“At first dreams seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable.” – Christopher Reeve
7-MILE WAR SCOREBOARD: SCAPPOOSE 4 ST. HELENS 1
September 14, 2011
Hello again everyone, it's fantastic to be back for another year at Mighty Scappoose High School ! Yes, we started a week later than most schools in Oregon but we are off and rolling now. Yesterday we had one of the great 'Welcome Back' assemblies that I have ever seen. Kudos to Amy McNeil and the Leadership students, fantastic ! Optimism is running rampant at SHS and the additions of several new staff members is only increasing that excitement; Kevin Pinkstaff (Science), Kelsey Quinn (Science), Nick Byrd (Math), and Ryan Muir (Choir) are all now part of our Tribe.
Speaking of our Tribe, our Fall Sports teams are off to tremendous starts! Girls Soccer had their second huge win over a top-flight opponent beating Molalla 3-1 last night. Well done ladies ! And of course, this Friday will resume 'The 7 Mile War' as we take on neighboring St. Helens in a match-up resuming after 12 years. Good luck boys!
"I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career, lost almost 300 games, missed the game-winning shot 26 times. I’ve failed over and over again in my life.
That is why I succeed."
– Michael Jordan
That is why I succeed."
– Michael Jordan
September 22, 2011
After almost two full weeks of school completed I have to state an absolute fact; I am incredibly lucky to work where I do with a tremendous staff and the best Student Body anywhere! We are off to a flying start and I am so impressed with what I am seeing in our classrooms, our hallways, our courts and our fields.
Tomorrow I get to collect on a friendly wager from the Principal of St. Helens High School. It was from last Friday night's '7 Mile War' and of course Mighty Scappoose took down the Lions 43-25. It was a fantastic game and an even better event as both communities turned out in full force. Class acts from both communities and much to be proud of. Next up: @ #1 ranked Central tomorrow night, should be a doozy!
After almost two full weeks of school completed I have to state an absolute fact; I am incredibly lucky to work where I do with a tremendous staff and the best Student Body anywhere! We are off to a flying start and I am so impressed with what I am seeing in our classrooms, our hallways, our courts and our fields.
Tomorrow I get to collect on a friendly wager from the Principal of St. Helens High School. It was from last Friday night's '7 Mile War' and of course Mighty Scappoose took down the Lions 43-25. It was a fantastic game and an even better event as both communities turned out in full force. Class acts from both communities and much to be proud of. Next up: @ #1 ranked Central tomorrow night, should be a doozy!
_"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." - John Wooden
October 12, 2011
Ola! The year is continuing on with SO many things happening. First off, on a personal note, my wife Stacey and I have just recently welcomed our newest son to our Tribe. His name is Langston Taylor Clendenin and he is healthy and beautiful! We are in the middle of Homecoming week, Activities Director Amy McNeil and her Leadership crew are leading an amazing week of fun and spirit, kudos to all of them. I have nothing but great things to say about our students and staff, keep up the great work everyone! All of our Fall Sports teams continue to compete at a very high level, with the playoffs approaching things are about to get even more interesting. Keep up the hard work!
_"You guys line up alphabetically by height." and "You guys pair up in groups of three, then line up in a circle.
~ Florida State Football Coach Bill Peterson
October 23, 2011
Eventful weekend in the Clendenin household. My second youngest boy, Nixon, turned 3 on Friday and my wife had her birthday today. Happy Birthday Nixon and Stacey, I love you both! On the school front, it seems like our switch to the semester schedule this year has come along relatively smooth. Yes, doing our Senior Projects during Advisory has had it's tough moments but we are working our way through it. Several staff members were involved with SIOP training this weekend, another example of a tremendously dedicated staff. One final note; Scappoose High School did not meet AYP this year due to an oversight in one area. We only tested 94% of our students in a core area instead of the required 95% and it kept us from being labeled as 'Outstanding'. Yes, it's frustrating but it will not happen again and we WILL reach that status next year. Yes, I believe in Scappoose High School that much.
_"These are my new shoes. They're good shoes. They
won't make you rich like me, they won't make you rebound like me, they
definitely won't make you handsome like me. They'll only make you have
shoes like me. That's it."
- Charles Barkley
- Charles Barkley
November 6, 2011
First off, Congratulations to our 2011 State Champion Girls X Country Team! Way to go ladies, that was a ton of fun to watch; Coach Dave Harley and his staff have done nothing but impress with their devotion to these kids and how to do things right. Also, a shout out to the Boys X Country Team for their 7th place finish as well. Another great effort, well done fellas! While the season also came to the end for our football team I want to say that they did us all proud with a tremendous effort at Gladstone. Our Girls Soccer Team is still on their mission to improve upon last year's State Semi-Final appearance and I have a good feeling about the road that lies ahead for them....
The school year is continuing along as we reach this midway point of Semester 1 and I want to say thanks to our staff for an awesome effort. Keep up the great work ! In the weeks ahead we will be welcoming Rachel's Challenge and it might be the most emotionally overpowering event some of our students ever witness. It is in memory of Rachel Scott, the first student killed at Columbine, and is aimed at doing away with bullying, harassment, and anything that makes kids not feel like they belong. Tears will flow to be sure. Please see our website for more info.
