Hello WHS Families, Students, and Staff,

I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year!!! As we welcome the New Year, along with it comes our start to 2nd Semester. Both bring opportunities to set new goals with fresh starts! We encourage all of our West High students to take advantage of the start to the new semester as an opportunity to begin with a fresh slate. When each student starts their classes at the beginning of the semester, they will all start with an "A". The goal is to keep that grade by going to class everyday, engaging in the the learning, completing your work, and trying your best on all of the assessments. Every staff member is here to support you!

Winter activities are in full swing. If your not a participant in them, we encourage you to attend an event. Activities, clubs, and organizations are a great way to stay connected with school and create lasting friendships!

Sincerely,

-Ms. Rebecca Rieken

#WeAreWEST

Congratulations to Mrs. Gengler for being our West High staff member of the month. Mrs. Gengler serves on our Building Leadership Team, Social Committee, and the Math Curriculum Committee. Several students wrote, "Mrs. Gengler helps us with schoolwork and outside school concerns." "She always is helping everyone." Great job, Mrs. Gengler!

In the past, students have been allowed to request changes to their 2nd semester schedules up to 10 days into the new semester.

This coming 2nd semester, we will not be able to accommodate most schedule change requests due to the limited options and space availability in our courses.

Students are asked to complete the below form link to request a schedule change consideration. Counselors will use that information to communicate with students if those changes are possible or not. Students should not come directly to their counselor or the counseling office about schedule changes without receiving prior invitations from their counselor.

Schedule changes are not options for students who want to switch to a different block of the same class, or to be with a different teacher. If there is an individual concern about those types of things, students must communicate directly with an administrator.

Thinking ahead, it is our goal every year to accommodate student preferences with their schedules as much as possible. That is why this time of year when students are meeting with their counselors about course requests for next year is so important. Please take those requests seriously and have a good plan going into those conversations with your counselors. We use those requests to determine staff and sections needed. Once the master schedule is built based on those requests, it is much more difficult to accommodate changes after the new school year begins.

No students are allowed to acquire credits through our online credit recovery program unless they meet the following criteria:

• The student has previously attempted, but failed a course.
• The student has made a plan with their counselor to be a mid-year grad, and if so, are therefore allowed to take English IV-Semester 2.
• The student opts to take Next Generation Personal Finance to make room for other courses during the school year.
• Administration has provided unique approval due to special circumstances.

*All other credits must be obtained by completing an in-person course, or an online course through Western Iowa Tech.

Counselor Information:
9th Grade: Ms. Hames

10th Grade: Ms. Pratt

12th Grade: Mr. Zeliadt

TAG: Mrs. Still

11th Grade:

Last Names beginning with:

A-H: Ms. Pratt

I-Q: Mrs. Still

R-Z: Mrs. Hames

School Counselors have been meeting with students to gather their interests and requests for what courses they would like to take during the 2024-2025 school year. Some of their schedule will be filled with required courses for graduation, but each year students have the opportunity to choose what elective courses they would like to take. We encourage students and families to discuss these elective options. Students have the opportunity to take electives at their home high school building, to take courses at the Career Academy, and to even take dual college credit courses through Western Iowa Tech Community College, which are all paid for by the school district.

All of our course options are described in our High School Course Guide. We encourage students and families to explore our Course Guide by accessing the link below:

PAG students illustrated unique Angry Birds levels and used Quadratic Equations, in Desmos, to show the paths the birds would take to complete the level.

In Biology, students drew their interpretations of plant and animal cells.

ROTC students have been busy all semester long volunteering and having some fun along the way. During the first three days back to school after break, Misty Cadets did 22 push-ups each day during lunch to honor the 22 Veterans that commit suicide a day.

First Congregational Church of Christ, 4600 Hamilton Blvd, Sioux City, Iowa 51104

Sunday, January 21st, 2024 @ 6:00 pp

Keynote speaker: The Honorable Judge Robert (Bob) Tiefenthaler, the 1st African American judge for the 3rd judicial district in the state of Iowa.

• Supporting speaker: Newly elected Sioux City School board director & Vice President, Ms. Treyla Lee

All 3 Sioux City Community High Schools will be represented by way of Essay contest- all 3 individuals speaking that night to the theme: “Living the Dream: It starts with me-spread hope, courage and unity”.

This event is sponsored by the NAACP, Sioux City chapter.

