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The Wolverine Word

Monthly Community Newsletter -- vol. 1, ed. 4

The Wolverine Word Monthly Community Newsletter -- vol. 1, ed. 4

A Note from Dr. Archambeau

Good afternoon, Wolverine Families!


It's hard to believe November is already here! October is always a busy month on a high school campus, with fall and winter sports overlapping and our fine arts programs thriving. It’s been wonderful to see students so engaged—in practices, club meetings, and events, both before and after school. As we've mentioned before, getting involved on campus is one of the best ways for students to thrive academically. We’re proud to offer many opportunities for students to connect and engage!


We only have three weeks until Thanksgiving Break and, before we know it, the end of 1st semester! Please read each section below to stay on top of everything going on here at West!


Gulo Gulo!


Dr. Aaron Archambeau


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What are Wolverine Time & Wellness?

Wolverine Time

Wolverine Time (WT) is an academic period built in to the daily schedule that is designed for students to complete missing work, receive assistance from teachers, make up tests, or engage in activities such as study halls or subject-specific remediation. WT sessions are held every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, with Thursdays reserved for WT Homebase, during which no sessions are offered. Each session can accommodate up to 30 students, and teachers are required to plan and schedule their weekly sessions by Wednesday afternoon, covering the period from the following day (Thursday) to the next Wednesday. Students must sign up for sessions each Thursday during WT Homebase through Student Support Time (found on MyFCS), and those who fail to sign up are auto-assigned into a session with one of their current teachers. During this auto-assigned session, students are asked to register for WT sessions for the remainder of the week.


The following expectations for Wolverine Time were shared with students throughout the first seven days of school:


  • All students who are on campus during WT will be expected to attend a session.

  • All students will use the Student Support Time program to sign up for sessions.

  • If a teacher assigns you to their session, you must attend that session.

  • If a teacher hasn’t assigned you to a session, you get to choose which session you want to attend.

  • Students will only be able to attend one WT session per day.

  • Students must go where they are listed in Student Support Time.

  • Not attending an assigned Wolverine Time session is considered skipping.


Wellness Wednesday

Wellness occurs for 45 minutes on Wednesday after our two Wolverine Time sessions. Wellness is a non-academic period of time designed for students to “unplug” and get involved with a variety of activities. Every teacher offers a session that provides an opportunity for students to attend. From “Taylor Swift Karaoke” to "Cross Stitching" to “Walk and talk”, there are a wide variety of sessions for students to attend.


Students must sign up for a Wellness session each Thursday during WT Homebase through Student Support Time (found on MyFCS), and those who fail to sign up are auto-assigned into a session with one of their current teachers. During this auto-assigned session, students are asked to register for the next week's Wellness session.


What is Student Support Time?

Student Support Time (SST) is the system we utilize at West to schedule students for Wolverine Time and Wellness Sessions. SST is located in MyFCS Classlink and is accessible on any device. SST allows students, teachers and administrators to easily schedule and track which sessions students are signing up for and attending during WT and Wellness.

ICON Teacher and Support Staff of the Month Winners

One of the best parts of my job is having the opportunity to recognize the staff members in our building for a job well done! Each month we collect ICON Teacher of the Month (TOTM) and ICON Support Staff of the Month nominations from students, faculty/staff members, parents, and community members.


Nominations are grouped by month and the person with the greatest number of nominations each month is named our Teacher and/or Support Staff of the Month. Our Teacher of the Year is selected from among our 10 ICON TOTM nominees from the previous school year. When a teacher is named the Teacher of the Month during the 2024 - 25 school year, they will be a nominee for Teacher of the Year next year.


Congratulations to Cindy Cawthon and Kaitlyn Newman for winning the ICON Teacher and Support Staff awards for the month of September!


