Wayland Union High School

January

January 6: School Resumes

January 7: PSAT for all Juniors, Aux Gym

January 8: Scheduling Class Meetings, 2nd hour

January 14-15: Freshman Vision Screening, Catz Den

January 15: Freshman Parent Night, 6:30pm

January 17: Progress Reports Published

January 20: No School - Teacher PD Day

January 20: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4 -6:30pm in person

January 31: Snowcoming/Coaches vs. Cancer Game, 6pm

February

February 1: Snowcoming Dance 7 - 10pm, FAC

February 7: Wayland Theatriks presents "Tuck Everlasting", 7pm, FAC

February 8: Wayland Theatriks presents "Tuck Everlasting", 10am and 2pm, FAC

February 10: WUHS Choir Festival Concert, 7pm, FAC

February 12: 7-12th grades Band Festival Preview Concert, 7pm, FAC

February 14-17: Mid-Winter Break, no school students and staff

February 20: Blood Drive hosted by Student Council, Aux Gym

February 20: WUHS Winter Dance Concert, 7pm, FAC

February 26: WUHS Dance Theatre "Dancing with the Star Staff", 7pm, FAC

February 27: Final Exams

February 28: Final Exams, End of Trimester 2

• January 8 - Scheduling Class Meetings for next year during 2nd hour.

• January 8 - January 24: Online scheduling portal is open. Make sure to enter requests online and turn in paper form to the Guidance Office before the deadline.

• January 15 - Incoming Freshman Parent Night at 6:30 PM in the FAC (Class of 2029).

• January 17 - Counselors visiting MS for Freshman presentation and scheduling.

• January 20 - During Parent/Teacher Conferences, the Guidance Office will host a scheduling “How To” for parents of current freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The presentation will be offered at two different times, both in room A102: 4:30 and 5:30 pm.

• Credit Recovery - Students who failed a first trimester class or who are behind in graduation credit status should still strongly consider Credit Recovery. Please see your counselor to register!

• CareerQuest - In the weeks ahead, students and parents will be receiving information regarding CareerQuest, which will take place on March 3. Watch your email for further updates! This is an amazing, unique, hands-on career exploration experience that is open to all 9th-11th grade students. Spots are limited, and sign up is required. More information is available here! We encourage our students to take advantage of this opportunity!

Conferences will be held Monday, January 20th.

Please note there is no school for students this day.

In-person times will be held at the High School from 4 - 6:30pm.

Virtual times will be held from 3 - 4pm OR 6:30 - 7:30pm. Virtual times vary by teacher.

We look forward to seeing you!

The following is a list of virtual conference times by staff member:

Give honor and value to ourselves and others

**If your student is going to be absent from school or late, please remember to call the office to report their attendance, (269)792-2254.**

Student Handbook Changes

Deliveries: No food or drink is to be delivered during school hours.

The only acceptable items are school related items and items needed for school sponsored extracurricular activities. These may be dropped off by parent/guardian as an exception to the policy.

Dress and Grooming: No hoods are allowed. Hats are acceptable as long as they adhere to the dress code. Blankets are not allowed during the school day.

All Juniors will be taking the PSAT on January 7th, in the Aux Gym. This is a practice test for the SAT that will be taken in the spring. This year the test will be online. There will be a morning and afternoon session. Students will use their iPads. Please make sure your student comes prepared for test day with their fully charged iPad.

Wednesday, January 8th, will begin the scheduling process for the 2025-2026 school year. Students will report to 2nd hour and will be released via intercom.

The Allegan County Health Department will be at Wayland Union High School on January 14th and 15th to conduct vision screenings on all Freshman students. Here are some key reminders:

• Remember to bring your glasses with you, if you don't regularly wear them.
• If you've recently had a vision test with your eye doctor, you may turn in a copy of your doctor's note to Mrs. Ewing in the Main Office.
• You may opt out by visiting the Allegan County Health Department's website. See letter below.

Please join us for our 6th annual charity basketball game, Coaches vs. Cancer, vs. West Catholic!

