SCW Student and Parent Updates

Good afternoon, Warriors!

Wow! They say time flies when you're having fun. Well, this must have been one fun school year! I can't believe we are ready to begin the last week of the school year already. Where has the time gone?

I would be remiss if I didn't say thank you to our SCW staff, students, and families for all contributing to a fantastic school year! Let's finish the year strong! Take a look below for information regarding final exams and the schedule for this week!

Seniors, don't forget! Chromebooks should be turned in this week if you haven't already done so. Seniors will not be able to participate in graduation ceremonies until all fees and fines are satisfied; this includes Chromebook return. Students wishing to purchase their Chromebook will still need to return them but will able to take them with them following graduation rehearsal next week. All other students will hold onto your Chromebooks this summer.

Make it a great week!

Dr. V

Students enrolled in AP Courses who have also signed up for the corresponding AP exam will conclude testing this week. This schedule is standardized and set by The College Board. Students who are testing have already received information regarding start times and locations for their exams from both their instructor and our AP Coordinator, Ms. Stacie Gates. You may also note the exam scheduled for each day and the start time in this week's "Week at a Glance" section of the newsletter. As a reminder, students testing at 8:00 am will check in with their 1st block teacher and then report to their testing location by 7:40 am. Students who are testing at Noon will eat 1st lunch on that day and report to their testing location by 11:40 am.

Monday, May 20th: (A Day)

• SCW Booster End of Year Meeting @ 7:30 pm

Tuesday, May 21st: (B Day)

• Locker Clean Out during AIP (Announcement to be made via intercom)
• Homework Academy in the Library from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Wednesday, May 22nd: (Final Exams--Blocks 1A, 1B, 2A )

• AP Make-Up Exam at 8:00 am

Thursday, May 23rd: (Final Exams--Blocks 4B, 4A, 5A)

Friday, May 24th: (ERD Day--11:20 am Dismissal--Final Exams Blocks 2B, 5B)

• Please find the Second Semester Final Exam Schedule below. As a reminder, the class schedule is altered during final exams. In the case of a conflict, students attending alternate sites (Lewis and Clark, CAPS, Success Campus, etc.) should plan on attending their final exam unless specifically stated otherwise.

• Students can exempt semester final exam(s) IF
  • Student has an A (90% or greater) in the course AND
  • Teacher is giving a final exam AND
  • Teacher is participating in the exemption incentive AND
  • Student has no major discipline for the semester (i.e. no more than 4 detentions, no Saturday Campus detentions, and no ISS or OSS during the semester of the requested exemption). This includes discipline issued from another building.
• Students need to communicate with their classroom teachers to determine if they are eligible and to have the teacher add the student to the shared Google Exemptions document if eligibility has been met.
• Students must be in attendance the day of their exemption. During that particular final exam, the student may:
  • Remain in the classroom to study for any other final exam
  • Go to the final exam exemption activity location
  • SAMS students may attend their SAMS location if additional hours are needed. This must be approved by both their SAMS teacher and the SAMS coordinator for the building ahead of time.
• Due to current attendance policies and procedures, students will not be required to maintain a 96% attendance rate in order to qualify for the final exam exemption incentive at this time. Because of current state attendance requirements for public schools, however, students will be required to be in attendance at the time of the exempted final.

During final exams, students on the final exam exemption list will have options available to them during that particular exam block. Students may choose to stay in their classroom in order to quietly work/study, go to the auditorium to watch a movie, go to the auxiliary gym or commons (depending on the day) for games (board games, card games, etc.) and gym activities (bags, spike ball, can jam, basketball, etc.), or go to the library for quiet reading. All students will report to their scheduled class location each block for attendance. Students attending an exemption location and not taking a final exam will be released from class following attendance.

Students enrolled in AP or college level courses at St. Charles West High School for the 2024-2025 school year should access their summer work using the instructions found in the linked Google Document. If there is a Google Classroom code, summer work will be posted there. If the class code does not work or if you have questions about your work, please click your teacher’s name for their email address. Thank you and happy summer!

AP and College Course Summer Prep Work

Students and Parents/Guardians,

Effective at the start of the 2024-2025 school year, there will be an update to our school's electronic device guidelines. This revised guideline reflects our commitment to creating a focused learning environment that fosters academic achievement, positive social interaction, and digital citizenship skills in our students.

