Dear Cane Parents,
We've had a great start to the new school year, and I love getting to see our Canes each day! Greeting them in the hallways is by far the best part of my day! 😊
I’d like to share a few reminders/updates with you:
1) Friendly reminder that Open House will occur on Wednesday, August 26th from 4:30-6:00pm. All Cane parents/guardians are invited to attend this informal event. It is a chance to meet most of your child's teachers, see their classrooms, and walk around our campus at your leisure. Additionally, we will have handouts regarding Clubs as well as Winter/Spring Sports information available in the cafeteria. Open House is an optional, informal event that is come-and-go. (It is not a time for a parent conference.) At 5:30pm, toward the end of Open House, a Volunteer Training will take place in our Media Center for those who intend to volunteer on our campus this school year. In addition, at Open House, all parents will have the opportunity to vote for our School Advisory Council parent representatives. Please plan to stop by the table in the atrium (by the front door) to vote. The first SAC meeting of the year will be held on September 9th at 8:00 am in our Media Center.
2) Nominations are currently open for the inaugural SHS School Advisory Council! If you would like to nominate an SHS parent, please send me an email at windfelderk@santarosa.k12.fl.us by Tuesday, August 25th at 10:00am. Please include the nominee’s email address and phone number. Thank you!
3) Our Guidance Department would like to say THANK YOU for your grace and patience as they have finalized schedule changes over the past two weeks. At this point in time, no additional schedule changes can be requested unless there is a unique circumstance. Thank you for your cooperation! 😊
4) Friendly reminder that the 1st period tardy bell rings at 9:10am. Students may be dropped off at school as early as 8:40am. The dismissal bell rings at 3:24pm, and almost all the buses are typically gone by/before 4:00. Reminder that our Office Hours are 8:40am-3:25pm; this is the timeframe the doorbell is answered on regular school days.
5) If you are dropping your child off at school AFTER 9:10am, please drop them off at the Main Entrance/Front Office on the south side of campus (labeled “Main Entrance”) so they can sign in and get a late pass to class.
6) Thank you for your continued cooperation with our car rider procedures. We can see everything from the 2nd and 3rd floor, and things look great! For the few people who have been trying to circumvent our car rider line or pick up their child at the plaza next door, please stop; this is a simple courtesy not only to us but to your fellow Cane parents as well as our neighboring businesses. Thank you for following our procedures, not only for efficiency but also for safety. We appreciate you!
7) We would love for you to join our PTSO and/or our Touchdown Club! I’ve attached information to this message regarding both organizations. If you’d like to connect w/ our PTSO President Jennifer, please email her at soundsidehighschoolptso@gmail.com. If you’d like to connect w/ our Touchdown Club President James, please email him at president@soundsidehurricanefb.com. I’d like to express a huge thank you to the two of them as well as all our Cane parents who have rallied around them to get both of these organizations off of the ground! It is a lot of work and requires the efforts of many. Thank you to everyone who has gotten involved or who has plans to get involved! We are grateful for your support!
8) PTSO is hosting a fundraiser at Sweet Frog in Tiger Point all next week August 24-28. Simply mention SHS PTSO at the cashier. Join us!
9) Touchdown Club is hosting a fundraiser at Pedro’s all day on Thursday, August 27th. Simply place your receipt in the bucket at the front counter for credit. Join us!
I am so incredibly proud to be your child's principal! I am honored to get to “build our legacy” here at SHS alongside all our Canes and their families! My goal is for every single one of our Canes to get plugged into something here at SHS, whether it be a sport or a club. Please let me know if there's anything I can ever do to help support your child.
Respectfully,
Kasie Windfelder
SHS Principal
Soundside High School Parents,
Do you want to attend the SHS Open House on August 26th AND have dinner ready to go immediately afterward?!? Our amazing PTSO has the answer! Pre-order a Jim N Nick's Family Meal and pick it up at Open House! See the flyer for all the details and how to order. The ordering deadline is this Thursday, August 20th.
