Wolverines News January Newsletter

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Welcoming in a new year for us also means we welcome a new semester, a fresh start. The new semester will be a great time to reflect on what went well first semester, and what changes might be needed for second. It is a clean slate. By now our freshman students have learned what is needed to successfully earn each credit towards graduation. Our sophomores and juniors are making closer steps towards their senior year, planning for what courses to take that will lead them to a possible career path or college. The senior class is embarking on their final semester as high school students; gearing up for the next journey in their lives! Whatever stage a student is at in their high school career, we look forward to moving ahead into the new semester supporting them towards whatever personal success means for them!

Sincerely,

-Ms. Rebecca Rieken

#WeAreWEST

From his students...

"Mr. DeChaine shows extreme pride and care in what he does."

"He is kind and easy to talk to if you have any questions or concerns."

"He goes above and beyond when teaching."

West High congratulates Nate DeChaine as our staff member of the month!!!

Mr. Elker had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the 2022 Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA. He was in the Band Directors Marching Band which was a tribute to a former band from Pickerington, OH. While there, he got to meet band directors from all over the country, including a snare drum player who teaches in Treynor, IA and student taught at Heelan in 1984. Mr. Elker shared that one of the coolest things he got to do was reconnect with his senior year band director who is in the picture with him. He is a failed retiree who keeps teaching band part time to help bridge the gap between directors.

Congratulations to Mr. Elker on this exciting opportunity!!!

On January 17th, West High School staff and students recognized Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Staff shared with students a presentation prepared to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This year's Martin Luther King Jr. Art Contest featured artwork from students across the District with art that celebrated the theme of "Amplifying Voices for Racial Solidarity and Equity." West High School celebrates our 3rd place winner in the high school category! Congratulations to Treyzel Chandler, 12th grade!!

Before you know it, graduation will be here and NOW is the time to get your orders in!!

When you click the link below there will be a tab where you can order online. It does automatically take you to a package, but please search the site if you are only interested in ordering a cap and gown. If you cannot order online, or if you have any questions, please stop by the Freshman House office and ask to speak to Ms. Bernard. Also, if you are in need of assistance to order a cap and gown, please come see her for more details.

Deadline to order is January 28th

https://app.hirenami.com/viewer/reach/ea528bb5-6689-4dc2-8dd0-afcd43ca5f49/5fe5d33e-76d8-48bd-a996-79ff6274853b/79f28c17-cc16-4d4f-9411-009b7c98e8a6?pk_campaign=5fe5d33e-76d8-48bd-a996-79ff6274853b

We continue to focus on increasing positive attendance at school...

January 13 and 14, fun lunches were served to more than 400 Wolverines. Starting December 6, any student who had zero truancies and five or less tardies, until January 11, received a catered lunch. The PBIS Tier One team worked with Chesterman's, Louis BBQ, and Wells Blue Bunny for free or discounted items. The students loved their pulled pork sandwich, macaroni salad, baked beans, sweet treat, ice cream, and pop/water. Thank you, students, for "being your best and being at West." Thank you to the PBIS team for the work they did to help get the food and serve. Thank you to our custodial staff for helping with tables, coolers, and clean up. Thank you to all to staff who jumped in to get the students served in a short time. Thank you to Louis BBQ for the help of serving and the discounted meals. Thank you to Chesterman's for the donation of the pop and water. Thank you to Wells Blue Bunny for the ice cream.

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.

Our next school dance, "Saturday Night Fever", will be held on Saturday, March 12th. Students will need to meet the following eligibility criteria which will begin on the first day of 2nd semester, Thursday, January 13th.

• No more than 5 tardies
• No truancies (zero tolerance)
• No major behavioral referrals
• No F's as of Thursday, March 10th 4pm
• Ticket sales will end the morning of Friday, March 11th

During 1st semester, West High School became aware of several inappropriate social media sites targeting members of our school community including students and staff, as well as anonymous accounts making threats towards our school. We take these things very seriously. The sites are harassing in nature and violate Board Policy 504.4 which addresses bullying and harassment in the District. The threatening posts cause serious safety concerns which become disruptive to our school community. Such posts to do not follow expectations as stated in our student code of conduct.

