Lifetouch will be in the Cafeteria taking student photos for yearbook and IDs on August 30th and 31st from 8:30-3:30pm. Please enter the Cafeteria doors off of the inner parking lot. At this time, only students are allowed in the building. Please remember to wear a mask! |
|
|
First Week of School Calendar & Details |
|
|
On the first day, 9th & 10th grade students do not need to bring their backpack or any supplies - we do recommend bringing a water bottle! Students will get to have a tour, walk their schedule, try their locker, learn more about the school year, and meet peers!
|
|
Student class schedules are available to view starting Monday, 8/23 in Infinite Campus. If you need to make a schedule change, please fill out this electronic form. While we'd like to be able to accommodate all requests, scheduling is complex and we cannot guarantee that your request will be approved.They will be considered based on impact on graduation requirements, date they were submitted, and space/staffing in requested courses.
|
|
New Student Orientation for Juniors/Seniors |
|
|
New student tours (for 11th and 12th grade students who are transferring in from other schools or attending as special students) will take place on Wednesday, September 1st 1:00-2:30. Students should meet in the auditorium on the Regent side of the building. There is no need to sign up. There will be a short introduction in the auditorium followed by a tour of the building. Students should remember to bring a mask. |
|
|
If your student will be absent, please report the absence by 8:00am either through the district online form or by contacting their SLC office:
|
|
Students need to have their IDs with them during the day at West. They will be receiving these on picture day, August 30th and 31st. If students enter the building while class is in session, they will be required to check in at the Welcome Center with their student ID. If a student loses their ID, they can get a new one by paying $5 in their SLC office and then going to the library to get the ID printed. |
|
|
Visitor Process & Special Events |
|
|
Per district health and safety guidelines, West High School is not permitting visitors into the building at this time. However, administration in partnership with health staff can determine access on a case-by-case basis. If a visitor is permitted to enter they must follow MMSD health and safety mitigation strategies.
|
|
At this time, indoor special events such as open houses, concerts and dances are not allowed. We are hopeful that these events can return to our school building soon! |
|
|
Lunch Account Information |
|
|
This school year, all MMSD students will receive free meals under the USDA’s Summer Seamless Options program. All students 18 years old and younger are eligible for meals at no charge. Under this program, we are required to promote and process applications for free and reduced priced meals (we expect this application to be available the week of August 23rd) because this establishes a household’s eligibility for other benefits, such as state reporting, Wisconsin School Day Milk Program, P-EBT and bus passes.
A la carte items will not be available at the start of the year, but we hope to make them available soon. Students will not need money on their lunch account unless they plan to purchase milk. If you would like to deposit money into a lunch account, please have the student bring a check to the main office.
|
|
|
Lunch & Learn Expectations |
|
|
Transportation Information |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Bus Passes
- Students can ride the Metro bus free for the first week of school while bus passes get issued or purchased.
-
Families needing to purchase Madison Metro semester bus passes should contact Metro Transit.
- Students who qualify for a district-funded bus pass can fill out the request form that will be emailed to them next week, and then can pick up their pass in their SLC office. Students qualify if they receive free/reduced lunch and live more than 1.5 miles from West.
- Students needing to purchase the 10-ride bus cards may do so in the main office (room 2041).
|
|
|
|
Students who purchased a planner may go to their SLC office before school, during lunch or after school to pick it up. Students may also purchase a planner for $5 in their SLC office. |
|
|
Crossing Guard Information |
|
|
West is surrounded by busy streets full of traffic and pedestrians. That’s why we rely not just on the vigilance of our commuters and walkers, but on the eagle-eyed support of our crossing guards. You can learn more from the City of Madison Police Department crossing guard program.
|
|
Health Mitigation Updates |
|
|
An update on MMSD’s COVID mitigation policy from last spring:
At this time there will be two options for quarantine for unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated students: If a student has a negative COVID-19 PCR test on day 6 or 7 after the exposure they can return to school on day 8. If no testing is completed then it must be a 10 day quarantine. Fully vaccinated students do not need to quarantine but should be tested on day 3 to 5 after exposure via a COVID-19 PCR test and must wear a mask at all times while indoors in public places until a negative test.