Thank you for supporting our PTSO!
Do you want to attend the SHS Open House on August 26th AND have dinner ready to go immediately afterward?!? Our amazing PTSO has the answer! Pre-order a Jim N Nick's Family Meal and pick it up at Open House! See the flyer for all the details and how to order. The ordering deadline is this Thursday, August 20th.
Thank you for supporting our PTSO!
💚🩶 WEEK 2, HERE WE COME! 💚🩶
Cane families, we are so excited to kick off Week 2 at Soundside High School! We had a great first week and are incredibly proud of how quickly our Canes are settling into their new school and routines.
As we head into another great week, we wanted to share a quick reminder about our car rider procedures to help keep arrival/dismissal safe and moving as efficiently as possible. Please take a moment to review the attached traffic map and reminders below.
🧡 FOLLOW THE ORANGE ROUTE 🧡
All students being picked up by should be picked up through the designated Parent Drop-Off & Pick-Up line shown in ORANGE on the map.
🚫 PLEASE DO NOT PARK 🚫
Please do not park in the Student Parking lots and have your student walk out to meet you. These lots are actively being used by our student drivers during arrival/dismissal, and having students walk through moving parking lot traffic creates a safety concern. We recognize that there are currently many open parking spaces; however, establishing safe and consistent dismissal procedures now is important as our school continues to grow. Maintaining this expectation from the beginning will help ensure a safe and efficient dismissal process in future years as our enrollment—and the number of student drivers on campus, increases.
The Faculty & Staff, Admin, and Visitor/Dual Enrollment/Locklin parking areas should also not be used as alternate student pick-up locations.
🚗 IMPORTANT UPDATE 🚗
Once your student has safely loaded into your vehicle, you may carefully pull around vehicles that are still waiting for their student and proceed toward the front of the line to merge back into the exit lane.
Please drive slowly, use caution, watch for students and other vehicles, and yield when merging back into the line. This helps keep the line moving instead of requiring everyone to wait until every vehicle ahead has loaded.
As we continue fine-tuning our routines, we appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation. Thank you for treating our Cane Faculty and Staff with kindness and respect by following the designated car rider procedures.
Thank you for working with us! 💚🩶
Hi, Cane Families!
We are successfully making our way through our first week at Soundside High School, and we continue to be so proud of our Canes! As students and families settle into their new routines, we have a few important updates and reminders to share.
CODE OF CONDUCT & SHS HANDBOOK
Today, our students completed their Code of Conduct assessment and reviewed important information from the Soundside High School Student & Family Handbook. We encourage all families to review the handbook with their student. It contains important information regarding attendance, student expectations, dress code, cell phones, parking, discipline procedures, and much more.
🔗 SHS Student & Family Handbook
CAR RIDER
Please follow our designated car rider procedures by turning onto Sunset View Blvd. and then entering Soundside High School property to join the car rider line on the northeast side of the campus. Please do not line up on neighboring side roads to enter school property or pull into the parking lot to circumvent the car rider line. (We need to nip those bad habits now because it will only cause frustration and safety concerns in the long run when we start having more student drivers on our campus.) Following the designated route helps us maintain a safe and efficient traffic flow for our families and surrounding community.
STUDENT PARKING
Students who plan to drive to school must complete the SHS parking application on our website and receive approval from our Dean of Students, Ms. Keegan, before parking on campus. Please remember that driving and parking on campus is a privilege. Students are expected to arrive at school on time and follow all SHS parking and driving expectations. If you have questions about Parking, please communicate with our Dean of Students, Alison Keegan, at keegana@santarosa.k12.fl.us.
