TrojanNewsletter fromWissahickon High School Talk

November 2019

Important Email Update

Please be advised that the district recently changed to a new Spam filter software and some of our external emails are getting caught in a Quarantined folder. If you email a staff member and do not receive a reply within a few days, please reach out via a phone call to confirm that your email was received. Our staff is managing their Quarantined folder and Junk folders but we want to try and prevent missed important communications. Thank you!

Annual WEA Toy Drive

Our WEA is, once again, sponsoring a holiday toy drive for local families in need. The collected toys will be given to the local chapter of Toys for Tots, the Mattie Dixon Cupboard, and the Lower Gwynedd Police Department. Unwrapped toys are being collected in the Main Office at WHS until December 13th. Thank you for your support and kindness!

Congratulations to the WHS Robotics Team for another incredibly successful Ramp Riot event, held at WHS on November 2nd and November 3rd. Students from 43 teams and 3 different states came together at WHS to participate in the friendly competition and two day event celebrating robotics. I was in awe of our world’s future innovators!

Congratulations to the WHS Marching Band! Our students participated in the state championship competition on November 9th, earning the 3rd Place Bronze Finalist award, as well as the Most Improved Award! These are well-deserved accolades, given the amount of practice and hard-work our WHS musicians commit to as members of our marching unit. We are so proud of you!

Marching Unit Earns Bronze Finalist Award

43 Teams Participate in Ramp Riot

Congratulations to Jon Paul Fulford! He was recently recognized as the Student of the Month by the Rotary Club of Ambler. We are so proud of JP – he is a true representation of all that we value at WHS.

Our WHS Poetry Club recently walked over to Lower Gwynedd Elementary School to teach the students a lesson about Acrostic Poetry. The LGE students were thrilled to have a chance to learn about the art of poetry from some of their “up the road” WHS mentors! Thanks for being great role-models and inspiring the love of learning!

Our Future Teachers of America (FTA) students are proud of their work to help spread positive messages and kindness at WHS. They recently decorated a bulletin board in G-hall. Check out their great work! We hope that they are the educators of our future!

Our National Honor Society (NHS) Leadership Team recently participated in an escape-the-room team building activity. The students worked together and used their innovative and creative thinking to solve the puzzles to escape the room with 43 seconds to spare! The students recognized the importance of collaboration and teamwork - we know they are going to use these skills to do great things this year!

Congrats to WHS Drama Cast & Crew

This year’s Fall Drama, Ah, Wilderness! by Eugene O’Neill, was a great success! Our student performers entertained an impressed audience on November 8th and 9th, showcasing their talent and hard work. Congratulations to all of the student actors and very dedicated stage crew for two great performances and thank you to our Director, Mr. Charles McClelland.

National Honor Society Escapes!

Rotary Recognizes Student of the Month

Poetry Club Mentors LGE Students

Future Teachers Spreading Kindness

JEREMY BRECHER - World Language

Jeremy continues to be an exemplary French student. He is curious, makes connections across multiple languages, and clearly enjoys all that the world has to offer in the form of language and culture. He challenges his classmates and teacher and likes to engage in higher-level thinking.

DYLAN AKERS - NMTCC

Dylan has been a committed member of the Protective Services program at North Montco Technical Career Center. Dylan is a very positive student and always brings high-energy into the classroom and lab. He consistently is a strong participant in the activities and he is respected by his peers.

CHASE BETHEA - Language Arts

Chase always goes above and beyond to help his classmates in his Language Arts class. He is an active participant in all of the class discussions and he always has a positive attitude. He is a model student and his teacher is very proud of him.

JYONTIKA KAPOOR - Kindness

OLIVIA WELSH - Social Studies

Olivia not only demonstrates command of the content, but she artfully weaves content and critical analysis into highly sophisticated responses. Olivia eagerly listens to her peers’ responses with a positive attitude, but is also willing to respectfully disagree and share her interpretation.

MANNY TAVERAS - Good Citizen

Manny was selected because he is both a great student and a great person. As a student, he welcomes challenge and is diligent about doing his best and completing all assignments. He is respectful, kind, and a great self-advocate.

MADDY HIPPENSTEAL - Health and PE

Maddy was selected because of her outstanding attitude in PE class. Maddy is always prepared and gives her best effort in her Elite PE class. She brings positive energy and great sportsmanship to each class. She is a joy to have in class.

SARAH SHUFFLER - Science

Sarah is motivated to do well and always demonstrates her best effort. She works very hard and enjoys learning about her natural world. Sarah displays a genuine interest in Science and is committed to improving the environment. She is always respectful and polite to her peers and teacher.

NATALIE KAPLAN - Art and Music

Natalie is an exuberant and inspiring leader in the WHS Music Department. She is a committed and extraordinarily-talented vocalist and ensemble performer. Natalie is the first to volunteer and she is a great supporter of and role-model for her peers. Natalie is an exceptional student with a sincerely kind heart.

SHELBY FOX- Math

Shelby is an asset to her class and always offers to help her peers. She consistently tries her best on every assignment which has led to her having a deep understanding of the concepts. Shelby admits that math is not her favorite or easiest subject, but she has worked hard and persevered to do very well through the first marking period. Her teacher is really proud of her!

MICHAEL MCGILLIAN - Business/Technology/FCS

Michael has been an integral part of the Television Program. This year, as an intern, Michael demonstrates a great work ethic and excels at working with students and staff. Michael has excellent leadership skills and he has taken on the role of our TV Club Co-President.

