Friday, April 9, 2021

April / May / June Parent Newsletter

 

From the Principal

Dear West Geauga High School Families, 

We will recognize the Class of 2021 at West Geauga High School’s commencement ceremony in less than nine weeks. It is hard to believe the many students we welcomed to the school as freshmen will be walking across the stage to accept their high school diploma.  I am proud of our senior students from Newbury for navigating a change in schools to achieve great results at West Geauga. I am sure all of our senior parents are thinking about how fast time has gone since their kindergarten teacher greeted their child on the first day of school.  We look forward to celebrating all of our seniors on June 3, 2021, on Howell Field as they become West Geauga High School graduates. 

The school year’s end is a hectic and often stressful time for our students. Students will take final exams, Advanced Placement Exams, and complete culminating projects demonstrating academic achievement and growth.  Students in six courses will sit for the state end-of-course exams.  Many of our students need extra support during this busy time, and our teachers and support staff are here to help.  Please contact us and encourage students to reach out if they are struggling in our school.  We have an excellent staff who are willing and prepared to support your child or provide references to those who can help.

Please be sure to review our school’s calendar and website for important dates and school information as we near the end of the year.  On Wednesday, March 31, 20201, I sent a message regarding the upcoming End-of-Course exams and the altered bell schedule on the testing days. If you missed the document, you can find it herePlease note that a change was made to the April 15th and 16th bell schedule from the original letter.  School for students not taking the English test on those days do not have to report to school until 9:55 A.M.

The year is not over, but this is the last parent-newsletter post for the school year. It has been our pleasure to serve your students.  The pandemic has presented many challenges, but our parents, students, teachers, support staff, board members, and fellow administrators have made the transition to a different way of schooling much more manageable.  I am proud of the work we have been able to produce together during the pandemic. Thank you to everyone in this fantastic community for contributing to the district’s success.  

Have a wonderful spring. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 

Thank you,

Jay Bishop



From the Assistant Principal

Dear West Geauga Community,

It’s hard to believe we are heading into the 4th quarter. I’m proud of our students, families, staff, and community for their efforts to minimize exposure of COVID-19 allowing the building to offer in-person learning throughout the whole year, THANK YOU!

  • Finish Strong: This is the last quarter of the school year, as well as the last opportunities for students to raise their overall class grades. Encourage your child to do their best as we finish the 2020-2021 school year.
  • Warm Weather: Spring is right around the corner as is the nice weather. I hope everyone enjoys the warm weather. Students - please remember to abide by the dress code.
  • Graduation: A reminder to seniors, as stated in our Handbook, “All Seniors receiving suspensions during the 4th quarter will be excluded from graduation ceremonies.”
  • State/National Testing: With Spring comes End-of-Course testing as well as AP testing. Please check our website for testing dates. If your child is participating in any of these assessments, encourage them to get a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast.
  • Get help if needed: if any student is struggling academically or mentally, please contact our guidance department. We have multiple resources available to offer those who need support.
Hope everyone has a great day!

Sincerely,

Shawn Krippel

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Updated AP Exam Schedule  

Tuesday, May 4th - AP Calculus AB
                                AP Calculus BC
Wednesday, May 5th - AP English Literature
                                      AP Physics
Thursday, May 6th - AP Computer Science
Monday, May 10th - AP Macroeconomics
Tuesday, May 11th - AP Spanish
Wednesday, May 12th - AP English Language
                                        AP Microeconomics
                                        AP Music
Wednesday, May 19th -AP US History
Thursday, May 20th- AP Government
                                    AP World History
                                   AP Psychology
Tuesday, May 25th - AP Chemistry
                                   AP Statistics
Thursday, May 27th - AP Biology
                                    AP Environmental Science

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Yearbook

The end of the school year is closer than we think and time is running out to order your student's 2021 Westwind yearbook. Appropriately themed Up in the Air, its pages will document how we successfully navigated the unknown, and will one day serve as a reminder of a long-forgotten memory for future generations. Here is the link for 3 options to order by April 30, 2021:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Il_pwJJmTqGbrzNVV9hIiAD_tbppafP3uLOFZ4Z7kz0/edit?usp=sharing

