Woodrow Wilson HS Newsletter
December/January 2020-21
Woodrow Wilson High School
David Burkman, Principal & EL Director
Jim Keal, Assistant Principal
Ila Hegg, Adm. Asst.
Arati Heath, Summer School & EL Adm. Asst.
Website: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/Woodrow
Location: 1305 9th Avenue South, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-2800
Woodrow Wilson Mission Statement
Woodrow Wilson High School will provide a student-centered alternative instructional program to allow students to obtain a high school diploma and to learn skills necessary to be productive, responsible citizens.
From the desk of....
Winter Time
By Mr. David Burkman, Principal
"Kindness is like snow; it beautifies everything it covers. "
~ Kahlil Gibran
Woodrow has joined the FPS secondary schedule with M-Th available on-campus and Friday being a virtual day for everyone. Students can choose to be on-campus daily (M-Th) by signing up for a seat with their teacher. Working on campus has many benefits: direct help from teachers, positive interactions with staff and other students, reduced day counts in course completion and free school meals in a safe learning environment (everyone wearing masks in a regularly cleaned/disinfected building). Students can also choose to work from home daily and need to complete a daily google form with their teacher to verify attendance and progress on the 29 day/Sixthmester completions.
A few highlights from our COVID influenced school year:
Collectively, Woodrow students have completed over 80 classes with an impressive overall GPA of 2.7.
1 student has graduated thus far and several others are getting close.
Woodrow students and staff volunteering. COVID has gotten in the way of our usual community volunteering this year. We look forward to a return to normal so we can continue our Woodrow tradition of making a difference.
College and Career (Choice Ready) activities continue with college registration and virtual college tours..
Advisors continue to meet with advisees to help students move forward in academic and personal areas.
Enjoy the winter-time, the beauty of a frozen landscape that hides great things that will emerge and flourish – when it is time.
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?”
~ John Steinbeck
Teacher, Administrator, and Support Staff of the Year Awards
Fargo Public Schools Accepting Nominations Beginning January 18 for Teacher, Administrator, and Support Staff of the Year Awards
Parents and community members are invited to nominate a Fargo Public Schools teacher, administrator, or support staff member they feel is serving our students with excellence for consideration of a yearly recognition award. Online instructions, forms, and application process can be found at: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/StaffRecognitionProgram.
Nominations for each award will be accepted January 18 – 29, 2021.
The District will award the following this Spring:
Teacher of the Year Award − awarded to a certified staff member
Administrator of the Year Award − awarded to a principal, assistant principal, director or coordinator
Support Staff of the Year Award − awarded to an educational support staff member, custodial/maintenance department staff member, or nutrition services staff member
State of the Schools Address & Public Focus Groups
State of the Schools Address & Public Focus Group
The Fargo Public Schools will hold the 2020-21 virtual State of the Schools Address & Public Focus Group on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. Parents, staff and community members are invited to participate and are encouraged to pre-register by noon on December 30, 2020 by signing up online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/focusgroup. Questions posed in the focus groups will concentrate on scheduling the school calendar and instructional time in Fargo Public Schools. Reading materials for attendees are available online. Focus group information will be sent electronically in advance of the event. For more information, visit www.fargo.k12.nd.us/focusgroup.
WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL IN-PERSON CLASS SCHEDULE 2020-21
Woodrow Wilson is conducting a distance learning/virtual plan with student in-person availability with the teachers. For example, this can be used for taking tests and tutoring help.
The schedule below is for the in-person availability at the Agassiz Building. These classes will be limited to 6 students per class. Student will work with their teacher to assign a time for this in-person class time.
MONDAY -THURSDAY
8:55 AM -(11:15 12:15 Lunch) -2:35 PM
Stacy Warzecha - English ~ Room 311 446-3011 warzecs@fargo.k12.nd.us
Ann Ann Wilson - Family~ Room 211 446-3211 wilsona1@fargo.k12.nd.us
Kristine Strege - Guitar~ Room 217 446-3217 stregek@fargo.k12.nd.us
Breanne Blomquist - Social Studies ~ Room 314 446-3014 blomqub@fqargo.k12.nd.us
Bill Dent - Science ~ Room 318 446-3018 dentw@fargo.k12.nd.us
Sheri Ernst - Math ~ Room 317 446-3017 ernsts@fargo.k12.nd.us
Elizabeth Hazeldine - Social Room 313 446-3013 hazelde@fargo.k12.nd.us
Caitlin Johnson - English ~ Room 312 446-3012 johnsoc@fargo.k12.nd.us
Nick Magee - Phy. Ed.~ Gym 1 & Fitness Ctr 446-3244 mageen@fargo.k12.nd.us
Tracy Melendez - Art ~ Room 3031 446-3031 melendt@fargo.k12.nd.us
Annie Retka - Bus. Ed. ~ Room 339 446-3084 retkaa@fargo.k12.nd.us
Sean Ritchie - Soc. St. ~Room 231 446-3231 ritchis@fargo.k12.nd.us
Trollwood Opportunities!
