Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Principal Blog Week of November 28th, 2022

Purpose Corner - This week I provide information on our journey through "focused instruction" and setting purpose in this phase as well as the importance of our "Welcome to West" open house on Monday, December 5th, 2022 from 6:00 - 8:00 P.M. at Waukesha West. The transcript of the video can be accessed through this link



Welcome to West Night - It is an expectation for students at West High School to stretch themselves and select a rigorous course schedule. For all underclassmen, the scheduling process happens in early February, but we encourage our students and families to begin thinking about that schedule today. All current families are welcome to attend our “Welcome to West Night” on Monday, December 5th, 2022 to connect with teachers and learn more about the courses and programs we offer at West. Below is the one-page flyer for this event, we hope to see you there!! If you are not coming please tell a friend to ensure anyone who is attending West knows about this opportunity!!




Rigorous Course Schedule for 2023-2024 - Our data has been clear at West for the past several years in that approximately 90% of West students state they will go on to a two or four-year college for their post-high school education, yet, only 50% of students will make it past year one of college and that is why we push as a school to prepare our students better. A big part of preparing students to meet the challenges of their college and/or career path is high school course selection. Course scheduling is not far away and is coming up in early February 2023! It is time for students to think about stretching their academic resumes. A stretch class is rigorous, possibly AP or Honors, a class that a college admissions counselor would find impressive, and/or a class that will help you reach your fullest potential as a student. You could also choose to take an additional class instead of a study hall. This is a goal class for you. Think about what content area you excel in and stretch in that area or try something new and challenging like one of our many elective classes in the areas of Business, Family & Consumer Science, Technology Education, Art, Music, World Languages, or Drama!! Now is the time to think about your STRETCH class as part of your rigorous course schedule for next school year. Attending our "Welcome to West" event on Monday, December 5th (see info above) can be helpful to learn more about the areas you want to stretch in, that is what the night is for!




One-Act Play at State!! - Congratulations to the cast and the crew of "Doubt" who competed at the state one act play contest at UW Whitewater the weekend of November 17th and 18th and continued their string of strong showings, bringing home the contest's top overall prize, The Critics' Choice Award, for the 12th year in a row! West also won the award for Outstanding Ensemble (Evan Hansen, Alex Bonell,Hema Subramanian, and Morgan Washington) and the award for Outstanding Technical Theater. Individual awards for Outstanding Acting were taken home by Morgan Washington, Hema Subramanian and Alex Bonell (who won her second!) Bravo, everyone!


Waukesha MADE - What is Waukesha MADE? It is a partnership between the School District of Waukesha and local businesses that focus on Manufacturing, Automotive, Design, and Engineering.  As of today, a majority of those businesses are local manufacturers but the partnership is looking to grow in the areas of construction, automotive, and printing. One of the best portions of the MADE partnership is the collaboration of our students with these companies. These companies bring real-world projects to our students looking for real-world solutions and look to have their people work with our students to problem-solve and accomplish these tasks. The mentorship is amazing and this partnership is continuing to grow in a positive direction. Our core partners graciously donate funds for equipment repair and purchasing as well as for student scholarships at each of our Waukesha High Schools. We also partner with the MADE businesses to offer co-op opportunities for district students. I just wanted to give a shout-out to this great partnership that offers quality career paths for our students! Students in our CTE courses benefit most from this partnership.




Principal Advisory Committee - The Principal Advisory Council for 2022-2023 met on Wednesday, November 16th. The meeting minutes are linked here. Please contact any one of the representatives (below) to bring up topics or questions you have to bring forward for our next meeting on Wednesday, December 21st. You still have a little time!

Angela Schaaf
Carri Marlow
carrimarlow@yahoo.com
Christy GrunewaldChristygrunewald@gmail.com
Danielle Larkiammizlark@gmail.com
Elizabeth Mcdowell
elizabeth.mcdowell526@gmail.com
Jennifer Micheau
JMicheau@waukeshacounty.gov
Kari Doepke Teamdoepkewarnes@gmail.com
 Kristin Fredrick
Lesley Grider
griderville@gmail.com
Wendy Hamilton
wendyhamilton4@gmail.com

Archived Announcements (Link) Please access this link to find all of the information in our daily announcements from previous weeks. 

GO WOLVERINES...WHOOP!!

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Principal Blog Week of November 14th, 2022

Schedule for Week of November 21st, 2022 - On Monday, November 21st  and Tuesday, November 22nd are running "Monday" schedules meaning we have all 8 hours of classes each of these days. On Wednesday, November 23rd there is NO SCHOOL for staff or students prior to the Thanksgiving holiday break! There will be no blog post for the short week next week. Happy Thanksgiving to the West community!

Welcome to West Night - It is an expectation for students at West High School to stretch themselves and select a rigorous course schedule. For all underclassmen, the scheduling process happens in early February, but we encourage our students and families to begin thinking about that schedule today. All current families are welcome to attend our “Welcome to West Night” on Monday, December 5th, 2022 to connect with teachers and learn more about the courses and programs we offer at West. Below is the one-page flyer for this event, we hope to see you there!! If you are not coming please tell a friend to ensure anyone who is attending West knows about this opportunity!!



School Report Cards - The state's school report cards have been release for public consumption. Please see the information below in regards to West's 2021-2022 School Report Card. Here is the live link to the letter pictured below:







School Report Card Celebration! - A West High School highlight is our year-to-year student progress (growth) on statewide tests. It uses a value added model that seeks to control for circumstances beyond the influence of educators. A high value-added score means that on average students in the school are progressing more quickly than other, similar students. Growth is scored from 0 to 100 to match the other priority areas and is a conversion from the roughly 0 to 6 value-added score. This is a celebration for the West community and is reflected below!





Rigorous Course Schedule for 2023-2024 - Our data has been clear at West for the past several years in that approximately 90% of West students state they will go on to a two or four-year college for their post-high school education, yet, only 50% of students will make it past year one of college and that is why we push as a school to prepare our students better. A big part of preparing students to meet the challenges of their college and/or career path is high school course selection. Course scheduling is not far away and is coming up in early February 2023! It is time for students to think about stretching their academic resumes. A stretch class is rigorous, possibly AP or Honors, a class that a college admissions counselor would find impressive, and/or a class that will help you reach your fullest potential as a student. You could also choose to take an additional class instead of a study hall. This is a goal class for you. Think about what content area you excel in and stretch in that area or try something new and challenging like one of our many elective classes in the areas of Business, Family & Consumer Science, Technology Education, Art, Music, World Languages, or Drama!! Now is the time to think about your STRETCH class as part of your rigorous course schedule for next school year. Attending our "Welcome to West" event on Monday, December 5th (see info above) can be helpful to learn more about the areas you want to stretch in, that is what the night is for!



Girls State Swim - Our Girls Swim team placed 3rd out of 40+ teams at the State Championship Swim/Dive Meet this past Saturday at Waukesha South! Placing...

  • 13th in the 200 Medley Relay were Karlee Marusik, Zowie Farence, Ellana Brown, and Itsy Beam
  • 7th in the 200 free was Karlee Marusik
  • 23rd in the 200 IM was Zowie Farence
  • 17th in the 50 free was Avelyn Brown
  • 9th in the 50 free was Itsy Beam
  • 3rd in the 50 free was Livi Wanner, which earned her All-American status (Top 100 HS swimmers in the Nation)
  • 3rd in the 100 free was Livi Wanner, breaking the school record and again earning All-American status
  • 11th in the 500 freestyle was Avelyn Brown
  • 2nd in the 200 freestyle relay were, Livi Wanner, Tori Brostowitz, Avelyn Brown, and Itsy Beam, breaking the school record and earning All-American status
  • 4th in the 100 backstroke was Karlee Marsusi
  • 2nd in the 100 backstroke was Itsy Beam, breaking the school record
  • 3rd in the 400 freestyle relay were Livi Wanner, Karlee Marusik, Avelyn Brown, and Tori Brostowitz  
           Congrats on an amazing season!!!


Waukesha MADE - What is Waukesha MADE? It is a partnership between the School District of Waukesha and local businesses that focus on Manufacturing, Automotive, Design, and Engineering.  As of today, a majority of those businesses are local manufacturers but the partnership is looking to grow in the areas of construction, automotive, and printing. One of the best portions of the MADE partnership is the collaboration of our students with these companies. These companies bring real-world projects to our students looking for real-world solutions and look to have their people work with our students to problem-solve and accomplish these tasks. The mentorship is amazing and this partnership is continuing to grow in a positive direction. Our core partners graciously donate funds for equipment repair and purchasing as well as for student scholarships at each of our Waukesha High Schools. We also partner with the MADE businesses to offer co-op opportunities for district students. I just wanted to give a shout-out to this great partnership that offers quality career paths for our students! Students in our CTE courses benefit most from this partnership.


Principal Advisory Committee - The Principal Advisory Council for 2022-2023 met for the first time on Wednesday, October 19th, and will be meeting again tonight on Wednesday, November 16th. The meeting minutes are linked here. Please contact any one of the representatives (below) to bring up topics or questions you have to bring forward for our meeting on Wednesday, November 16th. You still have a little time!

Angela Schaaf
Carri Marlow
carrimarlow@yahoo.com
Christy GrunewaldChristygrunewald@gmail.com
Danielle Larkiammizlark@gmail.com
Elizabeth Mcdowell
elizabeth.mcdowell526@gmail.com
Jennifer Micheau
JMicheau@waukeshacounty.gov
Kari Doepke Teamdoepkewarnes@gmail.com
 Kristin Fredrick
Lesley Grider
griderville@gmail.com
Wendy Hamilton
wendyhamilton4@gmail.com

Archived Announcements (Link) Please access this link to find all of the information in our daily announcements from previous weeks. 

GO WOLVERINES...WHOOP!!

