Dear Woodside Families,
The first 10 days of school are off to a good start with the help of so many staff members, student leaders and our many parent volunteers from our Foundation, PTSA, Athletics, Music, Drama and Robotics Boosters! Our School Counselors and guidance staff have been especially busy making sure schedules are accurate and classes are balanced. Many thanks to our PTSA for gifting the staff to First Day Coffee Cart and sweet treats!
I applaud all our Fall Athletics coaches who have been training and conditioning our student-athletes so that they are physically and mentally ready for the 2024 season. Unfortunately, our turf renewal project on Bradley Field is delayed a few weeks (new completion date is 9/18), and I applaud our many fall athletes including our Football teams, Cheer and Dance, Marching Band and Cross Country team, along with our PE classes for their patience and understanding as we use alternate locations. I have confidence that the new and improved turf will be beautiful and safer for all who use the field. We hope we can fill up the bleachers at San Mateo HS on Friday night, August 30th, for our first "HOME" football games. Click HERE for GoFan tickets. Make sure you wear your Woodside gear or dress in the theme of "Tourist". Do you need to add some new WHS gear, then check out the ABO's shopping link for the ABO Store:
https://woodsideathletics.membershiptoolkit.com!
We all experience some level of nerves and anxiousness when we are faced with something new: new schedules, new teachers, new friends, new school, new country... and I hope that all our students will find a rhythm and a sense of belonging and a safe space here at Woodside HS where they will thrive and their voices heard. This includes our parents and guardians! So, we welcome you to Back to School Night this coming Thursday, August 29th from 6:30PM - 8:45PM. See below for more info.
We anchor our teaching and learning in the following WHS School Improvement Goals (WASC Goals), closely examine student progress and engage in professional conversations so that all students have access toward meeting content standards and we strive to provide meaningful and relevant experiences and enrichment opportunities:
- Goal #1: Woodside High School will improve EML and LTEL achievement on CaASPP performance levels, ELPAC scores, reclassification rates, and graduation rates. (SUHSD LCAP Goals 2&5)
- Goal #2: Woodside High School will increase the number of students who graduate college- and career-ready as indicated by the College and Career Indicators (SUHSD LCAP Goals 2&3)
- Goal #3: Woodside High School will promote a positive and inclusive learning environment for students in all subgroups based on the 8 Conditions that will serve as a non-academic means toward academic ends. (SUHSD LCAP Goal 1)
We've made significant steps to live by these 8 conditions of student success since our last accreditation self-study cycle in 2019. When our entire learning community adheres to these core values, then it has to be something that is living and breathing and part of the vocabulary we all share: the students, the staff, the parents, the entire community. When we can provide all students these conditions of The Woodside Way during their time at Woodside, then many of the academic and social-emotional critical need areas can be met. Our Aspirations Field Day held on Friday, August 23rd, is an example of demonstrating several of our 8 conditions, and it was a fun way to start the new year.
Included in this Newsletter:
- Important Dates and Schedules
- Back to School Night - 8/29 from 6:30--8:45PM
- WASC Goals -- Self Study Visit is February 2025
- Safety & Traffic / Drop Off / Pick Up Reminders
- Tutorial during school day -- Overview
- Information about Logging Into IC and CANVAS
- Information about Varsity Tutors, an online tutoring program (this replaces Paper)
- The BIG READ Theme is Courage & Resilience - Read one of the books by September 19th
Goals & Rationale:
To advance literacy & academic performance
To foster a love of reading through self-selection of books of interest
To build community through reflection and discussion of ourselves, the WHS 8 conditions for student /staff success, and the world
AN IMPORTANT SAFETY and TRAFFIC REMINDER FROM PRINCIPAL VAN PUTTEN:
STUDENTS:
PLEASE LOOK UP AND PAY ATTENTION WHEN CROSSING ALL STREETS AND ROADS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN ARRIVING OR LEAVING WOODSIDE HIGH SCHOOL.
PLEASE USE THE CROSSWALKS AND AVOID JAY-WALKING FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS.
PARENTS OR GUARDIANS:
DROP OFF EARLY ON CAMPUS AND AVOID USING THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS OF HULL & CERRITO AND HULL & SANTIAGO.
STUDENTS and PARENTS and DRIVERS:
PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL IN YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS TOWARD OUR NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING WOODSIDE HIGH SCHOOL POSITIVELY!
With Gratitude,
Karen van Putten, Principal
Please subscribe to this newsletter so that you can receive the Weekly Wildcat Notes directly in your inbox! Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter and click on the "Subscribe" button.
*If you see a photo of yourself or your child and would like me to email you the photo, just let me know!
Important Dates & Schedules
August 26 - 30 is a "B - A - B - A - B Minimum Day Schedule"
- August 26: Robotics Team 100 Wildhats New Members Mtg: 3:40PM in J1
- August 26: SDMC Mtg: 4:00 - 6:00PM - MUR Conference Room
- August 26: PTSA Mtg: 7PM - MUR Conference Room and Zoom Link
- August 28: George Washington University - College Rep Visit during Brunch in B17
- August 28: Drama Boosters Mtg: 7PM - MUR Conference Room
- August 29: Back to School Night: 6:30PM Social and Welcome; Classrooms Open at 7PM
- August 30: First "Home" Football Game vs. Overfelt @ San Mateo HS - GoFan Ticket Link
- September 2: Labor Day -- NO SCHOOL
- September 3: Washington State University - College Rep Visit during Brunch in C6
- September 3: Occidental College - College Rep Visit during Lunch in B17
- September 3: ELAC (English Language Advisory Council) Mtg: 6:30PM in the Library
- September Events: The BIG READ - Make sure you have finished reading your summer reading.
Tutorial Embedded in the School Day
Students have a chance to start homework and ask for help within the school day
Students can make up work from absences without using brunch/lunch
Access to all of a student’s teachers in one given time period-- all teachers are in their rooms.
Do the things that might normally interrupt class time like surveys, counselor meetings, school-wide activities, etc.
This is the BEST time to start or complete HW, make up or finish labs or assessments, meet with teacher(s) for clarification, meet with members of a group project -USE THE TIME EFFECTIVELY!
Woodside High School
Email: kvanputten@seq.org
Website: woodsidehs.org
Location: 199 Churchill Avenue, Woodside, CA, USA
Phone: (650) 367-9750
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Woodside-High-School-584534558341797/