• Friday, January 19 - Home Girls and Boys Basketball vs Council Bluffs TJ
• Monday, January 22 - Home Bowling vs East High School
• Tuesday, January 23 - Home Girls and Boys Basketball vs East High School
• Friday, January 26 - Girls Regional Wrestling Tournament at Tyson
• Tuesday, January 30 - Home Wrestling vs Council Bluffs TJ and LeMars (SENIOR NIGHT)
• Thursday, February 1 - Home Girls and Boys Basketball vs SBL (LIGHT UP THE GYM NIGHT)
• Friday, February 2 - Home Girls and Boys Basketball vs LeMars (PINK OUT & SENIOR NIGHT)
• Saturday, February 3 - District Swim Meet in Fort Dodge
• Wednesday, February 7 - Home Bowling vs SBL and East
• Saturday, February 10 - Home Girls Basketball vs Worthington

See a complete list of activities, schedules, and purchase tickets on Sioux City West's Bound Page!

https://www.gobound.com/ia/schools/scwest

Go Wolverines!

• February 2-Girls and boys' basketball, theme is PINK night, game time JVG-4, JVB-4(WMS), VG-5:30, VB-7:00

The Sioux City Community School District and the Missouri River Activity Conference uses BOUND for tickets and season passes to all regular home high school athletic events.

Sioux City Community School District season athletic passes provide entry to sporting events at East High, North High, and West High —excluding postseason games and postseason activities (concerts, plays, performances, etc.). A pass can be used for all home events for the school in which the pass was purchased.

Pass options and prices are as follows:

1. Student Pass (K-12) - $30
2. Adult Pass (18+) - $100
3. Senior Citizen Pass (62+) - $30
4. Family Pass (2 Adults and Children) - $240

Individual tickets for all high school athletic events are also available for $7/each.

All season athletic passes and individual tickets can be purchased through gobound.com or in the BOUND App. Fans can download the BOUND App from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Once a purchase is made, the ticket or pass will appear in the BOUND App. The ticket or season pass must be presented in the BOUND App at each athletic event for entry.

Two parents/guardians and children (K-12) living at the same residence are eligible for the family season pass. When placing an order online, families should indicate the number of family members in the "Number of Tickets Needed" box. Once a family pass is purchased, passes must be assigned to each family member in the BOUND App.

Fans who are unable to make a purchase online or through the BOUND App are encouraged to visit the main office at East High, North High, or West High from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Friday for assistance.

West High Students are encouraged to become involved and join an activity or club! If you have questions about our activity and club offerings, please email our Activities Director, Mr. Gabe Hoogers: hoogerg2@live.siouxcityschool.scom

You can order online at www.yearbookforever.com or see Mrs. Schiller in Room 236 before school, during Homeroom, or after school.

The cost is $40 right now and increases $5 at the end of every quarter. Sales run until April 30, 2024.

January 16-March 19: $50

March 20-April 30: $55

*URGENT* Seniors- Please go to Jostens.com and search Sioux City West High to order.

For Questions or Assistance, please see Ms. Chauncey in the Main Office.

The West High School Food Pantry is available to meet the needs of the West side community. We can assist families with food, limited toiletries, and diapers.

Please call West High School with any requests, 712-279-6772 ask for Mr. VanBuren or Mrs. Husk.

*We will no longer have clothing except for homecoming and prom dresses, thank you!

Current Items Available:

Instant mashed potatoes

Cream of chicken soup

Canned beef ravioli

Vegetarian refried beans

Mandarin oranges-individual cups

Chicken and rice condensed soup

Tomato condensed soup

Applesauce-individual cups

Canned green beans

Canned corn

Canned seasoned green beans

Parmesan garlic wing sauce

Spaghetti noodles

Hot sauce-one gallon

Toilet paper

Men's deodorant

Women's deodorant

Canned pears

Boxed mac-n-cheese

Chicken stuffing mix-boxed

Bagged hamburger pasta mix

Similac formula

Newborn diapers

Chicken leg quarters-frozen

Chicken-8-piece count-frozen

Ground turkey-frozen, one-pound packages

A priority of our school must be student safety, both emotional and physical safety. Students must feel and be safe at all times, both in and out of school.

It is important to remind our students and families of our student handbook which outlines district expectations for our student code of conduct. In this code of conduct, item 12 states:

12. Disobeys Classroom Rules or Engages in Disorderly Conduct or Fighting — Classroom and/or school rules include written rules, teacher and/or administrative instructions, and the general educational prohibition against all forms of cheating, fighting, or material disruptions to the learning environment.

If students engage in fighting at school they will receive school consequences. Such consequences may include being suspended from school until an intermediate school hearing at which night school may be recommended. Students who are found to be promoting school fighting by posting about school fights on social media may also receive school consequences.

West High School is a school all should be proud of, and a place where all should be safe. Our students, families, and staff should not be tolerant of school fighting. We need to work together to continue to demonstrate West High Pride by engaging in behaviors that are Welcoming, Engaged, SAFE, and Trustworthy.

Please help our school achieve this safety in the following ways:

• When students, families, or staff become aware of unsafe situations, they will notify the school administration and staff immediately.
• If unsafe situations arise, students will seek school staff assistance immediately and they should not be a bystander who encourages or records such unsafe situations.