Welcome to our GAPP students from Germany! This is such a phenomenal exchange program and SHS is better for the experience. Have a great time everyone, this should be 3 weeks of learning experience that you can not get anyway else!
Finally, with the Holiday Season approaching, this seems a great time for a dose of reality... Let me warn you that this Australian commercial is graphic, but is also a reminder about good decision making. It sure makes you think...
_What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog.
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
November 15, 2011
Congratulations to our Girls Soccer team; yes, they lost in the State Quarterfinals but it doesn't take anything away from a tremendous year! That program is STRONG and the success will keep on coming.... Looking forward to Thursday when we have our Rachel's Challenge assembly and training. If you are not aware of what this is about then please see below:
Congratulations to our Girls Soccer team; yes, they lost in the State Quarterfinals but it doesn't take anything away from a tremendous year! That program is STRONG and the success will keep on coming.... Looking forward to Thursday when we have our Rachel's Challenge assembly and training. If you are not aware of what this is about then please see below:
I was at the Nike World Campus last spring when the family of Rachel Scott gave us a glimpse of their presentation. To say that tears flow and appreciation of life is renewed is an understatement. You literally just want to go home and hug your family... Most of us adults remember that day in all to vivid of a memory, but what about our students today? I am incredibly curious as to their reaction. It will be a tremendous day for Scappoose High School and I am proud to host this life changing event. More to come on this later.
Conferences are up next week and our staff is really looking forward to seeing all of you parents out there! The District is moving forward in our search for our next Superintendent, that will certainly be interesting. Until then, Superintendent John Miner is a tremendous leader for our District and I look forward to finishing this year strong under his guidance. Thanks John.
The Winter sport season is upon us now with Boys and Girls basketball, Wrestling and Swimming all beginning practice. Looking forward to lots of success from these groups of fantastic student-athletes, work hard everyone!
On a final note, it's movie review time. Saw 'Real Steel' last weekend. It's a robot version of 'Rocky' and honestly I thought it was pretty cool, definitely recommended for a casual weekend viewing. Just my opinion.
Conferences are up next week and our staff is really looking forward to seeing all of you parents out there! The District is moving forward in our search for our next Superintendent, that will certainly be interesting. Until then, Superintendent John Miner is a tremendous leader for our District and I look forward to finishing this year strong under his guidance. Thanks John.
The Winter sport season is upon us now with Boys and Girls basketball, Wrestling and Swimming all beginning practice. Looking forward to lots of success from these groups of fantastic student-athletes, work hard everyone!
On a final note, it's movie review time. Saw 'Real Steel' last weekend. It's a robot version of 'Rocky' and honestly I thought it was pretty cool, definitely recommended for a casual weekend viewing. Just my opinion.
Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
- Robert Kennedy
November 21, 2011
Hello again ! Without question Rachel's Challenge was one of the most emotional and life-changing events that I have ever been a part of. To say that our student body got a message of hope, kindness and compassion is an incredible understatement. The Friends Of Rachel club (FOR) is already off and rolling with plans for many events and contributions designed to bring our student body, our school and our community closer together. It was incredible!
Conferences have started as of today and run through tomorrow. It's good to see so many parents coming in to talk with our outstanding teaching staff; communication is THE key to working together for the students success!
As a Beaver fan, did last Saturday rock or what?! Seeing the Beavs whip UW and then the Duckies go down in flames to USC? Priceless ! LOL ! Anyways, have a great Thanksgiving everyone, take care.
Hello again ! Without question Rachel's Challenge was one of the most emotional and life-changing events that I have ever been a part of. To say that our student body got a message of hope, kindness and compassion is an incredible understatement. The Friends Of Rachel club (FOR) is already off and rolling with plans for many events and contributions designed to bring our student body, our school and our community closer together. It was incredible!
Conferences have started as of today and run through tomorrow. It's good to see so many parents coming in to talk with our outstanding teaching staff; communication is THE key to working together for the students success!
As a Beaver fan, did last Saturday rock or what?! Seeing the Beavs whip UW and then the Duckies go down in flames to USC? Priceless ! LOL ! Anyways, have a great Thanksgiving everyone, take care.
_“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.” -Dr. Seuss
_“Finish last in your league and they call you idiot. Finish last in medical school and they call you doctor.”
- former basketball coach Abe Lemons
December 5, 2011
Hey again everyone! Last week our boys and girls basketball teams got the season going in style by kicking some St. Helens behind ! Our Dance Team, the Scappoose Vision, continues to score big in all of their competitions and is building something incredibly special for State this year; Look out Stayton! Also, the Swimming and Wrestling teams are off to great starts as well, this should be a very exciting Winter sports season for our Tribe.
Our Band and Choir groups will each be putting on concerts in these weeks leading up to the Christmas break, come in and check them out if you have an opportunity, they are amazing! Also, SHS is having a canned food drive for the local food banks so if you can spare some help for those less fortunate bring your cans of food down to us. Finally, we are preparing for Unity Week, December 12-16, and it is truly one of the best times of our school year. We have such a special group of both students and staff members that it becomes a time to really make a difference for our school and our community. If you want to know more about what is going on at SHS please check out SHS News. Take care everyone.
