Tiger Tribune
White Plains High School Principal's Newsletter
October 2021
From the Principal
Dear Tiger Families,
This week marks the end of the first month of the 2021-2022 school year. While this month was a short one, it still provided us with the opportunity to connect with our Tigers, enjoy some games on the fields, and work on building relationships with our students in the classroom.
I would like to remind our families that our WPHS Open House is scheduled for Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 6:30PM Virtually. There are no on-site open house sessions this year. We will be sharing with families pre-recorded videos, in an effort to still provide parents with a safe and yet informative way of introducing them to their child's teachers and courses.
The evening will start with a brief welcome message from the School Administration at 6:30PM, followed by families accessing general welcome videos from the Counseling Department and Student Support Services on our home page. Teacher presentations will be available at 6:30PM on Thursday, September 30, 2021 on each teacher's Schoology page. Parents are asked to log in with their child's Schoology password to view the videos for all of their classes.
We want to thank you for your continued support and partnership with the our common goal of your child's success in the 2021-2022 school year.
Respectfully,
Emerly A. Martinez
Principal
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WPHS News
Student Expectations at WPHS
There are some rumors that numerous fights took place at WPHS on Thursday, September 23rd. That is not correct. WPHS, like any other high school does have students who at times chose to violate the code of conduct when there is conflict. When this occurs, it is truly unfortunate and we address these behaviors with appropriate consequences. That was the case with an incident Thursday morning.
On Thursday, September 23rd during lunch an incident occurred that made a large group of underclassmen students gather together to a specific area outside. The group chose to move from one area to another, with little regard for physical distancing. While no major conflict occurred, the school administration quickly began to address this behavior with the student body on Thursday and Friday. Please discourage your child from participating in such "group mentality" behavior for their safety and the safety of others.
Parents, we need your partnership in ensuring that your child follows the code of conduct on a daily basis. Students are to use the vast resources and supports to navigate difficult relationships and interactions with others in our building. Students who are found not listening to the reasonable directives of staff, participating in acts that create unsafe situations, such as large gatherings without physical distancing, will not be tolerated.
We have been made aware of the current national trend TikTok challenges called, "Devious Licks." This unfortunate trend has impacted Hudson Valley Schools, including WPHS.
It is important to note that vandalism of any kind is a crime, not just a violation of the code of conduct. Please discourage your child from participating in any social media challenge that is unsafe.
We are taking some additional steps at WPHS to address student behavior:
- The High School Administration will be visiting classrooms to discuss behavior and the Code of Conduct with our Freshmen and Sophomores this week.
- Our Security continues to monitor bathrooms throughout the day and is expanding it's outdoor presence.
- Administration continues to address individual students who need additional supports to assist with adherence to the code of conduct.
- Administration will continue to monitor lunch and make changes as needed.
NYS Adds Additional Distinction for Graduation
WPHS Celebrates our 2022 National Merit Scholarship Competition Students
This year about 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. These students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2021 competition by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NQMST).
WPHS 2022 National Merit Scholarship Commended Students:
Cristopher Brown
Gloria Mundadan
Jimena Perez-Tetuan
Sarah Sagner
This year WPHS has a 2022 National Merit Scholarship Competition Semifinalist!
Congratulations to Benjamin Goldman on the prestigious recognition! Best of luck Ben!
#WPProud
Guidance Night
Please join us for our guidance night on the Senior College Application Toolkit on Thursday,
October 7th at 6:30p.m via Zoom. This presentation is designed for seniors and their parents/guardians.
You will be given an overview of the college application process in Naviance and a checklist of
things that must be done in order for you to put together an outstanding applications in time to
meet your deadlines.
We will also discuss the types of applications, methods of applying, and all of the different elements that the student is responsible for in completing each application. We will also be joined by a financial aid representative from a local college to discuss financial aid
topics such as loans, scholarships, FAFSA and work study.
Get Involved!
Any questions regarding Clubs and Activities can be directed to Dr. Natasha Freeman-Mack, Student Activities Administrator.
Any questions regarding athletic participation can be directed to Mr. Matt Cameron, Athletics Director.
PSAT Day October 13th
- The exam will start at 7:40 and will end at 11:45pm. Freshman will take the PSAT 8/9 and Sophomores and Juniors will take the PSAT/NMSQT. No registration is required.
- Senior College application and essay writing assistance—On Wednesday, October 13th English teachers and school counselors will be in the media center to help seniors work on their college applications.
Southern Westchester College Fair
WPHS Guidance Team Honored by LUCA!
The WPHS Guidance Department is being recognized as a Partnership Honoree by the nonprofit organization Latino U College Access (LUCA) for our support of educational equity. WPHS and Latino U College Access have been partners since 2015! LUCA and the Guidance Department partner in guiding first-generation, low-income Latino students and families as they pursue higher education - from college exploration to graduation and into thriving careers. We look forward to celebrating with them at their hybrid 9th Annual Benefit – Visiones: Ripple Effect - on Thursday, October 28th. Please join us in support of LUCA by donating online by visiting here . Please know that your generosity will transform lives for generations to come.
AP Exam Registration
Free Breakfast and Lunch at WPHS!
USDA Announces Meals at No Charge for ALL Students!
The Food and Nutrition Program will once again provide nutritious BREAKFAST AND LUNCH MEALS FREE OF CHARGE FOR ALL STUDENTS!
Click here for Food Services Department and Benefits Form.
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WPHS PTA Corner
The PTA provides support to our school community in a variety of ways, such as grants, staff appreciation, and scholarships!
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Useful Links
White Plains HS
From Advanced Placement courses in all major subjects to participation in the Advanced College Experience (ACE) Program at Westchester Community College, the quality of the school's programs is reflected each year in the honors and awards achieved by individual students, teams and clubs. Extracurricular programs include more than 50 clubs, the literary publication The Roar, and performing arts groups. In addition, the school competitively fields over 45 New York State Section I athletic teams. The school was selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a School of Excellence in l986-87.
Website: https://www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/Domain/95
Location: 550 North Street, White Plains, NY, USA
Phone: (914) 422-2182
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/White-Plains-High-School-109858924185311
Twitter: @WPTigerPride