Westwood Weekly
Week of May 25, 2020
Westwood High School
Website: https://nice.k12.mi.us/
Location: 300 Westwood Drive, Ishpeming, MI, USA
Phone: 906.485.1023
Facebook: facebook.com/niceschools/
WHS Senior Parade
Thursday, May 28, 2020, 07:00 PM
Westwood High School, Westwood Drive, Ishpeming, MI, USA
Westwood High School is excited to announce a parade for our seniors next Thursday, May 28, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. This is the night that graduation was supposed to be held.
Students are asked to meet at Westwood High School in the parking lot beginning around 6:30 p.m., individually in their cars (or with a family member if they don’t drive). The parade route will be the ACES loop, which starts at Westwood High School, continues through the access road to Aspen Ridge School out to Aspen Ridge School Road, then to Southwood Drive, and back around on Westwood Drive concluding back at the high school.
Students are encouraged to decorate their cars if they’d like, and they can wear their caps and gowns also, but it’s not required. Social distancing guidelines must be followed or this parade cannot happen.
Parents and anyone from the community are invited to park their vehicles on the sides of the road along the parade route to show their support for the seniors as they drive by.
High School Updates
Construction Projects - The construction projects at WHS are on schedule. The band room and both male and female lockers rooms are being completely redone. In addition, new visitor locker rooms are being built at the south end of the complex and in the plan is a resurfacing of the the track.
Chromebook Returns - For those of you who borrowed a Chromebook to assist in distance learning, we will be collecting them on June 9, 10 and 11, between 8am-2pm. There will be a cart in the entryway of the high school where the devices can be placed.
Belongings Pick Up - If you did not pick up your student's belongings last week, please contact the school to make arrangements to get them. In addition, if you need to turn in books or uniforms, please call the Westwood High School Office at 485.1023 to set up a time to drop them off.
Updates from Nurse Korpi
Navigating the “New Normal”
As we begin to emerge from restrictions, many of us start to wonder what will this “new normal” look like as we move forward. Research conducted during the pandemic indicates that children and adolescents are among some of the most concerned when considering how daily life will be impacted. This is especially true as we consider what form school may take next fall, the future of sports and extra-curricular activities, and how socialization may change over the next year. For most children and adolescents, there will be a sense of relief to return to their familiar routine and re-engage with friends and peers. For younger children, some may experience initial separation anxiety from the family and caregivers they have spent so much time with during the pandemic. A small proportion of children may also have more significant worries and fears about leaving the safety of their homes. Regardless of where your children fall on this spectrum, each family will make personal choices about how your family will approach this. Take things at your own pace, one activity at a time, so you feel safe while also slowly building up your confidence. It’s ok to slowly ease back in activities. Evaluate what is most important to you and your family, focusing on those priorities first. Have honest and open discussions with your children, so you know what exactly they are worried about. While as adults, our concerns may be more focused on health, jobs, or the economy, children tend to worry about the areas that directly impact their daily life – school, extra-curricular activities, friends and special events. Model the behavior you would like to see in your children. Not only do children notice or anxiety or fears, but they will also be keenly aware of how you are approaching health and safety or continued social distancing recommendations moving forward. As always, there are resources to help support you and your family as we navigate the months to come. The NICE Child & Adolesecent Health Center will continue providing mental health services throughout the summer months, with telehealth services available.
Stay safe and well,
Jamie Dieterle, LMSW, CAADC