TWHS Weekly News
JANUARY 14, 2022
Weekly Calendar
Monday, January 17:
- NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Regular Bell Schedule
- PTSO Meeting, 7:30 pm
- Homeroom Bell Schedule
- TWHS Ice Hockey Fundraiser, Chipotle 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm E. Campus View Blvd.
Thursday, January 20:
- Regular Bell Schedule
Friday, January 21:
- Regular Bell Schedule
Dear Cardinal Family,
The last 10 days of COVID reporting have certainly strained us. Our families have been awesome about communicating and being cautious if there was an exposure or close contact. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your proactive approach with this task. It has truly been a big help. It has also created significant challenges with data management for us.
This phase of the pandemic has resulted in a large number of positive cases in our community and, frankly, everywhere. As many of you were bombarded with emails, the truth is that one positive kid traveling through their high school schedule can result in hundreds of emails to families. Our current number of positive cases will result in us regularly emailing families with our COVID notice multiple times per week. We fear that this approach could become ineffective as a communication tool. It is definitely inefficient.
Our plan moving forward is to give you a dashboard view that is school-level, by day. Rest assured, we will still do our close contact investigations and personally call families who are potential close contacts. The dashboard approach should give you a more transparent view of what is actually happening in this building on a daily basis. We feel like this information will be easier to digest than guessing what the number of emails could indicate for the overall health of the school community.
Starting next week, every Friday, a section of this newsletter will be dedicated to our building-level data. We will include staff and student positives by day, as well as staff and student quarantines by day. We hope this information will be useful and more meaningful than multiple form emails.
Have a great weekend and Go Cards!
Oh, and... Mask up!
Sincerely,
Pete Scully
Principal
Thomas Worthington High School
**New Announcements This Week**
- ATTENTION SENIORS: Order your cap & gown (DEADLINE JANUARY 31st)
- ATTENTION SENIORS: Submit your Senior photo for the yearbook (DEADLINE JANUARY 31st)
- Course Registration Information for 2022 - 2023 School Year
- Save the Date: Winter Formal is February 12th
- New COVID Exposure Notifications
- ACT Administration for All Juniors
- ASVAB Test for all 10-12 graders Interested in the Armed Forces
- Martin Luther King Community Celebration
- Parents - Please Review the Attendance Philosophy and Procedure
** ACADEMIC UPDATES**
What The Teachers are Saying
See what the teachers are saying about the TWHS December Cardinals of the Month.
The 3Rs - Cardinal Expectations at TWHS
There are three general behavior expectations at Thomas Worthington High School: build Relationships, show Respect, and be Responsible.
We define build Relationships as “to cultivate belonging”. It is our goal that 100% of our students feel connected to at least one adult that they trust enough to go to when they really need it. From our morning greeting as each student enters the building, to each teacher connecting with each student, to our Wednesday homeroom lessons, we strive to create an environment that is so welcoming - all are inspired to learn.
We define show Respect as “use appropriate language”. We work towards being mindful of the words we speak and the immense power they have on ourselves and others. We learn that the words we say, along with the time, setting, and location have an impact on others.
We define be Responsible as “to attend and be on time to class”. We are intentional about the value of showing up, being on time, and being present for ourselves and others.
Course Registration Information for the 2022-2023 School Year
Did you know that 2022-23 course registration is just around the corner? We have included our timeline and resources that will help you and your student navigate this process:
January 18-31: Teachers will discuss course offerings within their content area with their students.
February 1: During homeroom, students will receive a hard copy of the registration card (list of all the classes TWHS offers). They will also learn about the scheduling resources we have available which include:
February 2: During third period, students will register for their 2022-23 classes. They will need their chromebooks as they will do this in Infinite Campus. Their third period teacher will be there to help.
February 2-9: Registration window
February 9: Registration closes
February 9-28: Counselors meet with students to confirm course requests
Thank you for supporting your student during this process. Please reach out to your student’s school counselor if you have any questions.
Felicha Smith (students with last name A-D) fsmith@wscloud.org
Kelly Swearingen (students with last name E-K) kswearingen@wscloud.org
Celeste Preisse (students with last name L-M) cpreisse@wscloud.org
David Quart (students with last name N-R) dquart@wscloud.org
Stephanie Burns (students with last name R-Z) sburns@wscloud.org
ACT Administration for Juniors Tuesday, March 1st
On Tuesday, March 1st, Worthington high schools will administer the state-funded ACT to all 11th grade students during the school day. This ACT administration is free to all 11th grade students. All juniors will automatically be enrolled to take the test. Linworth, Academy, and half-day DACC students will take the test at their home school.
