Wolfpack Howler
Volume 20 Issue 2 - Aug 16, 2021
BACK TO SCHOOL IS HERE!
If you ever miss a Howler Newsletter - you can find all of the past issues here.
Start of school events:
Monday, August 16 -
- West Valley Open House
- WHO: ALL West Valley Students and their Families
- WHEN: 6-7:30pm
- WHAT:
6-6:30pm - Parent Orientation in the PAC.
6:30-7:30pm - Get schedules and lockers, meet teachers, find classes, learn about activities/sports, and join our PTSA!
Wednesday, August 18 -
- West Valley PREVIEW Day
- WHO: Freshmen, sophomores and students new to West Valley are invited
- WHEN: 7:30am - 2pm (School breakfast and lunch will be served)
- WHAT: A sneak preview for students 'new' to West Valley. Students will be able to meet all of their teachers and know where their classes are located.
Thursday, August 19
- First Day of School for ALL students (we will follow a Mon/Fri 1-6 schedule)
Extension Period (Tues/Wed/Thus @ 1-2pm)
Hello Wolfpack Families and Welcome to the 2021-2022 School Year!
This year we will be offering an Extension Period for our students on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Extensions are an awesome opportunity for students to:
Learn about how to navigate High School and their next steps well;
Get more support from their classroom teachers if they are struggling;
Engage in an enrichment activity that matches their interests and goals;
Retake a course during the regular school day;
And so much more!
During the first part of the year, all students in grades 9-12 will be required to attend this period so that they can engage in relationship-building activities with their peers, next step exploration and planning, and in the trainings we offer each year to ensure they are living healthy lives. In the second part of the year, students will have access to more options that suit their learning needs, goals, and interests.
Every 9th and 10th grade student will be enrolled in a grade-level seminar throughout the year to ensure they are successful academically and socially in our school community. es or who needs an opportunity to retake a course will be enrolled in an appropriate extension. This will allow them to get the support they need and to earn their required credits within the regular school day. 11th and 12th grade students who are on track to meet their graduation goals will be given the option to leave campus and have this period 'excused' if that feels right for your family and they have their own transportation.
As a staff, we are focusing on the ways that collaboration can improve this offering over time. Extensions are new this year, and we do expect some trial and error as we learn what will work best for our school community. We welcome your feedback and suggestions along the way!
Thank you for your partnership!
Sarah Gillam
Principal, West Valley HS
Our Mission: Learn to work and think for life.
Nutrition Services Update: Breakfast and Lunch at No Charge to ALL students this year!
All West Valley students (in person and eLearning) can eat breakfast and lunch at NO CHARGE this school year.
Breakfast is served Monday-Friday before school from7-7:30am.
Lunch is served Mondays and Fridays 10:30-11:00 and Tues/Wed/Thurs 11:15-11:45.
More Details:
- USDA has provided a participation option through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) which gives us the ability to offer Breakfast and Lunch at NO-CHARGE for the 2021-2022 school year to all students enrolled in a school that participates in our NSLP program. (i.e. if your child attends an FNSBSD school that has an NSLP lunch program, they get to get 1 no-charge reimbursable lunch & breakfast meal per day.)
- Students enrolled in E-learning at participating schools are able to pick up meals when the school is serving the students in attendance. E-learning students can pick up breakfast and lunch at one serving period (e.g., the student arrives at breakfast, both meals can be taken).
- Ala Carte items (e.g., bags of chips, extra milk, etc.) are not free of charge.
Even though meals are at no charge for the 21-22 school year, we highly encourage families to complete the 2021-2022 meals application Free & Reduced Meals Application. meal status is still used to provide assistance with course fees, exam fees, and federal funding for the District to name a few.
1:1 devices for every student at WVHS
All students will be able to check out a Chromebook for school this year (both in person and eLearning students) if needed. Students must have a parent/guardian sign the districts AUP (Acceptable Use Policy). Each guardian was emailed a link to this form on August 10th allowing you to sign the policy electronically. If you would prefer to sign a paper form, it is available in the West Valley library. Guardians may sign it on open house night so their high school student can check out a Chromebook.
*If you have not returned your Chromebook from last year, you will not be able to check out a new device. Please return your Chromebook. It will need to be updated for this school year.
Click here for the FNSB School District Acceptable Use Policy & Agreement
Other Languages: 中文, Español, Tagalog, Tiếng Việt
Students can check out their Chromebooks from the library when getting textbooks on the first three days of school. Every student will need to have a device by August 30th to use in their classes.
