Whitewater High

Attention Seniors! You are invited to attend a Scholarship Application Writing Workshop for Seniors from 8 a.m. - noon on Wednesday, March 12 in the MPR. We can help you get started with the application process and answer any questions you may have. We can proofread your applications and offer suggestions if needed, too. Please complete the form emailed to you on March 3 (https://forms.gle/bLDG3SBYPgaW1YgA9) if you are interested in attending! Seniors can arrive any time between 8 and 11 am to participate.

Required State testing is coming fast. Please review the attached information regarding the ACT and the PreACT Secure.

The Whitewater High School Career Fair will be on Wednesday, April 2nd from 10:00 - 11:15. Our Career Fair is designed to provide students with meaningful insights into a wide range of industries, professions, and career paths. By participating, companies will have the opportunity to: • Showcase their organization's mission, values, and workplace culture • Connect with motivated high school students exploring employment and apprenticeship opportunities • Network with fellow industry leaders and educators to strengthen community partnerships If you know of a company interested in participating, please complete the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVdyBXIxQlTVbMQj9QZs5IFLM9xQ-AkrMnrIbYOQ9hEF6uRA/viewform by March 28th.

The 2025 Local & Area Scholarship Competition at Whitewater High School has begun! Most applications are due on March 18. Please read about all of the amazing scholarships available to seniors on the new WHS Scholarship Site: https://sites.google.com/wwusd.org/whslocalscholarshipcompetition/home

Can't attend in person? Here is the link for Bandorama concert Saturday, February 15, at 3pm. https://youtube.com/live/0D64K372SOE?feature=share

Whitewater Unified School District will be canceling all afterschool activities due to a winter storm with quickly accumulating snow beginning at 4:00 pm. There are a number of after-school activities planned today to celebrate with our students. Your principals will send out specifics about their plans to reschedule. I hope that you get to celebrate Valentine's Day at home, safely! See you next week! Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty

Dear WUSD families, Due to heavy snow expected mid-day into the evening tomorrow, complicating our afternoon routes/commutes home, we will be closing school on Wednesday February 12, 2025. If possible, I always prefer to make snow calls as soon as possible to give families time to plan. Based on tomorrow’s forecast, I do not expect there to be much snow in the AM. All schools and all associated activities for tomorrow, February 12, 2025 will be cancelled.  Be safe, and hopefully, everything will be cleared up for Thursday. 

WHS has released the honor roll and high honor roll for first semester of 2024-2025. These honors are based on SEMESTER weighted grades.

Whitewater High School (WHS) will award TWO $6,750 Wisconsin Technical Excellence Scholarships (TES) to students in the senior class who have the highest demonstrated level of proficiency in technical education subjects and will graduate at the end of the current school year. Recipients must have completed at least three semesters at Whitewater High School, earned a minimum of four Career and Technical Education (CTE) credits, and plan to attend a college within the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). CTE credits are earned by taking coursework in Agriculture & Natural Resources, Business & Information Technology, Family & Consumer Science, Project Lead the Way (PLTW), and Technology & Engineering courses. Courses also include Certified Nursing Assistant Training, a Work-Study Program, and a Youth Apprenticeship Program. Review your high school transcript to verify CTE coursework, grades, and eligibility to graduate at the end of the current school year. See your counselor ASAP if you have questions! Recipients must legally reside in the United States, register with Selective Service, and have completed at least one of eight eligibility items as identified by the Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB). Scholarship recipients will be selected by the state law requirements and Whitewater Unified School District procedures. The value of the scholarship is $6,750 ($2,250 per year and renewable for up to three years). Email Mr. Smith (rsmith@wwusd.org) if interested in applying ASAP! He will share the application with you through a Google Doc. Email Mr. Smith when you have completed your application. Applications are due to Mr. Smith by 3:15 pm on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

Registration for the annual FBLA Royal Ball is open! Royal Ball is a semi-formal dance for 4K through 5th graders to be held on Friday, March 7 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. The cost is $15, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Use the link below to register. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLfZi7xXuBJe8iz3SnoKwOf-uu0U9oj4Pk_azylrSMboAwuQ/viewform

The WHS Small Engines class is in search of 4-Stroke engine donations. Have one laying around? Please contact Brent Mansky at bmansky@wwusd.org or 262-472-8103.

