Timberwolf Times
Volume 3, Issue 13 - October 11, 2020
A Message from Dr. Lowry
Happy Sunday Timberwolves! I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. This past week was an exciting one as I got to watch many of our students compete and perform. It was great meeting parents in person and cheering our students on at these extracurricular activities. Also, last Wednesday we publish our Virtual Open House Resource. This resource was put together to help build connectedness between our community, parents and staff. We are fortunate to have strong partnerships in place to support all our students.
At WoodCreek Junior High we currently have 371 students enrolled virtually and 977 students attending face to face classes each day. In Katy ISD, our junior high has the most face to face learners attending school daily. As we work to overcome new challenges, our top priority will always be the health and safety of our students and staff. Everyone continues to do a fantastic job following the health and safety protocols at school. Thank you for your help and support continuing to reinforce these safe practices.
Tomorrow, the window to change your child’s instructional delivery setting for the 3rd Six Weeks opens and will remain open until Friday, October 23rd. The link to this form can be found on the school’s home page, starting tomorrow. Know regardless of what environment your child learns in, we are here to support your child and if there is anything we can do to assist, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Take care and GO TIMBERWOLVES!
Dr. Lowry
Principal
WoodCreek Junior High
This Week in Timberwolf Nation
Monday, October 12
- Student and Teacher Holiday - Enjoy the Three-Day Weekend!
- Window opens to switch between KVA and In-Person Learning in the 3rd Six Weeks
Tuesday, October 13
- 7th Grade Football vs. Beck JH at Legacy Stadium
Wednesday, October 14
- 8th Grade Football vs. Beck JH at Legacy Stadium
Thursday, October 15
- Spirit Theme Day - Tourist Day!
- School Picture Day! (See below for details)
- 7th Grade Volleyball vs. McMeans JH at WCJH
- 8th Grade Volleyball at McMeans JH at MMJH
Friday, October 16
- College Spirit Day - Wear your favorite college gear!
- Music Department Picture Day
In-Person and KVA Instruction Opt-In/Opt-Out
2nd Six Weeks submission window to change your child’s current instructional delivery option is CLOSED. The window to change your child's instructional delivery setting for the 3rd Six Weeks will begin on Monday, October 12th – Friday, October 23rd. The link will be available on the WoodCreek Junior High School home page.
Student Council
It’s time to get involved! Apply for Student Council today! Whether you have been in Student Council in the past, or you are interested in being a part of it for the first time, click on the link to see what we are all about, and fill out an application. If you have questions or need more information, please contact Mrs. Bergman at taralbergman@katyisd.org
Picture Day!
Pictures will still be done during your student's PE class (or during their advisory class if they do not have on-campus PE).
The parents of our KVA students were sent an e-mail this week with directions to sign up for an after-school time slot. If you did not receive this e-mail, please contact MeredithBollich@katyisd.org.
Click here to order your pictures, and follow these directions:
- On the top left of the webpage, click on "October 2020"
- Scroll down to WoodCreek Junior High and select it
- Enter your e-mail address, and begin your order
Click here to learn more about Photo Texas' COVID-19 protocols
If you need to pay with cash, check, or money order, or have additional questions, please call or e-mail Photo Texas Customer Service: houston@phototexasphotography.com or 800-883-6463.
NJHS - HERO SQUAD FUNDRAISER
Families - our school has teamed up with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Hero Squad starting on Monday, October 19th-23rd to teach our students about kindness, bravery, and how working together for one common goal will help both children and adults in their fight against cancer.
The money we raise will help blood cancer patients right in our community by funding research, providing free information, financial and support services, and advocates for blood cancer patients by seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. Specifically, LLS is leading a collaboration to launch a global precision medicine clinical trial to fundamentally change how pediatric cancers are treated.
Our school will qualify for school rewards based on the amount we raise. Our rewards will help with materials and items that will help throughout the school year and students will receive Hero Gear thank-you gifts based on the donations they collect. The winning advisory will be given a pizza party. Visit HeroSquad.org, find our school, and join your classroom team to get started raising money online! In order to help develop goal-setting, self-motivation, and organizational skills, your student will earn fun Hero Gear at various fundraising levels. Join our Squad today and your student will be recognized as an early Hero Squad member and receive limited-edition Hero Gear!
