Notes from Dr. Irvin
Your Weekly eNews for October 22
Hello Parents and Guardians,
We have entered into postseason windows or soon will for most of our fall activities. It is a time when participants focus efforts on producing their best work, capping off a successful seasonal experience. Similarly, we are approaching the end of Term 1 next week and hope to have all do their best work as the term completes. Please encourage your student to reach out to their respective teachers in the effort to support their work.
Please see important information below on the start of Term 2--take care.
Regards,
Matt Irvin
Term 2 Textbook/Supply Pick-up on October 28
Textbook/Supply Pick-up for Term 2 via Sign Up Genius
Wednesday, October 28 from 12:45 pm-3:40 pm
- A mask is required.
- Please only show up 5-10 minutes before your appointment. Earlier arrivals will be asked to wait outside or in their vehicle.
- Bring a backpack to carry home materials that you pick up.
- Students may also drop off any materials needing to be turned in from Term 1
- Students should enter at Roberts as well. Students will no longer enter at the main entrance. Students will enter Roberts pick up items and exit Roberts as well as they did for term 1 pick up in August.
- You may not roam the building.
Sign-up is required via SignUp Genius. All students click the link below to schedule your time. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040B45ABAD2EAAF85-second. If a student is not able to attend the Term 2 Textbook/Supply pick up day, please contact your assistant principal’s office to make arrangements to pick up your materials.
Please attend if you are starting a new course for Term 2 and have been directed by your teacher that you will need a textbook or supplies for that course.
Courses receiving materials for Term 2
Baking and Pastry
Foods and Nutrition
Photography
2D/3D Design
Drawing and Painting
Tech Theater
Architectural Drawing and CAD
Modern Auto Maintenance
Guitar
Astronomy
Intro to Law
Please contact us at 314.963.6400 if you have any questions.
This Week's Student Announcements
Preferred Family Health Offers Group Support Sessions
Parenting in 2020 is presenting new challenges, and you are not alone. PFH is offering support and resources for any parents (and teachers) struggling with this virtual and hybrid school environment. Click below to register for our Thursday Group from 3PM - 4PM. You aren't alone, we can help
RSVP Now: https://tockify.com/pfhcommunity/detail/71/1602792000000
Counseling Department Updates
Practice ACT for Sophomores and Juniors
Each year, WGHS teams up with Princeton Review to offer a free practice ACT college admissions test. Because we are meeting virtually, the practice test will be administered to sophomores and juniors online this year. While we know testing at home is not ideal, we feel students can still benefit from the practice. Testing is self-monitored and should take no more than 3.5 hours (including breaks). These scores are for your use only and will not be shared with any colleges.
Students received an email from Princeton Review with information about accessing the practice test. While October 14th is listed as the testing date, they can test anytime between now and October 31st.
Seniors: As a reminder, colleges will use information from your FAFSA to determine your federal, state, and their own institutional financial aid. Complete the FAFSA online at https://fafsa.ed.gov
As a reminder, WGHS school counselors and social workers are working to support the academic, social and emotional, and post-secondary planning needs of our students. If you or your child are having difficulties or need assistance, please reach out to their counselor or social worker.
School Counselors
A-E Alex King (king.alexandra@wgmail.org)
F-K Ken Winingham (winingham.ken@wgmail.org)
L-R Joe Hepfinger (hepfinger.joe@wgmail.org)
S-Z Simone Cunningham (cunningham.simon@wgmail.org)
College and Career Counselors
A-K Karen Verstraete (verstraete.karen@wgmail.org)
L-Z Jennedy Lombard (lombard.jennedy@wgmail.org)
School Social Workers
Anne Gibbs (gibbs.anne@wgmail.org)
Anne Marie Guntli (SSD) (guntli.ann@wgmail.org)
Did You Know?
October 27 is the last day of Term 1.
Term grades will be entered in SIS just as they would previously for semester grades, meaning Term 1 grades will be on your student's transcript. Likewise, for year-long courses that typically end in January, each TERM will act as a semester. This means that on Oct. 27, first “semester” is over. Grades will then start over as they would for a regular year when we would move on to Semester 2.
Please help the Teacher and Staff Appreciation Committee show our staff some LOVE!
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0c4dafa72da4fb6-support
Donate at the Parents' Club website: www.wghsparentsclub.org
Meal Pick-Up Information
COVID-19 Information
St. Louis County COVID-19 Update
COVID-19 Testing
Getting tested for COVID-19 has never been more important during this pandemic than it is now. More than 260,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in St. Louis County. This crucial to our efforts to contain the spread of the virus and is a major factor in understanding the patterns of its spread.
This includes testing for those who are asymptomatic and anyone who had close contact with the public to get a test – even if they haven’t had direct contact with someone who was positive. Testing is available to anyone who requests it. To make an appointment for a free test through St. Louis County Department of Public Health, click here or call 314-615-0574.
Drive-through testing is done at the following DPH clinics:
6121 North Hanley Road in Berkeley
4580 Lindbergh Blvd. in South County
Missouri residents who may be experiencing stress and anxiety related to COVID-19 may call the “Show Me Hope Line” at 800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 for assistance. The service is available 24 hours a day throughout the week. For additional information, please click here.
Click below for instructions on how to become an observer in Canvas.
Canvas Help/Tutorials
Here are some quick helpful tips when trying to log in to Clever to get to your Canvas courses, as well as attend your Zoom sessions.
- If Zoom is not working through Canvas, please go to https://zoom.us/ and click on Join Meeting. Do not go through Clever or from the URL that was previously provided. Teachers are being advised to post their meeting id number and password for the session on their Canvas pages and through their email.
- When logging into Clever, please make sure that you are first signed out of all gmail accounts except for the student's wgcloud email. Then, navigate to https://clever.com/in/wgsd and then click on Login with Google (NOT LOGIN WITH CLEVER).
After logging into Clever, you should then see the red Canvas icon. Please click on Canvas to then view your student's courses.
For all Zoom sessions, you should go to the teacher's course page and be able to click on the Zoom session link there. Each teacher was advised to put the link in a visible spot with the password there. If you do not see the link or password please reach out to your classroom teacher. At no point will a student need to login to Zoom.; they will click on the link provided and enter the password for the meeting.
Clever, Canvas, and Zoom Status Updates
Technology
For students or families having technology issues, please do the following:
- For specific Canvas issues, contact Ms. Liz Forderhase at forderhase.liz@wgmail.org or call her at 314.963.6400, ext. 11928.
- Below is a link to the technology support ticket system we are utilizing to help give our learners and families the most efficient system to help us keep track of technology support requests. Use this site to submit when you are having technology difficulties with your child's equipment/access/accounts/etc.
https://wgsd.on.spiceworks.com/portal
As always, you are welcome to contact us at 314.963.6400 for assistance.
Stay Connected
Weekly eNews: Every Thursday via email, parents with a valid email address in our student database will receive automatically. This is sent via Smore Newsletters.
Progress reports/Report cards: We will send an email with instructions on how to view at the end of each progress period via the Parent Portal. If you have any questions about this service, please call Mickey Erb at 918.4123.
School Messenger: Important news via email or phone blast. We use this service most often for communicating with families.
Customize How You Receive Communications from Us
Please see the link below to set up how you receive messages from WGHS. https://www.webster.k12.mo.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=19
Opt in to Receive Texts from Us
The Webster Groves School District uses the SchoolMessenger system to deliver text messages straight to your mobile phone with important information about school closings, safety alerts and more. If we have a mobile phone number for you on file, you can participate in this service just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. You can opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our messages with “Stop.”
If you don’t want to receive texts, please know that the district will continue to use phone notifications for important messages.
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