Notes from Dr. Irvin
Your Weekly eNews for October 11
Hello Parents and Guardians,
This entry is a continuation from the last two weeks and part of an entry I wrote last year:
I have had the good fortune to work in outstanding high schools by any metric, public, and private. New Trier High School in Chicago’s Tony North Shore, has an ACT average above 27 and a post-high school counseling slogan that college admission was a “match to be made, not a prize to be won” in the effort to quell the mindset of defining success as admission to only the most selective schools. Pressuring students to gain admission into schools that routinely admit only five to 15% of applicants has potential ancillary cost of rising student health issues (conservative estimates of adolescent mental health concerns at 20%) and less than enriching school experiences. Students will select courses and experiences at times to ensure a particular grade in lieu of a more enriching and challenging option. The high school years are too often driven by more a prescribed “checklist” of resume builders and less by authentic student passions. This focus needs to be fully considered both for schools and for families. While families should weigh all options with the destination in mind, I suggest a path that acknowledges that students can find success and fulfillment in varied settings.
Best,
Matt Irvin
A Peek at the Week Ahead
- October 11: Parents' Club General Meeting, 7 p.m., Library
- October 16, 17, and 18: Parent-Teacher Conferences (see schedule below)
- October 17: Early Dismissal: 1-5-6-7 (dismissal at 11:59 a.m.)
- October 18: 2nd Quarter Bus Money Due
- October 19: NO SCHOOL (due to conferences)
Parent-Teacher Conferences Next Week!
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, October 16, 5 - 8 p.m.
Wednesday, October 17, 12:50 - 2:45 p.m.
Thursday, October 18, 5 - 8 p.m.
Cafeteria, PV Commons, and Library
The purpose of the conference is to give parents and teachers an opportunity to discuss student progress and to work together to ensure student achievement. All teachers will be grouped by academic departments and will be located in the cafeteria, PV Commons, and library (look for the colored banners). Parents should know the names of the teachers they wish to visit in each department. We urge you to visit as many of your child’s teachers as time permits. Please bring a printed copy of your child’s progress report with you or review on your device prior to attending.
Conferences will be unscheduled. Up to SEVEN minutes will be allotted for each conference. We believe we can serve more people with this arrangement. Although the conference will be unscheduled, sign-up sheets are available on each teacher’s table for parents to register if they wish to see that teacher.
In order to prevent crowding, we have added a third session to visit with teachers. We encourage you to attend one of these and meet with your child’s teachers. If you are unable to attend, or all your student’s teachers will not be present, feel free to come when you can during the conference window.
Celebrations/Announcements
This weekend, 12 students were selected by audition to participate in the SLSMEA All-Suburban choral music festival. These students are recognized as the top singers in the area.
Mixed Honor Choir: Nicolaus Braun, Lyra Byrd, Aidan Jurotich, Rachel Lee, Ian Marshall, Sam Toskin, Mary Claire Wolk
Treble Honor Choir: Alex Bahr, Ada Foley, Julia Hamm, Liv Rath, Tori Watson
These students will participate in a day-long festival with esteemed professional choral conductors on Saturday, November 3.
Congratulations to Augie Ford for winning the Webster Tackles Cancer T-shirt Design Contest. Ainslee Stroup was first runner-up, and Grace Hardison was second runner-up.
Congratulations to Claire Burns for being added to the National Merit Commended Students!
Program Provides Opportunity to Visit DC
African American Sophomores and Juniors have until November 8 to sign up participate in the Proud Past - Inspired Future (PPIF) program. Participating students will conduct research, complete a questionnaire and create expressions (essay, poem, music, art) on the proud past - inspired future theme. Entries are due on December 4th, and winners will be announced in January. Up to four students will travel with The Chelsea Center’s Julie Burchett and Dana Miller to DC to see the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Capitol Building and other sites. Runner up cash prizes will also be awarded. For more information and to register for the program, go to www.aninspiredfuture.org.
All-Write Festival Needs Your Support!
Last winter, WGHS celebrated a successful 4th annual All Write festival for our 1,400 students. The planning committee (part of the English Department) brought in 50+ professional writers (novelists, journalists, filmmakers, songwriters, critics, etc.) to speak to our students about their work, their inspirations, and their process.
We are currently planning our upcoming festival, and because we are completely self-funded, we are doing a Go Fund Me drive to ensure that the fifth annual festival goes off without a hitch. This really is an innovative, one-of-a-kind educational opportunity for our public high school!
Read up on our mission at our website, and if you feel so inclined, we warmly welcome your tax-deductible contribution to promote writing and creativity in our school.
$5 - Helps defray the printing costs of our annual All Write program and the special edition of the WGHS literary magazine, The Branch
$25 - Contributes to supplies for WGHS students to create our annual mural, art installation, etc.
$50 - Assists the Foods I and II classes with providing extraordinary hospitality to our guests during the festival
$100 - Provides 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place cash prizes to the winners of our writing and art contests
$500+ - Helps with professional writers' booking fees for our annual week-long festival for WGHS students
www.tinyurl.com/allwritedonation
Thank you in advance for your support of the All Write festival!
5th Annual Band Mattress Fundraiser
The Band's 5th Annual Mattress Sale Fundraiser will be held October 20 in Roberts Gym, 9am-5pm. Proceeds will benefit the WGHS Band Program. If you are considering a new mattress, come try the large variety of mattresses. Your purchase will help the band replace aging instruments, and purchase new music.
Ivory Crockett Run For Webster Registration Now Open
We are currently organizing volunteers for this great event!
We would love your support this year. If you are able to volunteer on the morning of Saturday, October 20th, please go to the Webster Groves School District Foundation website to register. Click on “events” and then “volunteer for run.” We are in need of course monitors for the actual race and other volunteers on Selma during the race. Race start time is 8:30. Volunteers need to arrive at 7:00am and we will provide coffee and donuts.
After you register to volunteer, you will be contacted about your placement and responsibilities. Register at www.wgsdfoundation.org.
News from Our Counseling Department
Looking for an alternative to college?
Consider attending the 2018 Skilled Trade Expo on Saturday, October 13th from 1-4pm at Affton High School. You will learn about many rewarding and exciting professions from regional employers and companies, trade organizations, and union representatives who employ skilled tradespeople.
The University of Dundee (Scotland) is hosting an informational session for prospective students and their parents on Monday, October 15th at 6:30pm at MICDS. He will present information on the University of Dundee and the UCAS system. To register, click here.
NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) National College Fair, Sunday October 21st from 1-4pm at St. Louis University - Simon Recreation Center, 3639 Laclede Ave St. Louis, MO 63108. To register and/or see a list of participating colleges, click here.
Upcoming College Visits at WGHS
College admissions representatives can serve as one of your best resources through the application process. As in years past, WGHS is looking forward to hosting dozens of admissions representatives from colleges and universities from around the country on our campus this fall. Students are welcome and encouraged to attend these visits. Students should stop by the Counseling Center ahead of time to get a pass to attend. For the most updated list, visit the counseling department website.
Other Important News
Webster Equity Bridge Meets on November 8 with Special Guest
Webster Equity Bridge (a District-wide, parent-led group with a focus on racial equity) is pleased to host Dr. Kira Banks on Thursday, November 8, 2018 from 7-8:30pm at Steger auditorium.
Click here for more details.
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2018 Skilled Trades Expo
Is your child looking for an alternative to college? Consider attending the 2018 Skilled Trades Expo on Saturday, October 13 from 1pm-4pm at Affton High School. Click here for more information.
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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