Notes from Dr. Irvin
Your WGHS Weekly eNews for February 25
Hello WGHS Families,
I hope everyone had a relaxing day yesterday, and if you had a commute, it was safe and manageable. With recent winter weather and the possibility for more on the horizon, I want to share that we are currently on pace to meet the required minimum instructional hours required by DESE. If we go below that threshold, the high school will institute our AMI (alternative method of instruction) plan to provide virtual learning on inclement weather days. Any school closing announcement would include notice of an AMI day for the high school if we are implementing virtual learning that day.
For our AMI, we will follow the classes that were originally scheduled to meet on that day and will initiate the program at 9:00 AM. Students will log onto Canvas for assignments with staff being available for support via Zoom or email. We provide more information such as that day’s specific schedule as we implement.
Best,
Matt Irvin
Next Week's Schedule: Late-Start A, A, B, C, A
A Peek at the Week Ahead
- 2/28: Late-Start A Day; School starts at 9:15, and doors open at 8:30.
- 2/28-3/1: All Write Festival; Black Box Theatre
- 2/28: First day of spring sports
- 3/2: Parents' Club Meeting, 7pm, Library
2021-22 Late-Start Days
All Write 2022: Metamorphosis
We are excited to share the return of the All Write festival for our students on 2/28 and 3/1. During the All Write Festival, the Webster Groves School District celebrates the word: the written word, the spoken word, the word as poetry, the word as prose, the word as image. In all these forms, words have the power to create and strengthen community, and our celebration embraces this power. During All Write, a variety of guest speakers will visit WGHS to discuss their craft and share their work with students from English classes.
The festival also features talented student writers and musicians at every author assembly during the event. The Jonathan Franzen (WGHS 1977 alum) Excellence in Student Writing contest searches for the best in student writing. The Art Write contest gathers the best student artists to create the annual Art Write gallery featuring original works to be shared with our powerful guest speakers.
A limited supply of All Write hoodies and t-shirts will be available for purchase the day of the event. Hoodies are $25 each and t-shirts are $15 each.
News from the Chelsea Center: WGHS’ In-house Experiential Learning Center
What is Experiential Learning?
Experiential Learning (ExL) is the process of creating knowledge from direct experience. Chelsea Center students engage in ExL learning through community-based experiences & reflection on those experiences.
How can my child get involved?
All students now have access to a Chelsea Center course that connects them to our new online platform, GivePulse. Within GivePulse, students can search for opportunities in service learning, internships, and leadership programming, as well as summer opportunities. We also meet with students one on one and in small groups to coach them through finding the just-right experiences for them. We are in Room 200 at WGHS and are eager to help!
Opportunity Spotlight
Check out these new opportunities available through GivePulse via the Chelsea Center Canvas course.
Celebrate Learning Academy Mentors
Celebrate Learning Academy at Webster Groves School District is a summer enrichment program offered to elementary students. The program is divided into two parts. In the mornings from 8:15 - 11:30, students will engage in the SEE program which is a project based learning. High school students can help kids imagine, design and build their projects. In the afternoons, students will focus on reading. High school students can help with reading with and to the kids in the program. Students do not need to commit to both the morning and afternoon sessions to volunteer.
Sierra Club Internship
The Sierra Club is a national, charitable organization that focuses on community (grassroots) organizing with an electoral arm that includings lobbyists, political work and electoral work (following, supporting and helping to pass bills to become legislation). They will support high school interns and are open to any term (fall/spring/summer) but some experiences are restricted to certain time frames.
New Faces for 2022-23!
Spring Parent Conferences
March 14 & 15: 4:30 - 8:30
March 16: 1:30 - 3:30
Families will receive an invitation soon to sign up for their conferences.
Did You Know?