The magic of Trollwood Performing Arts School is FINALLY coming back! Registration is now open for the NEW Trollwood Winter Academy. Classes run January 9 through February 14, 2021.
WHAT: Trollwood Winter Academy
WHEN: January 9, 2021 to February 14, 2021
REGISTRATION: Click here to register for Totally Trollwood Winter Academy
Click here to register for Trollwood Winter Academy
Trollwood is pleased to offer classes that will keep students, instructors, and their families safe. Classes will be held in a virtual format, utilizing an online platform to help you connect, learn, and have fun with your friends and favorite teachers!
Middle School
· Musical Theatre Audition Prep
· Sketch Comedy
· Improv
Middle and High School
· Songwriting
High School
· Musical Theatre Audition Prep
· Sketch Comedy
· Improv
Winter Break Free Student Meals
Fargo Public Schools is offering free breakfast and lunch take home meals during winter break. Please feel free to disseminate this information in whichever way you feel is appropriate. The below message will be shared District wide via SchoolTalk, social media, and online. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Fargo Public Schools (FPS) is offering free breakfasts and lunches to students during winter break. Meals must be pre-ordered by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 17. Meals will be available for pickup on Wednesday, December 23 at a variety of locations and times. Your pickup time and location can be selected when filling out the meal order form. Meals will include both cold and frozen food items. Student names and ID numbers are required at pickup. To order meals, fill out this Winter Break Student Meal Order Form.
Growing an Attitude of Gratitude
by Ebony Sampson, Positive Behavoir Technician
It is a lot to take in when you consider all that is going on around us. During this time of high stress and uncertainty in our world, we have found peace and hope in thankfulness. We were tired of thinking about the current social climate of our country, the election, and the grief of the global pandemic. Although we have had quite an unusual and unsettling year, we decided to dwell on the things we are grateful for; hence, emerged the “Attitude of Gratitude” display. As you walk the halls of WWHS, you will find a tree dedicated to just that. Staff and students have been asked to consider the things that they are grateful for and write down on a leaf to be hung on our tree. Our positive thinking is what keeps us going and the given visual makes it apparent that there are still so many things to appreciate. Along with our own thoughts are the many ways to say “thank you” in multiple languages. So often, we look at what is going wrong, but we have asked everyone to think on the things that are going right. In these questionable moments, it is nice to have a reminder to look at, in order to stay motivated. So WWHS, stay focused, stay encouraged and stay positive as we wrap up semester 1 and enter the holidays!
The Source!
by Jennie Rude, Counselor
Did you know that Woodrow has a room called “The Source” that is available to all students? The Source has a variety of products including free food, hygiene products, clothing and winter weather gear. If you could use any of these products, please contact Jennie (rudej@fargo.k12.nd.us) or anyone in the main office to access the room!
What do you want to do the rest of your life?
by Ski Holmes, Positive Behavior Technician
What Do You Want To Do For The Rest Of Your Life? When it comes to your life’s goals & whatever it is you want to do with your life, ALWAYS try to surround yourself with likeminded individuals. In today’s world filled with uncertainty & no guarantees, finding people who have similar or the same drive as you will ultimately encourage you & set a foundation that pushes you to reach your goals. Find a good friend or a family member where you both can encourage & hold each other accountable towards your prize. Find someone who will be 100% honest with you & vice versa. I am pretty sure I can speak for a lot of people when I say, there is nothing more satisfying than knowing that you are not being lied to. I know that may sound weird to hear but not everyone has the luxury of a true friend or individual to help them push forward in even when your goals may look unreachable.
