Woodside High School
Weekly Wildcat Notes: August 28 - September 1, 2023
8.28 to 9.1 is a "B - A - B - A - Minimum B" Schedule
Wildcat Life in Photos
Below, you will also see some photos of the members of our Class of 2024 at Senior Sunrise on the first Friday of the school year. With their freshman year starting in distance learning, we are making up for some lost time and missed traditions, and it's been encouraging to see our seniors step up as leaders with the confidence to take action and embrace their sense of belonging.
THANK YOU, PTSA, for the Gift of Coffee!
Back to School Night 2023
*We will provide a free shuttle to and from the event. There are two pick up locations: the first is at 6:00PM at the Boys and Girls Club at 1109 St. in Redwoods City and the second is at 6:15PM at Sequoia YMCA at 1445 Hudson St. in Redwood City. The bus will leave Woodside HS at 8:45PM to drop off at both locations.
**There is no zoom option; however, teachers will share their presentation upon request if you are unable to attend in person.
Thursday, Aug 31, 2023, 06:30 PM
Woodside High School, Churchill Avenue, Woodside, CA, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Universal Free Meals for all Students & Additional a la carte Offerings
SUHSD is offering Universal Free Meals to students this school year in compliance with the California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division guidelines. This means that your student is entitled to receive a free compliant breakfast and or lunch during the school day free of charge regardless of their ability to pay. Please consider completing a meal application that may qualify your household for other limited income based discounts such as reduced priced internet service.
NOTE: the Kitchen is open for breakfast if students want to eat before school starts. We serve from the Quad area window from 8:15am to 8:30am; however, that would count as one of two of their free meals.
We are also offering a la carte snacks, beverages and second meals for purchase during the school day. Students must have funds in their cafeteria account to purchase second meals, healthy beverages and or snacks. Parents can create a free myschoolbucks account at WWW.myschoolbucks.com or through the link on the food service payment page. MySchoolbucks is also an App. The free app can be downloaded on iOS and Android. The app will also be used for other payments District wide throughout the year.
Message from the Principal
Dear Woodside Students and Families:
We begin Week 3 of the semester, and students are now starting to feel the reality of balancing their time between school responsibilities, extracurricular commitments, family and social time. I recommend that you set up the Canvas app notifications to be aware of assignments and due dates as a way to be involved in your child's school life. I caution you to not "hover" over every assignment or monitor every single notification; however, this is one way to engage in your child's education. *If you are new to Canvas, click here for a tutorial on Canvas.
High School is when and where we have to gradually release our students so that they take ownership of their assignments and use their time wisely and effectively. Establish an open and respectful dialogue with your child about when or how often you will check in about how they are doing with their HW/studying for quizzes/tests/long reading and writing assignments and encourage them to share results or ask you for help before it's too late. This open communication is a delicate dance, but let them know that you are there to listen and support them along the way. Please, help them to advocate for themselves directly with their teachers and counselors.
The following are some supports we have when parents just don't have the answers to support with subject-specific content. While there are challenges our students face outside of their control, there is little to no excuse for Woodside students to say they can't do something if they have not tried any or all of these academic supports.
In addition to Tutorial that is time built into the school day, the "Den" and "Q-Study" are additional academic supports we have for any Woodside HS student. Great News! The Den and Q-Study are up and running starting Tuesday, August 29th! Another excellent academic support is Paper, an online tutoring program available to students 24/7. See below for the flyers and additional information.
We all experience some level of nerves and anxiousness when we face something new or different: new school, new schedules, new friends, new country, new team...and I hope that all our students will find a rhythm and a sense of belonging and safe spaces here at Woodside HS where they will thrive and their voices heard. We anchor our teaching and learning in the following WHS (WASC) Goals, examining student progress and engaging in professional conversations so that all students have access to meeting content standards while providing meaningful and relevant experiences and enrichment opportunities:
- Goal #1: Increase the success rates of English Learners (EL and Reclassified Fluent English Proficient) on a variety of measures, including the CAASPP and ELPAC scores, graduation rates, A-G completion rates, and/or CTE Pathway completion. (SUHSD LCAP Goals 1&3)
- Goal #2: Implement strategies and provide opportunities for all students to be successessful in a rigorous course of study as measured by A-G completion and/or CTE Pathway completion. (SUHSD LCAP Goals 1&2)
- Goal #3: Promote a positive and inclusive learning environment for students in all subgroups based on the 8 Conditions for Student Success that will enhance our engaging campus culture. (SUHSD LCAP Goals 1&2)
Over the last few years, we have made significant steps to live by these 8 Conditions of Student Success since our last accreditation cycle in 2019. COVID set us back a little as we re-engage with each other and embrace these core values. We know when the 8 Conditions are realized when they become part of our school community's vocabulary: students, staff, parents, and the entire community referencing any of the 8 Conditions in describing our students' behaviors on campus and out in the public. When we can provide all students with these conditions of the Woodside Way during their time at Woodisde, then many of the critical academic and social-emotional need areas can be met.
Included in this Newsletter:
- Important Dates and Schedules
- Parents: Back to School Night is August 31st
- Tutorial during school day -- Overview
- Information from our Parent Booster Groups
With Gratitude,
Karen van Putten, Principal
F-14 WHS's Confidential Counseling / Wellness Center
We continue our partnership with ACS (Adolescent Counseling Services) and I am excited to share that Elizabeth Harris will be working very closely with Kathleen Homes, our Mental Health Specialist. Ms. Harris will serve as the ACS site director, overseeing the interns, who work directly with our students. Ms. Harris comes to us having recently worked with the Las Lomitas School District and as a provider of clinical therapy services via the Community Counseling Program.
