WBHS Family Newsletter

April 2025

Message from Administration

Dear WBHS Families,

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable spring break! As we step into April, our teams at the high school are committed to finishing the year strong. There are many important events and opportunities ahead, and we appreciate your continued partnership in supporting our staff and students.

A big congratulations to our Juniors for completing the ACT last month! Looking ahead, our 9th and 10th graders will be taking the PreACT Secure and WI Forward state tests on April 10th. More details on testing schedules and expectations are provided below.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s make April a great month!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Potter

WBHS Executive Principal

Important Dates

April 3: Sophomore Class Meeting (7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)

April 4: Freshman Class Meeting (7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)

April 8: ASVAB Testing in East Library (starts at 7:15 a.m.)

April 10:

PreACT Secure Testing (Grades 9-10) & WI Forward Social Studies Testing (Grade 10)
Virtual Learning Day for Grades 11-12

April 16: Parent Advisory Committee Meeting

April 17: Severe Weather Drill

April 18: No School

April 21: Junior Class Meeting (7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)

April 28: Senior Class Meeting (7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)

Upcoming Assessment/Testing Days for Students

PreACT Secure & WI Forward Testing Info - April 10

On Thursday, April 10th, all 9th & 10th grade students will take the PreACT Secure test during the school day. All 10th grade students will also take the WI Forward Social Studies Test. All 9th & 10th Grade Students and parents were sent a separate email with this important detailed information for testing.

Info for Juniors & Seniors for April 10

Next Thursday, April 10, all 9th and 10th-grade students will be taking the PreACT Secure and Wisconsin Forward Exam at school. Meanwhile, 11th and 12th graders will have a virtual learning day with an exciting opportunity to participate in the Around the Bend Bus Business Tours, which includes a free lunch. Sign up here. More information is also available in the Career Readiness Center section further down in this newsletter.

We highly encourage 11th and 12th-grade students to take advantage of this opportunity. Those who do not attend the tour on April 10 will have virtual learning tasks to complete, which will be sent to students' school email address the morning of April 10.

Important Reminders & Updates

Scholarship Awards Program

We will recognize all scholarship recipients at the Scholarship Awards Program on Monday, May 5, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the high schools’ auditorium. If you are a scholarship recipient, you will be receiving a letter in the mail acknowledging your scholarship(s) and amount(s). Parents/Guardians are encouraged to attend this event with their students to honor their accomplishments.

Senior Honors Night

We are pleased to announce that West Bend High Schools will be hosting Senior Honors Night to celebrate the achievements of our graduating seniors who have earned honors. Last month, we sent a survey to families to determine the best time for this event, and we appreciate your feedback.

Based on the responses, Senior Honors Night will take place on Wednesday, May 28, from 4:15 to 5:15 PM in the auditorium, with a small reception to follow. Invitations, including RSVP details, will be sent to senior students and their families this week.

We look forward to recognizing the hard work and dedication of our honored graduates!

Parent Advisory Meeting - April 16

The next Parent Advisory Meeting is on April 16 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the West Cafeteria. This meeting’s goal is planning for a great Staff/Teacher Appreciation Week in May. Click here to RSVP if you’d like to attend!

Attendance FAQs

Maintaining accurate attendance is essential for student success and ensures accountability. Below are answers to common questions regarding our attendance practices:

Why was my child marked absent for Period 0 when I dropped them off on time?

Your child may have been in school but did not attend their assigned Flexi class. Students are responsible for attending their designated location for Flexi. They should check their Flexi schedule and emails daily for accuracy.

What is the fax number or email to send a doctor’s note?

Fax: 262-335-5637
Email: hsattendance@wbsd-schools.org

I called and excused my child from school this morning. Why am I receiving a call saying they were absent for the whole day?

Attendance calls are checked and verified starting at 7 AM. If your child has exceeded 10 absences (excused and/or unexcused), state law requires a doctor’s note; otherwise, the absence will be marked unexcused.

Do I have to come into the building to have my student released?

No, but you must call, email, or send a note excusing them from school.

Do I need to send a note if I leave a message on the attendance line?

No, a note is not required. However, if a student needs to leave before 9 AM, a note will expedite the sign out process in the attendance office.

Does my child have to fill out a pre-plan for absences?

No, it is not mandatory.

How many absences can my student have?

State law allows 10 absences per school year, which is equivalent to 80 class periods.

Do I have to excuse my child for Behind the Wheel?

Yes, we are not affiliated with any Behind the Wheel programs. You will need to excuse your child for this reason.

Do you deliver passes for students to leave the building?

No, students must check in and check out at the attendance office. Passes are not delivered to students and all students must check out at the attendance office before leaving the building.

If I call and say my student was at school, will their attendance be corrected?

If you believe your child’s attendance was marked incorrectly, please contact their teacher or the attendance office to verify accurate attendance.

My child didn’t miss the entire first hour—they were just a little late. Why were they marked absent?

If a student misses more than 10 minutes of instructional time, they will be marked absent for the period.

Counseling Office Updates

Parents/Guardians of Juniors

It’s time for your student to start planning for Life After High School! Many students already have a set plan, but many are still stumped! Junior Students will receive this information in their upcoming class meeting, but feel free to review with them ahead of time!