Hey again everyone! Last week our boys and girls basketball teams got the season going in style by kicking some St. Helens behind ! Our Dance Team, the Scappoose Vision, continues to score big in all of their competitions and is building something incredibly special for State this year; Look out Stayton! Also, the Swimming and Wrestling teams are off to great starts as well, this should be a very exciting Winter sports season for our Tribe.
Our Band and Choir groups will each be putting on concerts in these weeks leading up to the Christmas break, come in and check them out if you have an opportunity, they are amazing! Also, SHS is having a canned food drive for the local food banks so if you can spare some help for those less fortunate bring your cans of food down to us. Finally, we are preparing for Unity Week, December 12-16, and it is truly one of the best times of our school year. We have such a special group of both students and staff members that it becomes a time to really make a difference for our school and our community. If you want to know more about what is going on at SHS please check out SHS News. Take care everyone.
"Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will."
-Mahatma Gandhi
December 22, 2011
I hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas break and that this finds you all well. I want to congratulate our Leadership classes for their efforts putting on a very successful Unity Week at SHS; well done everybody!
On the sports side of things all I can say is WOW! Our boys and girls swim teams are performing at a remarkable level, Coach Richmond is building something very special with this program, keep an eye on them. Our Dance Team, the Scappoose Vision, is performing lights out at every competition they enter, nice job Coach Didier and Co ! The Wrestling program, what can you say? Coach Jones and his staff are continuing to put on a clinic and are one of the most dominant programs in the area for any sport. For such a young team to excel at this level is truly an awesome testament to the quality of the entire program. Great things are ahead for this group! Boys and Girls hoop squads also are off and rolling. Coach Gonzales has his Lady Indians pointed in a great direction with tremendous defense, look for them to be a factor in the Cowapa this year. As for the boys, Coach Tufts is exceeding expectations and has his guys rocking! They won 2 out of 3 this week in the Capital City Classic, beating 2 larger schools in OT.
On a sad note, our prayers are with the family of St. Helens High student Bryce Stoneking who was tragically taken. Obviously our own high school has had more than our share of these types of tragedies and this was all too familiar. Really puts it all into perspective doesn't it? I wish I had the words...
Finally, I am happy to report that our new bleachers ( from School bond money) are going into place in the gym. They look awesome! Add to which, the new and greatly anticipated sound system for the gym (SHS Student Body money) is also being installed at the same time. With the previous addition of our new scoreboards last year (thank you Scappoose Boosters and Class of 2010!!) our gymnasium will be a fantastic environment for all events held there and it is wonderful to know that so many different community groups had a hand in all of it. Thank you all !
WANTED: Superintendent of Scappoose School District
Must like the High School Principal and work hard to make him happy.
A big thank you to John Miner and best wishes on your second retirement. It's like you just got here. Wait, you did! LOL !
Sorry to see you go Sir, thanks for your great work, guidance and friendship.
My Mt. Rushmore of Sports Icons:
Michael Jordan, Joe Montana, George Brett, Wayne Gretzky
December 25, 2011
A simple message; Merry Christmas everyone and please enjoy this special time of your with those you hold dearest. I know that I am incredibly fortunate to have the family, friends, health and career that I have; funny how the simple things in life ALWAYS mean the most. Best wishes on a safe and relaxing holiday season. Take care.
A simple message; Merry Christmas everyone and please enjoy this special time of your with those you hold dearest. I know that I am incredibly fortunate to have the family, friends, health and career that I have; funny how the simple things in life ALWAYS mean the most. Best wishes on a safe and relaxing holiday season. Take care.
Maybe it's because the Super Bowl is close or maybe it's my eternal little-boy fascination with Star Wars, either way I love this commercial !
January 4, 2012
Ola ! Happy New Year to you all ! I hope the holiday season was safe for you all and that quality time with family and friends was plentiful. Classes, activities and athletics have resumed at SHS and we continue to have great success on all levels. Our Drama class is working hard on their production of 'Grease' so stay tuned for their performance in a few short weeks. Exciting stuff!
And to once again highlight the excellence of Scappoose High School I point to The Oregonian Cup standings after the end of the Fall season. Currently SHS is in second place for all 4A schools, right behind Sisters HS. It is an outstanding achievement because it reflects a combination of things that the OSAA recognizes as 'EXCELLENCE': athletics, academics and sportsmanship. Keep up the great work everyone, I LOVE MY TRIBE !
_It's amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the
newspaper. - Jerry Seinfeld
January 18, 2012
Hey everyone, I'm hoping that you are all staying safe as the snow storm rolls through the Scappoose area. On a personal note, it was incredibly strange to see 3" of snow at the beach this weekend, definitely not a sight I've seen before. As for school, it will be nice to get back to school tomorrow (knock on wood) after these past few days off. Yes, I have LOVED all of the extra 'daddy time' with my boys, BUT, am definitely ready to see my students again! ; )
Both of our Swimming teams, our Wrestling team and both Basketball teams continue to have great success, keep it up! Winter Ball is this Saturday, it's always fun to see our students do the formal thing (note to the gentlemen, step your game up!). Also beginning next week is our Drama Class' rendition of GREASE, can't wait to see it! I know that Mr. Muir and his students have been relentless in working to make it a great production, good luck!! Just a reminder to my students that Semester 1 Finals start a week from tomorrow so PLEASE remember to finish strong !!