Important Dates & Schedules
August 28 - September 1 is a "B - A - B - A - Minimum B Day" week
- Click Here for the Weekly Calendar of Events
- August 28: Team 100 Robotics Info Meeting - After School, J-1
- August 28: SDMC Meeting 4PM in the MUR Conference Room
- August 28: PTSA Mtg @ 7 - 8PM MUR / or Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82405546559?pwd=ekFUdlF2aWRJZXJpNDl4YkcwQXhLUT09
Meeting ID: 824 0554 6559
Passcode: 955715
- August 31st: WHS Back to School Night (Social 6:30pm in the Quad; 7:00-8:45 Visit Classes) On 8/28, students will receive a "Fill-In-Schedule and Map" to share with parents
- September 1: MINIMUM DAY (No "1st" period) - 9AM Start - Early Dismissal @ 1:00PM
- September 1: JV / Varsity Football @ Overfelt, San Jose, 4PM and 7PM
- September 4: Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
- September 5: ELAC Meeting, 6:30PM in the MUR (English Language Advisory Council
- September 6: Talent Show Auditions 3:45 - 5:30 in the PAC
- September 8: Club Rush - on the Quad During Lunch (learn about all the clubs on campus!)
- September 11: SUHSD Staff Development - No School for Students
- September 12: Music Boosters Parent Meeting, 7PM
- September 13: March Into College "Senior Style" for Seniors and their Parents 7PM MUR
- September 14: ID Photo Make Up Day
- September 22: BIG READ
Tutorial During the School Day
Students have a chance to start homework and ask for help within the school day
Students can make up work from absences without using brunch/lunch
Access to all of a student’s teachers in one given time period-- all teachers are in their rooms.
Do the things that might normally interrupt class time like surveys, counselor meetings, school-wide activities, etc.
Attention Freshmen Families: Our Annual Campaign Starts With You!
Check your mailboxes for an introduction to the Woodside High School Foundation and the many ways it benefits the academic experience of all Woodside students. We hope you'll join us in supporting this work!
The Woodside High School Foundation is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to raise funds to close the gap between public funding and the cost of a high-quality education. We raise money for academic programming identified by the school administration that will have a significant impact on the quality of education of all the students.
Learn more at https://www.whsfoundation.org/.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/148AooergEkUReAmz7Jh2iXPfO-qs4BoX/view?usp=drive_link
Join the PTSA! First Meeting Info
- August 28: PTSA Mtg @ 7 - 8PM MUR / or Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82405546559?pwd=ekFUdlF2aWRJZXJpNDl4YkcwQXhLUT09
Meeting ID: 824 0554 6559
Passcode: 955715
WOODSIDE'S GOT TALENT!
Back to School Night
Drama Boosters will have a table at Back to School Night (8/31) starting at 6:30 until the classrooms open at 7pm. Come by and see us!
Talent Show
Woodside students, we know you are just bursting with talent. Why not share your amazing gifts—musical, vocal, or otherwise—with the rest of the community at the annual Talent Show?? You could win cold, hard cash for your efforts. Prizes of $100, $75, and $50 go to the top 3 performers. Sign ups start on 9/1 in the main office; auditions are on 9/6 in the PAC. Showtime is 10/5. See image below for the details.
Follow us on Insta
Be sure to follow WHS Drama Boosters on Instagram at @whsdramaboosters for all the latest happenings.
Welcome from the ABO! Season Tickets Info
Welcome back, Wildcat athletes!
Fall sports have begun, and it’s great to see all the teamwork out there. All fall athletes need to be registered with SportsNet and submit the Physical Form. More information is available at Woodside High School - Athletic Department (woodsidehs.org).
The ABO and Woodside athletics community would like to thank our outgoing president, Meredith McLean, for her years of leading the boosters and supporting athletics. We appreciate all your time and effort! We want to welcome our incoming president, Chris Campana, who is ready to lead with positive energy and new ideas. Thank you both!
Let’s also extend a warm welcome to Thomas Feng, the Varsity Girls Volleyball coach, who has led our JV and Freshman teams in past years. In addition, let’s welcome Armando Carbajal who is taking on coaching our new Girls Flag Football team with our veteran Sports & Conditioning and Wrestling coach, Dan Peterson. Good luck in your seasons!
Now is a great time to purchase your season ticket family 4-packs for all regular season home Football and Basketball games. More information on home games and pricing are available online at Woodside Athletic Boosters Organization - Sequoia Union HSD, CA - Season Tickets Football & Basketball (membershiptoolkit.com).
Be sure to follow our social media accounts to keep up with our teams and athletic booster events! If you take great pictures at Wildcat sporting events, please contact Kim Postlewaite at kimpostlewaite@gmail.com so they can be posted on our social media.
Instagram @woodsideathleticboosters
Facebook @woodsideABO
Team 100 Wildhats - WHS Robotics Team
We invite all Woodside students interested in learning about our team to stop by J-1 after school on August 28th for our first session. Anyone wanting a head start may visit our Instagram page @frcteam100 to learn about our past events, Silicon Valley Regional Victory, and World Championships experience in Houston, Texas, last season.
Woodside High School
Email: kvanputten@seq.org
Website: woodsidehs.org
Location: 199 Churchill Avenue, Woodside, CA, USA
Phone: (650) 367-9750
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Woodside-High-School-584534558341797/