Pirate News
January, 2019
Important Dates
February 6th-Incoming 9th Grade Future planning night-6PM
February 7th-Grade 9-11 Future Planning night-6PM
February 15th-No School-Staff In-service
February 27-Parent/Teacher Conferences-3:30-7:30
- February 20-ACT Testing (Juniors Only report)
- February 21-ACT Work Keys Testing
March 7-Trivia Night
- March 21-Mr. PHS
- April 15-19-Spring Break
Construction Project update
History display at PWHS
The team from the Port Washington Historical society came in to finish the history display of our school. Check out the drawers and shelves filled with memories through the years. The drawers include pins, banners, yearbooks and diplomas. Below are a few examples from the display. The TV monitor will be used to show picture and video from the history of our school or class pictures for reunions.
Thank you Port Washington Historical Society!
1908 Homecoming button
Drawer of Pins and Memories
Check out the Drawers in the History display
Business/DECA News
District & State Competition –
This year we were able to take 50+ competitors (including 25 freshman and sophomores) to our district competition at Kettle Moraine High School. We had many students win medals in individual events! Students that placed at the competition were: Skylar Shafer (1st Place Overall- Entrepreneurship) and Andrew Schmitz (4th Place Overall – Hotel & Lodging Marketing) Congrats to all competitors.
Representing Port Washington High School at the State DECA Conference will be: Avery Frankl, Lizzie Egan, Skylar Shafer, Roisin Doyle, Katelynn Kruse, Shelby Paradowski, Morgan Stone, Ana Pyzyk, Neil Schlessinger, Mitchell Niemeyer, Andy Izhiman, and Andrew Schmitz. Good Luck in March!
DECA 6th Man Shirts –
DECA has teamed with the MACC Fund by designing and selling 6th man shirts to be worn at the boys and girls basketball games against Grafton. In all, we were able to raise over $1,000 for the MACC Fund. This year’s T-shirt designers included (left to right): Ashlyn Chmielewski, Claudia Weyker, Tanner Sauer, Ray Benson, Angel Mckoy-Jackson, and Alyssa Gaulthier,
Captain’s Quarters –
January saw the opening of Captain’s Quarters. The retail store opened by the Business Department classes and DECA. Students enrolled in Retail Marketing have been planning and implementing the opening of the store. This student run store will give them an opportunity to experience real life experiences in selling snacks and apparel. Stop in after school or a special events to purchase your Port Gear. Please e-mail Mark Bichler (mark.bichler@pwssd.k12.wi.us) or Leeann Wellenstein (leeann.wellenstein@pwssd.k12.wi.us) for any questions or orders.
Mr PHS –
On Thursday, March 21st, our group will run the 7th Annual Mr. PHS Male Beauty Pageant. Contestants will be nominated and selected the second week of February! Nomination Tickets will be sold at lunches for all students. Who will take the crown from last year’s winner Noah Reinders? Plus, what will this year’s “cause” be to give back to our community?
Captain's Quarter School Store
AP Physics
AP Physics rat trap truck contest
The contest rules require students to make a truck with at least three wheels that is only powered by a rat trap. During the lab the trucks usually roll across the floor while the students collect the needed data. Using friction force, time of trip and distance traveled the students can then calculate the horsepower delivered by the rat trap. Most students use a string attached to the back axle to drive the truck. Eric Marquette and Alex Poull choose to read the instructions a little differently and, using a spoon taken from one of their parent’s kitchens, made a catapult that launched the truck through the air and into a first place finish.
ACT Prep Resource in February
11th grade Students and Parents! The State wide ACT test is February 20th. We hope that you have been prepping and practicing for this test. Teachers have provided practice questions and tests to help during the school day and you have been provided the method test prep as a resource. This month we are also offering ACT prep sessions after school and during the resource period.
Please read through and take advantage of these opportunities as practice has proven to be very helpful for this test.
ACT Prep sessions:
The school library will be open extended hours, from 5:15PM – 7:45PM, for students interested in studying for the ACT on the following dates:
Tuesday, January 29th
Wednesday, January 30th
Tuesday, February 5th
Tuesday, February 12th
Wednesday, February 13th
Monday, February 18th
Key Club Members will be there offering assistance on how to best study with Method Test Prep, a valuable web-based, self-paced resource provided to our students free of charge. Students have already created and accessed their accounts with classroom teachers earlier in the school year, and they are encouraged to continue independent practice. Former students who spent time practicing with Method Test Prep saw, on average, a 2 – 4 point improvement in their ACT score.