Thank you families for your support of our Hero Squad and be on the lookout for more information soon! Every hero needs a squad!
WoodCreek Athletics
Girls' Basketball Tryout Information
Boys' Basketball Tryout Information
WoodCreek Junior High Spirit Theme Days Are Here!
Each week during football season, we encourage students to dress according to a theme in preparation for next week's games. (All outfits must still be school-appropriate and within dress code guidelines.)
This week - Watch Out for Bears - Tourist Day!
WCJH is playing the Beckendorff Bears next week!
7th Grade - Monday, 10/19 - 5:15pm - at Seven Lakes HS
8th Grade - Tuesday, 10/20 - 5:15pm - at Seven Lakes HS
Important Information About Attending District Athletic Events
Katy ISD Community,
As we continue into our fall seasons, it is critical that we remain diligent in following our Covid-19 Risk Mitigation Guidelines. Fans at all competitions are still required to social distance and follow Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-29 related to face coverings. We have developed a plan to allow up to 50% capacity at all of our athletic venues. It is critical to maintain social distancing at all times. Each family group may sit together, but must maintain appropriate social distancing from all other groups.
At Rhodes and Legacy Stadiums, it is important to sit in the section where your ticket is assigned. Once in those assigned sections, the responsibility falls on the spectators to spread out and maintain proper distance from one another. If a section appears too full, we will close the section and verify the tickets of those patrons currently seated in the section.
At campus events where sections are not marked, the responsibility falls on the spectators to spread out and maintain proper distance from one another. Observing games the past few weeks, we have noticed more and more spectators gathering in the middle of the seating areas.
While we do not want to reduce capacity at any of our venues, we will take this precaution with any campuses and/or stadiums struggling to adhere to the safety protocols we have in place. Maintaining social distance and wearing a face covering are two of the most critical components to stopping the spread of COVID-19.
Per the University Interscholastic League (UIL), schools not following these guidelines are subject to sanctions, including suspension of contests or discontinuation of public access to games by the local UIL District Executive Committee and/or the UIL State Executive Committee.
Your cooperation is appreciated,
Katy ISD Department of Athletics
Lockers
Campus Phase 1 Safety Protocols Extended
KISD announced that in preparation for the next secondary six-week grading period, the Phase 1 Safety Protocols will continue to be in effect. Additional modifications to the Phase 1 Safety Protocols can be found here.
Note About School/Athletic Bus Transportation & Rules
Students may only ride the bus they are assigned to at this time. Due to COVID 19 protocols, students will not be allowed to bring a note to school to ride the bus home with a friend. Parents may call transportation services for further inquiries on this matter.
Also due to COVID-19 protocols, students who normally would ride a bus to/from an athletic or other UIL/Extracurricular event have the opportunity to opt out and have a parent transport them instead. If you choose this option for your student, please click here to fill out the form.
Bus Rules for 2020-2021
- Mask/Face covering should be worn on the bus and the bus stop, until further notice.
- Observe the same conduct as in the classroom including cell phone use.
- Enter the bus and immediately go to the assigned seat.
- Talk in a normal tone of voice.
- Remain seated and facing forward in the assigned seat until time to exit the bus.
- Keep head, hands, feet, and other objects to oneself; do not tamper with bus equipment.
- Use acceptable language; obscene, profane, unacceptable language and/or gestures are prohibited.
- Refrain from eating and/or drinking on the bus; keep the bus clean.
- Refrain from throwing objects within the bus or out of the windows.
- Follow all rules outlined in the District’s Discipline Management Plan and Student Code of Conduct, as well as safety rules established by the driver.
- Arrive at your bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled stop-time and wait a safe distance from where the bus stops. 5 giant steps away from the stop is a good rule.
- When the bus arrives, do not approach it until the bus has come to a complete stop. Form a single line and board the bus. Go directly to a seat and sit in a safe position. If seats are equipped with seatbelts, they must be worn at all times as required by law.
- When it is time to get off of the bus, wait until it comes to complete stop before getting up from your seat.
