Community Weekly
Week of October 1
Our Why
Volunteer Fair
Washougal High School Career Center and Library are hosting our annual Volunteer Fair Thursday, October 4, 2018. Over 15 local volunteer organizations will be in the library to speak to high school students about how to get involved. Monday morning during 1st period students will have the opportunity to sign up for the upcoming Volunteer Fair. This will be done using their Chromebooks.
Students will receive a Skyward message to register.
Students who register will be given their registration or pass in 1st period on Thursday, October 4, 2018.
Students will check in for attendance in their class then proceed to the Volunteer Fair in the Library.
Students will check out of the Volunteer Fair with an exit form.
PRIDE Time - Hop & Stop
Last Thursday and Friday we implemented our "Hop & Stop" PRIDE Time plan which begins with students checking into their PRIDE Time class and then going to a variety of locations depending on what they need. Students who have C's or better can work in the library or commons, go to another teacher's classroom or stay in their PRIDE Time. Students who do not have C's or better are encouraged to go to a class where they are struggling and can get support. This includes PE makeups in the main gym or weight room. Students are not allowed to go the parking lot, leave campus or hang out in the hall(s). If you have questions about our PRIDE Time plan please contact the main office at 954-3100.
State Testing - Smarter Balanced
The Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) is a system of assessments aligned to Washington state standards in English language arts/literacy (ELA/literacy) and mathematics for grades 3-8 and high school. Meeting standard on the Smarter Balanced ELA and math is a graduation requirement.
Test Format - SBA tests are done online and they are not timed. Students will be given appropriate time to answer all questions. There are two main components to the SBA:
- Computer Adaptive Test: Adaptive tests taken on a computer adjust to a student’s ability by basing the difficulty of future questions on previous answers. An adaptive test gives a more precise estimate of a student’s ability than a paper/pencil test. This type of test gives an accurate measure of a student’s current performance on the Washington state standards and is a reasonable testing experience for students.
- Performance Task: A Performance Task challenges students to apply their knowledge and skills in response to a real-world problem. The task is a collection of questions and activities that connect to a single theme. This task is designed to measure a student’s depth of understanding, ability to answer difficult questions, and the ability to use and cite research in support of an idea.
Student Preparation: Practice Tests - The best way to prepare students for success on the SBA is through the regular instruction in the classroom that is aligned with the new Washington state standards. In addition to the aligned classroom curriculum, teachers will provide time for students to go through a training test to become familiar with the online test format.
Parents and students have access to sets of questions aligned to the new Washington state standards. Each practice test has about 30 questions as well as an answer key. You will find the practice tests at the following link: http://wa.portal.airast.org/training-tests/.
Score Reports - Students receive a score (a number between 2000 and 3000) and an achievement level (1, 2, 3 or 4). A score is based on the student’s performance on the test. This score is then converted to an achievement level based on grade level expectations. Students who get an achievement level of 3 or 4 are considered on target to be college- and career-ready by the end of 12th grade. Sample score reports are available. If your student took an Smarter Balanced assessment last spring, you should be receiving their score report in the mail in the next few weeks.
Fall Testing Window - We will begin testing 11th and 12th graders who have not met standard on math and/or English Language Arts starting Monday, October 28. You will receive more information in the next couple of weeks regarding our testing schedule.
Skyward Tip of the Week - Push Notifications
1. Open the Skyward app and tap the menu button in the top right corner.
2. Select the person icon to access your settings.
3. Under User Preferences, tap Push Notifications. Here, you can manage which devices your notifications will be sent to. You can also customize which notifications you would like to receive.
4. Once you've made a change to your preferences, tap Save.
School Calendar Changes
- Changing the October 11 inservice day to a regular school day
- Using the February 15 and March 15, 2019 snow days as regular days
- Adding 4 days to the end of the year (June 12, 13,14, & 17, 2019)
- The new "last day of school" will be June 17, 2019
- WHS Graduation will stay on June 8 starting at 5:00 pm. Seniors will need to make up a day, probably on a Saturday. We will work on a plan for how this works, and communicate it to students and families.
Upcoming Events
October
4 - Junior Class meeting during PRIDE Time in the auditorium
8 - Homecoming Assembly during PRIDE Time
9 - Homecoming Assembly during PRIDE Time
10 - PSAT Testing - Students who sign up (small gym) starting at 7:50 am
11 - Homecoming Assembly during PRIDE Time
12 - Homecoming Assembly during PRIDE Time & Football Game
13 - Homecoming Dance (7:30 pm - 10:30 pm) - Chaperones are Needed
15 - Healthy Youth Survey (10th & 12th graders) - Special PT Schedule
18 - Blood Drive in the small gym & Earthquake Drill (10:18 am)
26 - Picture Retakes in the commons
29 - Senior Panoramic (Details will be shared later)
PSAT Testing Information
What: PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)
When: Wednesday, Oct 10, 2018
Time: 7:50am - 11:30am
Where: Small Gym
Who: All interested Sophomores (Class of 2021) & Juniors (Class of 2020)
Washington State 2018 Healthy Youth Survey
10th and 12th graders will be participating in the Washington State 2018 Healthy Youth Survey on Monday, October 15 in their PRIDE Time. The Healthy Youth survey includes questions related to physical activity and diet, unintentional and intentional injury, substance use, risk and protective factors, and access to school-based services. Survey results are used by us, communities and state agencies to plan programs to support our youth and reduce their risks.
We will have a special schedule on Monday, October 15.
WHS Parent Advisory Council Meeting
Our goals are to increase communication, support the learning environment, and provide an opportunity for all parents to participate in the WHS community. This is a forum for all school-related topics:
- Do you have questions about Washougal High School?
- How can you as a parent help out the school?
- Do you have questions for our principal, counselors, or athletic director?
We are looking for parents who want to commit to attending. The Washougal High School Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is comprised of parents who want to know more about the inner workings of Washougal High School. The PAC meets nearly once a month to discuss issues of importance to the entire school community and is a representative body that provides the perspective of parents to the WHS administration through regular communication with the principal. The PAC also serves to provide parent feedback on school policies and procedures and has a role in the development and implementation of the WHS School Action Plan. If there are issues parents want discussed at a PAC meeting, they should contact Aaron Hansen, Principal, at aaron.hansen@washougalsd.org or 360-954-3101.Your involvement matters – to our school and, most importantly, to your student. We will be meeting on the following dates:
- November 19
- December 17
- January 28
Monday, Oct 15, 2018, 06:00 PM
WHS Commons
RSVPs are enabled for this event.