WHS/SMS Newsletter
5/4/20
Important Dates
May 5 - 6: Senior Project Presentations online 2 - 5pm. Timeslots have been assigned, please check the Google Classroom for your assigned time.
May 7: Last day for seniors to submit schoolwork
May 8: Senior materials dropoff (textbooks, library books, uniforms, etc)
May 9: Virtual Prom
May 10: Mother's Day
May 12: Pre-Recording the Graduation Walk 3 - 7pm. Timeslots will be assigned. Please let us know if there is a time conflict or if a family member that will need wheelchair access.
May 13: Virtual Senior Award Ceremony at 5:30 pm
May 15: Virtual Graduation Ceremony at 7:00 PM on the school's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1zcJhg2fUVYMNVYn2IBmtA
May 18: Regular School Board meeting @ 7pm
May 21: Last day of school
*As students wrap up their classes, please remember that all textbooks and laptops MUST be returned to WHS/SMS in order to avoid fines.
Student of the Week
Week of 4/20 - 4/24
WHS: Randy Churchill
SMS: Ben Houser
Week of 5/4 - 5/8
WHS: Kendra Meissner
SMS: Abby Rifenburg
Congratulations to these students! They will be receiving a gift card for a free drink at the Stik Cafe in the mail.
Thank you to all of our students and families who are working so hard to make things work in these challenging times. We truly appreciate every single one of you!
Library Books
Senior Packet
Senior Laptop Purchasing
Laptops are $100 each. Seniors must fill out the Senior Laptop Purchasing form here: https://forms.gle/vwvfu8vE3L1ZwvxTA
Requirements:
- Student must graduate from Wrangell High School
- Students may have the opportunity to purchase their laptops at the end of their senior year. If a student has been present in the district for his or her entire high school career, a buy out plan will be determined for the student’s laptop. This is under the condition that the student still has the same machine he or she was issued as a 9th grader, has paid for any damage incurred if repairs were possible in house, has paid the fees each year, and has signed all required. Wrangell Public Schools Student Technology Handbook paperwork. If a student transfers in during high school, that student may also have the opportunity to purchase his or her computer. The price will be determined by the tech staff, with board approval, based on the computer’s fair market value and/or the District’s depreciation schedule.
- Students that were assigned equipment that was damaged and not able to be repaired, for any issue, are not eligible for laptop purchase.
Laptops must be cleared of district software and disconnected from district systems before private ownership begins.
(This may be possible remotely thanks to new tech, but traditionally this was an in-person process.)
This is subject to final Wrangell Public School Board approval.
2nd Semester Finals Cancelled
Students and Parents of SMS and WHS:
In order to alleviate pressures during this time, there will be no Second Semester Final Exams held for SMS/WHS classes this year.
We will continue to deliver regular instruction for the rest of the school year. Please watch for updates on PowerSchool, email, and Google Classrooms and continue to let us know if you have any questions or concerns; we want to know how remote education is working for you and what improvements can be made.
Senior Project Update
- Portfolios are due to Trisa Rooney by 10:00 am May 4th. They can be emailed to her at trooney@wpsd.us
- Presentation to the Panel will be scheduled for May 5th and 6th.
- Be prepared to call in on Google hangouts to give your formal presentation to the panel.
Senior Parents
Senior Letter Recording: If you have not completed the slideshow requirements, you must get that to Heather Howe by Friday, May 8th. This is a truly memorable highlight of your Senior's graduation ceremony and would be sad if this was not included for your Senior. Your Senior's Graduation Slideshow is a big part of the pre-recorded session. You will be viewing that, with your Senior at that time. The compilation of all the Seniors' slideshows will also be included in the streamed graduation. If you need help or have questions, please contact Heather Howe (hhowe@wpsd.us).
*If you are unsure how to record with your phone and get the recording to me, please check out this website which has directions for iPhones, Androids, and Windows phones. If you are still struggling, please contact Heather Howe right away so we can come up with a solution.
May 12th GRADUATION PRE-RECORDING session will take place at the WHS gym from 3 PM to 7 PM. You will be notified of your time slot. The order will be generally alphabetical. If you have specific time constraints, please email Diane O'Brien, Senior Class Advisor at obriens@aptalaska.net Specific directions regarding how the session will be conducted will be sent out beforehand. If you could help during the day, please let us know what time you would be available. This event will meet COVID 19 mandates. Everyone should wear masks at all times while they are in the school building, except for graduates and escorts while they are in the gym and commons and when family members are taking photos with the graduate. Thank you!