Rationale for the Update:

This past year, a district committee was formed which was composed of Board of Education members, Central Office administration, building administration, teachers, and parents to evaluate our current electronic device policy at the high school level. After several meetings as well as student, parent, and staff surveys, it was determined our current electronic device guidelines do not meet the instructional needs of staff or students.

Electronic device usage during the school day can:

• Distract students from in-class instruction and peer interaction.

• Contribute to cyberbullying or other well-being concerns.

• Contribute to a decline in focus and concentration.

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Revised Electronic Device Guidelines:

In an effort to maintain a positive learning environment that is safe and free from distractions, cell phones and personal electronic devices (headphones, watches, etc.) may not be used during class. During class time, all students are required to keep their mobile phones and personal electronic devices stored and out of sight. This includes during Academic Intervention Period (AIP). These items must remain turned off or on silent mode to avoid disruptions to the learning environment. Smart watches may be worn as a timepiece. If used inappropriately or it becomes a distraction, it will fall under the electronic device policy.

Parents who need to reach their children during class time for any urgent matters should contact the school office directly. This will ensure that communication is handled promptly and without disrupting the classroom environment. Alternatively, parents may wait until passing periods or lunchtime to contact their students via cell phone.

Students are only permitted to use their mobile phones and personal electronic devices during passing periods and lunchtime. It is expected that students will use their devices responsibly and in accordance with the code of conduct. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in disciplinary action as outlined in the student code of conduct. We understand that cell phones play an important role in many students' lives. However, we believe that prioritizing focused learning in the classroom is essential for their academic success and social well-being.

Consequences by step in the Code of Conduct

• 1st Offense: Turn into Office until end of day. Student can pick up at the end of day.

• 2nd Offense: Turn into Office until end of day. Student can pick up at the end of day. 2 Detentions

• 3rd Offense: Turn into Office until end of day. Student can pick up at the end of day. Student to turn in phone at the beginning of each day for 10 days. Saturday Campus.

• 4th Offense: Turn into Office until end of day. Student can pick up at the end of day. Student to turn in phone at the beginning of each day for 30 days. 2 Days of ISS.

• 5th Offense: Turn into Office until end of day. Student can pick up at the end of day. Student to turn in phone at the beginning of each day for the remainder of the semester. 4 Days of ISS

Working Together:

We encourage parents/guardians to discuss this revised set of guidelines with your child and emphasize the importance of adhering to it in the effort to support our shared educational goals. Your support and talking to your child about responsible cell phone use within and outside of school hours will impact our ability to support learning and student well-being.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in implementing these revised guidelines. We believe it will create a more positive and productive learning environment for all students.

It's crunch time for our Grad Night (formerly known as traditions) and we need more help. Please fill out the form and let us know what talents you will bring to the table!

As a reminder, students should have their district issued Chromebook (or similar device) charged and ready for each school day. While the library does have a limited number of Chromebooks available in the event that a student has an issue with their Chromebook or forgot theirs at home, these Chromebooks are limited. Additionally, if a student checks out a Chromebook from the library, that Chromebook should be returned by the end of that school day. Chromebooks checked out from the library should not go home with students without prior approval from Ms. Gates.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has facilitated comprehensive access to Varsity Tutors for all districts within the state. This invaluable educational resource is available to students throughout the 2024-25 school year. Access is seamlessly provided through individual student accounts linked to Clever (https://clever.com/in/stcharlessd), ensuring a streamlined and secure authentication process.

It is important to note that this resource is intended exclusively for student use, and the district does not have the capability to monitor individual progress. Nonetheless, in an effort to enhance user experience, we have implemented a user-friendly single sign-on feature through Clever, simplifying the login process for students.

Parents are encouraged to actively participate in their child's education by assisting them in selecting lessons that cater to their specific needs for additional support. This collaborative approach empowers parents to contribute to their child's academic success, particularly when engaging with the platform from the comfort of home.

Class of 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027

Get involved in your students' class! Meet parents, help with the homecoming float, raise funds and help make lasting memories for our students.

Find them:

Senior Class of 2024:

Facebook SCW Warriors Class of 2024 or email scwclassof2024@gmail.com

Junior Class of 2025:

Facebook SCW parents Class of 2025 or email scw2025parents@gmail.com

Sophomore Class of 2026:

Facebook SCW Class of 2026

Freshman Class of 2027:

Facebook SCW Class of 2027

Find us on:

Facebook: SCWest Booster

Instagram: Scwest_booster