Washington Aerospace Scholars

This year we have a record number of students from Washougal High School entering Phase I of the  Washington Aerospace SCholars program, and hopefully they will all successfully attend the Summer Residency (Phase II) in Seattle this summer. The students will be starting the online work this week, and continue doing so until May.  

Congratulations to this year’s scholars:

Josh Banks

Jacob Bischoff

Anna Kellogg

Angie Steffanson

Austin Thompson

Tim Tranh

December Events

Although the month of December is short in the number of school days that we are actually in session, we seem to pack in a fair number of events.  I am very proud of the students and staff for many reasons, but especially for all that has been accomplished during this month.  I have attempted to provide examples of exemplary efforts and work below.

                                                         Festival of Trees

The WHS Readers Club decorated a tree for the annual Festival of Trees event that occurred in downtown Washougal.  Great job to Kim Dillon, WHS Librarian, Fran McCarty, Library Assistant and the students who make up the Readers Club.


Post Record Festival of Trees article

Washougal HS students and staff as well as all of the other schools in the district participated in the 4th Annual Stuff-the-Bus event.  Between Washougal SD and Camas SD nearly 61,000 lbs. of food were donated to the Childrens' Home Society.  This is an amazing event.  I am very proud of the entire district for their donations.  I am especially proud of the work of the WHS ASB students for their efforts with this event.  

Post Record Stuff-the-Bus article

The Columbian Stuff-the-Bus article

Washougal SD Stuff-the-Bus Information

Panther Success

James Maguire, WHS Senior won first place in the VFW Voice of Democracy Essay Contest. He won at the post (local) level and now moves on to the District competition. Members of the VFW presented the award and gave him a plaque and a $300 check. If his essay does well at the district level he can go on to the national level. The top prize is a $30,000 scholarship.  Great job Jimmy!

The WHS Chamber Choir sang at the Grotto Thursday, November 30.   I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to listen to them during the day as they prepare and perfect their songs.  Below are links to a few of the songs they sang at the Grotto.

Song 1

Song 2

Song 3

Washougal 45, La Center 37 — Sara Brown hit two 3-pointers to help spark a big fourth quarter on Saturday as the host Panthers rallied for the nonleague win.  Washougal (2-1) outscored La Center 20-9 in the fourth quarter. In that period, Megan Townsend was 5 for 6 from the line and scored seven of her 15 points.  Maddie Down had 11 points and 15 rebounds for the Panthers.

Washougal 54, White Salmon 46 — Kendall Utter scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, including four 3-pointers, as the Panthers pulled out the victory.  Utter, a 5-foot-7 senior, finished with 28 points and was 6 of 15 from 3-point range. Sara Brown added 13 points and made two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. After leading 30-28 entering the final period, Washougal outscored White Salmon 24-18 in the fourth.  Maddie Down finished with nine points and 12 rebounds for Washougal.

Washougal 80, White Salmon 30 — Michael McElroy scored 13 points, leading four Panthers in double figures in an easy win over visiting White Salmon.  David Crowley and Jaden Jantzer each had 12 points, and Nate Adams added 11 for the 3-0 Panthers.  Washougal led 28-9 after the first quarter and had 47 points at the half.  Isaac Bischoff led Washougal with seven rebounds to go with his six points.

Washougal 81, Stevenson 44 — The Panthers had three players score in double figures in the nonleague win at Stevenson. David Crowley had 13 points, Aaron Deister 12 and Jaden Jantzer 10 for Washougal (2-0).  The Panthers hurried to a 16-4 lead by the end of the first quarter and expanded it from there.

Watercare Industrial Services Student Achievement Highlight

 Katelyn Wright

 A gifted musician, WHS senior Katelyn Wright plays the euphonium in Wind Ensemble and Pep Band.  This talented young woman, one of the best in the region, is extremely committed and never misses a performance of any kind.  Katie traveled to France and Spain with the Spanish Club this summer, gaining a much larger view of the world.  Katie also plays goalie on the varsity soccer team.  Because she pushes herself to excellence in all she pursues, Katie will continue to experience life to the fullest and make a positive impact wherever life’s road takes her.

 Madeline Down

 Focused, organized, and a skilled time manager, WHS Senior Madeline Down is both an excellent student and an exceptional student leader.  As senior class president Maddie demonstrates great communication skills and the ability to get others involved.  Setting the example for others, Maddie will quietly come and do whatever is needed to accomplish the task at hand.  This highly motivated young woman is also a musician and athlete.  Maddie will do great things in her life professionally and within her community.  We are very proud of Maddie Down, who she is and who she will become.

