Notes from Dr. Irvin
Your Weekly WGHS eNews for January 31
Hello Parents and Guardians,
The following is an drawn from a previous document I authored last winter that has re-entered my thinking:
This week marked the 26th anniversary of a tragedy: my best friend and his family lost his cousin, Chris Street, as a result of an auto accident. Chris was a small town Iowan who went on to star at the University of Iowa in basketball as an enthusiastic, driven, throwback player who looked like he walked of the set of "Hoosiers." During the halftime ceremony of this past weekend’s game, the team marked the remembrance by acknowledging his parents and coach, Doctor Tom Davis (a story carried by The Washington Post). This picture below captures the legacy of pain and loss both have carried for over two decades. That is Chris’ mom consoling Coach Davis while being weighed down by her own grief that must be unbearable in its own right. The loss of Chris, coupled with the funeral from last year of a college teammate of my own, causes me to reflect on the purpose of the athletics, the connections we make as educators in the roles of coach or sponsor and their ultimate impact. We are charged as a school to hire, support, and continue that work in teachers, activity sponsors, and coaches. We take that responsibly and endeavor very seriously.
I will continue to share over the next several weeks on this topic.
Best,
Matt Irvin
A Peek at the Week Ahead
- February 7: Experiential Learning (EXL) Parent Meeting, 7 p.m., PV Commons
CSPA Announces Circle Awards Program Winners--Six WGHS Students Earned Honors
The Columbia Scholastic Press Association announces the winners from its 36th Gold Circle Awards program. This year, these categories attracted 5309 yearbook and digital media entries submitted in 91 categories.
These entries come from publications produced by students at colleges, universities, and secondary schools through the United States and abroad who follow an American education plan.
Entries were accepted from student yearbooks and digital media publications published from October 11, 2017 through October 1, 2018. Student journalists working on these print or electronic media chose from 39 yearbook categories and 41 digital media categories.
In summary, judges cited a total of 747 winners for yearbook and digital media for either First, Second or Third Place or for Certificates of Merit for those deemed worthy of honorable mention in a category. Entry categories included those for yearbooks and for digital (online) media, in its annual competition for individual achievement by student writers, editors, designers and photographers.
The deadline for entries for the 2019 print news and magazines is June 10, 2019. Entries must be published from June 11, 2018 through June 10, 2019.
The five Webster High School Students who earned honors were:
DM7. Personal opinion: On-campus issues
CM. Eleanor Marshall, "Ellie’s Expression: Students Should Stop Parking," WG Echo, Webster Groves High School, Webster Groves, OH.
DM16. General feature
CM. Lindsey Bennett, "School Aims to Dismantle Biases," WG Echo, Webster Groves High School, Webster Groves.
DM22. Single spot news photograph
3. Cole Schnell, "Man Yells, 'Get the F**k Out of Here'," WG Echo, Webster Groves High School, Webster Groves.
DM32. Photo slideshow
1. Emily Stisser, "Festival Goers Enjoy International Offerings," WG Echo, Webster Groves High School, Webster Groves.
DM34. Podcast
2. Trinity Madison, "Voices of Webster: April 13, 2018," WG Echo, Webster Groves High School, Webster Groves.
3. Maeve Taylor, "Voices of Webster: March 7, 2018," WG Echo, Webster Groves High School, Webster Groves.
Summer Experiential Learning Opportunities Await!
A Summer Experiential Learning Opportunities meeting for parents and students will be held Thursday, February 7 at 7 p.m. in the PV Commons. Come find out about this exciting new way to learn and earn credit while participating in internships, doing service learning, or traveling. Hands-on, real-world experiential mini-classes, which allow students to earn a quarter-credit or half-credit in one to two weeks, will also be discussed. Hundreds of students participated in our cutting edge Experiential Learning opportunities during the past several summers. Make sure your student is aware of all WGHS has to offer this summer. We look forward to seeing you Thursday night!
No-Tax-Rate Increase Bond Issue Proposition E Meeting
Webster Groves School District Residents
are invited to come hear more about
the April 2 No-Tax-Rate Increase Bond Issue Proposition E
6:30-8:30 p.m. Wed., Feb. 13
Hixson Middle School Auditorium
Over the past several weeks, the district has presented information on safety, accessibility and space needs in our schools and gathered feedback from community members through meetings, surveys and focus groups.
Based on what we heard, the Board of Education has placed a no-tax-rate-increase $22 million bond issue on the April 2 ballot that will improve safety and accessibility in all district buildings and relieve overcrowding in elementary schools.
Please plan to attend this important meeting! Bring your questions and comments.
Free babysitting will be available. If you will need this service, please call Shari Meyers at 314-918-4004 or email meyers.shari@wgmail.org
PSAT10 Registration Now Open!
Attention Sophomores and Sophomore Parents! Registration for the PSAT10 is now open.
The PSAT10 is a practice PSAT. In fact, it is the same test our juniors took last October. The “real” PSAT (practice SAT and qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Competition will be administered to juniors in October).
Date and time: Saturday, March 2, 2019 from 8am-noon (sorry, there is not an alternative test date)
Location: WGHS (rooms tba)
Cost: $20.00
To register: Click here
Registration deadline: TODAY!! 01/31/2019 (sorry, we cannot guarantee a test after this date)
For more information about the PSAT and PSAT10 visit https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/inside-the-test
Celebrations/Announcements
Congratulations to the winners of the Winter Homecoming Court:
Freshmen: Dean Schwager and Calli Hepfinger
Sophomores: Chris Hollandsworth and Maddie Buske
Juniors: Henry Bante and Becca Mandernach
Seniors: Ethan Patrick and Mikayla Morgan
Other Important News
Procedures for Check-Out During the School Day
We often get questions about how to check out of school early for appointments. If students know in advance that they need to check out from school, they should bring a written, signed note from a parent stating the time at which they are to check out. Students should present their request to the assistant principal’s office before school. Parents may also call in to the Assistant Principal's office ahead of time and have students check out at the designated time. When leaving school during the day, students must check out through the assistant principal’s office. If students do not follow this procedure, their absence will be considered cutting class. In case of sickness, students check out through the school nurse. In case of emotional upset, students should see their counselors or an administrator to discuss whether or not to remain in school.
When students need to check out of school early:
- Call the Assistant Principal's office before the designated time and report the absence. You may also send a note with the student to be presented to the Assistant Principal's office before school.
- At the designated time, your student will receive a pass to check out if you called ahead. The student will check out in the Assistant Principal's office.
- You do not need to enter the building if you have called the absence in and communicated a pick-up location with your child. However, if you choose to pick up your child in the building, you must do so in the Assistant Principal's office. Upon entering the building, sign-in in the main office and proceed to the Assistant Principal's office.
All attendance procedures are outlined in detail in the Student Handbook. To report your child's absence, please call your child's assistant principal's office directly:
Dwight Kirksey--918.4139
Shiree Yeggins-Campbell--918.4132
Angela Thompson--918.4127
John E. Thomas--918.4131
Webster Groves High School
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