SCHEDULE CHANGE UPDATE
Our counselors have been working hard to meet the needs of all the schedule requests that have been sent to them. 😊 Here’s how you can help to keep our process as efficient as possible:
a) If you have already submitted a schedule change request via the QR code, please wait patiently for a response from your child’s Guidance Counselor within 1-3 business days.
b) Please ONLY use the QR Code to request a schedule change for your child. This is the procedure we will be following up until Wednesday, August 19th. We will let you know if anything changes with these directions.
c) Please note - just because a request is made doesn’t mean we can accommodate it. Our master schedule is tight, and there is not a lot of wiggle space. It is possible that this week space is limited in a class, but next week after processing more schedule changes, space could open. We will do our absolute best to make our Canes happy!
d) Please remind your child that once they have submitted their schedule change request via the QR code, they need to check their email daily as that is how our Guidance Counselors will be following up with them regarding the request they put in via the QR code.
ATTENDANCE
Our 1st period tardy bell rings at 9:10am, and our dismissal bell rings at 3:24pm. Please be advised that students will not be allowed to check out of school after 3:05pm, unless there is an emergency. Our doors open to students at 8:40am. Supervision is provided 25 minutes before school starts (in the cafeteria, flex spaces, courtyard, and media center) and 25 minutes after school ends (on the bus ramp or in the car rider waiting area).
FRONT OFFICE BUSINESS HOURS
Our office business hours are 8:40am through 3:25pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. This is the only time frame our front doorbell is monitored. (Please Note: Office hours are modified on Early Release Days throughout the year, and the Office is closed on holidays.)
CALENDAR DATES ON THE HORIZON
Wednesday, August 19th – First Home Volleyball Games @ 5pm
Wednesday, August 26th – Open House/Meet the Teachers & Volunteer Orientation @ 4:30-6:00pm
Monday, August 31st – First Home Football Game @ 7pm
Monday, September 7th – Labor Day – NO SCHOOL
Friday, October 9th – Harvest Dance @ 8:00-10:30pm (more info next month)
Thank you so much for your continued patience and support as we navigate all the exciting “firsts” that come with opening a brand-new school! Each day, our students are becoming more comfortable with our campus, expectations, and routines, and we appreciate our families partnering with us along the way. We are off to a great start, Canes! 💚🩶
BRACE FOR IMPACT!
Respectfully,
Kasie Windfelder
Principal
WHAT A GREAT FIRST DAY, CANES! 💚🩶
We had a fabulous first day at Soundside High School! It is truly an honor getting to work alongside our teachers, students, and families as we make history here at SHS!
As we continue through our first week together, here are a few important reminders and updates for our Cane families:
TRANSPORTATION
Thank you for your patience as our transportation routines continue to settle in—especially with our buses! Today, we successfully had all students on buses by 4:25 PM. Our car rider line was complete by 3:39 PM and traffic was no longer backed up on Hwy 98 waiting to turn into the school as of 3:33 PM! Thank you to our families for helping us keep things moving safely and efficiently.
A quick reminder for all car rider families: Please follow our designated car rider procedures by turning onto Sunset View Blvd. and then entering Soundside High School property to join the car rider line. Please do not line up on neighboring side roads to enter school property. Following the designated route helps us maintain a safe and efficient traffic flow for our families and surrounding community.
Please continue to give us—and our transportation team—a little grace during these first few days as routes and routines are adjusted. We deeply appreciate it!
LOCKER SALES & ASSIGNMENTS
Students who would like to purchase a locker in the Main Building may do so tomorrow during both lunches in the cafeteria. Locker sales and assignments will take place at that time.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
Our Guidance Department is continuing to work diligently through schedule change requests. If you want to initiate a schedule change, please visit the SHS website and click on REQUEST A SCHEDULE CHANGE HERE! Please check your email! Counselors may be reaching out with questions or confirmation that a schedule change has been completed. Responding promptly will help us keep the process moving.
We appreciate the patience, flexibility, and support our Cane families showed us today. Opening a brand-new school comes with lots of “firsts,” and we are so proud of how our students and families helped make Day 1 a success!
Our legacy is officially underway! 🌪️💚🩶
BRACE FOR IMPACT!
