Wolverines News

Click the Translate Newsletter button to the right of this page to view this newsletter in over 100 languages.

Haga clic en el botón Translate Newsletter para ver una traducción automática de esta carta de noticias en más de 100 idiomas.

Soon our first semester will come to an end. It has brought celebrations, but also some challenges; those of which have taught many of us to be flexible and to persevere!

In the recent week, my family, (like many of our WEST families), lost a relative to COVID. I had the opportunity two years ago to take a trip and spend some quality time with this relative. During that trip, she used a saying that stuck with me... "Rebecca", she said, "I just improvise, adapt, and overcome!" She said it with her southern accent, which made it sound even better! When I returned from that trip, I got back into my day to day routine and occasionally would be faced with something that would remind me of her phrase. The reminder gave me that little added encouragement I needed to move ahead with something I was struggling with.

As I prepare for 2nd semester in my first year as principal of West High, I will bring with me the strength and positive attitude of my dear cousin, and pair that with the support and positive efforts of our West High families, staff, and students. I know that no matter what the situation we are faced with, we can ALL improvise, adapt, and overcome!

#WeAreWEST

Sincerely,

-Ms. Rebecca Rieken

riekenr@live.siouxcityschools.com

"Congratulations to our December Staff Member of the Month, Ms. Hailey Jensen!

Students at WHS had these things to say about Ms. Jensen...

• "This teacher shows so much love and support for her students! She is a great teacher and it is evident that she wants what is best for everyone and cares about other people. She is very down to Earth and makes an effort to connect with each and every one of her students."

• "She's made this year less stressful and put us before the gradebook. She is always there and ready to work. She shows that she cares about her students not only in achievements but also their overall health."

End of 1st Semester:

January 19th

No School on January 20th

Beginning of 2nd Semester:

January 21st

There will be no scheduled classes for on-site learning students Wednesday, January 13th. Instead, there will be academic support available for all students from 12:00-3:00pm in the West High Media Center. Tutoring is also available from 3:00-4:00pm, with the after school activity bus leaving around 4:15pm.

First semester ends on January 19. If your student is not passing a course, it is strongly encouraged that they come to school on Wednesday, January 13th for this support in an effort to still obtain that credit. During this time, all West High teachers will be available to provide students with individual assistance. Virtual students are also encouraged to come to school for this academic support as long as it does not interfere with their attendance in their virtual school courses.

Any students, both on-site learners and virtual learners, who have remaining tests to complete in their Edgenuity courses, may also come to school on Wednesday, January 13th between the hours of 12:00-5:00pm to take those tests.

Attention Seniors!

The deadline for the Senior Diploma Form has been extended, feel free to stop by the main office and ask for another copy. Please turn in your completed form as soon as possible.

Cap & gown and other graduation item orders have also been extended. Stop by the freshman house with any questions about cap & gown ordering, or please call 1-800-Jostens with any other questions.

It is time to submit your Senior Pictures for the yearbook. Senior pictures are due by Jan 15th. Please read the following requirements for the senior pictures to be used in the yearbook.

1. The yearbook photograph must portrait and not landscape. (up and down and not wide)

2. High resolution

3. Costumes, pets and props such as hats must be approved.

4. No hand gestures in the photos.

5. “Selfie” photos will not be accepted.

6. No social media filters.

7. No masks

8. Attire for photographs must comply with West High School’s dress code.

Senior pictures can be delivered to Ms. Stephens in room S108 before school or sent via email:

stephet@live.siouxcityschools.com

Electronic submission is preferred but not required. The final date for accepting senior pictures will be January 15, 2021.

The West High 20-21 yearbooks are being sold now!

November 17-January 31: $45

February 1-March 31: $50

April 1-15: $55

You can purchase books in person with cash or check in Ms. Stephens' Room S108 before school or during 1st period. You can buy yearbooks using a debit or credit card online at www.yearbookforever.com

If you forgot to order your 2019-2020 Yearbook, there are still some remaining, the cost is $50. Please email Ms. Stephens to inquire about availability and purchasing, stephet@live.siouxcityschools.com

All teachers have worked to create and maintain a common CANVAS home page. The week will be represented Monday through Friday, and within each day, teachers will detail the activities and assignments for that day.

