Notes from Dr. Irvin
Your Weekly WGHS eNews for May 23
Hello Parents and Guardians,
Many years of research has estimated that after the summer slide, the average student loses a little more than one month’s worth of skill or knowledge in math and reading by the time school resumes in the fall.
- Read a book. My mother is a retired reading teacher, so this is a familiar directive, but we are now competing with ubiquitous devices for attention and time. This is a struggle in my home that I fear I am losing, but no white flag yet from me.
- Summer can be the perfect time for high school-aged children to engage in passions they are developing in music, art, or other activities that allow them to explore, express, and progress.
- Summer is also a good time to sit down and discuss financial aid and other expenses. The Office of Federal Student Aid has prepared checklists geared toward students of all ages.
- Many high school students might also want to take the time to start developing their skills of collaboration and communication. Finding a part-time job can help students gain valuable experience--being directed by an adult that is not their parent can promote growth in teens.
- Volunteering is also an option. Youth-oriented summer camps, local museums, animal shelters, and, of course, libraries are often looking for extra help during warmer months. This experience is not only valuable for personal and professional development, but it often looks good on college applications. Find opportunities at our Chelsea Center.
Final report cards will be available on the parent portal on May 31. If you have any questions about your child’s grades, please keep in mind that teachers are out for the summer. The high school main office is open during the entire summer from 8:00 a. m. - 3:00 p. m. Counselors and teachers may stop by during the summer, but will not officially return until late July/early August. If you leave a message on voice mail, please keep these dates in mind, as you may not receive an immediate response.
As you plan ahead, students will pick up schedules as follows:
Students with no fines and who are current on immunizations =
Class of 2020, 8:00 -11:00 a. m., July 31
Class of 2021, 12:00 - 3:00 p. m., July 31
Class of 2022, 8:00 - 11:00 a. m,. August 1
Class of 2023, 12:00 - 3:00 p. m., August 1
Students with fines or those not current on immunizations =
All Classes, 8:00 - 11:00 a. m., August 5
Orientation for the Class of 2023 will take place 8:30-11:15 on August 7.
Summer School: May 30 – July 3
Future Leaders Seminar: July 8-11
Best,
Matt Irvin
Important Calendar Changes for the 2019-20 School Year
Start and End Times
To fulfill DESE requirements, we are adding 5 minutes to each school day. Five minutes will be added to 2nd hour to accommodate daily announcements. The new school hours next school year are 7:55 a.m. - 2:40 p.m. Please look for the new periods and bell schedule in the 2019-20 Student Handbook.
WGHS Late Start Schedule
We are excited to announce that the Board of Education has approved a late-start schedule for WGHS, beginning with the 2019-20 school year. A late-start schedule allows time for instructional staff to collaborate in Professional Learning Communities, or PLCs.
Extra time allotted for instructional staff is the only time teachers of the same course can meet in PLCs to provide a guaranteed viable curricular experience for students, which includes:
Essential content and skills students need to know for a particular unit
Common assessments to determine if students have mastered those essential skills
Adjustment of instruction and design interventions to help students who need additional support, and they design enrichment opportunities for students who already have an understanding of certain concepts
In order to accommodate PLC time, we will have a late start on twenty-two (22) days out of the school year. School will start at 8:57 a.m., and two periods will be dropped from those scheduled dates. Instructional staff will meet with their PLCs from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m., and the building will be open to students at 8:00 a.m.
Bus transportation will be modified to accommodate the new schedule. Parents who drop off their students before school should make arrangements to drop off between 8:00 a.m. - 8:55 a.m. We currently will not schedule any before-school activities/meetings on the late-start days to allow staff time to meet.
We are excited to join other school districts in the area in this opportunity to provide intentional time for our instructional staff to collaborate, focus on learning for all, and ensure that students learn and succeed. If you have any questions, please contact us at 963-6400.
2019-20 PLC Days*
August 19
September 9, 16, 23, 30
October 7, 14, 21
November 11, 18
December 9
January 13, 27
February 3, 24
March 2, 9, 23, 30
April 6, 13, 27
*Dates are subject to change until final 2019-20 academic calendar is published.
Fall Conferences
The fall parent-teacher conferences are scheduled as follows:
Monday, October 7 and Thursday, October 10: 5 - 8 p.m.
Wednesday, October 9: 12:50 - 2:45 p.m.
Important Immunization Information for 2019-20
In compliance with our school board policy and state law, all students will need to show proper documentation of immunization compliance by July 25, 2019 to receive class schedules at registration and attend the 1st day of school next year. This can also include documentation from St. Louis County Department of Health and Senior Services stating that your child has a medical exemption, is in progress of attaining the required immunizations, or has a religious exemption. And a special reminder for our 2019-2020 seniors: Documentation of the second meningococcal immunization is a senior year requirement and the aforementioned deadlines apply. Please refer to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services website or a physician for additional details regarding the meningococcal vaccine and all other immunization requirements. I am contacting parents and guardians NOW in the hopes that no student will have to be excluded from school for not having this required documentation. And, as always, I’m here to answer any questions as well! Thank you!
Rachel Huertas, RN, BA
Webster Groves High School
100 Selma Avenue
Webster Groves, MO 63119
(314) 963-6400 ext 11929
Fax: (314) 963-6483
A Peek at the Week Ahead
- May 28 - August 12: Summer Break!
Celebrations/Announcements
The annual All Write festival is completely self-funded, so we humbly ask for your help to keep it going into the future. We are now accepting your generous donations for 2020 at our new Go Fund Me. Thank you so much.
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