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: Clash of the Classes week: Dress up days below
Monday: Collab Late Start Day: Mandatory All Staff and Faculty WASC Focus Group Meetings starting at 7:45 a.m.--Please attend your assigned Focus Group Meeting and sign in. Please bring your laptops to access
WASC Staff Notes
Group Focus Group Leaders
Instruction: SS-3: Mandy Albrecht, Josh Reyes
Organization & Governance:E8 Randy Cambou and Robin Ballarin
Curriculum: E-10 Todd Peterson and Jennifer Romanowski
Data and Accountability: E1 Barb Ruggles and Tanya Morrison
School Culture & Student Support: SS-6 Jarrod Carman
Tuesday: Regular Day:
Wednesday: Regular Day: Possible student action / walkout at 10:00 for 17 minutes. See
below and email updates next week for more information.
Thursday: Regular Day:
Friday: Assembly Day: Please see this schedule emailed by Maria Lenhoff on 3/6. All
teachers and staff please attend with your students.
Please join me in congratulating Mrs. Barbra Ruggles, English Learner Coordinator and English teacher as our "Teacher of the Year" for 2018-19! Below is Barbra with her period 6 ELD class and others as we surprised her with this selection. The committee selection is always a tough one for WHHS with so many talented and dedicated teachers. Comments noting her involvement in helping our English Learners, providing resources and materials for teachers, and her long-time literacy efforts cinched her selection!
Barbra will go on to represent West Hills in the District "Teacher of the Year" selection which is part of the County and State selection process.
Our students are lucky to have Barbra as a teacher and we are lucky to have her on Faculty!
To Jodi Kohler and the AVID Students for walking us through a brief review of Costa's Level of Questioning at our meeting last Monday. I also want to thank everyone for our thoughtful discussion on school safety and possible student action on Wednesday, March 14. Please see your email for more information on this topic.
World War II Living History on Friday with Dan Sutton and co.
Students in Social Science enjoyed a myriad of World War II artifacts and stories from Dan Sutton and his historic re-enactor friends. Thank you to to the West Hills Foundation and PTSA for supporting Dan and his friends as they inspire and educate our students!
As mentioned Monday in our meeting, we are revising our Fire Alarm protocols once we get the Santee Fire Department approval to do so. Until we practice it and you receive an official notice, we continue to do our current practice. The new protocol will be fire alarm --announcement to evaluate circumstances while we investigate -- if you smell or see smoke, you evacuate with all individuals in your area following posted route and current protocols regardless of announcement-- follow announcement directive.
Preparing for possible Walk Out Wednesday March 14, 10:00 a.m.
As discussed in Monday's meeting, if any student walks out, please mark them absent and either call the VP office or use this Student Reporting Form to post information. You stay in your room teaching if any students remain; If all of your students leave, please follow them and help us supervise in the Pit. Please do not block the door to prevent their exit or say anything derogatory or negative (not that you would). Encouraging them to participate in the Saturday, March 24 Walk in allegiance with Stoneman High School students is a great alternative. This is also out there on social media which would be a wonderful activity.
It is important for all of us to realize that this is a truly teachable moment. We want to message that our instructional program is underway and that safety is our goal each and every day.
Three other schools in our District have small groups of students wanting to sign letters of condolences and send them to Stoneman on this day as well as hold a moment of silence. I welcome any additional information teachers and staff are hearing from students as this day approaches.
Thank you for your care and concern as always.
Organization & Governance: E-8
Instruction: SS-3
Curriculum: E-10
Data & Accountability: E-1
School Culture & Student Support: SS-6
Sunday, March 18- Wednesday, 21, 2018: WASC Visiting Team on campus.Please look at your email for the calendar invite(s) that pertain to you. Department Chair and Leadership along with WASC Focus Group Leaders have a few more invites than others. Link to the schedule for the visit is here. Take a look at out our Final Self Study, particularly the last pages 182-185. WASC STAFF NOTES (our "cheat sheet") is helpful.