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Class of 2021

Senior Save the Dates 
March 2021 – Jostens Cap & Gown Orders OVERDUE

● To purchase a cap and gown or tassel online, visit jostens.com
 For a direct link to a cap and gown package that includes a tassel, click here.
● If the student is borrowing a cap and gown from a sibling/friend, tell Mrs. Talty or Mrs. Meyer ASAP.
 If you are borrowing a cap and gown, you may still want to purchase just a tassel from Jostens as they change each year to match the graduating class.
● IMPORTANT NOTE – ALL gowns will be navy blue this year.


April 2021 - Graduation Participation Agreements Due to Homeroom Teachers

● Agreements will be mailed home and posted on the school website.
● If a student does not have a Homeroom Teacher, agreements should be returned to Mrs. Talty or Mrs. Meyer.

April 16, 2021 - Deadline to submit images for Senior Video - Click here for more information.

May 2021 – AP Testing Occurs - See WGHS School Calendar for exact dates.

Monday, May 10th, 2021 - Senior Internships Begin

Friday, May 14th, 2021 - 7 PM, Prom at the Diamond Ballroom at Landerhaven - Exact details forthcoming regarding cost, seating arrangements, dancing, etc.

Tuesday, May 18th, 2021 – Senior Awards Ceremony video will be released on this date. No formal gathering will be held.

Monday, May 24 - Thursday, May 27, 2021 - Senior Final Exams

Friday, May 28th, 2021 - 7:25 - 1:25 – Last Day for Seniors/Cap and gown distribution

Friday, May 28th, 2021 - Car Parade to Honor Senior Students - Tentative Date

Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 - Class of 2021 Commencement Ceremony at West Geauga High School Stadium

9:00 AM – Mandatory Morning Rehearsal at West Geauga High School.
4:30 pm – Students arrive at West Geauga High School.
5:30 pm – Commencement ceremony at West Geauga High School Stadium

- Students will each receive TWO general admission tickets. Additional tickets are extremely limited.

- Ceremony will be live-streamed and posted on the school’s Youtube account

Friday, June 4th, 2021 - Commencement Ceremony Alternate Rain Date

Click here for a link to print a copy of the Senior Save the Date flyer. 


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West Geauga School Counseling News: March/April 2021

FOR ALL STUDENTS

The school counselors strongly encourage everyone to utilize their Naviance account. The students’ personal accounts have valuable information regarding college planning, careers, scholarships, and many other tools. You can visit the website at www.westg.org. Click on high school, School Counseling/Guidance, and Naviance Website.

Please follow us on Twitter @WGHSCounselors for updates and information!

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Counseling Office.

David Callahan Students     with last names A-K 729-5963      david.callahan@westg.org
Sarah Widman Students      with last names L-Z 729-5965      sarah.widman@westg.org
Lisa Porter Assistant            729-5962                                      lisa.porter@westg.org

SCHEDULING

All returning students will have their core and some elective coursework requested by their teachers. Afterward, students will have the opportunity to select their other elective courses. If needed, each counselor will be meeting with students to make sure the requests are entered. You are encouraged to log in to your student’s Infinite Campus account to view the list of requested courses and discuss them with your student. Any requests made by the teacher can only be changed by the teacher or school counselor. The course override forms are available in the Counselors’ Office if a student wishes to take a course at a higher level than what is recommended by the teacher. Changes can be made through May 1, 2021. If you have any questions please contact your student’s counselor.

VIRTUAL COLLEGE FAIR

There are still opportunities to take advantage of virtual college fairs. The next NACAC sponsored fair is Sunday, May 2nd from 1 -7 pm. Go to www.virtualcollegefairs.org. Students can register for free.

CCP (College Credit Plus):

If you are interested in CCP, we hope you were able to attend the meeting held on January 20th. The PowerPoint presentation from that night is on the School Counseling/Guidance website. Check out the link for all of the CCP Information: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dY_osmDfcG1yUkotTYNXb2gNKAv1IZ_q, Please contact your school counselor to learn about the advantages and drawbacks of this program.

