The WJHS Panther Update
Nov. 4, 2022
Principal's Letter
Panther Families,
Important Health Information - We have seen an increase in student illness in the last couple of weeks. The DuPage County Health Department has provided us with this RSV Flyer to reference for symptoms (in English & Spanish).
School Drop Off - To ensure student safety, we would like to share some reminders of the morning drop off procedure for the front drive at WJHS.
- Vehicles should only pull up on the sidewalk side of the main drive.
- This MAP shows the length of the safe zone to drop off students.
- Please do not drop off students next to the grass island side of the drive, as there is no sidewalk or crosswalk for students to walk safely to the door. (We have seen an increase in students being dropped off on this side and trying to run across the driveway, sometimes in front of other cars, to get to the sidewalk and school entryway)
In order to help congestion exiting the driveway, you may let your student exit at any point along the drop-off zone rather than waiting to pull up to the door. Please be mindful when pulling out that children could be exiting either side of the vehicle/s in front of you and car doors could be opening.
Thank you for your partnership in keeping our morning arrival safe for our students!
Attendance Policy - Our attendance team at WJHS regularly reviews student absent data. Next week, the team is going to be sending out emails to families of students with accumulating absences.
We understand that illness has been prevalent in the community and causing many absences. The purpose of the email is to make you aware of the number of absences your student has, as well as to provide reminders as to policies and procedures for school attendance.
Health and safety are our top priority at WJHS, and attendance at school has a direct impact on student success. We look forward to working together with you.
PTO News -
- PTO Meeting on Wednesday, November 9th, at 7:00 pm in the Media Center. Ms. Quattrone will be there to spotlight the great things happening at WJHS and to answer any questions you may have.
- Help make the holidays Double Good for WJHS staff! We only need 30 more sponsors for our Double Good Popcorn party. Your donation of $10 will sponsor a staff member with bag of popcorn and a drink, and the PTO earns 50% back to use towards modernizing the library! Send donations through PayPal to westmontjrhighpto@gmail.com and include the message to say "Sponsor a Teacher!"
- Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser - November 8th through 12th. Makes for an easy (and delicious) holiday gift for tutors, waste management, your mail carrier, a care package to a college student, or even as a stocking stuffer! Even better for movie night, a sweet treat, or as a late night snack! Added bonus, 50% of all proceeds go back to the PTO to benefit WJHS. Double Good popcorn is handcrafted in small batches, ships direct to the purchaser, and typically arrives within 1-2 weeks. This fundraiser is 100% virtual and lasts only 4 days. You can buy some for yourself or share the store link with family and friends who may also want to purchase.
Mad Hatter Event - Students can Donate $1 on November 17th to wear their favorite or most outrageous hat in school all day. Proceeds will go to Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Thanksgiving Food Drive - Student Council is hosting a Food Drive for West Suburban Community Pantry. Students will drop off any donated canned goods in STAR class. They will receive a maximum of 2 service hours if they bring in 8 or more canned goods (or a half an hour for 2 cans).
The Outdoor Education trip is back! We are so excited to share that this long-standing tradition at WJHS is returning this year (after a 2 year hiatus due to Covid). Because we didn't want any of our students to miss out on this awesome experience, students in ALL grades are invited to participate this year (this trip is usually reserved exclusively for 6th graders). When polling our students at the end of 8th grade, many of them list this trip as the highlight of their Jr. High years!
Informational Meeting - Tuesday, November 29, at 7:00 p.m. (No obligation, attend the meeting to hear all the details about this fun-filled, memory-making adventure!)
Trip dates - Wednesday, February 15th through Friday, February 17th, 2023. Cost: $160.00. Additional information will be shared at the meeting on 11/29. We hope to see you there! Questions? jburisek@cusd201.org
Student Spotlight - Congratulations to Gyselle S. for earning our Principal Three Pillars Award. Gyselle went above and beyond in her participation in our Operation Gratitude Project, which sent a care package and letter to our Troops.
Student ID's - For safety purposes, students need to show their WJHS School ID's to their bus drivers. Students need to take their assigned bus for safety purposes and to ensure the availability of seats on the bus for our regular riders. If your student has misplaced or lost their ID, they can visit Ms. Ruh in the media center for a new one. Replacement costs are $8.00. Students are required to carry their ID with them every day to school.
SSLC Opportunities: Miller Holiday Shop
Three Pillars Donations: Students who display the three pillars of expectations (Safety, Respect, and Responsibility) earn tickets that are entered into our weekly raffle drawings . If you are able to partner with us in this positive behavior initiative and donate a prize, it would be greatly appreciated. Items that have been donated already are snacks, $5 giftcards, teenage items from the Dollar Store (notebooks, gel pens, Etch A Sketch, Rubics Cubes) and monetary donations for us to purchase items. Huge THANK YOU to those of you that have already brought in donations!!
CUSD 201 has updated its COVID-19 protocols based on the guidance from the CDC, IDPH, and DCHD. The IDPH has updated the school decisions making tree to help schools to know when to exclude students (School Decision Tree). You can review the protocols here: CUSD 201 COVID-19 Protocols.
Covid Testing - The District will be providing free COVID-19 testing every Monday. The testing is optional. Please use this link (CUSD 201 COVID-19 testing) if you wish to enroll your child for testing.
Remember to check the WJHS calendar for up-to-date information on Clubs, Events, & Athletics.
Sincerely,
Amy Quattrone
WJHS Principal