 1970s; back then the THC levels were 1-2%; now marijuana has 15% THC or more
Other delivery mechanisms like "shatter, dabs, skunk and wax" have even more THC, like 50-100%
Regular marijuana use in teens under 25 is increasing psychotic breaks, schizophrenia, cardio toxicity and drops in IQ.
Anxiety may be driving some of our students to use marijuana; how can we help decrease anxiety in our kids
9% of people who experiment with marijuana become addicted and that number goes up to 1 in 6 in those who start using as a teen and up to 25-50% among those who smoke daily.
Some articles/videos to learn more:

SSHS's Drug and Alcohol Policy can be found in the Student Handbook on page 31. Here is an excerpt " Drugs and alcohol are not permitted in or on school property or at school-sponsored events. Any student in possession or under the influence of drugs or alcohol in or on school property, during
school time, at a school-sponsored event, or on the way to or from school will face disciplinary action. Any student who sells drugs or alcohol in or on school property, during school time, at school-sponsored events, or on the way to or from school will be referred to the Superintendent and Board of
Education for expulsion and will be suspended from school until such time as an expulsion hearing can be held. Expulsion shall be mandatory as required in C.R.S. section 22-33-106(d)(1)."

PIC Project Funding Up-Date

For the month of December PIC donated 3 new microwaves for the student lunch room - commons area to bring the total count to 6. This should greatly assist students to quickly heat up their meals. We also assembled Holiday cards for all 83 SSHS school staff to say "Thank you for All You Do!" Included in the card was a $5 gift card to Mountain Brew and a day pass to Old Town Hot Springs - day pass compliments of OTHS.

Year-to-Date, SSHS PIC has donated two outdoor picnic tables, an 18 bike - bike rack, $500 to the health office for snacks and supplies, $2,000 to the 2018 After Prom, 3 microwaves for the student lunch room and $5 Mtn. Brew gift cards to all 83 SSHS staff for an approximate total of $4,600.

Beginning in January we hope to meet with SSHS Clubs and Organization sponsors to see how PIC can help promote the membership and success of these wonderful groups. And teachers, please contact PIC to see how we can help you with special classroom projects!

You can contact either Robin Schepper or Steph Smith, co-chairs of PIC, thru email at [email protected]

Free Money for Our Schools

Shop City Market and Help SSHS!!

Help our school, our students, our clubs and organizations by signing up for City Market Community Rewards. Shop at City Market or any Kroger store, swipe your Value Card, and City Market/Kroger will donate a percentage of your purchases to SSHS . These monies then go back to our students, clubs and classrooms. Just register your City Market /Kroger card and designate Steamboat Springs High School "PIC" as the beneficiary. This does not interfere with your gas points or other City Market programs.

**Please note, you need to re-register your City Market card on their website every year, beginning December 1.

T o register, go to https://www.citymarket.com/topic/city-market-community-rewards and click on Enroll Now. You can register your card by entering either the reward card number, or by entering the Alternate ID number - the phone number that you enter when checking out at City Market. Then be sure to select Steamboat Springs High School "PIC". And pass this on to all friends and relatives that shop at any Kroger store across the country!!

Your participation in this program will help fund SSHS clubs, events, teacher requests, school requests and so much more.

Please register your card today!!

AmeriGas
School Days from AmeriGas Propane will give our school money for books, computers, sporting equipment, art materials, etc. Save your AmeriGas Propane receipts, bring them to school, and drop them in the Box Tops box located in the front of the school. It is that easy!

Get the Scoop in Person

Please join us the first Wednesday that school is in session each month at 12:00 p m in the Media Center and learn about the many different ways you can be involved. If you like the information in this newsletter, there's even more at the meeting. We'd love to have you!

Steph Smith and Robin Schepper

SSHS PIC Co-Chairs