Whitney Young Weekly - September 13, 2020

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Congratulations to Stella Bailey, Abhinav Goel, Morgan Michicich, and Paige Smorynski for earning National Merit Semi-Finalist status! Dr. Kenner, the assistant principals, and counselors were able to surprise the four students over a Google Meet last week.

Is there a PSAT date for sophomores this year?

PSAT testing will not be offered in the fall but will be given in the spring 2021 for 10th graders. Juniors will take the fall 2020 PSAT. More information is below.

I want to say your registration process was great, so well-thought out. I really can't say enough good things about it. I was most impressed by the fact that it seemed the school kept folks moving from station to station without allowing people to wander all over the school and followed other safety measures. Thank you for taking the time with your team to come up with a great process in the midst of this crazy pandemic. It is not easy.

It definitely is not easy, but we always want to excel at the highest level with whatever we do. I think it is important for our students to see and know this. We have gotten many compliments on our registration procedure for this school year. Believe it or not, I have had several requests for transfer from most of the highly selective high schools due to this attention to detail.

How will Student Council elections be done this year?

Please contact the Student Council advisor Ms. Ja'Nean Rogers-Gayles at jdrogers@cps.edu for information.

How will physical education classes be taught during remote learning?

Students will report to their classes like before. Teachers will conduct many of their classes like they would have in person with students doing physical exercise. However, physical education classes will include written and verbal assignments.

With some sports still happening, will juniors and seniors enrolled in a PE class still be able to turn PE into a study hall?

At this time, all students will remain in their designated physical education class.

The Chromebook we got from last semester for my daughter's remote learning stopped charging. Who we should contact for this matter?

I am hopeful this is an old concern and you have gotten this corrected. If not, please contact Mr. Melvin Soto, assistant principal at msoto@cps.edu. He will ask you to bring in the broken Chromebook and he will issue you another one.

Dr. Kenner is soliciting questions for the Whitney Young Weekly. She will select and answer questions each week. Note: By submitting your question, you agree that the question and answer will be published and sent to the whole school community. Not all questions will be able to be answered and/or published. Due to the popularity of Kenner's Korner, questions may take at least four weeks to be published. If you have an immediate concern, please contact the Main Office during regular school hours at (773) 534-7500.

Submit your question or comment here.

SAT Testing for Seniors on September 23

Due to the school closure in spring 2020, our current seniors were unable to take the SAT test during their junior year. There will be a special test administration for seniors only on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. This test will allow students to be considered for National Merit AND will fulfill their graduation requirement for the State of Illinois.

In order to comply with IDPH and CPS Health Guidelines, there will be staggered start times for this test administration. Seniors will be excused from remote learning on September 23 to take the SAT.

Click here for additional information.

Students must bring:

Picture ID (most recent school ID or valid government issued ID)
Two No. 2 pencils with soft erasers; no pens or mechanical pencils
A College Board approved calculator
Their own water bottle and snacks

Student must:

Wear face covering at all times while in the building
Complete the CPS health screener before arrival (cps.edu/healthscreener)
Arrive at designated time (see below)
Enter through an assigned entrance (see below)

Students will be assigned to one of two building entrances for entry:

Arts Building - Van Buren entrance or
Academic Building - Door 3 on Jackson

Please review your assigned entry time and door below.

PSAT Testing for Juniors on October 14

CPS will offer our 11th grade students the opportunity to take the PSAT/NMSQT exam in person at our school on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Your child’s score on the PSAT/NMSQT will determine if they are eligible to participate in programs administered by the National Merit Scholarship Program, which include recognition and scholarship opportunities. Click here to read more information.

More test day details will be sent home in the coming weeks.

Medical and Immunizations Deadline October 15

The state of Illinois requires students to maintain certain health requirements. All students must meet these requirements by October 15, 2020 in order to be allowed to continue attending school. Please contact our Michele Miller-Watson, School Nurse, at mrmiller-wat@cps.edu if you have any questions. Medical forms/immunization records may be brought with you to student registration. More information can be found in the CPS Student Health and Forms Booklet.