West High School Administration always welcomes communication regarding school safety. Staff may call the school during school hours at 712-279-6772, or they may email school administration directly:

Rebecca Rieken, principal: riekenr@live.siouxcityschools.com

Gabe Hoogers, assistant principal hoogerg2@live.siouxcityschools.com

Brant Bemus, assistant principal: bemusb@live.siouxcityschools.com

Pam Husk, assistant principal: huskp@live.siouxcityschools.com

The Sioux City Community School District has outline specific expectations for student code of conduct. This code of conduct is outline in our Student Handbook. We encourage all families to review this code of conduct with their children. There are specific consequences outline in the code of conduct related to cell phone and personal technology use during the classroom, as well as vaping.

Iowa law requires that children enrolling in 9th grade are required to provide proof of a dental screening to their school. As an update on the screening rules, please note the following:

1. A screening for 9th grade is valid if it occurs one year prior to enrollment to four months after the enrollment date.

12th grade students must have their meningitis vaccination up to date before starting school. If you have questions regarding this, or any other health related matters, please contact our school nurse, Mrs. Mary Mason: masonm@live.siouxcityschools.com

At West High our counselors loop with their grade level class throughout all four years, and students identified as TAG will loop with Mrs. Still. As students and families have questions, please contact the counselor for that student's grade level, or the TAG counselor, either by email, or by leaving a voicemail for that counselor.

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 administrator directly:

West High School, 712-279-6772

11th & 12th grade primary contact, Rebecca Rieken, Head Principal- riekenr@live.siouxcityschools.com

Gabe Hoogers, Activities Director- hoogerg2@live.siouxcityschools.com

10th grade primary contact, Brant Bemus, Assistant Principal- bemusb@live.siouxcityschools.com

9th grade primary contact, Pam Husk, Assistant Principal- huskp@live.siouxcityschools.com

A senseless shooting happened this month at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa. Our hearts are with the staff and families impacted by this tragedy and the entire Perry community.

Keeping our district community safe continues to be a top priority for all of us at the Sioux City Community School District. You are an essential part of keeping our buildings safe. We also work with law enforcement on an ongoing basis to evaluate our safety protocols and procedures. Information on our standard response protocols is posted throughout our buildings and available on the District's website.

As always, if you see or hear something suspicious, speak up. Together, we can keep our schools safe. Thank you for your continued commitment to our students, families, and colleagues. Please keep the Perry Community School District in your thoughts.

Stay connected with family-friendly activities, programs, and clubs in the community through Virtual Backpack. The e-newsletter, which includes information from various Siouxland organizations, is sent out monthly to all district families. Or, view the most up-to-date lists of events and activities on the Virtual Backpack website.

If your student qualifies for free or reduced meals, you will need to complete the online application if you have not done so already.

Families that do not qualify for free or reduced meals can deposit money into their student’s MySchoolBucks account. Information on meal prices for the 2023-2024 school year is available on the District’s website.

For questions or assistance with school meals, please contact the District’s Food Service Department at 712-279-6860 or 712-279-6862.

The District sends out important information regarding school closings and cancellations and other updates to our families via phone, email, and text. Additionally, our school will contact you in case of an emergency or student health concern. Make sure your contact information is updated in our system and that your phone accepts the school’s phone calls. Doing this will ensure you receive school communication promptly and we can reach you in case of an emergency. To make updates to your contact information, please contact our office.

In the social world we live, many kids use some form of social media. While social media can help kids connect with friends and family, explore new interests and areas of the world, and enhance their creativity, it can also lead to risks and added responsibility. Social media can be harmful if it is not used appropriately.

Without meaning to, kids can easily share more online than they should. Kids often post photos of themselves online or use their real names, birthdates, location, or school name. This information can make them easy targets for online predators or others with bad intentions.

Additionally, kids sometimes forget that photos, videos, and comments made online can’t be taken back after they have been sent or posted. It’s impossible to completely erase something once it’s been posted online. This may not cause problems for a child now but can lead to issues years later as they apply for college or a job. It is common for a college admissions office or recruiter to scour the internet for information on an applicant, ultimately discovering something a child may not want them to find. If a child would be embarrassed for a family member or future boss to see a photo or video, they shouldn’t post it.

Studies have shown that social media can negatively impact a child’s mental health. The pressure to get “likes” or keep up with other peers online can lead to depression and anxiety as well as unrealistic expectations.

What can families do?

• Limit the time kids spend on social media.
• “Friend” or “follow” your kids’ social profiles and remind them never to “friend” strangers.
• Encourage kids to use privacy settings.
• Remind kids that mean behavior is never okay, including online.

Check out the District’s website for additional social media tips.