Student ID's
If your child has lost their ID, they can purchase a new one by scanning this QR code and completing the form.
Attendance Updates
General Attendance:
An absence occurs anytime a student does not attend their regularly scheduled class, whether in KVA or in-person instruction. All students must provide either written documentation (note/email) or a phone call from a parent/guardian for all absences. Please refer to the Katy ISD Secondary Student Handbook for detailed information for reporting an absence and guidelines for making up assignments.Checking Out a Student During the School Day:
Please note that the last time to check out your student from school each day is 3:40pm. After that time, we will have begun our end-of-day and dismissal procedures and will be unable to check out a student. Thank you for your understanding.
ILLNESS CHART: Can My Child Go To School Today?
WCJH Library
Please click here for our library procedures to check out library books.
Please keep in mind, these procedures may change depending on the needs of the school or due to a change in guidance from Katy ISD.
Library 10K Page Reading Challenge!
From the WCJH Counseling Team
Would you like to learn more about the WoodCreek Junior High counseling team? Are you interested in hearing more about the services our counseling department has to offer? Would you like to discover some helpful parenting resources? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should visit the WCJH Counselor Website by clicking this link or on the picture below: https://woodcreekcounselor.weebly.com/
COVID-19 Self-Reporting APP - Notifications & Information
The District has a COVID-19 Reporting System in place to allow staff, students and parents to self-report if they have received a COVID-19 positive test result. The self-reporting system enables the District’s Emergency Management team to conduct contact tracing, as well as call and notify individuals in Katy ISD buildings who may have been directly exposed to the infected person. A general email notification is also sent to campus staff and families whenever the district is informed of a potential “indirect” COVID-19 exposure in their building. Receipt of the general notification alone indicates that the recipient was not in close contact to the COVID-19 positive case reported for their building.
Many school personnel and other staff are teaching and working on Katy ISD campuses and facilities. Should there be a potential COVID-19 exposure on any campus or facility, a general notification is sent to staff at the work site impacted, by 5:00 p.m. on the day in which the self-report was submitted. Staff who may have been directly exposed because of failed COVID-19 safety protocol will be notified directly by a member of the Risk Management Department.
Parents will only begin to receive applicable campus-based general notifications when students return to schools for the in-person instructional option. Parents of students who may be involved in fine arts or athletic activities on campuses right now, may receive a general notification through Rank One (athletics) or Charms (fine arts), ahead of the September 8 reopening, if the District is informed of a potential exposure at their campus.
Students and staff may report positive COVID-19 results using the COVID-19 Self Reporting app on MyKaty Cloud.
Contact Email and Questions
Be sure to visit the Katy ISD Smart Restart page often, as the district updates it frequently with the latest information about KVA, In-Person school, Athletics, Fine Arts, Safety Protocols, links to newsletters and more.
General Questions
Katy Virtual Academy Questions
Special Education Questions
Sign up for Important Updates - Join Remind
Join PTA
Click here to join the WoodCreek Junior High PTA!
Contact Information
Mission Statement: WoodCreek Junior High, in partnership with the community, parents, and students, will provide a safe, positive, engaging learning environment that is devoted to empowering each student to become a productive, responsible, respectful citizen while achieving academic excellence.
Website: http://www.katyisd.org/campus/WCJH/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 1801 Woodcreek Bend Lane, Katy, TX, USA
Phone: (281) 234-0800
Facebook: facebook.com/woodcreekjrhigh/
Twitter: @WoodCreekJrHigh
WCJH Administrative Team
Dr. Andrew Lowry Principal
Tim Chesser Assistant Principal - Student Support
Lauren Merriman Assistant Principal - 6th grade and 8th grade M-Z
Stephanie McDonald Assistant Principal - 7th grade and 8th grade A-L
Jodi Slaughter Counselor - 8th Grade
Brittany Waddell Counselor - 7th Grade
Jessie Clay Counselor - 6th Grade
School Information
Instructional Calendar 2020-2021 Click Here
Lunch Menus Click Here
Bus Transportation Click Here
Bus Schedules Click Here
Student Code of Conduct Click Here
Registration Information Click Here