WBHS Student Newsletter

December 2024

Message from Administration

Dear East and West Students,

As we enter the final month of the semester, I want to take a moment to recognize your hard work and focus this school year. You have met every goal and milestone for your grade level and we are excited to see all that you can accomplish in the new year! December is a time to finish strong, celebrate accomplishments, and prepare for the opportunities ahead.

Expanded Release Incentive
We are excited to share an incentive for students who meet eligibility criteria during the first semester. If you’ve demonstrated strong academic performance, good attendance, and positive behavior, you can apply for Expanded Release Time in the second semester. This program offers additional flexibility and opportunities for independent growth.

For those who did not maintain eligibility during the first semester, there’s good news: you can reapply after the first two weeks of the second semester. This gives everyone a chance to reflect, reset, and work toward achieving their goals.

Details on the application process and deadlines will be shared soon, so stay tuned!

Finish the Semester Strong
As we approach semester exams and wrap up the term, I encourage you to stay organized, manage your time wisely, and seek support if needed. Your teachers, counselors, and staff are here to help you succeed.

Thank you for your commitment to making [School Name] a great place to learn and grow. Let’s end the semester on a high note and set the stage for even greater success in the new year!

Best regards,

Jennifer Potter

Executive Principal

West Bend East and West High Schools

Important Dates

December 2: Scholarship Kick-Off Night (7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Auditorium)

December 5: End of Mid-Quarter 2

December 12:

STUCO Blood Drive (6:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the South Gym)
Winter Chamber Orchestra Concert (6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium)

December 16: Winter Choir & Orchestra Concert (6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium)

December 17: Senior Grade Level Meeting (7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)

December 18:

Junior Grade Level Meeting (7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)
Orchestra Winter Concert (7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Auditorium)

December 19: Sophomore Grade Level Meeting (7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)

December 20: Freshman Grade Level Meeting(7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)

December 21-January 1: No School - Winter Break

January 2-3: No School for Students | Staff Professional Days

January 13: Mandatory Senior Graduation Meeting(7:15-7:44 a.m. in the Auditorium)

January 15: College Goal Wisconsin (FAFSA) (6:00 p.m. in the West Cafeteria)

January 15-17: Semester 1 Exams

Important Reminders & Updates

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).

*Click upper corner of photo to enlarge.

Semester 1 Exams

Semester 1 Exams will take place on January 15, 16, & 17, 2025. More detailed information will be in the January Student & Family Newsletters. Students will have the ability to sign up for study/enrichment sessions with their teachers in the morning on each exam day. Parents/guardians will also have the ability to excuse their student(s) during any period that the student does not have a scheduled exam and/or during the study/enrichment sessions.

Class of 2025 Graduation

Graduation for the East and West High Schools Class of 2025 will take place on Sunday, June 8, 2025, in the high school fieldhouse. The West ceremony will begin at 1:00 p.m. The East ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m.

On Monday, January 13, 2025, there will be a mandatory Senior Graduation Meeting during resource (7:15-7:44 a.m.) in the WBHS auditorium with our representative from Jostens. All graduates are required to attend this meeting.

Student Diplomas will be ordered for all 2025 graduates by February 28 using their name as it appears in Skyward Family Access. If your name is incorrect in Skyward, please reach out to your counselor to assist with having your name updated.

There will be a detailed Graduation Newsletter sent to all Class of 2025 graduates and their families in mid-January.

Holiday Hoopla 2024

The week of December 16-20 will be the annual Holiday Hoopla Spirit Week at WBHS! Check out the flyer below for the fun-filled dress-up days for students & staff!

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:

East: https://photos.jostens.com/YD6U8N
West: https://photos.jostens.com/6JEYX7

*Click upper corner of photo to enlarge.

Counseling Office Updates

For Seniors

Here is a reminder of some resources that students have been accessing and that you may find helpful over the next few months:

Career Readiness Calendar – Check back often for updates on visits, programs, and sessions!
College Information Slideshow – Know the timeline and the terms to keep on track in the college process!

Slide 7 walks students through how to send their transcript to a college

Direct Admit Next Steps – You received your offer letters….now what?

Watch this video tutorial

Career Readiness Center Updates

Local Scholarship Kick-Off

Attention 2025 Seniors & Parents and Guardians: Scholarship Kick Off Night is Monday, December 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the Silver Lining Arts Center (auditorium). COLUMNS will be on hand to present scholarship information and all the information seniors need to complete this year's scholarship applications. Moraine Park Technical College and the Washington County Charitable Foundation will also be on hand to answer any questions students and parents might have about their offerings.

Badger Girls State Applications

Junior Girls, are you interested in learning more about State Government and Leadership Skills? American Legion Auxiliary Badger Girls State applications are now available in the Career Readiness Center. See Mrs. Barnes for your Application today!

College Goal Wisconsin

Mark Your Calendars! College Goal Wisconsin provides free information and assistance to families completing the FAFSA. College Goal Wisconsin is offering both in-person and virtual FAFSA Completion Events starting in January 2025.

West Bend High School is hosting a College Goal Wisconsin session on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 beginning at 6:00pm in the West cafeteria. Family members and their senior are strongly encouraged to attend!

To register for a FAFSA Completion Event or to request additional information, please refer to collegegoalwi.org.

WBSD Way Team Updates

All students at the High Schools had a Quarter 1 Behavior Goal of: ”By the end of the first quarter, 90.5% of students will have 0-1 major referrals in the category of Be Respectful.” Students finished out the first quarter by crushing it - 99% of students met this goal! Students were able to celebrate by throwing pies at their teachers/administrators during the monthly class assembly. One lucky resource in each grade also received Monday morning donuts.

The data in the first quarter also tells us that we need to continue reinforcing expectations around personal tech use. As a reminder, all personal tech needs to be out of sight (not visible) while in the learning environment. We appreciate your continued efforts in this area.

We also previewed exam exemptions for the end of Semester 1:

As a reward for excellent academics, attendance, and behavior, eligible students may exempt final exams under the following parameters:

The student has no more than 1 unexcused absences from the exempted course for the semester.
The student has no more than 2 unexcused tardies to the class for the semester.
The student has earned an 89.5% or higher in the class at the time of exemption request.
The student has zero major behavior referrals for the semester.
The student may exempt up to two exams for the semester

Forms will be available for pickup and submission in the Attendance office 1-2 weeks before exams and will be due on January 8th.