In order to provide focused time and attention to the ACT, the morning will be dedicated to testing only. All 11th grade students are required to report to school at their regular time for testing. We will use a delayed start of school for 9th, 10th, and 12th grade students. Lunch will be available for all students. Classes will begin at 12:20 p.m.
TESTING BELL SCHEDULE
Testing: 7:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.
Period 5: 12:20 p.m. - 12:57 p.m.
Period 6: 1:02 p.m. - 1:39 p.m.
Period 7: 1:44 p.m. - 2:21 p.m.
Period 8: 2:26 p.m. - 3:05 p.m.
Transportation
For 11th grade students, school buses will run at their regularly scheduled times for arrival.
For 9th, 10th, and 12th grade students, school buses will run on approximately a 3-hour delay for arrival.
Students on buses will arrive at school around 10:00 a.m. They will be directed to the gym for recreation or the auditorium/library for quiet study.
All buses will run on a regular schedule for dismissal.
PM Academy, Linworth, and DACC students will leave for their schools immediately after testing. A bus will pick them up at the West End. (For students with extended time, they will be transported to their school of enrollment upon completion of the test.)
If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Brett Shaffer, Assistant Principal, at Bshaffer@wscloud.org or 614-450-6292.
Attention 10 - 12 Grade Families
Is your student interested in pursuing a career in the military someday? Are they having trouble deciding what path is best for them after high school? Are they looking for additional standardized test preparation? TWHS has a great opportunity for you!
On Saturday, January 29th, we will be offering the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, more commonly known as the ASVAB test, from 9 am-12 pm in the Cards Center. This is a test that is required for all students who plan on entering the military, but also serves as standardized test prep, and a career exploration opportunity.
Through the ASVAB, students will be tested in 8 areas, including the following: general science, arithmetic reasoning, word knowledge, paragraph comprehension, mathematics knowledge, electronics information, auto and shop information, and mechanical comprehension.
Scores in four critical areas -- Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension and Mathematics Knowledge -- count towards an Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) score. The AFQT score determines whether students are qualified to enlist in the U.S. military. Scores in the other areas of the ASVAB will determine how qualified students are for certain military occupational specialties and enlistment bonuses. Students will receive their scores, along with an interpretation within 15 days of the test administration date.
There will be a sign-up sheet in the School Counseling Office for students until Wednesday, January 26th. If your student would like to prepare for the ASVAB test, they may use the following websites for practice tests:
http://www.asvabpracticetests.com/
https://www.march2success.com/
If you have any questions, please contact TWHS School Counselor, Celeste Preisse, at cpreisse@wscloud.org!
TWHS National Honor Society
2nd Nine Weeks Grades Updated in Infinite Campus
Your child’s 2nd nine weeks grades can be accessed through Infinite Campus and report cards can be generated from the “Report” menu. If you wish to receive a printed copy of your student’s report card for the 2nd nine week grading period, please contact Penni Dow at 614-450-6296 or at pdow@wscloud.org or Kate Weber at 614-450-6304 or at kweber@wscloud.org.
Junior Night Presentation for the Class of 2023
Junior students and parents/guardians! College and career season is here! If you were unable to attend the Junior Night Presentation in person or you want to review what was said, you can view the presentation here: Junior Night Presentation.
This presentation will give you inside information on the college application process, what admissions is looking for, ACT/SAT, and how to start creating your list of potential colleges to apply to. Please view the presentation and contact your School Counselor with follow up questions!
Your TWHS School Counselors,
Felicha Smith, Kelly Swearingen, Celeste Preisse, David Quart, and Stephanie Burns
Special Education Key Communicator
Worthington’s Special Education Key Communicator Committee strives to build positive, productive and collaborative relationships and partnerships amongst the educators and community of families whose children receive special education and related services. We will engage in two-way communication, with the goal being to provide a circle of influence where we can share out and learn from and with each other.
The key communicator will convey information from their building to the committee, as well as information from the committee to their buildings.
The Key Communicator for Thomas Worthington High School is Meredith Murphy (mmurphy@wscloud.org). Please reach out to her if you have questions or topics to discuss.