IMPORTANT REMINDER-- The mandatory CCP Intent Form is due by May 1. If this deadline is not met, your student will NOT be eligible to participate. This includes current CCP students that wish to participate next year. See your counselor with questions.

Kindness

The Counseling staff encourages all students to be kind to one another. Please think about how you act, what you say, and what you post on social media. Kindness will help create a more positive school environment. You may also feel better about yourself if you act with kindness toward a classmate or friend. Maybe you can start with a simple smile and hello in the hallways! As one of our West G students has noted, It is truly not very hard to just be kind to one another.

SENIORS

You are in the final stretch of your high school career! Please know that every college requires us to send a copy of your final transcript. This means they are checking to be sure you finished strong. Keep working- You can do it!

Decision Day:

Decision Day will be celebrated on Monday, May 3rd. This will be the day that we celebrate all senior students’ plans for their future. Be prepared to wear gear (sweatshirt, t-shirt) related to your decision. This could be college, military, or workforce. We will be taking pictures and asking each student to complete an important survey related to their plans. Included in the survey will be the request for final transcript submission. This will ensure your final transcript gets sent to the school that you plan to attend in the fall. We look forward to celebrating with everyone!

Financial Aid:

Mrs. Tessa Dicker, our LEAF Financial Aid Advisor, works in our high school each Thursday from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon throughout the school year. Students and parents may request an appointment with Mrs. Dicker by contacting her via email at tdicker@leaf-ohio.org. Due to COVID, she is making time for Zoom calls outside of school hours. All of the LEAF services are at no charge to our families.

JUNIORS

College Planning:
The junior year is a very important year in the college planning process. Currently, juniors should be working hard in their classes to boost/maintain their GPAs, registering for a second ACT and/or SAT, and visiting colleges. Check with individual college admissions offices to see what tours and meetings are available. Most schools have opened themselves up to in-person visits. However, they may also offer virtual visits too. It is important for students to show interest!

We met with all the students on March 1st and explained the steps that are needed to start the college process. We encourage your student to be a frequent flyer and come to our office with any questions as they journey through this process. If you have questions about college planning, we encourage all juniors and their parents to schedule an individual meeting with their school counselor this spring. The presentation is also posted on the School Counseling/Guidance website.

Summer To-Do List:
The counselors highly encourage students to begin preparing for the college process over the summer. This includes: updating resume and college lists on Naviance, writing college essays, and completing “brag sheets” for counselors in Naviance. The brag sheets are used to help the counselors write letters of recommendation.

ACT and SAT:
Each junior took the ACT on February 23rd. The scores from this test can be used for the college application process. Juniors interested in attending a college may need an ACT and/or SAT score. Due to COVID, many colleges have offered to remain “test optional” for next year’s application season. Any other attempts at the ACT and/or for a student wishing to take an SAT need to register online. It is recommended that Juniors take each of these tests at least once by June. The good news is you already have one ACT completed!

Students need to register for these tests online.
ACT Registration: www.actstudent.org
SAT Registration: www.sat.org/register

SOPHOMORES

Work hard 4th quarter to get your GPA as high as possible. It will make a huge difference in your future! Even though it has been a struggle due to COVID, try to discover new ways to build your resume. Remember showing a depth of interest can be as important as the breadth of all your activities. Get involved in something you enjoy!

FRESHMEN

You are nearing the end of your first year in high school. What a year it has been! All we can ask is that you continue to do your best in and out of the classroom! If you are struggling in any of your classes, don’t give up! Ask for help, if needed, as it is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Talk with teachers and parents to think about challenging yourself as you start to explore classes for next year. As you choose your courses know that it is important to make sure you can handle the workload and expectations of the classes. Remember the hope is you find the right balance in life! See your counselor for assistance.


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From the Attendance Office:

Spring is here and summer is on the horizon! The beautiful weather we’ve had in recent weeks is a reminder of the days ahead. 