If a student is absent, or will be gone for an extended absence, it is our hope that this common design will assist student and families as they access the activities and assignments that were assigned when the student was not able to attend class. If a student falls behind, they can also search back through archived weeks to locate assignments that are past due.

Any student learning remotely via an Edgenuity course must complete all tests before the end of 1st semester on January 19th in order to receive credit for the course.

Virtual students need to make arrangements with Mr. Bemus to take their tests onsite. Night school hours are available for students who do not want to visit campus during normal school hours.

Night School hours are:

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 3:00-7:00

Wednesdays, 3:00-5:00

Night School is located in the WHS Media Center. For any questions related to Edgenuity courses, please contact Mr. Bemus: bemusb@live.siouxcityschools.com

ACT
West High will be hosting the ACT on Saturday, February 6th. The deadline to register is January 15th (late fees may apply.)

The next ACT testing date will be April 17th. The deadline to register is March 12th.

Please contact your school counselor for assistance with registering for the ACT.

2021-2022 Registration Process

Counselors have started to meet with students to discuss their requests for courses regarding the upcoming school year. This initial stage of the registration process will continue through the month of December. West High encourages parents and guardians to have conversations at home with students about their future plans and ideas of courses to pursue.

This coming school year brings many new opportunities for students to pursue college credit courses through WITCC, which are paid by the school district, as well as career pathway courses which may lead to certifications in certain fields of study. We hope that many of our West High Wolverines take advantage of these offerings. Students may inquire more about these opportunities when they meet with their counselors, and families are also invited to contact our counseling department or administrative staff with questions.

Registration for Virtual Students

Students currently enrolled in Virtual School will be invited to a TEAMS meeting during 1A on Tuesday, January 12th to receive more information about how to request courses for the 2021-2022 school year.

Scholarship Information

The Kind World Scholarship application is due February 1st by noon, and the other applications for scholarships from the Siouxland Community Foundation are due February 15th. Please see your counselor if you have questions. The YouTube video link below was shared in Homeroom and has more details about these opportunities:

https://youtu.be/e_gJ87lBqTo

As we near the middle of the school year, winter sports and activities will go through the end of February; with that said, please note that many of our spring sports will begin the process of open gyms. Please reach out to your coaches to see where and when open gyms will be for your sports. As we get ready for spring sports and activities, please make sure you have a current physical, good conduct form/concussion form and medical clearance paperwork in to the activities office. If you have questions about when they may expire, don’t hesitate to stop by and see Mrs. Miller or Mr. Pace. The paperwork for each of those items can be pickup up in the stacks outside of the attendance office or in the activities office with Mrs. Miller. As we finish out winter sports and activities, please be mindful that all spectators and visitors to West High School for our sports and activities must wear a mask the entire time they are in our facilities. Spectators and visitors are allowed to bring all of their households to our games, activities and concerts. If you have questions please don’t hesitate to contact the activities office at West High School.

West High School is currently seeking interested and qualified staff for the following employment opportunities:

• Special Education Instructional Assistants (Compass Academy & Foundations)
  
• Teaching Substitutes
  

For more information about these positions, please contact Ms. Rieken: riekenr@live.siouxcityschools.com

To apply, please visit:

https://www.applitrack.com/siouxcity/onlineapp/default.aspx

All SCCSD high schools operate closed campuses. This means that students are not allowed to leave campus unless they are scheduled out of the building, or unless they are attending an off-campus class.

Students are not allowed to bring outside food back into the building, and students are not allowed to have outside food delivered. Food that is delivered will be held until after school for pick up.

After school tutoring, Night School, and Saturday School are all located in the WHS Media Center.

After school tutoring-

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays 3:00-4:00

Night school-

Tuesdays 3:00-7:00

Wednesday 3:00-5:00

Thursday 3:00-7:00

Upcoming Saturday School Dates-

January 30th, 9:00-12:00

The West High School Food Pantry & Clothing Closet is available to meet the needs the West side community. We can assist families with meals, clothing, toiletries, and some household goods. We are limiting building access at this time, but would be happy to prepare a pick-up order to meet your needs. Please call West High School with any requests, 712-279-6772, or email Mr. Van Buren: vanburm1@live.siouxcityschools.com

Please keep students home and contact West High School if:

• student is experiencing symptoms related to COVID
• student is awaiting the results of a COVID test
• student has been exposed to someone in the home who has tested positive for COVID
• student has been in close contact (less than 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with someone who has tested positive for COVID and they were not wearing a mask during that time
  

All students, staff, and guests entering the building must be wearing a mask or face covering that covers both the mouth and nose at all times. If someone needs assistance with obtaining a mask, please communicate those needs with the school.