**ACT PREP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS**
Register for ACT Boot Camp February 6 & 13, 2022
Dr. Srinath Sampath of PrepAccelerator (PrepAccelerator.com) is returning for the 4th consecutive year to teach the 2-day, 15-hour ACT Boot Camp to Worthington High School students on Sunday, February 6, and Sunday, February 13, 2022. Students who attended the boot camp in previous years have seen a definite score improvement. The boot camp is open to all 9-12 grade students and will run from 8:15am to 5pm on both days.
An intensive, two-day training session open to Linworth, TWHS and WKHS students, will be taught online on February 6 and February 13, 2022. This opportunity will cost $200, a heavily discounted rate and will include handouts and a printed handbook that contains cheat sheets, test-taking tips, and over 900 drills with solutions in English and Math. Click ACT Boot Camp for more information.
Class of '22: Important Dates for Ordering Cap & Gown
Parents of the Class of 2022: It would be extremely helpful if orders could be placed early due to production and shipping times slowing down the supply of our caps and gowns for the Class of 2022, ORDER YOUR CAP & GOWN NOW
**The final deadline to submit orders is January 31, 2022 to ensure delivery of your student's cap & gown in the spring.**
Submit Your Senior Picture!
Senior Pictures must be submitted by Monday, January 31st, 2022
Submit your senior picture at Senior Photo Submission for the yearbook by January 31st, 2022.
Directions to submit your senior picture:
- Your photo must be VERTICAL and in COLOR or BLACK AND WHITE
- Please use a personal computer to submit your photos.
- Only school-related props are allowed in portraits. No animals or pets (sorry!). Make sure your photo follows the TWHS dress code. No “selfie-styles.”
- Senior Photo Submission Files must be named Last Name_First Name (it must be a *jpeg or .png)
No late photos will be accepted.
Attention Seniors - Midyear Transcripts
Does the college(s) you applied to require a midyear transcript? Effective Monday, January 10th, your fall 2021 grades will be posted to your transcript. If a college you have applied to requires a "Midyear transcript" (seven semesters), please email your School Counselor and he/she will gladly send your midyear transcripts to the college you request. If you have questions, please reach out to your School Counselor.
Attention Seniors: Apply for the Diploma of Distinction
The Diploma of Distinction recognizes students for their excellence in academics, character, and service in one or more specific subject areas. In order to be considered for a Diploma of Distinction, please complete this APPLICATION by Friday, January 28th, 2022. Late applications will not be accepted. Diplomas of Distinction are currently available in nine (9) areas: Project Lead the Way (PLTW), English, World Language, Theater Arts, Musical Arts, Service Learning and Career Mentorship, Visual Arts, Entrepreneurship Business Academy (EBA) and Science.
To be eligible, you must have a cumulative grade point average of a 3.5 (unweighted), and obtained senior status (minimum of 15.0 credits by January 5, 2022).
To see if you qualify, please click the following link for subject area criteria: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ljNO0d0fe2Sg689D302FJ-VL2baLMR_b8oyDd2deoBM/edit?usp=sharing
Questions? Please email Mr. Quart at dquart@wscloud.org.
Seniors and Parents/Guardians Sign up for Naviance Now!
Naviance is a college planning tool for students to request transcripts to be sent to colleges, conduct college searches, and request letters of recommendations. Please make sure you have your email linked to Naviance as the School Counselors will send you emails about college rep visits, scholarships, deadlines, and more! Click Naviance 101 Video presentation or this document for step-by-step directions and more information about using Naviance.
Buy A Senior Ad!
Deadline: Wednesday, May 25th, 2022
Send a special message to your senior! Show how much you care by surprising your senior with a personalized note and photos in their yearbook.
- Baby photos
- Childhood memories
- Accomplishments
Questions? Contact: service@buckeyescholastic.com
Parents/guardians of seniors are encouraged to purchase a Senior Ad Page to feature their child in the yearbook. This page can include baby photos, childhood memories, and/or other accomplishments for your child. Click senior ad page examples for ideas.
⅛ page senior ad: $40
¼ page senior ad: $75
½ page senior ad page: $125.
Buy a Senior Baby Ad!
Submit a baby photo for your senior along with a message of congratulations.
Cost: $20 for a 1/8 page ad.
Deadline: Wednesday, May 25th, 2022
Click here to purchase and submit your baby ad!
Thank you for your interest in purchasing a baby ad in the 2022 TWHS Cardinal Yearbook! The cost is only $20 and proceeds help us create a quality yearbook that you'll enjoy for years to come.
PURCHASE YOUR YEARBOOK TODAY!
Don't forget to purchase your yearbook for this year.
