Rebel Review

South Families,

I send this newsletter every two weeks with information about upcoming events and information to help keep you informed. I hope you find this useful, If at any time you want additional information, please refer to our school website.

As always, please reach out to our office anytime you need assistance!

Sincerely,

Andy Suttell

Principal

440-975-3628

andrew.suttell@weschools.org

Recently, South Senior Soccer players, Connor Heramb and Brayden Gambatese, made their college decisions. Connor and Brayden signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their athletic careers. Connor signed to play soccer at Marietta College. Brayden signed to play soccer at Hiram College. Congratulations, to both on your incredible accomplishments.

The ACT test is a curriculum-based education and career planning tool for high school students that assesses the mastery of college readiness standards.

On Tuesday, March 12, all 11th grade students will be taking the ACT Test during our regular school day. It is important for students to come to school on time as testing will begin promptly at 7:45am. Most students will be testing in the gym unless they have been informed otherwise. It is also important that they arrive with their school issued Chromebook fully charged. We have notified Excel TECC programs that run in the morning that juniors will have an excused absence on that day. CCP students should notify their professors.

Students from North and South competed in our local Rotary Club's 4 Way Speech Competition. South students participating were Hayden Brown, Grace Jones, and Emma Martin. Grace Jones will move on to the district level competition in April. Congratulations to all that participated in the 4 Way Speech Contest.

Course Registration

Students have completed making course requests for next school year. Our Guidance Counselors will now spend the next several weeks meeting individually with each student to discuss their choices and ensure that courses are appropriate and on track toward graduation. Please reach out to your child's counselor if you have any questions regarding courses and registration for next school year.

Self-Paced Option

We have added some courses that have exciting possibilities for our students called self-paced courses. Self-paced courses will provide customization and deeper learning for our students. These are regular courses, taught by South Teachers. Self-paced classes designed to provided a blend of whole, class, small group and individual learning opportunities. Students who demonstrate mastery will be released from the class attendance requirement for up to two classes per week. This will allow some students more time to work on other assignments/classes, while also providing the students who need it, more one-one-one time with their teachers. For information about a self-paced class, please see the flier below. If you have any questions about the appropriateness of this learning modality for your child, please contact your guidance counselor.

On Thursday next week, Rebel Families is hosting a fundraising event to help support After Prom for our students. In the past, this has been a fantastic event. Let's bring this event back with great attendance - we have over 35 senior "models" that will be participating. Tickets are $15.00 and are being sold during our lunch periods through Wednesday next week. Look forward to seeing a great crowd!

On March 18 please join our superintendent, Dr. Ward, for an update on the current state of the district, the shared vision moving forward, student performances and refreshments. The State of the Schools event will begin at 5:45pm in the PAC at North High School. For more information, please see the flyer below. To register for the event, use the following link: State of the Schools Registration

South High senior swimmer, Joris Boeman, finished his career by qulifying for the state swim meet in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke. Congratulations Joris on this incredible accomplishment!

Seniors - The following scholarships are available on Naviance.

We have been adding new scholarship opportunities as they become available. Seniors, please continue to frequently check Naviance for these new postings. You may sign into Naviance through your Clever account and access the following scholarships: (Please note - there have been additional scholarships added since my previous newsletter)

• Local Association of Specialists in Aging Scholarship
• Willoughby South Band Boosters Scholarship
• Willoughby Junior Women’s Scholarship
• Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce Scholarship
• Green Steward of Willoughby Scholarship
• Willoughby South Rebel Families
• 2024 NAACP Freedom Fund Scholarship Application
• Americans of Italian Heritage
• Willoughby Hills Tom & Bea Horwatt Scholarship
• Willoughby South Athletic Boosters Club 2024 Scholarship
• Christie Montrella Scholarship 2024
• Jefferson Educational Grant Scholarship
• Nancy Theiling Thuma Memorial Scholarship 2024
• Willoughby Eastlake Teachers Association-Richard Mele Memorial Scholarship
• Mad City Money
• Willoughby Baseball/Softball Memorial Scholarship
• University Hospitals Lake Health Scholarship Application
• Berlin Family Foundation Scholarship

**As additional scholarships open - they will be made available through Naviance.

**Scholarships are also posted in our Guidance Department. Please stop by frequently to check for new opportunities!!

Our 2024 Graduation is set for Tuesday, May 21 at 6:30pm. The location for the ceremony is at the beautiful Playhouse Square: Connor Palace at 1615 Euclid Avenue. Each Senior will receive 6 tickets to the graduation ceremony. 2 additional tickets will be made available for purchase allowing for a total of 8 tickets available for each senior. Ticketing will open toward the end of April. Information with a link to the ticketing website will be given to you upon our return from Spring Break. As always, please call me with questions as you have them.

Our 2024 Senior Prom "A Night Under the Stars" will be on Friday, April 26, 2024 from 7:00 to 11:00 pm. Tickets for the prom are $45.00 and will be sold from April 4th to April 16th. There will be no ticket sales past April 16. Students will be allowed to select table seating at the time of their ticket purchase. Again, as we return from Spring Break, more information regarding prom will follow.

