Sunday, 5/3
Dear Families,
It was great to see so many of our students dressed up and enjoying the night at prom. It is always one of my favorite nights of the year and goes smoothly thanks to the hard work of our prom coordinators, chaperones, and student leaders who think of every detail. Thank you! Side note – if your student left a jacket or came home with a different one than expected, have them come to the main office and we will do our best to match jackets to owners this week.
Speaking of thanks, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week. I have been in and out of a lot of schools in my 30-year career, and I have to say the faculty and staff at Western are special. From building supportive relationships to making time to have fun with our students despite the long hours spent planning and grading, I am so proud of the sense of community our staff work to create for our students. This is a great week to drop a quick note of thanks to any of our teachers, counselors, and staff. Thank you to the PTO for their work to create several events of celebration and appreciation over the course of the week. It really does mean a lot to our staff.
On a more serious note, this week we kick off national and state testing. During AP testing, there will be no bells. That also means we won’t be able to do morning PA announcements, so there will be times this week when I email all students with information and updates. Please remind students to regularly check their school email (a good practice to have in general).
Please see below for details related to testing and impacts on our schedule for May 7 and May 11 when we complete the SOL tests.
Thanks,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
Testing Notes
AP testing starts Monday, May 4 and runs for two full weeks. Students have received detailed information about start times and protocols for entering testing locations. Morning testing starts well before the start of the instructional day so students should arrive by 7:30.
SOL Testing will be on May 7 (math and reading) and May 11 (science) during the morning. Students who are not in an AP or SOL test on those days will sign up for alternative activities for the morning through adaptive scheduler. After SOL tests are done, we will run shortened classes. The bell schedules are below. If your student is not testing and will be arriving to school after testing on any of these days, please inform the attendance office as early as possible. You may email the attendance staff at wahsattendance@k12albemarle.org. This will help us as we make sure every student has a scheduled activity for the morning.
Students who are required to take SOLs have received their personal testing schedule from our testing coordinator, Melisa Larson. It details the tests they are taking, the dates, and the rooms where they should report each day. Students who attend classes at other schools (ACE Academy, MoHS, or AHS) will test at WAHS on days when they are normally here for classes, so they may have a slightly different schedule from their peers. Students who attend morning CATEC will be excused so they can take their SOLs at WAHS. Afternoon CATEC students will report as normal. If your student is scheduled to take an SOL but notices a conflict, please let Ms. Larson know (at mlarson@k12albemarle.org) so she can reschedule their tests. All make-up testing will be scheduled for the week of May 12-15.
Details to remember for SOL testing:
- Morning SOL tests start at 8:55am
- Students may have snacks and water while testing
- Students need to bring their fully charged school laptops; we have a limited number of loaners
- Once students begin testing, they will not be able to leave school until the testing session is over and they have completed their tests
Bell Schedules
|
Thursday, May 7 (Math and Reading SOLs) 8:55 - 12:10 Extended WP/SOLs 12:15 - 12:50 Lunch 12:55 - 1:35 1st Block 1:40 - 2:20 2nd Block 2:25 - 3:05 3rd Block 3:10 - 3:50 4th Block |
Monday, May 11 (Science SOLs) 8:55 – 11:10 Extended WP/SOLs 11:15 - 12:10 1st Block 12:15 - 12:50 Lunch 12:55 - 1:50 2nd Block 1:55 - 2:50 3rd Block 2:55 - 3:50 4th Block |
*CATEC transportation will operate on their regular schedules. Students who are at WAHS during a block when they do not normally have class, must come to the main office for a pass to study hall and to check in.
Sunday, April 26th
Dear Families,
This week we wrap up April and get ready for the last month of school. In addition to some timely items for the week, below you will find detailed information about SOL testing and changes to our bell schedule on May 7 and 11. AP testing, which starts May 4, will not impact our bell schedule but will impact a lot of our students. Detailed information on testing times and locations for both SOLs and APs is also shared directly with students.
