THIS MONTH IN LONGHORN UNIVERSE

Location: 14653 Clayton Road Chesterfield, MO 63011

Phone: 314-415-7500

1. January, 2025
2. West High News
3. Yearbook Information
4. WPO News
5. District News

Happy New Year to all of our Longhorns! We hope it was a wonderful holiday season and your break was filled with many moments of happiness, relaxation, and fun shared with you and your loved ones.

It has been such a rewarding start to an incredible school year. While we are technically just under the halfway point of the year, it already feels as though we have accomplished so much.

Our week returning from break was unique to say the least. Thank you to all for their flexibility and understanding as we navigated a challenging weather week with multiple points of impact. This final week of the first semester is critical to bring a solid conclusion to all the hard work done throughout the first half of the year. I am excited to see students putting forth their best effort in our upcoming exams which begin tomorrow.

The new year is a time for resolutions, goals, and plans for the year ahead. It is important to set benchmarks and ideals for continuous improvement moving forward. I wish for nothing but continuous success in attaining those goals in 2025, and I look forward to partnering with you in any way I can to reach them.

Go Longhorns! We are West High!

With Longhorn Pride,

John McCabe

Principal, West High

Our next district E-ER (Early Release) Day of the 2024-25 school year is scheduled on Wednesday, January 29th. The schedule for the day is included.

Student Registration for the 2025 - 2026 School Year Happens SOON!

Begins: Thursday, January 23rd
Closes: Friday, January 31st
The registration process for the 2025-26 school year will be rolled out during Academic Lab on Thursday, January 23rd and be wrapped up during Academic Lab on Friday, January 31st.

REGISTRATION SUPPORT
Counselors will be meeting with students Grades 9-11 between Thursday, January 30th and Tuesday, February 11th through English classes to answer any registration related questions, facilitate revisions to four-year course plans, and ultimately to verify that every student has successfully completed registration for the 2025-26 school year. Outside of these scheduled class meetings, students/parents can make appointments with or contact counselors directly to help facilitate course selections and plans.

The month of December in the West band department has included some big news along with the onset of basketball pep band season. We are thrilled to share that six band students were selected for the Missouri All-State Band! They include Cara Purdy (junior-oboe), Dominic Perez (senior-alto saxophone), Zac Card (sophomore-tuba), Collin Jackson (freshman-percussion), Cole Kayira (junior-jazz trumpet), and Baskara Wahana (junior-clarinet). Our basketball pep band has also been busy with three games this month and six more to follow in January and February. The band will also hold their annual mattress fundraiser on Sunday, June 2nd in the north gym at WHS. Dozens of mattresses will be on display and proceeds from the sale benefit the band program and band students. As always, learn more about the band program at www.parkwaywestband.com

Congratulations to Annie Wayland for another victory in the annual Social Studies canned food drive. Other teachers on her team include Nancy Sachtleben, Aaron Bashirian, Kevin Doherty, Lara Boles and Jim Hermann. Over 5,000 items were donated to the Parkway Food Pantry. Team Chazen teachers included Kristen Collins, Amy Thornhill, John Wright, Mel Trotier and Rachel Money. A special thank you to Amy Bonnett for her efforts to coordinate and transport the goods.

To the students and families of Parkway West who donated items, thank you so much for your generosity. We are truly grateful and thankful to you during this holiday season.

Officer Matt Paubel is West High's on-site School Resource Officer (he's been here since 2021) Matt is a Chesterfield police officer and works with West High administration for all security purposes and much more. In order to keep all families, students and staff safe while traveling to and from West High, he would like everyone to keep the following pointers in mind:

1. Welcome back students! I hope you had a wonderful break.
2. The need for snow/ice removal and treatment during the winter months is the reason for the temporary removal of our speed bumps. They will return in Spring. In the meantime, please slow down for everyone's safety! Please take the proper precautions and be conscious of slowing down during winter weather to avoid unnecessary risk to yourself and others.
3. As we return and prepare for semester two, please make sure you are parking in select designated areas and fully displaying your parking tags. Tags should be displayed on your mirror or clearly on your dash at all times.
4. Please do not park in the ECC lot - this is not a permitted high school parking lot.
5. Please only park in designated locations where there are parking spaces.

If you plan on participating in athletics, please keep in mind that MSHSAA requires that student athletes enroll in, and pass, at minimum 6 classes each semester in order to participate in athletics. Please contact Jeff Taggart, Athletic & Activities Director or your grade level principal if you need additional information.

"New Volunteer Opportunities available to support Trivia Night!" Volunteers and Auction Donations Needed, Sign-up today! Click this VOLUNTEER LINK to view current volunteer sign-ups! Opportunities will continue to be added throughout the school year.

Parkway West High School

Email: westhigh@parkwayschools.net
Website: www.parkwayschools.net/whs
Location: 14653 Clayton Road, Chesterfield, MO 63011, USA
Phone: (314) 415-7500