H1N1 is still with us

The news is distressing. We are doing what we can to protect you, your children, us and the community. But it doesn't hurt to have a couple reminders:

• cover your nose and mouth with a tissue every time you cough or sneeze. Throw the used tissue in the waste basket
• If you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve (not your hand)
• Clean your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based cleaner
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
• Avoid close contract with people who are sick, if possible
• Stay healthy: eat nutritious foods, get enough sleep and exercise.

Please review these safety tips with your entire family.

All of our classrooms have mini-towels for cleaning surfaces like desks, doorknobs, chairs and other items your child may come in contact with. All of the classrooms have an alcohol-based hand sanitizer available. Perhaps one hand cleaning at the beginning of class and another at the end before going into the hallway. All restrooms are check throughout the day for cleanliness and having available soap and towels. Remind your student to tell the teacher or me if there is not a towel cleaner or hand-sanitizer or clean equipped rest room available.

The symptoms are similar to seasonal flu:

• fever (above 100 degrees F)
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Stuffy nose
• in some cases diarrhea and vomiting

If you have questions or concerned about one or more of the symptoms, contact your doctor.

We attempt to stay informed. So far we have not experienced unusually large absences or at-risk conditions. The older children (high schoolers) appear to be more resistant. But each child is unique and you know the medical conditions of your children.

Review the precautions and teach prevention. If you have questions ask your doctor or contract our fantastic school nurse, Pat Walker 612-668-3037.

Juniors taking the IB exams

Tuesday Oct 6 is the date for juniors interested in taking the IB examinations to gain information and start to sign up. The assembly will be 5 period. Hopefully this is not new information. For specific questions call Dick Schwartz, IB/AP coordinator.

Loves Labour Lost

Leading up to homecoming is it own adventure. The couple weeks in front are full of finding the attention of the opposite gender and how to act not interested. SW tradition says that is it okay to go to the dances as a solo and one should not be too serious about all the show.

However.... whether you call it a couple or not, somehow it is still important to have a "date." So young love moves in all the mysterious ways that is ageless. So all of homecoming week it is a buildup of singles moving toward each other. So the thrill of homecoming and the big dance become a reality. There are dresses and flowers. There are dinners and drives. Then the weekend is over and we are back to normal.

Monday after Homecoming is interesting. Maybe a couple hours of dancing exposes all the deficiencies one wants. Maybe the excitement of the week wanes after Monday brings back the routine of school minus the theme days. Maybe we really want to see who else might be out there. If the week before is one of match making, the week after is heart break. This is not new. It has been going on as long as there was two people thinking about going to homecoming.

The moods, the heart break, the tender feelings are all part of the high school experience. Maybe it is the safety net of not being too serious too early. Maybe it is just being young. So be careful the first week back from Homecoming .. we wear it on our sleeve for a few days.

More Activity Possibilities

We have tremendous athletics and lots of teams for students throughout the school year. There are plays and musicals and dance and orchestra and jazz combos. In addition to these activities we have others that may meet your need and interests.

The SW Chess Team has been successful in recent years. Several State Championships, a few National Championships and numerous individual awards were earned by Chess Team members. For more information email Alex Adams (adams922@gmail.com).

Math Team earns honors each year - both as a team and individuals. David McMayer (math teacher) is the coach and there are several teams from the over 100 interested Math Team members. The team travels to meets after school and practices at SW. Still plenty of time to join the team.

Quiz Bowl is both knowledge and speed of thinking. SW has been in the league for many years and is successful year after year. Team members practice after school and travels to meets during the school week. Talk to either Ms. Wegner (Spanish teacher) or Mr. Ferris (English teacher) for more information.

Debate is in its competition season right now. The Debate Team is in its fourth year and has placed individuals in a variety of tournaments around the Metro area. Debate is a team of two members who compete both affirmative and negative of a given issue for four rounds on Saturdays. The Debate Team practices on Tuesday and Thursday immediately after school in room E103. Contract Dr. Smith (Principal) or Susan Kolze (swspeechdebate@aol.com) for more information.

There are numerous other activities for all interests and levels of involvement. Check out the SW web site and the pages on extra-curricular.

Reminder - PSAT and IB exams

Still time to sign up for the PSAT. If you are a junior you need to be thinking about taking this test now.

Registration for IB examinations starts Tuesday Oct 6. If have questions, call Dick Schwartz, IB/AP Coordinator.

To keep up with all that is happening for juniors and seniors check out the SW web site and the counselor pages. Or call your counselor or the Career and College Center.

Another week

Check out the sports calendar for this week's activities -- volleyball, girls tennis, girls swimming, boys and girls soccer and football are all in action this week. Some at home and some on the road. You have to check the athletic calendar independently from the activities calendar.

Don't forget you can link the school calendar (not the athletic calendar) on your desk top. If you use various apps and understand a bit of igoogle, it is easy. Then you would be current with activities every day.

Picture retake is Wednesday. If your students bring in the full packet, the picture can be retaken to correct the mistake or bad hair day. If your student was absent or did not get a picture taken, then the completed form and check is turned in to the photographer at the time of the sititng.

All students need an "official" picutre for ID purposes. This is somewhat like an ID for the Driver's License. They are not the time for goofy eyes or stretched facial muscles -- you never know if it might freeze that way.

The Dance

All of the excitement. All of the fancy hair dos. All of the thrill of the hunt for that perfect dress and shoes to match. The big moment -- pictures maybe on the porch tonight since there was rain. Maybe a picture by the fireplace. Maybe a couple more because my little one is all grown up and going to his/her first/second/third/or fourth homecoming dance.

Keep those pictures. The child that poised of those lovely moments in time looked that way maybe ten minutes into the dance. It's it own fashion show. For the majority it is lace and pretty and high heels and long/short dresses and very stylish. For others (mostly senior) it is circus o'lay or some variation thereof. I am guessing the theme for that group this dance was super heroes but not quite sure. It is really the opposite of a fashion show. It is the anti-fashion show -- how far from a homecoming dress can I get? So on the entry way there are "sweet and cute" fashions and then the mix and match versions of a circus with no taste.

I know I am getting old and really a fuddy dud but there can't be a full yard of material in some of those dresses. But the guys haven't change in 4000 years. This year the fashion award for guys has to be the large purple bow tie matching his date's large purple hair bow. That is creativity. The invisible man costume gets the award for best retro and the earliest recorded Halloween costume.

All of this is part of the program. Just part of SW homecoming. We never want to take anything too seriously. But you should see about ten minutes into the event. The heels come off quicker then the gentleman's tie. Sweat is pouring and we can't pull it up or down (sometimes both at the same time) often enough. What might have been attractive in those early pictures is now twisted and pulled and tucked and turned. Again all part of the ritual of a high school dance.

And it was fun -- It is easy to laugh but I remember being awkward and having two-left feet. The memories of not quite being sure how to act like a senior but having no clue what that meant are still too close. I was that freshman a little too awkward and definitely too shy and not wanting to be either. I wanted to impress the girls but at that point wasn't exactly sure why. So I shoved and pushed and tried to remember if I was suppose to stand still of move around. Whether I should hold her hand or hit her on the arm.

Well, that was homecoming 2009. It was hot and a blast. Over 1,100 students poured into the Sheridan and with only one broken glass we should declare it a celebration of being young.

We did have a medical emergency which was probably the result of too much (or too little) food, too much excitement of the day and too much heat (or vigorous dancing) of the night. We are pleased to report all is well, but we are sorry that was not a joyous evening for that young person.

Oh, the stories.... This weekend was also Alumni Rally time. You wouldn't believe the homecoming stories they told me and each other. But then again, I bet you would.