Finally, my wife and I have made an incredibly important and exciting decision; our house is officially going up for sale this week in Sherwood where we currently live and we hope to be residents of Scappoose come summer time. We love the community, we love the future that the schools offer our 3 youngest boys, and of course I LOVE MY JOB! Our family is just excited about the prospects of being part of such a special place. Anyways, should be awesome.
Hey everyone, I'm hoping that you are all staying safe as the snow storm rolls through the Scappoose area. On a personal note, it was incredibly strange to see 3" of snow at the beach this weekend, definitely not a sight I've seen before. As for school, it will be nice to get back to school tomorrow (knock on wood) after these past few days off. Yes, I have LOVED all of the extra 'daddy time' with my boys, BUT, am definitely ready to see my students again! ; )
Both of our Swimming teams, our Wrestling team and both Basketball teams continue to have great success, keep it up! Winter Ball is this Saturday, it's always fun to see our students do the formal thing (note to the gentlemen, step your game up!). Also beginning next week is our Drama Class' rendition of GREASE, can't wait to see it! I know that Mr. Muir and his students have been relentless in working to make it a great production, good luck!! Just a reminder to my students that Semester 1 Finals start a week from tomorrow so PLEASE remember to finish strong !!
Finally, my wife and I have made an incredibly important and exciting decision; our house is officially going up for sale this week in Sherwood where we currently live and we hope to be residents of Scappoose come summer time. We love the community, we love the future that the schools offer our 3 youngest boys, and of course I LOVE MY JOB! Our family is just excited about the prospects of being part of such a special place. Anyways, should be awesome.
_Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.
- Steve Prefontaine
January 29, 2012
Hello again! I am happy to report that our Semester 1 Finals are now complete; a compliment needs to go out to our students and staff for a very good week of reviews and tests. Well done everyone! Quick update on our athletes; the boys hoops teams are ROLLING and Coach Tufts and crew continue to be very impressive. The visit to #1 ranked Seaside this coming Tuesday should be interesting. Our lady hoopsters are also battling hard and are in the thick of a tight playoff race. For both teams it should be a wild ride through the Cowapa League! The Wrestlers continue to do what they do; win big. What can you say about Coach Jones and his crew? Incredible. Equally great are our Swimming teams. Coach Richmond is to be commended for building this program into a powerhouse. Yes, it's a great time to be a Scappoose Indian.
This past weekend saw the Drama class put on the play 'Grease'. I saw it with my wife on Friday night and all I can say is WOW!! That was a lot of fun and I want to give fantastic props to teacher Ryan Muir and the entire cast and crew. I think you all made a great impression on the entire community, great job!
Finally, this coming Thursday will see the Ford Teen Safe Driving Tour come to SHS. We are one of a few schools in the entire state to have this amazing opportunity. Our entire student body will get to see an assembly by the Ford folks and then 72 lucky students will get to actually drive some new Mustangs through some obstacle courses in our upper parking lot, with the help of some professional drivers of course. It should be an exciting day and the skills learned may just save a life some day. A big thanks to County Commissioner Earl Fisher for making this happen!
Hello again! I am happy to report that our Semester 1 Finals are now complete; a compliment needs to go out to our students and staff for a very good week of reviews and tests. Well done everyone! Quick update on our athletes; the boys hoops teams are ROLLING and Coach Tufts and crew continue to be very impressive. The visit to #1 ranked Seaside this coming Tuesday should be interesting. Our lady hoopsters are also battling hard and are in the thick of a tight playoff race. For both teams it should be a wild ride through the Cowapa League! The Wrestlers continue to do what they do; win big. What can you say about Coach Jones and his crew? Incredible. Equally great are our Swimming teams. Coach Richmond is to be commended for building this program into a powerhouse. Yes, it's a great time to be a Scappoose Indian.
This past weekend saw the Drama class put on the play 'Grease'. I saw it with my wife on Friday night and all I can say is WOW!! That was a lot of fun and I want to give fantastic props to teacher Ryan Muir and the entire cast and crew. I think you all made a great impression on the entire community, great job!
Finally, this coming Thursday will see the Ford Teen Safe Driving Tour come to SHS. We are one of a few schools in the entire state to have this amazing opportunity. Our entire student body will get to see an assembly by the Ford folks and then 72 lucky students will get to actually drive some new Mustangs through some obstacle courses in our upper parking lot, with the help of some professional drivers of course. It should be an exciting day and the skills learned may just save a life some day. A big thanks to County Commissioner Earl Fisher for making this happen!