Isaac Bischoff

WHS senior Isaac Bischoff is a highly motivated student who excels both academically and socially.  Isaac consistently displays responsible leadership skills that make him a positive role model for his peers.  Talented, pleasant and hardworking, this young man plays alto sax in the Wind Ensemble and Pep Band.  To round out the picture, Isaac is also a great basketball player.  We expect Isaac to accomplish the goals he sets for himself in the future.

Conference Week Debrief

We had a successful Conference Week at WHS or at least it felt that way.  It is difficult to determine the effectiveness of what took place since only time will tell whether or not the individual and multiple-teacher conferences were worthwhile.  We just completed our 9th week of school and have 9 weeks left in this semester, so we shall see.


Last week we focused on students who were failing multiple classes. There were a number of conferences that took place that were parent requested, but the conferences that the staff requested were for student who were struggling in multiple classes.  For the most part, each multiple-teacher conference had an administrator or designee facilitate the conference.  


The conferences started out with introductions, the purpose and then sharing.  Each teacher brought to the  conference updated grade sheets showing what was happening and more importantly what could be done. These conferences were solution-based and for the most part positive.  


I was very impressed with the WHS staff throughout the week. We attempted to jam as many conferences as we could in the time we had and I think we did a fair job doing that.  The teachers were positive, organized and provided specific feedback to students and parents. The teachers shared resources they have provided as well as retake opportunities available. Many of our teachers have updated websites or blogs. They have linked helpful resources to their websites or blogs for students needing additional information from home.   


I appreciated the parents who attended the conferences.  They listened, shared their thoughts and were part of the plan.  They took notes and asked questions about additional resources.  In many cases, they were honest about how much or how little they could help.  In the case of how little, they asked what their student could do.


I thought this was good use of time.  Although we sacrifice instructional time during Conference Week, I believe the plans we put in place for students needing additional support will pay off the next nine weeks.

What has happened to October?

WHS Community,


Shocking! The year continues to be moving along at an extremely rapid pace.  As the end of October  nears and November approaches, I want to share with you some information.


Fall conferences will begin October 31 and continue through the end of the week.  All students will be released at 11:25 each day.  Teachers will be available starting at 12:00 PM.  We have set up 25 minute conferences.  If you are interested in meeting with one of your student's teachers, please contact the office at 954-3100.  Thursday evening is dedicated for evening conferences.  We will have conferences going on in the afternoon on Thursday until 3:00 pm.  Teachers will have an hour and a half to eat and then will return at 4:30 pm for evening conferences.  We realize it is often difficult to get away during the afternoon, so it is also possible to conference over the phone with a teacher as well as communicating via email.  If you have any questions regarding Conference Week, please contact the main office at 954-3100.


Fall sports are coming to an end.  It has been a great fall sports season for the Panthers.  Many of our teams have done very well and have a chance to continue as playoffs begin.  We are extremely proud of the work our student-athletes have done this fall.  They have represented the WHS Community well and we are proud of them.  There is actually one week left in regular season for volleyball, soccer and football.  If you are interested in catching a game or match, please visit the following link:  WHS Sports Calendar.  If you have any questions regarding athletics, please contact our Athletic Director, Doug Cox at 954-3104 or email him at doug.cox@washougal.k12.wa.us.  


Our first 9 weeks ends November 4.  Teachers will have one week to get their 1st Quarter grades completed and then we will be sending grade reports home.  First Quarter grades are not transcripted grades; however, it is information about your student's grades at the half-way point of this semester.   Hopefully you are able to view your student's grades currently using Parent Access.  If you are not able to and would like some assistance, please contact our main office at 954-3100.


Finally, we are asking you as parents to support the work your student is doing at school.  This can happen in a variety of ways, I have included a few ideas taken from the Learn to Give website.

1. Share your ideas about the importance of education with your student.

Begin to talk about possible education goals for your child.  Let your student know that they have many educational possibilities!

2. Be careful not to pass on negative attitudes about school that may be a part of your own past experience. 

Giving students the idea that school is too difficult, that teachers are unfair, or that school isn’t important will discourage your student  from doing well. 

