Westville Middle/High School
Inspire. Challenge. Educate.
Mrs. Schnick, Principal
Email: aschnick@westville.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.westville.k12.in.us
Location: 207 East Valparaiso Street Westville, IN, USA
Phone: (219) 785-2531
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westvillemiddlehighschool
MARCH NEWSLETTER
Dear Blackhawk families,
I hope this newsletter finds you well and enjoying the wonderful transition into spring! As the weather starts to warm up and the days grow longer, there's a sense of renewal and energy in the air that's truly invigorating.
March is a very busy month! We have some important upcoming events and reminders to share with you.
- SAT Test for Juniors: On March 13, all juniors will be taking the SAT test. This is a significant milestone in their academic journey, and we encourage them to prepare diligently and do their personal best. Please make sure your child is in attendance on this date.
- St. Patrick's Day Event: Miss Anderson and the student council will be hosting a special two-day St. Patrick's Day event for our elementary school students. It promises to be a fun-filled celebration of Irish culture and traditions!
- FFA Ag Days Field Trip: Mark your calendars for May 20, when our FFA students will embark on an exciting field trip for Ag Days. This hands-on experience will provide valuable insights into agriculture and environmental stewardship.
- Spring Break: As March draws to a close, we'll be gearing up for a well-deserved spring break during the last week of the month. It's a time for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation before we head into the final stretch of the school year.
Remember, the nine-week grading period ends on March 15, so now is the perfect time for students to buckle down, stay focused, and give their best effort in all their endeavors.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education. Together, we can help them achieve their fullest potential and celebrate their successes along the way. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Yours in education,
Alissa Schnick
Principal
IMPORTANT UPDATED SAT TEST INFORMATION FOR ALL JUNIORS!
Why is the SAT Important?
● All high school juniors in the state of Indiana take the SAT through SAT School Day. This year, all Westville Juniors (11th graders) will take the SAT on Wednesday, March 13th from approximately 8:00 am -10:30 am. Students should get a good night's sleep, eat breakfast, and come to school with their chromebook fully charged.
● When your teen takes the SAT, they can use their scores to be seen by colleges and scholarship programs, and they get customized career information to help them understand their options after high school.
● Whether your teen is thinking about attending a two or four year college, a job training program, or isn’t sure what they want to do after high school, the SAT can help make their career goals and postsecondary path clearer. The SAT provides you, your teen, and their teachers with information about your child’s strengths and areas that need improvement. This way your teen will know where to focus, and customized practice and planning resources will help them set and achieve their goals.
● In some cases, a minimum SAT score and GPA are required to be eligible for certain scholarships. Without scores to submit for consideration, your teen could lose access to thousands of dollars in college funding. SAT scores are also considered by many colleges and universities for admission status.
● SAT scores are used by many colleges to determine first-year college course placement. Higher SAT scores could result in higher course placement, saving you and your teen time and money.
How is the SAT changing in the spring of 2024?
● In the spring of 2024, the SAT will transition to a digital format.
● Going digital means a shorter test–closer to two hours than three–and an easier testing experience for students. Students will have more time per question, shorter reading passages, and access to a built-in calculator that can be used on the entire math section.
● Both sections on the SAT (Reading/Writing AND Math) have two modules which are adaptive. This means that depending on how you answer the questions in the first module, you’ll be routed to a second module, which has a different mix of difficulty levels. The mix of questions in the second module is either at a higher difficulty level or a lower difficulty level than the first module.
How can my child prepare for the SAT?
● Making time to practice for the SAT is the best way to ensure your child will be ready on test day. Practicing for the digital version of the test will help your child identify the areas where they need the most support so they can sharpen their focus while studying. Since the content on the SAT is tied to what your child is learning in school, practicing for the SAT will set them up for success in their classes, too!