SENIOR MEMORY PHOTO BOARDS traditionally these are made and displayed in the HS commons on graduation night. This year they will be displayed downtown at various store fronts so the community can view them. This can be any sort of photo/memorabilia, any size, made on almost any sturdy material (most often the tri-fold board found at Ottesen's) depicting the Senior's life in some way. This is ongoing and boards have begun to be displayed already. Be on the lookout for them in the store windows! If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Jo Blackburn, she would be glad to help you kjblkbrn@aptalaska.net
GRADUATIONS CARDS AND GIFTS may be dropped off at the WHS office. Between the hours of 12 pm and 1:00 PM would be best, as the door is monitored. Any other time, please call 874-3395 to let the office know you are at the door.
May 15 GRADUATION CEREMONY STREAMING at 7 PM Please share with friends and family. The stream can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1zcJhg2fUVYMNVYn2IBmtA
COMMUNITY PARADE will take place afterwards. A map of Grads will be developed...stay tuned as that develops!
THANK YOU for your help in making this unique 2020 Graduation a success for our students!
Graduation Walk Through
A couple things to think about before:
- Mandates have recently changed a bit, so graduates can have up to 8 family members to attend with them. If anyone is from separate households, 6 ft distance should be maintained. Keep in mind that the elevator broke down last week, so we will have to modify the route for anyone that will have trouble with the stairs. Once we send out the packet and times, let us know if anyone in your party will need this, and we will make sure you're set up.
- If the seniors want, they can have an escort or two for part of the graduation walk in the gym(in yellow below- you'll see an example in the video we send). The escort/s should be from the same household. Graduates can also do the whole walk by themselves if they'd rather.
- Everyone should wear masks at all times while they are in the school building, except for graduates and escorts while they are in the gym and commons and when family members are taking photos with the graduate.
- In the diagram below, the Family route is in green, escort/s in yellow and the graduate is in pink.
College Credit Classes Information
Students enrolled in UAS FT120 - Fisheries of Alaska had one additional week of "spring break" and started back up last week (March 23rd) with the rest of the UAS students. They will continue to learn through online lectures and distance delivery exams.
Woods and welding class grades for UAS have been finalized and students will receive full credit as we were able to complete the majority of required standards and hours.
ETT students will also receive full credit for the University and Wrangell High School as they had completed the required course material, hours and the written test. As the students were not able to complete the hands-on portion of the testing they can not at this time receive their Certification. Instructor, Chief Dorianne Sprehe is interested in exploring options for a review and testing at such time that the COVID 19 virus is contained. She will contact students at that time to make arrangements.
2020-2021 Scheduling Information
On Friday, a tutorial was sent out via email to both students and parents regarding a PowerSchool survey for the 2020 - 2021 School Year Class Requests. Please see below for the tutorial of how to complete the class requests on PowerSchool.
Class Registration Tutorial Page 1
Class Registration Tutorial Page 2
Class Registration Tutorial Page 3
WHS/SMS School Lunches
Please adhere to the following guidelines regarding WHS/SMS School Lunches:
General Guidelines:
Order your school lunch online as usual through the WPSD School Website at wpsd.us
All lunch pickup will be at 12 pm at the High School entrance on Reid St. Please do not congregate at the doors but call the High School at 874-3395 and someone will bring your lunch to your vehicle.
The following guidelines are for the ordering of lunches:
Mondays-City Market: Please have orders submitted no later than Monday morning at 8:20 am
Tuesdays and Thursdays-J&W’s: Please have orders submitted no later than 10 am on that day
Wednesdays and Fridays-Wrangell IGA: Please have orders submitted no later than 3:30 pm the day PRIOR (so for Wednesday lunch, you need to order by 3:30 pm on Tuesday; for Friday lunch, you need to order by 3:30 pm on Thursday). They are no longer making sandwiches but are doing sack lunches. Please still order to get your name on the list so we have an accurate count.
Should you have difficulties in carrying out any of these directions please email kreeves@wpsd.us or mpowell@wpsd.us or call the appropriate number below.
SMS Office at 874-3393
WHS Office at 874-3395
WHS/SMS Tech Support Contact Information
Matthew Gore
907-305-1153
Or http://wpsdtech.us and submit a ticket.
You can also schedule a time to meet digitally with Mr. Gore here: https://x.ai/calendar/gore
Wrangell Public Schools Position Announcements
Wrangell Public Schools is accepting applications for the following positions for the 2020-2021 School Year:
- K-12 Special Education Teacher: This is a full-time teaching position in Grades K-12 Special Education. The position requires an Alaska teaching certificate with appropriate endorsements in Special Education.
- Secondary Language Arts Teacher: This is a full-time teaching position in Grades 6-12 English/Language Arts. This position requires an Alaska teaching certificate with appropriate endorsements in English and/or Language Arts.
For more information and detailed job description, please contact the District Office at 907-874-2347. Positions are open until filled. It is Wrangell Public School District's policy to not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, sex or disability.
The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.—B. B. King
Wrangell High School/Stikine Middle School
Email: mpowell@wpsd.us
Website: https://wpsd.us
Phone: 907-874-3395
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WrangellPublicSchools/