ICON Teacher of the Month - Cindy Cawthon

  • Ms. Cawthon cares so much about her students and doing the best possible job she can in her classroom.
  • She constantly explores new and creative ways to engage her students, ensuring they have the resources and support they need to succeed.
  • Her noble approach to teaching reflects a deep commitment to each student's growth, not only academically but also personally.
  • Ms. Cawthon’s caring nature shines through in her interactions, always putting her students' well-being and best interests at the forefront. It’s clear that she is dedicated to making a positive impact and inspiring her students to reach their fullest potential.
  • Ms. Cawthon’s ability to create a positive, welcoming environment fosters a strong sense of belonging, making her classroom a space where all students can thrive.


ICON Support Staff of the Month - Kaitlyn Newman

  • Kaitlyn is new to West as a Parapro in our EBI program and new to education in general. She has been so enthusiastic to work with the students each and every day.
  • Kaitlyn is so positive and upbeat. She works 1-on-1 with our students to help them make up missing work, study for tests, and quizzes. She is there to be a support to them for anything else they may need.
  • Kaitlin goes above and beyond for our students. She gets to know them to help recognize how their day is going and what struggles they are having. She gets all of their up and coming work from their teachers and gives them weekly reminders so they can study and prepare.
  • Ms. Newman is awesome! She does so much to reach the students and let them know that our room is a safe place to bring their struggles.
  • Compassion - Ms. Newman shows genuine care and concern for all students and staff. She is willing to provide whatever support a student needs. She creates a comfortable environment by being welcoming and friendly to everyone that crosses her path.


Congratulations to Cindy Cawthon and Kaitlyn Newman!

ICON Teacher and Support Staff of the Month Nominations

Do you or your student notice someone doing a great job this month? Take a moment to nominate them for October Teacher ICON of the Month and Support Staff ICON of the month! As a reminder, Support Staff includes secretaries, counselors, paraprofessionals, custodians, café workers, administrators, Instructional Coach, ETC, Media Specialist, Graduation Coach, Student Support Coordinator, and Athletic Director.


Winners of our Teacher of the Month for this school year will be in the running to become our 2025-2026 Teacher of the year.


October Teacher of the Month Nomination Form


October Support Staff of the Month Nomination Form


Thank you!

Dr. Jim and Peggie Morrow - Glow Run for Educators

The Forsyth County Education Foundation is excited to announce the Dr. Jim and Peggie Morrow Glow Run for Educators! Because of the funds raised during the 2023 Dr. Jim and Peggie Morrow iChallenge, the Forsyth County Education Foundation gave out 17 staff scholarships to current paraprofessionals (teacher assistants) who wish to advance to a teaching position and teachers who wish to advance to a school counselor role.


The Forsyth County Education Foundation is excited to transition this year from the virtual iChallenge back to an in-person 5K race- Dr. Jim and Peggie Morrow Glow Run for Educators! This will be a time for students, educators, families and the entire community to come out for an evening run and GLOW to raise funds for SHINING STAR educators. Funds raised from this event will be used for scholarships for FCS staff to further their education.


Grab your glow in the dark gear and your friends and family and join us the evening of 11/10 to run through downtown Cumming and the Cumming City Center at dusk.


Click here to sign up!

Parent Info Night for Spanish Speaking Families

Our previously scheduled parent information night for Spanish speaking families has been rescheduled to Tuesday, November 12th. We will have a translator there who will be talking about our school, attendance procedures, upcoming important dates, communicating with our staff, accessing your student’s grades, and so much more. We will be providing free dinner and childcare.


To reserve your spot, please complete this registration link by November 5th.


If you have any questions or are interested in attending, please reach out to our counseling department for more details.

The Place of Forsyth's Holiday House

West Forsyth High School will once again be spreading cheer this year by collecting donations for those in need to support The Place of Forsyth’s Holiday House.


The holidays will soon be here, and The Place of Forsyth needs our help making the season a joyful event for those who need a little help. Last year, with the help of our generous community, the Holiday House provided gifts for over 2,000 children. They are expecting that number to increase again this year.


This joyful season, we would like to focus on gifts for teens (grades 6-12). A list of ideas is included. Gift cards are a great idea as well, but ALL gift donations are appreciated.


We will be accepting donations in the Counseling office as well as the front office from Monday, November 4th - Wednesday, December 4th. Students will also be accepting donations in the WFHS car line on the following dates/times:


  • Tuesday, November 12th from 8:00-8:30
  • Friday, November 17th from 8:00-8:30
  • Tuesday, November 19th from 8:00-8:30
  • Friday, November 22nd from 8:00-8:30
  • Tuesday, December 3rd from 8:00-8:30


All donations will be delivered to The Place on Thursday, December 5th. If you have any questions, please contact Sharon Ryles, WFHS Counselor, at: sryles@forsyth.k12.ga.us


Thank you so much for your support!

We are so proud to be part of this generous community!!!

United Way Campaign

It is time for our annual United Way Campaign! United Way helps to provide funding for Forsyth County students and families in need. This includes helping with costs for food, hygiene products, school supplies, field trips, clubs, tutoring, transportation, and so much more. To contribute to our campaign, please use the link below.


United Way Campaign - Donation Link


Our campaign ends December 15th, so we hope you consider contributing!

AP Exam Registration

AP exam registration ended on Oct 25. If your student plans on taking an AP exam in May, you should have registered and paid in Total Registration. They should also have enrolled in classroom sections in AP Classroom. If both steps were not completed an exam will not be ordered for them.


Late registration will begin at the end of January.

Parking

The parking application is still open with limited space available in the Gold Lot. The parking application can be found using this link: West Forsyth High School Parking Application & Payment (please click on the gold button that says “Parking Fee $135”). Once you have completed the application, the parking fee will be added to your student account through School Pay. After payment has been received, students may visit the front office with a copy of their drivers license and proof of payment to pick up their parking pass.


At this time, students who drive to school should have already picked up their parking permit. In the event that your permit has not yet been picked up, please see the front office. WFHS Admin will patrol parking lots to ensure students have a valid parking permit and are parked in the correct lot. Students are only allowed to park on campus after purchasing a valid permit. If a student does not park with a valid permit or in their assigned lot, WFHS administration will apply appropriate consequences. Additionally, students must follow ALL parking signage related to speed limits and no parking. This is an important measure for student safety on the WFHS campus.

Cell Phones in the Classroom

Please be aware of the cell phone policy that is being implemented this school year. In order to limit distractions during instruction and ensure students are engaged in their learning, cell phones and headphones/AirPods should be put away during instructional time unless directed by the teacher.


While we understand this will be an adjustment for our students, we appreciate your support in ensuring our students are adhering to this policy!

Attendance Matters!

While we understand absences are occasionally necessary for students, we implore our West families to make class attendance a priority. There are numerous reasons for this:


  1. School attendance is vital to academic success. The research behind academic achievement and school attendance is undisputable. Our state and district leaders put laws and policies in place to support this correlation.
  2. Our attendance rates impact our CCRPI scores. This means that we are evaluated, as a public school in Georgia, based on our attendance rates. West is a premiere school, and we want to maintain that standing.
  3. Our district publishes school calendars well in advance for families to make travel plans, and we have many long breaks throughout the year, in addition to a long summer, for extended trips.
  4. Student attendance is a spotlighted data point at the top of student transcripts for colleges to consider in the application review process. Colleges want students with healthy attendance practices.


Before asking the WFHS Attendance Office to excuse an absence, please consult the list of approved reasons, determined by state law and FCS Board Policy, HERE.

Tardies to School and Classes

Speaking of attendance.....we have a large number of students who are accumulating tardies, both to school and to classes within their school day. All students at West are expected to be in school and/or classes on time. This means that students are expected to be in the classroom before the tardy bell rings. Students who accumulate excessive tardies will receive disciplinary consequences. Below we have outlined more specific information about the progression of disciplinary consequences students will receive.


Consequences for Unexcused Tardy to Class (*cumulative total of tardies, not per class):

  • 5th - 6th Offense: Warning / parent phone call made by tardy team.

