IWHS February 2021 Newsletter
Erin E. Smith
Note from the Principal
We have been incredibly busy at the high school with the return of athletics and activities. The students are enjoying the additional opportunities outside of the school day. Mrs. Eighner has arranged a Trivia Competition, Battle of the Brains, that will be held on Friday, February 26th at 1:30pm. The competition will be Class vs. Class and Students vs. Teachers. Who will win?
We currently have 40 full remote students at the high school. Data from around the state including IWHS data is indicating that students are not as successful learning remotely as opposed to in person. At this time, 70% of the full remote students are failing at least 1 class and 40% of the remote learners are failing two or more classes for the quarter currently. I encourage you to send your students back in person to the building if they are learning remotely. The teachers and custodians have made great strides to social distance and sanitize our classrooms. Our positivity rate at the high school remains very low! Thank you to the teachers for all of these efforts.
Positive Comment Cards
Teachers have started sending out Positive Comment Postcards to student’s families so make sure to check your mailboxes.
FFA WEEK and FFA Pork Chop Dinner February 20, 2021
The Iroquois West FFA Alumni hosted a drive through pork chop dinner, with the help of the FFA. The event will took place on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at the Iroquois West High School. This year instead of an Auction the FFA decided to hold a pork chop drive thru. We had members cooking, taking orders, and delivering orders to cars. Overall we had a great turnout! We wanted to thank everyone for coming out and supporting us and for the endless support throughout the years from staff, parents, and community members. The FFA Alumni handed out all 800 pork chops in the first few hours. It was a successful community event.
This week is FFA week! Please check out the flyer attached for the theme for each day this week!
In Blue and Gold -The Iroquois West FFA-
Guest Speakers in Technical Math
Course Selection from the School Counselor
The Course Description book is now available for students. Course selections are due by March 5th, 2021 and must include a parent signature. Students who do not complete their course selection will have their courses chosen for them.
AP Exams are coming up in May! Remember to complete the AP Registration form and submit the form with your AP Exam fee(s) by Friday, 2/26/2021. Students can turn their form and fee into the office, Ms. Pucher, or their AP Teacher.
All School Test Day is April 13, 2021. Seniors are not required to be in attendance this day and may use this time to apply for scholarships, visit schools, or apply for jobs. All other students are required to be present this day, even remote learners. Freshmen will take the PSAT 9, Sophomores will take the PSAT 10, and Juniors will take the SAT. SAT Prep is available for Juniors on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Advance sign up is required.
Remind App
If you would like to get text updates for the high school, please text @iwhs2021 to 81010. This is the high school code for all school updates! The Remind App sign up for individual classes was sent out with the midterm grade reports. Please sign up for text updates for your student's classes.
Teacher Updates
Senior Packets - Zach Monk
General Business Update - Carrie Miller
The General Business students are learning about management styles and what it means to be a leader. They have worked to identify what a leader looks like at home, school, and work, as well as in extracurricular activities and the community. They now understand that there is no genetic trait for leadership--it's something that can be developed through observation and practice.
The Accounting I students participated in a mysterious and "deadly" themed lesson in which they learned to "do away with" temporary accounts through closing entries. They used the acronym "DIES" (spelled backwards as "SEID") to recall the order to close the accounts of sales, expenses, income summary, and drawing.
The Accounting II students are learning how ratios can provide business managers with insight for decision-making purposes. They have completed vertical and horizontal analysis on comparative Income Statements and Balance Sheets and calculated earnings per share, dividend yield, and price-earnings ratios.
Math Update - SAT Prep - Aimee Chandler
English 4 - Carley Eighner
PE Update - Andy Lindo and Amanda Toohill
On February 4th, Army National Guard recruiters SSG Barry and SSG McCall spent time with our Physical Education B Day classes leading team-building exercises. A student favorite was Shipwreck, where a command is called out and students must quickly act and work with peers to complete the specified activity. Students were able to identify the need for improvement in teamwork with the PVC marble activity. Each team starts by placing a marble in the tube of the first in line and they must listen to the marble placement and communicate with each other to determine when appropriate to move down the line. The objective is to be the first team to successfully transfer their marble to a cup at the opposite end of the gym without dropping it along the way.
