Helix School District

Helix K-4 Parents/Guardians - The Helix School District might be able to offer after school care next year (3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.) for grades K-5. To find out more, please check out the flyer (https://5il.co/1vhwg). If you are interested, please complete a brief survey (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfif8rHeCtwjez79IgGjdB813xX0tGjwZH4BDVx46MhQnNmDw/viewform?usp=sf_link) by this Friday. Thank you!

Helix Parents/Guardians - Reminder: The Helix School District will be closed Monday for Memorial Day! School will resume on Tuesday, May 30th. Have a wonderful and safe weekend!

Congratulations to Ellery Flerchinger, Caiden Boatright, and Ethan Reeder who qualified for state track! Ellery will compete in the discus on Thursday, May 25 at 11:15 a.m., Ethan will compete in the long jump on Thursday, May 25 at 11:30 a.m., and Caiden will compete in the discus on Friday, May 26 at 4:45 p.m. State competition is again at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus, Eugene, OR. Go Grizzlies!

Elementary Helix Parents/Guardians - Tomorrow is the Helix Wheel-A-Thon! Kids need to bring bikes, scooters, or skates and must have helmets! The forecast looks hot so please dress accordingly. The fire truck will be here to cool the kids off after the event.

Helix Parents/Guardians - Please consider joining us tomorrow evening, Thurs. 5/18 for the sophomore class nacho feed from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., $5 per person. The Helix Schools K-12 Spring Concert immediately follows the nacho feed at 7 p.m. in the practice gym. Thank you!

Dear parents and guardians, The Helix Middle School will be having our annual community clean-up day on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. We will depart the school around 9am and finish up close to noon, at which point we will go to the park for lunch. The school will provide sack lunches, but if your student would prefer to bring their own from home, they may do that as well. We will be splitting into groups and working on projects, such as planting flowers, picking up trash, pulling weeds etc. We are asking students to bring any small, handheld garden tools and gloves you may have at home. We will put their name on them, and return them afterward. Students can bring the tools anytime between now and the day of the event. They can give the tools to their teacher or Mrs. Morris.

Thank you to the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) for the wonderful staff goodies throughout Teacher Appreciation Week. You make us all feel so special and spoiled! We have the best parents around!!

Helix Parents/Guardians - If you are coming this afternoon to enjoy the elementary track meet, please do not park around the track. Spaces will be limited and you may not be able to leave until after the track meet. Parking is available beside the tennis courts and along the streets in town. Thank you!

Last Friday afternoon, the Helix Elementary celebrated COURAGE at our April Purposeful People assembly! Students got another taste of the cookie face challenge, and we had a special surprise performance by the 5th grade class! Students who raised $40 or more for the Kids Heart Health Challenge also got to silly string Mr. Bixler! Fun was had by all! We are proud of all our little Grizzlies for working so hard every day! For the month of May, we will be celebrating all the character traits we worked on this school year!

Helix Parents/Guardians - CPS Certified Trainers Ted Laymen, LCSW and Kate O'Kelley will be providing free help sessions for adults supporting kids with challenging behaviors. All 3 sessions are offered in May at the New Hope Community Church in Hermiston, OR. If you are interested, please check out their flyer and register at https://forms.gle/kb8K1ArZP46yK8cr6.

Helix Parents/Guardians – A small commission of parents, staff, and Helix Board members are looking into the possibility of the Helix School becoming a charter school and moving to a 4-day school week. The commission recently decided to delay the discussion on the 4-day school week until later next school year, but the commission is moving forward with considering submitting a charter application to the Helix School Board at their May 10th regular meeting. The commission created a FAQ for staff and parents (https://5il.co/1tgcc). Please give me a call or stop by the school if you have any questions. Thanks – Brad Bixler

Dear parents - In preparation for Teacher Appreciation Week on May 8-May 12, 2023, the High School ASB is planning to put out a survey to all K-12 classes, next Wednesday, May 3rd. The purpose of the survey is to gather information about teachers and staff, in order to create an appreciation slideshow. The slideshow will be shared on the big screen in the multipurpose room, for all teachers and staff to enjoy throughout the week. The surveys are anonymous, so student's names will not be displayed on the slideshow. Below are the links to the surveys for your review. Please let me know if you have any questions. K-5 survey - https://5il.co/1tbj3 6-12 survey - https://5il.co/1tbjf Thank you, Miranda Morris

Helix Parents/Guardians - If you are coming by this afternoon to pick up your student(s) at the end of the day, please pick up your student(s) at the front of the high school on Main St. The south gate will be closed this afternoon, due to the middle school track meet. Thank you!

Today, we got to celebrate our 3rd-5th grade Self-Managers with a special lunch! These students are always making good choices and being responsible! Keep it up Grizzlies!

Dear Helix 8th, 9th, 10th & 11th grade Parents/Guardians: Please join us next Tuesday evening for a brief parent meeting to learn about all of the wonderful opportunities that await your child in high school next year! 8th & 9th Grade - 5:30 p.m. 10th & 11th Grade - 6:00 p.m.

The Griswold High School Band students took part in the annual Tri County Band concert yesterday, April 5th at Pilot Rock High School. Griswold High School was one of eight bands in our area who had students in the band. The group was led by Dr. Stephan Friel from Eastern Washington University. It was a fun and educational day of music making and making friends in other districts!

Good evening Helix Parents/Guardians: Tomorrow afternoon/evening starts our spring Parent-Teacher conferences. Please contact your child's teacher , if you haven't yet scheduled your conference. There is no school for students on Friday, April 7th as teachers conclude their conferences. Thank you and have a wonderful evening! Brad Bixler, Superintendent

Good morning - Weather conditions have not improved around Helix. Helix Schools will be closed today, Monday 4/3, due to slick road conditions. School will resume tomorrow at our regular scheduled time.

Good morning - Helix Schools will be on a 2-hr delay today, Monday 4/3, due to slick road conditions. Please give yourself extra time this morning.

Helix Parents/Guardians: A few reminders... tomorrow marks the end of our the 3rd grading quarter. Helix Schools will dismiss tomorrow, 3/24 at 12:25 p.m. Spring break is next week! Parent-Teacher conferences are on Thursday, April 6th and Friday, April 7th. Please contact your child's teacher tomorrow or after spring break, if you don't have a schedule yet for conferences. Have a wonderful spring break! Brad Bixler, Superintendent