Respectfully,
Kasie Windfelder
Principal
We had a fabulous first day at Soundside High School! It is truly an honor getting to work alongside our teachers, students, and families as we make history here at SHS!
As we continue through our first week together, here are a few important reminders and updates for our Cane families:
TRANSPORTATION
Thank you for your patience as our transportation routines continue to settle in—especially with our buses! Today, we successfully had all students on buses by 4:25 PM. Our car rider line was complete by 3:39 PM and traffic was no longer backed up on Hwy 98 waiting to turn into the school as of 3:33 PM! Thank you to our families for helping us keep things moving safely and efficiently.
A quick reminder for all car rider families: Please follow our designated car rider procedures by turning onto Sunset View Blvd. and then entering Soundside High School property to join the car rider line. Please do not line up on neighboring side roads to enter school property. Following the designated route helps us maintain a safe and efficient traffic flow for our families and surrounding community.
Please continue to give us—and our transportation team—a little grace during these first few days as routes and routines are adjusted. We deeply appreciate it!
LOCKER SALES & ASSIGNMENTS
Students who would like to purchase a locker in the Main Building may do so tomorrow during both lunches in the cafeteria. Locker sales and assignments will take place at that time.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
Our Guidance Department is continuing to work diligently through schedule change requests. If you want to initiate a schedule change, please visit the SHS website and click on REQUEST A SCHEDULE CHANGE HERE! Please check your email! Counselors may be reaching out with questions or confirmation that a schedule change has been completed. Responding promptly will help us keep the process moving.
We appreciate the patience, flexibility, and support our Cane families showed us today. Opening a brand-new school comes with lots of “firsts,” and we are so proud of how our students and families helped make Day 1 a success!
Our legacy is officially underway! 🌪️💚🩶
BRACE FOR IMPACT!
Respectfully,
Kasie Windfelder
Principal
Hi, Cane parents!
This is Kasie Windfelder, the proud principal of Soundside High School! On behalf of our entire faculty, staff, and administration, I would like to welcome your child to our new school this coming Monday, August 10th! We are looking forward to an amazing year filled with building traditions and creating special memories for all of our students!
Please check your email for a lengthy message from me regarding back-to-school information.
We truly value the partnership with our families in creating a safe and welcoming environment for our all our students, and we look forward to seeing our Canes for the first day of school on Monday, August 10th @ 9:10am.
Brace for Impact!
Respectfully,
Kasie Windfelder
Principal
🌀💚 Things to Know About Soundside — Day 3! 💚🌀
Join us tomorrow for our Schedule Walk-Through!
📅 Thursday, August 6
⏰ 1:30–3:00 PM
📍 Begin in the SHS cafeteria
The event will begin with a brief welcome and important information from Mrs. Windfelder. Students will then be released to walk through their schedules, locate their classrooms, and become more familiar with the campus before the first day of school.
🚌 Transportation representatives will be available in the cafeteria to answer questions.
🔐 Students will also have the opportunity to purchase a locker for $5. Please note that the locker fee is nonrefundable. Lockers are not required for students!
We look forward to welcoming our Hurricanes to campus and helping everyone feel ready for the first day! 💚🌀
A friendly reminder: Our Things to Know About Soundside posts are intended to provide helpful information for Soundside students and families. We welcome questions and ask that all comments remain respectful and focused on supporting our school community.
#SoundsideHighSchool #BraceForImpact
As a reminder, we will hold a Fall Sport Parent Information Night TONIGHT@ 5:30 PM in the Soundside HS cafeteria.
You will be able to meet our athletic staff, athletic trainer, fall sport coaches (Girl's Volleyball, Boy's & Girl's Cross Country, Sideline Cheer & Dance Team) as well as the athletic department policies and procedures.
#BraceForImpact
You will be able to meet our athletic staff, athletic trainer, fall sport coaches (Girl's Volleyball, Boy's & Girl's Cross Country, Sideline Cheer & Dance Team) as well as the athletic department policies and procedures.