Social Work Update - Mary Kay Ballard
I would like to give a BIG shout out to our IWHS Parents. Thank you for all your support. Can you believe it is February!? We need to be aware of their mental health and ask how students are doing? We want to acknowledge and listen how they are doing mentally, socially, and emotionally. It takes a team and we are all part of this. We want to continue to give them hope, understanding, help, and encouragement to motivate them during this time! Please reach out anytime if you have concerns or questions about your child. Here are some resources/articles that may be helpful:
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/parents-caregivers
https://www.empoweringparents.com/article/how-to-motivate-teenagers-part-1/
Music Department Update - Montana Thomason
The IW choir and band students are preparing solos and ensembles for the IHSA Solo/Ensemble Contest. The contest will be held virtualy so the students will be recorded and the recordings will be submitted to judges and then judged within the first couple weeks of March. Students have been signing up for recording slot times for the next two weeks to come and record their performances with their groups or solos.
Plans are moving forward for a "Broadway Review" in place of the typical spring musical production. There will be an informational meeting soon and details released then. Students will have the opportunity to sing as a part of a scene from a show or be featured in supporting roles within these scenes. The show will be held on the evenings of April 30 and May 1 and will be streamed live on Facebook and should allow for a small audience composed of senior family members.
An official date for our spring concert and awards night has been set for May 3. Specific details regarding special procedures due to capacity limits, audiences, streaming, etc. will be released closer to this date, but we are excited to be able to have an official concert scheduled!
Band Update - Renee Pendry
Science Update - Emily Parker
Foods Update - Wendy Sigler
In the Intro to FACS class we are talking about Healthy Relationships and the students made brochures on the topic. In the Foods Classes we just finished making Fruits and Vegetables Brochures as well.
Art Update - Jessica Garmon
Artwork by: Jack McMillan
Artwork by: Skky Carcelli
Artwork by: Wyatt Herscher
Art 4 seniors, Brandon Diaz and Dominick Bradfield completed their Ceiling tiles.
Athletics
Athletic Director - Kristy Arie
The Boys and Girls Basketball teams have gotten off to a great start. The boys are currently 4-1 and have received votes in the Associated Press State Rankings for Class 1A basketball. After a couple cancellations, the girls team sits at 2-1. Both teams will be busy over the next three weeks as the season comes to a close on March 13. Football, soccer and volleyball are all gearing up to start their seasons once basketball finishes up. Soccer practice will start on March 1, football on March 3, followed by volleyball on March 8. All updated schedules have been posted on our 8to18 website. You can find those by visiting https://il.8to18.com/IroquoisWestHS/ and click on the team you wish to view. It has been an exciting time seeing our student athletes back in action!
Athlete Spotlight
Athlete: Ashton Miller
Grade: Senior
Favorite Sport: Basketball - Hands down
How do you prepare for a game?: I listen to my basketball music playlist and I watch Duke Basketball highlights
What is your favorite pump up/song or music?: King Kong by DeStorm Power
What is the hardest part about being a student athlete? Prioritizing my time wisely
What is your greatest or most memorable sports moment? Scoring my career high in basketball against Donovan my Junior year
Upcoming Dates!
March 6th and 7th - Band Camp
March 11th - NHS Red Cross Blood Drive
March 12th - End of 3rd Quarter
March 29th - April 6th - SPRING BREAK - WOOHOO!
April 13th - All School State Testing Day - No Senior Attendance
April 21st - No afternoon Learning Center
April 21st - Transition Night
April 22nd - 4th Quarter Midterm
April 26th - 8th Grade Parents Night
April 30th - Musical
May 1st - Musical
May 7th - No afternoon Learning Center
May 14th - Last Day for Seniors
May 19th - No afternoon Learning Center
May 21st - No afternoon Learning Center - Parade
May 22nd - Graduation
May 21 - 25th - Final Exams
May 25th - Last Day of School for all students
Iroquois West High School
Email: esmith@iwest.k12.il.us
Website: http://wp12.iwest.k12.il.us/wordpress/iwhs/
Phone: 8152654229
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iwest10
Twitter: @IwhsPrincipal