All WHS Juniors will take the ACT on Wednesday, March 12. WHS will host an ACT Practice Workshop on Friday, February 21 at 8:00 a.m. in Room 102/103. (There is no school on February 21.) Juniors are invited to attend to get valuable test-taking tips and practice each part of the test. Students should sign up to attend at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScS3d6_cgODtLUaLmq7XmcvwVwkJAyIJ5ehk6rvr6KoWkfkOw/viewform?usp=sharing

WHS 2-Hour Delay Schedule:

Whitewater Unified School District will be operating on a 2-hour delay due to slick and icy road conditions this morning. There will be no AM 4K. PM 4K will operate as usual. 4K at Lakeview will follow the 2-hour delay.

Join experts from Gateway Technical College on Wednesday, February 5th LIVE from 7pm to 8pm via Zoom as we cover all things scholarship! This event's target audience is High School Seniors, High School Senior families, High School Counselors & Administration, or anyone interested in learning more about Scholarships available to current high school seniors! Join the Zoom session at https://gtc.zoom.us/j/9951025416! Looking for additional funding as you start your journey at Gateway Technical College? We’ve got you covered! We will review deadlines, all the scholarships available to high school seniors in the Kenosha, Racine and Walworth county school districts and tips on how to successfully submit a scholarship application to Gateway. You’ll also get the chance to ask our experts questions! This session will be offered in English with American Sign Language interpretation. Si desea obtener más información sobre este evento en español, envíe un correo electrónico a Sam Brewington a brewingtons@gtc.edu.

The high school will push its exam schedule back by one day due to Tuesday's school closure as noted in the attached graphic.

Whitewater Unified School District will be closed on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, due to an Extreme Cold Warning in effect (-30 or below) that will impact our district area. All before and after-school athletics and activities for Tuesday will be canceled. Transportation to and from Lakeland will also be canceled for tomorrow. Please stay warm and safe tomorrow. Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty Superintendent

The National Honor Society will be hosting a winter dance called "Snowball" on Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 8 - 11 pm. Tickets will be sold during both lunch periods, before/after school the week of February 3 - 7, and at the door on February 8. Guest forms are available in the main office and must be returned to Ms. McNulty no later than Wednesday, February 5. Guests must be current high school students or a WHS Class of 2024 graduate.

ATTENDANCE MATTERS With only one week to go, we are reaching out to families to encourage positive attendance for our final week of December. As of this week, our current daily attendance rate is 93.2% which is below our goal of 95%. Let’s make the final week of December count and ensure our students are engaged in learning next week. Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school year negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence. As a part of our ongoing effort to increase student achievement, WHS continues to prioritize strategies to decrease tardy arrivals to school and the number of unexcused daily absences. Each year data is compiled and reported to the Department of Public Instruction and calculated as a part of the On-Track to Graduation, which combines scores for student engagement (attendance) and achievement. Rather than pursuing truancy procedures dictated by state statute, we have continued with the “Lost Learning Plan” implemented last school year. This plan requires students to make up lost learning time due to unexcused daily absences and unexcused tardies to school. Students who arrive to school unexcused after 8:00 am and/or have period or daily unexcused absences are expected to make up all minutes missed. Students who arrive at school tardy unexcused may also be subjected to a phone penalty. Options for making up lost learning minutes include: Tuesday Morning Late Start (7:45-8:45 am), Thursday, Loss of Privilege (Alternative Lunch Location). Daily truancy procedures will be initiated for those students who fail to make up the lost learning time as established through their Lost Learning Plan. Attendance at school matters and we hope families will continue to support our efforts to ensure students are in classrooms and engaged in learning.

Come enjoy the Music Masters Ensemble Showcase on Sunday, December 15, at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased no later than December 6 by contacting the high school office or any ensemble member. Tickets include snacks and beverages.