The 2025-26 school year is off to a fantastic start! We’ve been so impressed by how respectful, kind, and positive our students were during the first week. It has been wonderful to welcome our new 6th graders and reconnect with our 7th and 8th grade students.

Throughout the week, students took part in many activities to help them learn expectations and get to know each other. As I visited classrooms and walked through the halls, I saw lots of smiles, heard laughter, and watched students showing kindness to one another. It’s clear—we’re going to have a great year!

As we move from beginning-of-the-year activities into more challenging classwork, it's important that students stay on top of their learning. One of the best ways to support this is by making sure students are at school every day.

Here’s a powerful fact:

Students who attend school at least 93% of the time and earn mostly A’s and B’s have a 95% chance of graduating high school on time. That’s a goal we want for every Wolf!

We believe student success is a team effort, and your support makes a big difference!

This week, all students attended a school assembly to review our rules, expectations, and the student handbook. Our goal is to make sure every student has a safe and respectful environment where they can focus on learning.

Over the next three weeks, students will also learn about our Obsidian Commitments to Excellence. These are not a list of rules, but a set of positive behaviors that help students become "High School Ready, Life Ready." These commitments help build strong habits that lead to success both in and out of school.

We encourage you to talk with your student about these commitments and help them apply them every day.

This is my 6th year at Obsidian, and I truly believe this will be our best year yet. Thank you for your continued support and partnership—we’re excited for all that’s ahead!

Meet the Staff - Each month our newsletter will highlight a different department so that you can meet our staff and put faces to names. This month, our meet the staff video is our Office Team. We are here to serve you and our students! VIDEO

Go Wolves!

Best,

Evan Grant

Last week each student received a school-issued chromebook. They are responsible for taking their chromebook to and from school each day. It is important that they take good care of their device and come with it fully charged so that they can access all of their learning every day.

One of the most impactful ways you can support your student is to frequently check their grades and check for missing work. At Obsidian we use two platforms to share grades and feedback. 

Canvas - Check grades, see missing work, and see specific feedback on assignments.

ParentVUE - Student grades and report cards

(VIDEO Explanation)

If you dropped your student off last week, you noticed that our traffic can get very backed up. To help get students to class and families in and out quickly, please make sure you:

We appreciate your patience and attention to making drop-off go efficiently.

If you have not already done so, please review our new cell phone policy that is in place as a result of the Executive Order signed by the Governor of Oregon this summer. Our goal is to put our focus and energy into student learning and not policing cell phones. We appreciate your partnership in enforcing the message that phones need to be off and away in lockers from 7:30 AM - 2:08 PM.

Sign-ups are still open for football and cross country! To participate your student-athlete must have an updated physical on file.

Each week, teachers recognize students who are exemplifying what it means to be a successful, kind student here at Obsidian. We want to promote positive interactions, behaviors, and efforts. Each newsletter I will share a list of students who have received a positive recognition from a staff member that month. So far the following students have already been recognized for going above and beyond!

Do you love working with kids and want a schedule that works for you? The High Desert Education Service District has an exciting opportunity for parents, grandparents, family members, teachers and community members to make a difference in local schools!

 

As a substitute, you’ll:

 

·         Earn $18 to $31.56 per hour

·         Enjoy a flexible schedule that fits your lifestyle

·         Gain valuable school experience

·         Receive training and support

·         Some substitute positions do not require a teaching degree

 

This is your chance to give back to your community while helping students thrive. If you care about kids and want to be part of something meaningful, HDESD would love to have you on their team!

 

Apply Today! Visit www.hdesd.org/services/substitute-services/about-substitute-services for more information.

For questions, contact:

Ann Marie Anderson

 

Join us in creating brighter futures for our kids!