Wolfpack Howler
Volume 19 Issue 8 - September 28, 2020
Learn to work and think for life.
Last newsletter I shared that we had reached the middle of quarter 1. I wanted to follow up with some additional information about some different codes you might see on your student's report card and what those mean.
Grading Update:
- At the secondary school level course grades will be reported with the standard letter scale.
- The exception may be if your student has received an NG. The NG or “no grade” indicates that your student has not produced sufficient evidence of learning to earn a grade. NG grades do not earn credit or count in GPA calculation. If the course is required for graduation, that means your student will have to re-take the course to meet the requirement.
- The grade of an INC or "Incomplete" may be assigned at the end of the quarter if your student is still in the process of completing the work for a class. The student and teacher will develop a plan and timeline to complete the course work and then a grade change will be initiated by the teacher. An INC does not get reported on a transcript and must be changed to a letter grade or NG.
- October 16 is the end of quarter 1. At this time, high school students in the Blended/In-Person schedule will earn semester credit for their three courses.
- Full time eLearning students are taking 6 classes on a semester schedule, so will receive quarter grades but continue and finish their courses on December 18.
Switching Between Learning Models:
- Parents – if you are interested in switching from Blended/In-Person to eLearning OR from eLearning to Blended/In-Person, please contact your counseling here at West Valley.
The school and eLearning program will coordinate the transfer of your student to a new teacher and of your student’s grades. This process generally takes 48 hours as records and schedules must also be processed and updated.
The school will give you a tentative date to start class in the new learning model, and you will be contacted by your student’s teachers once the transfer is complete.
If you have any other specific questions about grades, credits, learning model, or anything else please contact your school counselor - their contact information is listed below.
Thank you for all you do every day and please take care,
Sarah Gillam
Counseling Office Contacts
The Counseling Department:
WVHS Counseling Office: 479-4221 ext. 46520
Mr. Blackburn - A-G (10th-12th) ext 46525 - willie.blackburn@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Everts - H-N (10th-12th) ext 46527 - paula.bettano-everts@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Gillis - O-Z (10th-12th) ext 46523 - karin.gillis@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Sprague - all Freshmen ext 46524 - anna.sprague@k12northstar.org
National Honor Society Applications
The National Honor Society is ready for your application! Seniors with a GPA > 3.75 are eligible to apply and have been contacted via email. Invited seniors who are interested in NHS must attend an informational Zoom meeting - link provided in application email.
Our next and last meeting is Wednesday, September 30th from 11:50a-12:25p.
Please contact Julie.Zundel@k12northstar.org or Krystal.Bass@k12northstar.org with any questions, or if you are unable to attend the required Zoom meeting due to the candidate forum.
UAA College & Career Fair | Virtual Event | October 13 & 14, 2020
The goal of the virtual college and career exploration program is to provide students with a wealth of college and career training search information, allow them to learn about different institutions, and ask questions of admissions counselors, all in a safe, flexible, online format.
The virtual program will consist of both panel presentations and a more traditional college and career and career fair experience, where students will be able to get exposure and interact with a large number of organizations in a two-day program.
PROGRAM DETAILS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 4:00-7:45 PM
Select from 20 panel presentations on college knowledge or career exploration topics or affinity groups of colleges. This comprehensive program provides students and families with a wealth of college search information. Hosted over a four-hour period, consisting of five concurrent sessions in each 45-minute block.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 12:00-3:45 PM
6x6 Virtual Fair Sessions Similar to an in-person fair, students get exposure to a wide variety among over 100 colleges and career opportunities in a short amount of time. Hosted over a four-hour period, StriveScan’s 6×6 Virtual Fair format consists of a selection of concurrent 45-minute sessions in which six institutions each present for six minutes.
This event is free and open to all Alaskan high school students. Students will register for the events that are of interest to them rather than just registering for the College & Career Fair. Recordings of these sessions will be made available after the event.
