

Warrior Weekly

Plant Dane Native Plant Program
Donate Your Plants
Youth Conservationists of Waunakee are looking to expand and complete the native plant habitat in the Little Woodlot (along Century Av.; next to Endres Mfg.). The purpose of the garden is to increase biodiversity of the high school campus and provide pollinator habitat.
We’d like to invite you to donate plants to our Little Woodlot garden through the Plant Dane Native Plant Program. It’s easy, just visit https://ripple-effects.com/Order/Donate, select “WAUNAKEE HIGH SCHOOL” and select the number of plants you’d like to donate. Plants cost $2.88/each and must be ordered in multiples of 4. The deadline to donate to our project is March 19th .
Thanks for helping to make our completed garden a reality!
Scholarship Drive
Dear Class of 2024 Parents/Guardians
This week in Advisory, the Senior Class was presented with information on the Waunakee Scholarship Drive, the application process, and dates / deadlines. Information has also been shared the last several weeks in the Warrior Weekly and Announcements. This Scholarship opportunity is open to all graduating seniors that are pursuing higher education after graduation.
Please click on this link for the APPLICATION or the QR Code and complete it no later than Friday, March 8, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. in order to participate in the Waunakee Scholarship Drive. Please note, students must be logged into their School Google Account to be able to submit the application.
All seniors are able to apply for this scholarship, but in order to participate they need to be available to attend these events:
March 14 during Contact Time - Drive Night Instructional Meeting, located in the HS PAC
April 10 @ 6:30 pm - Community Mailer Preparation & Route Assignments, located in the High School Commons
April 24 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm - Scholarship Fund Drive Night where students go out into the community to collect donations
Additional information about this scholarship can be found at the Scholarship Fund Drive website: Waunakee Scholarship Drive - Waunakee Community High School If you have questions, please email waunakeescholarship@gmail.com.
Thank you!
The Waunakee Scholarship Fund Drive Committee
Angie Docherty & Kim Raemisch, Co-Presidents
March Staff Appreciation Dinner
Attention Parents & Guardians
For over 18 years, the HS Staff Appreciation Committee has been providing a light meal for the teachers and staff on the night of conferences. Access the March 2024 Staff Appreciation Dinner Signup to indicate your offering or to volunteer to set-up and/or clean-up. Any help is appreciated! All donations should be dropped off to the HS main office by 2 PM on Monday, March 18th (no deliveries the week before please; if you need help getting your donation to school, reach out to one of the coordinators).
If you would prefer to make a cash donation and have one of the coordinators do the shopping, please reach out to one of us (below) and we will provide the information needed.
On behalf of the HS Staff Appreciation Committee, thank you!
Staff Appreciation Co-Coordinators:
Boys Tennis: It's Smashing!
The HS Boys Tennis Team is looking for more players for the upcoming 2024 Spring Season. If you are interested in participating please contact Coach Nuenthel via email: chrisnuenthel@waunakee.k12.wi.us
The season starts on Monday, March 25, 2024.
Please check with the Athletic Office if you have questions about required documents that might be needed to participate.
The Purple Sage
The Purple Sage’s mission is to provide a forum for free and responsible expression of student opinion and present well-balanced locally researched coverage of issues of broader student interest. It is produced entirely by Waunakee Community High School students.
Opinions in The Purple Sage are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the newspaper staff or the school district.
Counseling Office Connection
☑️Sophomores & Juniors
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is the Waunakee Rotary Club’s leadership training for youth people. RYLA will be held on May 17-19 at Camp Upham Woods in Wisconsin Dells. This year, Waunakee Rotary will sponsor four students to attend. For more information and to register, please visit the rotary website.
☑️ACT Reminders for Juniors
- Juniors only (No school for Freshman, Sophomores & Seniors)
- March 12, 2024 arrive to school by 7:45 AM
- In order to receive test scores, you must have a MyACT account. Instructions to create or update your My ACT account were given during homeroom on 2/26. If you did not receive these instructions, please see Mrs. Varney in the counseling office.
There are several test prep options available:
- Your Naviance Account offers a resource for test prep practice. Test Prep is located under Planner/Test Prep. Once in the Naviance Test Prep section, click on Study Task to help you navigate the Test Prep section. There are practice test questions, along with games, lessons, flashcards and more to aid in your preparation. Click here for instructions on how to access/sign in to your Naviance account.
