Wolfpack Howler
Volume 19 Issue 28 - May 10, 2021
We are gearing up for graduation at the end of this week, so this newsletter is only going to our 9th-11th grade students and families.
As we close out the school year, please remember to return all of your library materials, including devices, and keep an eye on the School District's COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD for opportunities available to students over the summer.
Lastly - The School Board has yet to make a decision on school start times for next year. As soon as that is determined, we will share the impact on our daily bell schedule for students.
Take care,
Sarah Gillam
Principal, West Valley High School
Graduation Streaming Links:
- Please share this link with any friends or family members that won't be able to attend graduation in person. (https://tinyurl.com/wvhsgraduation2021)
- Graduation will also be streamed out our Facebook Live Page (https://www.facebook.com/wvhWolfpack/live)
- AND uploaded to our YouTube page the following week
Masks, Social Distancing & Cohorts
At their June 1 regular meeting, the Board of Education will be discussing and voting on the required use of masks in school district buildings for students and staff. In preparation for that meeting, we're collecting information on staff, parent, and student perspectives through a quick, 2-minute survey.
Students and Parents:
Please share your perspective: Masks, Social Distancing, and Cohorts Survey
The survey will close Thursday, May 20. Survey results and the June 1 agenda will posted on BoardDocs by the morning of Friday, May 28.
eLearning for the 2021-2022 School Year
For more information about eLearning classes, please visit the district website at https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/10750. To sign-up for eLearning or to discuss options, please contact your Counselor. Enrollment is requested by May 18th.
Here is the structure that will be used at West Valley:
- Students taking 1-2 eLearning classes will be considered full-time “in-person” students and will have a scheduled eLearning Lab period for each class they take.
- Students taking 3-6 eLearning classes will be considered full-time eLearning students with the following guidelines:
- Have the option of scheduling ONE class period in-person in the eLearning Lab with the West Valley eLearning facilitator. This allows time to access support in-person as well as a designated time to have tests proctored.
- Their 3 in-person classes will need to be blocked together, i.e. morning classes or afternoon classes.
- If a full-time eLearning student does not have a scheduled class in-person at West Valley (or their eLearning Lab period), they will be expected to exit the school building.
eLearning Information from the School District:
High school eLearning will be an option for high school students for the 2021-2022 school year. We will be continuing to offer both full and part-time eLearning, for students in grades 9-12. This means that students can take anywhere from one eLearning class to a full load of six eLearning courses. If you are interested in eLearning please reach out to your student’s school counselor at their home school to schedule classes for your student. You can view the fall course options for high school eLearning students here. Just like this year, students will still stay attached to their home school of record and will be able to participate in the activities through their school as well as receive services through their school.
To learn more about eLearning in 2021-2022, visit the eLearning website here. Please reach out with follow-up questions or concerns.
Counseling Office Contacts
The Counseling Department:
WVHS Counseling Office: 479-4221 ext. 46520
Mr. Blackburn - A-G (10th-12th) ext 46525 - willie.blackburn@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Everts - H-N (10th-12th) ext 46527 - paula.bettano-everts@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Gillis - O-Z (10th-12th) ext 46523 - karin.gillis@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Sprague - all Freshmen ext 46524 - anna.sprague@k12northstar.org
- Ms. Taylor - Social Services Manager ext 46109 - chelsea.taylor@k12northstar.org
VACCINE APPOINTMENTS FOR STUDENTS AGED 16+:
The Fairbanks Community COVID Vaccine Clinics on May 11 at the Carlson Center will be administering the Pfizer vaccine – the one suited for individuals aged 16 and older.
As of now, there are many appointments available. This is an ideal time to get any adults or student(s) vaccinated! (Students under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian in order to receive the vaccine.)
To make an appointment visit COVIDvax.Alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322. The best browsers for the COVIDvax.Alaska.gov website are Chrome, Firefox and Safari.
The appointment process:
- Click here to access COVIDvax.Alaska.gov
- Scroll down the page to Option B: Browse available appointments with select providers/Browse appointments available in PrepMod
- Enter ‘Fairbanks’ in the search bar (or scroll through the list)
- Select ‘4/27 Fairbanks Public Health at the Carlson Center”
- Fill out the electronic form
**UPDATE as of May 10 on the Alaska COVID Vaccine Website:
- We are updating our systems and websites in anticipation of the availability of Pfizer vaccine for ages 12-15.
- Parents wishing to make an appointment may do so once CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations are final, which is expected at 2 PM on May 12.
- The FDA issued an authorization for this age group May 10, an expected step prior to the recommendations. There is enough Pfizer vaccine to vaccinate everyone ages 12-15 and no shortages are expected.
- The Updated Daily Decision Tree also includes information for students who are fully vaccinated: https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/10445
Upcoming Events:
2021: Link to School District Calendar
MAY 14 | Wolfpack Graduation @ 6pm | Lathrop Football Field
MAY 19 - 20 | Grades 9-11 Final Exams
**MAY 20 | NEW last day of School due to Weather Closure
SUMMER SCHOOL 2021
The school district will be holding summer school this year. Student who need to make up a class (credit recovery) or who would like to get a head (enrichment) will have that opportunity.
Specific information on both types of summer school programs can be found at: https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/9258
There is an application necessary for both programs.
Summer school will be free of charge again this year.
Please contact your counselor if you need help determining if this is an opportunity you should take advantage of.
Activities
We have updated our masking guidelines in the District’s Activities Mitigation Plan based on the new CDC guidance that was released last week for outdoor activities. Masks will no longer be required at outdoor events for individuals that are able to maintain 6 feet social distancing from non-family units. The updated protocol includes spectators and participants. Restrictions on the number of spectators or participants will still be in place as well as the expectation of 6 feet social distancing.
Masks are still required for participants when social distancing is not possible. Examples include sitting on the bench or team huddles.
- Weekly positive case numbers: students and staff
- List of buildings with active cases and a total case count
- When rooms or a school are moved to remote, it will be noted here
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