Practice exams for each content area of the ACT test and handouts with tips for overall ACT success will also be available for students.
This is an excellent opportunity to prepare for the ACT, please encourage your student to attend.
IMPORTANT: THERE IS NO PRE-REGISTRATION. STUDENTS WILL SIGN IN UPON ARRIVAL FOR EACH SESSION THEY ATTEND.
ACT Prep-Resource period:
Sign up for help with Method Test Prep on February 6, 7, 13 and 14
ACT Method Test Prep from Home-with Method Test Prep-Access to full tests and sample questions:
Practice with Method Test Prep will help with both Aspire and ACT testing!
All students have access to this free resource provided by our school. Students that took advantage of the resource in 2018-19 saw great results. It is easy to sign up for and use…
Go to: https://app.methodtestprep.com/PortWashingtonHighSchoolWI/signup
Click on the gray “Signup” box to create your MTP account. PWHS students will need to use the Referral Code: tkn.12180329 when setting
up your account. (Make sure to include the entire code—including tkn).
Future Planning Nights 2019
Incoming 9th Grade Students and Parents-February 6th
6:00-In Performing Arts Center
Information on Course Selection process
Teaching staff provide information in the content areas
6:30-Athletics and Activities Information
Incoming 10th, 11th and 12th Grade Students-February 7th
6:00-In Performing Arts Center
Information on Course Selection process
Teaching staff provide information in the content areas
College Admissions Presentation
Pirate Treasure Program-April 10
In Fall, the students chose to donate funds toward the Kelly Green Enrichment Center at PWHS.
The second meeting for the new Pirate Treasure Program will be on April 10th during the Resource period (2:00)
Projects due by March 8 for consideration in Spring
March 11-3 Projects drawn randomly for April 10 presentations
What will happen at each meeting
Guest speaker
Presentations by school groups (students/staff) selected to speak
School groups will submit requests for donations (up to $1500) at least two weeks prior to each meeting.
Criteria for approval of request
Must benefit students or programs in the community
Maximum request amount $1500
Approved requests will be placed in a bin and three requests (picked one week prior to the meeting) will be invited to the meeting to request support.
Students vote anonymously for the project to receive the donation for this meeting
Projects not selected will be placed back in the bin for future meetings
AODA Coalition-Parent University program for Spring
Choir News
On Thursday Jan.28th Members of the groups Limited Edition and Focus hosted Ladies Knight and Knight Club from Oak Creek High School and Pitches and notes from the University of Wisconsin for an exciting night of music. The groups were able to work with each other and share their music.
Band News
Band is keeping busy this winter. Band has performed at several basketball games, and we are preparing for a rush of spring events - March 7th Festival Concert and March 16 Solo Ensemble festival at PWHS. The annual music booster dinner auction has been scheduled to be a part of the March 26 All That Jazz Concert – in the PWHS cafeteria. The music department will be venturing to Memphis and New Orleans over spring break April 12-17.
Art & Design News
We celebrated the artwork of our district with the 2nd annual Ages and Stages of Art featuring artists from Kindergarten - 12th grade this December in the new high school art rooms. Below are Brenna in crafts holding her mask, Joey in painting with his altered self-portrait, Noah in drawing with his chalk pastel Owl, and Ray in photography changing up the perspective. It was a fun night celebrating our students art with their families.
AP Psycholology Research at PWHS
Students enrolled in Advanced Placement Psychology at PWHS this year have embarked upon research unlike that of a typical class.
During the first quarter, students learned the basics of planning a psychological research study and developing a plan for calculating and analyzing results. They were then challenged to comprise a bias-free survey for other students here at the high school. Topics ranged from bullying to favorite pizza topping. Some of the conclusions were:
Among Port Washington High School students:
- the most common irrational fear if that of heights
- the most preferred pizza topping is pepperoni
- most rarely violate the activities code
- Netflix is the most common way movies are viewed
- the majority listen to music for entertainment
- sophomores procrastinate most often
- Culver’s is the favorite fast food restaurant
- the majority are inclined to have a pet dog
- most eat fast food a few times per week
- freshmen and junior males are most concerned with being in a romantic relationship
- most believe social media has some impact on bullying
- most fall asleep between 10:00 PM and midnight
- the most popular vacation activity is outdoor adventure
- the majority would prefer an 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM school day
- Europe is the preferred international vacation destination
- Ketchup is the most popular condiment for french fries
- Snapchat is the most commonly used social media platform
- socializing at a peer’s house is the most popular Friday night activity
Talent Show 2019
Last Thursday night, United for Youth sponsored the Port Washington High School Talent Show, held in the auditorium.
