WBHS Family Newsletter
November 2024
Message from Administration
Dear WBHS Families,
As we head into November, I want to express my appreciation for your continued support and involvement in our school community. It’s been fantastic to see so many families participating in our parent-teacher conferences, athletic events, and a range of club and co-curricular activities.
November is always a busy time at the high school! We’re now halfway through the first semester, and students are setting goals to finish strong for the remainder of the year. Please encourage your child to stay focused and remind them that our teachers, counselors, and staff are here to help them every step of the way.
This month, our grade-level assemblies are also in full swing, offering students a chance to reflect on their goals as a class. We’re pleased to share that each grade level is on track to meet their goals! Additionally, the high school as a whole is making excellent progress. In fact, we’re proud to report that 98% of our students have one or fewer major disciplinary referrals in the “Be Respectful” category. Thank you for reinforcing these positive behaviors at home – it makes a real difference.
We are grateful for your dedication to making West Bend High Schools a supportive and thriving environment. Let’s make November a great month for our students!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Potter
Executive Principal, WBHS
Important Dates
November 1: End of Quarter 1
November 4: Registration Deadline for AP Exams
November 14: Parent Advisory Meeting
November 15: Cosmetology Fair (see below for details)
November 15, 16, & 17: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Fall Play (see flyer for showtimes & ticket info)
November 27-29: No School - Thanksgiving Break
December 1: West Bend Christmas Parade featuring WBHS Bands and various athletics teams and clubs (starting at 5:00 p.m. at North Main St. & Silverbrook Dr. and ending at South Main St. & Oak St.)
December 12: WBHS 2024 Blood Drive (6:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)
*Click upper corner of photos to enlarge.
Important Reminders & Updates
Expanded Release Updates
Expanded Release GPA Requirement Update
We are excited to announce an update to the academic requirement for Expanded Release eligibility! Moving forward, Juniors and Seniors will now qualify for Expanded Release if they maintain a B- grade point average (GPA) for the grading period, rather than needing a B- in every individual class. This change allows students greater flexibility while still prioritizing academic achievement. We believe this update will support students in balancing their workloads while continuing to meet our high academic standards. Keep up the great work!
Expanded Release Schedule Indicators
In order to have students’ schedules appropriately reflect the type of expanded release pass they have, we will be updating Skyward with new codes in lieu of the general “Early Release/Late Arrival” code.
Starting in November, students and families will see any of these codes in their student(s)’ schedules if they are on an expanded release pass of any type:
WBSD Way Expanded Release: For students utilizing the WBSD Way Expanded Release program for certain periods throughout their day.
YA Expanded Release: For students who are in a Youth Apprenticeship program that requires them to miss time during the school day.
Academic Expanded Release: For students in educational programs that schedule them to be out of the building for certain periods.
WBVA Expanded Release: For students who are full-time virtual or hybrid in the West Bend Virtual Academy.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s principal or counselor.
Senior Photo Information
Senior Photos are due by January 10, 2025. Please review these directions and guidelines for submitting your photo.
New this year, senior photos will be submitted directly to Jostens (our yearbook company). Here are the links to submit your photo:
*Click upper corner of photo to enlarge.
Parent Advisory Meeting - November 14th at 4:30pm
Thank you to the parents who attended our first Parent Advisory Meeting! Your insights on attendance practices, parent-teacher conferences, and our WBSD Way collaboration with families were invaluable. We also explored ideas for more frequent staff recognition at WBHS.
Our next meeting will be held on November 14th at 4:30pm in the West Cafeteria. If you are interested in attending our Parent Advisory Meeting, please RSVP here.
WBHS 2024 Blood Drive
The annual Blood Drive organized by the WBHS Student Council will take place on Thursday, December 12, from 6:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Any students, staff, or community members who are 17 or older can sign up donate. Students who are 16 may donate with parental consent form and must meet the height & weight requirements (on slide 5 of this slideshow). STUCO's goal is to have 300+ pints donated!
If you are interested in signing up to help save lives, please click here!
Special thanks to the following students for sharing their talents to help promote the 2024 Blood Drive: Mackenna Steiner (poster design), Kiana Overman (digital artwork), Natalie Walter (t-shirt design drawing), & McKennah Orth (informational slideshow).
Counseling Office Updates
Resources Available to Students
As the first quarter comes to a close, this is a reminder that the high school offers several resources to support students who need additional assistance with coursework. High school is also the time for students to begin advocating for themselves, learning to communicate their needs. Please discuss these options with your teen and encourage them to consider what resources might benefit them at this time.
- Flexi: Flexi is offered during Resource time, first thing in the morning. It is a 30 minute block for students specifically designed to offer support. Students may sign up to meet with their teachers, Tuesday through Friday, for additional help. All students are strongly encouraged to sign up with their teachers each week.
- Math Lab: The Math Lab is staffed by certified math teachers in the building for hours 1-4A and 7 (closed 7th hour on Thursdays).
- Reading/Writing Lab: The Reading/Writing Lab provides assistance with English courses (writing assignments, studying for assessments, etc.) and is staffed by Literary Specialist, Leslie DeLain. Students may sign up during Flexi/Resource time, lunch, or a study hall/off hour. The link to to schedule online is: https://ldelain.youcanbook.me/
If these resources do not provide the needed support, please contact your student’s teacher. At times, they may be available to meet outside of class or after school.
Thank you for encouraging your teen to sign up in Flexi and utilize these supports.
Career Readiness Center Updates
Cosmetology Fair - November 15
Students interested in a career in cosmetology will have an opportunity to attend a Cosmetology Fair in the Silver Lining Center at West Bend High School on November 15 from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. to hear from professionals in the beauty industry or ask questions of technical college or trade school recruiters about the education needed to have a successful career in this exciting and growing industry!
Local Scholarship Kick-Off
Parents of Seniors mark your calendars. Monday, December 2, is the Local Scholarship Kick Off event. Columns will be presenting information on scholarship opportunities for our graduating seniors.
WBSD Way Team Updates
What is the WBSD Way?
The WBSD Way is a framework for supporting students' behavioral, academic, and social/emotional needs. The WBSD Way teaches students the expectations and importance of being Respectful, Responsible, Ready and Safe here at school and reinforces behaviors through use of rewards and incentives.
The WBSD Way is also a district-sponsored community outreach program. Students are now able to receive positive reinforcement for meeting the expectations of being Respectful, Responsible, Ready, and Safe both at school AND in the community. Local businesses have teamed with the West Bend School District and will be handing out WBSD Way coupons to students in grades K-12 who are caught meeting the four expectations. If your student earns one of these coupons, they should write their first and last name on it and bring it to the High Schools’ main office to enter a monthly raffle and be recognized for their behavior. Businesses participating in this program will have a WBSD Way poster visible in their establishment. Please review these expectations with your student and discuss what meeting these expectations in the community might look like.
Here are ways that students and staff are rewarded for following the WBSD Way:
WBSD Way 2024-2025 Goal Progress
This school year, one of the goals for East and West High Schools is to increase the number of Freshmen and Sophomores with 0-1 “major” behavior referrals in the "Be Respectful" category (Insubordination, Disrespect, Inappropriate Language, etc.). The goal is set at 93% and through October we are at 97%! Great work!
WBHS Highlights & Celebrations
Students in Physics classes recently participated in the annual Egg Drop Experiment. They used the information they’ve learned in class to design protective carriers for their egg to remain intact after being dropped from the WBHS roof!
Congrats to all of the Washington County Trail Sharks who recently raced at the state meet!
Congratulations to the West Boys Soccer Team for winning the 2024 Regional Championship! Great job!
Congratulations to the West Girls Volleyball Team for winning the 2024 Regional Championship! Way to go!
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!
Staff Shout Outs
Please help us recognize staff members who are doing great things at WBHS. You can fill out this staff shout out form as many times as you wish!
Helpful Links for Families
WBHS Contact Information
Address:
1305 E. Decorah Road
West Bend, WI 53095
Phone Numbers:
(262)335-5530 (East Office)
(262)335-5570 (West Office)
(262)335-5550 (Attendance)
(262)335-5580 (Counseling Office)
Athletics Websites: East | West
Administration
Jennifer Potter- Executive Principal
jpotter@wbsd-schools.org / 262-335-5629
Dave Uelmen - Associate Principal
duelmen@wbsd-schools.org / 262-335-5592
Jared Kiesow - Assistant Principal - Freshmen
jkiesow@wbsd-schools.org / 262-335-5587
Bob Feldkamp - Assistant Principal - Sophomores
rfeldkamp@wbsd-schools.org / 262-335-5571
Dave Riley - Assistant Principal - Juniors
dsriley@wbsd-schools.org / 262-335-5532
Kelsey Petersen - Assistant Principal - Seniors
kmpetersen@wbsd-schools.org / 262-335-5569
Counselors
Kara Phillips - Freshmen & Sophomores with last names A-Ha
Jenni Hanni-Schmitz - Freshmen with last names He-Z
jhannischmitz@wbsd-schools.org
Kris Kemp - Sophomores with last names He-Z
Jamie Thomas - Juniors with last names A-P
Matt Coyle - Seniors with last names A-P
Nicole Miller - Juniors & Seniors with last names Q-Z
Juliana Delgado - Virtual Students and Students with 504 Plans
Audrey Sobczak - School Psychologist