If your student is planning to attend a traditional college/university following high school, check out this information. Please also access our Career Readiness Sessions through the remainder of the year. Encourage your Students to sign up!

For Parent/Guardian of Juniors

The Universities of Wisconsin will offer three paths to first-year student/freshman undergraduate admission:

Traditional first-year student/freshman admission application process
Direct Admit Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Guarantee

All three paths to admission require students to meet the minimum admission criteria. Neither Direct Admit Wisconsin nor The Wisconsin Guarantee provide guaranteed admission into a specific major, program, school, or college. Rather, they provide admission to Universities of Wisconsin universities.

Direct Admit Wisconsin offers early and proactive admission to participating Universities of Wisconsin for rising seniors at participating Wisconsin high schools. The UWs collaborate with participating high schools to review student academic records (high school courses and GPA) at the end of their junior year and make offers of admission to participating UW universities without the need to submit a traditional admission application.

An email was sent to all Junior Families and Students on Monday, February 24. Please refer back to it for more detailed information and your opportunity to opt into the Direct Admit Wisconsin program. Students who choose to participate in this program must opt-in in Skyward by May 1.

For Parents/Guardians of Seniors

If your student participated in Direct Admit, please ensure they have logged into their UW Admission Portal and submitted the Direct Admit Form. These must be completed by May 1.

Resources on how to complete the Direct Admit Form can be found at the Go Wisconsin website.

If your student is having difficulty creating or linking their account for the UW admission portal please do not hesitate to reach out to the Go Wisconsin team for assistance.

Important Note: If your student starts or submits a traditional application for a UW university they were directly admitted to, they will no longer be able to access the Direct Admit form for that UW university. It is important that the student complete the Direct Admit form for a UW they were directly admitted to and not the traditional application. Our Go Wisconsin Team can help address any questions about this type of situation.

Seniors – It is your responsibility to request that your final transcript be sent through parchment to the college or university of your choice. When you submit your request through parchment, please select Hold for Final Grades from the drop down menu under ‘When do you want this sent’. Your transcripts will not be sent without your request. The transcripts that you request will not be uploaded for 2 weeks after graduation to allow all final grades to be complete. Also note that starting September 1st, you will be charged a fee of $12 for a transcript.

Career Readiness Center Updates

Business Bus Tour Info

There are a few spots left for the Business Bus Tours in West Bend. Sign up for behind-the-scenes tours in manufacturing, marketing, or entrepreneurship. Lunch will be provided after the tours.

Thursday, April 10 beginning at 7:30am: Marketing or Entrepreneurship
Friday, April 11 beginning at 7:30am: Healthcare (full) or Manufacturing

Pick up permission slips and preplans in room 2417 (near the Nifty Nibble).

Save the Date - Military Signing

Military Signing is Wednesday, May 28 beginning at 5:30 in the West library presentation room. We will recognize seniors who are enlisting in the military after high school.

ASVAB Testing

Are you undecided about your life after high school? Still figuring out the career pathway that might be best for you? Unsure of the college that has your major? Taking the ASVAB might help! The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) CEP (Comprehensive Educational Plan) is a comprehensive and completely FREE career planning resource that aligns students' strengths and interests with an after-high-school plan.

What is the ASVAB CEP? Should I take it?

The ASVAB is one of the most comprehensive career planning tools to support students as they think about their pathway - whether they want to pursue higher education, join the workforce, or pursue the military. Everyone is encouraged to take the ASVAB.

The ASVAB will be administered on Tuesday, April 8 in Room 2719 (East Library) beginning at 7:15 a.m. It will last about 90 minutes. If you would like to participate, you will need to register for the exam by April 4.

WBSD Way Team Updates

Grade-Level Assemblies

WBSD Way class meetings for the month will be taking place on:

April 3rd: Sophomores
April 4th: Freshmen
April 21st: Juniors
April 28th: Seniors

The WBSD PIllar of focus for April is “Be Ready.” This is a continuation of our focus from last month when Juniors took the ACT, with Freshman and Sophomores now preparing for Pre-ACT Secure Testing.

Time to “Break the Trend”

Each month this school year we have seen a decrease in behavior referrals from last year. April presents an opportunity for us to break a historical trend. How can you support the high schools in reinforcing the WBSD Way Pillars: Be respectful, Be Responsible, Be Ready, and Be Safe in order to prevent the historical April spike?

Students watched an Expectations Reboot video in their Monday Homebase when they returned from break. This message reinforces our strong start to the school year but emphasize finishing even stronger.

Here’s the data!

The percentages below represent the number of students consistently meeting our school-wide expectations in each pillar this school year:

Be Respectful: 94.7%
Be Responsible: 94%
Be Safe: 96.9%
Be Ready: 92%

We’re proud of the work our students have done so far this year!

WBHS Highlights & Celebrations

Students in the culinary classes at WBHS recently competed at the annual ProStart competition. They worked hard and had some practice days to hone their skills! Great work students!

Be sure to check out the East and West Facebook pages for more highlights of the great things happening here at WBHS!

For highlights from our athletics teams, clubs, and co-curricular teams, be sure to check out the East and West Athletics' Facebook pages, too!

Don’t forget to read our latest edition of our electronic school newspaper, The Current, for the latest updates, stories, and student highlights!