GHS Newsletter

Monthly Family Newsletter #1 | September 29, 2023

WELCOME TO THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR!

A MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL FARREN

Greetings and welcome to all guardians/parents, students, staff and other supporters within the Germantown High School Community. In the past, we have had two very lengthy newsletters, following an end of semester one and semester two format. This year, we will switch to a monthly newsletter, sponsored by several academic departments and/or Administration and Student Services. This will narrow down the size of the newsletter and allow for various aspects of GHS to be highlighted and display the work being done with students in these various areas. The continued goal of these communications is to recognize accomplishments of our students and staff for academic and/or professional achievements and to do so each month within this newsletter.

In addition, GHS utilizes a weekly internal “Bulletin” for its staff, Germantown School District newsletters, “School Board Happenings,” the Germantown School District Facebook page, Germantown High School Facebook page, Germantown High School Instagram page, Skyward Family Access, press releases, web-site articles, the marquee board outside the front entrance, and local media sources.

School Calendar Information:

The Germantown School District calendar link appears HERE. Typically, work is done for the following school year through a calendar committee in December or so, which then goes to the Board of Education for review and approval in January/February in most cases.

State Testing Information

We recommend that all students participate in the statewide assessments. State tests are important because they provide a standardized and objective measure of student performance, allowing educators, policymakers, and parents to assess the effectiveness of educational systems and identify areas for improvement. These assessments help ensure accountability in the education system and guide resource allocation to support schools and students in need. Additionally, state tests offer valuable data for curriculum refinement, instructional adjustments, IEP goals, and tailored interventions to enhance overall educational quality and student success. State tests are important for parents as they provide a transparent and measurable way to track their child's academic progress and proficiency in key subjects. These assessments offer valuable insights into how well their child is performing compared to established educational standards and their peers. Students with IEPs and 504 Plans will have accommodations to ensure a successful and stress-free testing environment. Here is the full slate of State Testing for GHS in 2023-24:

Optional PSAT-October 24
ACT for 11th graders-March 19
ACT for 11th graders-Make-up window-(TBD-April 1-5 or April 9-19)
Wisconsin Forward-March 19 (in regular Social Studies classes only)
Pre-ACT ASPIRE-Grades 9 and 10-March 19
Pre-ACT ASPIRE-make-ups-March 19
Advanced Placement Testing Window-(May 6-17)
GSD Assessment Website

Here are some links to where you can find information about the GSD and GHS:

Germantown School District Main Page

Germantown School District Facebook Page

Germantown High School Main Page

Germantown High School Facebook Page

Germantown High School Instagram Page

Skyward Family Access

Final Thoughts

The 2023-24 school year is off to a positive start. We had an early Homecoming and school life gets back to normal now. This version of the monthly newsletter was sponsored by the Administrative Team as a starting point and going forward, our readers will see wonderful information about things going on in various departments at GHS.

Thank you for the past, current and future support of our District, GHS and within that, our teachers, support staff, coaches, advisors and Administration. As always, if any of us can be of assistance to you in any way, do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to continuing on the strong traditions established in Germantown, while moving in a positive direction as we continually strive to become the premier school district in the State of Wisconsin!

Go Warhawks!

Sincerely,

Mr. Joel R. Farren

Principal

Germantown High School

ACP - ACADEMIC AND CAREER PLANNING

Academic and Career Planning (ACP) is a process all students engage in from 6th grade through 12th grade. ACP allows students to develop their post-secondary plans through lessons around life skills, hands on experiences, reflective conversations, and so much more. In Resource, students engage in "Xello" lessons which are centered around helping students make an informed decision about these post-secondary plans. Ultimately, students' plans will be organized into a final "Graduation Portfolio". It is recommended you and your student meet with your student's counselor during their sophomore year for a "G-Talk" where you will collectively discuss how your student can work towards accomplishing their post-secondary goals. Some items available on our ACP Website to support this process are the following:

Overview of the "Xello" lessons your student will engage in each year.
Sample of what is included in a student's "Graduation Portfolio".
"Career Pathway" documents to help your student select courses and careers that align with their field(s) of interest.

Questions, ideas, and/or feedback? Reach out to Mrs. Fischer (Dean of Students & ACP Coordinator) at akasza@gsdwi.org.

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND DEAN OF STUDENTS

ATTENDANCE REMINDERS:

In accordance with compulsory attendance statutes, once a student has been absent for all or part of ten days, a letter is sent home outlining the next steps, including a potential truancy meeting and citation.
Please make sure to call and excuse absences where applicable and send a doctor’s note when necessary.
If a student has been absent for more than half of the school day, they are ineligible for all WIAA Sanctioned Activities that day.
Students are expected to be in class before the bell rings. The school exercises progressive discipline for being tardy, beginning with the 4th to a given class:

4th Tardy- Detention
5th Tardy- Detention
6th Tardy- Half Day In-School-Suspension
7th Tardy- Detention
8th Tardy- Detention
9th Tardy- Full Day In-School-Suspension

GENERAL SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS:

Cell phones are not allowed between 7:10 and 2:33. Students should have phones turned off and in their lockers. Students found to be in violation of this policy will receive a detention for the first offense and additional consequences, including possible citation for a second offense. Repeated offenses beyond this number will result in citations for subsequent offenses.

Hats, hoods and other non-religious head coverings are not permitted in the building on non-spirit days.
Monday Resource is used for Academic and Career Planning (ACP) lessons with students’ homeroom teachers. The state requires all students to engage in ACP. Tuesday through Thursday, students are expected to sign up for teachers on their schedule using our Edficiency system. The purpose of Resource travel days is to receive academic support from teachers during the school day. It is not a study hall or break in the instructional day.

All Resource teachers went through the Student Handbook with their students during the first week of school. That process was done, in detail, to highlight the expectations at the High School. HANDBOOK 2023-24

DROP-OFF/PICK-UP REMINDERS:

Our school day begins at 7:10, and doors open at 6:30. Our school day ends at 2:33, and students need to be out of the building or with a teacher/coach/advisor by 3 p.m.
When picking up students; please stay in a single-file-line and use the main entrance turn-around. Please do not turn your vehicle around in the parking lot entrance and please do not use the student parking entrance until the gates have been opened back up at 2:45.
Another good drop-off and pick-up option is the Fieldhouse