The Yearbook price will go up to $70 on January 1st.
Click HERE for more information.
** SCHOOL COMMUNITY CONNECTION**
Martin Luther King Community Celebration
2022 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration: The Future of the Movement - The Legacy of Dr. King
The Worthington Community will honor and celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr on January 17, 2022 for the annual MLK Community Celebration. Because of ongoing COVID-19 concerns, there will be no in-person audience for the Celebration. The entire program will be available to watch live online, starting at 11am on January 17th.
The Worthington United Methodist Church will live-stream the event on YouTube here or you can watch by playing the video here on this page. The video can also be viewed after the program has been completed.
Special thanks to the Worthington United Methodist Church, Rev. Lou Seipel and Craig Kramer for providing the live stream services for this program.
The program will focus on “The Future of the movement – the legacy of Dr. King” and include readings by several students from Worthington Schools. The program will also feature musical performances from the Capriccio choir and Urban Strings Youth Orchestra.
The program will also preview the “Post No Ills” exhibition by artist Lance Johnson that will be opening at the McConnell Arts Center later in January. Learn about the exhibition here.
Attendance Office Procedures for TWHS Students
Please notify the Attendance Office if you know your student will be absent from school. Call or email ahead to pre-excuse for appointments and ask your student to pick up a pass in the Attendance Office ahead of time – we prefer not to interrupt classes by calling rooms.
Call the 24-hour recorded line to leave a message at
614-450-6291, or you may send an email to twhsattend@wscloud.org.
***PLEASE REVIEW*** Before and After School Guidelines for TWHS Students
Your support in following these guidelines is greatly appreciated. The safety of our students is our number one priority.
Reminder: The gate located next to the tennis courts on Evening Street is closed during school hours.
PTSO Membership 2021-2022
The PTSO represents the parents, teachers, and students of Thomas Worthington High School. We aspire to support our school's mission of supporting the education of students by fostering relationships among the school, parents, students and teachers.
There are many opportunities for parent(s) and guardian(s) to become involved at TWHS through our PTSO. Applications can be filled out online by going to the PTSO tab on the Thomas Worthington web site or by clicking HERE
PTSO Meeting Dates Set for 2021-22 – Please Join Us!
All PTSO meetings are on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the TWHS Principal's conference room (Room 127). Everyone is welcome - please join us! The 2021-22 meeting schedule is: January 18, March 15 and May 17.
**ATHLETICS & CO-CURRICULAR**
Winter Formal Saturday, February 12th
The Winter Formal will be held in the TWHS Main Gym on February 12 from 8:30 - 11:00 p.m. The theme is “Disco.” Please refer to the table below for dates and prices to purchase tickets online. Students should print their ticket(s) and bring them to the dance or have the QR code visible to be scanned at the dance. Please note, the TWHS Dance Guest Form must be completed and approved prior to ticket purchases. Beginning Friday, January 28, the Dance Guest Form will be available online under the Ticket Sales site and paper copies will be available in Central Office.
Ticket Prices
Online Ticket Sales Only
Jan. 31 - Feb 6th - $10.00
Feb. 7 - 11th - $12.00
Feb. 12th - $15.00
Winter Formal Dance, 8:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
TWHS Main Gym
Student IDs required!
Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Students are to be picked up promptly at 11:00 p.m.
Please review the dance guidelines and expectations, located on pages 16-17 of the Worthington City Schools High School Handbook, with your child prior to Saturday evening’s dance.
Attention All Gamers
Esports are coming to Thomas Worthington High School. Beginning this spring, TWHS students will have the opportunity to compete against other schools across Ohio in many popular games, including Overwatch, Fortnite, and Rocket League. If you are interested, please fill out the interest survey by scanning this QR code found on the fliers around the school. Visit esportsohio.org or see Mr. Thornton in Room 163 for more details.
TWHS Car Magnets
You can still purchase your TWHS Car Magnets for $6.00 (cash or check). A wide variety of magnets are offered. Please contact the TWHS Lady Cards Softball Program.
TWHS Ice Hockey Dine Out at Chipotle Fundraiser
The TWHS Ice Hockey Team will be hosting a dine out fundraiser on Wednesday, January 19th from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm at Chipotle 191 E. Campus View Blvd. Columbus 43235. Please show this flyer or mention the Ice Hockey team when ordering. You can also order online for pickup using code T2LQC3F.
