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Spencer Butte Middle School

Spartan Update- Week of 9/21/26

Posted Date: 09/20/26 (01:00 PM)
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A logo for Spencer Butte Middle School.  The logo features a stylized illustration of a school building situated on a stylized landscape with rolling hills and water.  The building is depicted in dark navy blue, with large, light-blue windows visible. Pine trees are outlined in light blue at the top of the image, behind the building. The hills and water are rendered in varying shades of light blue. Below the illustration, the words "SPENCER BUTTE" are written in a clean, sans-serif font in dark navy blue. "Middle School" is written in a smaller, matching font below that. The overall color scheme is cool toned, using shades of blue and white.

Spartan Update

Week of 9/21/26

Picture of a school that captures the SBMS school campus area under a bright, clear sky. The architecture is characterized by mid-century modern design elements: slanted rooftops with clean lines, supported by slender columns, giving a sense of openness and functionality. The foreground features a row of trees, some with lush green foliage and others displaying vibrant autumnal colors, suggesting a transition in seasons. These trees add natural warmth and breathing space to the otherwise structured environment. Alongside the trees, neatly kept bushes and a paved walkway create a welcoming atmosphere for students or visitors. In the background, the school buildings are made of stucco and large glass windows, emphasizing both durability and the importance of natural light. The overall scene evokes a tranquil, well-maintained educational setting.
 
Graphic on a dark blue background with the text "CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH" centered in red, orange, yellow, and white lettering. The text is framed by colorful, decorative floral patterns, leafy sprigs, and swirling flourishes. Gráfico sobre un fondo azul oscuro con el texto "CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH" centrado en letras de color rojo, naranja, amarillo y blanco. El texto está enmarcado por patrones florales decorativos y coloridos, ramas con hojas y arabescos ondulados.
 

Note from Principal Paula Nolan

Hello SBMS Community!

It has been great to see students really settling into routines at the school. As we head into our third week of the term, I have a newsletter with important information for you. Please see below for practical information.

This Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 is our open house! I hope to see you there!


In this week's newsletter: 
  • Safety Week
  • Open House Wednesday
  • How to Contact Classroom Staff
  • Illness: When to Keep Children Home from School
  • Fundraiser Update!
  • Picture Day Friday- Order Information
  • Upcoming Events

Need assistance? Contact Me!

I am here to be of service to our entire school community. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions, concerns, or just want to connect about how to help your child this school year. My contact information is below and also at the very bottom of every newsletter.

-Paula
 

SBMS Safety Week- Learn About Our Emergency Procedures

The safety of our students and staff is our #1 priority.

On Monday, students will be watching this video in their advisory class to learn about the  Standard Response Protocol or SRP. This is a program that has been adopted district-wide, and one that I have used for 12 years as an administrator. It's called the SRP because it standardizes operations language so everything is clear to students, staff, visitors in the building, and for first responders. 

This week we will have drills for the Hold, Secure, Shelter, Evacuation, and Lockdown procedures. We do not have surprise drills at SBMS. As a point of notification to families, school violence is discussed in the context of when each drill would be called. 

Below are the 5 different protocols at SBMS:

  • Hold- We keep students in classrooms and out of the hallways because there's an issue in the halls (not a threat, usually a medical issue and we want the halls to be clear). Teaching continues as normal in classrooms.
  • Secure- A problem outside the building so we bring everyone inside. Teaching and travel inside of the building are normal. Everything is normal inside of the building.
  • Evacuate- This is when we leave the building. We practice this each month with a fire drill.
  • Shelter- This is sheltering inside the building in the event of a weather event (we practice this with earthquake drills) or something else outside the building that is dangerous (like a chemical spill).
  • Lockdown- This is when there is a threat inside the building. Everyone hides with rooms locked and the lights turned off.

More information about the Standard Response Protocol can be found at the following links:

As a school staff member and 4J parent, I know that this can be a difficult topic. I'd be happy to connect with you if you would like to discuss this on the phone, in person, or via online meeting. Please contact me if you'd like to arrange a time to talk.
 

Open House Wednesday 6:00-8:00

Meet Your Child’s Teachers!

We invite you to Spencer Butte’s Open House on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.  

