The WJHS Panther Update

Labor Day weekend is often seen as the unofficial end of summer. It’s a last chance to soak up the warm weather before fall sets in. Labor Day itself, observed on Monday, honors the contributions of American workers and the labor movement. It's a day to recognize the hard work that has built and continues to sustain the country.

I hope every one enjoys the 3 day weekend! We will see you back here on Tuesday!

This past week we have been experiencing some issues with our phone lines. You may have called and were unable to get through. We are also finding it difficult to call out on our end. Please know that our Tech Team has been hard at work correcting the issue. We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused.

This past week we had our first i-Ready Assessment for the school year. The kids did a fantastic job being well-prepared for it. Their hard work and dedication really showed!

Attendance has been excellent, especially with Labor Day weekend approaching. Keep it up WJHS!

This week you may have seen several of our staff directing traffic before and after school.

We want to remind parents to use the FRONT DRIVEWAY when picking up and dropping off.

The parking lot is NOT TO BE USED for picking up or dropping off students.

We have several more buses this school year, compared to last, and for safety purposes, we do not want students trying to access cars when buses are entering and exiting the lot.

The cars in the lot also delay the flow of buses, in turn causing a delay.

Please do your part and help keep our kids safe by using the front driveway!

We had a huge surprise today from one of our former students! Maci B. surprised her brothers, Brandon and Robert, with a visit from the Navy!! We captured this special moment between Maci and her brothers. Be sure to check out the videos on our FB Page.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU, MACI!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

Curriculum night will be held on Thursday, Sept. 5 from 5:30-7:30 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet our staff and learn about our curriculum. Click here for the evening's Agenda.

Make sure you arrive by 5:45 so you can take part in our SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT & CELEBRATION as our Junior High continues to thrive!

ISA (Illinois Science Assessment) scores for all CUSD201 students came out this week.

We are happy to report that, once again, our teachers and students did outstanding work!

Here are the scores for the 2023-2024 school year.

WJHS = 71% proficiency State = 54% with an increase of over 12% from last year.

*An increase of 3-4% is considered significant.

These scores represent excellent achievement, and overall, we realized great gains.

Thank you to all our students and staff on your incredible growth and achievement. This is a testament to the quality of work you do every day.

IAR scores from last year were sent home with your student this week through their Panther Family teachers. Watch for those in your kids backpacks. If you have any questions, please feel free to email or give us a call.

Please remind your student to charge their Chromebook overnight. We have had an influx of students that have not been able to work on their Chromebooks in class because they don't have it charged. Helpful tip: As they plug in their phones for charging over night, they can create the habit of also plugging in their Chromebook.

Presenting our FIRST EVER boys baseball team at WJHS. They took on Glenside Thursday evening and took home the W with a 12-2 victory. Well done boys and congrats on being a little part of history!

Each week we will be shining the spotlight on one of our AMAZING staff members at WJHS!

Kicking it off will be one of our newest staff members.

This weeks featured staff is....

Mrs. Centeno and Ms. Donile always have so many fun things happening in the Media Center. Take a look at Septembers newsletter for an up to date list of everything they have planned.

Kwame Alexander is coming to Anderson's Bookshop (Naperville) on September 26th to promote his new book, Black Star. Feel free to share this information with your students.

https://www.eventcombo.com/e/Author-Event-with-Kwame-AlexanderBlack-Star-72926

Barnes & Noble has an amazing event scheduled at their Oakbrook location. I am sure many students and teachers are big fans of Jason Reynolds and will want to join the book discussion and possible photo op. You can purchase tickets through Eventbrite by clicking the link below:

JasonReynoldsBNOakBrook.eventbrite.com

Each ticket purchased includes admission into the event as well as a hardcover copy of his new book Twenty-four Seconds from Now…

Happy Reading....

Mighty Oak Athletic, one of Westmont's very own, is offering $10 per player sessions for WJHS athletes to help boost performance, prevent injuries, and build confidence in your middle school athletes.

Learn more here.https://www.mightyoakathletic.com/team

Students who display the three pillars of expectations (Safety, Respect, and Responsibility) earn tickets that are entered into our weekly raffle drawings . If you are able to partner with us in this positive behavior initiative and donate a prize, it would be greatly appreciated. Items that have been donated already are snacks, $5 gift cards, teenage items from the Dollar Store (notebooks, gel pens, Etch A Sketch, Rubik's Cubes) and monetary donations for us to purchase items.

Remember to check the WJHS calendar for up-to-date information on Clubs, Events, & Athletics.

Amy Quattrone

WJHS Principal