- ACT has a variety of test prep resources available. This page features a variety of paid resources, and this page includes ACT's free resources, including a free study guide, practice tests, online practice and test prep events, and sample classes.
- Practice test booklets are available in the counseling office.
- Sign up for Mr. Dreyer's contact time. The subject of the day can be found in FlexiSched.
If you have further questions or need assistance, you may contact Mrs. Varney, WCHS Testing Coordinator, or your counselor.
Community Education Workshop
Adult Custom Sign Workshop
Unlock your creativity and join us at the WCHS Innovation Center for a hands-on workshop that is perfect for beginners and design enthusiasts alike. Participants will dive into the world of design to craft a personalized sign from start to finish. No prior experience is necessary as instructors will teach and assist participants. All supplies and materials will be provided, and participants will leave the class with completed projects.
- Where: Waunakee High School Innovation Center
- When: Night 1: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 6-8 PM; Night 2: Tuesday, April 16, 2024, choice of 4-6 PM or 6-8 PM (to be determined on Night 1)
- Cost: $45 per participant
- Instructors: Kayla Burgess & Jeff Willauer, WHS Instructors
Seating is limited to the first 12 registrants. Electronic payment is required at registration. Please use the Waunakee RevTrak button to register. Fees will only be refunded if the class does not take place.
View the workshop flyer (English/Spanish)
Registration information along with additional class details can be found on the Community Education page of the district website under Innovation Center Classes.
We look forward to seeing you at the WCHS Innovation Center!
Library Media & Technology Center (LMTC)
▶️ Digitial Citizenship: Your Teen and Cell Phones
" Parents buy smartphones for their children primarily for the instant communication it affords them, but psychologists — and certainly a majority of parents of teens would agree — that the parent-child relationship suffers when technology usage is not controlled. Teens are averaging nine hours a day on their devices, more time alone in their rooms. In the car, at the dinner table, even on vacation, real, device-free conversations with parents rarely happen. Trust between children and parents is often tested by limits placed on phones and social media usage."
So, What Can Parents Do?
Parents need not feel powerless. There are steps you can take to protect your children’s mental and physical health and to make digital media a more balanced part of their lives.
- Like respect, you can’t demand it: you have to model it. You set the example of how to use and limit phones, social media and technology in your home, your car and your life. If you’re on your smartphone when your child interacts with you, sleeping with your phone next to your head and checking your email in the middle of the night, you can’t expect more of them than what you model for
- Unplug and get outside. Sure, your teens may object at first, but getting outside with your teen makes a real-time connection with the person they need the most: you. Go for a hike in the woods, explore a new park or play some tag football in the yard. They will remember the time spent in nature with you.
- Facilitate face time. If your teen is spending more time on his device than hanging out with friends or participating in sports or extracurricular activities, step up and facilitate more opportunities for face time with friends.
- Set electronic curfews for the whole family. No phones at dinner. Charge all phones in parent’s bedroom overnight. Everybody needs a break for mental health’s sake.
-From Smartphones and Anxious Kids: Mental Health Issues and the iGeneration
▶️ LMTC: Featured New Book
Mary is having an existential crisis. She's a good student, she never gets in trouble, and she is searching for the meaning of life. She always thought she'd find it in a perfect score on the SATs. But by junior year, Mary isn't so sure anymore.
The first time, it's an accident. She forgets to do a history assignment. She even crosses "history essay" off in her pristine planner. And then: Nothing happens. She doesn't burst into flames, the world doesn't end, the teacher doesn't even pull her aside after class.
So she asks herself: Why am I trying so hard? What if I stop?
With her signature wit and heaps of dark humor, Katie Heaney delivers a stunning YA novel the sprints full-force into the big questions our teen years beg--and adeptly unravels their web.-from the publisher
Become a Host Family
Each summer Language & Friendship welcomes students from France for 3-4 weeks for an immersion family stay program in June/July. The goal of this program is to allow American families the opportunity to welcome an international visitor into their home. If your family is interested in hosting a student from France for the weeks of June 15-July 8, 2024, click on this link to learn more.
Soñadores Club: Toiletry Drive
Next week the Soñadores Club will be holding a Toiletry Drive starting March 4 through March 20. The club will be collecting toiletry items to support in-need families. All donations will go directly to the Waunakee Neighborhood Connections (WNC). Donation suggestions: cleaning supplies, body lotion, deodorant, toothpaste, wipes, feminine hygiene products, paper products, etc.
