WHS Update and Information-Finals Week

January 28-February 1

Visitors- We would like to ask all visitors to sign-in in the main office upon arrival.  All visitors will be issued a pass to be worn while in the building. Visitors are not allowed in any other part of the building without a visitor pass.  The Washougal High School main office is located to the right just after entering the front doors.  If you are checking your student out, we want you to still do so from the main office.

Graduation Requirements-Successful completion of a one-semester course equals 0.5 credits. Students are responsible for the graduation requirements for the year in which they graduate. To earn a high school diploma, a student must:

• Earn high school credit (23 credits)
• Pass state tests or approved alternatives to those tests (HSPE and EOC)
• Complete the Culminating Project (Senior Project)
• Complete a High School and Beyond Plan

Snow Makeup Day will be 3/15/13-Friday March 15, 2013 will be a makeup day for the snow day on Friday January 4, 2013.

Parent Advisor Council (PAC)- Our next meeting will be Monday, January 28, 2013 starting at 6:30 pm in the library. We will be discussing facilities and Cyber Communication.

1^st Semester Finals-Semester finals have arrived. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are dedicated to course finals. Students should be preparing for finals by studying at home.   1^st semester grades will be posted by Wednesday, February 6, 2013 on Skyward for students and parents to review. Grades will be sent home with students and mailed home on February 12, 2013.  I have included the finals schedule as well as additional information below:

Wednesday, January 30     Periods 1 & 2

Thursday, January 31         Periods 4 & 5

Friday, February 1                Periods 6 & 7

Students will have lunch from 10:55-11:25.  All students will be released at 11:25 am on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Delete Cyberbullying-Cyberbullying can happen while using the Internet, cell phone, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person. Whether you’ve been a victim of cyberbullying, know someone who has been cyberbullied, or have even cyberbullied yourself, there are steps you can take to stop cyberbullying and stay cyber-safe.  The following steps can help delete cyberbullying:

•    Refuse to pass along cyberbullying messages

•    Tell friends to stop cyberbullying

•    Block communication with cyberbullies

•    Report cyberbullying to a trusted adult (parent, WHS staff member)

Second Semester-Second semester begins on Monday, February 4.  Second semester schedules will be given to students during their 5^th period class on Thursday, January 31.  Schedules are also available on Skyward.

February EOC Retakes-End of Course Exam (EOC) retakes will be offered at WHS February 6 & 7. Biology retakes will be on Wednesday starting at 7:55 am on February 6, 2013.  Biology retakes are for current 10^th graders who did not meet standard on last year’s Biology EOC.  Math retakes will be in the auditorium starting at 7:55 am on February 7, 2013. If you have questions about your student taking he EOC math and/or biology exams please contact, the office at 954-3100.

Go Panthers!

WHS Panther Update and Information-Week 17

January 7-11 Events and Additional Information

Congratulations to the following WHS students who were accepted into the annual National Association for Music Educator’s All-Northwest/All-State honors groups.  Congratulations to Kelly Ritter and Jen Mahorney for their leadership, guidance and support for all band and choir students at WHS.

Allix Fisher (bass clarinet) - All-Northwest Wind Symphony

Sydney Niemi (baritone saxophone) - All-Northwest Wind Symphony

Riley Miller (trombone) - All-Northwest Wind Symphony

Nick Stevens (bassoon) - All-Northwest Wind Symphony

Crystal Saltmarsh (percussion) - All-State Concert Band

Bret Wade (tenor voice) - All-State Symphonic Choir

Austin Smith-Brown (tenor voice) - All-State Symphonic Choir

Zoe West (soprano voice) - All-State Symphonic Choir

This is the largest combined group of students from WHS to qualify.  To be accepted, students must have completed a rigorous audition process and competed against thousands of other applicants from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Alaska.

Delete Cyberbullying-The Internet offers a wealth of resources and materials for our students. Accessed through a variety of electronic devices, it also allows for rich and diverse opportunities for communication. However, it has also provided some people with the means to exploit individuals and engage in cyberbullying. 

