Vol 6. October 31, 2023 Versión en español

Dear West High Students and Families,

I hope this message finds you all in good health and high spirits!  As we embrace the chilly temps and bid farewell to the beautiful autumn season, I wanted to take this opportunity to express how incredibly proud I am of our outstanding scholars!  I’ve seen nothing but dedication and hard work, and they’ve continued to set high academic standards and make us all proud.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Also, I wanted to highlight the upcoming parent-teacher conferences on November 16th and 17th.  Conferences provide an excellent opportunity for us to connect, discuss your child's progress, and celebrate their achievements together. Your active involvement in your child's education is invaluable, and we look forward to these meaningful conversations. (See below for conference logistics)

Ensuring Safety at West High 

In the midst of these challenging times, it is crucial for us all to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Please know that safety remains our top priority. We continue to follow and implement all recommended protocols (Standard Response Protocols - SRP) to ensure a secure and healthy learning environment. We are committed to doing everything within our power to keep everyone safe and thriving. (See message below on SRP training and drills)

Importance of Good Attendance at West 

I would like to take a moment to emphasize the importance of good attendance.  Studies have repeatedly shown a strong correlation between high attendance rates and academic success. Scholars who consistently attend their classes demonstrate greater engagement, increased subject knowledge, and improved overall performance. Hence, in the coming days and weeks, we will be focusing on promoting and enhancing attendance rates here at West.

To help us achieve this goal, we have developed a comprehensive plan.  Essentially, scholars will be given clear choices: 

1.  Make the intentional choice of getting to class on time and engage in learning  

OR  

2.  Visit an office to have a conversation with adults and their parents/guardians regarding their attendance. 

This approach allows us to foster open channels of communication and demonstrate our genuine commitment to student academic success.  Here at West, attending class on time, being present, and remaining engaged are essential elements for effective learning.   We will reinforce these values through this proactive work.  Be on the lookout for more information surrounding our attendance plans.  

In closing, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our remarkable scholars, their families, and our dedicated staff. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any member of our admin team. 

Warmest regards,

Dan Kigeya

Principal, 

The West High School

Fall Parent & Teacher Conferences will be on the evening of Thursday, November 16, and during the day of Friday, November 17. Thursday conferences will be in person. Friday conferences will be virtual. Families will be emailed a link to sign up for conferences through Power PTC on Friday, November 3.

For those students interested in participating in the trip to Guatemala and Belize this summer, there will be a parent meeting on Thursday, November 9th at 7pm at West, Room 3210. Students are welcome to attend with their parents/guardians, if possible.

The deadline for enrollment is Monday, Nov. 20.  Reach out to 

latyser@madison.k12.wi.us fahoenecke@madison.k12.wi.us for more information.

2024 Spanish Trip Itinerary-Guatemala & Belize



Families, please encourage your student(s) to fill out the Fall Climate Survey by following these directions (linked here). 

Why should students complete the Climate Survey? The District will be combining all of the answers from students to better understand the overall picture of how schools are doing. We will not identify your responses to your teacher, principal, family members, or other adults unless you [student] share serious information that requires us to inform them, such as harm to you or someone else. Your honesty is important so that schools have information to help make your experiences better. This survey is a critical part of school improvement to understand how students and staff perceive the school climate.

West Community, 

We are looking to build our Friends of West Parent group. This group brings the voices of many into one space to talk about how to build community, support students (and staff), and strengthen relationships within West. 

If you would like to be involved, please fill out this linked form. We hope to have an initial meeting on the calendar within the next few weeks!

A huge thank you for the parents and for our Findorff partners for providing staff with breakfast at the most recent Professional Development day. 

Picture and retake pictures are now available.  If you wish to review and/or purchase them please use this link  and use the student ID tab to order.

If you have questions or need assistance, You can  contact Lifetouch Technical Support at 1-800-598-2466 or lnssfieldops@lifetouch.com.

Many thanks to the volunteers who were at West’s College & Career Center last Wednesday to help seniors with their college essays! The college application season is stressful for many of our seniors and we are grateful to these volunteers who spent their time with us. 83 students attended throughout the day and are a few steps closer to being ready to submit their college applications.  

Students & Volunteers in the College & Career Center for College Essay Assistance

Families,

Your student’s safety and wellbeing within our school is of utmost importance to us. We want our students to feel secure and confident at school and are asking for your support in ensuring this. 

As we move into November, we pause and ask you to review the below 

document regarding the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) with your student(s). This document provides detailed information of what to do during each of the five emergency protocols - Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter, and Hold. In going over this document with your student, you are helping to clarify any misconceptions, reiterate expectations, and further partner with us to promote and ensure safety within our building.

• SRP In English (Linked)
• SRP En español (Enlazado)

Looking ahead, we have a scheduled Fire Drill on November 15th. As we move forward, we will keep you informed of scheduled drills. Should there be a need to implement any of the emergency protocols outside of a scheduled drill, you will be notified. 

In partnership,

Katie Medema

Dean of Students

We’d like to give a warm West welcome to Adrian Reilly! He will be an addition to our Behavior Response Team and one of our Lead Responders to behavior. His office will be located in the Van Hise office. 

Here is a short bio about him:

Hello my name is Adrian Reilly. I am a West High School alum and currently work on the football staff at West. I’ve been working with the kids at West for many years on the football field and I am looking forward to being more involved in their day to day life.  My vision for what I can bring is to motivate students to reach their potential. I want to help them achieve any goals they set for themselves and to be successful here at West. I look forward to getting started and helping the students be the best they can be.

We'd like to thank Genin's Autocare for hosting their October 2023 WHS Oil Change Effort. A portion of oil changes during the month of October will be donated to West High School. The current total of all time donations to West by Genin's is at $31,405.94. Thank you to Genin's and please remember this local business when looking for your auto needs.