If you'd like to participate, please drop off your donations to the bins on the mezzanine near the main entrance. Gracias!
Second Semester Course Fees
Course fees for second semester classes have been assigned.
Final adjustments for students who qualify for free or reduced lunches will be made by March 1.
Pathfinders Scholarship Deadline
Mountain Biking Opportunity for Students
Trek offers the Pathfinders scholarship that students can apply for to help provide access to the mountain biking sport where financial barriers may exist. This is a great opportunity to promote both inclusivity and equity as core values of the league. The scholarship provides a bike, helmet, and shoes as well as some assistance to register for racing.
There are dates set for the scholarship window:
- March 15, 2024: Application closes 🚩
- April 8, 2024: Scholarship recipients notified (at the earliest)
- June 1, 2024: Deadline for submitting scholarship information to receive bikes by the start of the season
- July 1, 2024: Final deadline for providing scholarship information, incomplete scholarships will be forfeited
Application link: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/pathfinder-scholarship/
More information on dates: https://nationalmtb.org/trek-nica-pathfinders-scholarship/
Project Graduation
Attention Senior Families
Project Graduation is a fun, after graduation party organized by the parents and guardians of graduating seniors. This event was established to offer seniors a safe place to celebrate for FREE. However, to ensure the success of Project Graduation, securing volunteers is critical. The committee is currently looking to fill the coordinator/co-coordinator position.
If you are interested in volunteering in this capacity, or any other volunteer role, please email waunagradparty@gmail.com. Please be sure to include your name, email address, and phone number.
Attendance Reminder
Student Absences
The state of Wisconsin allows parents to excuse their student’s absences for a total of 10 days per school year. (That’s 50 class absences for 9th -11th grades, or 45 class absences for seniors.) After that, school administration may require prior approval and submission of a medical note for any future absences.
To avoid ever reaching this limit you can submit documentation for certain absences to: (WHS_attendance@waunakee.k12.wi.us)
- Medical: Bring a note from the health care provider
- College: Bring some documentation showing the student's name and scheduled appointment / tour date OR submit a picture of your student in front of a recognizable college sign on campus
- Funeral: Parent should call or send a message to attendance
- Vacation: Send a note or email to attendance. Parents must be traveling with the student.
- Religious Holiday: Parent should call or send a message to attendance
If your student is ill during the day they should go directly to the health office to physically see the health assistant. Approval to leave for the day is obtained from that office and not through the attendance line or Infinite Campus parent portal.
Regional Chef at the High School
We are excited to announce that Regional Chef Amanda will be at the High School on Monday, March 18th to prepare a meal for students & staff.
Chef Amanda will be serving Hawaiian Island Street Tacos during both lunches. The meal cost is $6.00.
DECA Food Drive
Let's Make A Difference
WFP has shared the list of suggested items that are needed:
- canned foods
- crackers
- cereals
- snacks for lunches
- canned fruits & vegetables
- any food items would be greatly appreciated
**Unexpired goods only please**
Please DROP-OFF donations by March 20th in the High School Counseling Office.
Post Prom
Volunteers and Donations Needed
The junior parents/guardians in our community are organizing a Post Prom Event (April 13) for students at the Waunakee Village Center. The cost to attend will be $10 and details on how to purchase a ticket will come closer to the event.
This inclusive party is completely funded through donations from individuals, community organizations and businesses. This has been such a success the past few years, we wanted to continue the tradition with the Class of 2025. This is not a school sponsored event and we could NOT provide it without your HELP & SUPPORT! Please review the available slots below to SIGN UP.
If you are unable to volunteer, but would prefer to give a donation, please mail your donation to Waunakee Post Prom, c/o Gwen Olson, 1002 Millies Way, Waunakee, WI 53597 or Venmo @Gwen Olson @Post-Prom2024. Any additional donations will be gifted to the Project Graduation Class of 2025 event. If you have any questions, please reach out to waunakeepostprom@gmail.com
Thank you for your time, talent and donations,
Class of 2025 Post Prom Committee
2024-2025 Open Enrollment
We are thrilled to share that open enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is now open!
Families are encouraged to apply for open enrollment in our school district now through Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
Visit our website for more information https://www.waunakee.k12.wi.us/about-us/registration-and-enrollment/openenrollment
Contact our District Registrar: wcsd_registrar@waunakee.k12.wi.us with questions.
