On April 20, Walnut High School will begin distance learning where our teachers will deliver instruction from a virtual platform. Thank you for your patience and understanding as our staff spent the last three weeks training and preparing to support instruction through online learning platforms, moving curriculum to an online environment, preparing additional support for our students, as well as making sure we are all on the same page as a staff.

The video above will briefly cover our distance learning schedule, GLC/counseling support, grading policy, tips to successfully transition into online learning, digital citizenship, and additional support for our Mustang students. An attachment of the distance learning schedule can be found below for your reference.

As we lead up to April 20, we ask that you do the following:

• Have students establish a quiet workplace with limited distractions
• Put all of your materials in one location
• Students should begin checking email or electronic communication regularly from their classroom teacher
• Make sure your child remembers to move and exercise. This is vitally important to their health, well-being, and learning. Teachers may recommend activities or exercises.
• Reach out to the teacher immediately if you have any questions.

Over the next week, we will send out additional support that will help parents with their child in regards to accessing student e-mail, Google Classroom, contacting GLC's through Google Chat, and accessing grades through Aeries.

This is the first time we are conducting distance learning as a school, as students, and parents. Let's work together, show each other grace, and finish the semester on a positive note as we work to support our Mustangs. On behalf of the Walnut High School staff, we want to thank you for your patience, support, and understanding during these unprecedented times. We are beyond thankful for our parents and community!

Ryan Maine

Principal

PS. Check out our Virtual Staff Dance Challenge we sent to our students today. We needed to mix it up from staring at screens over the past three weeks!

GLC availability

The GLC’s will be available to answer emails from 9:00-3:00 pm Monday-Friday. They will also be available to Google Chat from 1:00-2:00 or by appointment.

Check email regularly

It is very important that you check your email on a regular basis. GLC’s will be contacting students via the students school email account and/or parent email.

Check your REMIND

The GLC’s will be sending out information on a regular basis through REMIND. If you have not signed up for your class REMIND, please do so immediately. You can find the codes on the WHS Website.

Transcripts

If you need a transcript, you can see it on your Student Portal. You may also make an account on Parchment (Link on WHS website) and view it free or have one sent from that site. If you need it in another format, please contact your GLC for help.

Check the WHS/District Website

For up to date information please check out the WHS website also the Walnut Valley Unified School District Website.

College Admission changes

Shortly we will be providing information and links regarding the changes coming for admission to colleges.

Summer registration appointment

If you have not made your summer registration appointment with your GLC yet, please contact Mrs. Markel at smarkel@wvusd.k12.ca.us

Work Permit

· Download work permit application from website (located under Students then Work Permit) or https://www.walnuths.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=294771&type=d&pREC_ID=679838

· Complete Student/Parent sections and take to employer.

· Once form is completed, scan or take photo of form and email to Shirley Markel @ smarkel@wvusd.k12.ca.us. Permit will be processed within 48 hours and emailed back to the students.

On Thursday, April 16th, Trevor Packer, Senior Vice President for Advance Placement and Instruction at College Board, will be hosting a parent webinar to discuss this year’s at-home exams and how to help students prepare. The link is found below.

Grad Night - We are working closely with Disneyland on their next steps and how they plan to refund the money, postpone to another time, or provide some type of package for students to go at anytime. Once we get information we will send that out right away.

Diplomas - We are working closely with our district to figure out a plan to hand out diplomas to our Graduating Seniors.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the closure of so many schools, the IB has decided to cancel the 2020 May exams. However, the IB still intends to award Diplomas and Certificates. They have explained that the awarding of Diplomas and Certificates will be based on the grade from the internal assessment associated with each class, the teacher’s predicted grade and other statistical data to determine what grade they think the students would have scored had they taken the exam. They will still release results in July. The IB has said that any students who are unhappy with their results will have the option to take the actual IB exams during the 2020 November exam session. Further information can be found on the IB website. Please visit ibo.org.

This is the link for anyone who is interested in joining the Color Guard for the 2020-2021 school year! Because of the current school situation, we will not have color guard clinics or tryouts this year. Anyone who is interested in joining should sign up on the link and will be welcomed on the team (no color guard or dance experience necessary!)

• Publications Apps due Tuesday, April 21
• Email your app to: stan@wvusd.k12.ca.us
• Interviews will be held Thurs and Fri, April 23-24
• Zoom info will be given to applicants upon submission

Early this week, our staff has been working around the clock to provide the resources your child will need over the next four weeks. At this time, your child should have heard from their teachers in regards to what to expect in their classes over the next 16 days of school closure. Our staff has created an academic resource webpage for each subject that will help your child review, enrich, and practice during this closure time. We encourage you to utilize these resources with your child to help minimize the learning gap. The resources page can be found below as well as a tutorial video on how to access these documents.

