Wolverines News Nov. Newsletter

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In the next few weeks West High students, and incoming 8th grade West Middle students, will begin to select courses for the 2022-2023 school year. Counselors and teachers have begun to share information with students, and 8th grade students have had an opportunity to tour the Career Academy, and will soon tour West High.

In addition to guidance regarding required core classes, students in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to participate in over 30 pathways that offer career and college exploration at no cost to the students. Career and Technical Education courses are offered at West High, as well as at the downtown Career Academy campus, and the Harry Hopkins campus. Free transportation is available for all students who wish to participate at those sites.

For more information about CTE courses and the Career Academy please visit: https://career-academy.siouxcityschools.org/

If there are questions, please contact West High School and ask to speak to your student's counselor to learn more information. The current grade level counselor will loop with students to their next grade level, and follow them through graduation.

We are looking forward to seeing where are soon-to-be graduates will go, and continuing forward with our current and future Wolverines!

Sincerely,

-Ms. Rebecca Rieken

#WeAreWEST

Students from West High said the following about Mr. Malenosky: He's the best teacher of all time. He makes West High School fun to attend. Mr. Malenosky is also willing to help me every single time I have a question."

Staff from West High said the following: "His class is engaging and he is positive. We appreciate how much he is always helping his students."

On October 21 students in the WHS Geophysics class, along with their teacher Mr. Hoogers and Mrs. Gengler, attended a Math Challenge Day with other area high schools at Dordt College. The students competed both individually and as a group for prizes. They engaged in discussions and hands-on experiences with Dordt professors.

This past Saturday, guests joined together at West High School for an interactive event where they learned about food insecurity across world. This event was student led by West High School senior, Audrey Enszer, and supported by our National Honor Society and Prostart students. Proceeds benefited the Food Bank of Siouxland and Oxfam International.

The West High Student Council decided to start the "25 Days of Mental Health" project last year because they realized that many people within our school and community were stressed and overwhelmed. They feel it is important to understand that every single person has a state of mental health whether it is positive or negative.

This year, to go along with our second annual "25 Days of Mental Health" the WHS Student Council designed hoodies to sell through Custom Ink to raise funds for the Siouxland Mental Health Center. ALL proceeds will go towards this organization!! They purposely did not include "West High" anywhere on the sweatshirts so that these hoodies can be worn by anyone around the country and can spread the positive message wider than just our school. In fact, they had a recent purchase from Maryland! The hoodies will be delivered directly to your address on December 8th and would make great holiday gifts! If you don’t want a sweatshirt but still would like to donate to the Siouxland Mental Health Center, you can do so through this link as well. Again, ALL the money raised will be sent straight to the Siouxland Mental Health Center. The student council designed 2 different hoodies that are being offered in 6 different colors - be sure to check them out! Please consider contributing to the Siouxland Mental Health Center and spreading a positive message by wearing the sweatshirts! 🙂

https://www.customink.com/fundraising/improving-mental-health-in-siouxland?fbclid=IwAR0D3KefbmG03SAaXHVYvbRUPpamRdiTc9mVgF1sNchasBYvRizVU6nNHNE

Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) IA-20151 Misty Cadets honored our Veterans with the 5th Annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Thursday, November 11, 2021, at Girl’s Inc. The cadets put together a presentation that embraced the theme “The War Within.” The cadets highlighted the “internal war” experienced by some of our bravest men and women, along with the ultimate price some paid for our freedom.

Additionally, the cadets peformed their 6th Annual, 12-hour Vigil at the Sergeant Floyd Monument. For 12 hours, which began 5:00 am, Thursday, November 11, cadets marched quietly in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate price. The vigil closed at 5:00 pm with a Remembrance Ceremony, remembering those who have served or are still serving.

Annual West High Madrigal Dinners

Fri/Sat. Dec. 10-11, 2021

@ Masonic Shrine Temple Auditorium

(corner of 9th and Nebraska St.)

This is a ticketed event and must be purchased before the shows. Tickets will not be available at the door. We will also be having a Silent Auction where you can bid on items so don’t forget your cash/check book! All proceeds will go to West High Choirs. If you have items you would like to donate to the silent auction please email hodnefb@live.siouxcityschools.com

Ticket price will be $25. Thursday, October 14th, order forms and additional information will be sent home with students in their respective choirs and they will also be available in the West High Main Office or in this West High Choir Room (245) at West High School.

Choirs performing: Chamber, Concert Bass, Varsity Treble and Chorale Treble/Bass Choirs

First-year teacher Victor Diaz Galindo has returned to his roots. A West High School alum, Victor is teaching Spanish and inspiring students to understand the power of education.

Click the following link to read his story:

https://www.siouxcityschools.org/news/2021/11/achievement-story-victor-diaz-galindo-district-alum-and-teacher/

Students will not be allowed into the building until 7:15 am. Staff are not available to supervise student safety until that time. Students will be allowed to transition to the Den for breakfast at 7:25am. Students must exit the building by 3:15 unless they are involved in a supervised after school activity.

