The mission of West Hills High School is to graduate critical thinkers and problem-solvers who contribute positively to society as productive, responsible citizens.
Activities for the week:
Final exam days are minimum days and listed below:
Monday, December 18: REGULAR Day (Not late start!)
Monday, December 18: REGULAR Day (Not late start!)
Tuesday, December 19
Finals Period 1 or 7 8:14 - 10:11
Break 10:11 - 10:27
Wednesday, December 20
Finals Period 3 8:14 - 10:11
Break 10:11 - 10:27
Period 5 10:33 - 12:30
Period 5 10:33 - 12:30
All Faculty and Staff Winter Luncheon in Foyer beginning at 12:30: We hope you will join us!
Thursday, December 21 – last day of fall semester
Thursday, December 21 – last day of fall semester
Finals Period 2 8:14 - 10:11
Break 10:11 - 10:27
Period 6 10:33 - 12:30
Please take a look at this Go Fund Me page if you would like to assist a 10th grade WHHS student and family afford their father's funeral and subsequent expenses. His sister is an AVID tutor with us and attends GMCHS. (This is one of the students we have adopted through Ginny's emails as well). Thank you.
Wednesday, December 20, 12:15 p.m. Foyer: All Staff and Faculty Luncheon courtesy of our WHHS Foundation; Food begins at 12:30p.m. Short Faculty and Staff meeting begins at 1:00 p.m. with sign in sheet for Title I Professional Development purposes. We hope you come for the food and social time and everyone please attend the 1:00 p.m. meeting. We know and recognize the need to grade for final exams, we promise we won't keep you past 1:30 p.m. Thank you!
January 22-26, 2018: Great Kindness Challenge Week: West Hills will be participating in this national week. Department Chair and Leadership team along with Admin, our PBIS Committee and ASB support this free idea. Each period 3 teacher will get the Great Kindness Ideas list and ask teachers to review the list with students. We all then focus on and participate in the Great Kindness Challenge for the week. We can all use a little more kindness in our lives! We will be encouraging social media postings of our kindness as well as whole school opportunities. We want to start 2018 off with continuing kindness and good will. Here's a short video to help explain it...
Our best opportunity to show off, we welcome all 8th grade families to preview our high school and JOIN the PACK! We need as many teachers, programs, and people here to inform and energize families to enroll at West Hills! This night is our true "Open House" since we are in the "Open Choice" window in the District where all schools are open for enrollment regardless of where you live. THANK YOU DEPARTMENT CHAIRS and COORDINATORS for your support and participation! More information to come....
Saturday, March 3, 2018: West Hills 3Oth Year Gala and Hall of Fame Dinner; The Handlery Hotel, tickets on sale soon. We hope you will join us for this West Hills Foundation sponsored fund raiser and celebration!
Sunday, March 18-21, 2018: WASC Visiting Team on Campus
In support of Granite Hills High School and the family of former West Hills teacher Brad Burton, West Hills ASB reached out to show the Eagles our GH colors on Friday. Brad was a teacher with us for about 10 years before moving to Otay Ranch HS to teach and coach football. His son, William, a well known senior at GHHS, died in a car accident returning home from the GHHS Football banquet. A Celebration of Life is planned later this week. Look at social media for details.
English Language Learners: The ELPAC is coming....what the heck is that???!
By state law, we used to test ELLs with the CELDT. This tested students in speaking, reading, writing and listening in English. California has now adopted the English Language Proficiency Assessments (ELPAC) and requires us to test every student who has a "language spoken in the home other than English". This new test begins in February and will require us to test grades 9-10 and 11-12. Our EL Coordinator, Barb Ruggles, will be working with Admin on testing these students. Currently at WHHS we have less than 100 ELLs total, however, they make up a "significant sub group" for our school and District accountability purposes. We'll keep you informed as we get closer to February....
Digital Portfolios
Several teachers are using digital portfolios with our students. I was made aware of whole school projects (thank you DLC Reuben Hoffman) using these and thought you might be interested in seeing what sister schools are doing with this idea:
Mount Miguel is doing a digital portfolio day on January 22nd dedicated to students contributing to their portfolios in all classes. Mick McMurray shared the Mount Miguel DP Site. One takeaway on this site is the Reflections page under Samples.
El Cajon Valley has a banner on their school homepage: ECV DP Page Anthony Devine has been the driving force in continuously messaging the value of DPs. A favorite page is Adding Content.
West Hills High School is closed December 23-January 7, 2018, however our fields, Gym and Performing Arts facilities are used by all kinds of organizations, booked by both West Hills (for our own on campus people) and by the District for off-campus outside agencies for a fee. These fees are returned to WHHS to maintain and upkeep our beautiful campus.
WINTER BREAK: Please unplug and turn off any small electronics--coffee pots, refrigerators, desk top computers, microwaves, etc. during our week off. Every dollar we save on electricity COMES BACK TO WHHS!
A Personal message from Robin to you:
I thank you for each day of 2017. Your dedication. Your endless energy. Your love of learning. Your kindness to all. Your integrity. Your honesty. Your laughter. Your compassion. Your patience. Your time. Your making amends. Your investment in our students. Your investment in ourselves. Your love of West Hills. I thank you and WELCOME WINTER BREAK and wish a FABULOUS 2018 to all!
KUDOS to ASB and Mr. Riego! Camp Wolf PACK this week went very well and folks got into the spirit of the dress up days! We culminated the week in our Winter Assembly and are very proud to announce our student selected "Golden Apple Teacher of the Year" Mrs. Suzanne Sannwald! A terrific teaching librarian, students selected Mrs. Sannwald because she "Cares about us and our learning" and she is "Really amazing..the things she knows are INCREDIBLE"! Congratulations Suzanne! The Wolf Pack is truly grateful you choose to learn, work and educate with us! 