● Taking a practice test on Bluebook, the College Board’s new digital testing app, will help your child get to know all of the app’s helpful features. Can you imagine taking the entire exam without realizing you could cross out incorrect answer choices or highlight
information to help you answer questions? Research in psychology supports the benefit of knowing what to expect on testing day. When we learn, our brains remember information about the place we’re in. Your child may not be able to take the SAT from the comfort of their favorite study space, but if they’re already familiar with Bluebook, they will feel right at home! If your child has questions about how to use Bluebook, please click here for the College Board’s Quick Start Practice Guide.
● After taking a full practice test on Bluebook, your child should navigate to the My Practice dashboard of the College Board website. There, they will immediately see their results and practice test review of the test items, the correct answers, and a thorough explanation of the correct answers.
● Armed with a baseline understanding of their performance on the digital SAT, students can use their score results and individual item responses to delve further into digital SAT preparation content on Khan Academy. In partnership with College Board, Khan Academy has built a digital SAT course that includes videos, articles, and worked examples designed to help our students understand and experience what’s new and improved about the digital SAT. Click here for the Official Digital SAT Prep on Khan Academy.
● Studying for the SAT doesn’t need to break the bank. Not only does the College Board offer a variety of free practice resources, but those resources are designed by the people who actually created the test. For easy access to all of the College Board’s free practice resources, please click here.
Shrek the Musical Jr.!
This year Westville Schools' theatre department presents Shrek the Musical Jr.! Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online or at the door. Show dates are Friday, March 15 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 16 at 2 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there!
Leadership La Porte County
Work Based Learning
Any senior interested in participating in Work Based Learning next school year should see or contact Mrs. Biancardi for an application. For more information about our CTE Department, specifically the Work Based Learning Program, check out https://sites.google.com/westville.k12.in.us/westville-cte/work-based-learning?authuser=0.
SAT Practice Sessions
Ms. Joll is hosting SAT practice sessions to prepare for the upcoming test. The last two sessions are March 5th and 7th in Ms. Joll's room until 4 p.m. Students are strongly encouraged to attend!
Washington D.C. Trip
All seventh grade parent information went home last month regarding the upcoming eighth grade trip to Washington D.C. If you are interested in selling candy to fundraise for this memorable event, please email Mrs. Schnabel at pschnabel@westville.k12.in.us. She will send you a digital copy with the information so your child can get started on this fundraising opportunity!
After School Assistance Program (ASAP)
Free Math Tutoring
Math tutoring is available for all students in grades 7-12 every Monday and Wednesday until 4 p.m. in Miss Quinn's room, room #9. Students who are struggling and may need additional academic support in math are highly encouraged to attend! You can email Miss Quinn at jquinn@westville.k12.in.us for more information. You do not have to sign up to attend. Walk-ins are welcome!
La Porte County Public Library Exchange
All middle and high school art classes were lucky to have a visit on Friday, February 23, by Julie Pitman, from the La Porte County Public Library Exchange. She went over all of the amazing equipment available to the public at the Exchange such as audio and video studios, sewing machines, 3-D printers, wood lathes, jewelry making equipment, heat presses, cricut machines, laser engravers, leather working stations, a soldering station, and more! Our photography students took pictures of some of the samples she brought for her visit that were made on the different machines at the Exchange. See their website to sign up for a free training or go to one of their free classes! https://www.laportelibrary.org/locations/exchange
From the Cafeteria...
Healthy and low cost breakfast is available daily at school ($1.50). Online payments can also be made to students' accounts through mymealtime.com.
Updated Cellphone/Earbud Policy
Chromebooks
Transportation
Westville Athletics Facebook Page!
March 6th - High School softball tryouts (Contact Coach Dineen if interested in playing mdineen@westville.k12.in.us)
March 11th - High School baseball tryouts (Contact Coach Barton if interested in playing bbarton@westville.k12.in.us)
March 13th - First official practice for boys golf (Contact Coach Marshall if interested in playing jmarshall@westville.k12.in.us)
It's not too late to join track!
Contact Coach Demetrius Clark if interested in joining boys track dclark@westville.k12.in.us
Contact Coach Ton if interested in joining girls track bton@westville.k12.in.us
Contact Coach Klosinski if interested in joining the middle school track team sklosinski@westville.k12.in.us