  • 8th – Offense: 1 day of Lunch detention assigned by tardy team

  • 10th - Offense: 2 days of Lunch detention assigned by tardy team

  • 12th Offense: referral to administrator – Friday Night School and parking warning for student drivers.

  • 15th Offense: referral to administrator - In School Suspension or possible one week suspension for student drivers.


After the 15th offense:

  • the consequence issued to a student will be at the discretion of administrator

  • Possible suspension of parking privilege for student drivers.


Please speak with your student(s) about the importance of getting to school and class on time. As the graph above shows, students who miss even a few minutes of class could be missing important instruction occurring in the class.


Thank you for your attention to this important matter!

Transportation

Bus Information

Our transportation department works very hard to ensure all of our students have transportation and arrive to school/home safely. Just know that routes for both morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off will run late every now and then. This is no fault of our transportation department but more a result of being short drivers and transporting tens of thousands of students each day.


Your student's bus information, including pick-up and drop-off times, can be accessed in Parent Portal. Please be patient for the first few weeks of school as drivers solidify their routes. If you have questions about bus transportation, please contact our District Supervisor -- Mrs. Kelly Kurisko (770-667-2580 ext. 230508).


Car Rider Line

Thank you to those that are following our car rider line procedures because the flow of the car rider line has continued to improve week to week! The only thing I would like to continue to stress is the importance of not utilizing other parking lots to drop-off or pick-up your student(s). We have found parents/guardians parking in student parking spaces while waiting for their student(s) to be dismissed from school. As we have outlined below, drop-off or pick-up should only occur in the main lot off Drew Road. Thank you!


Mandatory Car Rider Line Rules:

  • There will be no student drop-off or pick-up in the following areas: gym lot, bus lot, stadium lot, or in the back by the tennis courts. All vehicles must enter through the main lot off Drew Road.
  • Students must remain in cars until they reach the appropriate drop-off spot.There will be no drop-off in the middle of the line (even if your child is running late).
  • Drivers must be fully attentive to traffic directors at all points of the car rider line. If using your phone, drivers must be hands-free.


Below is a link to a first-person look at how our car rider line operates.


Car Rider Line - First Person Video


Additionally, please see the map below to help navigate student drop-off and pick-up.

New Meal Payment System

FCS Food & Nutrition website is the best source of information regarding school breakfast and lunch. To access, click here.


FCS has switched to MYSCHOOLBUCKS for student lunch accounts. Please click HERE for more information and to set up your account. We are happy to announce that meal prices will remain the same for three years in a row!


The application for Free and Reduced meals is available HERE.


Should you need any assistance, please reach out to our Assistant Cafeteria Manager, Susan Garmon at f40654@forsyth.k12.ga.us.

School Announcements

Students can find our school announcements within Canvas in their student information course. They can also be accessed by clicking here. Check them out so you can stay in the know!

Class of 2025 Information

Senior Parents - Graduation is Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 7:30 PM at the Gas South Arena. The link to pay Senior Dues is now open online at www.3rdascent.com.


The Senior Dues include your child’s diploma and cover, his/her cap and gown, the Senior Breakfast, and other items specifically related to graduation. Senior Dues do not cover the cost of Senior pictures, graduation announcements, a yearbook and/or ad, or a Senior yard sign.


Please be sure to place the order under your child’s name, not yours. You will also need to know your child’s height and weight when placing the order. Senior Dues are currently $160, but the cost will increase after December 1, 2024.


If you have questions, please contact Donna Duncan at dduncan@forsyth.k12.ga.us.

Yearbook Information

Yearbooks on Sale Now!

You can purchase your student’s yearbook at JostensYearbooks.com or WestForsythYearbook.com. Order early to save!


Reminder!!

Share student life pictures with the yearbook staff at westforsythyearbook.com or scan the QR code below.

Counselor's Corner

The counseling office is staying busy in October and November. We are continuing our Junior Conferences until November 15th. Make sure you sign-up if you have not done so already. We also continue to have colleges sign up to meet with our students during Wolverine Time. Please keep looking at our College and Career Center calendar for updates and information.