Save Yourself the Line! We will send your child’s schedule home with them on the afternoon of the 23rd, but if the copy doesn’t make it to you, there will be tables set up in the front lobby with your student’s schedule printed and ready for pickup.
 
A bell and an announcement will be heard at the beginning and end of each period.

  • 6:05-6:20 Large Gym (all guests)
  • 6:25-6:35- Period 1
  • 6:40-6:50- Period 2
  • 6:55-7:05- Period 3
  • 7:10-7:30- Period 4
  • 7:35-7:45- Period 5
  • 7:50-8:00- Period 6
 

How to Contact Classroom Staff

We are here as a part of your child's team! Whenever I have the opportunity to speak with a parent about something involving a class I always ask if they've had a chance to connect with the teacher. I ask that question because involving the teacher is the most powerful thing that we can do to help your child in class. 

There are many ways to connect with staff. Sending a message via our directory or message in Canvas is the most direct way of reaching teachers. You can also call the school at 541-790-8300 and leave a message for a teacher to return. For detailed instructions about how to contact staff, please see our "How to Contact Staff" webpage.
 

Illness: When to Keep Children Home From School

When students return to school we start to see an uptick in illness calls. Please see below for this year's rules for when to keep your child(ren) home from school. If you have any questions, please contact the office or Nurse Jenny at downes_j@4j.lane.edu.

Fever
  • A measured temperature of 100.4°F or higher.
  • Return to School: After being fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
Diarrhea
  • Three or more watery stools in 24 hours, OR sudden loose or bloody stools, OR inability to control bowel movements.
  • Return to School: After diarrhea improves (no more than two extra bowel movements in 24 hours), and no accidents. Bloody diarrhea should be evaluated by a healthcare provider prior to return.
Vomiting
  • Two or more unexplained episodes within 24 hours.
  • Return to School: 24 hours after the last episode OR after being cleared by a healthcare provider.
Cough
  • Persistent cough not diagnosed by a healthcare provider OR cough that is frequent/severe enough to interfere with participation in usual school activities.
  • Return to School: After symptoms improve for 24 hours (no cough or well-controlled cough).
Red eyes with Colored Drainage
  • Return to School: When symptom-free, which means redness and drainage are gone OR with orders from doctor to school nurse. 
Difficulty Breathing or Shortness of Breath
  • Not explained by situation such as exercise: feeling unable to catch their breath, gasping for air, breathing rapidly or shallowly, breathing with extra effort such as using muscles of the stomach, chest, or neck.
  • When to Return to School: After symptoms improving for 24 hours.
  • Seek immediate medical attention if needed.
Headache with Stiff Neck and Fever
  • When to Return to School: After being fever-free for 24 hours without medication AND when symptoms resolve.
  • This may indicate a serious condition. Seek medical attention.
 

Fundraiser Update!

Our annual fundraiser kicked off on Monday, 9/14. Thank you for your support! We are off to a strong start. So far we are just below $5,000 raised. This is fantastic and we are on our way to meeting our $20,000 goal. As I shared last week, this year's fundraiser is especially important as we are working with a school general fund spending authorization that represents a near 50% reduction when compared to last school year.

Our next turn in day will be Tuesday! 

Donation turn in days are Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the last turn-in day on 10/1.
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In years past the success of the fundraiser has allowed us to eliminate student fees, fund student clubs, support student-driven school campaigns, purchase school supplies, fund service opportunities and kindness projects, provide field trips, include fresh produce and non-perishable food for our annual food drive to support SBMS families, support school needs and operation, provide student support, staff after hours events (like activity nights!), approve most purchase requests from teachers for their classrooms, and keep our family events free (ice cream social, trivia night, movie night, etc). 
 

Friday is School Picture Day- 9/25

You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTXM4SBH. Your child can also bring their picture-day envelope with cash or check on Picture Day. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online on mylifetouch.com

Students were sent home with a picture day packets. If you are not ordering online and need a new picture packet to be sent home, please contact the front office.
 

Upcoming Events

  • Wed 9/23: Open House- 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Fri 9/25: Picture Day
  • Wed 10/7: Walk the Amazon Day
 

Food Resources

Food for Lane County Resources
 
SBMS Website Link
 

Contact Paula

I am here to support the SBMS community. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. You can reach out via the following ways:

  • 541-790-8300
  • nolan_p@4j.lane.edu