You can use the Parent Portal to email your child's teachers.
https://sis.webster.k12.mo.us/WG360/apphost/TylerSis#/parent
Once you log in to the Parent Portal, follow these steps to email your child's teachers:
1. Click on "Student Schedule" on the menu to the left of your screen.
2. Click on the class within the schedule of the teacher you wish to email.
3. Click on the blue "Email teacher" link.
4. Use the script editor to email the teacher!
School Closing Information Due to Inclement Weather
Communication
Should bad weather or other adverse conditions prompt us to consider closing schools, the District will make a decision as early as possible. Information will be available through the following outlets:
- Phone calls to all families through School Messenger
- Local media: KMOV TV (Channel 4), KSDK TV (Channel 5), KTVI (Channel 2) and KMOX radio (AM 1120)
- District website www.webster.k12.mo.us
- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WebsterGrovesSD
- Twitter @WebsterGrovesSD
Late Start due to Inclement Weather
The District will consider opening schools with a late start or calling for an early dismissal depending on weather conditions. A late start would keep children off the street during the busy morning rush hour if roads are expected to be clear within a few hours; early dismissal would allow students to get home safely before bad weather moves into the area. Quick breakfasts would be available when school doors open before classes begin. Students should arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before the start of school. (This doesn’t include Ambrose Preschool children.)
All schools would close at their regular times and there would be no Adventure Club.
School Start Time Staff Arrival Time Student Arrival Time
Webster Groves High School Start Time: 9:40 a.m.
Staff arrival time: 9:10 a.m.
Student arrival time: 9:25 a.m.
Early Dismissal: 12:30 p.m.
All other schools can be found here.
** Late starts will be announced through the same communication outlets listed above **
Late Start Bus Times
With a late start, bus schedules will run one hour and 15 minutes later than the regularly scheduled time.
To Report an Absence, Please Call:
Statesmen Service Awards
Spring will be here soon and so will the annual Statesmen Service Awards - our celebration of students who are aware, thoughtful, and committed to making a difference in their community through volunteering.
So now is the time for our students to take full advantage of giving to others so they can be honored for all that they do for other people. We understand that this year has not allowed for as many in-person volunteer opportunities so the minimum number of hours required for the award are 25 (50 hours were required pre-Covid).
Students can find a variety of service opportunities (as well as internships, summer programs and more!) via a new online platform called GivePulse. Students (and parent observers) can access GivePulse via the Chelsea Center Canvas page, which is on every WGHS student's Canvas dashboard.
Forms are due by 3/17/22 – just before Spring Break. Questions? Contact Julie Simonson, Administrative Assistant, (simonson.julie@wgmail.org) or John M. Thomas, Assistant Principal. Forms are in Office 124.
Counseling Office Updates
April 2nd ACT Registration Deadline is Friday
The deadline to register for the Saturday, April 2, 2022 ACT is tomorrow. Students should register at www.act.org. As a reminder, all juniors will take a free ACT at school on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. No registration on your part is required. Stay tuned for more information.
College Admissions Testing
We have fielded a lot of questions regarding the ACT and SAT lately. Here's an article with answers to some of the top questions we hear.
2022-2023 Course Selections
Counselors are meeting individually with all students (during their Science class) to review student transcripts and finalize course requests for the 2022-2023 school year. Parents can view their child’s course requests in the parent portal by selecting the 2022-2023 school year (dropdown menu in upper right hand corner) and selecting “Course Requests” (menu on left). Please reach out to your child’s counselor if you have any questions.
In Person College Visits are Back
Beginning this week, admissions representatives will visit to meet with prospective juniors and seniors to share information about their institutions. Students who would like to meet with admissions representatives should sign up in the counseling office ahead of time and will receive a pass from class. To visit the full calendar, click here. Check back frequently as visits are being added daily.
Visits next week:
Michigan State University
St. Louis University
Missouri State University
Harris Stowe State University
College and Career Night Recordings
Thanks to those who joined us for College and Career Night on February 8th. Couldn’t make it? Here’s a link to view the recorded sessions.
Upcoming ACT and SAT National Test Dates (Saturdays)
Junior parents: Is your child planning to attend a four year college or university? While many colleges have been “test optional” for the past two years as a result of covid, plans for next year are not yet clear and many colleges will still require ACT or SAT scores for admission and/or scholarships. Here are the ACT and SAT test dates for the rest of the school year.
Shop the Parents' Club Spirit Store!
The Spirit Store is open! Hours are 8-9:15 a.m. daily.
The online store is open 24 hours a day at https://wghsparentsclub.org/collections.
Every time you shop at the Spirit Store, you are supporting student scholarships and teacher grants!
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