Dear Bullpup Families,

We are now one month into the new school year and WOW, what a great start it has been! Our 8th graders came back from summer a little more mature, well-rested, and ready to rock. Our new 7th graders are likewise off to a great start. The transition from elementary school to middle school always challenges students to grow and learn in new and often unexpected ways; this group, so far, seems really comfortable with those changes. I’m proud of how our staff has welcomed students back and got straight into learning – it’s a great year to be a Bullpup!

Winter is Coming

There’s a chilly snap in the air these mornings as Mr. Tajan and I greet the students, but we still see students showing up dressed for the beach! We tend to leave clothing decisions to families and at the same time want to remind you that students go outside every day at lunch unless it’s very, very cold or very, very wet. We believe deeply in the power of a breath of fresh air before our learners get back to work. It takes a pretty nasty day to force us North Idahoans inside for recess. Please help your child dress properly for the weather.

Fall Sports

We’ve had a very successful Fall sports season. 240 students signed up for either Cheerleading, Cross-Country, Football, Tennis, or Volleyball – that’s about 48% of our student population! Way to go, Bullpups! There have been some great wins and some tough losses, but the constants have been effort, sportsmanship, teamwork, and fun. The Fall season will wrap up shortly, and then we’re on to the Winter sports. Wrestling is up first, one of the most popular sports at our school. Practice starts on October 20th. Remember, Wrestling is a fantastic sport for both boys AND girls. Middle school is a perfect time to try something new!

Fridays

Sandpoint High School is starting a new practice this year: Flex Fridays. On those days, some students will be allowed to stay home if they meet certain criteria. Sandpoint Middle School does NOT have any Flex Fridays. All SMS students are expected to attend school on those days, regardless of whether or not their older brother or sister has the day off.

Read-to-Ski

Thanks to Numerica Bank for sponsoring a Read-to-Ski program for our students. It’s a pretty simple thing to do – kids just read at home for 600 minutes between now and Thanksgiving and they’ll earn a free day pass to Schweitzer or a free movie pass to Bonner Mall Cinema if they don’t want to ski. Your student should have a form to record their minutes. Parents will need to vouch and sign that the reading happened. Let’s get reading to get skiing, Bullpups!

Enjoy this beautiful Fall!

Mr. Penrose