Thanks,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
PTO request for Teacher Appreciation Week: Want to help make Teacher Appreciation Week a little "sweeter"? The PTO lunch committee is asking for donations of desserts for the Teacher Appreciation Week lunch scheduled for Friday, May 8th. Individual items that are easy to grab are preferred. Drop off in the front office on May 7 or 8. See full details and sign up at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054BAAA82AA4FCCF8-63757620-desserts.
Prom is May 2nd from 7 to 10pm at the Jefferson Theater. Because this is a school sponsored event held off campus, we provide several layers of supervision and security. Western administrators and staff will be chaperoning the event and we have contracted with a private security firm to support student safety. We are happy to escort any students to their car when they are ready to leave prom.
In person and online sales continue this week for juniors and seniors. A copy of the details and directions for ticket sales that was sent to students and families last week is in the spotlight section of the WAHS website. Ticket sales end April 29. Tickets can not be purchased at the door.
Spring Panorama School Climate Survey for Families: This is the last week to share feedback on your student’s experience at Western Albemarle by completing the Panorama School Climate Survey. The last report I saw showed only 7% of our families had completed the survey. Your feedback will be particularly helpful for the new WAHS principal as they work to get to know our community.
Information on Upcoming SOL Testing and our Adjusted Schedules 5/7 and 5/11
Starting May 7, we will begin SOL testing. We will administer the bulk of SOL tests on Thursday, May 7, and Monday, May 11. We have scheduled the testing days to avoid as many conflicts as possible with AP testing which runs concurrently. By doing so, we have worked hard to create an efficient testing schedule that minimizes interruptions to instruction and maintains a supportive testing environment for students.
Math and reading SOLs will be held the morning of Thursday, May 7. Science SOLs will be the morning of Monday, May 11. During each of those days, students who are not testing will have the option to attend extended Warrior Period sessions. We will run shortened classes after testing is complete. The modified bell schedules are below. If your student is not testing and will be arriving to school after testing on any of these days, please inform the attendance office as early as possible. You may email the attendance staff at wahsattendance@k12albemarle.org. This will help us as we make sure every student has a scheduled activity for the morning.
This week, students who are required to take SOLs will receive their personal testing schedule from our testing coordinator, Melisa Larson. It details the tests they are taking, the dates, and the rooms where they should report each day. Students who attend classes at other schools (ACE Academy, MoHS, or AHS) will test at WAHS on days when they are normally here for classes, so they may have a slightly different schedule from their peers. Students who attend morning CATEC will be excused so they can take their SOLs at WAHS. Afternoon CATEC students will report as normal. If your student is scheduled to take an SOL but notices a conflict, please let Ms. Larson know (at mlarson@k12albemarle.org) so she can reschedule their tests. All make-up testing will be scheduled for the week of May 12-15.
Details to remember for SOL testing:
- Morning SOL tests start at 8:55am
- Students may have snacks and water while testing
- Students need to bring their fully charged school laptops; we have a limited number of loaners
- Once students begin testing, they will not be able to leave school until the testing session is over and they have completed their tests
Bell Schedules
|
Thursday, May 7 (Math and Reading SOLs) 8:55 - 12:10 Extended WP/SOLs 12:15 - 12:50 Lunch 12:55 - 1:35 1st Block 1:40 - 2:20 2nd Block 2:25 - 3:05 3rd Block 3:10 - 3:50 4th Block |
Monday, May 11 (Science SOLs) 8:55 – 11:10 Extended WP/SOLs 11:15 - 12:10 1st Block 12:15 - 12:50 Lunch 12:55 - 1:50 2nd Block 1:55 - 2:50 3rd Block 2:55 - 3:50 4th Block |
*CATEC transportation will operate on their regular schedules. Students who are at WAHS during a block when they do not normally have class, must come to the main office for a pass to study hall and to check in.
