Westwood Weekly
Week of May 11, 2020
Westwood High School
Website: https://nice.k12.mi.us/
Location: 300 Westwood Drive, Ishpeming, MI, USA
Phone: 906.485.1023
Facebook: facebook.com/niceschools/
Graduation/Senior Updates
As you know, end of the year graduation ceremonies have been thrown a serious curve ball by Covid 19. We are working very hard to find alternative dates and opportunities to honor and recognize the class of 2020, at the same time following state and federal guidelines and keeping the health and safety of our students and community at the forefront of our decisions. The following are some updates on where we are at in regards to graduation:
Tentative dates for a graduation ceremony are being considered. One date in June and July.
A parade is being planned for the class of 2020.
A graduation video that mirrors our traditional graduation ceremony is being created in coordination with Bennett Media.
Senior Spotlights are being created for each senior and will be shared via social media beginning next week.
Caps and gowns were distributed this past week.
Diplomas will be mailed out to seniors in the upcoming weeks.
Keep in mind that whatever is planned will most likely look different than previous WHS graduation ceremonies. We are not alone in this challenge as schools around the state are facing the same barriers to honoring their seniors. Please know we are working hard to create opportunities to recognize the class of 2020. To be continued.....
Updates from Nurse Korpi
Hello there all,
I hope this message finds you well. I hope that you all have been able to get some exercise and outside time in the sun. I wanted to give you all a little encouragement and some information on the question of whether or not to wear a mask when you are heading into public spaces. As you know, there is a new directive from the CDC to wear a cloth mask when you need to go out in public. I want to encourage you all to take this simple step. I know that as a young person, your risk of becoming ill with COVID-19 is quite low. However, we know that people can be carrying this virus without showing any symptoms of illness. By wearing a mask, you will be protecting others that may not be in a low risk group. Keep in mind, if you are in the grocery store and you are carrying the virus, you may transfer the germ to another person in the grocery store that is picking up supplies for an elderly or immunocompromised family member. It may seem like an inconvenience to you, however, it could be life threatening to someone that you will never even meet. By wearing a mask, you will decrease the risk of exposing or being exposed to droplet or aerosol particles in the air if someone coughs or sneezes. Also, standing 6 feet away from others also decreases your risk of being exposed by droplet particles. Not touching your face is important as environmental surfaces can be contaminated. Wearing a mask also serves as a reminder not to touch your face and this keeps you safe. As always, washing your hands is the most important step in keeping yourself and others safe. Please enjoy this video on the why of wearing a mask...
May Is Mental Health Awareness Month
Since 1949, May has been celebrated as Mental Health Awareness Month. While 1 in 5 people will deal with a mental illness during their lifetime, we all face challenges in life that impact our mental health and ability to function in daily life. This is certainly true during the current covid-19 pandemic. The theme for Mental Health Awareness month this year, is Tools 2 Thrive, which provides practical tools and resources to help better manage mental health and challenges in daily life. Some of the resources included in this year’s tool kit include: owning your feeling, eliminating toxic influences, creating healthy routines, and connecting with others. Living a healthy lifestyle and incorporating mental health tools may not always be easy, but can be achieved by making gradual positive changes. For more information on Mental Health Awareness Month, including free mental health screenings, tools and resources, visit https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-month.
All my best,
Jamie Dieterle, LMSW, CAADC
Updates from Mrs. Halamka
9th-11th Grade: Westwood will be offering a summer school program for students who need to take classes for credit recovery. All classes will be taken through Odysseyware, which is an online learning program. Each .5 credit (one-semester) class will cost $100. Summer school letters and registration forms will be sent home with final report cards in June. If you have any questions about summer school before then, please send me an email.
11th Grade: If you are interested in taking the ACT, you can register for the June 13th date, but the deadline is TODAY, May 8th. Otherwise, there are test dates on July 18th, September 12th, and October 24th. You can register by visiting actstudent.org. The ACT test with writing costs $68; without writing costs $52. If you are eligible for a fee waiver, please let me know and I will send you one.