1. No category

WESTERN HIGH SCHOOL
February - March, 2015
Bay City Public Schools
A message from the principal…
Hello Western Families,
As you all know Western is a busy place with a lot going on, so I wanted to take a few minutes to share with you some
new happenings at Western.
ACT Support Opportunities. This year all Juniors will have the opportunity to participate in online ACT prep
through the E2020 system. Any Junior that would like additional support may stay after school on Tuesdays
and Wednesdays from 2:30-4:00 during the month of February to review content and strategies for taking
the ACT. Some students were enrolled in an ACT prep course that is taught during the school day.
FIRST Robotics. Western High School is proud to announce the start of our FRC Robotics club. 23 students
are building a robot to compete with 40 other schools. Our team has made tremendous progress in the design, building, and programming of our newest addition to WHS.
M-STEP(Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress). All Juniors will be taking a state wide assessment
online. This assessment will measure student's progress in ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies. At this
time a schedule is being set up and will be shared with students and parents at a later date.
Sometimes I don't take enough time to share the positive impact our students have on the community. Many of our
students are very busy yet find the time to make a difference. Some of the many things our students participate in
are: Penny War collection for United Way, Food Drives for Auburn Food Pantry, Giving Tree during the holidays, Big
Brothers and Big Sisters, Kids Against Hunger, Book Drive for area elementary students, hygiene drive for the Women's Shelter, Choral performances at Assisted Living homes, and tutoring/reading to elementary students in BCPS, to
name a few. I am proud of the students and staff at WHS that make this all happen.
On that note, spring is right around the corner!
Co-op News:
Currently Western has over 80 co-ops throughout the area.
Juniors interested in applying for co-op next year should sign up in
the counseling office and turn in a co-op form. This does not obligate a student to be in co-op; nor does it guarantee a co-op position for a student. It helps with matching students to available
opportunities that come through the co-op office. Mr. Clements is
available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to discuss the co-op
process, various opportunities and take applications. Students may
also find their own co-op job. If parents or students have any
questions, please feel free to call Mr. Clements at 989-402-7712,
email him at [email protected] or stop by the co-op office.
Co-op jobs require a resume and it’s not too early to start. Students should make an appointment with Mr. Clements to create a
resume.
Job Shadowing Days for 11th graders are March 17th and April 14th.
Please have them sign up in counseling office; or see Mr. Clements.
TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS
Seniors—please follow the process below when requesting
transcripts for college:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Visit www.parchment.com and click on the “SIGN UP
NOW” link in the middle of the page
Enter your contact information
Click the “SEND NOW” link
Add your current school—Bay City Western High
School. There are several Western High Schools in
Michigan to choose from so please make sure you select
Bay City Western High School.
You can then select colleges you wish to have transcripts sent to.
Once requests have been made, we will verify them and upload
student transcripts to the parchment site. If you have questions,
please contact I.V. Clark at 989.662.4481, ext. 6403 for assistance.
Locally, our Bay Area Community Foundation (BACF) houses the Bay Commitment College
Access Network (BCCAN). Staff members offer group sessions as well as meeting individually to assist students and families in navigating the path towards being prepared for a
post-secondary education and learning how to afford it! Call 989.893.6026 for details. All
sessions are free, but RSVP’s are appreciated. Upcoming sessions at the BCCAN include:
1. FAFSA Night (best for seniors, college students, and families) February 26th, from 6-7
p.m.
2. The online BACF scholarship application is available at
www.bayfoundation.org/scholarships. The application deadline is March 2, 2015 –
one application allows the student to apply for 1-15 different scholarships at once!
Each criteria is different for each scholarship.
Seniors—Available Scholarships!
The Covenant Healthcare Foundation Scholarship is now available. The Covenant
Healthcare Foundation will award six non-renewable scholarships to graduating
seniors currently attending a Saginaw, Bay, Tuscola, Arenac, Huron, Sanilac, Gratiot
or Midland County high school. Applicants must have a 3.75 GPA or above and be
pursuing an undergraduate degree in the human medical sciences or a field directly
related to the health care industry at an accredited college or university for the
academic year beginning fall 2015. Applications are due by March 6, 2015.
The Nathan Weidner Scholarship is now available and is a two-year renewable
grant awarded to Bay County students. This scholarship may be used for tuition,
fees and books but not to exceed $1500 per semester. The Scholarship is intended
to provide an opportunity for students who would not otherwise be able to attend
college. Students with financial need are preferred. Applications are due by April
13, 2015.
The Gene S Wirsing scholarship is now available in the counseling center. The application for this $500 scholarship is due no later than April 1st, 2015.