Sunday, April 19th
Dear Families,
It’s a busy and exciting time at WAHS as we pack a lot into a four-day week! I am excited to observe our seniors tomorrow in the annual Model Congress, an important and treasured tradition for Western. There is no school for students on Tuesday. Wednesday, we return to the launch of our spring musical!
Please see below for important information on the musical, prom, post high school planning night, AP test refund deadline, and our school climate survey.
Thanks,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
Please note that April 24 is the deadline to cancel an AP test for your student and receive a partial refund. Students should see Mrs. Wright in the counseling office to get the necessary form.
The WAHS Theater Program invites everyone to come see High School Musical this week! This is a fun, high-energy show suitable for all ages.
- April 22 at 7 p.m. – Benefit Dress Rehearsal (admission by donation; proceeds support the Eric Betthauser Scholarship Fund)
- April 23 at 7 p.m.
- April 24 at 7 p.m.
- April 25 at 2 p.m. – Understudy Show
- April 25 at 7 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at https://wahsdrama.ludus.com/ or in cash at the door.
- Students: $5 (advance and at the door)
- Seniors: $8 in advance, $10 at the door
- Adults: $13 in advance, $15 at the door
Join us on Thursday, April 23 when the Counseling Department will host a College Planning night from 6:00-7:00 pm in the WAHS cafeteria. The presentation will cover how admissions has changed over the years, the four-year college application process, and opportunities at PVCC. While the presentation is designed for parents and guardians of juniors, all are welcome.
The session will complement the information juniors have been receiving via counselor classroom guidance lessons in their US History course. If you are unable to attend, the School Counseling website will have the presentation linked and posted after the event. If you are able to attend, feel free to stay after for the opening night of High School Musical in the auditorium!
Prom is May 2nd from 7 to 10pm at the Jefferson Theater. Because this is a school sponsored event held off campus, we provide several layers of supervision and security. Western administrators and staff will be chaperoning the event and we have contracted with a private security firm to support student safety. We are happy to escort any students to their car when they are ready to leave prom.
Tickets may be purchased by juniors and seniors from April 20 to April 29. Juniors and seniors may bring no more than one guest to the prom. Details for purchasing tickets will be shared Monday with options for online and in person sales as well as directions for purchasing a ticket for a guest who is not a WAHS student.
Spring Panorama School Climate Survey for Families and Students: Families are invited to share their feedback and perspective of their student’s experience at Western Albemarle by completing the Panorama School Climate Survey before May 1st. At some point the link shared last week stopped working, but this updated link will take you to the ACPS article on the family survey.
A student version of the survey will be administered this Monday to underclassmen and later in the week to seniors. All student information is confidential, and feedback is anonymous. If you would like to opt your student out of completing the survey, please email me at jsublette@k12albemarle.org.
Sunday, April 13th
Dear Western Families,
I hope our students enjoyed spring break. We are gearing up for a busy few weeks as we near the end of the year!
Below is information on our spring school climate survey for students and families, preliminary information on spring testing to help with planning, another set of resources on supporting healthy use of technology, and a recap of spring dates.
We are looking forward to welcoming students back to school on Monday,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
Spring Panorama School Climate Survey for Families and Students: Families are invited to share their feedback and perspective of their student’s experience at Western Albemarle by completing the Panorama School Climate Survey before May 1st.
A student version of the survey will be administered on April 20th. All student information is confidential, and feedback is anonymous. If you would like to opt your student out of completing the survey, please email me at jsublette@k12albemarle.org.
Planning for Spring Testing: In just a few weeks we will kick off our spring testing season.
AP test times and dates are set by the College Board. A great deal of communication is shared with students to make sure they understand the details of test day and when to arrive. You can also confirm the dates of each subject test by visiting this College Board link.
Western runs an SOL testing schedule that minimizes interruption to instruction for all students. We will administer SOLs the morning of May 7 and May 11. Students who are not in an SOL or AP test will be able to sign up for alternative activities. After the SOL tests are finished, we will have lunch and run a modified bell schedule of all classes for the day. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of students who aren’t testing during these schedule changes. More details about our bell schedule and testing locations will be shared closer to the start of testing.