**Students in the classroom setting who were within 3 to 6 feet of a COVID-19 positive student will not be considered a close contact if both students correctly and consistently were wearing well fitting masks the entire time and other mitigation strategies are in place.
As you know, Dane County Public Health has issued a mandatory indoor mask order effective Thursday, August 19th. This means that, per MMSD guidelines, student masks are required while inside the building unless you are socially distanced eating or drinking. Obviously, social distancing is complex given our overcrowding. We’ll talk more about this when we meet at the start of school.
Please note that masks will be required for visitors for all indoor West athletic and student performances (where and allowed). Please prepare to be masked if you plan to attend.
|
|
|
SOT (Start on Time)/Detention/Restricted Regents |
|
|
West High will employ our tardy prevention system called Start on Time (SOT) again this year. Students are expected to be in their classes on time. If a student is late to class they need to go to the nearest SOT station (3 per floor) to retrieve a tardy pass. Once class has started, students will need a pass to gain admittance. If a student receives 4 or more tardies in a week, they will be assigned a 30 minute lunch detention. Students have one week to serve that detention. If a student doesn't serve their lunch detention they will be placed on the Restricted Regent list the following week. Students on the RR list will not be permitted to attend some school functions, such as sporting events or dances, until they clear up their lunch detention. Students will receive more information about SOT and RR during the first week of school. |
|
Our staff’s day ends at 4:00pm. For this reason all students are expected to exit the building by 4:00pm, unless a student is participating in an approved after school activity (tutoring, MSCR club, sports, etc). |
|
|
Electronic Devices / Cell Phones |
|
|
MSCR After School Tutoring
We are hopeful to be able to offer MSCR tutoring in person again this year, this may be dependent on COVID mitigation procedures in place. Our goal is that MSCR will offer an after school Homework Club Monday-Thursday throughout the school year. Homework Club will begin Monday, September 13th in the LMC. It is a drop-in program open to any LHS student. On Early Release Mondays Homework Club ends at 4:15; all other Homework Club sessions end at 5:15. Teachers and tutors will be present to support students, and snacks will be provided.
|
|
West Tutoring
Virtual and in-person tutoring will be available to students seeking academic support during study hall and the lunch hour. Both community volunteers and peer tutors will be ready to assist once the school year gets underway.
|
|
Achievement Connections
Achievement Connections is a math tutoring program that works with freshmen and sophomore students in Algebra 1 and Geometry. Our program focuses on one-on-one tutoring based around students availability. Tutoring takes place two times per week during study halls, lunch, and after school, Monday through Friday. Our focus is to build strong math foundations and skills while creating relationships with students to ensure their success in high school. This program is based on teacher referral.
|
|
Locker assignments from past years will be cleared for this school year, and each student will be assigned a new locker. Locker assignments will be emailed out the week of August 30th. Students will have time the first week of school to find their locker and practice the combination. Any locker questions can be directed to the Ash office at nkloranger@madison.k12.wi.us. |
|
|
AntiRacist Literacy Update |
|
|
In line with our equity statement, we are continuing our work to be an intentionally AntiRacist school community. Last year as a school community, our work centered around our individual identities and how they shaped our experiences in and out of school and grow our understanding of other's identities and experiences. This year, we will continue to deepen our AntiRacist work. We will continue to hold our school wide AntiRacist lessons in our Regent Pride sessions, as well as offering voluntary affinity spaces. |
|
Senior Picture Submissions |
|
|
Senior pictures are due for the yearbook on October 22nd. Submit via email to whs.seniorpicture@gmail.com Please include the student name in the subject line, with student ID and preferred name in the body of the email (no nicknames). Reach out to Jennifer Engelbart with questions at jengelbart@madison.k12.wi.us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
