The Westlake Update
The Westlake Update, Vol VI, Month 14 - 20, 2021
Westlake High School
#OperationA
#OneWestake
Email: adamsji@fultonschools.org
Website: https://www.fultonschools.org/westlakehs
Location: 2400 Union Road Southwest, Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone: 470.254.6400
Week at a Glance
This year, Fulton County Schools (FCS) will continue to offer a variety of state and national assessments to help us better understand how our students are performing.
The State of Georgia is moving forward with administering Georgia Milestones to all high school students in grades 9 - 12, including Algebra I, Biology, American Literature, and United States History.
Using the attached instructions, please complete the survey to let us know if your student will participate in the Georgia Milestones this spring: Survey Link
Our goal is for all Westlake High School families to respond to the survey.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me at adamsji@fultonschools.org.
Kind Regards,
Jarvis I Adams, Principal
Assistant Athletic Director - Dr. Ashley Clark (clarkam@fultonschools.org)
Congratulations Lady Lions!!
Congratulations to our Girls and Boys Track Teams!
This week in Sports
Westlake Athletics has a busy week this week. Please come out and support our Westlake Athletics teams. Tickets for Westlake High School athletic events can be purchased at https://gofan.co/app/school/GA5381. As a reminder spectators MUST wear a mask and social distance at all Westlake Sporting Events.
Please stay connected with Westlake Athletics by visiting our website https://westlakelionsathletics.com/ and following us on twitter @WestlakeSports1.
College Virtual Visits (Update below)
Howard University Virtual Visit
Your Howard University Virtual Information Session with Westlake High School is confirmed for Thursday, March 18th at 5PM EST. Here is the Zoom link for the session:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85365357594?pwd=bVViNytMTmRhL3hTcDlwY0tMZFZJdz09
Thursday, Mar 18, 2021, 05:00 PM
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For additional information about college visits, contact:
Scholarships available for students
On behalf of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tau Epsilon Omega Chapter serving College Park, East Point and South Fulton, We have great news to share!
We are officially launching the 2021 applications for the Robbie Clark Academic Scholarship, the Rising Star Scholarship, the Thetus Knox Shero Scholarship, the Pauline Wright Scholarship for the Culinary Arts, and the HBCU Scholarship.
The deadline for submission is Wednesday, March 31, 2021.
Please find the links for each application below, and the flyer announcing the scholarship for you to share with your network and contacts.
Robbie Clark Academic Scholarship
Class of 2021 Diploma Order Form
Please list how you would like for your name to appear on your diploma. Please complete this form by March 24, 2021. If this form is not submitted, your name will be listed as it appears in Infinite Campus.
Student Services Senior Spotlight
IB Diploma Programme Student of the Month
Madison has always presented herself as a conscientious learner. She is quick to answer questions with authentic and relevant conclusions. Dr. Cook also says that Madison is responsible, motivated, hard-working and an absolute joy to have in class!
IB Middle Years Programme Student of the Month
Ms. Reeves loves teaching Sahara because she participates in all discussions. She takes two classes with Ms. Reeves and is excelling in them both! Sahara attends class regularly and does everything with the spirit of excellence. Her comments during discussions are well thought out and she is an out of the box thinker!
PBIS Student of the Week
Freshmen Spotlight
JROTC Cadet of the Week
Westlake JROTC is delighted to introduce this week's Cadet of the Week, Cadet/Captain (C/CPT) Tyree Williams. Cadet Williams is a Westlake High School Senior and IB Scholar. She is a JROTC Leadership Education Training (LET) level four. She maintains a consistent 3.4 GPA. C/CPT Williams serves as the Westlake High School JROTC Lions Battalion Public Affairs Officers (S5). She is responsible for the program's various social media accounts, special event flyers/announcements, and the composition and subsequent dissemination of official JROTC information.
