Thursday, January 5, 2017

Welcome to 2017 and our second semester!

Image result for welcome 2017 images Principal's Message

Welcome to the start of our second semester! We are excited to continue our school year with all of our students! There is a lot of growth, maturity and learning to look forward to. Speaking of looking forward, we hope you have received the important FAMILY SURVEY  in the United States mail and in the parent portal email.  We hope every family completes this short survey that is extremely critical to West Hills for our state funding. We are collecting them through January 12 and ask that every family complete the survey whether you believe you qualify or not. You may click on the link above or return the paper survey via your student to our main office or to their period 3 teacher the first week of school. We thank you for your continued support as we collect this information for our ongoing operations. 






Counselors met with all 9th graders in December to work on College and Career Planning. Through the activity Career Cruising, students took a personality inventory to match their interests with possible career paths. Counselors also used this time to present information on Internet Safety. Some of the key topics covered in this important presentation included making healthy choices on social media, an interview with our sheriff about the legal consequences of inappropriate photo sharing, and the West Hills behavior expectations. The link to your student's Career Cruising account and the Internet Safety presentation can also be found in your student's Class of 2020 Google Classroom (access code: o99560k).  Please feel free to join the Counseling Department's Remind101 for the Class of 2020 for updates via text from the Counseling Department.  If you are interested in receiving these updates, send a text to 81010 with the message @whcouns20.

Counselors met with all 10th graders in November to work on Career Cruising. 10th grade students took a personality inventory to match their interests with possible career paths, and were able to delve deeper and explore their career interests. Students also did a "Reality Check" activity through California Career Zone. This engaging activity allowed students to understand the connection between their education and eventual salary, as well as how to budget their money. The link to your student's Career Cruising account can also be found in your student's Class of 2019 Google Classroom (access code: u0n6ts).  Please feel free to join the Counseling Department's Remind101 for the Class of 2019 for updates via text from the Counseling Department.  If you are interested in receiving these updates, send a text to 81010 with the message @whcouns19.

Counselors met with all 11th graders in October to discuss information regarding educational options for after high school and testing requirements (if necessary) for these options. 11th grade students interested in attending a 4 year university should sign up now to take the SAT and/or ACT this spring. Students also worked on Career Cruising to retake a career inventory survey they took in previous years to compare and contrast how their interests may be evolving as they mature.  We closed our time with students having them work on the California Colleges Matching Assistant to help them start considering where they would like to go for college. All of the handouts and links to the websites can also be found in your student's Class of 2018 Google Classroom (access code: yy36qeb).  Please feel free to join the Counseling Department's Remind101 for the Class of 2018 for updates via text from the Counseling Department.  If you are interested in receiving these updates, send a text to 81010 with the message @whcouns18.

Seniors interested in attending a community college after high school should begin filling out their applications now.  This checklist is a helpful tool to help students know everything they need to complete before the end of May (at the latest) to earn priority registration for Fall 2017.  The Counseling Department will host application tutorials to assist students Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2 - 3 pm in the Career Center (L-1) for the month of January, beginning January 10.      
Seniors should also fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon as possible to qualify for grants, work study, loans and other financial opportunities to support college attendance.  


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There is also a Cash for College Workshop on January 21, 2017 at the IDEA Center School from 9am - 12pm to assist students and families in filling out the FAFSA.

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All of the handouts regarding the Financial Aid process and links to the websites can also be found in your student's Class of 2017 Google Classroom (access code: 52fjau).  Please feel free to join the Counseling Department's Remind101 for the Class of 2017 for updates via text from the Counseling Department.  If you are interested in receiving these updates, send a text to 81010 with the message @whcouns17.

West Hills High School Foundation Fundraiser...please join us!





The West Hills High School Foundation is proud to sponsor alumni Dat Phan (Class of 1993) in our theater on Saturday, January 21, 2017 for a benefit for our West Hills facilities fund! Come see Dat Phan and his comedy along with current WHHS Performing Arts students and selected other performers. All proceeds benefit WHHS! Tickets available at Al's Sports Shop for $15! 










News from around campus....

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Recently at our Saturday Scholars program, students were able to complete two different labs--a gel electrophoresis lab and an  AP biology lab to practice Chi Square and Hardy-Weinberg equations. Saturday Scholars are an excellent opportunity for students to get extra time and help with their science knowledge! 



Students in a forensics lab. 

Science also had wonderful student video presentations on the importance of scientific discovery.  Check out this youtube video from Logan Goverman and group as they present  for Mrs. Addy and peers. 


Blue and Black Brigade visit Miramar! 

Our award wining outstanding Blue and Black Brigade Marching Band under the direction of Mr. Adam Pezdek (ret. Marine) were able to spend time with the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band on Wednesday, November 30th and were able to record as well as rehearse with this fine group! Students participated in a music workshop throughout the morning. Thank you to all the wonderful parent volunteer chaperones for making this learning experience possible!








Freshman Showcase....Calling all students interested in the Wolf Pack! 
We are open to all students, particularly those outside of the Grossmont District...invite your friends, neighbors and colleagues to come visit us! All grades are open for the 2017-18 school year.





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For Current Students: Please complete this short survey regarding West Hills interest in adding Aerospace Engineering and Computer Science to our offerings for next year. You must be signed into your guhsd.net email account to complete the survey. Thank you.


Image result for remind app logo Join the free resource for information if WHHS has urgent information for you regarding an EMERGENCY or for a timely TRAFFIC update. Text @bf6c9d to 81010 from your cell phone to join. This is a "one way" messenger only and you control if you want to continue receiving the texts or not. 


Image result for school attendancePlease check out our ATTENDANCE policies linked in our STUDENT HANDBOOK online at wolfpack.guhsd.net under "Students". Please remember to CALL in 956-0434 all day absences, and send a note for partial day absences. We are sorry, but we are not able to deliver to classrooms forgotten items--if a student knows to come to attendance to come pick up their items, they are welcome to do so without MISSING class. SATURDAY SCHOLARS (Previously Saturday School) will be starting for students who need extra tutoring or attendance make up time. Notices came out Friday regarding this important opportunity for students. Please check your email, mobile phone text or home phone voicemail for this information or contact the school if you know your student has missed a full day of school and can attend Saturday School / Scholars to have additional time to make up the attendance time and the school work. 

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West Hills is in our accreditation process cycle through 2018. Every public school in California goes through periodic accreditation and examination from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). We will be reflecting on and evaluating our school program in its entirety and reaching out to students, parents, faculty and staff as we go through this year of our self study. We thank you for you understanding of our WASC Work Days and various times when our offices are closed (rarely) so faculty and staff can work together. We have one more this year--Wednesday, March 1 (minimum day). All our other meetings work within our normal late start Mondays. We will be sending out more information via the Parent and Student Portal and so thank you for your support. 

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PARENT and COMMUNITY SUPPORT: A huge THANK YOU to all parents, grandparents, guardians, and wonderful West Hills Wolf Pack families for all of your support through the years. We have two wonderful organizations that work TIRELESSLY on behalf of our school and our current students: PTSA and the West Hills High School Foundation. PTSA focuses on the current school year and the current students. The Foundation reaches out to Alumni and current parents to support school wide needs and activities. We hope you will JOIN them and continue the great tradition of exemplary parent and community involvement in our school! 

Go Wolf Pack! wolfpack.guhsd.net 

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