September 8, 2024
Dear WHS Families,
We have had a successful start to the school year. The building is feeling smaller and smaller every day for our freshmen and the upperclassmen are showing their leadership skills and acting as great role models. I’m so impressed with the ideas and commitment from our student government leadership. It is sure to be a great Spirit Week leading up to Homecoming!
On Friday we had a surprise fire alarm that was set off in the building. A backpack got caught on the pull device during a passing time. Everyone did an amazing job getting out of the building safely and swiftly and then patiently waited to re-enter the building. If that were a true emergency you would have received prompt communication from the school. This week we will have a fire drill to continue to practice during the nicer weather days.
Mrs. Swezey is currently facilitating a school book group reading Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation. Haidt argues that teens should be encouraged to engage in more independent, risky activities, such as unsupervised play or challenging debates, to foster resilience. By doing so, they can learn how to navigate difficult situations and build stronger mental health. Haidt also suggests that the avoidance of risks, including uncomfortable ideas, leads to a fear of challenges, particularly in settings like schools and universities, where teens should be exposed to differing viewpoints. He advocates for a cultural shift away from excessive protection and toward promoting healthy risk-taking.
Throughout a student’s high school experience it is our hope that they will grow in independence, develop a strong voice, find their interests, passions and the things that they are good at! We look forward to this partnership with families. We are committed to including our students in their meetings, listening to their needs and wants while being a sounding board and hopefully a lighthouse on their path to future success and independence!
Back to School Night
On Thursday September 26th at 6:30pm, WHS will host our Back to School Night (BTSN). Students will be creating a schedule during PACT to share with parents/guardians to help you navigate the night. 9th Grade parents/guardians are invited to join their school counselor at 6pm prior to BTSN in the WHS Library to get to know our counseling department and the support they can provide. The PTO will host a Parents Night Out right after BTSN at @9:30pm at Milestone Restaurant.
WHS PTO
The WHS PTO membership drive is still in progress and the PTO would be delighted to welcome you as a member. Click HERE to join. Their first General Board meeting is Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 7:00 pm. The meeting is in Room A2 of the Library Learning Commons, at Weston High School. This meeting will be in a hybrid format (in-person and via zoom). I’ll be discussing our Challenge Success partnership this year and other fall highlights at this meeting.
Weston High School PTO – Back to School Parents Night Out. Join other high school parents at Milestone Restaurant, Main Street, Redding, after the High School back-to-school night on Thursday, September 26, 2024 @ 9:30 pm (or right after BTSN). Hope to see you there.
Panorama Survey
This year, we have transitioned to Panorama Education for our school and community climate surveys and will be administering surveys in the fall and spring. The transition to Panorama Education allows us to conduct research-based school and community climate surveys to gather comprehensive data on the experiences and perceptions of students, staff, and the broader community. Your feedback is important to us. We are asking you to complete the survey by Friday, October 11th. Please be on the lookout for an email with a link to the survey. Your participation is so important and valuable to help us assess the needs of students and families. If you would like to view the questions in the survey you may call the high school and we can set up a time for you to come in and review them.
PACT this week
This week students will be completing our school climate Panorama Survey and 9th graders will have time with their counselors while 10th-12th graders will continue to check in with their PACT advisors on how the start of the year is going. Mr. Berkowitz will also hold his Captain’s Circle. The following week students will create their Back to School Night schedules for their families (they will text it to you) and they will have some Flex time to connect with teachers if needed for extra help. The following week students will complete our Challenge Success Survey to help us set goals for future growth across a variety of areas at Weston High School.
Special TSA Teams News!
Jayaditya Rajan, Alex Jeffries, and Rohak Gulia (seen left to right), qualified for and participated in the National Technology Student Association Tests of Engineering Aptitude Mathematics and Science. These students traveled to Orlando over the summer and completed a rigorous multiple choice test, a timed design and build engineering challenge, and a presentation to a panel of experts. The students finished fourth nationally on the multiple choice exam, and tenth on the presentation. Way to go Weston!!! Special thanks to their chaperone, Hari Gulia.
Career Speakers
The College and Career Center, led by Ms. Randi Green and our Library Media Specialist, Mrs. Kara Swezey are excited to announce the launch of a monthly Career Speakers Panel at Weston High School. We are seeking parents and community members who are willing to share their professional experiences and career journeys with our students. This is a wonderful opportunity to inspire and educate the next generation by offering them a glimpse into various career paths and industries. If you’re interested in talking about what you do, how you got there, and what your job is really like, we’d love to have you join us! Please fill out this form.
9th Grade NWEA
During the first few weeks of school Weston High School administers the Northwest Education Alliance (NWEA) assessment to our 9th graders. 9th graders will be taking these assessments during their math and English classes. Math classes will continue to assess students on September 10, 11, and 12.
The information gleaned from these assessments will be used to support instruction, interventions and allow us to monitor progress as students grow throughout the year. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.
Math and Literacy Labs
Weston High School offers support to all students in reading, writing, and math through the Literacy Lab and Math Lab. Students may work with teachers both within their scheduled classes and in the library by appointment. Our past website's URL has changed so please bookmark the new link to reserve appointments. Drop-ins are also welcome. You can also access the Academic Support homepage by clicking the link HERE.
Club Fair
Our Club Fair will take place during the day on September 18th. We know that it is so important for students to be connected to their school and community and get involved. This is an opportunity for students to see all of the existing clubs Weston High School has to offer. Finding purpose should be a goal for all students as they chart their course through high school. Clubs and activities can be a great way to do this! Please encourage your child(ren) to get involved…
College Admissions Rep Visits
Every year in the fall our College & Career Center, led by Ms. Randi Green, welcomes so many College Admissions Reps so that our students have an opportunity to get a preview of a school and practice their questioning skills, as well as getting to understand the questions to ask to help them make informed decisions. We encourage our 11th and 12th graders to take advantage of these visits. Information about the rep visits can be found on our SchooLinks page. Students must have a pass and must let their classroom teacher know prior to attending a visit. Students can login to SchooLinks through ClassLink. Parents/guardians can follow the link HERE to login in.
Communication Protocol
We believe that a strong system of communication is paramount to the success of Weston High School. To that end proper communication channels support the efficiency and effectiveness of the staff at WHS every day. Please consult this Communication Protocol should you have concerns. This tool will allow you to identify the appropriate staff members to assist you depending on your area of concern. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Previous Letters:
September 1st Week Ahead
August 25th Week Ahead
August 16th Letter to Families
College & Career Center Quarterly Newsletter
Upcoming Events:
September 16: Weston BOE Meeting at WMS
September 20: Senior Parent Coffee (Virtual 9am)
September 23: School Picture Day
September 25: Financial Aid Night
September 26: 9th Grade Counselor Meetings (Begin at 6 pm in the Library)
September 26: Back to School Night (beginning at 6:30)
September 30-October 4: Spirit Week
September 30: Activities Night (Colony Pizza Truck, spike ball, corn hole, trivia!)
October 3: Rosh Hashanah Holiday - No School
October 4: Homecoming Game
October 5: Homecoming Dance
October 16: PSAT (in school Sophomores & Juniors)
December 3: Junior College Kickoff
As always should you have any questions or concerns please call the main office and we can provide you with support to find the information or person you need to speak with. This is going to be a great year!
Kindly,
Meghan
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