3. Help your student set education goals, both short term and long term. 

Talk to your student about the future and plans for high school, technical school or college. Tell your child you hope they will be successful in school.  A short-term goal may be finishing a writing assignment by Sunday night.  A long-term goal could be attending a trade school, the local community college or a university after high school.

4. Talk to your student about what they are learning at school.

It’s important to ask students about their school subjects. Ask open-ended questions about their class work —questions that can’t be answered with a “yes” or ‘no.” Share any knowledge you have, and if you are curious, read the textbook!

5. Help your student get organized to do homework.

 Create a study area or corner for homework.  Have a table and chair in a quiet place away from the TV, perhaps in the corner of a bedroom. Add any supplies your student may need.  Make a special trip to the store to buy supplies such as paper, pencils, calculators, etc.  Help keep this area tidy and ready for use.

6. Make rules about homework. 

Decide with your student on a good time to do homework and stick to that schedule as much as possible. Try to keep noise down during study times.  Ask what homework your student has been assigned and look it over when it is finished. Don’t be a tyrant about homework, though. The goal is for the student to be responsible for getting it done without excessive nagging. If homework isn’t getting done, talk to the teacher about ways to help your student. A joint effort may work better than “laying down the law.” Some teachers post assignments and grades online or record homework assignments on telephone voice mail.  Help with assignments if you are asked, but don’t feel bad if you are unfamiliar with a subject. School has changed since you attended! The teacher is always there for additional help.

So Long September....Hello October!

Wow! It is amazing how fast time flies when you are having fun.  I thought I would provide a little synopsis of September for WHS.

*  179 students are enrolled in AP courses this semester.

*  250+ Student Athletes are competing for WHS this fall. 

*  82.5% 10^th graders met standard on the 2011 HSPE Reading.

*  84.7% 10^th graders met standard on the 2011 HSPE Writing.

*  52.8% 10^th graders met standard on the 2011 HSPE Science.

*  49.5% 9^th & 10^th graders met standard on the 2011 End of Course Math 1 Exam.

*  77.2% 9^th & 10^th graders met standard on the 2011 End of Course Math 2 Exam.

*  Nearly 500 students participated in our Homecoming Dance.

*  100+ students and parents attended the Senior Parent Night.

*  Panther Football Team is 5-0.

*  Our enrollment includes approximately 890 students (# includes Running Start, Skill Center, Bridges Academy, etc).

*16 parents attended our the September Parent Advisory Council meeting.

All in all, I think we have had a descent start to the 2011-12 School Year.  Obviously, there are things

we can improve on and we are planning to do just that.

OCTOBER 


As we begin October, I have included some events occurring this month as well as some reminders.

*    PSAT Testing will be taking place from 7:55-11:10 at WHS on October 12.  This is for all 10^th graders and 11^th graders who want to take it again.  11^th graders will need to pay to take it unless they qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, then the test is free.

*    There will be no school on Friday, October 14.

*    Wednesday, October 19 will be an early release day.  Students are released at 11:25 AM.

*    Thursday, October 20 will be our last Picture Retake.  Retakes will take place in the commons throughout the day.

*    This fall, conference week is for parent and teacher- initiated conferences. Student-Led Conferences will take place in the spring. Fall Conferences will be the week of October 31.  Teachers will be available from 12:00-2:50 on Monday thru Thursday and Thursday night from 4:30 – 7:30 pm.  

If you are interested in knowing about more events, please visit the WHS calendar by following the links below:

Events Calendar

Sports Calendar

Homecoming Dance is September 23, 2011

Our first dance of the school year is happening September 23 at WHS!  It is Homecoming! YAHOO!

We are very excited about the Homecoming Dance.....Tahitian Dreams!  It should be a wonderful evening.  We are asking for your cooperation and support with our Dance Dress Code and Behavior Expectations listed below.

 Parents please take a look at your student's attire prior to them leaving for the dance Saturday night. Use the below listed dress code to make sure they are appropriately dressed.  Coming to a dance inappropriately dressed will result in a student being turned away at the door and sent home with no refund. Students who are dropped off will be asked to call their parent to come pick them up. If no parent can be contacted, the student(s) will remain in the registration area of the dance and wait for their intended transportation home.

Attire will be assessed at the door by an administrator.

Dress Code:

·      Ladies dresses must be no shorter than the middle of the thigh.

·      The tops of all dresses must fully cover the breast area. Excessive cleavage is not allowed. V-neck dresses must not plunge any deeper than the bottom of the bra line area.

