I hope all of our students, staff, and WG families had a restful break last week. The break saw many accomplishments by our students in athletics, activities, and the arts. Our WGHS community continues alongside students as trusted guides and mentors during the challenging journey of adolescence.

Helping students do their best in school requires a team effort. Parents, families, students, staff, and schools all play important roles in this process. To help all of us learn how to make your child’s school experience as positive and beneficial as possible, please give us your honest, thoughtful responses to the questions below. Your responses will be completely anonymous. If a question does not apply to you or you do not want to respond, then you may skip to the next question. If you have multiple children in our school, please complete one survey for each child.

Take the anonymous survey here.

Best,

Matt Irvin

• 4/4: WGHS Activity Day (see schedule below)
• 4/7: Statesmen Service Awards (by invitation), 7:30am, Auditorium
• 4/7: Progress grades on Portal

On April 4, all WGHS students will participate in a designated activity during our normal school hours. Each class will have a modified schedule based on their activity.

Freshman: Future Leaders Follow-up Activity

Sophomores: Practice ACT Test

Juniors: ACT Test

Seniors: Special Olympics

All students will meet with their Advisory in their normal Advisory rooms from 8:25-8:35 for attendance and final instructions. At 8:35, students will move to their locations depending on their activity for the day. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will have a modified schedule in which they will return to their normal class periods following their activity. Attendance will be taken in 5th, 6th, and 7th periods.

Seniors will return from Special Olympics at 3 p.m. for dismissal. The specific schedule for each class is below for your reference.

Schedule

The schedule for the day is a Modified A day. The weekly schedule is A, Modified A, B, C, A.

Attendance

A student must attend classes in order to be successful academically. Any absence unauthorized by school officials and parent(s) is considered a class cut. Parents are discouraged from calling students in absent for unnecessary reasons.

WGHS will offer Test Preparation this summer during summer school. Test Preparation is designed to assist students in preparing for college entrance tests. Test Preparation is available to rising 10th-12th grade students. Reserve your spot today by signing up for summer school on our website. Don't miss out on this great opportunity!

Sign up here!

Delaney Sullivan, WGHS senior and German 4 student, was accepted to and received a full scholarship for the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Program*. This scholarship includes a year-long homestay with a German family, enrollment in a local German high school, domestic and international travel, and German language training.

She has also been selected to receive a 2023-24 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad scholarship** for study in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

*The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship is for motivated high school students who want to experience a culture and learn a language through a full immersion experience. Learn about German culture first-hand by living with a host family and attending a German high school. (Learn more here: https://usagermanyscholarship.org/)

**The U.S. Department of State's YES Abroad program is administered by American Councils for International Education (American Councils) in partnership with AFS Intercultural Programs (AFS), the American‑Mideast Educational and Training Service (Amideast), and the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN). The program implementer in Bosnia and Herzegovina is American Councils for International Education (American Councils). (Learn more here: https://www.yes-abroad.org/countries/bosnia-and-herzegovina)

On Tuesday, March 14 the WGHS Advanced Chamber Choir performed at the MSHSAA Large Ensemble Contest at Ritenour HS. This is a performance in which ensembles from across the state of Missouri compete for a performance score and receive accolades and comments on improvement.

Our Chamber Choir walked away with a near perfect score and "Best of Day" accolade. This is a huge achievement for the choir program. They have not competed since 2020 with a mixed chamber ensemble. Way to go, Chamber Choir!

Clara Bittle received a NATIONAL Scholastic Art Award and we have been invited to attend the award ceremony at Carnegie Hall in June!

Thirty journalism, publications, and yearbook students attended Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association's J-Day at the University of Missouri.

Students also received overall critiques and individual awards. The overall critiques for Webster included an All Missouri (the highest) rating for its Voices of Webster podcast and a superior rating for the Echo Yearbook. Excellent ratings were awarded the Echo's news magazine, the Echo News Roundup and the Echo Newspaper website. The WGEcho Instagram earned an honorable mention for overall social media coverage.

Individual awards included All Missouri ratings to senior Joe Harned for the News Feature "Creativity helps heal students," juniors Shea Goggin and Sydney Arrandale for the Yearbook Traditional Academic Package "I Wonder Why Academics," junior Sam Klein for the Radio/Podcast News Feature "Men’s soccer captain shares season’s insights," juniors Kameran Bluette and Katelyn Turley for the Yearbook Traditional Sports Package "One Foot in Front of the Other," Turley for the Academic Photo "Sophomore holds fire," senior Izzy Poole for the Student Life photo "Sophomore wins wrestling match," and senior Maren DeMargel and junior Hadley Hoskins for the News Feature "Students share experiences with eating disorders."

Superior ratings were awarded to Poole for the Photo Illustration "Back to School," senior Lydia Urice for the Online Breaking News "Concerning amount of lead found in water from 12 faucets at the high school" and the News Feature "Cancer survivor gives back to community," Turley for the Portrait "Most likely to go to space," Klein for the Radio/Podcast News Feature "Students discuss possible snow day," and the Echo Yearbook staff for the Yearbook Mod "Netflix or Hulu."

Excellent ratings went to junior Soledad Lee and Hoskins for the Entertainment Review "‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ divides viewers," sophomore Ali Schulz for the Editorial/Op-Ed "Gun laws need to be stronger" and the Sports Photo "Seniors celebrate State Semi-final victory," and Hoskins for the News Feature "Type 1 diabetes affects student lives."