Family Technology Resources: For another set of family resources from Common Sense Media, we would like to share a playlist of webinars for parents and caregivers.
These webinars deal with many of the same topics from Carpool Conversations we shared before break but take a deeper dive through research and conversations with experts in the field. Check out the playlist if you want to learn more about topics like digital wellness, online safety, parenting in the digital age, and more!
Updated Spring Dates
|
April 20 |
Model Congress for Seniors |
All Day |
|
April 21 |
Special Election Day – No School for Students |
|
|
April 22 |
Opening Night of Spring Musical |
7:00-9:30pm |
|
April 23 |
Post High School Planning for 9-11th Grade Families |
6:00-7:30pm |
|
Apr 23-25 |
Spring Musical PM Performance |
7-9:30pm |
|
April 25 |
Spring Musical Matinee |
2-4:30pm |
|
May 2 |
PROM |
7:00-10:00pm |
|
May 3 |
Spring Band Concert |
3:30-6:00pm |
|
May 4 |
||
|
May 7 |
Math SOLs Reading SOL (all juniors) |
Morning |
|
May 11 |
Science SOLs |
Morning |
|
May 12 |
Last Day of Class for Seniors |
|
|
May 12 |
Spring Orchestra Concert |
7:00-8:30pm |
|
May 13 |
Spring Choir Concert |
7:00-8:30pm |
|
May 22 |
Graduation |
8:00 PM |
|
May 25 |
Memorial Day Holiday – No School for Staff and Students |
|
|
May 29 |
Last Day of School (1/2 day for students) |
Sunday, March 22nd
Dear WAHS Families,
I hope students enjoyed this lovely three-day weekend. We have another round of testing for juniors this week and are busy working on the final details for WAHS with a Cause. Please see details below.
Have a great week,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
SAT Day for Juniors: We will administer the SATs to juniors on Tuesday, March 24.
- All students who aren’t testing will have their regular classes.
- The bell schedule will be adjusted slightly as we won’t have Warrior Period and there is an extra break between 1st and 2nd block to help students find relocated classrooms since we use many of our upstairs rooms for testing.
- Students with 1B release need to report to 2B at 10:35.
- Juniors who attend other schools on B Days should report to WAHS. They will test in room B220.
- All Juniors should bring their school-issued computers and chargers for the exam. Students can have snacks while testing.
|
Tuesday’s Bell Schedule due to SATs |
|
|
8:55-10:25 |
1st Block (extra passing time between 1st and 2nd) |
|
10:35-12:05 |
2nd Block |
|
12:05-12:40 |
Lunch |
|
12:45-2:15 |
3rd Block |
|
2:20-3:50 |
4th Block |
WAHS with a Cause Updates: Next Monday, March 30 is WAHS with a Cause. Students will get updates and detailed instructions during homeroom on Monday. To help us maximize the day and manage the many groups traveling off campus, please help your student be on time to school next Monday.
From our Leadership teachers, "The Amazon Wishlist for WWAC will close this Monday, March 23rd. To ensure that all items arrive in time for our service projects, please make sure all donation purchases are completed by Monday at 11:00 pm.
Thank you so much to everyone who has already contributed to WAHS with a Cause! Your generosity is helping to ensure this event is a success for our school and community. We truly appreciate your ongoing support and dedication to teaching our students the value of giving back. We couldn’t do this without you!"
WAHS Students Cannot Park at Henley or Brownsville: I got an email from a staff member at HMS that WAHS students have been seen parking at our neighboring schools and walking to WAHS. We will remind students that this is not allowed but please reinforce the message for us.
Sunday, March 15th
Dear WAHS Families,
This week we start our fourth quarter of the year! From the spring musical and spring sports to SOL and AP testing, this is a busy season. We’ll do our best to share updates and information along the way to help families and students stay organized and prepared.
It was wonderful to see so many students and families at our 3rd annual Always Better Together event. Thank you for joining us and I hope this is a tradition that will be carried on in Western’s future.