Make-up Yearbook Photos

Grades 7-11: The photographer is finalizing the make-up schedule for your ID and yearbook photo. We hope to share the make-up photo schedule soon.

Seniors: Your senior portraits will be separately scheduled directly through the photographer, HR Imaging. This photo will be placed in the yearbook. You will not sit for a 2020-2021 ID photo (we will use your photo from 2019-2020).

Remote Learning Bell Schedule

The upcoming week is our first 5 day week of the school year and we will follow the schedules below:

Monday, September 14: Orange Day

Tuesday, September 15: Blue Day

Wednesday, September 16: Dolphin Day

Thursday, September 17: Orange Day

Friday, September 18: Blue Day

You can view the full calendar at wyoung.org.

Seniors, did you know more than two-thirds of all U.S. four-year colleges and universities (1,570+ in total) are now ACT/SAT-optional or test-blind for fall 2021 applicant. See a list here.

What’s your plan after high school? Find it @IACAC Virtual College Exploration. Register here.

The (Virtual) Math Center

The Math Center is open 3rd - 7th period. It is staffed by a Whitney Young teacher. Please sign in here. Join the Google Meet through the Math Center Google Classroom using the code: kap5adm.

Donor Wall

The FoWY Development Committee is planning for the installation of a donor wall to honor the many people who have made financial donations to WYMHS. We are looking for a local company to help with the design, fabrication and installation. Do you have a contact that you can share with us? If so, please contact Deb Keegan, WY Development Director at wydevelopment@yahoo.com.

Join Girls Who Code Club

Open to girls of all grades, Girls Who Code is committed to ending the gender gap in technology. Join to learn how to code in a fun and friendly environment. Meetings are on Mondays from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. The Google Classroom code is mn6vy4l. See you all on Monday!

Join the Whitney Young Esports Team

Please contact the Whitney Young Esports Team sponsor Mr. Abram or freshman Ethan Niser with any questions.

LSC Meeting September 23: Everyone's Welcome!

Please join us for the first Local School Council meeting of the new school year at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, September 23rd. All parents, guardians, students, teachers and community members are welcome to attend. You'll find out about all the latest news affecting our school and our students. And you're guaranteed to learn something new and interesting! At this month’s meeting, you’ll hear an update on how CPS and Whitney Young plan to address the presence of School Resource Officers, an update on how remote learning is going and much more. Click here to register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Please contact LSC Chairperson Kristin Boeke-Greven with questions at kboekegreven@sbcglobal.net.

Dolphins in the News

At 17, Noel's College Football Dreams Are Up In The Air. What Else Will He Lose This Senior Year? (BuzzFeed News)

Whitney Young, Jr Mural in Washington, DC

Our school's namesake, Whitney Young, Jr., was a part of the "big six" civil rights leaders who organized the March on Washington in 1963 (John Lewis, Whitney Young, A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins). These members are depicted in a series of murals now on display in Washington, DC staged by the National Building Museum. The outdoor exhibition titled Murals That Matter opened recently and coincided with the 2020 March on Washington. The exhibition will remain open through November 2020. Click here to read more about the exhibition.

Student Council Statement Regarding SRO Vote

The Whitney Young Student Council is releasing the attached statement in regards to the recent LSC vote to retain our School Resource Officers. The Whitney Young Student Council, as a group of students elected to represent the student body, stand with our peers and are dedicated to uplifting their voices. As we, a school community, work to imagine a future in which everyone feels both physically and emotionally safe and supported, Student Council is committed to advocating for the needs of the student body.

Young Tutors Application

As we enter an unprecedented school year, the Whitney Young Student Council is proud to introduce Young Tutors, a student-to-student online tutoring program! If any students are interested in becoming a tutor, please fill out this brief application by Friday, September 18 to let us know a little bit about you. This is a fantastic opportunity to earn service hours and share what you have learned! If there are any questions regarding the program or the tutor sign-up process, please email wystuco@gmail.com.