C/CPT Williams has been accepted to more than 13 colleges/universities. These institutions include her top choices like Alabama A&M, University of Kentucky, University of Alabama, Florida Southern College, West Virginia State University, Bethune Cookman College, and Clemson University. C/CPT Williams has been an instrumental part of the program's success for the past four years and has demonstrated a commitment to her peers and the school.
World Languages Student of the Week
Add a blurb about the student and a big picture below. Please click "publish", log out, and then log in to ensure your additions/updates saved. The newsletter will be sent Sunday @ 5:00 pm
Athletes of the Week
SEL Home Connection
Students will learn how important it is for them to believe in their ability to reach their goals. They will learn about limiting belief, which are those thoughts that keep you from reaching your goals or keep you from feeling worthy of greatness. Some strategies for challenging those limiting beliefs include: Identify the Limiting Belief, Evaluating the Evidence, thinking about where your beliefs come from and finding evidence to challenge your limiting belief.
Encourage your teen to talk about or write about his or her limiting beliefs and new beliefs that can help him or her reach his or her goals. Provide a model of self-efficacy for your teen by looking at and challenging your own limiting beliefs.
Parent Tip of the Week
Parent engagement is vital to the overall well-being of a child. High school is not the time to back off or push them out of the nest so to speak. Backing off too much is a common mistake that can have adverse affects. Instead, your child needs your support just as much as when they were in elementary school if not more. In fact teenagers do much better academically when their parent(s) are engaged. However, this doesn't mean you have to be a helicopter parent. It's a delicate balance. Give your child some growing room but stay involved.
Get to know your child's teachers. Attend school functions. This is a great way to get to know others people who have an impact on your child's development. Know who your child's friends are because your child's social wellbeing is also as important as their academic well-being.
Counselor Corner
Counselors
Dr. Owens OwensS@fultonschools.org (A – DA)
Mrs. Crawford crawforda4@fultonschools.org (DB – I)
Ms. Harrison HarrisonT1@fultonschools.org (J – N)
Ms. Perry PerryDB@fultonschools.org (O – SE)
Mrs. Jackson ReeseS@fultonschools.org (SF – Z)
Mrs. Mcadoo McAdooN@fultonschools.org (All Magnet Students)
WHS Counselor's Twitter Page: @whsdenkeepers
Academic and College Resources
Tips for Managing Stress
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you burning out? If so, join the counseling team on Wednesday, March 17th for Tips on How to Manage Stress.
Microsoft Teams meeting
March 17th @ 12:00 p.m.
Join on your computer or mobile app
Dual Enrollment
Helpful Dual Enrollment Links:
Dual Enrollment Admission Requirements
Dual Enrollment Course Directory
Request Transcript for Dual Enrollment
Georgia’s Dual Enrollment Program provides funding for students who are dually enrolled at a participating eligible public or private high school, or home study program in Georgia, and a participating eligible postsecondary institution in Georgia. These students take postsecondary coursework for credit towards both high school graduation or home study completion and postsecondary degree, diploma, or certificate requirements. The program is offered during all terms of the school year: fall, spring, and summer semester or fall, winter, spring, and summer quarter.
Who is eligible to participate in the Dual Enrollment Program?
- Students in the 9th grade are not eligible to participate in the Dual Enrollment Program.
- 10th Graders who have a minimum SAT score of 1200 or minimum ACT composite score of 26 in a single national test administration may enroll in any approved courses listed on the Course Directory at a TCSG, USG or private eligible participating postsecondary institution. Note: GSFC must have the required test score(s) in the Dual Enrollment system prior to the student’s Dual Enrollment Funding Application being approved by the high school. All eligible 10th Graders may enroll in approved Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) courses listed on the Course Directory at a participating TCSG institution only.
- 11th & 12th Graders eligible students may take any approved Dual Enrollment courses listed on the Course Directory, at an eligible participating postsecondary institution (USG, TCSG or private). The dual enrollment funding cap is 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours.