We have a teacher workday on Friday this week. Students do not have school on March 20.
Have a great week,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
Q3 Grades: Grades for work completed in the third quarter will be updated in PowerSchool by March 23. In PowerSchool that is the Q3 grade. Again, the second semester grade (T2) continues to calculate and is not the average of Q3 and Q4. Student transcripts display only the end of year grade (Y1).
Newly Announced Day Off for Students: This week the division shared that students will not have school on April 21. This is a change to the calendar for the year.
Student Parking: In homeroom last week we reminded students about the importance of parking in their assigned space, not driving to school if they do not have a parking pass, and the importance of coming to the main office if they have to find an alternative place to park.
We will reiterate that this week through morning announcements and an email to juniors and seniors. Once we have completed a thorough communication plan, we will begin to tow cars that are parked without permission. Please reiterate this expectation and the potential cost of being towed with your student driver.
WAHS with a Cause: We are just two weeks away from our annual day of community service. Thank you for the donations to our children’s book drive and pantry drive as well as the Amazon wish list items for project supplies. We are continuing to welcome donations this week. Below is a letter to families from our Leadership teachers with important details for the day. I am so grateful for their work with our students to make this day a reality.
Dear Western families,
Our community service day, WAHS with a Cause, is coming together and we are very excited! Last week, students received their project assignments. For students going off campus or for certain on-campus projects, they received a permission slip that was due Friday, March 13th. Please check with your student that they have turned in any required permission slips.
Here is the schedule for March 30th:
- 8:50 am-Students arrive at school and report to their 1A class for attendance.
- Because of the tight turnaround for the off-campus projects, please try to ensure students are on time to school.
- Students who are normally on release 1A or at another campus on A days, should report to the cafeteria. We will take their attendance there and wait for the release to projects.
- 9:15 am-Busses for off-campus projects will leave WAHS; students participating in on-campus projects at WAHS report to their project headquarters.
- 12:00-12:30 pm- All students return to WAHS for lunch.
- 12:55 pm - School day follows with a modified A day schedule. Students on campus who do not have a 1A or 2A class, should report to the main office.
Our goal with WAHS for a Cause is to promote civic engagement and to allow our school to give back to our community. We’re very excited to be continuing this event for the 5th year in a row and we thank you for your continued support!
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to send us an email at jdudley@k12albemarle.org , bball@k12albemarle.org , mashur@k12albemarle.org or wahsleadership@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Jordan Moore, Brian Ball, Molly Ashur, and the WAHS Leadership Program
Sunday, March 8th
Dear Families,
We made it through quite a busy week. From the logistics of SOL testing to an unplanned evacuation during lunch, I continue to be grateful for our students and their ability to adjust as needed during the school day. That’s a great skill to have in life!
Below are a few notes for the week as we come to the end of our third quarter of the year. The last item is a note on parking on campus. Please be sure to review this and reiterate the need to follow parking guidelines with your student.
Have a good week,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
It’s hard to believe but, as noted above, the third quarter ends this week on March 13. We have a teacher workday on March 20 as teachers and students wrap up loose ends. Grades for Q3 will be updated in PowerSchool by March 23. Please remember that semester grades are not an average of the two quarters. Rather, this marks a point in the semester when we all know that grades have been updated so we can track student progress. The semester grade (T2) will continue to calculate. The final grade for the year is the average of T1 and T2.
This Friday we will host Always Better Together. This is the 3rd annual cultural and community celebration hosted by The Western Albemarle Student Senate. All are invited to join us from 4:30 – 6:30 for a fun-filled afternoon of music, dance, games, community guests, and a delicious cross-cultural dinner. We are collecting donations for additional dinner and dessert items through this sign up.
This FREE event is very family friendly, and all are welcome. We are so excited to come together to celebrate our school community!