Part of the State of Washington's Anti-Bullying Law and the Washougal School District’s Prohibition of Bullying Policy (#3207) includes the exclusion of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is bullying using electronic devices to initiate repeated negative behavior toward a less-powerful person. Electronic name-calling, shunning and shaming are all forms of cyberbullying. So are spreading rumors, gossiping and making threats online.

Although much of the negative cyber communication may not take place at WHS/EHS, it does impact our climate.  We will be providing cyber communication information to WHS/EHS students over the next few weeks during 3^rd period.  We are planning to provide parents with information at the PAC meeting on January 28 as well as in an open forum style meeting in the auditorium (date has yet to be determined).  For both students and parents, I have included sites endorsed by OSPI dealing with Cyber Safety.

http://www.k12.wa.us/SafetyCenter/InternetSafety/default.aspx

http://www.netsmartz.org

http://www.ncpc.org/cyberbullying

http://isafe.org

http://wiredsafety.org

http://www.GetNetWise.org

http://safely.yahoo.com

http://www.theinternetandyourchild.org

Parent Advisor Council  (PAC)- The minutes from the November 26 PAC meeting have been posted on our website.  If you want to know what we talked about please visit http://www.washougal.k12.wa.us/whs/schoolinformation/pac.htm.  Our next meeting will be Monday, January 28, 2013 starting at 6:30 pm in the library. We will be discussing facilities and Cyber.

SOS-The Save Organic Scraps Program is coming to WHS on February 4.  The SOS Program is a school recycling program driven by student involvement and student leadership.  This program is in 94 Clark County schools grades K-12, reaching approximately 40,000 students.  It is funded through a partnership between Clark County Environmental Services, Waste Connections, and the Washington State Department of Ecology. The program is designed to be cost neutral for the school districts, with reductions in garbage service paying for the extra compost collection.  If you want to find out more about SOS, and learn more at  www.saveorganicscraps.com.Parent Advisor Council  (PAC)- The minutes from the November 26 PAC meeting have been posted on our website.  If you want to know what we talked about please visit http://www.washougal.k12.wa.us/whs/schoolinformation/pac.htm.  Our next meeting will be Monday, January 28, 2013 starting at 6:30 pm in the library. We will be discussing facilities and Cyber.

Winter Sports- If you have questions about winter sports contact Doug Cox, Athletic Director at 954-3104.  You can see the practice schedules on our Sports calendar. The Sports calendar can be found under the Calendar heading on our website (www.washougal.k12.wa.us/whs).

1^st Semester Finals- The end of the 1st Semester is rapidly approaching.  The last three days of the semester are dedicated to course finals.  1^st semester grades will be posted by Wednesday, February 8, 2013 on Skyward for students and parents to review. Grades will be sent home with students and mailed home on February 12, 2013.  I have included the finals schedule as well as additional information below:

Wednesday, January 30               Periods 1 & 2

Thursday, January 31                   Periods 4 & 5

Friday, February 1                        Periods 6 & 7

Second Semester-Second semester begins on Monday, February 4. 

February EOC Retakes-End of Course Exam (EOC) retakes will be offered at WHS February 6 & 7. Biology retakes will be on Wednesday starting at 7:55 am on February 6, 2013.  Biology retakes are for current 10^th graders who did not meet standard on last year’s Biology EOC.  Math retakes will be in the auditorium starting at 7:55 am on February 7, 2013. If a student has attempted a math EOC and has not yet met graduation standards, they will automatically be ordered a test. 

Creating a Safe Place at WHS/EHS

As a result of a number of tragic events that occurred in December, the staff has been reviewing some of our procedures and practices around safety.  It is events that have recently happened that remind us all of the importance of promoting school safety by following procedures and reporting unusual or concerning behaviors. 

Our ultimate goal is to provide a safe place for our students and staff to learn and work.  We are interested in providing a caring school community in which staff and students respect and trust each other and all students feel connected, understand expectations and receive the support they need. 

Below is a list of preventative measures that I want you to be aware of and consider how you can help.  I have limited the list to a few items that I believe are well within our control and do not represent major changes to current practices.