Application Process for Dual Enrollment
To view a tutorial video of the application process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UoBFlfsNSU
Students attending a Georgia eligible participating public or private high school must complete the online Dual Enrollment funding application. Students can request a transcript for dual enrollment through GA Futures Request Transcript for Dual Enrollment.
Application Steps
1. You must complete an Admissions Application for the college(s) you would like to attend for approved Dual Enrollment courses.
Fulton County School’s deadline to apply for Dual Enrollment:
- For Summer and Fall Term: deadline to apply is March 30th
- For Spring and Winter Term: deadline to apply is November 1st
2. After you have been accepted by the college for dual enrollment, you are now ready to complete the Dual Enrollment Funding Application ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UoBFlfsNSU&feature=youtu.be). Your parent/guardian must electronically complete the Parent Participation Agreement section of your funding application. Your parent will receive an email to complete the online acknowledgment.
- Provide your parent/guardian’s email address.
- Parent/guardian may visit GAfutures.org\DE parent to electronically sign the agreement.
3. YOU MUST provide the counselor with a list of dual enrollment courses that you plan to take. A list of approved Dual Enrollment courses can be found on the Dual Enrollment Course Directory: https://www.gafutures.org/hope-state-aid-programs/scholarships-grants/dual-enrollment/course-directory-2020-2021-beginning-summer-term-2020/. Your counselor must approve your Dual Enrollment courses and funding application by entering the courses that you plan to take through Dual Enrollment
4. The eligible participating college must approve your Dual Enrollment courses and funding application.
Naviance
We want to remind you that all students in Fulton County Schools now have access to Naviance, which can be accessed through ClassLink. Starting this year, Westlake will be using Naviance to process and submit transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other college application documents.
This year as you begin your senior year, we strongly encourage you to visit Naviance to research colleges, careers, and scholarships! After doing your research and once you compile a list of colleges you are applying to you will find that different colleges will require you to apply using different platforms. Below you will find a list of the most common platforms colleges use to have their students apply:
- Common App: https://www.commonapp.org/
- Coalition https://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/
- GaFutures https://www.gafutures.org/college-planning/
- Common Black College Application https://commonblackcollegeapp.com/
- Individual College Application
Important Changes to Common Application and requesting letters of recommendation: For Common Application, once you create your account, we ask that you NOT invite any teachers or counselors to write letters of recommendation through Common App until after you match your Common App account with your Naviance account. Requesting letters of recommendation in Common App before matching your Naviance account will create errors. Therefore, please hold off on requesting recommendations until after you match your accounts. To learn more about this process, you can watch the Common App Matching video: https://www.screencast.com/t/gxEQkElyo1. Once you match Common App to Naviance, you will then be able to request transcripts and teacher recommendations in Naviance Student.
These videos will help you understand this process better: ·
- Common App Matching: https://www.screencast.com/t/gxEQkElyo1
- Students Requesting Transcripts: https://www.screencast.com/t/Bk6kjS5ySK
- Requesting Letters of Recommendation: https://www.screencast.com/t/VD4X5XiMU
- Naviance Overview Video https://www.screencast.com/t/I4G09d3MlI
We hope that you will find these resources helpful. If you have any questions about Naviance Student and the college application process, please contact your assigned counselor.
Fulton County Schools Spring Testing Survey
This year, Fulton County Schools (FCS) will continue to offer the Georgia Milestones End of the Course assessment (EOC) to help us better understand how our students are performing. There are also options to complete the 2021 Advanced Placement (AP) Exams.
The State of Georgia is moving forward with administering Algebra I, Biology, American Literature (11th Lit), and US History EOCs to all high school students enrolled in the associated course(s). All students enrolled in the following courses must be given an opportunity to test (including remote/virtual learners). Although EOC assessments are computer-based, they can only be administered in the face-to-face environment at Westlake High School. The State Department of Education has waived some student and school consequences for not testing, including the reduction in the EOC weight from 20% of the grade to 0.01%.