#BraceForImpact
🌀💚 The countdown to the first day of school is on! 🌀💚
Over the next several days, we’ll be sharing important Things to Know About Soundside to help our students and families prepare for a smooth start to the school year. Each day, we’ll highlight helpful information and answer frequently asked questions about arrival and dismissal, schedules, lunch procedures, and more. Be sure to follow along as we count down to the first day of school!
First up: Parent Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures! 🚗
To help traffic move safely and efficiently, please follow the designated parent drop-off and pick-up route shown on the map.
🟠 Follow the orange arrows for the parent drop-off and pick-up route.
🚗 Students may only be dropped off or picked up in the designated area along the east side of the school. For everyone’s safety, please do not pull into the parking lots or park along the side streets to drop off or pick up students.
🚌 The yellow route and bus ramp are reserved for buses only.
🚫 Please pay close attention to all Do Not Enter signs.
⚠️ Please remain in the traffic line and follow the directions of staff members assisting with arrival and dismissal.
Thank you for your patience as everyone becomes familiar with our traffic procedures. Following the designated route will help us keep our students safe and traffic moving smoothly!
Over the next several days, we’ll be sharing important Things to Know About Soundside to help our students and families prepare for a smooth start to the school year. Each day, we’ll highlight helpful information and answer frequently asked questions about arrival and dismissal, schedules, lunch procedures, and more. Be sure to follow along as we count down to the first day of school!
First up: Parent Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures! 🚗
To help traffic move safely and efficiently, please follow the designated parent drop-off and pick-up route shown on the map.
🟠 Follow the orange arrows for the parent drop-off and pick-up route.
🚗 Students may only be dropped off or picked up in the designated area along the east side of the school. For everyone’s safety, please do not pull into the parking lots or park along the side streets to drop off or pick up students.
🚌 The yellow route and bus ramp are reserved for buses only.
🚫 Please pay close attention to all Do Not Enter signs.
⚠️ Please remain in the traffic line and follow the directions of staff members assisting with arrival and dismissal.
Thank you for your patience as everyone becomes familiar with our traffic procedures. Following the designated route will help us keep our students safe and traffic moving smoothly!
Hurricane Nation!
As we prepare for the first day of school, we encourage all parents and guardians of bus riders to verify their student's bus route, stop location, and pickup/drop-off times. Families have five convenient options to access transportation information:
📱 MyRide K-12 App
🔗 MyRide K-12 Online with an Account
https://myridek12.tylerapp.com/
🔗 MyRide K-12 Online without an Account
https://myridek12.tylerapp.com/transportationsearch?district=8b74b3ee-ff3f-45e0-83ed-94e122d88c59
🖥️FOCUS Parent Portal
🚍Transportation Table at Orientation/Schedule Walk on August 6th 1:30-3:00PM!
Please see the attached image/flyer for specific steps and instructions for each option.
For additional transportation information and direct links, visit the Transportation page on the district website or view the information posted on our district Live Feed, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. Thank you for helping us ensure a safe and successful start to the school year. We look forward to welcoming our students back soon!
Mr. Long, our amazing Band Director, is excited to meet our Canes next week, for those who are in town and not on vacay! 😁🎼 Please contact him at longp@santarosa.k12.fl.us if you have any questions! 😎
Mark your calendar, Canes!!! 🌀💚😎
Freshman Orientation will take place on Monday, July 27th!
Sophomore Orientation will take place on Tuesday, July 28th!
The cost in advance is $25 paid electronically through GOFAN; the cost at the door is $30 cash.
Orientation is a fundraiser led by our Student Government! 🥰 We look forward to giving our incoming students tours, a t-shirt, their tentative schedule, etc.
This is a student-only event, so parents will drop their child off as early as 8:45 and pick them up at 11:00.
