Eagle Flyer

Dear Walnut Hills Community,

This week’s warmer temperatures and sunshine have been a refreshing change! As we approach the end of January, students are preparing to select their courses for the next school year. The online course selection process will open in Focus on February 3rd. While we've shared plenty of information about this process, we want to ensure every student takes the time to make thoughtful choices that will enhance their educational journey.

Exciting Event Highlights

Last Saturday, our world-renowned WHHS Robotics Team hosted its annual tournament on campus with support from our Alumni Foundation. The event saw an incredible turnout, and it was inspiring to watch students from across the city compete.

In other news, our Ethics Team placed second in the Greater Cincinnati Ethics Bowl and will now face the winner of the New Jersey Regional on February 15th for a chance to compete at Nationals! With 34 teams, Cincinnati is the largest Ethics Bowl region in the country—an outstanding achievement for our team and Coach Frecker!

The Classics Team also had an impressive weekend, securing a first-place win in the Upper Level category, with two students earning Convention scholarships.

And making history—Nevaeh Williams bowled a perfect 300 in their match against Lakota West! This incredible feat marks a first for Walnut Hills. Congratulations to all our student competitors!

Health & Safety Reminder

Parents and guardians, please remember that if your student is feeling unwell, they should stay home from school. With an increase in norovirus and flu cases, students must remain home for at least 24 hours after symptoms subside, including fever and vomiting. Keeping our students healthy and safe is a top priority.

Lastly, please review the updated Yondr Procedures in the Important Reminders section below. Thank you for your continued support in making Walnut Hills a thriving community!

Rise to the Highest!

Ashley Morgan

Interim Principal

Sursum ad summum

Go Eagles!

February

3 Midterm Week Begins

3 Optioning Opens in Focus

10 No Students (Conference Day)

14 Optioning Closes in Focus

17 Schools Closed President's Day Holiday

18 Transition to High School Virtual Program (details in Counseling Corner)

24 Sophomore/Junior College Night (details in Counseling Corner)

25 Juniors take the ACT during school

Parents of 11th and 12th grade students: Information about the upcoming ACT administration was distributed to students in their homeroom on 1/29. The ACT is for all current juniors, and will take place here at school on February 25, beginning promptly at 8:00 a.m. Please ask your student about the form they received in homeroom. Extra forms are available in Office 2209, and completed forms should be returned to Office 2209 before February 21.

Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) is committed to supporting its immigrant and refugee families.

As federal law requires, CPS enrolls and serves all students and families, regardless of immigration status. CPS does not request or maintain records related to a student’s immigration status.

CPS does not permit law enforcement activities, including immigration enforcement, on school property or during school hours without proper legal authorization. Student records are protected by law and will not be disclosed without a court order or subpoena. Searches and seizures on school property require a lawfully issued warrant.

CPS encourages families to update their emergency contact information, ensuring multiple contacts are listed for each student.

Returning to the stage once again, The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is eager to welcome audiences to their winter musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Walnut Hills was one of 16 schools in the nation to first receive a grant to perform this revised version, and it will be the regional premiere of this version of the show. The show runs February 13-15, 2024 at 7pm in the WHHS Auditorium.

Click HERE to read more and purchase tickets.

Mark Your Calendars

Please look for the email with key testing dates for the rest of the school year. This email was sent Thursday, January 16th.

If you did not receive it you can find the content with details at this link:

WHHS Semester 2 Testing Information

All AP Exam fees have been posted to student accounts in Focus under the Purchase & Pay tab. We apologize in advance for any confusion with these fees. Please direct any questions to Penny Hedrick, school treasurer, at hedricp@cpsboe.k12.oh.us

If you have not already done so, PLEASE check your student’s account for AP fees. Payment can now be handled directly through Focus OR you may bring your cash or money order payment to the main office. We cannot accept personal checks. If you do not have an account in Focus, please go to this link: Parent Portal Registration

If you feel you would qualify for Reduced AP Fees but you do not see this reflected in your student’s account, you must provide our school treasurer with a letter of approval for Free or Reduced Lunch from Student Dining Services BEFORE the fees are due on March 31, 2025.

If you have not applied, please do so right away to allow time for processing the application.

Meal & Education Benefits Application and Information

Get ready for an evening of live music from talented Walnut students, pumping DJ dance music, a silent auction full of fabulous items, exciting basket raffle, fun games, and tasty light bites. Several sponsorship opportunities are still available. Early bird pricing ends January 31st!

Click HERE for Sponsorship, Volunteer and Ticket information.

If you have any questions please contact whhswalnutfest@gmail.com

Purchase a senior recognition, or baby ad, in the yearbook to celebrate your senior. All senior recognition ads must be purchased by 2/7/2025

SENIOR yard signs are available for purchase in Office 2209 for $15 (cash only)! Pick yours up today!

Please use this LINK to access information about WHHS Athletic Boosters and upcoming events/fundraisers.

Want to stay in know of everything related to Walnut Athletics? The Eagles Week is posted weekly on Sundays and can be found at Walnut Hills - Team Home Walnut Hills Eagles Sports (walnuthillseaglesathletics.com).

