Warrior Bulletin
Westside Parent & Student Newsletter for December 9, 2022
UPCOMING CALENDAR DATES
December 21, 2022 - Last Day of 1st Semester
December 22, 2022-January 4, 2023 - Holiday Break
January 4, 2023 - 1st Semester Grades Due
January 5, 2023 - First Day of 2nd Semester
January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)
February 1: First Day of Black History Month
NOTES FROM ADMINISTRATION
x2VOL ACCOUNTS NOW AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS
Westside High School will start using x2VOL to track service learning hours required for graduation starting in the 2nd semester. All students have access to an x2VOL account and can log their service hours into their account on their school issued iPad or on their mobile device. The instructions HERE have been put together to provide students with an easy way to log in and track their hours. Please click on the links in the document to view video tutorials or get answers regarding commonly asked questions.
ACT TEST PREP OPPORTUNITY (3 MOMS & A TEST)
Second Semester Three Moms and a Test ACT Prep dates for the March 21st, 2023 ACT State Test have been secured.
Families will be able to sign up after the first of the year.
At WHS:
Friday, March 3, 9:30 - 12:30 General and English Strategies
Friday March 10th 9:30 - 12:30 Math Strategies
Tuesday, March 14th : 8:00 - 11:00 Reading and Science Strategies
At Nebraska College of Medicine
Sunday, February 26th, 4:00 - 7:00 General and English Strategies
Sunday March 5th, 4:00 - 7:00 Math Strategies
Sunday March 12th, 4:00 - 7:00 Reading and Science Strategies
FIRE LANE PARKING
We have noticed an increase in fire lane parking in the main lot at Westside High School after school hours. Please use available parking stalls instead of the fire lane when picking up students so we can ensure a safe parking lot at WHS. Additionally, when waiting for students after school, please do not park in numbered stalls because we may have teachers moving from building to building at the end of each day.
WHS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM
Westside High School has seen an increase in unexcused and excused chronic absenteeism over the course of the first semester. Consistent, daily attendance at school is the biggest indicator of academic success for students, therefore WHS will be implementing some new attendance practices at the start of second semester.
When absenteeism is becoming an issue for a student, teachers will first contact parent(s)/guardian(s) to let them know that they are seeing a negative trend and then assign students mods to help get the student back on track. If the absenteeism continues, administration and counselors will work with the student and their family on an attendance contract. Finally, a student may be dropped from a course with a withdraw/failure (WF) if their attendance still does not improve. A WF will be a permanent mark on a student’s transcript and will count towards a student’s overall GPA. PLEASE NOTE: School Excused, OSS, and ISS absences WILL NOT be figured into this total. Additionally, any extenuating medical conditions and long-term illness will be considered mitigating factors by administration and counselors with doctor's notes or documentation when discussing a WF.
If you have any questions about this new attendance practice, please consult with your child’s assigned administrator or counselor.
HOMEROOM/COUNSELOR CHANGES FOR 2023-2024
Starting NEXT school year (2023-2024), Westside High School will be moving to an alphabetical based system for both counselors and homerooms. What this means is that students will be assigned to a school counselor and administrator based on their last name. Additionally, to better serve students academically and with their social and emotional needs, homerooms will be divided up alphabetically and by grade level. These changes will allow us to provide better service to both students and families and more information will be forthcoming as we begin registering for next year's classes in the spring.
1ST SEMESTER GRADES
Teachers will submit 1st semester grades by the end of the day on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. At this point in time, report cards will be emailed home to families.
WESTSIDE ACTIVITIES & ATHLETICS
- Download the Warrior App for your smartphone on the App Store or Google Play
- Scan the QR Code in the picture to the left
- Download the Hometown Fan App on the App Store or Google Play
- Go to the Westside Community Schools Box Office HERE
We want to make attending athletic and activity events as easy as possible for our families, so we hope you will take advantage of this digital option to purchase tickets in advance so you can avoid the lines at events.