On the contrary, when you surround yourself with others that’s not goal driven or like-minded like you, 9 times out of 10, you might end up with the Crab Mentality. Unfortunately, the Crab Mentality is a metaphor for how peers respond when they see someone else around them achieving self-improvement that they feel they cannot achieve themselves. If you put one crab in a bucket, it can claw its way up and out. Something interesting happens if you put a bunch of crabs in a bucket though. Did you know, if one of them tries to climb out, the rest of the crab pull it back into the bucket. Further, if the crab tries to climb out a second time, the other crabs will gang up on the crab again and may actually begin to break its claws to completely hinder its progress. This means that none of the crabs end up escaping because they are all working against each other.
So, I ask you again, What Do You Want To Do For The Rest Of Your Life? When you actually figure that part of your life out, the crowd that surrounds you in that very moment, might try to silence you.
Pandemic and Holiday Stress
by Kyle Ness, SRO
The holiday season can be stressful for many people. When you combine the stress of the season along with the ongoing pandemic it can be a lot, these impacts can be both physical and mental. Don’t be afraid the admit how it’s impacting you and show grace and compassion to others. If you need someone to lean on or talk to reach out to a trusted Woodrow staff member or call First Link by dialing 211.
Fargo Public Schools 2019-20 Annual Report
Fargo Public Schools 2019-20 Annual Report
As evidence of Fargo Public Schools’ commitment to our patrons, the FPS 2019-20 Annual Report is now available. It showcases the qualities and services of our school district and provides a wide array of information to familiarize families and the community with Fargo Public Schools. Report details include enrollment, staffing, and budget numbers. It also gives overviews of student services and student assessment data. Thank you for your continued support as we serve the citizens of Fargo by providing students an excellent educational experience. You can access the full document at this link.
COVID-19~Face Masks Required
The Fargo Public Schools will require all students and all staff to wear masks that adequately cover both their nose and mouth. Exceptions will be made for students with medical, behavioral, or other challenges who are unable to wear masks/face coverings.
- The Fargo Public Schools will supply one cloth mask for each student.
- Students/parents are asked to supply one additional cloth mask.
Written Notification of School Accountability Report
Written Notification of School Accountability Report
Dear Parent/Guardian,
North Dakota’s Insights dashboard provides important information about K-12 districts and schools. Insights features easy-to-read reports on multiple measures of school success, including:
· Test Scores
· Graduation Rates
· English Learner Progress
· Student Engagement
· State Accountability
Transparency to the Public
North Dakota is committed to informing communities about how well our schools are doing. North Dakota’s future success depends on tapping into the potential of all students so they graduate choice ready with the knowledge, skills, and disposition to be successful. State education departments are required to annually create an accountability report for every public school in the state. The school accountability reports outline how schools are performing on the accountability elements North Dakota selected within its ESSA plan.
How is our School Doing?
To find out more information about our School Accountability Report, visit the dashboard at Insights.nd.gov, select “Find My School”, and search alphabetically for our school. The school accountability report is posted under the Dashboard heading. Please note, the data made available to the public masks or hides data for groups with 10 or fewer students to protect confidential information about individual students. Therefore, if data is not available to less than 10 students, it will say “no data available”.
Family Engagement
We have strong plans for working to improve the educational programs at our school. We would like you and your child(ren) to continue to be active participants in our educational system. Please help support our high expectations for student achievement by participating in the school educational initiatives, offering input and support in our endeavors to raise student achievement, or volunteering at the school. Meeting our school’s goals will take a united effort, and I look forward to working with our families to ensure success for each student.
Continuous Improvement
All schools engage in continuous improvement for general support; therefore, our school has completed a continuous improvement plan through Cognia formerly AdvancED. As part of the overall school improvement plan, a strategy map is generated for each school. Our strategy map, outlining our key school improvement initiatives, is available on the Insights Dashboard.
Woodrow Wilson High School has a student membership count of 123, and it is not a participating Title I school.
If you have any questions regarding the information in the memorandum, please contact the school at 1305 9th Avenue South, Fargo, ND 58103 and/or the main office (701) 446-2805
Sincerely,
David Burkman, Principal
Attendance Information
Woodrow Wilson's attendance taking for 2020-2021 will be based on student engagement, communication, expectations and progress with their teachers.
Students need to be in regular communication, via email, with their teachers.
Below you will find our Woodrow Wilson directory for teacher contact information.
High School Night Classes for English & Social Studies
Dispute Resolution Policy 2020/21
Dispute Resolution Policy
Federal regulations require that each district adopt procedures for receiving and resolving disputes pertaining to Title programs.
If a parent, school personnel or any interested person wishes to file a complaint, the following process must be followed:
• The written complaint must be sent via mail or e-mail to:
(Manager of Specific Title program)
Fargo Public Schools
415 North 4th Street
Fargo, ND 58102
Fargo Public Schools Title Managers
Title I Part A (Disadvantaged Students) Jan Anderson anderja@fargo.k12.nd.us
Title II Part A (Teacher Training/Recruitment) Robert Grosz groszr@fargo.k12.nd.us
Missy Eidsness eidsnem@fargo.k12.nd.us
Title III (English Language Acquisition) David Burkman burkmad@fargo.k12.nd.us
Title IX (Discrimination/Sexual Harassment) Brad Franklin franklb@fargo.k12.nd.us
Patty Cummings cumminp1@fargo.k12.nd.us
Section 504 (Students with Disabilities) David Burkman burkmad@fargo.k12.nd.us
• Any complaint must include:
• The date;
• The name of the district, unit, or individual the complaint is against;
• The name, address, and telephone number of the person making the complaint;
• A detailed description of the complaint, including specific facts; and
• The signature of the person making the complaint.
When a complaint is filed, the appropriate Fargo Public Schools Title Manager will investigate and issue a written response within sixty (60) calendar days from the date the complaint is received.
Reconsideration
Once a response is received from Fargo Public Schools staff, the person making the complaint has the right to have their complaint reconsidered. The complainant may submit a reconsideration request in writing to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and the U.S. Department of Education.
State Superintendent The Secretary of Education
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction U.S. Department of Education
600 E. Boulevard Avenue, Dept 201 555 New Jersey Avenue NW
Bismarck, ND 58505-0440 Washington, D.C. 20208
7/2016
Revised 7/2017, 7/2018
McKinney-Vento Act
1. Is your current address a temporary living arrangement?
2. Is this temporary living arrangement due to loss of housing or economic hardship?
If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, your child(ren) may be eligible for McKinney-Vento services.
Please call Jan at 701-446-1013
Immunization Update: 11th & 12th Graders for 2020-21
Still mandatory during COVID-19 ~
Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, a second dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) is required for students entering eleventh or twelfth grade. This means your 11th and 12th grade student will need proof of two doses of MCV4 before returning to school in the fall.
Ideally, children should receive one dose of MCV4 when they are eleven to twelve years old and a booster dose on or after their sixteenth birthday. Please schedule with your child’s health care provider or your local public health. Please have your child receive this booster prior to the start of the school year. Also, remember to bring in the documentation of the immunization date to the school.
****The student has 30 days from enrollment to update their immunizations or their classes will be on PLACED hold.
Woodrow Way Accolades
Woodrow students who have distinguished achievement are recognized in the WW Accolades program.
Criterion for a student to achieve Woodrow Way Accolades:
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of 2 WWHS sessions (starting by mid to late February)
- Average a minimum of 2 course completions per session
- Average a minimum or 3 P/R points for the year
- GPA for the year at Woodrow must be at least 2.8
- No unresolved ICUs or Woodrow community issues
- Complete 24 credit diploma to graduate with Accolades
Graduate must have attended more than 4 sessions at WWHS.
- Advisor’s written statement(s) of recommendation
Benefits of Achieving Woodrow Way Accolades:
- Accolades Recognition Breakfast for student and family guests in May. (TBD)
- Certificate/Award that represents:
- Quality Attendance
- Commendable Scholarship
- Respectful Character
C. Potential to graduate with Accolades
D. Success and a personal sense of accomplishment
E. Quality material for Job-Scholarship-College Applications
Co-Curricular Activities for WWHS Students
All Woodrow Wilson High School students are welcome to join and participate in their home schools co-curricular programs (sports, music, dances etc…) which exist for the development of skills, attitudes, and self-esteem of students, and are intended to enhance the physical, social, emotional, artistic and intellectual growth of our young people. Parents are encouraged to be positive and supportive in their relationships with advisors and coaches. It is the prerogative of the advisor/coach to manage the activity in such a manner that sound human relationships are encouraged and the regulations of the North Dakota High School Activities Association are met. A team effort by parents, school officials, and the participants is needed.