Administration will be contacting parents/guardians regarding any student who does not come to school prepared with a mask or shield. Students who repeatedly come to school without a mask or shield, or who do not comply with these expectations, may be sent home.

To request technology assistance or learn about solutions and information regarding CANVAS, we encourage students and families to visit the SCCSD Freshdesk.

Annually, Sioux City Community Schools are in session on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in order to facilitate specialized instruction that honors the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Working in partnership with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the District plans age-appropriate lessons for every grade. Because of COVID-19 and the District’s safety practices, we will not be inviting parents or community guests to visit classrooms during instruction on January 18. Please ask your child what they learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when they come home from school on January 18.

The District is committed to connecting our students and families to important community resources. View a comprehensive list of local services including information about food access, housing assistance, and mental and physical health resources. Learn more: https://www.siouxcityschools.org/community-resources-in-sioux-city/

The Sioux City Community School District is currently hiring for the following positions:

· Substitute School Bus Drivers and Substitute Bus Assistants

· Substitute Building Service Technicians

· Substitute Teachers and Substitute Instructional Assistants

· Substitute Food Service Workers

The Sioux City Community School District is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. To learn more about job qualifications and our available opportunities, please visit our website: www.siouxcityschools.org

With cold weather upon us, it’s important to plan for inclement weather. Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the colder weather. Suggested apparel includes a warm coat, hat, scarf and gloves. If a student needs access to these cold weather apparel items, please contact the school office.

Even during the winter season, the District allows recess and outdoor activities to continue as usual. However, if a student does not have appropriate winter clothing, a school official may ask a student to remain inside.

When the atmosphere reaches a temperature that feels like 15 degrees or less, then all students are kept inside for recess/activities. The “feel” of the temperature is determined based on the National Weather Service’s report.

Thank you for helping us keep students safe and warm this season.

The winter in Iowa provides us with some days that make it a challenge to hold classes at the regular time, and sometimes we must close our schools early, late, or for the entire day. As you know, our weather is not only challenging at times, it is constantly changing.

Please remember that parents and guardians have the right to decide to keep their child home on any day that they feel it is unsafe for their student to be in school because of weather conditions. If you believe the weather provides a genuine reason why you may have to keep your students at home, or take your student home when classes are scheduled to continue, you as a parent or guardian will simply need to contact your child’s school to let them know.

If a decision is made on the day of school to cancel classes or to have a late start, a call goes out at 6:00 AM to all parents and guardians. Parents can also check the following sites for closure information.

1. GovDelivery https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/IAEDU6039/subscriber/new?qsp=CODE_RED
2. District’s Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SiouxCityCommSchools
3. District’s Twitter @siouxcityschool
4. All media outlets

If the schools are dismissed early or if school is called off entirely, there will be no evening activities. If you have before and after school care, please check with your provider about their procedures.

The Sioux City Community School District offers career and technical programs in the following areas: Business & Marketing, Family & Consumer Science, Health Science, and Industrial Arts, Technology, & PLTW.

The Sioux City Community School District is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information (for employment), national origin, religion, age (for employment), disability, socioeconomic status (for programs), marital status (for programs), or veteran status (for employment) in its educational programs and its employment practices. The District is required by Title IX and 34 CFR Part 106 not to discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs, activities, or employment.

Inquiries or grievances under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act may be directed to Jen Gomez, Director of Student Services & Equity Education/Title IX Coordinator at 627 4th Street, Sioux City, IA 51101, (712) 279-6075, gomezj2@live.siouxcityschools.com. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations to the District may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, or both. Please see District Board policies 103 and 504.4 for additional information on available grievance procedures.

Contact us!

Principal: Rebecca Rieken

Website: https://www.siouxcityschools.org/west-high-school/
Location: 2001 Casselman Street, Sioux City, IA, USA
Phone: 712-279-6772
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiouxCityWestHighSchool/
Twitter: @WHS_Activities