Vol 1. Back to School Edition. August 2024. Versión en español

Dear Madison West Scholars and Families,

Welcome to another academic year; I extend my warmest greetings to each of you. Whether you're returning or joining the Madison West family for the first time, know that you are an essential and an integral part of our West community.

At Madison West, we are more than just a place of learning; we are a community where every scholar and staff member thrive. Our commitment to equity and social justice is at the core of our identity. We strive to create a safe, inclusive learning environment that celebrates the true beauty, identities, and roles each of us carries. This commitment informs every decision we make, ensuring that everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

Our mission is clear: We are about graduating scholars with diplomas who are academically prepared and equipped with the skills needed for the broader world. Whether the next phase is college, community, or acquiring a fulfilling career, we commit to equipping scholars with the tools they need to navigate life's journey.

Our Equity Vision serves as our guide in this work. It reminds us that equity is about ensuring access to quality education through a shared mission and vision and continuous reflection of our daily practice. We commit to actively dismantling barriers, challenging biases, and creating paths for success that all scholars can achieve.

While we maintain high expectations for instruction, we recognize that learning extends beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge. We encourage active participation, critical thinking, and curiosity so scholars can apply and add to the broader community and world. Know that we embrace the joy of discovery, both inside and outside the classroom.

Madison West stands firm in its commitment to social justice. By developing strong relationships through principles of restorative justice, we seek to be a school of shared ownership in this work, which will, in turn, strengthen our community. Every scholar (and staff) deserves a fair, equitable, and quality education, and we will work tirelessly to advocate for that.

Let's embrace the journey as we begin and make for yet another fantastic school year. We look forward to being your partners in this work.

Here's to a remarkable year ahead!

Best Regards,

Dan Kigeya, (Class of '97)

Head Principal

The Madison West High School

School pictures will be taken before the school year begins. We do this so all students can have their ID’s on their first day of classes.

Please enter only at the Athletic Welcome Center off of Regent Street. The rest of the school will not be open.

West's PRE-ORDER CODE for school pictures:

EVTC628T3

If you are unable to make your allotted time per your last name, it is okay to come during a different time slot, but please be mindful and stick with your time if you are able. We will only have 1 makeup day once the school year begins so these days are mandatory.

If you have any questions please reach out to Kirsten Johnson at ksjohnson@madison.k12.wi.us or 608-204-4116.

We look forward to welcoming our West High School Freshman Class of 2028 to Freshman Orientation Day on Tuesday, September 3rd. On this day, students will get a tour of the school, walk their schedule, try their locker, learn more about the school year, sign up for clubs and extracurricular activities, and meet peers!

Students should bring with them:

• Homeroom room # (page 2 of this document)
• SLC assignment (Line 10 on your class schedule)
• Small amounts of money (optional!) –  At the Carnival of Clubs, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck and frios Gourmet Pops will be in attendance. There will also be West gear available for purchase throughout the day!
• Comfortable clothes & shoes – it’s an active day with lots of walking.
• A backpack to store your chromebook and planner that you will be receiving
• Water bottle

Linked here is the detailed schedule for the day as well as homeroom locations for all Small Learning Communities (SLC). SLC assignments can be found on Line 10 of a student’s class schedule.

If you have any questions about Freshman Orientation Day, please reach out to Katie Medema - Kmedema@madison.k12.wi.us

Online enrollment for the 24-25 is open. Families should complete the enrollment process and pay school fees 100% virtually as the West building remains closed until the end of August.  You can access the MMSD online enrollment at this link.  Registration and Enrollment

For returning families

Families with  students continuing in MMSD will complete the  process fully online.  If you need to verify date of birth and/or parent-student relationship or have a change to key information you should contact Felissia Jackson at 608-204-3073.

For new families

Families completing the application for new students should contact Felissia Jackson at 608-204-3073  to schedule an online appointment with a school counselor. New families can use the enrollment checklist as a guide to help them prepare the enrollment documents they need for their student’s enrollment.

Athletics Admission: 

Adults = $6.00 

Students = $4.00 (Student ID required)

Madison West All Sport Home Game Passes = $30 (highly recommended)

Madison West Student Athletic Pass = $20 (highly recommended, West students only)

No Cash

To purchase all MMSD and Big 8 sporting event tickets (Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer, Track, Volleyball, and Wrestling) please visit our Madison West School GoFan webpage. Also, this year we will be charging for JV games that precede Varsity games. If you plan on attending more than 3 games this school year, we highly encourage you to purchase passes. These passes will get you into every event West hosts, except WIAA events such as Regionals & Sectionals. Students can purchase their athletic pass through Infinite Campus and families can purchase passes on GoFan.