A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. - John Lennon
February 8, 2012
Well that was an eventful week! Our high school had the tremendous pleasure of hosting the Ford Teen Safe Driving Tour and all I can say is...WOW !! The assembly lead by Ford Professional Driver Mike Speck really hit home with the student body and the obstacle course driving for 72 of our lucky students were just tremendous experiences. Thank you again to County Commissioner Earl Fisher for helping bring this to us.
Not sure about you all but I really didn't enjoy the Super Bowl all that much. Didn't really have a dog in that fight, just wanted to see a great game, instead it was just kind of...boring. Oh well. The commercials? Alright, I guess.
Congratulations to our Girls Swimming Team for their Cowapa League Championship and to the Boys Swimming Team for an impressive 2nd place showing. Nice job to both teams ! Our boys and girls hoop teams continue toward their playoffs, the next 2 weeks for them will be interesting.
Some good news for our great State of Oregon; it seems the economic forecast is indeed starting to turn for the positive. Today we actually got some decent news that the funding for schools may actually start to stabilize and I can only dream of the future where we can actually begin to add programs and other valuable resources back into our great school district. Let's hope for the best.
Well that was an eventful week! Our high school had the tremendous pleasure of hosting the Ford Teen Safe Driving Tour and all I can say is...WOW !! The assembly lead by Ford Professional Driver Mike Speck really hit home with the student body and the obstacle course driving for 72 of our lucky students were just tremendous experiences. Thank you again to County Commissioner Earl Fisher for helping bring this to us.
Not sure about you all but I really didn't enjoy the Super Bowl all that much. Didn't really have a dog in that fight, just wanted to see a great game, instead it was just kind of...boring. Oh well. The commercials? Alright, I guess.
Congratulations to our Girls Swimming Team for their Cowapa League Championship and to the Boys Swimming Team for an impressive 2nd place showing. Nice job to both teams ! Our boys and girls hoop teams continue toward their playoffs, the next 2 weeks for them will be interesting.
Some good news for our great State of Oregon; it seems the economic forecast is indeed starting to turn for the positive. Today we actually got some decent news that the funding for schools may actually start to stabilize and I can only dream of the future where we can actually begin to add programs and other valuable resources back into our great school district. Let's hope for the best.
Wisdom is always an over-match for strength.
- Phil Jackson
My own prediction for Tuesday night vs. Seaside...
and because a good Clubber Lang quote is always fun.
February 19, 2012
Bedlam. That is the word that comes to mind in describing the scene in our gymnasium on Friday night in the league ending games with Seaside. If you weren't there.... not sure I can find the words to describe the scene accurately. What I can tell you is that I have NEVER been more proud of our entire student body; the passion, positive energy, relentless enthusiasm and overall class that our students displayed will be stuck in my memory for life.
WE ARE SCAPPOOSE. WE ARE TRIBE.
Under the guidance of Amy McNeil and our Leadership class we unleashed a new event that we hope to make a tradition; Silent Night. If you were there, you know. If you weren't, I suggest you be there next year. Unbelievable. Oh yah, our boys and girls hoop teams swept Seaside and made Friday a fantastic night. The girls win allowed them to gain entry into the league playoffs for the first time in a few years, congratulations Coach Gonzales and Lady Indians ! Unfortunately our ladies lost a Saturday evening rematch but have many reasons to be proud of their season. Not to be outdone, Coach Tufts and his Tribe won a share of the 2011-2012 Cowapa League Championship for the first time in quite awhile, well done as well gentlemen ! We will go Round 3 with Seaside on Tuesday night in Tillamook to decide the 1st and 2nd seed for the State playoffs. Should be quite a scene...
Our Girls Swim Team won the District Championship, again, and several members made State! Anna Ford, Erin Heath, Cami Miltich and Adrianna Martinez finished 2nd in the Girls 200 Medley. Cami Miltich also finished 4th in the Girls 50 Freestyle and Anna Ford also finished 4th in the Girls 100 Freestyle. Cami, Anna, Erin and Sadie Krahn also finished 4th in the Girls 400 Freestyle. Amazing effort all around ladies! Finally, Ryan Rafferty finished second by an eyelash in the Boys 100 Breaststroke. For Seniors Ryan, Cami, Anna, and Erin that caps a fantastic career, thanks for the memories.
Our Wrestling Team has competed through both the District and Regional meets; I will give an updated report this week but we will have several young men competing at State. Nice job fellas!
"And I say, eh Lama! Hey! How bout' a little somethin', you know. For the effort, you know. And he says 'Oh... ahh, there won't be any money. But, when you die, on your death bed, you will receive total consciousness.'... So I got that going for me, which is nice."
- Carl Spackler, Caddy Shack
The above clip is from Secondhand Lions, an underrated movie for sure!
Be curious, not judgmental. - Walt Whitman
February 28, 2012
The excitement of our boys basketball team continues to grow! They are one game away from the Final 8 at Gill Coliseum; on Saturday at 1pm at North Bend we will all see if they can complete the journey. Good luck boys!
Congratulations to Senior Luke Mills for his 6th place finish at the State Wrestling Tournament! It is a young squad overall and it will be fun to watch the Wrestling team mature into a serious force in the near future. Congratulations to Coach Jim Jones and his staff, well done guys.