If you have any questions, please contact Flora Roddy at 452-2000, ext. 11422.
Other Post-Secondary Updates:
Online Tutoring and Career Help from Live Homework Help®!
Live Homework Help, powered by Tutor.com! This program offers online academic tutoring and test prep to students at all levels, from K-12 to college and adult, as well as job search assistance.
All sessions are conducted online by highly vetted expert tutors. Students can work with an online tutor by simply going to sled.alaska.edu and clicking on “Live Homework Help”. Additional 24/7 features are available including practice quizzes, Drop-Off Writing Review, SAT/®ACT® Essentials from The Princeton Review®, graduate school practice tests (GRE®, GMAT®, LSAT®, MCAT®), and our Skills Center™ Resource Library.
If you would like more information including short training webinars, web graphics, information for teachers and parents, upcoming webinars for students on such topics as study skills, time management and stress management, go to: tutor.com/clientcarelib/ak
Live Homework Help resources are available 24/7
Live tutoring is available 8am-2am M-F and Noon-2am Sat/Sun
*Live Homework Help is funded by the State of Alaska and through a grant from the Alaska State Library to the Alaska Library Network. There is no cost to patrons to use the service. Please help us to actively promote this service.
Upcoming Events:
Sept 16 | Mid-"Semester"/Quarter
Sept 24 & 25 | Professional Development Days - NO SCHOOL
Sept 30 | School Board Candidate Forum
Oct 6 | School Board Meeting
Oct 15 & 16 | Final Exams - Schedule to Come
Oct 16 | End of First Quarter **FINAL COURSE GRADES ASSIGNED**
Oct 22 | Life after West Valley - 6pm - Virtual Post-Secondary Planning Event (Online)
January 2021 | PSAT - More details to come
COVID-19 Safety Protocols
Current Risk Level = HIGH
GENERAL SAFETY PROTOCOLS:
- All visitors, students and staff in the building must wear a mask and maintain social distancing at all times.
- The student daily decision tree is posted below, but students should not come to school if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, have traveled outside of Alaska or have had close contact with a positive COVID-19 case within the last 14 days, or has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 10 days.
- At the bottom of this email, Dr. Anne Zink explains in a video the different between quarantine and isolation in case you've wondered what those terms mean.
- If you have any questions or concerns - please call our school nurse, Corinne Roe (x46540).
OUTDOOR ACTIVITiES:
- Limited capacity to allow for six feet of social distancing - students will work with their coaches to identify family members listed to attend events.
- A mask that covers a spectator's nose and mouth at all times is required.
If you are not wearing a mask you will not be allowed to enter. If you do not wear or remove your mask while attending the activity you will be asked to leave the activity.
If you have a medical condition that limits your ability to wear a mask you will need to provide documentation from your medical provider and submit that to Lori Schneider, FNSBSD nursing coordinator.
While attending the activity, spectators must remain socially distant (6 feet) from people outside of their family groups.
INDOOR ACTIVITIES:
- At the High Risk Level, no spectators are allowed for indoor events
ALL ACTIVITIES:
- For all activities, both indoor and outdoor, all spectators must wear masks covering nose and mouth at all times while at the activity.
Free Meals for All Enrolled Students
There are some important factors to remember:
- Meal pick up is at school buildings from 9am-1pm.
- Students should be present to pick up meals, but if they are not
- the parent/guardian must have photo ID and S# for each student. If the parent/guardian is not available, they need to call Nutrition Services at 451-1004 to designate another adult.
- Ala carte items will have a charge.
- The waiver extension expires on December 31, 2020.
- Free & reduced applications are still being accepted.
Detailed information can be found at: https://www.k12northstar.org/nutrition
West Valley High School
Email: contact-wvh@k12northstar.org
Website: https://www.k12northstar.org/westvalley
Location: 3800 Geist Road, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Phone: (907)479-4221
Facebook: facebook.com/wvhWolfpack/
Twitter: @wvhWolfpack