Wolfpack Howler
Volume 18 Issue 22
Learn to work and think for life.
Week Six - Remote Learning
Greetings Wolfpack Students and Families,
As we prepare for the end of this school year, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our entire Wolfpack Community. Everyone - staff, teachers, parents, and students - have been so patient and understanding as we navigate these new and uncharted waters.
This week is also teacher appreciation week, but I believe that this year those messages of appreciation extend to not only all staff, but also our parents who are facilitating online learning at home and students who have taken on new responsibilities as they’ve also embraced advocating for themselves during remote learning as well. Thank you families for truly partnering with us during these changes to support learning for our students.
Below this message is a calendar of our shift next week to ending our continuous online instruction to providing additional enrichment opportunities for students through the end of the school year. Next week teachers will no longer be assigning weekly activities, but will still be available to answer student questions and check-in with students until the end of the school year.
On our last two days (May 18 & 19th) we will have final office hours for families as students can turn in any final assignments/activities to raise their Semester 2 grade. Grades will be finalized by teachers on May 20. Please reference the West Valley Staff Contact Page if you need to get in touch with any teachers.
ITEM PICK UP / DROP OFF - Below is also reminders and instructions on how and when you can pick-up personal items from school and drop-off any items that need to be returned.
FINES & FEES - As a reminder, through both your parent and student PowerSchool accounts, you can link to the online portal to pay student fees and fines with InTouch.
SUMMER SCHOOL - There will still be summer school options available for students this summer. For more information visit the Summer School Website or contact your student’s school counselor.
GRADUATION UPDATE BELOW - Class of 2020, there is additional information and details at the end of the newsletter as well.
DIPLOMA PICK-UP and PHOTO OPPORTUNITY - MAY 13 & 14th (9am-4pm)
Class of 2020 - many of you have been asking how you will get your diploma and we have now finalized the dates and times for this additional celebratory moment. On May 13 & 14 we will be allowing graduates and up to 5 members of their household to come to West Valley’s PAC (Performing Arts Center) to pick-up their diplomas, yard sign, and commencement programs.
Please sign-up for a 5 minute block of time using this link: https://calendly.com/wvhwolfpack/wvhclassof2020
Wear your Cap & Gown and get your cameras ready! Families will move through the PAC where we will have a table and decorations to take photos in front of as students receive their diplomas.
Beyond the Box Photobooth will also be on sight so that families and grads can have professional pictures together while we can safely maintain social distancing. All students will get a commemorative picture set printed on site, and will also be able to access images through an online photo album after the event.
Class of 2020 Yard Signs thanks to Dateline Digital Printing will also be available for pick-up by families.
We will ask that families wait in their car until their scheduled time and then we will have signs to help maintain social distancing and help families flow through our set-up. More information to come.
GRADUATION STREAMING LINK - Graduation will also be streamed online thanks to our wonderful partnership with our local television station. You can access it online: www.webcenter11.com/livestream
WEST VALLEY HS YouTube Page - We will also be uploading additional content as it becomes available to our school YouTube site to celebrate our Class of 2020 - you can subscribe now if you wanted to be notified when new content is available.
Thanks again and please take care.
Sarah Gillam
Principal, West Valley High School
(907)479-4221 x46501
LOCKER ITEM PICK UP -
All student lockers have had personal items bagged up to be picked up. We have not included textbooks in these bags and have simply checked them back in to the library.
If you are coming to drop off items and would like to also collect your personal items, please call the front office in advance and we will bring your items to the front to be prepared for your arrival.
ITEM DROP OFF -
We will begin the process of returning textbooks and Chromebooks.
- Seniors will turn in textbooks and Chromebooks next T, W, and Th, May 5th - May 7th anytime between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm.
- Grades 9-11 will turn in textbooks and Chromebooks M - Th, May 11th - May 14th anytime between 8:00am and 3:00 pm.
There will be tables located outside the front doors of the school for you to place the textbooks upon. If you are turning in a Chromebook, please call the front office at 479-4221, when you arrive at school and someone will meet you at the doors to collect the Chromebook.
Please observe the signage out front and all social distancing practices.