Scholarship eligibility requirements include:
□ 2015 WHS senior graduate
□ Cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or above
□ Student athlete with at least 1 varsity letter
□ Actively involved in community service-related activities
□ Furthering education through accredited 2 or 4 year university
Reminder: Scholarship offerings arrive weekly! Students are
encouraged to continually check the “Scholarship Tower” in
the counseling office for application details!
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
All families whether in financial need, or not, are
strongly encouraged to complete the FAFSA. By
having it completed prior to March 1, 2015, the
chances increase for receiving funds for Michigan students. Some scholarships are needbased, some are merit-based – but almost all
require the FAFSA to have been completed!
Research has shown that if a family completes
the FAFSA, it’s more likely that the student will
advance to a post-secondary program of study.
Questions? Feel free to contact Stacey Skorupski
at the BCCAN at 989.893.6026 or Mrs. Wrzesinski at 989.662.4481.ext. 6402.
Delta College is also offering FAFSA help during
their “College Goal Sunday” event on February
8th, from 2 – 4 p.m. in the computer labs off of
the library. Come to College Goal Sunday to have
a financial aid expert help you complete the
FAFSA for the 2015-2016 school year. Not sure
about college? Apply for the money now and
decide later. If you wait, chances are you’ll get
less. Financial aid experts will be available to
assist students and parents — both new and
returning — in completing their FAFSA on the
web for financial aid consideration.
M-STEP
The Michigan component of the assessment
program, M-STEP or Michigan Student Test
of Educational Progress, will be given to students online beginning on April 13th. The
assessment will take place over a number of
days as it is comprised of an online computer adaptive test and some constructed response items in ELA, math, science and social studies. A schedule for testing is being
prepared and will be shared with students in
the upcoming weeks. Headphones will be
needed for a portion of the testing and we
are encouraging students to bring their own.
More information will also be shared in the
April/May edition of the Arrow.
ACT PREP WORKSHOP
ACT Test Prep Workshop: We are pleased to announce the Bay-Arenac ISD is providing our students with
two ACT Test Prep Workshop opportunities. Both workshops take place from 8 am until 12 noon. Students
may register by signing up in the counseling office for the following dates:
 February 14th at Bay-Arenac ISD Career Center
 February 21st Standish-Sterling Central High School
Michigan Merit Exam & M-STEP 2015
As you may know, students in the 11th grade are tested by the State of Michigan each year.
Years ago students took the MEAP and that test was modified in 2007 to the MME, or Michigan
Merit Exam, which tested students over the course of three days. The State of Michigan has revamped their testing program again this year and 11th grade students will be taking the ACT
College Entrance Exam and WorkKeys Workplace Readiness assessment on March 3rd and 4th as part of the
assessment program. Both of these assessments are national benchmark tests and measure a student’s progress in English, reading, math, and science.
Due to testing environment requirements on March 3rd, only students in the 11th grade will report to
school. Students need to arrive to school at 7:30 am to report to their testing room. Each testing room will start once all
students are present and testing will conclude roughly around 12:30 pm. Dismissal times will vary by a few minutes depending on start time. Students will take a total of 5 tests: English (45 minutes), math (60 minutes), reading (35
minutes), science (35 minutes) and writing (30 minutes). Transportation will be available to students on this day - they
will need to sign up at their ACT Bubble Session that will take place during the school day on February 10th, 11th or 12th.
On March 4th, all students will be in attendance at school. Students need to arrive to school at 7:30 am to report
to their testing room. Each testing room will start once all students are present and testing will conclude roughly around
10:30 am. Students will be given a lunch hour and then are expected to report to classes for the remainder of the day.
Students will take a total of 3 tests: Reading for Information (45 minutes), Applied Mathematics (45 minutes), and Locating Information (45 minutes).
8th GRADE PARENT NIGHT
We will be hosting an 8th grade parent night for the prospective class of 2019
on Monday, February 23rd, from 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm in the auditorium. The
focus will be on the freshmen curriculum. All parents with students who are
planning on attending Western High School as freshmen during the 2015-2016
school year are encouraged to attend.
SCHEDULING
Scheduling is underway for our current freshmen, sophomores,
and juniors. Students will be meeting one-on-one with their
counselor through the end of March to discuss and schedule their
courses for the 2015-2016 academic year. Please take a moment
to discuss this important step in your student’s education.
DUAL ENROLLMENT
Students planning on dual enrolling for fall 2015 may begin
applying in March. Students who may be considering Dual
Enrollment are encouraged to meet with their counselor and
discuss the process.