It seems so strange that we are on the doorstep of March; is time flying or what? As a Principal I continue to be impressed with the quality of what our amazing staff is getting done in the classroom. I am even more impressed with who, what, and how our student body represents Scappoose High School. To say that these two groups allow me to enjoy my job is a massive understatement!
The excitement of our boys basketball team continues to grow! They are one game away from the Final 8 at Gill Coliseum; on Saturday at 1pm at North Bend we will all see if they can complete the journey. Good luck boys!
Congratulations to Senior Luke Mills for his 6th place finish at the State Wrestling Tournament! It is a young squad overall and it will be fun to watch the Wrestling team mature into a serious force in the near future. Congratulations to Coach Jim Jones and his staff, well done guys.
It seems so strange that we are on the doorstep of March; is time flying or what? As a Principal I continue to be impressed with the quality of what our amazing staff is getting done in the classroom. I am even more impressed with who, what, and how our student body represents Scappoose High School. To say that these two groups allow me to enjoy my job is a massive understatement!
Anytime four New Yorkers get into a cab together without arguing, a bank robbery has just taken place.
- Johnny Carson
March 7, 2012
Helluva ride boys. In case you missed it, our boys Varsity Basketball team lost in the Round of 16 at North Bend. It was a great game for about 3 quarters and then....well, sometimes it just doesn't happen. I want to commend our amazing student body for packing the rooter bus and taking the 4 1/2 hour ride all the way to Coos Bay. Add in all of the parents and community members that made the trip and anyone can see why we are proud to be from Scappoose! I have said this to Coach Tufts and his Seniors; it stings now, but the farther away they get will allow them to see what we have all seen and enjoyed. The memories will last forever fellas.
I am personally heading to Salem tomorrow for a meeting with the Oregon Department of Education and their public hearing on the school districts using Native American mascots (Indians, Warriors, Chiefs, Braves). There are 16 of us, it should be interesting...
On another note of interest, our Certified union is voting today to see if we do in fact have a deal between them and the District. I sure hope so! Is it just me or is crazy that Spring Break is growing large in the window? March Madness already? Senior Projects a month away? Prom? Graduation? Time flies when you are having fun. ; )
Helluva ride boys. In case you missed it, our boys Varsity Basketball team lost in the Round of 16 at North Bend. It was a great game for about 3 quarters and then....well, sometimes it just doesn't happen. I want to commend our amazing student body for packing the rooter bus and taking the 4 1/2 hour ride all the way to Coos Bay. Add in all of the parents and community members that made the trip and anyone can see why we are proud to be from Scappoose! I have said this to Coach Tufts and his Seniors; it stings now, but the farther away they get will allow them to see what we have all seen and enjoyed. The memories will last forever fellas.
I am personally heading to Salem tomorrow for a meeting with the Oregon Department of Education and their public hearing on the school districts using Native American mascots (Indians, Warriors, Chiefs, Braves). There are 16 of us, it should be interesting...
On another note of interest, our Certified union is voting today to see if we do in fact have a deal between them and the District. I sure hope so! Is it just me or is crazy that Spring Break is growing large in the window? March Madness already? Senior Projects a month away? Prom? Graduation? Time flies when you are having fun. ; )
In honor of my favorite NCAA hoops team, the 1990 National Champion
UNLV Runnin' Rebels! And because it's always good to beat Duke...
People who read tabloids deserve to be lied to.
- Jerry Seinfeld
March 13, 2012
For starters, I had the great pleasure of watching our SHS Choir perform in the Cowapa League Championships. To say that they were amazing would be a tragic understatement! Kudos to Jo Routh, you are a tremendous leader of the Choir and it is a pleasure to watch your group perform.
Last Thursday I spent some time at the Oregon Department of Education listening to a presentation on the subject of abolishing all Native American mascots, such as our Indian. Honestly I have very mixed feelings on the subject; I am a strong proponent of tradition and honor and I believe that SHS does a tremendous job being incredibly respectful of our cherished mascot. That said, I am not Native American and have no way of truly gauging how that would make me feel. The ODE will be addressing this more in the immediate future, stay tuned...
Got your March Madness brackets ready? Yep, me too. On a final note, we have students and staff on their way to Germany on the annual GAPP trip. Travel safe and enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience. I love this time of year!
For starters, I had the great pleasure of watching our SHS Choir perform in the Cowapa League Championships. To say that they were amazing would be a tragic understatement! Kudos to Jo Routh, you are a tremendous leader of the Choir and it is a pleasure to watch your group perform.
Last Thursday I spent some time at the Oregon Department of Education listening to a presentation on the subject of abolishing all Native American mascots, such as our Indian. Honestly I have very mixed feelings on the subject; I am a strong proponent of tradition and honor and I believe that SHS does a tremendous job being incredibly respectful of our cherished mascot. That said, I am not Native American and have no way of truly gauging how that would make me feel. The ODE will be addressing this more in the immediate future, stay tuned...
Got your March Madness brackets ready? Yep, me too. On a final note, we have students and staff on their way to Germany on the annual GAPP trip. Travel safe and enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience. I love this time of year!
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES...
Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today.