2020 Yearbook Update
Because of the COVID-19 phenomenon and school closure, WV Yearbook has had to make the following adjustments:
Yearbooks are still available for pre-order online until 5/15 www.yearbookforever.com
Books with namestamps can still be purchased until 4/30
Ad space is still available for purchase until 4/30 www.yearbookforever.com
Design online or upload your completed ad
Yearbooks for this year will be delivered to the school at the beginning of the fall semester
Students in attendance at West Valley will be invited to pick up their book
Seniors and others who aren’t attending West Valley but are still in Fairbanks will also be invited to come and pick up their books after the school day has ended
If a family has moved, or are otherwise unable to pick up their yearbook, they will call/email West Valley and we will figure out an individual plan to get them their book
YEARBOOK NEEDS YOUR PICTURES AND STORIES!
(especially from Q4)
Students, families, and staff can submit them by filling out this Google form:
DIPLOMA PICK-UP and PHOTO OPPORTUNITY - MAY 13 & 14th (9am-4pm)
Class of 2020 - many of you have been asking how you will get your diploma and we have now finalized the dates and times for this additional celebratory moment. On May 13 & 14 we will be allowing graduates and up to 5 members of their household to come to West Valley’s PAC (Performing Arts Center) to pick-up their diplomas, yard sign, and commencement programs. Please sign-up for a 5 minute block of time using this link: https://calendly.com/wvhwolfpack/wvhclassof2020
Wear your Cap & Gown and get your cameras ready! Families will move through the PAC where we will have a table and decorations to take photos in front of as students receive their diplomas.
Beyond the Box Photobooth will also be on sight so that families and grads can have professional pictures together while we can safely maintain social distancing. All students will get a commemorative picture set printed on site, and will also be able to access images through an online photo album after the event.
Class of 2020 Yard Signs thanks to Dateline Digital Printing will also be available for pick-up by families.
We will ask that families wait in their car until their scheduled time and then we will have signs to help maintain social distancing and help families flow through our set-up. More information to come.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 09:00 AM
3800 Geist Road, Fairbanks, AK, USA
West Valley High School - Graduation Ceremony
Can't access on TV or have family out of state - they will also be live-streaming the event on their website at: www.webcenter11.com/livestream
Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 07:00 PM
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TO DO: Dear West Valley Poem Project:
Seniors -
Ms. Dimmick made an assignment for one of her classes, and seniors asked about extending that to the whole senior class, so if you're interested in contributing to the project.
Here are instructions:
1. Students will read a poem that Kobe Bryant wrote to say goodbye to basketball when he was retiring from the NBA. The poem was made into an Oscar-winning short animation.
2. Students will use Kobe's poem as a model for their own farewell -- to West Valley.
3. With coaching from Nicole O'Donnell, Instructional Coach and local poet, students will use Flipgrid to record themselves reading their poems aloud.
4. These poems will be downloaded from Flipgrid and imported into iMovie. Someone will edit the poems into a unified whole, with one or two lines from every student poem. Like one of those public service announcements where a bunch of celebrities deliver a unified message.
Here's the assignment, and here's the link to the Flipgrid.
Three Seniors have contribute a Dear West Valley poem, which you can see here:
https://flipgrid.com/bcb6d9cf (Choose "Log in with Google.")
FOR YOU: Social Media & Radio Campaigns
In the month of May, we will use the information you share in the Senior Survey to do a social media campaign highlighting all of our amazing seniors. Please be sure to complete the Senior Survey so we can highlight you!
Also you can share your own photos on social media, use the hashtags #WVClassof2020 and #PackPrideAK
Additionally, iheartMedia will be doing a "Celebration fo Seniors" highlighting the class of 2020 between May 11-29 each night at 20:20 (or 8:20pm). More information to come when we know our students will be recognized. They will also have an online yearbook to highlight students.
West Valley High School
Email: contact-wvh@k12northstar.org
Website: https://www.k12northstar.org/westvalley
Location: 3800 Geist Road, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Phone: (907)479-4221
Facebook: facebook.com/wvhWolfpack/
Twitter: @wvhWolfpack