Congratulations to our Students of the Month

JACLYN STAUB - Athletics

Jaclyn was one of the Captains of the Girls’ Water Polo Team and was a true leader as the team completed the most decorated season in program history. Jaclyn’s selfless play and tenacious defense found her earning Honorable Mention All-League and Third Team All-Conference Honors. She is a model student-athlete.

Jyontika ran voluntary APUSH review sessions for juniors this year. She ran a session for over an hour and shared a PowerPoint she created that included a vast amount of content and thirty practice questions. She did this all from the goodness of her heart because she believes in the importance of helping others and Paying it Forward. Her kindness, selfless nature, and warmth deserve to be celebrated.

Learning Highlights

In celebration of National French Week, members of our Societe Honoraire de Francais organized a crepe sale. The treats were delicious and enjoyed by many! Thank you to our students for starting off the day with a surprise treat!

Mr. Shoemaker and Mrs. Moore want to make a shout-out to their AP US History students! They recently brought history alive as they recreated tensions in Colonial Boston. The students created propaganda speeches which they delivered via Skype to our WMS 7th graders as part of their unit on the American Revolution. What a neat example of our students mentoring our WMS students!

Students in Mrs. Parks’ classes celebrated Veterans Day by discussing the history and importance of the day. The students each made a card for a WHS friend who is in the National Guard; he is currently deployed and will return to the United States in late April. We hope our students helped him feel supported and valued! Thank you for Paying it Forward!

Our SADD Club, under the leadership of WHS senior Eshan Jituri, organized and facilitated a Mindfulness morning and breakfast to help our students kick off their day with a relaxed and focused mindset! 93 students and staff members participated in the first event. Come out and join us for the next events scheduled for November 27th, December 18th, and January 15th.

WHS Learns to be Mindful

Staff Spotlight: Ms. McLaughlin, Art Teacher

Class of 2020 Graduation Information

Commencement for the Class of 2020 will be held on Thursday, June 4th at 6:00 p.m. Most of our seniors submitted their measurements for their caps and gowns; if you have not submitted your payment, please submit the money to the Administrative Suite. The cost of the cap, gown, and tassel is $28.00; cash or check (payable to Jostens) is accepted. Many parents have been asking about tickets. If the ceremony is outdoors in the stadium, each student will get 10 tickets. If the weather requires that we move our ceremony indoors, each student will get 2 tickets for the Circle Gym and an additional 2 tickets for guests to view the ceremony via live feed in our Auditorium. Tickets for handicapped guests will be available upon request. Students will receive their tickets on June 3rd at our rehearsal. Graduation and other Class of 2020 information is available on the district website under Class Information. Stay tuned for additional graduation updates throughout the year. Congratulations, Class of 2020!

Each month, we feature a teacher interview. This month, let’s get to know Ms. McLaughlin, our new WHS Art Teacher:

Q: What is your favorite part about working at WHS so far?A: My favorite part about WHS so far are the students-they are the best! I have never experienced students leaving a class and saying “thank you”! It was such a surprise and put a smile on my face-it still does to this day.

Q: Why did you decide to become an Art teacher?A: When I was a Junior in high school, I had a guidance counselor tell me I wouldn’t be able to fit an Art Major class within my schedule. I thought I would be fine with this adjustment but went back and realized how much I valued this class within the daily schedule. I ended up moving all of my classes around and decided I needed art as part of my everyday life, even outside of school. I also had amazing art teachers who pushed my artistic limit and challenged my aesthetic within the classroom.

Q: What is one thing about yourself that most people don’t know?A: I like to compete in triathlons each year with my husband and tend to do 3-5 from May-August. They are a great way to stay in shape over the summer but also a great time when competing.

Q: Who is your favorite artist and why?A: This is a tough one! I think I would have to say 2- Steve Harrington who is based out of LA (not the Netflix Stranger Things character) and Jean Michel Basquiat. Basquiat’s work is raw and shows the emotions with each piece of artwork-plus I am a big fan of skulls! Steve Harrington’s work is bright, showcasing simple color palettes and engaging composition. You should definitely check out their work!

Q: What is one of your favorite memories from high school?A: One of my favorite memories from high school was my history teacher who was also the “parking lot director” at the end of each school day. He had last period off and would stand at the exit to the student parking lot and do crazy moves and dances while he directed the traffic lanes to let everyone out of the lot quickly and safely. Rain or shine he was out there! It was always a good laugh at the end of the day and someone you looked forward to seeing as you left.

Class of 2020 Graduation Calendar

Our Senior Class Advisors, Mr. Stokes and Mr. Dorner, created a Senior Class Calendar to help our soon-to-be graduates plan all that is ahead. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Stokes (tstokes@wsdweb.org) and Mr. Dorner (wdorner@wsdweb.org).

Class of 2020 Calendar

DATE EVENT TIME LOCATION September

18

September 25

October 10

–

October 16 Josten’s Cap and Gown AssemblyOctober 18

& October 25 November 4 January 21 – –January 22 – –February 8

March 31

May - TBD

May 15

May 26, 27, 28

–

–May 28

May 28 May 29 – –

June 1 – –

June 2 –

June 3

June 4

Academic Support Resources

We would like to remind you of the two academic support initiatives at WHS: our Extended Learning Time Program (ELT) and our Math and Writing Labs. ELT is an after-school program designed to provide academic support in our core subject areas. ELT is open in the Library until 4:15 on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and until 5:15 on Wednesday afternoons. (Students can utilize our late buses.) This is a valuable resource to support students who can benefit from re-teaching and/or pre-teaching opportunities. Please contact your student’s teachers or School Counselor for more information on this support. