Parent Update

Watertown High School

Parent Update 11.1.24

Thanks to our students and staff for a fantastic October at WHS- See the updates below as it was a fun filled, spooky Halloween week! A special thank you to our students and staff for their flexibility during the power outage on Thursday afternoon. I am especially proud of our students for their fantastic behavior during what was an unexpected Halloween adventure without lights for the majority of 3rd period. 🙂

Believe it or not there are only three weeks left in the 1st trimester! Be sure to check your student’s grades and communicate with teachers if there are any questions or concerns. Thank you in advance for our WHS families for their ongoing collaboration with WHS staff to support our students!

Have a great weekend and remember to adjust your clocks this weekend as Daylight Savings Time comes to an end!

End of 1st Trimester: Friday, November 22

A friendly reminder that the 1st Trimester officially ends on Friday, November 22 so if you or your student have any concerns about academic progress in any course, now is the time to communicate with your student’s teacher(s) and/or your student’s WHS counselor to be sure your student finds success! Students and families may also contact the Student Services Office by phone at (920) 262-7550.

Students Last Name A-He:

Amy True, WHS Counselor
truea@mywusd.org

Students Last Name Hi-Ph:

Erikka Olson, WHS Counselor
olsone@mywusd.org

Students Last Name Pi-Z:

Avery Harris, WHS Counselor
harrisa@mywusd.org

WHS students will have an early release day on November 22 and will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m. Buses will run at the regular time.

Dean of Students Update

Fall activities have ended or are close to ending and I would like to say congratulations and thank you to all who participated in something extracurricular this fall. I witnessed so much Gosling Pride and students supporting each other on a consistent basis, which makes me so grateful to be a part of WHS each day! As you gear up for your winter activities, please make sure to take advantage of some down time to recharge your batteries and to finish the Trimester in a strong way academically. GO GOSLINGS!

ASVAB Testing (Optional)

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) administration will occur at Watertown High School, on Monday, December 9th, at 9:00am. Classroom location to be determined.

Please complete this form to participate in the ASVAB. After completing the form, you will receive a permission slip that must be returned to participate.

Completing the ASVAB provides students valuable information on vocational aptitudes and career interests and is the assessment used to determine eligibility for specific military occupations. The ASVAB is free and available to sophomores, juniors and seniors.

ASVAB Study Guide

If you have questions, please email your school counselor.

Student Services - Junior Meetings

You are cordially invited to your child’s Class of 2026 Junior Meeting. Watertown High School’s Junior Meetings will run between November 2024 and February 2025.

The junior meeting will include a review of your child’s strengths, interests, talents, abilities, and academic performance. Our meeting will discuss post-secondary goals, how to achieve them and discuss the next steps towards those goals. Your involvement in this conference is very important for the success of your child’s ongoing education and preparation for the future.

Parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to participate in person or virtually. Please notify us if you need to attend virtually, so we are prepared to open a link. If you are unable to attend, please know that we will share a summary of our discussion with students and families after each meeting.

We look forward to meeting with you and if you need anything, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions.

Junior Conference Action Plan

Junior Conference Preview

Please click on the name of your child’s assigned school counselor below to schedule a conference; include your child’s first AND last name in the appointment title. If Spanish translation services are needed, please put “SP” in your calendar reservation with your child’s first and last name.

Students Last Name A-He:

Amy True , WHS Counselor
truea@mywusd.org

Students Last Name Hi-Ph:

Erikka Olson, WHS Counselor
olsone@mywusd.org

Students Last Name Pi-Z:

Avery Harris , WHS Counselor
harrisa@mywusd.org

Direct Admit Reminders - Class of 2025

Senior students, who received Direct Admit offers, are encouraged to log into the UW Admission Pathway Portal to view their Direct Admit offers and submit the Direct Admit form as soon as possible.

A few things to note about submission of the form:

Submitting the Direct Admit form is not an enrollment commitment. Submission of the form ensures that the UW universities know that the student is interested in attending their University.
Students have until May 1, 2025 to submit the form, however, we highly recommend students submit as soon as possible so that UW universities can connect with the student.

Student and Family Information

"Direct Admit Wisconsin makes it easy to enroll in and pursue a UW education. We want students and their families to know there is a place for them at the Universities of Wisconsin. Some students don't see themselves as succeeding at the college level. Direct Admit Wisconsin tells them otherwise and makes enrollment as easy [...]

wisconsin.edu

Student Chromebook Update

We sincerely appreciate your continued partnership in supporting your scholar’s educational journey. As we uphold the tradition of excellence in learning, we also embrace the innovation that technology, such as Chromebooks, brings to the classroom. To ensure your student remains focused and their Chromebook continues to function at a high level, we kindly ask for your help with the following strategies:

Regular Updates: Ensure the Chromebook is updated to the latest software version to improve security and performance.
Charging Routine: Establish a routine to charge the Chromebook overnight so it's ready for school each day.
Cleaning and Care: Gently clean the screen and keyboard regularly and keep food and drinks away from the device to avoid damage.
Safe Online Practices: Monitor your scholar’s online activity, reinforcing the importance of using safe and appropriate websites.
Storage: Remind your scholar to store the Chromebook in a safe place when not in use to prevent physical damage.

Together, we are transforming the learning experience, ensuring your student is equipped with the tools and habits to succeed in this digital age. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to their success.

Athletic Information

Winter Athletic Update

If your student participated in a fall sport this school year and plans to participate in a winter sport, the only item you will need for your winter sport red card is the $75 payment.

If your student did not participate in a fall sport but plans on participating in a winter sport, your student and a parent/guardian are required to complete the following:

Red Card Video (located in Skyward Family Access)
Online athletic forms (located in Skyward Family Access)
$75 Red Card fee payable online or to the WHS Bookkeeper
Updated physical from your doctors office

Red Card DUE DATES for winter sports are as follows:

Girls Basketball and Gymnastics red card items are due NO LATER THAN Thursday, November 7, 2024
Boys Basketball, Wrestling and Boys Swim red card items are due NO LATER THAN Thursday, November 14, 2024

Any late paperwork will result in missing the first day of practice.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please stop by Mrs. Piasecki in the main office.

Watertown Athletic Calendar

Assistant Childcare Teacher Class - Playschool

On behalf of the Assistant Childcare Teacher class at Watertown High School, I am excited to extend our application to your children from two to five years of age to participate in our annual playschool this spring. The playschool provides valuable experience for the high school students who are working towards the completion of the Assistant Child Care Teacher state license.

If the child you plan on bringing to the play school is less than two years of age or is not potty trained, please sign the release attached to allow us to change diapers/pants as needed and to ensure that you can provide needed changing materials.

The Playschool will be in room S151 from November 11 through November 15 at the high school. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday schedule runs from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Wednesday's schedule is from 9:40 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.

Children should come prepared with clothing for outside play and messy, fun activities indoors. We encourage the children to attend the Playschool every day if possible.

If you are interested in having your child attend the WHS Playschool, please complete the enclosed application form and return it to Sarah Tarpey at Watertown High School—you may mail or email the application. If you need further information, please feel free to call or email me at the contacts listed below.

pdf

insert_drive_file

Updated Playschool Invite 2024.pdf

Download

263.8 KB

Staff Spotlight: Tricia Seibel

Mrs. Tricia Seibel is a WHS Alumni returning to WHS as a Physical Education/Health Room teacher. Mrs. Seibel earned her bachelor's degree from UW-Whitewater and her master's degree from Concordia. She has taught the past eleven years in the Elmbrook School District.

Mrs. Seibel has been active with the Watertown gymnastic program for years and will be the WHS Head Coach for gymnastics this year. She has also been involved the the WUSD summer school program over the years.

Mrs. Seibel is glad to be teaching closer to home as she has two young children who keep her busy!

Great Things Happening at WHS!

Picture are the German students on the bus ride to WHS.

German students claimed their new identities as Goslings.

The German students spent three days shadowing their host student at WHS.

They worked together with Watertown students of German to discover, discuss and present differences between our cultures and possible reasons behind the differences.

To welcome our German exchange partners, the Watertown chapter of the National German Honor Society sponsored “German Week.” Hannah the Bear was in a new location every day and the student or staff member who found her won German chocolate. Every day after school, students could enter their best guess as to how much candy was in a jar, and the winner received the jar as a prize. First hour classes participated in a German trivia contest and the winning class received root beer floats.

Nutrition Services staff joined the student this week in dressing up for Halloween!

Trunk or Treat

On October 23, the National Honor Society hosted a Trunk or Treat event in the parking lot. Students embraced the Halloween spirit by dressing up in a fantastic range of costumes, from Scooby Doo to the Knights of the Round Table and King Arthur.