Class of 2024 Graduation
Commencement is set for June 2, 2024
Here are some important details about graduation for you to note:
- When: Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 3:00 PM
- Where: Waunakee High School - Field House
- Field House doors will open at 1:30 PM.
- Seating is based on a first come-first serve basis. Reserving seats with blankets, signs, etc., is prohibited and the items will be removed.
- The number of guests each graduate may invite has not been set due to the large seating capacity in the Field House. However, please be considerate in the number of guests you invite.
- Stadium seats (seat cushions with backs) are acceptable and may be used for your seating pleasure.
- Honor Cord/s: Students who achieve academic honors may wear the acceptable honor cord(s) of purple, silver, white or gold. All other cords are not permitted and may not be worn in commencement services. Seniors who earn honor cords will be notified mid-March.
- Handicap seating is available upon request. Please call 608-849-2100, ext. 2046 to make arrangements.
- Link for the Live Stream will be made available prior to the event.
- Empire Photography will again photograph commencement ceremonies. Each graduate is photographed as they receive their diploma and a solo portrait is taken after they exit the stage. Proofs will be sent to graduates and their families within 48-hours of the ceremony.
- Diplomas will be distributed in the High School main office immediately after the ceremony for graduates to pick up. Diplomas will not be mailed.
Dates to Calendar
March 8: Seniors Scholarship Drive Application Due
March 12: State Required ACT Test (Gr.11); No school Gr. 9, 10, 12
March 14: Scholarship Drive Night Instructional Mtg. (Contact Time in the PAC)
March 18: Taher Chef at HS (see flyer above)
March 18: Parent Teacher Conferences (4-8 PM)
March 20: DECA Food Drive Ends
March 22: No School/Parent Teacher Conferences (8 AM – 12 PM)
March 25-29: No School/Spring Break
April 3-4: Forward Exam (administered in class)
April 9: Community Ed Workshop (see flyer above)
April 10: Assembly Speaker Carlos Ojeda Jr. (see flyer above)
April 10: Scholarship Community Mailer Prep & Route Assignments (6:30PM/HS Commons)
April 13: Prom (details to be shared in the WW at a later date)
April 16: Jostens Distributes Graduation Orders
April 17: PreACT for Freshmen (3-hour late start for the students not testing)
April 18: PreACT for Sophomores (3-hour late start for the students not testing)
April 24: Open Enrollment Deadline
April 24: Scholarship Fund Drive Night (students collect community donations-5PM-8PM)
May 20: No School/Staff Development
May 27: No School/Memorial Day
May 28-29: Senior Final Exams
May 30: Seniors, please note the following:
- 8:30-9:30 AM: Senior Walk-thru at Elementary Schools (transportation provided)
- 9:30-10:30 AM: Graduation Rehearsal in WHS Field House
- 10:30 AM: Senior Brunch in the Commons (free for all Seniors!)
June 2: Class of 2024 Commencement at 3:00 PM in the High School Field House
June 3-6: Final Exams for Underclassmen
June 7: Community Open House: Randy Guttenberg Retirement
June 24: Summer School Begins (by teacher recommendation only)
The 2024 Homecoming Dance is set for September 28, 2024 (details will be shared in the WW at a later date).
Scholarships or Payment Plans Available
Scholarships or payment plans are available to any student who has been approved for the free/reduced meal program and may be available to any student whose families have a financial need due to unique circumstances.
https://www.waunakee.k12.wi.us/families/student-financial-assistance
Please contact Teri Reible at 608-849-2000 to learn more about these opportunities. If you need assistance in a language other than English, please call the district interpreter and translator at 608-849-2000, option 2.
Waunakee Community Cares Coalition
The Waunakee Community Cares Coalition (WCCC) is dedicated to keeping Waunakee healthy and resilient. To receive updates of all of the trends, resources available, and community initiatives in the spaces of alcohol/drug prevention and mental health, please sign up for their monthly newsletter.
Link to sign up to receive newsletter: https://www.waunakeecares.org/contact
Link to our resource pages: https://www.waunakeecares.org/resources-1
Lunch Menus
Contact Information
Waunakee Community High School
301 Community Drive
Waunakee, WI 53597
Phone: (608) 849-2100
Website: whs.waunakee.k12.wi.us