Students from South’s Financial Literacy attended the Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland earlier this week. Junior Achievement inspires career exploration and our students were given real world situations to envision future career opportunities. South students enjoyed interacting and participating in the days events and were also joined by students from North and NCI. Great event for our students!

Each week, our teachers nominate students who are consistently positive in their approach to school both academically and behaviorally. At the end of each month, each nominated student will have a chance to earn Student of the Month.

The following students have earned Rebel Student of the Week during the past 2 weeks. Congratulations!

We want to congratulate our 4 students of the Month. Each month, any student who has been recognized as a Student of the Week, becomes eligible to earn the Rebel Students of the Month. Students receive a large pizza to share with their friends!! Congratulations to November winners - 9th Grade: Jeffrey Giles, 10th Grade: Gavin Ray Bilbao, 11th Grade: Sid Godbole and 12th Grade: Patrick James.

Last week, I sent information regarding our Spring Testing which will begins in April. While I realize it is still a few weeks away, I wanted to make sure you have this information, as the testing days will require us to alter the schedule. Please reference the Spring Testing Information, for all of the specific testing information you need. As always, please give us a call if you have any questions about the state tests.

Our Superintendent-Student Advisory Coucil is sponsoring a district wide effort to raise money for End 68 Hours of Hunger. Please see the flier below. South students will hear more about this next week.

Mark your calendar for these important events over the next few weeks of school:

March 7-22: Counselor Individual Course Registration Meetings

March 9 Athletics Booster - Dinner and Raffle

March 12 ACT Testing (Juniors Only)

March 14 Rebel Families - Prom Fashion Show

March 20: 4th Quarter Parent/Teacher Conferences

March 25 - April 1 - Spring Break - No School - Classes Resume April 2

2024-25 Scheduling Information

• Our Guidance Counselors have started to meet individually with their students to confirm courses for the 2024-25 school year. Counselors will schedule these meetings through March 22nd in order to ensure each students has an individual conference regarding their selections for courses.

Sophomore Information

• Parent's of Sophomores who applied to Excel TECC: Students should be sure to check their email that you used in their Excel TECC application. Students will be notified if they are accepted or placed on a wait list. If accepted, they will need to log into Enrolltrack (the email will have a link. Mrs. Duffy also sent the link on Feb 2nd to their school email) and they will need to confirm their seat. Accepted students have until the end of the day on Friday, February 16, 2024 to confirm their seat at which point we will go to the waiting lists. Parents will get an email as well. But they can’t accept on behalf of their child. Students have to handle this part.
  

• Guidance will be returning to Health classrooms on February 16th to show sophomores what is available in Naviance
  

Junior Information

• The ACT will be given to juniors free of charge on March 12th 7:45-12:00. Students will be signed up at school. We will notify Excel TECC programs that run in the morning that juniors will have an excused absence on that day. CCP students should notify their professors.
  

• Seniors FAFSA update: We have received an update from the Department of Education, and they said that the 24-25 FAFSA will be open by Dec 31st. Technically, it could open earlier than that, but assume it will be Dec 31st. We don't advise that you try to fill it out the first few days that it is open, because historically the system can be slower those days.
• Here is the link to the announcement
• Guidance emailed a "How-To-Request Initial Transcripts Be Sent to Colleges." All transcript requests must go through Naviance for tracking purposes. The link to the video is below. If you or your student has questions or needs help after viewing the video, please contact their guidance counselor. View the Link Here.
• Many scholarships are going to be available soon. This video is a how to find and apply to them in Naviance. Your home screen may look a bit different, however, the steps remain the same. LEAF is also a great resource. She is at South every Wednesday. You can sign up to see her in Guidance.

Willoughby Unites (South and WMS Student Group) continued their community project work. Students in Willoughby Unites are working on a community awareness project around several issues. Recently students met with Willoughby Mayor Robert Fiala in order to gather information about the projects that are going on in our community. This Spring, Willoughby Unites will be out in our community sharing the work they have been doing to make our community better!

This collaboration between South High students and Willoughby Middle School students has incredible to watch grow in this inaugural year. We look forward to expanding this groups influence in the coming years!

Recently, I have been asked if tutoring is available. At South our National Honor Society students offer opportunities to help struggling students. If any student needs tutoring help or support, please use the QR Code below to indicate your need. You will receive an email return to help set-up this help!

Our store is open for business online and in-person.

Our in-person hours will be Thursday & Fridays during lunch periods.

You can place an online order and pickup in the main office from 7-3. We can also send your order home with your student. The online website is : https://rebelexpress.square.site/

Please follow us on social media to stay updated on new items, special promotions and store hours.

Instagram: @rebels_express

X (Twitter) : @RebsSchoolStore

Facebook : Rebels Express Spirit Shop

We look forward to seeing you!

Are you looking for activities for your children? Interested in family programs in the community? There are so many options for Willoughby-Eastlake families, such as city departments of recreation, sports teams, scouting, camps and special events in all of our surrounding communities, plus so much more!

Information from approved organizations who host activities for Willoughby-Eastlake youth and the community are posted electronically. Paper flyers from organizations are not sent home with students. To access the flyers, visit the COMMUNITY link on the district and building website pages Community Activities Flyers

For specific information about the events, you need to contact the sponsoring organization. Flyers are updated periodically during the month so remember to visit often to check for new postings.