Plan to bring your Chromebook or other device to classes each school day. Be sure it is fully charged for class.
Face Masks are Optional
Last June the FNSBSD School Board voted to make masks optional across all grade levels for both students and staff. I encourage you to talk with your high school student about masking to make the best decision for your family.
*Masks are required on the school bus per federal guidelines and in the nurse's office as it is a medical setting.
- Currently the CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status as a layer of mitigation and prevention.
- In the K–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes** students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student if both the infected student and the exposed student(s) correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time.
**This exception does not apply to teachers, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting. - The CDC also encourages communities to monitor local COVID Data for current trends.
For my family, I will continue to wear a mask in busy common spaces (hallways, lunch, classrooms, etc.) in order to stay healthier and protect my children, who are too young to get vaccinated yet.
Below you will find more information on COVID-19 mitigation in our district
COVID-19 Mitigation:
Read more about the FNSBSD's COVID Mitigation plan:
- Hover over 2021-22 School Year on the main menu bar and select COVID-19.
-Click Mitigation Plans 2021-22 on the main menu bar.
-Click the COVID-19 Info slide. - FNSBSD COVID Mitigation Protocols - This document is new to 2021-22 and contains detailed mitigation information.
- 2021-22 District Operational Guidelines - This document is a summary of the mitigation protocols and also contains more academic-related items such as info on recess, learning options, etc.
- Symptom Free Schools: Wellness Check for Students and Staff - This document provides guidance to students and staff about what to do if they are not feeling well. For detailed guidance regarding positive COVID cases or close contacts, there is a link to the DHSS COVID-19 Guidance.
- DHSS COVID-19 Guidance - Summary of DHSS guidance regarding positive cases and close contacts.
COVID Mitigation Materials:
Feel free to contact West Valley's school nurse, Corinne Roe, with any questions. 479-4221 x46540
PREVIEW Day Q & A
Who can come?
- Freshmen, sophomores and students new to West Valley HS are invited to attend.
What time is Preview Day?
- Preview Day runs regular school hours: 7:30am-2pm.
Are buses running?
- Yes. If you have not yet registered for the bus, please do so here.
Will lunch be served?
- Yes! And lunch is available free to all students this year.
What will we do?
- Students will get their schedules and lockers. Everyone will have a chance to run through a mini-schedule - attending each class for 45 minutes to start to get to know classmates, and their teachers.
What should I bring on Preview Day?
- Yourself! No need to bring any school supplies, you'll hear more about what you'll be doing in classes later in the week.
Counseling Office Update
Up until the first day of school, schedules will continue to be adjusted to balance class size. Please be patient as we continue to enroll new students and work to create the best schedule possible for everyone.
Message from Administration and Counseling Regarding Schedules
Schedules are not finalized - Classes still need to be balanced/leveled which may result in schedule changes. Keep in mind when requesting schedule changes, they're not guaranteed.
Please see below the list of priorities we follow when dealing with schedule change requests:
- Student has an incomplete schedule.
- New student enrollments.
- Change is needed for senior missing graduation requirements and/or college and career entrance.
- Student has been scheduled into a course out of sequence (i.e., Spanish 3 before Spanish 1).
- Student did not pass a class that was a prerequisite for another.
- Student has been scheduled into a course previously passed.
- Class sizes must be balanced.
Please understand that all of these priorities come BEFORE requested changes based on preferred teachers, periods, or classmates.
WVHS Counseling Office: 479-4221 ext. 46520
Willie Blackburn | A-F (10th-12th) ext 46525
Colleen Johnston | G-N (10th-12th) ext 46524
Anna Sprague | O-Z (10th-12th) ext 46527
Teesha Lane | all Freshmen ext 46523
Upcoming Events:
2021: Link to School District Calendar
AUG 16 | Wolfpack OPEN HOUSE: 6-7:30pm
AUG 18 | FIRST DAY for 9th and 10th graders
AUG 19 | First Day for ALL Students
eLearning for the 2021-2022 School Year
For more information about eLearning classes, please visit the district website at https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/10750. To sign-up for eLearning or to discuss options, please contact your Counselor.
West Valley High School
Email: contact-wvh@k12northstar.org
Website: https://www.k12northstar.org/westvalley
Location: 3800 Geist Road, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Phone: (907)479-4221
Facebook: facebook.com/wvhWolfpack/
Twitter: @wvhWolfpack