• Girls Varsity game will start at 6:00pm.
• Snowcoming Crowning of this year's Duke and Dutchess will take place immediately after the boys game.
• Boys Varsity game will begin 20 minutes after the Snowcoming Crowning (approx. 7:45pm)

Our goal is to raise $20,000 together for the American Cancer Society. One way we are raising money is by selling merchandise. If you would like to support the cause, feel free to use the link below to place your order:

https://forms.gle/L8HHx4Ek727qbSj9A

Any purchase of a t-shirt will come with free admission to all of the following games:

• Tuesday, January 14 - Swim vs. TK, 6:00pm
• Monday, January 27 - Bowling vs. Northview, 3:15pm
• Wednesday, January 29 - Wrestling vs. Allegan, 6:00pm
• Friday, January 31 - Girls/Boys Basketball vs. West Catholic, 6:00pm/7:30pm

T-shirts will also be available for sale at the following home basketball games:

• Tuesday, January 21
• Friday, January 24

Coaches vs. Cancer Student Events

We will be running on Assembly Schedule during this week.

Monday, January 27

• Color Explosion (wear your favorite color)
• Pancake Breakfast - 7:40am in Grand Hall
• Snowcoming Court Assembly - 1:58pm in FAC. This will be live-streamed.

Tuesday, January 28

• Teacher-Student Swap
• Staff vs. Students PowerBall Game - 1:58pm in Main Gym

Wednesday, January 29

• Soccer Mom vs. BBQ Dad
• Staff vs. Students Basketball Game - 1:58pm in Main Gym

Thursday, January 30

• Decades Day
• Staff vs. Students Dodgeball Game - 1:58pm in Main Gym

Friday, January 31

• Purple Out
• Pep Assembly - 1:58pm in Main Gym

The Snowcoming Dance will be Saturday, February 1st, from 7 - 10pm in the Fine Arts Center.

This is sponsored by LOC Club, and the theme will be "Candyland".

Need a dress or a tie?

PALS is sponsoring the Cinderella Dress Shop and Prince Charming Tie Shop for the Snowcoming Dance. Donations will be accepted now through January 24th, and can be dropped off to the Main Office or the Media Center.

Wayland Debate Has Record Success!

The Wayland Union Debate Team experienced record success this season. WUHS Debaters participate in legislative debate; a variation of student congress where they compete with 50+ students from various schools. Students gain valuable knowledge through research and writing legislation for the docket/topics of debate, they also gain real-life experience as they prepare arguments while improving their speaking and listening skills.

Wayland Union Debate is a member of the West Michigan Legislative Debate League; competitions are held at different West Michigan schools each month; trophies are awarded to the top eight speakers at each league meet as well as Presiding Officer and top novice (first-year debater) awards. On the final night of the league, there is an awards ceremony for cumulative points throughout the season. Wayland dominated the league this year: Individual speaking trophies were awarded to members of the team throughout the season. In total, we accumulated 25 trophies; a number unheard of in the world of debate.

Debate also offers the students the ability to travel to various weekend tournaments throughout the season. This year the team attended both the Holt Invitational and Groves Tournament. Our students submitted pieces of legislation to be debated and engaged in three rounds of debate each Saturday and represented their team and community with pride bringing home several awards.

The culmination of the season is the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association (MIFA) State Championship, which is lovingly referred to as States. States celebrate the best of the debating world, this year hosted at Wayne State University on December 13-14, 2024. At States, debaters highlight their collaboration, innovation, and design thinking in action through multiple rounds of competitive debate. Debate coaches from around the state vote on the most well-written piece of student-written legislation at the tournament. Wayland’s own Senator Tylk and Senator Roberts won this distinguished award at States! Student senators attend the championship to be ranked at the state level; it is an honor to be ranked in the top thirty; Senator Varney, Sen. Alonzo, Sen. Rohde, Sen. Ramirez, Sen. Steensma, and Sen. Haan received that honor. Receiving the prestigious rank of top twenty-five: Sen. Roberts and Sen. Tylk. Sen. Ward placed 20th. Making it into Super Session means that the student senator is ranked in the top fifteen; Sen. Oosterhouse placed 11th. Breaking into the top ten: Team Captain Sen. Klug placed 8th, and novice team member Sen. Noor took 6th.

Pictured below:

(Top) 2024 Wayland Debate Team at Wayne State University

(Bottom) Senator Klug, Senator Noor, and Senator Oosterhouse won big at States

Improv

improv.anonymous will be performing on January 14th at McDuff's Bar and Grille. Show starts at 6:00pm and is free! Don't feel like cooking? Order dinner while you enjoy the show!

Theater

WUHS Theatriks presents Tuck Everlasting a play adapted by Mark Frattaroli, from the novel by Natalie Babbitt.