Monday, November 7, 2022

Principal Blog Week of November 7th, 2022

Purpose Corner - This week I provide information on the student dress expectations. The transcript of the video can be accessed through this link




Welcome to West Night - It is an expectation for students at West High School to stretch themselves and select a rigorous course schedule. For all underclassmen, the scheduling process happens in early February, but we encourage our students and families to begin thinking about that schedule today. All current families are welcome to attend our “Welcome to West Night” on Monday, December 5th, 2022 to connect with teachers and learn more about the courses and programs we offer at West. Below is the one-page flyer for this event, we hope to see you there!! If you are not coming please tell a friend to ensure anyone who is attending West knows about this opportunity!!



AP Testing Payment Deadline!! - This is your friendly reminder that tomorrow, Tuesday, November 8 is the last day to register for AP testing before a $40 late fee is applied! Below is the letter that was sent to all AP students and families.







AVID School of Distinction - Waukesha West has been recognized as an AVID school of distinction! This means that we are pushing our staff and students to have a college and career mindset! Our goal through AVID is to accelerate students on their path to college and careers and not remediate. This has been a goal for Waukesha West for the past few years since we have begun our implementation of AVID schoolwide. Congratulations to the staff, students, and parents of Waukesha West for this distinction as this is a team effort!!




 One-Act on to State once again!! - Congratulations to the cast and crew of the one-act play "Doubt" on their advancement to State! They achieved the top score of all nine schools in attendance! Next up is the state contest held at UW Whitewater on November 18th and 19th. Break a leg!! Please enjoy the video and pics of the play.








Principal Advisory Committee - The Principal Advisory Council for 2022-2023 met for the first time on Wednesday, October 19th, and will be meeting again on Wednesday, November 16th. The meeting minutes are linked here. Please contact any one of the representatives (below) to bring up topics or questions you have to bring forward for our meeting on Wednesday, November 16th.

Angela Schaaf
Carri Marlow
carrimarlow@yahoo.com
Christy GrunewaldChristygrunewald@gmail.com
Danielle Larkiammizlark@gmail.com
Elizabeth Mcdowell
elizabeth.mcdowell526@gmail.com
Jennifer Micheau
JMicheau@waukeshacounty.gov
Kari Doepke Teamdoepkewarnes@gmail.com
 Kristin Fredrick
Lesley Grider
griderville@gmail.com
Wendy Hamilton
wendyhamilton4@gmail.com

Archived Announcements (Link) Please access this link to find all of the information in our daily announcements from previous weeks. 

GO WOLVERINES...WHOOP!!

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Principal Blog Week of October 31st, 2022

Purpose Corner - This week I continue the conversation about what we are focused on as a school organization around professional development for our staff to ensure our students are prepared academically for their future. The transcript of the video can be accessed through this link



Morning Drop-Off Reminders - Please watch this short screencast video regarding morning drop-off. I encourage anyone who does not watch the video to read the narrative in light blue lettering.




Quarter 1 Ends Friday - This is your friendly reminder that quarter 1 ends for staff and students this Friday. Grades will be updated next week. I encourage all families to check Infinite Campus and see the progress of their student(s).  


Boys & Girls State Cross Country - Congratulations to Myra Stray and Keegan Bratt who competed this last weekend at the State Cross Country meet! Myra ran her best time on the State Meet course on Saturday finishing 25th! Congratulations to Keegan on placing 42nd at the State Meet. Keegan's finish was the highest in over a decade for Waukesha West Boys at the State Meet. What a great finish for both of you to a super career in Cross Country.  West is proud of you!





Boys Soccer State - Congratulations to our Boy's Soccer team as they are heading to the State Soccer Championship today! We are excited to cheer on our Wolverine Boy's Soccer Team!!


College & Career Fair Today!! - Please see the information below regarding the district hosting a College & Career Fair at Waukesha Southe this afternoon!



EPIC Proportions - A shout out to the West End Players who once again dazzled audiences with their fall play "Epic Proportions." Please enjoy some pictures of the cast and crew below!







Principal Advisory Committee - The Principal Advisory Council for 2022-2023 met for the first time on Wednesday, October 19th. The meeting minutes are linked here. A big thank you to council member Elizabeth Mcdowell for taking notes. Please contact any one of the representatives (below) to bring up topics or questions you have to bring forward for our next meeting on Wednesday, November 16th.

Angela Schaaf
Carri Marlow
carrimarlow@yahoo.com
Christy GrunewaldChristygrunewald@gmail.com
Danielle Larkiammizlark@gmail.com
Elizabeth Mcdowell
elizabeth.mcdowell526@gmail.com
Jennifer Micheau
JMicheau@waukeshacounty.gov
Kari Doepke Teamdoepkewarnes@gmail.com
 Kristin Fredrick
Lesley Grider
griderville@gmail.com
Wendy Hamilton
wendyhamilton4@gmail.com

Archived Announcements (Link) Please access this link to find all of the information in our daily announcements from previous weeks. 

GO WOLVERINES...WHOOP!!