Please keep in mind, if your in-person student is absent from school and chooses to Zoom into classes, provided the teacher has an online link, they may do so, but they are still considered to be absent, and they must be called in to be excused. Students are not permitted to go back and forth between online and in-person learning environments. 

General Attendance Reminders for all learners 
● Any time a student is absent from school the school must be notified. Please call the absence line at 440-729-5951 to report all absences. 
● If your child is going to be absent for an extended period of time due to vacation, you will need to have a Vacation Request form filled out and turned in to the attendance office with all appropriate signatures 5 days before the absences occur. These forms can be found in the attendance office or by clicking here. 
● Notes for early dismissal should be turned in to the attendance office first thing in the morning your child needs to leave early. Last-minute phone calls, other than true emergencies cannot always be delivered immediately and create unnecessary disruption to valuable instruction time in the classroom. 
● Tardy arrivals to school are considered unexcused even if a parent calls in for the student. If your student is driving to school this year, please remind them of this policy. 

General Attendance procedures for all online learners 
● If a virtual student will miss any or all classes during a particular day, a call needs to be made to the Attendance line at 440-729-5951 for the absence to be excused. 
● For any student who is placed in the online learner status that is marked absent for two or more classes in a day, a phone call will go out to the parent/guardian. A return call is required for these types of absences to be excused. Please check your student’s attendance through the Infinite Campus parent portal to work on clearing any previous absences up. 
● In cases of technical difficulty, (i.e. internet provider outages, inability to join Zoom sessions, etc.) The student should email their teacher directly to report the issue. The teacher will then notify the attendance office. 

Quarantined student attendance procedures for Parent/Guardians 
● Students who are placed in a temporary quarantine and have been approved to attend classes virtually for the duration of the quarantine will need to Zoom in to classes using the zoom codes provided by their teachers at the beginning of the year. Many times these links can also be found on the teacher’s Google Classroom page. 

As the weather begins to warm and we all look forward to Spring and Summer it’s important that school policies regarding leaving early are followed. Students are not permitted to leave the building without parental permission. This includes students who are 18 years old. If you have any questions regarding attendance please give me a call at 440-729-5958. 

Thank you, 
Theresa Poelking







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West Geauga Kiwanis and Rotary Students of the Month


       

                    

                   March - Jocelyn Moores

                   April - Anthony Formichelli










                   March - Michael Elias

                   April - Emily Vash   
                   
                    






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West Geauga Educational Foundation 

Funds Programs to enhance learning and efficiency in 

West Geauga Schools


West Geauga Educational Foundation (WGEF) is an independent nonprofit group that raises funds to support innovative approaches to teaching and learning in the West Geauga School System. Teaching and learning, like other areas, evolve. But it isn’t always clear which new approaches might work. “Seed” funding from WGEF allows teachers and students to try new programs, materials and technologies. WGEF is excited to announce the approval of over $19,000 for two grants for Spring 2021.

The first grant is for a Lindsey Elementary School program designed to engage students in non-fiction reading in their Science and Social Studies courses. Enhancing the curriculum with high-interest titles will help foster critical thinking and improve reading skills as students access these titles to do research, for book clubs, and for reports.

You’ve likely heard of STEM—science, technology, engineering and math-- but have you heard about STEAM? STEAM is STEM plus the arts. By incorporating ‘arts’ into STEM, students learn to apply creative thinking and design skills. The second grant is for a STEAM / Makerspace program at West Geauga High School. The goal of this program is to repurpose existing rooms in the high school to create a makerspace—a collaborative work space for creating, learning, and exploring. Students will get hands on learning experience by utilizing technology such as TouchIT TV, a Vinyl Cutter and a Garment Printer as they work on entrepreneurial projects such as designing and creating garments or decals for student groups and fundraisers.

Twice during the school year (November and February), WGEF reviews applications from teachers, administrators, students and parents, to determine which programs to fund that will enrich and enhance educational experiences for West Geauga students. These grants would not be possible without financial support from the community. We thank those who participate in our fundraisers such as the Thanksgiving Day Pancake Breakfast and our recent Matching Gift Campaign. If you would like to learn more, join or make a donation, please visit our website at www.wgef.org.

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