In 1880, 10-year-old Winnie Foster, trapped by the rules imposed by her strait-laced family, runs away and discovers the humble Tucks who had accidentally stumbled upon a spring long ago that gave them eternal life. Winnie promises to keep their dangerous secret but then a sinister stranger in a yellow suit arrives at their door with intentions to steal the immortal water for himself. Ultimately Winnie must choose whether or not to drink the immortal water and join them in an everlasting adventure – or live on in a natural way, living a life full of the ordinary beauty of growth and change.

February 8: 10:00am and 2:00pm

Entry door #12 (Wayland Union Fine Arts Center - Main Entrance).

Tickets are $6 each and are available at the door and online: (https://wufactickets.ludus.com/index.php?sections=events)

Congratulations to Madison Campos and Ariel White for achieving the status of MSVMA State Honors Choir. This is a high and challenging accomplishment. They memorized and were able to sing four college level repertoire pieces acapella and sight sing in front of a judge. They spent many hours of their own time and after school rehearsing. They will now learn four new pieces and will be performing with the best choir singers in the state at the music teachers conference January 25 at Devos Performance Center.

Wildcat Dance Theatre is hosting a Dancing With the Star Staff (DWTSS) competition February 26th at 7:00 pm in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium. Come see these Star Dancers compete for judges scores and your votes for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy!!

Tickets can be purchased online at https://wufactickets.ludus.com/index.php?sections=events. Admission is only $6. Keep an eye out for more information coming soon.

ECO Club is sponsoring Wildcat Wear-Again. Cleaning out your closet? Need a place to donate? We will take any newer or gently used clothing! All items will be available for students to shop for free during the school day in the Science Resource Room. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Elias at: eliast@waylandunion,.org.

Donations will be accepted until January 17th, 2025.

Accepting:

• Winter Clothing (mens and womens)
• Winter Coats and snowpants
• Hats
• Gloves
• Please no shoes or boots

Any donated items can be dropped off to the main office.

Need to order a 2025 Yearbook?

Go to yearbookforever.com, use the code WILDCATS and save $5.00 off your purchase until January 30!

WUHS 2025 Senior Salutes

Senior Salute space is now available for purchase in the 2025 Wayland Union High School Yearbook! Senior salutes are spaces for parents, grandparents and friends to congratulate, honor and recognize their senior with a baby or childhood photo and text.

Senior salute sizes are ⅛ of a page and are available in color or black and white. Pictures need to be submitted as jpeg and text is limited to 30 words. Cost $20 per Senior Salute.

Checks payable to Wayland Union Schools and can be delivered to the main office or mailed to Wayland Union High School, Attn: Yearbook, 870 East Superior Street, Wayland, MI 49348. Email text and jpeg picture to yearbook@waylandunion.org by Monday, January 27, 2025!

Business ads

Email yearbook@waylandunion.org to buy a business ad in the 2025 Yearbook. Yearbook sponsorship is a great way to advertise and your advertising dollars also help Wayland Union High School build a better yearbook for the students in this area.

1/8 page ad- $30.00

1/4 page ad- $50.00

1/2 page ad- $100.00

full page ad- $200.00 (parents or grandparents who buy a full page ad get a complementary copy of the 2025 Yearbook)

Social Media

Follow the WUHS Yearbook on social media Instagram @waylandunion_yearbook & Facebook @Wayland Union High School Yearbook.

Wayland High School is offering FREE hygiene products to students this year. All requests are kept private. Simply scan the QR code below and answer which items your student could use.

🛫🌆Do you love to travel? Do you love Broadway? This could be the trip for you!

Join us on an exciting and educational trip to NYC! Read on for more details.

Please reach out to Mrs. Black for any questions: blackr@waylandunion.org

Photo Credit goes to WUHS Yearbook students

Principal

Email: dicesares@waylandunion.org
Location: 870 East Superior Street, Wayland, MI, USA
Phone: 269-792-2254

Assistant Principal

Email: russellk@waylandunion.org
Location: 870 East Superior Street, Wayland, MI, USA
Phone: 269-792-2254

Assistant Principal

Email: vanderoerb@waylandunion.org
Location: 870 East Superior Street, Wayland, MI, USA
Phone: 269-792-2254

Athletic Director

Email: valka@waylandunion.org
Location: 870 East Superior Street, Wayland, MI, USA
Phone: 269-792-2254