Students are not allowed to bring blankets to school. If any student needs assistance with obtaining warmer clothing, or winter coats, please contact West High school so we may support those needs.

You can now check Canvas or Infinite Campus for your student's grades. The marking period or quarter grade is not the final grade, but a progress grade that will continue to update until the end of the semester. The Semester grade is the final grade that will show up on a transcript.

This school year students will be not allowed to turn in past missing work after the assessment of that unit of work has passed. If a student has been absent due to illness, or another excused reason, they will have additional make-up time for completing assignments. Students will be allowed to re-take district common assessments, or unit assessment to improve their grade. Teachers will communicate these updates to students, and will be continuously informing students of the next assessment date by posting the date in the classroom, on CANVAS, and in-person.

Parents and guardians are asked to visit with their children about respectful and responsible lunchroom behavior. Our food service staff work very hard to provide all of our students with healthy meal options, and a clean lunchroom environment. We need our students help. Please remind them to throw their food away in appropriate trash containers before they leave the lunchroom, and to not leave food behind on tables, or left on the floor. Thank you for supporting these positive student behaviors!

If your contact information has changed since registration, please call West High School, 712-279-6772, with an update of the information. Emergency contact information is also highly recommended. Being able to successfully communicate with our families is very important to us!

The West High School Food Pantry & Clothing Closet is available to meet the needs the West side community. We can assist families with meals, clothing, toiletries, and some household goods. We are limiting building access at this time, but would be happy to prepare a pick-up order to meet your needs. Please call West High School with any requests, 712-279-6772, or email Mr. Van Buren: vanburm1@live.siouxcityschools.com

During the school day, any WHS student with a study hall in their schedule will have opportunity for academic intervention with WHS teachers. Students who are failing a course will be expected to work with a designated teacher during study hall until their grades are passing.

After school tutoring will be available for any WHS student from 3:00-4:00 Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the WHS Media Center. Busing home will be available to students leaving WHS at 4:15 and dropping off at the nearest feeder elementary school.

Night School is available to any student working on credit recovery/acquisition via Edgenuity. Night School will be 3-7pm Tuesdays & Thursdays, and 3-5pm on Wednesdays in the SWS/AEC classroom, Room 265.

Saturday School will be available to any WHS student on the following dates from 9am-12pm in the WHS Media Center:

• 11/20
• 12/4
• 12/18
• 1/8
• 1/29
• 2/5
• 2/19
• 3/5
• 3/19
• 4/9
• 4/23
• 5/7
• 5/14
• 5/21

We continue to focus on increasing positive attendance at school. As parents and guardians are anticipating an absence for that school day, please call the school to report that absence, 712-279-6772.

In an attempt to find resolutions for unresolved absences, parents and students will be contacted within 24 hours to determine the reason behind the unresolved absence.

If a student is absence for more than 20 minutes of a scheduled block, and that absence is unexcused, it will be considered a truancy.

Students are expected to have a pass at all times during the instructional block if they are outside of their scheduled class.

West High School is a closed campus. Students are not allowed to leave at anytime, including during the lunch block, unless they are traveling to/from an excused absence, or to/from another school campus.

Students may not bring outside food into the school building, or have food delivered to the school for pick up.

As parents/guardians are waiting to pick up students after school, please do not parking in the driving lanes. When this happens, it disrupts the flow of traffic, and prevents those that are parked and attempting to leave, exit their parked location. Please find an empty parking space to park in while you are waiting for your student to come to your vehicle, thank you.

Following dismissal, we have many students traveling towards the corner of W. 19th and Casselman who are jay walking, and doing so in front of moving traffic. This presents a serious safety concern for both the pedestrian student, and the driver and their passengers. Parents and guardians, if your child is traveling this course after school, please encourage them to follow safety expectations. Students who are observed jaywalking may be cited by our resource officers on duty.

We want to thank our WHS students for their cooperating in starting the year strong with following our district and school expectations regarding not wearing hats, or having hoods on once they enter the school building.We will continue with these expectations as the school year continues.

If other concerns regarding dress appearance arise, WHS administration will address those with students individually and contact parents and guardians.

Our team invites parents and guardians to connect with them anytime throughout the school year so we can partner with you as we guide our students to success. All are welcome to call West High School to schedule an appointment, or email the grade level administrator directly:

West High School, 712-279-6772

12th grade, Rebecca Rieken, Head Principal- riekenr@live.siouxcityschools.com

11th grade, Steve Green, Assistant Principal & Activities Director- greens@live.siouxcityschools.com

10th grade, Brant Bemus, Assistant Principal- bemusb@live.siouxcityschools.com

9th grade, Pam Husk, Assistant Principal- huskp@live.siouxcityschools.com

To order transcripts:

Students need to go into the Clever account

Click on the Kuder account

On the left column, go to "order transcript" and enter college (s) for submission.

Transcripts are processed within 48 hours

FAFSA Application:

Opens up October 1st

Girls Basketball:

November 8th First Day of Official Practice

November 22nd Cherokee Washington High vs. Sioux City West High @ West High Gymnasium. Junior Varsity @ 5:30 pm and Varsity @ 7:00 pm.