·      At no point on the dress should any part of the midriff be exposed. Dress backs must not fall below the waist (not the hip bone).

·      Dresses may not have slits that go higher the middle of the thigh.

Dance Behavior:

The style of dance over the past few years has become a concern. Our goal is not to inhibit students' creativity but to bring acceptable decorum back to the dances. Dance appropriateness will be assessed by the WHS staff during the dance.

·      Several students dancing nearly on top of one another is not allowed

·      Bumping, grinding or any dancing of a sexual nature is not allowed (as determined by the staff).

Students attending the Homecoming Dance will be given a wristband on entering the dance. If a staff member encounters inappropriate dancing he/she will speak to the student and remove the wristband.  If a staff member encounters the same student(s) and they have not discontinued the inappropriate dancing they will be asked to leave the dance without refund.

We hope all students and parents will support our efforts in ensuring a safe and appropriate atmosphere for all students as they attend school activities. When choosing clothing for a dance, if you question whether or not the clothing meets these expectations please error on the side of caution and choose another outfit.

Volunteers Needed

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

The WHS staff is aware that we need to work as a team in order for us to support all of our students, and the WHS parents and community are a part of that team. Parents are one of our most valuable assets as a school community. Through your volunteer work and your generosity, you touch the lives of every child at Washougal H.S. There are many opportunities to get involved and we encourage you to find your niche. Some of the different service areas for adults at WHS include:

• Volunteer to chaperone dances and field trips

• Volunteer to tutor students in math during Panther Time with Jay Jenkins

• Volunteer to serve on a committee…Parent Advisory Committee

• Volunteer to help with building and campus improvement projects

• Volunteer to serve as a Senior Project mentor, panel member, etc.

Last year we had three amazing volunteers tutoring students in math during Panther Time.  These individuals made such a difference in the lives of WHS students.  If you have any desire what so ever to volunteer you can pick up Volunteer Clearance forms in the WHS main office.  If you have questions about volunteering, plese call 954-3169.

Panther Time

Parents might be wondering what is "Panther Time" and how is this time beneficial.  I have included some information from the student handbook as well as my personal perspective on this time.  

All students are assigned to a classroom and teacher during Panther Time.  Panther Time is dedicated time for students to complete schoolwork and receive additional support from teachers.  All students must report to their Panther Time classroom for the first 5 minutes each day.  Students with C’s or better in all classes will have an extra 25 minutes after 3^rd period for meeting time, personal study time, enrichment time or lunch.  Students who are not earning C’s or better in all classes will utilize this time for completing assignments, taking tests/quizzes and receiving additional support from teachers.

There are designated days where all students or grade levels will remain with their Panther Time teachers to complete graduation requirements, which includes the development and completion of the state required High School and Beyond Plan and preparation for Student-led Conferences. Also, during this time we will have opportunities to have class and club meetings and assemblies.

Panther Time Grade Checks

1^st Check              9/23/11

2^nd Check            10/21/11

3^rd Check            11/18/11

4^th Check            12/16/11

5^th Check            1/20/12

6^th Check            2/10/12

7^th Check            3/23/12

8^th Check            5/4/12

9^th Check            6/1/12

*Students may qualify for Choice Time between grade checks.  

So far this year we have had two All-School assemblies and individual grade level assemblies during Panther Time.  The first All-School assembly was to welcome the students and the second assembly was honoring the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  The individual grade level assemblies involved a presentation by the grade level counselors and the principal.  We provided information about our expectations, graduation requirements and upcoming events for each grade level.

If you have any questions regarding this time or you are interested in tutoring during Panther Time please contact the school at 954-3100.

Panthers in the News

Washougal High School has had a pretty good start to the school year.  If you haven't noticed we've
received some positive notice in the Columbian and Post-Record.


August 10,  2011 Graduate, Patrick McCarthy received a $5000 scholarship from Edward Jones and The Financial Services Roundtable.  Check out the article by following the link below.


http://blog.operationhope.org/2011/08/edward-jones-and-financial-services-roundtable-honor-high-school-student-with-financial-literacy-scholarship/


August 30, there was an article about the start of the 2011-12 school year.  If you didn't get a chance to read the article, follow the link below:


http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/aug/30/back-to-school-let-the-lessons-begin-as-washougal/


September 9, Jim Reed and the ASB organized an assembly recognizing the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  The Columbian was there and published a wonderful article the next day.  If you are interested in reading it, please check out the link below.  You can also watch part of the assembly on Youtube, thanks to The Columbian.


http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/sep/10/washougal-assemblies-sept-11/


Proud to Be a Panther!