Opt Out Testing
Applications for the spring cycle of opt out testing are now
available from your student’s counselor. The deadline to submit
an application is February 13th and opt out testing will take
place the week of February 23rd. Please contact a counselor if
you have any questions.
Q—What did the 0 say to the 8?
A—Nice belt.
Does your student need help with
math? Math Lab is offered every
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
from 2:30—3:30pm. Students can
stop in to finish their homework or
receive math tutoring!
- The Math Dept.
WHS ROBOTICS!!
WHS Athletics
High School spring sports begin on
March 9th, 2015. Spring sports include
boys baseball, boys golf, boys lacrosse, girls soccer, girls softball, girls
tennis, and boys & girls track and
field. Please have your student check
with the athletic office or listen to the
announcements for try-out times and
dates in early March. Please remember that student athletes must have an up to date physical
on file (must be dated April 15th, 2014 or later) and a $50
pay to participate fee in to the athletic office prior to tryouts.
Middle School spring sports begin on April 6th, 2015. The
only spring sport offered is boys & girls track and field.
Please remember that student athletes must have an up to
date physical on file (must be dated April 15th, 2014 or later) and a $35 pay to participate fee (per school year) in to
the athletic office prior to tryouts. Intramural swimming for
all 6th graders begins the third week of March. Please have
your student listen to the announcements for more information.
Western High School will be hosting Wrestling Individual
Regionals on February 21st, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. in the gym.
Please come out and show your support!
Please remember to visit our website at:
http://baycitywesternathletics.com
for the most up to date sports schedule information! If you
have pictures from athletic events that you would like to
share with us to post on our web page then please e-mail
Lisa Glazier at [email protected].
UPCOMING NON-SCHOOL DAYS
The following dates are non-school days for
WHS students:
February 16th—Mid-Winter Break
March 3rd—MME testing / Juniors only
report to school
March 13th—Exams—student dismissal
time is 11:14am
March 16th—Staff Professional Development
March 30th-April 6th—Spring Break
April 24th—Student dismissal time is
11:14am
WHS is proud to announce that we are “Rise
of the Warrior Bots” and are making a robot
for the FIRST Robotics Annual Competition!
We will be working tirelessly for six (6)
weeks to complete our robot. In the meantime, we are collecting donations and gathering sponsors to fund our building supplies.
Currently, we are trying to raise money for
general supplies, such as metal, batteries,
etc.
Our first team competition is February 26th
to 27th in Standish; our next competition will
be March 19th to 21st at Midland Dow. We
will be competing for four different awards:
Spirit, Entrepreneurship, Imaginary, and Robot Design.
Good luck to our robotics team in this new
venture!
SKI AND SNOWBOARD CLUB!!
The WMS/WHS Ski and Snowboard Club will be going to
Snow Snake Ski Resort again this year. All students interested in skiing or snowboarding are welcome to attend!
Trips are planned for Thursdays as follows:
February 12th, 19th, and 26th
A Mitchell bus will transport students to Snow Snake with the bus leaving at 3pm and returning to Western at 9pm. The cost is $15 for the
bus and an additional $10 for a lift ticket. If you need to rent equipment
the cost is $10 for ski rental, and $15 for snowboard rental. Permission
slips are be available in the athletic office.
If you are interested in chaperoning a trip, please contact the athletic
office at (989) 662-2700.
In mid-February, the Aesthetikos Chapter of the National Honor Society at Western High School will be
soliciting new members for the 2014 - 2015 school year. National Honor Society is a voluntary organization in which students commit to service activities within in the community. Previously, we have coordinated blood drives, held dodge ball tournaments to raise money for the Auburn Food Pantry, cleaned up
our highways, tutored Western Middle School students, and assisted peers in Math and Science. All NHS
members complete a minimum of 30 hours of service throughout their year of membership.
Junior and Senior students maintaining a minimum 3.20 grade point average earn initial consideration.
It is strongly recommended these students also have at least their 12 required service hours for graduation on file with Mrs. Riffel. An eligibility form, along with teacher ratings, completes the selection process.
The information on the Eligibility Forms will be compiled and made available to staff members who will
rate candidates on a scale of 1-4 in the areas of character, leadership, and service. The average of
these scores must equal at least 3.2 for induction into NHS. A faculty committee will review the eligibility form, teacher ratings, and final score in the selection process. Final selection and notification will be
made by the end of March.
Please be aware, any student selected as a member of National Honor Society must meet all of the
requirements of being in NHS and must not be involved in any misdemeanor or violation of school policy
as stated in the Code of Conduct. Failure to comply will result in removal from membership.
There will be a voluntary informational meeting held for eligible students who are interested in gaining
more information about the application process on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 in Ms. Welch’s room
(D120) at 7 a.m. or 2:30 p.m.