Preparations for WAHS with a Cause continue. This week, students will get information on their project assignments and any permission forms that may need to be completed. Most permission forms will be due this Friday. In addition, we have a few drives to support our many community service projects:
- Families can help provide supplies for projects by purchasing items on this Amazon Wish List. Items will be delivered to WAHS.
- The library is coordinating a book drive of children’s picture books. Donations can be brought to the library or main office.
- We are collecting shelf stable food and toiletries for personal care kits. Donations can be brought to the main office.
Check out the annual ACPS Art Show at the Crozet Library now through March 21st. There are wonderful items on display by Western student artists and others from around the county.
Finally, we need to work together to address the issue of improper parking on campus. As we are all painfully aware, parking is limited at Western, and demand is greater than supply. We have worked hard to have a clear system for how students get parking passes and to maximize the number of students who can drive. Despite warnings and notices to students, we continue to have students park without a pass either in another student’s assigned space or in an undesignated parking area on campus. This is both unfair to students who follow parking rules and a safety issue.
- Students may only park on campus in their assigned space on their assigned day. This includes students on campus for morning practices. After 4:00, students may park near their sports or theater practice location.
- If families need to visit school during the day, please do not park in student lots and please leave time to get a visitor pass for your dashboard. If you are coming for a quick conference or to drop off something for your student, please park along the road in front of the building. We will give you a pass for your car.
Cars parked without appropriate tags and passes or in undesignated areas may be towed. We know this is an expense, but we cannot continue to have students disregard school rules and policies. We will reenforce this information with students on Monday.
Sunday, March 1st
Dear WAHS Families,
This is a busy week at WAHS with several changes to our schedule.
This Wednesday and Thursday, all juniors will be taking the two-part SOL Writing Tests.
- All other students will attend their normal classes, but some may be in different locations. We will run an adjusted bell schedule that is pasted below.
- Juniors have received information on their testing location and reminders to bring their school-issued laptop (fully charged) and power cord to school both days. We welcome any gentle reminders about this as they get ready for school Wednesday and Thursday!
Thursday night we will host student progress conferences by Zoom.
- Please use this sign-up link to reserve a session.
- Sign-ups will be closed at the end of the day on Wednesday, so that teachers have time to prepare for conferences the next day.
- A spreadsheet of all Zoom links will be sent out well before Thursday.
We will also run a special bell schedule on Friday for our annual WAHS Got Talent program. Students who don’t wish to attend the program will have the option to go to the library.
Finally, a reminder to save the date for Always Better Together. This is the 3rd annual cultural and community celebration hosted by The Western Albemarle Student Senate. All are invited to join us on Friday, March 13 from 4:30 – 6:30 for a fun-filled afternoon of music, dance, games, community guests, and a delicious cross-cultural dinner. We are collecting donations for additional dinner and dessert items through this sign up link.
This FREE event is very family friendly, and all are welcome. We are so excited to come together to celebrate our school community!
Looking forward to a great week,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
Below are our special bell schedules for this week.
- The changes are particularly important to note for any of our students with first block release.
- There are no Warrior Periods on these three days. Students can sign up for Warrior Period both Monday and Tuesday this week.
SOL Bell Schedule Wednesday 3/4 & Thursday 3/5:
|
8:55-10:25 |
1st Block (extra passing time between 1st and 2nd) |
|
10:35-12:05 |
2nd Block |
|
12:05-12:40 |
Lunch |
|
12:45-2:15 |
3rd Block |
|
2:20-3:50 |
4th Block |
WGT Bell Schedule Friday 3/6:
|
8:55 -10:10 |
1A |
|
10:15-11:25 |
2A |
|
11:25 |
Dismiss to WGT or Library/Study Hall |
|
12:30-1:15 |
Lunch (CATEC students eat at 12:15) |
|
1:20-2:35 |
3A |
|
2:40-3:50 |
4A |
Sunday, February 22nd
Good evening,
I’ve been in education for 30 years and this may be the first time I am sincerely glad to see rain instead of snow accumulation as a storm system moves through our area. That says a lot about our last snow event and how nice it is to get into a regular routine at school.