For questions and inquiries to district staff, we have prepared a web-based communication resource for parents/students/community members to contact the district. Click on the tab titled, "COVID-19 School Closure Inquiries" on our District website homepage https://www.wvusd.k12.ca.us/ to submit your questions and inquiries. District staff will respond to you in a timely manner.

Please see the video below from our AP Computer Science Teacher, Nick Blackford, on how our AP Students can utilize free, live, AP review lessons delivered from teachers across the country.

Most AP teachers and students we surveyed prefer to test earlier, while the content is still fresh.

• Exams will be given from May 11–22.
• Makeup test dates will be available for each subject from June 1–5.

• Students can take exams at home or in schools, if they reopen.

• Each subject's exam will be taken on the same day at the same time, worldwide.

Exam Format

• Most exams will have one or two free-response questions, and each question will be timed separately. Students will need to write and submit their responses within the allotted time for each question.

• Students will be able to take exams on any device they have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. They'll be able to type and upload their responses or write responses by hand and submit a photo via their cell phones.

• For most subjects, the exams will be 45 minutes long, plus an additional 5 minutes for uploading. Students will need to access the online testing system 30 minutes early to get set up.

• Certain courses—Art and Design: 2D; Art and Design: 3D; Computer Science Principles; Drawing; Research; and Seminar—will use portfolio submissions and will not have a separate online exam. All deadlines for these submissions have been extended to May 26, 2020, 11:59 p.m. ET. Teachers and students may receive separate course-specific communications.

• Students taking world language and culture exams will complete two spoken tasks consistent with free-response questions 3 and 4 on the current AP Exam. Written responses will not be required. We'll provide additional details in the coming weeks to help students prepare.

To learn more about the rationale behind the exam content, watch Trevor Packer's presentation.

Some parents have requested additional guidance from others on how to implement social distancing with teenagers. Here are a few links that you might find useful:

• Tip From Mom in Italy About Covid-19 and Teens
• The Challenges of Social Distancing for Teens
• Tips for Managing Your Child’s Social Distancing

Congrats to Ricki Garay on her softball commitment to Salem University. We wish her all of the success as she continues her softball and academic career.

A statement from Ricki:

9th GRADE (Class of 2023)

Sarah Doramus (interim) (A – Li, ext. 43649)

Jeff Jacks (Lo – Z, ext. 43626)

10th GRADE (Class of 2022)

Ken McDill (A - Lo, ext. 43635)

Corolar Schultz (Lu – Z, ext. 43630)

11th GRADE (Class of 2021)

Viviana Hoyos (A – Lo, ext. 43641)

Sonia Nunez (Lu – Z, ext. 43616)

12th GRADE (Class of 2020)

Nathan Newman (A – Lo, ext. 43632)

Jenny Alegre (Lu – Z, ext. 43644)

ADP (Academic Design Program)

Elisabeth Everts (ext. 34264)

Intervention Counselor

Jennifer Peiten (ext. 43663)

We encourage everyone to take a moment to review the PowerPoints presented.

Please click on the appropriate grade level of your student.

These Scholarships are presented by Ray McMullen and Dedicated to Learning Inc. (D2L). D2L is a nonprofit corporation that provides summer school for the middle and high school students of this area.

The corporation is dedicated to developing innovative solutions that create extraordinary opportunities for students and educators around the world. All profits beyond the D2L operational costs are given to schools and school districts as well as to students. One of these scholarships will be presented to a student at Diamond Bar High School and another at Walnut High School.

Nancy McMullen, was an extraordinary elementary school teacher who went to UCLA as an art major and a biological science minor. She later taught for 30 years in the Covina School District. In addition to her teaching and work with kids, she maintained her passion for art and was a water color painter.

• These $1,000 scholarships are given annually in her memory and are intended to help young people pursue a career in a field of the visual arts.
• Applications will be reviewed by a committee of educators and artists.
• The deadline for the application materials and the supporting piece of art is May 8.

Applications can be sent to:

Lindsay Miyamoto 19376 Red Hawk Road

Walnut, CA 91789

Applications can also be emailed to: LIVE4MTM@gmail.com

Questions can also be answered by calling Lindsay Miyamoto at:(626) 646-3485

CLICK BELOW for a senior scholarship application from PEARLS of Service, Inc., a newly established nonprofit tax-exempt organization.

The applicant can select from three choices. Please note for one choice the GPA can be 2.50. Please share with the appropriate seniors. The deadline date has been extended to May 15, 2020.