- Mark Twain
March 22, 2012
Our school year continues to roll along and only great things to report! Our spring sports are just beginning, and weather permitting, we may just get some games in. Yikes! It's late March and there is snow on the ground....
I am incredibly proud of our Scappoose Vision Dance Team! This amazing team placed 2nd in the 2012 OSAA Dance and Drill State Championships, which is their highest finish EVER. A special shout-out to our All-State Dancers Christine Nguyen, Brittany Hortert, and AJ Hall, you were unbelievable! I know I am biased and I don't care what those judges said; I know what I saw and the BEST TEAM with the BEST PERFORMANCE finished 2nd. Either way, you are all amazing and congratulations on your success.
Scappoose High School has students literally all over the world right now. Mr. Deckelmann and Mr. Downie have taken a dozen students to Germany for the annual GAPP trip and Mr. Carman has another group touring across Spain. How cool is that? Yes, just a bit envious.
I am VERY excited at what is happening with our new and improved Drama Club under the guidance of our own Tom Weaver. He has just completed auditions on a comedy to be performed later this spring and over 30 students are part of it. WOW! Just wait, Mr. Weaver will have this group putting on some unreal displays soon enough.
Evidently the Superintendent search is underway with interviews this week. Stay tuned to this rather important event. On a random thought, my March Madness bracket is just...just...well, awful. Gotta love it though. ; )
Finally, Spring Break starts at 3:10 pm tomorrow (not that we are all counting or anything) and I want to wish all students and staff a relaxing vacation. Travel safe and we will see you all on April 2nd. Take care everyone!
When all is said and done, more is said than done.
- Lou Holtz
April 1, 2012
No April Fools, it is back to school time! I have to say that I truly enjoyed some down time with the family. Whether it was up on Mt. Hood or on the beach at Manzanita it was relaxing and fun times with my wife and boys. Much needed! On another note, even though my bracket has been shot for weeks now, I will be pulling hard for Kansas tomorrow night. ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK !
For the seniors, ummm, it's 'go time' as Senior Seminar presentations are one week away. I am really excited to see them, I hope you have spent your time wisely in preparation. Parents and friends are also invited of course. ; ) I will also be VERY excited at the return of our students and staff who have been traveling across both Spain and Germany. The stories and pictures are always priceless...
It seems our search for the next Superintendent is now down to three; Steve Boynton from Arlington, Stephen Jupe from The Dalles-Wahtonka, and Darryl Smith from Jefferson County. The public is invited to visit with all three of them when they are in Scappoose next week, please come on out and help the Board make this important decision. I certainly have my opinion on the matter, more on that at a later date.
On a final note, I am hoping that the District and our Certified staff are close to an agreement. Labor peace with such a tremendous group of people is my sincerest hope. Fingers crossed....
No April Fools, it is back to school time! I have to say that I truly enjoyed some down time with the family. Whether it was up on Mt. Hood or on the beach at Manzanita it was relaxing and fun times with my wife and boys. Much needed! On another note, even though my bracket has been shot for weeks now, I will be pulling hard for Kansas tomorrow night. ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK !
For the seniors, ummm, it's 'go time' as Senior Seminar presentations are one week away. I am really excited to see them, I hope you have spent your time wisely in preparation. Parents and friends are also invited of course. ; ) I will also be VERY excited at the return of our students and staff who have been traveling across both Spain and Germany. The stories and pictures are always priceless...
It seems our search for the next Superintendent is now down to three; Steve Boynton from Arlington, Stephen Jupe from The Dalles-Wahtonka, and Darryl Smith from Jefferson County. The public is invited to visit with all three of them when they are in Scappoose next week, please come on out and help the Board make this important decision. I certainly have my opinion on the matter, more on that at a later date.
On a final note, I am hoping that the District and our Certified staff are close to an agreement. Labor peace with such a tremendous group of people is my sincerest hope. Fingers crossed....
It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes
life interesting.
- Paulo Coelho
April 8, 2012
Well, that was.....interesting. Yes, I am referring to last week's incident at SHS regarding a "threat". For many reasons I will not go into it other than to say it's amazing what the media, our Faceboook world, and some agendas can do together. It certainly was a learning experience, unfortunately I will likely have to deal with issues like this in the future. If you know me at all then you KNOW that I would NEVER put any of our kids in harms way. Ever. Thank you to so many for your trust and support.
Seniors, the time is here! Tomorrow we will have approximately 150 Seniors giving their Senior Seminar Presentations, it is always one of my favorite days and I am really looking forward to seeing them. Good luck everyone! One really cool update on the sports front; our baseball team won at Astoria last Friday 3-1. Huge!
I am happy to report that we have a labor agreement with our Certified staff. Finally. Whew. Finally, I will be going to another meeting in Salem later this week regarding the 'mascot issue'. This remains interesting to say the least.
Well, that was.....interesting. Yes, I am referring to last week's incident at SHS regarding a "threat". For many reasons I will not go into it other than to say it's amazing what the media, our Faceboook world, and some agendas can do together. It certainly was a learning experience, unfortunately I will likely have to deal with issues like this in the future. If you know me at all then you KNOW that I would NEVER put any of our kids in harms way. Ever. Thank you to so many for your trust and support.