There was a nice crowd of about 150-200 students and community members that were treated to a great show.
Many participants were first time performers on a stage and the nerves were sky high.
Not only did the performers nail every performance, but the audience of students was phenomenal.
The audience supported the acts and made them feel like real stars (which they all are).
What a truly positive experience of what a High School event is all about.
Jack Wagner performed and also did an award winning performance as MC of the event. He kept it all together! Thank you to Mr. Greisch, Ms. Zielinski and Mr. Adamak for all of your work to make this possible!
Hats off to these performers
Jack Wagner singing "Aquaman"
Avi Williams on the piano
Noah Reinders and his brother Dash dancing
Allison Juarez on the Ukulele
Oliver Juarez on the piano
Ado Bellinger singing
Mr. Wojcik the magician
Alex Orten singing and mixing
Miranda Larsen and Shannon Knowski singing and playing instruments
Kyla DeFendi singing
Brenna Johnson singing
Will Krieg the magician
Allison and Oliver Juarez with Mac Atkins singing and playing instruments
Many canned goods were donated and money raised for the Kelly Green Enrichment Center in the Social Studies Department. Thank you!
Thanks to the performers and the audience for a spectacular night!!!!!!
Forensics News
PWHS Forensics Starts Strong!
The forensics team is 3 tournaments into our 2019 season, and we are off to a strong start. The first tournament was held at our own school on January 12. There were 18 schools and roughly 200 students who attended. We took home a 2nd place trophy as a team with several individual members bringing home hardware. Our team had the largest showing ever with 35 entries! The next week, we headed out in the snow to Oshkosh North. Once again, several individual students came home with trophies and medals, and our team picked up the 3rd place trophy. On January 26, we went to Marquette University High School. This was the first regular-season tournament for most teams, as debate season wrapped up on January 19. With the tough competition, our team didn’t earn a team trophy, but we still had several individual winners. Over the 21 entries we had at the tournament, 12 students made it to the top 6 in their event and took home hardware. We head to Slinger on February 2nd, West Bend East on February 8, and Sheboygan South on February 23. If you would like to donate to our team in money or time, please email Shelly Uttke or Katie Gengler at michelle.uttke@pwssd.k12.wi.us or katharyn.gengler@pwssd.k12.wi.us.
Technology and Engineering Department News
Winter is an exciting time for the students in Port High School Technology & Engineering classes. Port Washington High School was awarded the Wisconsin fast forward grant and has recently received 6 new Sharp metal Lathes and will have two new Haas CNC lathes being delivered shortly. Our labs will be completed by the end of the semester and new curriculum will be integrated as we expose students to new technology. We are very excited about all the great projects we completed, student in all areas of technology were exposed to hands on projects and learned valuable skills that can be transferred beyond high school.
The high school robotics team kicked off this year’s competition and is working feverishly on completing the task for the competition. Students are currently designing, fabricating and testing prototypes for our robot prior to the competition starting March 27th. We look forward to competing at the Wisconsin regional competition at the UW Panther arena. If you have any questions about the robotics team or would like to help in any way please contact Ryan Volke @ ryan.volke@pwssd.k12.wi.us, we are always looking for mentors or parent volunteers.
2019 FRC competition link:
https://uwmilwaukeepantherarena.com/events/us-first-2019-wisconsin-regional-robotics-competition/
World Language News
The World Language department has been creatively using the beautiful new spaces in the high school in order to engage students and get them out of the classroom. We have been using “running dictations” to review stories, grammar and literature, in which the students take turns “running” into a different space, finding the information ready for them there, bringing it back to the group where they solve the problem, another person writes it down and a third draws or translates. We have also used the new “Upper Deck” area for reading novels and doing activities such as “Freeze Frame Retell” in which each group re-creates a part of the story we are reading in picture format. We love our new spaces to help us be creative and more actively engaged!”
Literacy Department News
Literacy students have learned and grown a lot since September, and many have experienced a significant increase in their comprehension levels. We continue to learn academic vocabulary, to write with more variety and complexity, and to stretch our thinking to become critical thinkers and consumers of information. Literacy I students will learn to identify parts of an argument this semester, and will then read a series of articles about historical events in which young people played a significant role. In the process, they’ll discern the most important details and main ideas. Intermediate Literacy students will practice making inferences, and will then begin their second book club with the novel, The Rock and the River. This is an exciting time of year, as all of the hard work and learning students did first semester becomes apparent and their skills seem more finely-tuned every day.