We are committed to providing all students and staff with a safe environment in which members of our school are treated with dignity and respect. No student or staff member deserves to come to school feeling unsafe, or be the subject of hurtful, disrespectful, or inappropriate social media content. Bullying and harassment of any kind, including the content on these social media sites, are not tolerated. Any student found to be in violation of our board policy, or any student who disrupts our school by posting dangerous threats, will be subject to appropriate discipline or other action pursuant to District policies.

We encourage any student who has created one of these social media sites to remove it immediately. Students are also discouraged from commenting on these sites as their comments could also be a violation of school policy.

The students and staff in our school have the right to a learning environment where they feel safe, and where they can believe, achieve, and succeed. They have a right to a supportive community. That starts with respect for one another, and doing the right thing.

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. Those in need may contact the school to arrange a time to select items they need, but we would also 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

West High welcomes Coach Mo Molifua as our new Sanford Outreach Counselor. Coach Mo will work closely with Coach Holmes to help with this transition. Coach Holmes will continue at West High School in a new position as West High partners with iJAG to develop programming for 9th and 10th graders. Congratulations to them both on their new positions to support our school!

January 13: Semester 1 Begins

February 21: No School, Parent Teacher Conferences

February 22: Parent Teacher Conferences

February 25: No School: Exchange Day for Conferences

March 12: Spring Dance

March 21: 4th Quarter Begins

April 14-18: Spring Break- No School

May 14: Senior Prom

May 19: Last Day for Seniors

May 26: Last Day of School

May 28: Graduation Commencement @2:30

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.

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!

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:

• 2/19
• 4/9
• 5/7
• 5/21

Mark your Calendar:

January 12 - End of 1st semester

January 13 - Start of 2nd semester

January 26 - Last day for schedule changes

January 31 - Kind World and Siouxland Foundation Scholarship Applications are due

February 21 - Parent Teacher Conferences; Junior Parent Night (ICAN Presentation for FAFSA) @ 6:00 P.M.

February 22- Parent Teacher Conferences; FAFSA Completion Night for Seniors (TBD)

Schedule Change Requests:

West High students may complete the following form link to request a meeting with their counselor to discuss a schedule change for 2nd semester. Students must complete the form before any changes are considered.
https://forms.office.com/r/RcvixYhxuM
Students are asked not to come to their counselor about schedule change requests without receiving a pass or meeting invitation from their counselor first.
Students will have 10 school days from the start of the semester on Thursday, January 13 to change their schedule.

Scholarships:

National, State, and Local Scholarships are located on the BP High School Advisory Canvas page. Seniors needs to be working on scholarships specific to the college attending and other scholarships to offset the cost of college.

FAFSA:

FAFSA applications need to be completed as soon as possible to maximize free or reduce costs of college expenses. The application can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Transcripts:

Seniors applying to college need to order their official transcript through their Kuder account.

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

Stay up-to-date on the latest community events and information by signing up for Virtual Backpack. From camps to sports leagues to family services, the SCCSD Virtual Backpack will connect you with helpful tools for your family. Sign up today!

With the cooler temperatures upon us, please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the colder weather. Even during the winter season, the District allows recess and outdoor activities to continue as usual, so it is important that students have the right winter weather clothing. When the temperature feels like 15 degrees or lower, then students are kept inside for recess and activities. Students should be prepared for the cooler weather with a warm coat, hat, scarf, and gloves. If your student does not have access to cold weather apparel, please contact our school office.

The weather in Iowa can be unpredictable. If the weather requires us to delay the start of our school day, cancel school for the day, or dismiss school early, information will be sent to families through Blackboard, our communication system. In addition, this information is posted to our social media sites and the District website.

Please remember that parents and guardians have the right to make the decision to keep their child home on any day they feel it is unsafe for their student to be in school because of weather conditions. If you believe the weather provides a sincere reason why you may have to keep your student at home, or take your student home when classes are scheduled to continue, you as a parent or guardian will simply need to contact our school office to let us know.

Do the terms Snap map, private account, or ghost mode sound familiar? If you answered no, you are not alone. Many families are unfamiliar with these social media terms and others. The District website offers information for parents on the most popular social media platforms and tips for keeping kids safe online. Information is available here: https://bit.ly/3mgwsz7

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 are available to students who start displaying COVID symptoms during the school day.

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