We are SO EXCITED to spend time with our Canes before school starts! 💚😁
PS: If you already have a vacation planned and your child will be out of town during our Orientation dates, please know there will be an opportunity for all students to view their tentative schedule in FOCUS by the middle of pre-planning week. We will also offer an opportunity for parents and students to walk the campus on a specific day at a specific time (TBD) toward the end of pre-planning week. 😎 We will let you know if there are any updates to this information!
Please note our summer office hours! 😎☀️ We will let you know if there are any changes. Wishing our Cane families a relaxing summer!
Great schools don’t just happen—they are built with vision, heart, and strong leadership.
Mrs. Windfelder is setting the foundation for something truly special at Soundside, and we are so thankful for all she does for our students, staff, and community.
💚 We are proud to be led by the BEST.
#SoundsideHurricanes #BraceForImpact
Alright Canes… it’s time 🌪️💚
We’re building something special from the ground up—and we want YOU to be part of it.
Join us for the first-ever Soundside Hurricane Touchdown Club Meeting and help support our student-athletes as we launch Soundside Football the right way.
Whether you’re a parent, community member, or future Canes supporter—this is your chance to get involved, stay informed, and make an impact.
Let’s come together and start Fueling the Storm 🌪️🔥
#SoundsideHurricanes #BraceForImpact #FuelTheStorm
💚 Calling all future Hurricanes 💚
We’re ready for BIG energy, loud cheers, and even bigger spirit 📣
This is your chance to be part of something new, exciting, and full of pride 💥
Let’s make some noise, Soundside 📣 #braceforimpact
⬇️ Check out the cheer tryout information below! ⬇️
We’re ready for BIG energy, loud cheers, and even bigger spirit 📣
This is your chance to be part of something new, exciting, and full of pride 💥
Let’s make some noise, Soundside 📣 #braceforimpact
⬇️ Check out the cheer tryout information below! ⬇️
Student & Parent course Registration Meeting
March 10th at 5:00 pm in the Soundside High School Gymnasium.
Email Assistant Principal Kim Rankin @ rankink@santarosa.k12.fl.us with any questions you may have.
Cane families,
Please plan to join us on Tuesday, March 10th in the SHS Gymnasium for a parent and student registration meeting. You will have the opportunity to meet the administration team, learn about the courses we will be offering in Year 1, and hear from our Athletic Director. 😊
Our football and volleyball coach (since they've been hired thus far) will also be present!
(Prior to this parent meeting, we will have met during the school day with WBMS, NHS, & GBHS students who are zoned for SHS. This parent meeting will reiterate what was shared with the students at those meetings.)
We promise we won’t keep you too long; this is simply an opportunity for you to step on campus (pardon our construction), get to know the administration, and learn about some of the things to expect at SHS! 🌀
After the parent meeting, if you have follow-up questions about the registration process, you may email our Asst. Principal Mrs. Rankin at rankink@santarosa.k12.fl.us.
If you can’t make it to the parent meeting, please make note that your child’s Registration Card must be completed and turned into the Guidance Department at their current school before they leave for Spring Break.
Please Note: If your child is not zoned for SHS but you intend to fill out the School Choice paperwork in April to seek approval for your child to attend SHS, you are certainly welcome to attend this meeting as well! We can collect a Registration Card from you, but please know we cannot process it until your School Choice paperwork has been processed and confirmed you’ve been approved. If you have questions about the School Choice process, more information will be coming out next month from the district office; school choice paperwork for high schools goes through the Director of High School’s Office.
We can't wait to see our gym filled with amazing families!!! 😀
Let’s Go Canes!
Thank you to our school district's Purchasing Department for all their hard work behind the scenes! Extra special shout out to Sonia Perkins for helping us recently with all the things! We appreciate you! 😀
Happy New Year! 🎆Can you believe it is 2026? This is OUR YEAR!! We will officially open the doors of Soundside High School this year in August 2026. We absolutely cannot wait to build a community of collaboration, learning, and Hurricane pride at SHS! Wishing you all a Happy New Year! 🎉