Have information to be added each week? Email your leads to whhseaglesweekly@gmail.com !

Please use the link below to see the School Counselor breakout and contact info. for 24/25.

Counseling Department 2024-2025

All optioning materials from the Counseling Department are accessible on the Walnut Hills website, under Optioning Materials 2025-2026 on the Counseling tab. If your student loses their grade level Optioning Form, they can pick up a replacement in 2203. Optioning forms should be turned into office 2203 AFTER students option in Focus starting on February 3, 2025.

WHHS Counseling

Click on the link below to view the College Credit Plus (CCP) video and to access the Letter of Intent. Please see your school counselor with any questions. The deadline for signing the Letter of Intent is April 1.

Please watch this video as a requirement to take CCP classes.

Attention parents/guardians of 8th grade students:

Join us on Tuesday, February 18 at 7:00 for our virtual Transition to High School program for 8th grade families. Counselors will discuss the four year academic plan and the importance of selecting a course load appropriate for college aspirations and interests. The importance of the high school transcript is discussed as well.

Click HERE to join the meeting

Air Force ROTC representatives will be presenting to our 9th-12th graders on Friday, Feb. 21st. Mark your calendars! Come to the Conference Room during your lunch!

New program this year! Sophomore-Junior College Night, for all 10th and 11th graders and their parents. We’ll offer multiple presentations on a variety of college admissions topics, and you’ll choose 3 presentations to sit in on over the course of the evening. Mark your calendars! Feb 24th from 6:15-8. Come to the Auditorium. Register here.

During the sessions, we will cover important topics including Dual Enrollment State information and details regarding the University of Cincinnati application process. These sessions provide an excellent opportunity for students and families who may have missed their school's information session or for those interested in exploring a campus further, especially if they are considering taking courses in person. Each session will require families to sign in for attendance tracking.

Click HERE for location/meeting details and to register.

CIC Upcoming Wednesday Topics - during 2nd lunch in room 1109

February 5 - Features of Naviance to help with fly-in programs and selective scholarships - Juniors only

February 12- Spring College Fairs and college visits - Sophomore and Juniors

February 19 - summer programs - Freshman to junior

February 26- Appealing Financial Aid Awards - Seniors only

Studies have shown that taking a practice test is the best way for students to preview what’s ahead and to help inform their decisions about submitting a test score in their college application.Our friends at Revolution Prep are offering our students a FREE ACT practice exam. Please see details below:

ACT Practice Exam: Saturday, February 8 | 9:00 am -1:00 pm ET | Live online

Step 1: Register here: Walnut Hills High School landing page

Step 2: Schedule a free 30-minute score report review with a Revolution Prep testing expert to help you interpret the results and develop a customized plan to prepare. Please schedule this appointment for the few days after the exam. You can pre-schedule this Score Report Review here: https://www.revolutionprep.com/jaime-wareham. We highly recommend both the student and a parent/guardian attend the score report review.

Step 3: Attend the mock exam and get your results immediately with Revolution Prep’s mobile scoring app!

Questions? If you have questions or want to learn more about Revolution Prep, you can reach out to Jaime Wareham at (412) 552-3532 or by email at jaime.wareham@revolutionprep.com.

Juniors, as you prepare for this winter and spring's sittings of the ACT and SAT, take advantage of Walnut's free test prep sessions during your lunch bell! Lunch Bunch meets Tuesdays and Thursdays in room 1109, and topics are announced weekly. Come for as many sessions as you'd like!

Hello senior families! Do you need help completing your FAFSA application? Sign up for our FAFSA Help Meetings for students and parents/guardians.

Last meeting is scheduled for March 11, 2025

College representatives will meet individually with parents and students to assist in completing the FAFSA application. Appointments must be pre-scheduled.

The earliest appointment for each session is 10am, and the latest is 5pm.

Here is the Registration Link.

Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation is partnering with local schools to connect high achieving and low-income students to caddying jobs at clubs such as Hyde Park Golf and Country Club. Specifically, I am offering an opportunity for 9th grade students to caddie as a summer job. Caddying is a great summer job where they will make great money outdoors, connect with leaders and successful people within their community, and develop a strong work ethic and personal skills that will serve them throughout their life and careers. There is then the potential reward for their hard work and commitment to caddying through the Evans Scholarship.

Click HERE for more information.

Spencer Groessl | Director, Caddie Recruitment

Western Golf Association | Evans Scholars Foundation

O: (224) 260-3767

groessl@wgaesf.org

Use this LINK to access a list of local and national scholarship opportunities.

Use this LINK to access a list of summer opportunities for students.

If you are a parent of a junior or senior and still need to register for a Naviance account, send an email request including your student's name and grade level to Mrs. Christie (christt@cps-k12.org) to receive your registration code.

Senior Monthly Newsletters 24-25

Junior Monthly Newsletters 24-25

Gr. 9 & 10 Monthly Newsletters 24-25

Click HERE to access School Counselor Meeting LINKS. (Also available on the Counseling page of the Walnut website)

If you have any issues making an appointment, email your counselor.

All Students:

Ohio has new graduation requirements that took effect in 2022. Please make yourselves familiar with them. Direct any questions regarding graduation requirements to your school counselor.