· Algebra I EOC: Algebra I or Accelerated Algebra/Geometry A
· Biology EOC: Biology, Honors Biology, *AP Biology, *IB Biology Yr1, or *Dual Enrollment
(Any student currently enrolled and has not previously taken Biology and passed the course.)
· American Literature EOC: American Literature (11th Lit)
· US History EOC: US History
The College Board has also announced multiple options for students to complete this year’s AP Exams. With that, FCS has finalized their decision that all schools will use the following administration:
· Window 1 - May 3rd – 17th
· Window 3 - June 1st – 11th
Please access this link https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/exam-dates for more information regarding the details of the administration windows.
All impacted families are asked to complete this FCS Spring Testing Survey to help us prepare for this spring testing https://fultonschools.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6lBLLIAWcYZYBJs and indicate your preference for each assessment as it relates to your student. To access the survey, you will need your student’s FCS ID. The survey will be open until Friday, March 19th. Our goal is for ALL FCS families to respond to the survey, including those learning face-to-face and those learning remotely. Any family who does not respond to the survey by the indicated deadline will be automatically scheduled for a face-to-face test administration during the designated windows.
If you have any further questions, please contact our schools Testing Coordinator, Candice Hickman hickmanc@fultonschools.org. Thank you in advance for your response to the survey and your continued support of Westlake High School.
Parent Spotlight
Tiffany Mozley
Nothing says "Your Special" Like a Personalized Gift!
Tiffany Mozley is the owner of Touch of Tiffany's L.L.C., located in Atlanta, GA. A Touch of Tiffany's is more than a t-shirt company; it's all things personalized! Touch of Tiffany's specialize in all things personalized, such as tumblers, party favors, invites, household items, keepsake items, and much more! The company prides itself on providing exceptional customer service! Their products make unique gifts for your family, friends, and coworkers. Tiffany's attention to detail and customer service make Touch of Tiffany's the perfect choice for all your personalized gifts. Tiffany was born in New Orleans, LA but raised in Lithonia, GA. She is a graduate of Tuskegee University (B.S. Biology), Valdosta State University (MS. Education), and Thomas University (Ed.S Teacher Leadership). Tiffany has always crafted for friends and family but decided to launch her own personalization business in 2019. She provides personalized items to the South Fulton Community and beyond. She also offers training to assist others in starting their own personalization business. She is married to Torres Mozley, and together they have Torrean Mozley (Freshman- Magnet Program) and Tiana Mozley (Sandtown Middle). As a proud resident of South Fulton, she is an advocate in her community by supporting and volunteering with Elizabeth Baptist Church, P.U.R.S.E. Foundation, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Fulton County Schools, and Atlanta Public School System.
Follow Tiffany on Instagram: The TIffanyStory
Email: TouchofTiffanys@gmail.com
Media arts grant could supply south Fulton high school students with scholarships
A $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts could help prepare South Fulton students for careers in media arts.
The City of South Fulton’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Department is applying for the grant to build a sound studio with professional-grade equipment where high school seniors would develop skills needed to develop podcasts and other audio programming. Students at Westlake, Banneker, Langston Hughes, Creekside, and Tri-Cities high schools will have an opportunity to apply.
The National Endowment for The Arts grant is presented through the organization’s Platform for Voices initiative, a 12-week program focused on helping students share stories of oppression of individuals based on race, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, and age.
“Over the course of 12 weeks, students will learn audio production, scriptwriting, and basic sound engineering,” PRCA director Tony Phillips said. “We will provide this training from a facility at the South Fulton Arts Center provides a foundation for any high school senior who is interested in learning more about a career in media arts. This includes being a performer, producer, or engineer.”
The grant was sponsored by council member Carmalitha Gumbs. City officials recently approved a funding match of $25,000. The NEA will announce grant recipients later this year. If the city is selected, the audio production program is expected to launch in 2022.