The notes below include two save the date notices, a request for help from our PTO, and reminders from our attendance office.
I hope everyone has a good week,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
Save the Date for Student Progress Conferences on March 5:
Suddenly March is around the corner, and it is time for our third quarter conference night! We will host conferences by Zoom from 5:00 to 7:30. We will send out a link to the Sign-Up Genius to reserve a time with teachers by the second half of this week.
Save the Date for Always Better Together on March 13:
The Western Albemarle Student Senate is hosting Always Better Together, our 3rd annual culture and community celebration. Please join us on Friday, March 13 from 4:30 – 6:30 for a fun-filled afternoon of music, dance, games, community guests, and a delicious cross-cultural dinner. We are collecting donations for additional dinner and dessert items through this sign up.
This free event is very family friendly, and all are welcome. We are so excited to come together to celebrate our school community!
Help Needed for Teacher and Staff Appreciation Events:
Our staff lounge was reimagined into a rainbow buffet of snacks for our February appreciation event last week. Such a fun treat.
Our PTO volunteers need support with their two final appreciation events for this year. They could use extra help for our March 9 event and the big finale with Teacher Appreciation Week in May when they provide breakfast, mailbox treats, and lunch. You can find the Sign Up Genius here or email wahsstaffappreciation@gmail.com. Please help us celebrate the dedication and effort our teachers and staff put in all year!
Reminders from the Attendance Office:
- Please notify the Attendance Office before 3:00 PM for any early dismissals scheduled after 3:30 PM. We are happy to release your student at the time you request but getting this information before 3:00 PM ensures everything is processed smoothly.
- Advanced notice is appreciated for all early dismissals. We understand that unexpected situations will come up, but it can take 20 to 30 minutes to process an early dismissal if advance notice is not provided.
- Students are issued a SmartPass for early dismissal, and notifications are emailed to your student and their teacher. If a request comes to our office late, we do call into classes.
- Please remind your student to inform their teacher that they have a SmartPass for dismissal before leaving the classroom.
Second Semester Dates
|
Feb 16 |
Now a Regular School Day |
|
|
Feb 17 |
Now a Regular School Day |
|
|
Mar 4 & 5 |
Writing SOL for Juniors |
|
|
Mar 5 |
Family Conference Night – Zoom Format |
5:00-7:30pm |
|
Mar 13 |
Better Together Celebration at Western |
4:15-6:30pm |
|
Mar 19 |
Now a Regular School Day |
|
|
Mar 20 |
Teacher Workday-No School for Students |
|
|
Mar 24 |
SAT School Day - 11th Grade ONLY |
|
|
Mar 27 |
Art Fest |
6-9:00 pm |
|
Mar 30 |
WAHS with a Cause |
9am-12:00 |
|
Apr 6-10 |
Spring Break |
|
|
April 20 |
Model Congress - Event for All Seniors |
|
|
April 23 |
Post High School Planning for 9-11th Grade Families |
6:00-7:30pm |
|
Apr 23-25 |
Spring Musical Evening Performances |
7-9:30 pm |
|
Apr25 |
Spring Musical Matinee |
2-4:30 pm |
|
May 2 |
Prom at the Jefferson Theater |
7-10:00 pm |
|
May 3 |
Spring Band Concert |
3:30-6:00 pm |
|
May 4 |
AP Testing Begins |
|
|
May 7 |
Math SOLs, Reading SOL for Juniors |
|
|
May 11 |
Science SOLs |
|
|
May 11 |
Last A Day for Seniors |
|
|
May 12 |
Last B Day for Seniors |
|
|
May 12 |
Orchestra Concert |
7-8:30 pm |
|
May 13 |
Choir Concert w/HES |
7-8:30pm |
|
May 22 |
Graduation |
8:00 PM |
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May 25 |
Memorial Day – No School for Students and Staff |
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May 29 |
Last Day of School (1/2 day for students) |
Sunday, February 16th
Dear Western Families,
We kicked off our first five-day week in quite a while. We celebrated that feat with a fun day of Singing Valentines on Friday.
