Wolfpack Howler
Volume 19 Issue 15 - December 30, 2020
Quarter 3 Updates and Instructional Options
Hello Students, Parents and Guardians,
Starting in January, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District intends to provide more options for in-person learning, while still providing remote learning, eLearning, and BEST Homeschool choices for families. At the start of this school year, parents and students were presented with three options, a blend of In-Person and Remote Instruction, eLearning with a FNSBSD teacher, or homeschooling through the Fairbanks BEST Homeschool. Due to many factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the schools have operated in a remote learning environment for all of first semester, with only the most high need students having access to in-person instruction. Starting next semester, all students who wish, will have access to in-person instruction at their school.
However, knowing that choice is important and that not all families will feel comfortable with their student(s) returning to in-person schooling during the pandemic, we will continue to offer instructional models that allow students to remain home.
The Four Instructional Options for 2nd Semester are explained in images below in basic terms. Each school will have a slightly different way of addressing Remote and In Person Instruction, so please keep reading for school specific details.
At West Valley our In-Person option will look like this:
Instruction will vary depending on teacher and subject area, however, in-person students will follow their current 3rd quarter schedule and can expect that during their class time, their teacher will also be interacting with classmates who are remote. There will likely be a mix of direct instruction and independent work and students may have synchronous/asynchronous interactions with remote classmates as well.
Students will attend their 3 classes every day, five days a week following the new bell schedule.
1st Period: 9:15 - 10:35am
2nd Period: 10:45-12:05
Lunch & SSP: 12:05-1:15 (there will be 2-3 staggered lunch periods)
3rd Period: 1:25-2:45
Also note: Passing periods, end of day release, lunch time, and bathroom breaks will be staggered at assigned times by Zones.
Here are some of the major changes students can expect to see if they choose to attend in-person. Additionally, there is a video below highlighting these changes.
NO LOCKERS - you will be required to carry your belongings with you to your classes.
All students will need to have a device with them during the school day - if you need one, call us!
Social distancing to the extent possible as well as assigned seats in all classrooms.
Hand sanitizers and wipes will be available in each room. Students will be responsible for cleaning their desk areas.
Lunch will be eaten in assigned locations throughout the building. WE WILL BE A CLOSED CAMPUS, so leaving the building during lunch will not be an option. Students will either need to bring their own lunch, or get lunch from the school cafeteria and will be required to stay in assigned lunch locations for the entirety of the lunch period.
Water fountains are turned off, so please bring your own water bottle.
And our Remote Instruction option will look like this:
Remote students will also follow their current 3rd quarter schedule and can anticipate that instruction will vary depending on teacher and subject area. Following the new bell schedule, remote students will be notified of the times during the period that they will meet with the teacher synchronously. During the rest of the class period, they may have independent work to complete or students may have synchronous/asynchronous interactions with remote and/or in-person classmates.
Students will attend their 3 classes every day, five days a week following the new bell schedule.
1st Period: 9:15 - 10:35am
2nd Period: 10:45-12:05
Lunch: 12:05-1:15
3rd Period: 1:25-2:45
Please keep this in mind as you complete the choice form below. Also, remember that the choice you make today can be revisited later. You are not locked into your choice. Please feel free to contact West Valley for assistance. Call 479-4221 Jan 4 and later. Or email us at contact-wvh@k12northstar.org.
Click on this link to access choice form: FNSBSD 2nd Semester Instructional School Choice
Thank you for taking the time to complete this form. Please make sure to fill out a new form for each of your children.
Sincerely,
Sarah Gillam
Principal, West Valley HS
Non-Senior Yearbook Portrait Instructions - DUE Jan 17th
Hi West Valley Students and Families!
This year, the yearbook staff has decided to do things a little differently. We have not been able to have school photographers take pictures of the entire student body, so Instead we are asking all non-senior students to go through the process at the following link to submit a photo for their school picture.
Go to this website: https://high5.id/p/epl2y
Enter your student id number (JUST THE 6-DIGIT #, NO ‘s’)
Follow the steps and use the provided frame to capture your portrait and send it to us via High5
Photos will be checked for quality and you may be asked to retake
You do NOT have to do anything with the ID card
These portraits should be submitted no later than January 17th @ 11:59pm.
Requirements:
100% school appropriate content.
School admin has the final word on this; any inappropriate content, even accidental, will result in the photo being permanently removed from the book without a second chance.
Pictures must be recognizably you.
If you are unable to complete the portrait process, or if you have any other questions, please contact West Valley Yearbook: wolfpackyearbook@gmail.com.
Thank you!
COVID-19 Vaccine Info with Dr. Mishelle Nace
Upcoming Events:
Dec 18 | Virtual MOVIE Night for Students @ 6pm
Dec 19-Jan 3 | Winter Break
2021: Link to School District Calendar
Jan 4 & 5 | NO SCHOOL - Professional Development and Work Days
Jan 5 & 6 | 8am-3pm - Materials Pick-up
Jan 6 | Classes Start
Jan 12 | PTSA General Membership Meeting @ 6pm | Zoom Link
Jan 26 | PSAT - More details to come
Counseling Office Contacts
The Counseling Department:
WVHS Counseling Office: 479-4221 ext. 46520
Mr. Blackburn - A-G (10th-12th) ext 46525 - willie.blackburn@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Everts - H-N (10th-12th) ext 46527 - paula.bettano-everts@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Gillis - O-Z (10th-12th) ext 46523 - karin.gillis@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Sprague - all Freshmen ext 46524 - anna.sprague@k12northstar.org
COVID-19 Safety Protocols
Current Risk Level = HIGH
GENERAL SAFETY PROTOCOLS:
- All visitors, students and staff in the building must wear a mask and maintain social distancing at all times.
- The student daily decision tree is posted below, but students should not come to school if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, have traveled outside of Alaska or have had close contact with a positive COVID-19 case within the last 14 days, or has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 10 days.
- At the bottom of this email, Dr. Anne Zink explains in a video the different between quarantine and isolation in case you've wondered what those terms mean.
- If you have any questions or concerns - please call our school nurse, Corinne Roe (x46540).
INDOOR ACTIVITIES:
- At the High Risk Level, no spectators are allowed for indoor events
ALL ACTIVITIES:
- For all activities, both indoor and outdoor, all spectators must wear masks covering nose and mouth at all times while at the activity.
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