Honorable mentions were awarded to Hoskins for the Online Feature Package "‘Spotify Wrapped’ challenges students perceptions of one another," Klein for the Radio/Podcast News Features "Aluma shares how WGHS has changed, remained the same" and "Students welcome back Winter Formal," freshman Arianna Peper for the Sport Reaction Photo "Freshman Sa’Nye Cannon cheers on teammates," Bluette and Turley for the Yearbook Non-Traditional Package "I Wonder What this Year will Bring," junior Josephine Lewis for the Portrait "Portrait Divider," senior Bella LeGrand for the Sport Photo "Sophomore Forward Gavin Rumack clears the puck," DeMargel and Klein for the Radio/Podcast News Feature "Spanish exchange student shares experiences," senior Luca Giordano for the Online Feature Package "Student encourages community engagement through lifesaver mints," Poole for the Photo Illustration "Student Life," Klein for the Radio/Podcast News Feature "Student encourages community engagement through lifesaver mints," and the Yearbook Staff for the Yearbook Mod "What are your notebook colors?"

The BRIDGING Our Stories - (Building.Relationships.Inclusion.Diversity.Growth) program allows WGSD middle and high students and staff to tell their stories through art. Students and staff members can express themselves through art such as poetry, photography, music, dance, painting, etc. These creative expressions will be placed in a Community Gallery for the public to view, learn, and appreciate. In addition, the art will be used in a professional development session for staff to learn about the power of storytelling, relationship building, and building community. The grants are able to cover funding for some art supplies. Students will be asked a year later to share how being a part of the project impacted their classroom experiences. This program is grant-funded by the WGSD Foundation and Lindenwood University.

Your student can register by clicking HERE. All artwork must be submitted by May 1, 2023. For additional information or questions, please contact Dr. Williamson at williamson.shane@wgmail.org.

A Child Safety and Wellbeing Fair sponsored by the Safe Kids, Healthy Communities Workgroup, kicks off Child Abuse Prevention Month on April 1 from 9:30am to 11:30am at the Webster Groves Recreation Center, 33 E Glendale Rd, 63119. The purpose of the fair is to bring the community together for a fun morning of activities and entertainment while celebrating healthy childhoods!

Enjoy a visit with Louie, St. Louis Blues mascot at 9:30, entertainment (magician, yoga/mindfulness from The Oxygen Project, and more!) snacks, fun activities and resource tables with give-aways and information. Fair organizers encourage students, parents and caretakers to attend. Some of the resources at the fair include:

CHADS- Coalition for Mental Health

Epworth

Family Forward

General Therapeutic Resources Available in St. Louis County

MO Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force

Safe Connections

Safe Place- Youth in Need

St. Louis University Hospital-Queer and Trans Wellness Clinic

St. Louis Queer Support Helpline

The Oxygen Project

The SPOT- Washington University

WGHS Impact Club

Sophomore Parents

All sophomores will take a full-length practice ACT college admission test on Tuesday, April 4 from 8:45am-12:25pm while the juniors are taking a real ACT.

Junior Parents

As a reminder, all juniors will take the ACT on Tuesday, April 4. No action on your part is necessary.

Scholarship Opportunities and Searches:

St. Louis Area Scholarship Search

St. Louis Graduates Scholarship Central (Note: Many of these applications have not opened up yet so keep checking back.) This is also where you can apply for Interest Free Student Loans from Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis.

Where can you find other scholarships? There are a number of national scholarship databases out there. While it can seem a little overwhelming, it can be rewarding if you put some time into it.

National Scholarship Searches
Fastweb
College Board’s Big Future
Peterson’s
Unigo
Cappex

The Webster Groves School District is currently determining transportation needs for the fee-based service for the 2023-2024 school year. If your student will be attending Webster Groves High School or Hixson Middle School and you would like bus transportation for your student for the 2023-2024 school year, you must complete the application at the link below. Even if your student rode the bus last year, you must fill out a new application for the 2023-2024 school year. Please read the information in the link and fill out the form if you want your student to ride the bus for the 2023-2024 school year.

Please note the criteria needed to get free bus transportation.

Application deadline is May 15, 2023.

Thank you,

WGSD Transportation

314-963-6413

https://forms.gle/M3UFZzuVyMP65Btk7

Anytown 7/23/23-7/29/23

The Anytown Leadership Institute, a program of NCCJ St. Louis, is a unique 7-day residential program for high-school-aged youth. Anytown's goal is to prepare youth to be effective leaders and change agents who are dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry, and oppression. Youth participate in experiential learning activities and dialogue sessions designed to increase their understanding of human relations issues and of their own responsibility to create a community based on inclusion, trust, and mutual respect. The Chelsea Center can provide funding for up to 3 students selected for this program who are also willing to simultaneously enroll in a Chelsea Center course.

Looking for other experiences?

If your child is looking to explore a passion area or career, have them visit the Chelsea Center to learn more about local opportunities, ways they might earn credit for engaging in these opportunities, and potential funding available to support experiential learning in the summer as well! Students can access wgsd.givepulse.com with their school Gmail account information to explore upcoming experiences as well.

PARENTS OF SENIORS:

All Senior Scholarship forms are due April 3. Please enter all scholarship data at the link below.

Senior Scholarship Form

The Spirit Store is open! Hours are 8-9:15 a.m. daily.

The online store is open 24 hours a day at https://wghsparentsclub.org/collections.

Every time you shop at the Spirit Store, you are supporting student scholarships and teacher grants!

Email: erb.mickey@wgmail.org
Website: hs.webster.k12.mo.us
Location: 100 Selma Avenue, Webster Groves, MO, USA
Phone: (314) 963-6400
Facebook: facebook.com/WGAlumni
Twitter: @WebsterGrovesHS