Notes from the WGHS Principals

This page provides thoughts and commentary from the West Genesee High School Principals in the West Genesee Central School District.

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers,

Spring Break has come and gone and we are in the final stretch of the 2021-2022 school year! The high school is a busy place in the spring and our celebratory events have begun. We just closed on Beauty and the Beast and have once again been reminded of the incredible talent of our WGHS students and staff. Prom was Saturday night, and the juniors were certainly dressed to impress! We are looking forward to all that is to come before we walk our 2022 graduates across the stage. There will be lots to celebrate in the weeks ahead.

Sincerely,

The WGHS Administrative Team

The West Genesee PTA/PTO District Council is sponsoring a district-wide celebration of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Students, staff, and families have the opportunity to purchase a t-shirt to be worn as a community on Wildcat Unity Day on May 20th. Orders can be placed online by April 30th through Syracuse Swag at https://syrswag.com/design/wg-unity/. In the spirit of inclusion, you may also donate a t-shirt to a WG student in need at checkout. Let's celebrate Wildcat strength through our unity!

The District Council will be collecting submissions of art, writing and other expressions of what Wildcat Unity looks like from students and creating a video collage to share on Unity Day. All submissions will be entered for a random drawing for 10 different prizes. Please see the following link for more information!

Tuesday evening was a beautiful ceremony that celebrated all of our NHS Spring Inductees. Mr. Paoli was our guest speaker and as always brought the perfect amount of fun, laughter, and wisdom to his speech. It was wonderful to be back in person for this event. We have had a lot of inquiries about the criteria for induction into NHS. Please see below for more details from Ms. Ostrander!

Freshman and Sophomores! In a few years (as juniors) you will be eligible to apply for National Honor Society and you need community service as well as WG extracurricular involvement!

As we move into spring and sunshine, please remember to give to others by donating your time and energy and giving back to our community. There are so many opportunities in Camillus and in Onondaga County. Also as a school, we have so many clubs, activities and opportunities available to have fun and connect in our Wildcat community. See Mrs. Ostrander in C115 for ideas!

Remember..."Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future we can all be proud of!" (Helen Dyer).

We have learned of a new “sextortion” scheme affecting students at our high school, where teens are tricked into sending nude photos, then threatened with the public release of the images unless they send money to the perpetrator. We are aware of several WGHS students who have fallen victim to this scam but who approached School Resource Officer Flint to file a report. As always, WGHS counselors were immediately notified and worked with students to make sure caregivers were made aware of the incident and to ensure that our students were being supported during a difficult time.

It is imperative that we educate ourselves and our children about internet and social media safety. Please remind your children they should never share private pictures with anyone via text, social media, or the internet. If they are ever asked for such photos or other inappropriate solicitations, they should inform an adult they trust immediately. It’s never too late to ask for help--if you have already sent something you wish you hadn’t, or are being pressured to provide payment to keep a secret, please don’t let embarrassment keep you from talking to a parent, teacher, or other adult. No teenager should have to navigate this kind of a situation alone--we are here to help.

Please read THIS article from Syracuse.com, featuring the Camillus Police Department, for more information. The article also includes some helpful tips from the FBI:

• Be wary of anyone you encounter online for the first time. Block messages from strangers.

• Be selective about what you share online, especially your personal information.

• Be aware that people can pretend to be anyone online. Videos and photos are not always proof of accurate identity.

• Be suspicious if you meet someone on a game or app and they ask you to chat on another platform.

April 30: Character Pancake Breakfast

May 7: SAT Exam

May 13: Mock Crash, Senior Breakfast, Senior Ball, All-Night Party

May 24: Senior Awards Night

May 26: Kaleidoscope