Seniors, the time is here! Tomorrow we will have approximately 150 Seniors giving their Senior Seminar Presentations, it is always one of my favorite days and I am really looking forward to seeing them. Good luck everyone! One really cool update on the sports front; our baseball team won at Astoria last Friday 3-1. Huge!
I am happy to report that we have a labor agreement with our Certified staff. Finally. Whew. Finally, I will be going to another meeting in Salem later this week regarding the 'mascot issue'. This remains interesting to say the least.
Failure seldom stops you.
What stops you is the fear of failure.
- Jack Lemmon
April 14, 2012
Well done Seniors! I always love watching the Senior Seminar presentations and this year was spectacular. A big thanks to our amazing staff for your work with our students. We certainly learned a few things this year to help the Class of 2013 have an even better opportunity to produce greatness.
Our Superintendent search is down to two; Darryl Smith from Madras and Stephen Jupe from The Dalles-Wahtonka. Both men visited on Wednesday, it was certainly an interesting experience. I found both to be true professionals, very sharp, very motivated, and with a strong vision for what they want to get done in Scappoose. We will all find out who is the choice of our School Board later this week.
A special congratulations to two of our outstanding Seniors: Todd Graham has won the prestigious Westerholm Scholarship as the top male student-athlete in the Cowapa League and Mariah Hill has won a full-ride scholarship to the University of Oregon to study music and be part of the band. Congrats to both of you!
Discipline is the bridge between goals
and accomplishment.
- Jim Rohn
April 18, 2012
Congratulations to Stephen Jupe for being named as the new Superintendent of the Scappoose School District! I am looking forward to finding out soon about the new direction ahead of us. Welcome aboard !
Spring sports continue to roll along and are performing VERY well. In addition, Scappoose High School is currently atop of The Oregonian Cup standings for all 4A schools. The Oregonian Cup is based upon academic, athletic, and sportsmanship achievement so it is a TREMENDOUS reflection upon our school. Let's keep it up, Go Tribe !
It was awesome to have our '8th grade parents night', it sounds like another great group heading our way. Welcome Class of 2016 !! Gotta say, there is a bittersweet feeling in our hallways lately as the reality of this UNBELIEVABLE SENIOR CLASS leaving us soon sets in. It is surreal as it seems that they were just Freshmen a few weeks ago...
Our traditional 2 weeks of raising money for Doernbecher Childrens Hospital is upon us as it cranks up on Friday. Amy McNeil and our Leadership classes have worked extremely hard to prepare an awesome time for all, please consider joining us and raising money for an awesome cause.
THIS IS OLD BUT SO TRUE...
Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude.
- Ralph Marston
May 31, 2012
Wow, it has been awhile since I last posted here, sorry about that. Before I go on I want to say Happy Birthday to my oldest son Kaelin who turns 17 today. I love you Kaelin and I am incredibly proud to be your dad.
Where to start. Spring sports did fabulous, I am proud to say that our Baseball team became Cowapa League Champions for the first time since the mid-90's. Congratulations Coach Medley and your entire crew! Softball had a nice run finishing 3rd in league, nice job ladies. Boys Track is also Cowapa League Champions, winning it on our home track for the District meet. It was incredibly cool. Girls Track finished 2nd, also a great year ladies! We ended up sending 18 athletes to State in Track and both teams did well. Stephen Bowe, Michael Hortert, Justice Oman, and Matthew Shoun brought home a State Championship in the 4X400, it was incredible!! Last but not least is our Golf Teams; the Boys won the Cowapa League Championship and finished 5th at State while our Girls had a miracle last day comeback at District and went on to State. Great job to all of our amazing Coaches and Athletes!!
Tom Weaver and our Drama Club put on a fabulous rendition of 'Oh Promise Me' last week and the community absolutely loved it! I look forward to seeing that club continue to grow and put on high level performances. You can expect BIG things from that group next year.
This Saturday, June 2nd, we will say goodbye to the unbelievable Class of 2012. Words won't do justice to what this class had meant to our beloved Scappoose High, I can only say thank you for your dedication, commitment, leadership and memories made. Your legacy is one that will not soon be forgotten and you will all be missed. Best of luck to all of you in the future but if you just continue to be yourselves and do what you have been doing things will be just fine.
The Oregon Department of Education has decided that it is time for our State to address our 'Mascot issue'. In other words, all schools using a Native American as their mascot (Indians, Chiefs, Braves, etc.) will need to change in the near future. What that means for us is still to be determined, we are going to let the process play out before we decide on a plan of action.
It has been a long yet fantastic year. Summertime with the family is sounding pretty good right now though.... ; )
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag
you down to his level and beat you with experience.
June 4, 2012
What can I say to the Class of 2012 except this; thank you. As I told you on the stage during the graduation ceremony, you have surpassed my highest expectations, conducted yourselves with class and honor, and set the bar incredibly high for all those that follow. As your entire Class of 2012 broke out into an impromptu Journey concert you showed the entire audience what all of us have known: you are special and definitely have a style all your own. Thanks for the memories.