Please have your student return the Candidate Eligibility Form to the main office at Western High School
no later than Friday, February 20, 2015. Late applications will not be considered.
Questions can be directed to [email protected].
Ms. Lisa Welch
NHS Advisor
A Message from the superintendent...
February 2015
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I have a few items that I’d like to share with you this month.
Newly Elected Officers to the Board of Education
Previously I shared that we have two newly elected members on our Board of Education, Carrie
Sepeda and Mark Zanotti. We are very fortunate at the Bay City Public Schools to have such dedicated community members willing to provide their service in the leadership our District. At our
January Board meeting, our Board of Education was recognized for their service by our staff and
students and awarded certificates of appreciation from our Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
Our Bay City Public Schools Board of Education Members are:
Pauline Helmling, President
Chuck Hewitt, Vice President
Ben Gibson, Secretary
Mike Wilcox, Treasurer
John Billette, Trustee
Carrie Sepeda, Trustee
Mark Zanotti, Trustee
Superintendent Search
At a Special Board of Education meeting in November, the Bay City Public Schools’ Board selected the Michigan
Association of School Boards (MASB) to conduct an executive search process to identify a new superintendent in
light of my retirement plans. To that end, the Board would like to offer opportunities for our parents, staff and the
members of our community to provide their thoughts on priority considerations.
A survey link has been provided on our home page at www.bcschools.net if you would like to participate in the
process. The survey includes opportunities for input on level of education desired, positions previously held that
would prove most valuable, areas of expertise, leadership styles, skill areas, personal characteristics, and
thoughts on challenges you feel are facing the District.
Please use this survey link to provide your thoughts. We value your involvement in this important process!
Bay City Noon Optimists Present “Frozen”
Our local Noon Optimists are offering the movie, “Frozen” on Sunday, February 8 at 2:00 p.m. at the Historic State
Theatre – costumes optional! The movie is FREE; non-perishable food donations are appreciated and would benefit the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission.
As always I welcome any questions or comments by phone at 989-671-8165, email at
[email protected], or in person.
Sincerely,
Doug Newcombe
Superintendent
Western High School
Saginaw Valley League
“Teacher of the Year”
Nomination Form
The Saginaw Valley League Teacher-of-the-Year Award was established to recognize excellence in teaching. This award is presented
annually to one teacher from each Saginaw Valley member high school. Any teacher who has taught for at least five years and
whose current teaching assignment is full or part-time in grades 9-12 in a member high school is eligible to receive the
award.
If you wish to nominate a teacher for this award, you should submit a letter explaining the nominee’s specific qualifications for the
award. The letter may consider, but not necessarily limited to, any or all of the following criteria of the nominee:
Creative teaching
Involvement in school activities
Commitment to improving student learning
Enthusiasm for teaching
Respected by students and staff
Involvement in community groups or activities
Professional honors
Evidence of community respect
Nominations should be directed to:
Mr. Drew Pinter
SVL Teacher of the Year
Western High School
500 W. Midland Rd.
Auburn, MI 48611
Previous recipients are NOT ELIGIBLE for nomination. They include: Debra Bruzewski; Lori Smith; Kelly Coates; Ron Mindykowski;
Ann Riffel; Mike Nesbitt; Paul Morand; Lora Keenan; Matthew Offenbecker; Joseph Bruessow; Anton Gaertner; Devin Wise; Debra
Piotrowski; and Drew Pinter.
_____________________________________________________________________________
NOMINATION FORM
Due: Monday March 5, 2015 by 3:00 pm
Name of Nominee:
Nominated by: ____________________________________ Phone #
Date: ___________________
Class or classes taught –
What sets this individual apart from other teachers? -
Please remember to attach this form to your nomination letter. Thank You!
Saginaw, Michigan
Permit No. 487
Western High School
500 W. Midland Road
Auburn, MI 48611
PAID
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
Skyward Updates
Anytime you have changes or updates that need to be made to
your student’s profile on Skyward please contact the office. It
is important that this information is accurate.
School Safety and Security
In order to provide a safe and secure school building all doors
will be locked during the school day. All visitors will be expected
to use the main entrance and buzz the main office for entrance. Regular office hours are Monday-Friday from 7:00am3:30pm.
School Day
The instructional day for students begins at 7:29am and ends at
2:20pm. For student safety, any student not participating in an
organized school event should either ride the bus home or be
picked up by 2:40pm
Contact Us
Give us a call for more
information!
(989) 662-4481
Western High School
500 W. Midland Road
Auburn, MI 48611
Visit us on the web at
www.baycitywestern.com