Tickets will then be “redeemed” by ticket support gameworkers at each game. Do not redeem your ticket on your own ahead of time or it will be invalid! See how to use tickets here.

Fans are encouraged to make a GoFan account to buy tickets online before reaching the facility. For your convenience, there will be signage at the venue to help fans navigate an online purchase quickly and easily.

This form is for West students who would like a locker during the 24-25 school year. NOTE: FRESHMEN do NOT need to fill this out. Only 10-12th. Freshman will be automatically assigned lockers.

Locker Request Form

Please follow up with Ms. Kirsten in the Welcome Center with any questions, if you need a new lock or if you need help with finding your assigned locker.

Thank you!

Please note- once you have an assigned locker that is your locker for the entire school year.

The online application for Free & Reduced Meals is open to the public for the 2024-2025 school year. Families can apply for benefits by going to this link: https://www.schoolcafe.com/MMSD  Qualification in this program is needed to determine eligibility for a district funded student bus pass. Please fill this out as soon as possible.

Class schedules will be available in Infinite Campus starting on Monday, August 26st.  New Regents will also receive their Smaller Learning Community (SLC) and counselor assignment at that time.

The West counseling team has implemented a schedule change policy in an attempt to keep changes to a minimum and prioritize students who need technical changes to their schedule.   The schedule change electronic form will be available after schedules are released on August 26th.

This year there will no longer be early release days on Monday so the bell schedule will be the same Monday-Friday. The bell schedule has also changed slightly to align with other MMSD high schools.  Lunch will no longer be considered period 5, so classes will be held periods 1-7.

West Bell Schedule, 2024-2025

As we begin the new school year, West High School is emphasizing the importance of students' Positive Attendance and Classroom Engagement. The goal is to maximize learning opportunities and experiences for all of our students. 

Reflecting on the last four years of attendance data, it reflects a decline in the overall attendance rate for our students. The goal at West is for ALL students to have 90% attendance or better. We know that positive attendance rates for our scholars contribute to the following outcomes:

• Passing grades and credit attainment
• Increased sense of belonging
• Increased preparedness for post-secondary goals
• Greater opportunities to develop knowledge and skills
• On-time graduation

Attendance supports / interventions

One of the interventions in place to encourage and teach appropriate ‘on time’ behaviors, is our Start on Time (SOT) program. As a part of our efforts to encourage students to be on time to class, we will have staff in the hallways to escort students to the Start on Time station or to their class. If students refuse to go to their class, they will be escorted to the Alternative Learning Center (ALC) for the remainder of that period. In those situations, families will be contacted to partner in supporting their student’s successful return to class.

If you have questions regarding these procedures, please reach out to your scholar’s Small Learning Community Assistant Principal.

As we start the school year, we are paying close attention to creating safe, welcoming and engaging learning environments. This includes having a clear policy on electronic devices. 

The respectful, non-disruptive use of electronic devices such as, but not limited to, cell phones, AirPods, earbuds, other bluetooth headphones, smart watches, etc., will only be permitted before and after school, between classes, and during lunch. 

Staff may allow the use of electronic devices for instructional purposes. Classroom staff will manage and oversee student’s usage of electronic devices during class.

Electronic Device Guidelines:

1. If students choose to bring electronic devices to school, they should be kept off and away in a backpack and out of sight during class time. Students may place their electronic devices in a secure location prior to the start of class and retrieve them at the end of class.
2. If an electronic device is visible or heard, it will be stored in a secure location that is visible to the student. 
3. If a student gives an electronic device to a staff member when asked, the student may have the electronic device back at the end of the class period. Students are responsible for retrieving their electronic device at the end of the class period. 
4. If a student refuses to give a device to a staff member when asked, the student will have their device confiscated by a member of the behavior response team. Students may pick their electronic device up at lunch if they violated the policy in the morning, or at the end of the school day if they violated the policy in the afternoon. Electronic devices that are confiscated will be safe and secure in the [Ash Office].
5. If the student escalates in their behavior, causing a distraction or an interruption to the instructional environment or if it leads to the violation of other district rules or policies, the student will be removed from class and subject to other disciplinary actions as outlined in the District’s Behavior Education Plan.
6. In the event of an immediate emergency, parents/guardians should contact the school’s Main Office at 204-4100.

See Here for the Student Electronic Device Policy