Enjoy what our community has to offer!

If you believe your child is experiencing challenges in terms of their mental well-being, it is important to reach out to your principal. To meet your child’s needs, it’s essential to collaborate with the principal and school personnel to explore resources and services available at school. In addition to Crossroads Counselors, the District also has family liaisons and guidance counselors who can provide needed interventions and support.

Crossroads Informational Letter and Opt Out Form

Safer Ohio School Tip Line

• 1-844-SaferOH (844-723-3764)
• Calls or texts are answered by analysts within Ohio Homeland Security. If action is needed, the analysts immediately forward information to local school officials, law enforcement agencies and the Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) for action and follow up.

PowerSchool is the official gradebook and attendance record for our school. From the Parent Portal, you are able to set alerts for low or missing assignments, as well as tardy and absent alerts to keep account for period to period attendance of your child. Please take advantage of these settings and alert features.

With today's closure, it is also a good idea to check you notification settings in the Parent Portal to ensure you are receiving school and district closing notifications and other information.

Below are links for PowerSchool to assist you. If you need any further help getting set up with the Parent Portal - please call our office.

PowerSchool Full User Guide

PowerSchool Quick Guide

Attendance

• Anytime a student is absent, the office needs to verify that student's attendance. If you know your child will be absent, tardy or leaving early, please call the office attendance lines. The ouor office will not have to call you! If we know you are picking them up - you do not have to come into the building. Students will come out at the time you have requested pickup. Thanks for helping us keep our students safe.
• Attendance Line - 440-283-2180
• Late/Early Line - 440-975-3652
• Main Office Line - 440975-3648

At this point, you should be able to view your schedule in Powerschool. If you are experiencing difficulties accessing Powerschool or any other problem with your schedule, please contact your counselor directly. Please be mindful that there are many factors that go into changing student schedules at this point, your counselors will work to do the best they can, but there are situations where we simply do not change schedules as we are this close to the school year.

Guidance Counselors

Mrs. Alison Grant; Student with Last Names A to G: Alison.Grant@weschools.org

Mrs. Celeste Duffy: Students with Last Name H to O: Celeste.Duffy@weschools.org

Ms. Virginia Joyce: Students with Last Name P to Z: Virginia.Joyce@weschools.org

South High Administration

As a reminder, the administrative team at South is eager to work with you and our students to support student success in any way. If you have any questions, please feel free to email the appropriate grade level administrator:

Mr. Andy Suttell, Principal: andrew.suttell@weschools.org

Mr. David Miller, 11th and 12th Grade Principal: david.miller@weschools.org

Ms. Jennifer Neumeyer, 9th and 10th Grade Principal: jennifer.neumeyer@weschools.org

We will begin to focus our students on behavior that help them keep their focu on their learning and the instruction of their teachers. As we begin the year, students will hear about the Rebel Way. Three easy ways to exhibit the Rebel way are the following:

Showing the Rebel Way All Day:

• Show up on time -

• To school and EVERY class. Parents can set alert settings in PowerSchool for notifications when a student's period attendance does not match their daily attendance.

• Put away all personal technology in class -

• No cell phones or earbuds while in the classroom. Please remove earbuds from the ears during class. Cell phones/headphones are allowed to be used quietly in Lunch, full period study halls, and the hallway between periods.

• Pictures/video ARE NOT PERMITTED:in restrooms, locker rooms, or any area where there is “reasonable expectation of privacy,” nor in classrooms or of unsuspecting persons. Be cognizant of what is in the background of your pictures and videos regardless of where you are!

• Check your dress -

• No hoods or ski masks on in the building. You may wear a baseball or beanie cap if desired.

• Please express your personal style without the use of see through or revealing clothing. Attire with profane, vulgar, or drug/vape/alcohol references will not be permitted at any time. Undergarments should not be showing.

Seniors are required by law to provide proof of MCV4/meningococcal meningitis vaccination. It is very important that you submit updated immunization information to our clinic via fax (440-975-3645), or hard copy (return to clinic ). If you have any questions, please email them to our School Nurse at eileen.krancevic@weschools.org.

Willoughby South High School has 3 phenomenal Booster Organizations that support the students!

• Our BAND BOOSTERS support our Rebel music and band programs
• Our REBEL FAMILIES support our Rebel academic programs and provide scholarships
• Our ATHLETIC BOOSTERS support our Rebel athletics teams

Please support these fine organizations! They volunteer their time to give back to our kids in so many ways!

Bussing Information: The radius for school transportation widens from Middle School to High School. Transportation information will be listed in PowerSchool Parent Portal on August 14th. Transportation can be reached at (440) 975-3736.

School Fees, Lunch Accounts & Free/Reduced Lunch Application: Manage student meal accounts & Apply for free and reduced meals at https://www.weschools.org/PayForIt.aspx

Open Positions at W-E Schools

Check out the Employment page to find opportunities for joining the Willoughby-Eastlake team: https://www.weschools.org/AssistantSuperintendent.aspx