WPHS Family Newsletter
#pantherstrong
week of August 10, 2020
A message from our Principal
Many times, organizations wait for all of the answers before they make decisions. Heck, certain segments of the community call loudly for answers before ever allowing themselves to consider worthwhile solutions - because we can't be "certain" that they'll work. I recently listened to Patrick Lencioni's podcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cA5Gkuquzk&t=892s) regarding the organizational phenomenon of waiting too long during a crises to decide what to do.
The old Chinese Proverb goes "The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is right now."
The Covid crisis aside, Woodland Park High School has taken bold initiatives in the face of various crises we've faced. We jumped "out there" using platform based learning (REAL and Google Classroom) before we ever knew how much we were going to be forced to rely on it during the pandemic last spring, into summer and now as we begin this school year. Thank goodness we Planted Our Tree and didn't wait.
We did the same thing as we embarked on establishing the highest academic standards in the region (if not the state) and grading students using those standards as our guideposts. We Planted Our Tree last year in the face of the knowledge that close to 70% of all grades issued (three year average) were either A's or B's - yet only 33% of our students were scoring the minimum college entrance requirement as established by the SAT. We knew we needed to Plant Our Tree --- and not wait for another year or another answer or another solution to come along. We Planted Our Tree and we're so excited to watch it continue to grow.
We know that we're going to be better this year as a result. We know our students are being challenged and stretched - every day. We know that our students are building their Habits of Success like Resiliency and Self-Direction and Agency because we're requiring them to do the heavy lifting of learning. Not our teachers.
We know our students are poised to succeed beyond those in other schools because we didn't lower our standards in the face of the Covid 19 crisis last spring. We forged ahead. We know our students are ready because we ensure that they experience failure...and then demonstrate Resilience and Academic Tenacity to capture learning when it happens for them. We value productive struggle and we insist on it. We are on exactly the right path...because we Planted Our Tree. We didn't wait.
We're ready to do the same thing during this fall. We have a plan for learning and it's beginning to unfold. You'll see the first stages listed below. Pay close attention because the plan is fluid. It has to be. We will be adapting to the changing landscape as we need to. We have a professional skill-set in being ready to adapt. Our kids know this...and are ready for it.
Stick with us. Woodland Park High School has GOT THIS!! And we can't wait to get started. Help our Tree to Grow. Watch us take on whatever comes our way. Because we're not afraid to Plant Our Tree yesterday, and today. #PantherStrong
Mr. Burr
SOFT START - what it is and why
Woodland Park High School has been actively preparing for in-person learning to resume on August 25th. As well, we have been closely monitoring the community’s participation in safety measures designed to control the spread of Covid cases throughout our school district. Unfortunately, community Covid case numbers continue to rise, without pause.
You’ve received a communication from our Woodland Park School District office that explains the current plan to open each of our schools in a “jumpstart” fashion in order to prevent a major outbreak in our community. Woodland Park High School has a very specific plan for our jumpstart that seeks to significantly reduce the number of in-person students who are in close proximity to each other for extended periods of time.
We feel it is important for each student to connect either in-person or remotely prior to the beginning of instruction. Knowing what to do and where to find all of the available resources for learning will be the key elements in finding success during this school year.
Our overall plan incorporates two days of on-boarding (Tuesday, August 25th for last names A-L and Wednesday, August 26th for last names M-Z) and then the academic semester begins on Thursday, August 26th with Green Day classes. The two days of onboarding will be highly structured and include an in-building lunch period. Students may either bring their lunch or have the school prepare a lunch charged to the student’s account , but no students will be leaving campus for lunch during these two days. Students will be in very small groups by design. Every attempt will be made to prevent mixing of cohorts of students. Masks must be worn.
Soft Start Survey - IMPORTANT INFORMATION NEEDED!
HS SOFT START SURVEY - survey will close on August 21
In order to best prepare for your student’s experience on August 25 or 26, please complete this survey BEFORE August 21.
Soft START SCHEDULE August 25 and 26
What to expect at WPHS August 24-25
Here’s what you can expect from WPHS on August 25 and August 26 (Soft Start days) and the succeeding days that follow as we plan for learning during the first 18 weeks of school:
- On August 24th (Monday) all REMOTE and ONLINE learners will pick up their Chromebooks and textbooks at the high school. A specific communication will be made to these students explaining the process for collection of materials.
- Students with last name A-L will attend only on Tuesday, August 25th and not have school August 26th. Remote students will attend remotely using Google Meets (Links will be sent via email)
- Students with last names M-Z will attend only on Wednesday, August 26th and will not have school August 25th. Remote students will attend remotely using Google Meets (links will be sent via email)
- Students should expect to receive specific instructions regarding access to resources, learning materials, chromebooks, remote learning guidelines, and more.
AFTER SOFT START
We will begin the long-term instructional plan for the first 18 weeks of school on Thursday, August 27th.
Here’s what you can expect:
- All students will begin remotely or on-line. No in-person instruction will be offered.
- The student daily schedule can be found here Student Daily Schedule and students should expect to remain in remote learning until at least September 4th. At that time, the district will re-evaluate the current reintegration phase.
- Remember, students will take 2 classes per day and 4 classes total for the first nine weeks (ends October 22nd). These are the students’ “odd blocks” in their overall semester schedule of eight classes.
- Students will switch to their “even block” classes on October 26th for the second nine weeks (ends January 15th).