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Wolf Pack Monthly
Family Newsletter for December 2022
Finals Schedule
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
DECEMBER
12/1 Lip Sync Contest 2022 Shows @ 4pm and @ 6pm
12/1 - 12/15 Brighter Christmas Canned Food Drive
12/10 College Bound @ 9 am at WHS Theatre
12/14, 12/15, 12/16 1st Semester Finals, End of 1st Semester
12/19-1/2 NO SCHOOL Winter Break
JANUARY
1/7 Winter Ball Permission Slips and Payment due 12/16 ($20 per person w/ASB)
1/16 MLK Breakfast @ West High School ($15/$10 Presale)
1/16 Yearbook Pre Orders due! yearbookordercenter.com, $85
1/21 College Bound @ 9 am at WHS Theatre
Principal's Message
12/01/2022
It's December and we are down to the last 12 days of school before the end of our first semester! Walking the hallways and talking to students is always the highlight of my day. There is the great buzz of learning that comes with walking the campus - I have been in classrooms and observed students creating their own experiments, building mouse traps, building bridges - and becoming financially aware of costs and supply and demand. It's been so great to see... I know as parents when we ask how our kid's day was, we get the, "fine" or "it's whatever"... I encourage you to keep peeling away at those layers and get our students talking about what they are learning. Eventually, they may say, I had to do a stock portfolio, or I am reading about Gatsby and his issues, or learning about density and matter. There are so many great things happening in our classrooms. Let's encourage our students to be actively participating and - even though they act like they aren't paying attention - most of them do know what's going on and can tell you. As we close out this first semester, I am excited at all that our students have been and continue to do. Finals are coming up, so let's encourage our students to get their notes and study habits in order!
We have so many exciting things going on here at West! Congrats to our students that have been competing on the weekends... Our cadets have been participating and placing in drill competitions, our musicians have placed in band and drum line competitions... Our FFA harvested some great turkeys and are starting their competition season. Our Fall Sports wrapped up last month - Girls Volleyball, Football, Girls' Golf, and Cross Country had great, progressive seasons! They are wrapping up their season banquets. And now we have our Winter Sports underway, good luck to our Basketball, Soccer and Wrestling Teams with the upcoming games that they will be playing.
This month we are holding a Canned Food Drive that benefits Brighter Christmas AND is a competition between our clubs and the other high schools! Please encourage your student to bring in canned foods for the Brighter Christmas food drive. If they aren't part of a club, they can bring it to the office and we will have a collection going. We are pretty competitive, and I know we can show the other high schools that we are truly West High, Best High when it comes to caring for our community!
Our Winter Ball will be on January 7. All permission slips and payments are due on before we leave for Winter Break. If your student is bringing a guest, they must be signed off by the administration of their school. This is a great night of fun for our students to make memories and enjoy the high school experience!
Thank you, families, for your support from home. Our goal is for every student to be successful and the partnership between school and home is a vital component to this success, so thank you!
Please enjoy the holidays and I hope you spend time enjoying your family!
Until next month...(year)... Have a great break!
Annabelle Lee
Principal
Merrill F. West High School
“…in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” – Maya Angelou
Attendance Reminders
Please clear your student's absences by sending a note to the office or leaving a message on the attendance line. Green exit slips must be returned to the office the following day for students that leave early. Absences must be excused within 48 hours of the absence, or students will receive Saturday School Hours.
We have noticed an increase in tardies! Please speak to your student about the importance of getting to class ON TIME!
If you are planning for you student to leave on a Travel Study, please make sure you turn in paperwork 2 weeks before the start date. Teachers need to time to compile work and get everything ready for our students that our leaving.
Off-Campus Pass Reminders
All 11th or 12th graders with Off-Campus Privileges - If you are late coming back from lunch, your off-campus privilege will be revoked for a week. You will need to meet with Ms. Arroyo to get your off-campus pass back. Attendance matters! Let's get to class on time!
Site Safety Reminders
When coming on to campus, please enter through the south parking lot (by the flag pole) and check in with the security officer. They will direct you to where you need to go. This includes during lunchtime.
Please remind students that we do not allow food deliveries from non-parents/guardians (Door Dash, Uber, Postmates, etc). This is to ensure the safety and security of our campus.
If you are picking up your child early or clearing absences, please check in with security and go to the attendance windows. For all other needs, please come into the office.
Counseling Corner/AP Testing Info
Link to Counseling Website
SENIORS! Set up your Remind Account for updates on Senior Activities, College and Career Information, and Reminders!
SENIORS! Please make sure to fill out the fafsa/cadaa (Go to fafsa.ed.gov) or fill out the opt out form (from counselor) as soon as possible. The new California State Law requires that all 12th graders complete and submit a FAFSA (Free application for federal student aid), CADAA (California Dream Act Application), or Opt Out form before graduation. The goal of this new bill is to increase student access to financial aid resources. ($$$)
Weekly Club Meetings (Updated Regularly)
Art Club, sched TBA, P19, Advisor: Ms. Carroll
Asian Pacific Islander Club, Wednesdays @ Lunch, P20 or G12, Advisor: Ms. Kim
Black Student Union, Wednesdays @ Lunch, IMC-1, Advisor: Mrs. Harrison/Ms. Escalante
Chess Club, Tues/Thurs @Lunch, MS30, Advisor: Mr. Farrens
FCCLA, 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ Lunch , G5, Advisor: Ms. Bliss
FFA Meeting, once a month @ 330 in Cafeteria, check Ag Classrooms for Sched
Film Club, Thursdays @ 4-5pm, ST-1B, Advisor: Mr. Vang
GSA (PackPride), Tuesdays @ Lunch, P3 , Advisor: Dr. Pina
Journalism, Thurs (monthly) @ Lunch, MS3, Advisor, Ms. Escalante
JROTC Cadet Staff, Wednesdays @ 715am, Advisor: Maj. Roundtree
Project Smile, Tuesdays @ Lunch, IMC-1 / MS13; Advisor: Ms.. Scott
Robotics Club, Thurs/Fri @330-550, T7, Advisor: Mr. Moehnke
Tri-M Club, Every other Tuesday, K2, Advisor: Mr. Raman
Music Club, Every other Tuesday, K2, Advisor: Mr. Raman
Merrill F. West High School
Website: https://westhigh.tracy.k12.ca.us/
Location: 1775 West Lowell Avenue, Tracy, CA, USA
Phone: (209)830-3370
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MerrillFWestHighSchool
Twitter: @MWHSWolfpack