Simply calling or texting 988 or chatting 988Lifeline.org will connect you to compassionate care and support for mental health-related distress. #988Lifeline

NPR's A Martinez talks to Dr. Pamela Cantor, founder of Turnaround for Children, about a Pew report that finds U.S. parents' biggest concern is the mental health of their children.

NPR Link (to transcript and sound recording)

Click on this LINK to learn more about FREE SAY EAST Referee Training

The 2025 Mayor's Career Expo is Saturday, February 15, 2025 9am - 2pm at TQL Stadium. There will be approximately 70 vendors there to hire youth ages 14-21.

The City will be hiring youth for CRC positions in Rec Centers, Police Cadets, Fire Cadets, and various Aquatics positions. Additionally, the Fire Dept. will be recruiting for Fire Recruits.

There has been an update to the cell phone policy to bring it more in line with what is currently taking place across the district. Please find the updated information below.

Cell phone policy:

1st offense confiscation of cell phone for the remainder of the day and parent pickup

2nd offense ALC and confiscation for the remainder of the day, and parent pickup

If a student lies about having a phone, they will receive the appropriate consequence as stated above, in addition to a Friday School for False Identification/dishonesty.

Students who arrive to school without a Yondr pouch will turn in their cell phone to the main office upon entering the building. After the third time of not having their pouch, the cell phone will be held until a parent is able to pick it up, or they purchase a new Yondr pouch.

The administration will continue to conduct Yondr classroom checks during the week.

As we enter the Fall and Winter seasons and the weather changes, please be advised that all students are expected to exit the building at 3:15 PM. If a student is waiting for their transportation after 3:15 PM, they will be doing so outside of the building. We appreciate your cooperation in making sure that students have arranged their transportation to pick them up by 3:15 PM.

We have an important update to our Early Dismissal procedures. If your student is unaware of their early dismissal before coming into the building, you must come in (with your ID) and check them out in the grade level office upon your arrival. Please note, depending on the timing of your arrival, it may take a while to find and retrieve your student, so please plan accordingly. Please see our full dismissal procedures here: LINK to Reporting Absences & Dismissals

Parents and students, please note the Walnut Hills Dress Code listed in the Student Handbook.

Click HERE to review

We are so grateful for our brand new cafeteria expansion. We love that all of our students are able to sit and enjoy lunch with their peers and we want to make sure everyone is doing their part to maintain our beautiful space. Please review the following expectations for the cafeteria and cafeteria hallway.

Cafeteria Expectations

Hallway and Lunch Line Expectations

Our goal is to maintain a continuous flow of traffic, so that our students can report to their classes on time. Please help us to achieve this by following these expectations:
If you are using the Blair Circle or Junior High Gymnasium Traffic Circle please make sure that you pull forward as far as you can in the circle prior to stopping and dropping off your student(s).
If you have entered the circle and all traffic in front of you is stopped, then you may proceed with dropping off your student.
All traffic entering and exiting must stay in one line; no cars should try and pass other cars that are in the circle.

Attention Families: Please click on this LINK to review Drop off/Pick-up directions and Dismissal details

Membership Fees for our 2024-25 clubs are now live on Final Forms. If your student participates in any number of our clubs, please submit the flat-rate payment of $25 as soon as possible. This funding will allow our school to continue to offer the variety of programming that you've come to expect! Please view this letter that explains the need for our membership fee.

During the PowerSchool to Focus rollover, some contact information has been scrambled. We want to make sure that all stakeholders are receiving our communications. It takes a village, and we appreciate those of you forwarding our emails to families who are not getting messages. Please share THIS LINK with anyone you know not receiving emails from Walnut, so we can gather accurate information and update our system.

Are you not sure when to keep your student home if they are not feeling well? Please use the link below to access the CPS current Too Sick for School Policy.

Too Sick for School

Please keep in mind, illness is an excused absence and students will be able to make up work they will miss. Please do not send ill students to school because they have a quiz or test.

For CPS students and their families, help is a phone call away by dialing the Family Technology Support Center, (513) 363-0688 or emailing fts@cps-k12.org. Tech support is available in English and Spanish from 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday when school is in session.

New to Walnut? Hearing about important events after the fact?

The Parent Association communicates using a system called Constant Contact, so join our mailing list using the attached link and get up-to-date information about what's happening at Walnut Hills! Get Connected

Reporting Absences and Dismissals

Grades 7-9 Information Google Site

Grades 10-12 Information Google Site

2024-2025 Student Handbook

2024-2025 Club List

WHHS Important Phone Numbers

WHHS Association Mailing List

Our community communicates using a system called Constant Contact, so join our mailing list using the link above and get up-to-date information about what's happening at Walnut Hills!

This summer our school decided to go in a different direction, looking for a new school-based mental health partnership. After interviewing several mental health organizations our mental health team representatives collectively decided Children's Hospital would be the best fit for our Walnut Hills community.

Please click HERE for more details.

Click HERE to meet our new therapists.

Email: whhsattendance@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
Website: walnuthillseagles.com
Location: 3250 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Phone: 513-363-8400
Twitter: @high_walnut