Notes from Dr. Irvin
Your Weekly WGHS eNews for February 7
Hello Parents and Guardians,
In my own athletic career, I had the star-crossed fortune to have played football and basketball for two hall of fame coaches and outstanding classroom teachers during high school. Steve Stahl and Terry Hollander both overtly and consistently believed and challenged me in ways that others did not or could not. Both have been touchstones for me as a college athlete, a beginning teacher/coach and were among the first I notified when I successfully defended my dissertation. Clearly they had a transformational impact on my trajectory as an athlete, a student and a person. I am certain that was a similar experience for countless of young men for decades that came into contact with either.
Both have the school competition setting for their respective sport named in their honor, but both have changed a community and the people they helped construct.
At the funeral of my SMSU (Missouri State) teammate Chuckie Calhoun, both his high school football and basketball coach were in attendance, bringing both cherished recollections and support to a beleaguered family and Lutheran North community. Those men, like many other educators, provided encouragement to their charges and worked to embed a belief of confidence that comes from preparation and purpose. More than any win or championship, coaches support the vision of a greater self for the young people they direct. I am seeing that more clearly with some distance from my own experiences and hope to foster it with our educators and students.
Best,
Matt Irvin
A Peek at the Week Ahead
- February 7: Experiential Learning (EXL) Parent Meeting, 7 p.m., PV Commons
- February 13: Jazz Band Concert
- February 14: End of Progress period
- February 15: NO SCHOOL; PD Day
- February 18: NO SCHOOL; President's Day
Flu vs. Cold--Know the Difference
Dear Webster Groves families,
This week several of our schools have seen an increase in the number of “Flu” cases. This note is a reminder of the symptoms, care and prevention of the “flu.”
The schools will continue to guard against the spread of the disease by keeping surfaces clean and encouraging hand washing, the use of hand gel as appropriate and reminding students to “cover their coughs.”
Children should not be sent to school with temperatures at or above 100 degrees F. They should not be given Tylenol or Motrin (ibuprofen) if they have a fever in the morning then sent to school. Fluids and rest are very important during the illness. There are antivirals that can be given by a physician to possibly lessen symptoms and length of illness as well as possibly prevent others in the household from catching the virus. This medication needs to be given within 48 hours of symptoms so calling your doctor as soon as they become apparent so that all care options can be discussed is important. On the graph below, the infectious period for “flu” is 1 day before symptoms and up to 7 days after symptoms begin. Helping us manage the spread of the disease is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your assistance,
Rachel Huertas, RN
Webster Groves High School
Webster Feeds Seeks Donations at Jazz Concert
The Ryan family has been running Webster Feeds for the last nine years. This year they will be doing a “light drive” at the jazz concert at WGHS on February 13. If you attend to hear the live music, consider bringing in a box of pasta, rice, grains, hot or cold cereal, and/or baby cereal. They ask that you do not bring in any ramen noodles due to the lack of nutritional value. If you aren’t able to bring a boxed good, consider bringing a few dollars in cash. They also run an online donation on their Facebook page, Webster Feeds. They will also be holding a happy hour at Llywelyn’s on February 20. For any questions you can email senior Rosie Ryan at rr101200@wgcloud.org.
Summer Experiential Learning Opportunities Await!
A Summer Experiential Learning Opportunities meeting for parents and students will be held TONIGHT at 7 p.m. in the PV Commons. Come find out about this exciting new way to learn and earn credit while participating in internships, doing service learning, or traveling. Hands-on, real-world experiential mini-classes, which allow students to earn a quarter-credit or half-credit in one to two weeks, will also be discussed. Hundreds of students participated in our cutting edge Experiential Learning opportunities during the past several summers. Make sure your student is aware of all WGHS has to offer this summer. We look forward to seeing you tonight!
All-Write Festival Coming Soon!
The 2019 All Write festival lineup was announced this week, and this year is sure to be out of this world! Taking place March 4-8 with over 35 featured guests, professional writers of all varieties and genres, the fifth annual event will be an innovative, cross-curricular educational experience at Webster Groves High School. This year’s headliners are bestselling Young Adult novelists Kara Thomas, Robin Talley, and Chris Crutcher, educator and poet Tongo Eisen-Martin, slam poet Ashlee Haze, and music biographer Peter Ames Carlin. Throughout the festival, our visiting writers instill the art of writing, the value of reading, the power of words, the intellectual pursuit of ideas, and the humanity of shared experiences, thereby inspiring countless numbers of our students to write, to think, to learn, and to carry these skills and principles into the world. Read more about 2019 All Write lineup here and contact Katie Guymon, English teacher at WGHS, with any questions.
No-Tax-Rate Increase Bond Issue Proposition E Meeting
Webster Groves School District Residents
are invited to come hear more about
the April 2 No-Tax-Rate Increase Bond Issue Proposition E
6:30-8:30 p.m. Wed., Feb. 13
Hixson Middle School Auditorium
Over the past several weeks, the district has presented information on safety, accessibility and space needs in our schools and gathered feedback from community members through meetings, surveys and focus groups.
Based on what we heard, the Board of Education has placed a no-tax-rate-increase $22 million bond issue on the April 2 ballot that will improve safety and accessibility in all district buildings and relieve overcrowding in elementary schools.
Please plan to attend this important meeting! Bring your questions and comments.
Free babysitting will be available. If you will need this service, please call Shari Meyers at 314-918-4004 or email meyers.shari@wgmail.org
Celebrations/Announcements
Congratulations to the following mini-grant recipients! Special thanks to the WGSD Foundation for funding such worthwhile projects.
Greg Fick, “Canvas Creativity”
Nicholas Kirschman, “VR Robots”
Diane Stromberg/Liam Owens, “Junior Garden”
Other Important News
Procedures for Check-Out During the School Day
We often get questions about how to check out of school early for appointments. If students know in advance that they need to check out from school, they should bring a written, signed note from a parent stating the time at which they are to check out. Students should present their request to the assistant principal’s office before school. Parents may also call in to the Assistant Principal's office ahead of time and have students check out at the designated time. When leaving school during the day, students must check out through the assistant principal’s office. If students do not follow this procedure, their absence will be considered cutting class. In case of sickness, students check out through the school nurse. In case of emotional upset, students should see their counselors or an administrator to discuss whether or not to remain in school.
When students need to check out of school early:
- Call the Assistant Principal's office before the designated time and report the absence. You may also send a note with the student to be presented to the Assistant Principal's office before school.
- At the designated time, your student will receive a pass to check out if you called ahead. The student will check out in the Assistant Principal's office.
- You do not need to enter the building if you have called the absence in and communicated a pick-up location with your child. However, if you choose to pick up your child in the building, you must do so in the Assistant Principal's office. Upon entering the building, sign-in in the main office and proceed to the Assistant Principal's office.
All attendance procedures are outlined in detail in the Student Handbook. To report your child's absence, please call your child's assistant principal's office directly:
Dwight Kirksey--918.4139
Shiree Yeggins-Campbell--918.4132
Angela Thompson--918.4127
John E. Thomas--918.4131
Webster Groves High School
Email: erb.mickey@wgmail.org
Website: hs.webster.k12.mo.us
Location: 100 Selma Avenue, Webster Groves, MO, USA
Phone: (314) 963-6400
Facebook: facebook.com/WGAlumni
Twitter: @WebsterGrovesHS