1.  Limited access to school building (designated entrance with all other access points locked from the exterior).

We have started locking the south doors at 7:55 am.  We unlock them for both lunches and then lock them again during the afternoon.  The reason we are doing this is to limit the access to the school building.  The front door will be the only one open throughout the day.      

• Please do not purposely block a door from shutting completely.
• Please do not leave items in the student parking lot that you will need during the day.  If you need access to the parking lot during the day make sure a staff member is aware.

2.  Monitoring and supervision of student common areas such as hallways, cafeteria and parking lot.

All students should be reporting to a staff member each period.  Students should have a pass when in the halls during class time. 

During both lunches students should eat and remain in the cafeteria unless planning to go to a teacher’s classroom or the library.  It is much easier to monitor one location than the entire building. 

There are parts of the building that are off limits.  Students should not be in the back hall or the upper gym unless with a class that is being supervised by a staff member.

3.  Presence of school resource officers, and/or security guard.

We have a full-time School Resource Officer and Security.  Officer Ryan Castro and Mike Taylor have an office in the main office and are available to students and staff throughout the day.  

4.  Monitoring of school guests

We expect all guests to report to the main office, sign-in and wear a badge.  This includes former students, parent volunteers, etc.  We expect visitors to enter the building through the front doors. We do not want students or staff letting individuals into the building through other doors.

Students may not know all of the staff members in the building, but they should be able to recognize a staff member by the staff badge being worn.

5.  Students have a responsibility for their part in maintaining safe school environment.

Maintaining a safe school environment is everyone’s responsibility. We will be working with ASB to include in announcements safety information.  If any student(s) are interested in being part of our Safety Committee, please contact Mike Taylor.  

The most impactful way students can contribute to maintaining a safe school environment include:

• Volunteer to serve on the safety committee 

• Become advocates for programs/clubs that support a safe and healthy school climate 

• Reduce conflict situations rather than making them worse. Practice good citizenship, and treat peers and staff with respect.

• Report weapon possession, drug use or sale, bullying threats or intimidation, victimization, and/or vandalism to school authorities and parents.

• Learn the consequences of alcohol, drug, and gun use and the methods for resisting alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. Use this understanding to help other students avoid alcohol or drug use or seek help if they are already involved in alcohol or drugs.  We have a Prevention/Intervention Specialist on campus.  Julie Vanover can be reached at 954-  or via email at julie.vanover@washougalsd.org.

• Follow the school rules that are made for everyone, and recognize the consequences of violating the rules.

• Encourage parents to come to the school and be involved in activities that support the school.

WHS Panther Update and Information-Week 16

WHS Panther Update and Information-Week Sixteen

Dear Washougal HS families,

We are deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred on December 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  As educators and as parents, it is difficult to understand such a catastrophic event. We feel closely connected to the children, teachers and staff, families and community who were so devastated by the loss of innocent lives.

I want to reassure you that we take school safety and security very seriously at Washougal HS and in the Washougal School District. We are vigilant and proactive when it comes to our students’ safety and have clear plans and procedures to deal with emergency situations.

We continue to review as a staff our procedures as well implement other precautionary measures to maintain both a secure and nurturing environment for our students. School support and administrative staff have committed to being available and accessible to respond to our students’ concerns and needs as necessary and appropriate.

I am sharing a link to an excellent document entitled, “A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope.” This document, prepared by the National Association of School Psychologists, provides parents and school personnel with ideas and age appropriate responses to event the occurred Friday, December 14.

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/terror_general.aspx

I am sure that you, like me, are struggling to make sense of the tragedy that occurred in Newtown.  We are also trying to find words to help our children feel safe and resilient in a world that sometimes feels unpredictable and scary.   Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or if I can provide any support.

Aaron Hansen, WHS principal

January 2-5 Events and Additional Information

Panther Pride-Alyssa Snapp, Whitnie Sampson & Shelby Ernst spent 7 days in London with the Universal Cheerleaders Association touring and then cheering, marching and dancing as they represented Washougal and the U.S. in the London New Years Day Parade!!  Congratulations to all three girls for being part of the UCA event and representing WHS Panthers so well!  We are proud of you!  Visit the Principal’s Blog to see pictures of the event.