Boys Basketball:

November 15th First Day of Official Practice

November 19th WOLVERINE MADNESS at 7:30 pm in the West High Gymnasium.

Introduction of players & staff/3-point shooting contest/Dunk Contest/Inter-squad game/Performance by OUR WEST HIGH DANCE SQUAD/DJ Alex in the house.

November 23rd Jamboree @ Sioux City East High time TBD.

November 29th 9th grade double header verse Sioux City North at West High. Game One at 6:00 pm and Game Two at 7:30 pm.

Wrestling Boys & Girls:

ALL Wrestlers need to show up to Body Composition Testing on EITHER Thursday, November 11th OR Friday, November 12th.

November 15th First Day of Official Practice

November 30th Triangular at Hinton, Iowa at Hinton High School with Lawton-Bronson starting at 6:00 pm.

Bowling Boys & Girls:

November 8th First Day of Official Practice

November 22nd at Plaza Bowl verse Sioux City North JV and Varsity with a 1:00 pm start time.

November 29th at Rush Lanes verse Sgt. Bluff-Luton JV and Varsity with a 1:00 pm start time.

Boys Swimming:

November 8th First Day of Official Practice @ 5:45 am

November 23rd Pentathlon verse CB Abe Lincoln & CB Thomas Jefferson JV and Varsity at West High with a 5:00 pm start time.

Make sure to follow Twitter https://twitter.com/WHS_Activities and the West High Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SiouxCityWestHighSchool/ with important announcements that we provide to our West High School students and families.

November 20th: Saturday School

November 24th: 1 Hour Early Release

November 25-26th: Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

December 4th: Saturday School

December 18th: Saturday School

December 23rd-31st: Winter Holiday Break (No School)

January 11th: Semester 1 Ends

January 12th: Teacher Workday (No School)

Instructions on accessing ISASP scores are available on our website at https://www.siouxcityschools.org/parents/isasp-scores/. Families can translate the instructions in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali on our website through Google Translate.

Every student in our building has given a rapid COVID-19 testing form to take home to their parents/guardians. A student must have a signed consent form on record as well as verbal consent from their parent/guardian prior to the administration of a rapid test. Rapid tests should be available to students who start displaying COVID symptoms during the school day, around the second week of October.

Have you filled out a free and reduced meal application for the 2021-2022 school year? If you haven’t, please take a few moments to fill out the application today. While meals are free to all students due to the pandemic, the information collected on the free and reduced meal application is needed for program funding within the District. Families who qualify for free or reduced meals may also qualify for P-EBT benefits. P-EBT benefits carry over for 30 days in the school year or until a new application is filled out for the new school year. The free and reduced meal application is available on the SCCSD website. (Graphic for use with the free and reduced meal application reminder is attached.)

The Sioux City Community School District is proud to offer many ways for students and families to stay involved and connected in our community. Virtual Backpack provides families with a convenient way to receive the latest news and information from local non-profits and community partners on events and activities that may be of interest to District families. From camps and sports leagues to family services and resources, the SCCSD Virtual Backpack is a one-stop resource for community information. Sign up to receive the weekly e-newsletter today!

The District’s Return-to-Learn Plan including our health and safety protocols and our weekly report for positive COVID-19 tests reported by parents and staff is available on the District’s website. The weekly positive COVID-19 data is updated every Friday as part of the District’s commitment to maintaining transparent communication with our families.

Convenience at your fingertips! Download our new mobile app for easy access to the school calendar, events, and all the information you need about the Sioux City Community School District. The app is available to download now in the app store on your mobile device.

An engaged community makes our District stronger. That is why we have made it easy for you to connect with us whenever it is convenient for you. We encourage you to take advantage of Let’s Talk!, our 24/7 online submission site. Reach out with your ideas, questions, concerns, and praise. To make a submission, please visit http://www.siouxcityschools.org/lets-talk/.

The Sioux City Community School District offers career and technical programs in the following areas: Business & Marketing, Family & Consumer Science, Health Science, and Industrial Arts, Technology, & PLTW.

The Sioux City Community School District is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information (for employment), national origin, religion, age (for employment), disability, socioeconomic status (for programs), marital status (for programs), or veteran status (for employment) in its educational programs and its employment practices. The District is required by Title IX and 34 CFR Part 106 not to discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs, activities, or employment.

Inquiries or grievances under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act may be directed to Dr. Dora Jung, Director of Student Services & Equity Education/Title IX Coordinator at 627 4th Street, Sioux City, IA 51101, (712) 279-6075, jungd@live.siouxcityschools.com. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations to the District may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, or both. Please see District Board policies 103 and 504.4 for additional information on available grievance procedures.

Contact us!

Principal: Rebecca Rieken

Website: https://www.siouxcityschools.org/west-high-school/
Location: 2001 Casselman Street, Sioux City, IA, USA
Phone: 712-279-6772
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiouxCityWestHighSchool/
Twitter: @WHS_Activities