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
The counseling center wants to highlight our WHS students that receive any scholarships from colleges or universities. Please provide a copy of the award letter, via email or in person to:
Mrs. Acevedo at: acevedo.tina@westside66.net or
Mrs. Smith at: smith.shannon@westside66.net
If you have any questions please contact:
Dr. Londer at londer.vicki@westside66.net or
Mrs. Archie at: archie.teunnia@westside66.net
Make sure to check out the WHS Counseling website for all the latest news and updates!
SCHOLARSHIPS
Seniors and parents should check out the Scholarship Newsletter put out by the WHS School Counseling Department on a regular basis to see what scholarships may be available for Westside students.
DECEMBER SENIOR INFORMATION
December 10 - ACT Assessment
December 15 - Admission decisions for ED, EA and REA are typically released
On your radar (December):
If you applied and were accepted into your ED school you are obligated to withdraw your other applications.
Students not accepted into their ED school make sure to complete your other applications. Students are able to apply EDII to some universities. EDII deadlines are typically between December 15th-January 1st.
NO college applications will be processed over winter break. You MUST notify your counselor of ALL universities you will be applying to on or before December 4!
PARENT & STUDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
40 DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS
Asset 13: Neighborhood Boundaries
Make time to be a good neighbor
When people don’t take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior in their neighborhood, sometimes it’s due to fear. But often it’s due to peoples’ busy and somewhat solitary lives. Young people fare better when they have adults in their lives who expect them to do their best. To achieve the most positive effects, parents and guardians, schools, youth organizations, and, yes, neighbors all need to be involved in providing rules, monitoring behavior, and setting high expectations. Remember: everyone is someone’s neighbor. Young people benefit from knowing their neighbors are looking out for their safety, as well as monitoring their behavior. Don’t become paralyzed by fear, apathy, or the pure busyness of life. Neighborhood Boundaries is Asset 13 of Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets, the qualities, experiences, and relationships that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.
Here are the facts
Research shows that young people will focus more of their energy on positive activities than on negative ones if they live in a neighborhood in which neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior. About 47 percent of young people, ages 11–18, say they have neighbors who take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior, according to Search Institute surveys. Creating and enforcing neighborhood boundaries helps promote leadership, fairness, and success among young people.
Tips for building this asset
You don’t have to be a community organizer to help create a community where neighbors monitor young people’s behavior. All you need to do is get to know the people who live near you—children and their parents. Talk with parents about the boundaries they would like for their children in the neighborhood.
Also try this
- In your home and family: Talk with your child about the importance of following rules in your neighborhood and community: What are the boundaries of our neighborhood? How do you know? Which neighbors seem to notice what you do? How do you feel about that?
- In your neighborhood and community: Get together with other adult neighbors—parents and nonparents. Discuss neighborhood boundaries. Identify three boundaries everyone agrees on, such as no alcohol at teen parties. Agree to help enforce the boundaries. And when you see young people making a positive contribution and setting a good example, be sure to thank them.
- In your school or youth program: Talk to the young people in your class or group about their neighborhoods. Do they know what the boundaries are? Do they feel safe in their neighborhood? Do they care about their neighborhood and how other young people behave there? If they feel they don’t know their neighbors or their neighborhood boundaries, brainstorm ways they could make positive changes in their neighborhood
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Developmental Assets® are positive factors within young people, families, communities, schools, and other settings that research has found to be important in promoting the healthy development of young people. From Instant Assets: 52 Short and Simple E-Mails for Sharing the Asset Message. Copyright © 2007 by Search Institute®, 877-240-7251; www.search-institute.org. This message may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). All rights reserved.
Westside High School
Email: dostal.jay@westside66.net
Website: https://www.westside66.org/whs
Location: 8701 Pacific Street, Omaha, NE 68114, USA
Phone: (402) 343-2600
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WestsideHigh66
Twitter: @WestsideHigh66