March 26-April 6, 2018 Spring Break: Please make sure you empty refrigerators / food from classrooms and offices; Unplug small appliances; Take home live plants, fish etc. to take care of them; Enjoy the time off!
April 11-12, 18, 25-26: CAASPP TESTING: "Reverse Minimum Days"--11th grade testing 7:15-9:15 am; Regular Period 1 begins 9:34. See entire CAASPP Testing Schedule HERE with tabs at the bottom for additional information. Thank you to Department Chair and Leadership group for working with Admin to develop and discuss this schedule. Aligned with our school goals for shared cross-content collaboration and expanding ALL TEACHERS understanding of SBAC testing with students, EVERYONE has a role to play in testing, not just English and Math teachers. As always, after we carry this out, we will review how it went and make improvements for the following year.
April 11-12, 18, 25-26: CAASPP TESTING: "Reverse Minimum Days"--11th grade testing 7:15-9:15 am; Regular Period 1 begins 9:34. See entire CAASPP Testing Schedule HERE with tabs at the bottom for additional information. Thank you to Department Chair and Leadership group for working with Admin to develop and discuss this schedule. Aligned with our school goals for shared cross-content collaboration and expanding ALL TEACHERS understanding of SBAC testing with students, EVERYONE has a role to play in testing, not just English and Math teachers. As always, after we carry this out, we will review how it went and make improvements for the following year.
Saturday, May 19, Senior Prom, Paradise Point Resort, 7:00 p.m.: All are welcome to attend. The Seniors LOVE to see Faculty and Staff there!
May 23: Multi-Cultural Fair in the Gym all day--Social Science classes attending; All are welcome; If a student group asks you to be an Advisor, please help them out and say "yes"; They need a place to meet to organize and you to be with them this day in the Gym; Jodi Kohler and Dan Sutton continue to be the campus leads on this so THANK YOU to all for supporting them and our students in this event!
Senior Awards Night, Thursday, May 31 at 6:00 p.m in the Theater: All are welcome to this lovely evening where identified Seniors are on stage as they receive Department Awards and Scholarships; Our Valedictorians and Salutatorians are announced officially and many other awards are given out. Identified seniors are asked to attend to receive "an award" but they don't know what it is so the night is very special. Thank you to Guidance for making this night happen.
Tentatively Monday, June 4 @ 1:00 p.m.: Dedication of the Dave Hunter Gymnasium with unveiling of the new name and a reception in the Foyer. More to come on this....
Thursday, June 7, 8:30 a.m. GRADUATION in our stadium: Faculty arrives by 7:45 a.m. and here is information on our web site for Seniors. More information for faculty and staff closer to the date.
English Learner Professional Development: Part II
Site-based Professional Learning
Talk with Barb Ruggles or Admin about these opportunities for teachers. Scheduled on site during your prep period or during our Monday Collab time, these are readily available in addition to other district-wide trainings to support all students, and particularly English Learners:
- Working one-on-one with teachers or teams of teacher
- Understanding the “new” 2012 ELA/ELD standards
- Proficiency Level Descriptors
- Engagement strategies
- Vocabulary instruction
- Growth Mindset
Contact Information
Joann Phillips, EL Curriculum Specialist, 619.593.2710 or jphillips@guhsd.net
A staff member sent this to Admin and I say "Heck ya...let's see who's up for the challenge!" Maybe we have a talented student who wants to design our logo? Feel free to sign up and let me know if you are interested....this is a great way to celebrate the start of Spring Break! Go Wolf Pack!! Forward on to students and our community in any way you like! Bring the family!
HEY Pack
Let’s keep the great kindness challenge going and participate in something as a school. Clubs, Teams, Departments
Register at https://www.raceforautism.org/ and the join our team
WHHS Wolf Pack
We can be "Super Wolves"
And do something fun as a group
OK honestly here is where I fall short since waking up early on a Saturday morning is not really my idea of fun, but hanging out with a bunch of friends from work does, and doing something to promote how awesome our school is- even more awesome!