Shelby, Whitnie and Alyssa (Middle 3)

Whitnie and Alyssa

SOS-The Save Organic Scraps Program is coming to WHS on February 4.  Below is some information about the program as well as some SOS recycling facts. There is broader recycling information at  recyclextreme.com.

During the 2012-2013 school year, Schools participating in the Save Organic Scraps Program will divert from the landfill approximately:

1.4 million pounds of food and paper     (composted instead of landfilled)

3.6 million milk cartons                             (recycled instead of landfilled)

0.5 million aluminum cans                       (recycled instead of landfilled)

0.5 million plastic bottles                           (recycled instead of landfilled)

Assist in the diversion of millions of pounds of paper and cardboard  and other recyclables from Clark County schools.

The SOS Program is a school recycling program driven by student involvement and student leadership.  It began in 2005 in 3 schools, and has grown to almost all the schools in Clark County. This program is in 94 Clark County schools grades K-12, reaching approximately 40,000 students.  It is funded through a partnership between Clark County Environmental Services, Waste Connections, and the Washington State Department of Ecology. The program is designed to be cost neutral for the school districts, with reductions in garbage service paying for the extra compost collection.  If you want to find out more about SOS, and learn more at  www.saveorganicscraps.com

Parent Advisor Council  (PAC)- The minutes from the November 26 PAC meeting have been posted on our website.  If you want to know what we talked about please visit http://www.washougal.k12.wa.us/whs/schoolinformation/pac.htm.  Our next meeting will be Monday, January 28, 2013 starting at 6:30 pm in the library. We will be discussing facilities.

Winter Sports-Our winter sports teams have completed their non-conference games and are beginning league play.  The Wrestling team is currently 1-0 in league as they defeated Ridgefield during winter vacation.  If you have questions about winter sports contact Doug Cox, Athletic Director at 954-3104.  You can see the practice schedules on our Sports calendar. The Sports calendar can be found under the Calendar heading on our website (www.washougal.k12.wa.us/whs).

1^st Semester Finals- The end of the 1st Semester is rapidly approaching.  The last three days of the semester are dedicated to course finals.  I have included the finals schedule as well as additional information below:

•    Finals days are early release days, where students will be excused from school at 11:25. 

•    Wednesday (1/30) Periods 1 & 2

•    Thursday (1/31) Periods 4 & 5

•    Friday (2/1) Periods 6 & 7

•    1^st semester grades will be posted by Wednesday, February 8, 2013 on Skyward

•    Grades will be sent home with students on February 12, 2013.

February EOC Retakes-End of Course Exam (EOC) retakes will be offered at WHS February 6 & 7. Biology retakes will be on Wednesday starting at 7:55 am on February 6, 2013.  Biology retakes are for current 10^th graders who did not meet standard on last year’s Biology EOC.  Math retakes will be in the auditorium starting at 7:55 am on February 7, 2013. If a student has attempted a math EOC and has not yet met graduation standards, they will automatically be ordered a test. 

Skyward Family Access for Parents & Students-One of the most effective ways for us to share information with our families is through email within Skyward.  In order for that to work we need your most updated email address as well as your student’s email address.  If we do not have the necessary information or you need to change your personal information in Skyward, such as address, phone number, etc., please contact Ann Jendro at 954-3169 or via email at ann.jendro@washougalsd.org.   Using skyward, you will be able to see your student’s attendance, grades, calendars, any notifications teachers may post, as well as assignments and/or missing assignments your student may have.

January

2            School Resumes

14-18    Suicide Prevention & Healthy Choices Week

16         Wednesday PLC Early Release #4-Students are released at 11:25 am.

21         No School- Martin Luther King Holiday

30         Finals 1 & 2 (Early Release)

31         Finals 3 & 4 (Early Release)

February

1          Finals 5 & 6 / 1^st Semester Ends (Early Release)

4          Beginning of Second Semester

6          EOC Biology Make-Up-Regular School Day

7          EOC Make-Up for Algebra/Geometry-Regular School Day