Second Semester-2011 Honor Roll Students

Even though we have started a new school year, it is important to recognize the efforts by many WHS students second semester of last year.  The students listed below are our second semester Honor Roll students (4.0-3.6).  

Congratulations!

Isaac  Bischoff

Austin  Black

David  Choi

Gilbert  Claudio

Rebeccah  Clemans

KendriAnna  Cochran

Noah  Collins

Madeline  Down

Ian  Gutierrez

Mackenzie  Helland

Katherine  Ladwig

Sydney  Loveland

Jacob  Strong

Colton  Sullivan

Michael  Thomas

Shandell  Vogel

Jonathan  Weidner

Elizabeth  Boon

Gage  Dally

Sean  Guthrie

Kaitlyn  Johnson

Kari  Johnson

Audrey  Klackner

Kelci  Light

Elizabeth  Price

Justice  Rosales

Tenley  Stedman

Angela  Steffanson

Rachel  Tanner

Autumn  Tendler

Austin  Thomson

Timmethy  Tran

Anthony  Valdez

Rachel  Whetzel

Brady  Barnes

Brendon  Brown

Nicholas  Fellows

Sydney  Hickey

Jennifer  Ladwig

Jacob  Lively

Ashley  Oakes

MacKenzie  Pfeifer

Hannah  Wright

MacKenzie  Wright

Joshua  Banks

Luke  Lockard

Crystal  Saltmarsh

Brian  Choi

Jared  Kasowski

Samuel  O'Hara

Katelyn  Wright

Chelsea  Chapman

Kimberly  DeShiell

Nicholas  Hardt

Michael  Neketuk

Gabriel  Flowers

Dakota  Krecklow

Mellissa  Thatcher

Christina  Zack

Jessica  Dona

Lauren  Fialdini

Taylor  Houze

Jared  Anderson

Diana  Antonov

Jacob  Wright

Kelsey  Andrew

Taryn  Boni

Pedro  Cuevas-Ayala

Brian  Connolly

Kenneth Reed

Anthony  Velardi

III, Charles  Moore III

Sydney  Niemi

Johnpaul  Dobles

Jarrett  Gregory

Kendall  Utter

Cassandra  Holcombe

Kayla  Cayton

Erin  Locke

Megan  Sharp

James  Maguire

Isael  Cuevas

Kristin  Bruley

Lauryl  Ault

Allicia  Cain

Benjamin  McDonald

Emmie  Palmer

Nicholas  Stevens

Noah  Cima

Kayla  Lockard

Austin  Miller

Kelly  Brown

Zechariah  Friedrich

Amber  Hammond

Nina  Pawelzick

Bailey  Wagner

Danielle  Larson

Regan  Townsend

Karly  Murphy

Greda  Poljakov

Adam  Thomas

Nicole  Gamble

Gregory  Gehrke

Camille  Jenkins

Darby  MacKenzie

Spencer  Carnera

Adrienne  Leon

Amanda  Sampson

Austin  Tofell

Jennifer  Trenary

James  Strickland

Sarah  Brown

Maren  Clark

Forrest  Hicks

Savannah  McDowell

Brandon  Brown

Felicia  Harrison

Vanessa  Herrera

Robert  Jacobs

Riel  Lord

Jacob  Meyers

Elisabeth  Padgett

James  Stout

Darian  Tierney

Joshua  Warren

Justin  Wilmoth

Nicole  Zawacki

Megan  Anderson

Ethan  Dayley

Samantha  Phillips

Ilia  Svistun

Jacob  Bischoff

Sean  Eustis

Jessica  Christianson

Valene  Deulen

Alexis  Jensen

Sarah  Mantey

Cassandra  Murray

Kyle  Norris

Chandler  Urenda

Alexis  Webb

Baiylie  Wilson

Josef  Elsensohn

Julia  Larson

Dalton  Krecklow

Chase  Duey

Heather  McMullen

Carlos  Palacio

German  Poljakov

Kaitlyn  Wise

Chad  Browning

Jessica  Hatton

Kelsey  Lagerquist

Isaac  Stinchfield

Kimberly  Yano