One of our biggest events, Apply to College Day, is coming up on Thursday, November 7th. We will have counselors and teachers helping students with college applications, transcript requests, essay writing and more! There will also be local college representatives joining us at this event to share information about their schools in a mini-college fair environment. Please click on the link below to access a letter regarding Apply to College Day from our Principal, Dr. Archambeau.


Dr. Archambeau - Apply to College Letter

WFHS PTO Updates

Here are the latest happenings from our wonderful PTO!


  • Calling all Chick-fil-A fans. PTO will be selling Chicken biscuits for $5. Pre-orders only; so; hurry and order yours today. ORDER BY 11:00PM ON/OR BEFORE - 11/4/2024. Here is the link to order your Chick-Fil-A!


  • Our custom made WFHS PTO portable roll-up fleece blanket is the perfect gift for any event or occasion. Your group will love curling up in it! Good for indoor or outdoor use - the blanket is the same material on both sides. We still have a few left @ $30 each. Here is the link to order.


  • Winter Holiday Teacher Giveaway – It's the most wonderful time of year to show our teachers/staff some Holiday Cheer! WFHS PTO will be hosting a drawing for prizes at the Teacher and Staff Holiday Lunch on December 18, 2024. If would like to donate a gift card or money towards the purchase of items or gift cards or if you are a business owner who would like to donate items or gift cards, please sign up here. **Drop off all goods and gift cards to the front office, labeled ATTN: WHFS PTO, by December 13, 2024.**


  • We strongly encourage our Parents to sign up and pay for PTO memberships. All students are eligible for a PTO scholarship from 9th to 12th grade(s) when the application window opens next semester. More information to follow in the New Year, but students must be a registered and paid member by December 31st 2024 by 11:00 pm to be eligible for a scholarship. Please note - only *paid members are eligible to enter the essay contest.


  • PTO has joined and paid to be a member of the Forsyth County PTO/A Council. This means all students at West Forsyth High School are eligible to participate in the “Honoring Our Heroes Essay Contest” next year. More details to come from the Counseling Department!

Campus Not Open for General Use

While we love having visitors on campus for planned events, please be aware that our track, fields, and other areas of campus are NOT open for general public use. Our county has many public parks and greenways for recreational use, but our schools and the space and equipment that make up our campus and support our extracurriculars are for our students, under the direct supervision of trained staff. In order to keep students safe and maintain our grounds and facilities, we ask that our community works together to support these rules.

Important Dates to Know for the 2024-2025 School Year

Here a list of important dates for you to know throughout the 2024-2025 school year. It's never too early to add these to your calendar!


As the year progresses, we will keep these dates in the newsletter and will add any additional ones.


Fall Semester Dates


Tuesday, November 5th

Election Day - Student Holiday


Monday, November 25th - Friday, November 29th

Thanksgiving Break - No School for Students and Staff


Tuesday, December 17th - Friday, December 20th

Midterm Exams


Monday, December 23rd - Friday, January 3rd

Winter Break - No School for Students and Staff


Spring Semester Dates


Monday, January 20th

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School for Students and Staff


Friday, February 14th - Monday, February 17th

Student and Staff Holiday


Tuesday, February 18th

No School for Students - Professional Development for Staff


Friday, March 14th

No School for Students


Monday, March 31st - Friday, April 4th

Spring Break - No School for Students and Staff


Saturday, April 12th

Junior/Senior Prom at The Ramsey Conference Center (7:30 PM - 10:00 PM)


Monday, May 5th - Friday, May 16th

Advanced Placement Testing


Monday, May 12th

9th & 10th Grade Underclass Awards Ceremony


Tuesday, May 13th

Senior Awards Night in the WFHS Auditorium


Wednesday, May 14th

11th Grade Underclass Awards Ceremony


Sunday, May 18th

Graduation at Gas South Arena (7:30 PM)

Aaron Archambeau
Aaron is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters