The Wolverine Word

Good afternoon, Wolverine Families!

Below you will find a wealth of information about events that are coming up, including prom, graduation, ICON lunch celebration, awards ceremonies, and more. Please read through each section carefully.

As spring kicks into high gear, our students are juggling field trips, sports, club competitions, performances, and more. We love giving them so many opportunities, but we also know they’re still learning how to manage their time. So, let’s help them find balance by encouraging rest, prioritization, and speaking up when they need support.

As always, thank you to all our parents and guardians in the West Community for partnering with us for the success of our students! Gulo Gulo!

Dr. Aaron Archambeau

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For only $10, you could win $10,000 and support grants for schools!

CLICK HERE TO ADOPT A DUCK AND JOIN THE RAFFLE

Since 2016, the Forsyth County Education Foundation has provided over $700,000 in grants for innovative projects in Forsyth County schools for students and teachers. Click here to learn more about previous grants given to our schools. We need the community's support to make a bigger splash for education again to provide more grants for innovative projects in August 2025 with our annual fundraiser, the DUCK DIVE FOR EDUCATION!

For only $10, you could win $10,000 and support grants for schools!

The deadline to join the raffle is March 26th at 11:59AM. The Duck Dive drawing on March 28, 2025 at 1PM at the Cumming Aquatic Center, and you can watch here. Students, parents and the community are invited to adopt a duck by paying $10 to enter the raffle. Each duck adoption gives you the chance to win $10,000 and supports grants in our schools. Learn more about past grants here. Click here for the rules and regulations.

Incentives for Schools!

• The elementary homeroom that adopts the most ducks at their school will win a pizza party!
• The middle school or high school that adopts the most ducks will win ice cream for their school!

A Duck Dive is a raffle. When you adopt a duck for only $10, you will be assigned a duck number. The list will be released on March 21st at 5PM here so you know your assigned duck number before the raffle drawing. All numbered ducks will be thrown into a "pond". At the drawing, one lucky duck will be drawn and the winner will win $10,000. You do not need to be present to win. The winner will be contacted. Click here to watch the 2024 drawing.

You are strongly encouraged to adopt ducks by the deadline of March 26th at 11:59PM! The hard deadline where the link will be closed for adoptions is 8 AM on 3/28.

CLICK HERE TO ADOPT A DUCK AND JOIN THE RAFFLE

All money raised from the Duck Dive will go toward grants in our schools in fall 2025. Click here to watch how The Duck has made a difference in our schools. We hope to make an even bigger splash in 2025, and we need you to be a Quacker Backer! If you have questions, please email hsamples@forsyth.k12.ga.us.

Forsyth County Schools invites you to join us for an important community conversation about the role of smart devices and cell phones in our schools. Disconnect to Reconnect is a town hall event focused on the impact of technology on learning, engagement, and students' social and emotional health.

Families and community members are encouraged to attend as school district leaders present research and insights on this critical topic. The Forsyth County Board of Education will be present, and there will be opportunities for questions and discussion.

Let's work together to create a balanced approach to technology use in our schools. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Parking Application for the 2025-2026 school year opened this past Monday, March 17th. Rising Seniors will be able to submit applications through Spring Break, with rising Juniors beginning to apply on Monday, April 7th. Students applying must have a Class C, D or M license by the start of the 2025-26 school year.

The parking fee for the 2025-2026 school year is $135 and will be assigned to student School Pay accounts after July 1, 2025.

Please visit our parking website for additional information.

Attention parents of current freshmen and all following graduation cohorts (Class of 2028 and younger)!

There are new changes to self-pay course credits that will affect current freshmen and all future FCS high school students, starting in the summer of 2025. Please review this document for more information or this FAQ document for frequently asked questions.

We are quickly approaching the last few weeks of the school year, so please be aware that if your student has any missing or make-up work for a course during the fourth nine weeks, it must be turned in by the following dates:

• 9th, 10th, and 11th Grade Students - Monday, May 12th
• 12th Grade Students - Friday, April 26th

Missing or make-up work that is not turned in by the dates outlined above will be marked as a zero in the gradebook and will not be accepted after these dates.

Students who have late or missing work for a course need to utilize Wolverine Time to get caught up! What is Wolverine Time?? See below!

Congratulations to Savannah Marcus and Amy Bowles for winning the ICON Teacher and Support Staff awards for the month of February!

ICON Teacher of the Month - Savannah Marcus

• Savannah is very concerned for all of her students, especially those in danger of not graduating,
• She takes ownership in both of her content teams and makes her class learning experiences varied to keep the interest of her students and differentiates activities.
• Savannah is Noble - it is obvious to her students and her peers that she cares deeply about and for her students
• Savannah goes above and beyond fof her students and deserves to be recognized as an ICON.
• She sponsors multiple clubs and sports and gives so much of herself to make sure students have opportunities to get involved here at West.
• Savannah has compassion with her colleagues by helping out in any way asked of her. She is the content lead for two subject areas and goes above and beyond to make sure everything is done and that lessons are engaging for students.
• Savannah takes ownership with everything she does. She is a wonderful example here at West for students and staff. She encourages students to do their best and always strives to do her best as well.
• Savannah is noble and models respect even when things get hard. She does the right thing and always has a positive attitude.

ICON Support Staff of the Month - Amy Bowles

• Amy does so much to represent and coordinate for the SPED Dept. She spends hours on end with students after hours in cheer as well. She has a great attitude and is always so positive and upbeat.

• She always puts students first and makes sure every decision she makes is what's best for them, no matter how big or small.
• Amy goes above and beyond to support both students and staff, whether it's helping with a challenging situation or simply being there to listen.
• Even with everything Amy is going through at the moment, she continues to dedicate her time and energy to multiple school activities, all while keeping a positive attitude and lifting up those around her.
• In every situation, Amy brings a smile and a welcoming presence, making others feel supported and appreciated.
• Mrs. Bowles truly leads by example, showing kindness, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to helping every student succeed.

Thank you to Savannah Marcus and Amy Bowles for being ICONs!

Do you or your student notice someone doing a great job this month? Take a moment to nominate them for February Teacher ICON of the Month and Support Staff ICON of the month! As a reminder, Support Staff includes secretaries, counselors, paraprofessionals, custodians, café workers, administrators, Instructional Coach, ETC, Media Specialist, Graduation Coach, Student Support Coordinator, and Athletic Director.

Winners of our Teacher of the Month for this school year will be in the running to become our 2025-2026 Teacher of the year.

Teacher of the Month Nomination Form

Support Staff of the Month Nomination Form

Thank you!

Our positive behavior intervention team (PBIS) has been working diligently this year to recognize our wonderful students. This spring, we are organizing a lunch celebration for all students who have exhibited positive behavior. Our ICONS are recognized throughout the year for being Involved, Compassionate, Showing Ownership, and Being Noble. However, it is difficult to truly recognize all the amazing behaviors we see on a daily basis.

Therefore, we need your help! On April 17th, we would like to provide our ICONS (that's over 2,400 students!!!) a simple lunch. We would like to grill hot dogs, provide chips, and a drink. This will get them outside and celebrating, and we will have Kona Ice available for purchase.

If you are available on that day to grill, serve, and help us recognize our students, please complete the google form below.

We want to include our stakeholders in this celebration, and we truly cannot do it without your help. Please consider donating your time to help recognize our incredible students.

https://forms.gle/EydJMH9X9bU3sLQL6

Thank you in advance for your consideration!

Underclass Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 7th at 9:00 AM in the Auditorium.

Senior Awards Night will be held on Tuesday, May 13th at 6:00 PM in the Auditorium.

Be on the lookout for invitations!

Long-Term Substitute - Kathy Bain

While Caroline Smith is out, her caseload will be handled by Kathy Bain. Kathy has been a counselor in Forsyth County for many years and we look forward to working with her. Her caseload is last names Pe-Sr and she can be reached at f19058@forsyth.k12.ga.us or extension 331057.

Launch Work Ready Program

Launch Work Ready Program is a three-day career readiness program established for recent high school graduates to learn more about next steps into the workforce, understand industry trends and occupations, and develop important professional skills. Launch is an initiative of FoCo Works, a strategic initiative of the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, and Forsyth County Schools.

See below for more information and a link to the application.

If you have a Senior student that starts to struggle in a graduation requirement class, either here at West, virtually, or in a Dual Enrollment class, please have your student meet with their school counselor and the graduation coach as soon as possible. Graduation is Sunday, May 18th at 7:30 pm at Gas South Arena. Detailed information will be sent out to families later this Spring.

Other upcoming programs through WFHS counseling office:

Forsyth Central High School will be hosting their Out of Darkness Walk on Sunday, April 13th. If you are interested in participating, please scan the QR code below to register.

Students can find our school announcements within Canvas in their student information course. They can also be accessed by clicking here. Check them out so you can stay in the know!

Dear Class of 2025,

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! We wanted to go ahead and share a list of upcoming important dates for our current seniors. In late April, we will send out more specific instructions for cap and gown pick up, the Senior Lunch, and essential protocol for graduates and their guests during the ceremony at the Gas South Arena. Be sure to check the Seniors 2025 link on the West Forsyth page and our social media platforms for more information. Here is the direct link to more detailed information on our website.

Save the Date

• Blue Envelope Collection: April 9th – 30th
• Prom: Saturday, April 12th @ 8:00-10:30 PM at Ramsey Conference Center
• Cap & Gown Distribution: Wednesday, April 23rd during WT/Wellness
• EOC Week: April 28th – May 2nd
• Senior Exams/AP Exams Week 1: May 5th – May 9th (Virtual Week)
• Senior Lunch/Graduation Meeting : Thursday, May 8th @ 12:30 PM
• AP Exams Week 2: May 12th – May 16th
• Baccalaureate: Monday, May 12th @ 6:30 PM at First Baptist Cumming
• Graduation: Sunday, May 18th @ 7:30 PM at Gas South Arena

Blue Envelopes

For Blue Envelope collection, we encourage all community members, friends, and family to recognize our graduating seniors by writing congratulatory letters to our seniors. Please mail the letters to the school’s address below or drop them by the school’s front office during the card collection period of April 9th – April 30th. Please only include cards and send all gifts/money/packages/etc. directly to the student’s home.

Senior’s First Name, Last Name

c/o West Forsyth High School

4155 Drew Road

Cumming, Georgia 30040

If you have any questions, please email Donna Duncan at dduncan@forsyth.k12.ga.us.

Thank you!

Senior Final Exams

Senior Final Exams will be held during the week of May 5th - May 9th. Seniors only need to be on campus during the time they have to take an exam. All final exams MUST be completed by May 9th!

Prom date forms are live and loaded into both Junior and Senior Canvas pages. They can be found on the HOME screen in the Upcoming Items section (see picture below). Please note that once a date form is turned in, it will take time to generate a date code. Continue checking email!

For information regarding Senior Yard signs, please contact West Ink at west.ink.printing@gmail.com.

Missed Your Chance to Order a Yearbook? 📖💙

Don't worry—you can still get on the waitlist! Visit westforsythyearbook.com to sign up. If we receive overrun copies, you'll be notified in May with the chance to purchase one. Don’t miss out on the memories!

Not Sure if You Ordered a Yearbook? 🤔📖

Double-check your order at westforsythyearbook.com.

Reminder!!

Share student life pictures with the yearbook staff at westforsythyearbook.com or scan the QR code below.

While we love having visitors on campus for planned events, please be aware that our track, fields, and other areas of campus are NOT open for general public use. Our county has many public parks and greenways for recreational use, but our schools and the space and equipment that make up our campus and support our extracurriculars are for our students, under the direct supervision of trained staff. In order to keep students safe and maintain our grounds and facilities, we ask that our community works together to support these rules.

Here a list of important dates for you to know throughout the 2024-2025 school year. It's never too early to add these to your calendar!

As the year progresses, we will keep these dates in the newsletter and will add any additional ones.

Spring Semester Dates

Monday, March 31st - Friday, April 4th

Spring Break - No School for Students and Staff

Saturday, April 12th

Junior/Senior Prom at The Ramsey Conference Center (8 PM - 10:30 PM)

Monday, April 28th - Friday, May 9th

EOC Testing

Monday, May 5th - Friday, May 9th

Senior Final Exams

Monday, May 5th - Friday, May 16th

Advanced Placement Testing

Wednesday, May 7th

9th - 11th Grade Underclass Awards Ceremony

Tuesday, May 13th

Senior Awards Night in the WFHS Auditorium

Sunday, May 18th

Graduation at Gas South Arena (7:30 PM)

Monday, May 19th - Thursday, May 22nd

Underclass Final Exams - Early Release Days

Thursday, May 22nd

Last Day of School