This Monday, students will start the process of selecting the WAHS with a Cause project group they want to join for our community service day on March 30. Leadership students will review the various opportunities during homeroom and students have until February 19 to make their selections. Here is the side deck overview of the projects that students will see on Monday. We will also email it out to all students on Monday. Please encourage your student to make their selection and take part in the fun that comes with giving back to our community.
This is a full five-day week given the changes to the ACPS calendar due to missed days for snow. We look forward to a productive week together.
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal
Second Semester Dates
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Feb 16 |
Now a Regular School Day |
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Feb 17 |
Now a Regular School Day |
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Mar 4 & 5 |
Writing SOL for Juniors |
|
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Mar 5 |
Family Conference Night – Zoom Format |
5:00-7:30pm |
|
Mar 13 |
Better Together Celebration at Western |
4:15-6:30pm |
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Mar 19 |
Now a Regular School Day |
|
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Mar 20 |
Teacher Workday-No School for Students |
|
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Mar 24 |
SAT School Day - 11th Grade ONLY |
|
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Mar 27 |
Art Fest |
6-9:00 pm |
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Mar 30 |
WAHS with a Cause |
9am-12:00 |
|
Apr 6-10 |
Spring Break |
|
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April 23 |
Post High School Planning for 9-11th Grade Families |
6:00-7:30pm |
|
Apr 23-25 |
Spring Musical Evening Performances |
7-9:30 pm |
|
Apr25 |
Spring Musical Matinee |
2-4:30 pm |
|
May 2 |
Prom at the Jefferson Theater |
7-10:00 pm |
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May 3 |
Spring Band Concert |
3:30-6:00 pm |
|
May 4 |
AP Testing Begins |
|
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May 7 |
Math SOLs, Reading SOL for Juniors |
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May 11 |
Science SOLs |
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May 11 |
Last A Day for Seniors |
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May 12 |
Last B Day for Seniors |
|
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May 12 |
Orchestra Concert |
7-8:30 pm |
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May 13 |
Choir Concert w/HES |
7-8:30pm |
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May 22 |
Graduation |
8:00 PM |
|
May 25 |
Memorial Day – No School for Students and Staff |
|
|
May 29 |
Last Day of School (1/2 day for students) |
Sunday, February 9th
Dear Western Families,
We worked to get back to some sense of normalcy this past week and are hopeful for a full week of school this coming week and several weeks to come.
On Monday we will administer the school climate survey from the Virginia Department of Education that we had planned to administer on February 2 during homeroom. Here is a copy of the notice that was sent out to families in December. Both students and staff complete this survey every three years. I have found this to be a very informative survey tool as it helps us see local, regional, and even national trends that can inform the work we do to improve our school.
This week we get ready for some of our favorite traditions for Valentine’s Day at WAHS. Students can purchase singing Valentine’s and Candy Grams for friends during lunch. Families can purchase Valentine’s Day treats on My School Bucks (directions are below). All proceeds fund our community service projects for WAHS with a Cause. In the spirit of love, our food and personal hygiene supplies drive for Crozet Cares Closet and Grace Grocery continues this week. Items can be dropped off in the cafeteria or main office.
We Notice, the annual employee recognition program for Albemarle County, is open for submissions through this week. This is a lovely opportunity to send a message of thanks to any staff member – bus driver, teacher, office associate, librarian – who has made an impact on your student’s experience in school. Students can also submit messages of thanks to any staff member. More information and the portal for sending messages are at this link. I appreciate that this is not a competition for “best of the year” but a community wide opportunity to send a note of personal thanks and recognition. It is quick and these messages mean so much to the staff who are honored.
Finally, I am including an updated list of second semester dates below since the recent snow days led to changes in the school calendar.
Thanks and we look forward to a full week of school,
Jenn Sublette, WAHS Principal