Athletic Passes
All 6th-12th grade students in the Worthington School District will be admitted free to home sporting events with a VALID student ID. Adult athletic passes and single game tickets are now available online by going to TWHS Ticket Page. Please note that no tickets will sold at the gate. Tickets must be purchased online.
**FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE**
New COVID Exposure Notification
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Worthington Schools has made every attempt to keep our students, families and community aware of how the virus was impacting our schools. Our dashboard continues to be updated each weekday to display cases and quarantines throughout the district. In addition to this tool, our health office professionals identify positive cases, close contacts and symptomatic students. When this occurs, they continue to contact families and apply the updated guidance from Columbus Public Health.
Until recently, our administrators and health office personnel have also been using the student case data to individually track school and bus schedules and send emails to families that may have been near a COVID case. With the significant increase in cases in our high schools, we are creating a more efficient process than sending a large number of individual emails to families. Starting next week, we will provide Thomas Worthington families a COVID report from our building with relevant information and trends from the week in our Friday newsletter. We are hopeful that this update and our other communication strategies will meet the needs of our school community in this stage of our experience with COVID.
COVID Guidelines
Covid 19 continues to have a presence in our community. Worthington Schools has adapted its policy for quarantine and removal of ill children to reflect those set by The Columbus Health Department.
As we return to a normal schedule with all students attending school daily it is extremely important to NOT send your student to school if they are sick and not feeling well. A daily health check is required for parents and students to complete each morning prior to school.
Daily Home COVID-19 "Before School" Screening
Guidance for Daily Home Screening
If your child develops or reports any of the symptoms listed below during the school day they will be isolated and a parent or guardian will be called for immediate pick up. Follow up with a health care provider will be required for your student to return to school. The COVID-19 protocols will be strictly enforced to ensure a healthy environment for our students and staff.
Your child needs to be kept home if any of the following symptoms are present.
Temperature 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher when taken by mouth
New or worsened cough
New onset severe headache
Loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Nasal congestion or runny nose
Vomiting or diarrhea
J. Frank MSE, BSN, RN LSN
Thomas Worthington High School
ph: 614-450-6215 fax: 614-450-6393
FREE Meal Service Available for ALL TWHS Students for the 2021-2022 School Year
Students at TWHS will continue to receive free breakfast and lunch service. Students will be provided a traditional meal service with modified menu selections. If you have questions, please contact the Worthington Schools Food Service Department HERE.
TWHS School Calendar
Click on TWHS School Calendar to access the TWHS website calendar
January 17: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 18: PTSO Meeting - 7:30 pm
January 19: TWHS Ice Hockey Fundraiser Chipotle (E Campus View Blvd) 5 - 9:00 pm
January 24: Regular Board of Education Meeting, 7:30 pm WKHS
January 25: Class of 2026 Curriculum Night 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
January 25: Special Education Parent Meeting, 6:00 pm
January 26: 8th Grade Visits, KMS and Phoenix MS
January 27: 8th Grade Visits, Worthingway
January 28: Deadline to Apply for the Diploma of Distinction
January 28: Community Coffee with Superintendent Trent Bowers, 8:00 am - 9:30 am WEC
January 29: ASVAB Test 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Cards Center
January 31: Deadline to Submit Senior Pictures for the Yearbook
January 31: Deadline to Order Cap and Gown for Seniors
February 6: ACT Boot Camp, 8:15 AM - 5:00 PM
February 8: Staff Meeting, 3:15 PM
February 9: Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3:30 PM - 7:10 PM
February 12: Winter Formal, 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
February 13: ACT Boot Camp, 8:15 AM - 5:00 PM
February 17: Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:30 PM - 8:10 PM
February 21: NO SCHOOL - President's Day
February 25 & 26: Cardinal Theatre Production of Mama Mia, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Thomas Worthington High School
(614)450-6291
Principal, Pete Scully
(614)450-6206
Assistant Principal (A-D), Emilie Greenwald
(614)450-6261
Assistant Principal (E-K), Todd Keenan
(614)450-6284
Assistant Principal (L-Q), Adrienne Carr
(614)450-6284
Assistant Principal (R-Z), Brett Shaffer
(614)450-6292
Dean of Students, Scott Gordon
(614)450-6261
Athletic Director, Molly Feesler
(614)450-6288
School Counseling Chair, David Quart
(614)450-6296
Registrar, Kate Weber
Website: https://www.worthington.k12.oh.us/Page/9
Location: 300 West Dublin Granville Road, Worthington, OH, USA
Phone: (614)450-6200
Twitter: @TWHS_cardinals