Notes from Dr. Irvin
Your Weekly WGHS eNews for February 21
Hello Parents and Guardians,
The below quote is from a book centered on pre-school age children but it still rings true for adolescents:
“The children we know who are confident and feel socially and intellectually competent are the children whose parents support them by: loving them unconditionally…setting limits and expectations for behavior…teaching respect for others, the difference between right and wrong and the importance of taking responsibility for actions…being a good role model…and having fun, maintaining a sense of humor, and knowing that there’s no such thing as the perfect parent.” --Nancy Schulman and Ellen Birnbaum, Practical Wisdom for Parents
I am sharing this quote as a directional point for myself and the collective community as we all navigate the challenges of parenting adolescents. I know I am challenged to be high on both the nurturing and challenging axis, looking to balance those aspects that are at times in tension with each other. I take refuge in the ability to find humor in my fallibility, as does the rest of my family, particularly our 15-year old son. I know I am culpable as I provide plenty of fodder.
I hope we all seek and find the best answer for your child here at Webster Groves High School as we look to push, challenge, and grow young people in a caring, educational ecosystem that is a 21st century high school.
Best,
Matt Irvin
A Peek at the Week Ahead
- February 21: Symphonic Band/Wind Symphony Concert, 7 p.m., Auditorium (note time change)
- February 22: Progress Reports Available on the Parent Portal
- February 25: First Day of Spring Sports
- February 28: Winter Choral Concert, 7 p.m., Auditorium
AP Exam Deadline Approaching
AP Test Registration – deadline approaching
Online Exam registration is now open and will end on Wed, Feb 27, 2019. In order to register, students should visit www.TotalRegistration.net/AP/263573
We know that parents may desire to register their students for exams. We strongly recommend that parents and students are both present while registering to ensure that the correct exams are ordered.
To request accommodations on AP Exams, a student with a documented disability must submit a “Student Eligibility Form” and be approved by The College Board. Please contact your child’s SSD case manager (students with an IEP) or College Counselor (students with a 504 Plan) to request that this form be submitted on your child’s behalf. The completed form must be submitted by February 20th, 2019.
WGHS is excited to offer families the convenience of paying exam fees online at the time of registration. Please be sure to have a credit card or debit card available before beginning registration. Please note that there is a $4 fee per transaction.
Here are the important dates for the registration process:
- Wed, Feb 27, 2019 - Registration Ends
- Mon, Mar 4, 2019 - Registrations that have not been paid for will be cancelled and exams will not be ordered.
- Wed, Mar 6, 2019 - Last day to cancel an exam and receive a full refund.
- Fri, May 3, 2019 - Last day to cancel an exam with a cancellation fee of $18.00.
Celebrations/Announcements
Congratulations to our Statesmen! State wrestling and swimming highlights from last weekend:
State Wrestling – Eric Pettibone placed 6th in his class and Hannah Jansen tied for 5th in her class.
State Swimming/Diving – the team placed 3rd overall in Class 1 which is their best finish our school’s history and the first state trophy they have won since 2006. The following girls all won at least one medal at the state meet: Parker Hagemann, Kendra Howard, Lili Gregov, Madeleine Collier, Elisabeth Ragan, Libby Seitz, and Chloe Hagemann.
200 Medley Relay – 3rd Place – Madeleine Collier (10), Chloe Hagemann (9), Parker Hagemann (11), Lili Gregov (9) – Set a new school record
200 Freestyle – Libby Seitz (9) – 10th Place and Bri Brown (9) – 28th Place
200 Individual Medley – Kendra Howard (12) 8th Place and Chloe Hagemann (9) 12th Place
50 Freestyle – Lili Gregov (9) 9th Place, Elisabeth Ragan (11) 18th Place, and Madeleine Collier (10) 26th Place
1 Meter Diving – Chloe Vitale (12) 17th Place
100 Butterfly – Parker Hagemann (11) 5th Place
100 Freestyle – Lili Gregov (9) 8th Place, Elisabeth Ragan (11) 11th Place, Libby Seitz (9) 13th Place, and Kendra Howard (12) 17th Place
500 Freestyle – Parker Hagemann (11) 5th Place
200 Freestyle Relay – 3rd Place – Elisabeth Ragan (11), Libby Seitz (9), Lili Gregov(9), Kendra Howard (12)
100 Backstroke – Madeleine Collier (10) 8th Place and Bri Brown 29th Place
100 Breaststroke – Chloe Hagemann (9) 21st Place
400 Freestyle Relay – 3rd Place – Elisabeth Ragan (11), Kendra Howard (12), Libby Seitz (9), Parker Hagemann (11)
- The Women Legislators of Missouri will sponsor eight $500 scholarships for graduating young women in Missouri, one from each US Congressional District. Candidates must fill out an application and are required to submit a 500-word essay answering the question, “If you were a state legislator, what would you hope to accomplish and why?”. Those interested can download the scholarship application at https://myscholarshipcentral.org.
Volunteer Opportunity at Magic House
The Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation is looking for 20 student volunteers for an upcoming event at the Magic House. Volunteers will help kids with congenital heart defects have fun at the Magic House while their parents attend educational forums. These kids rarely, if ever, get to go to the Magic House because of their conditions so they are all super excited to have the whole place to themselves! Nurses will be there as well just in case. Want to volunteer? Complete the form at the link below! Questions? Contact Felisha at felisha@theohhf.com.
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.
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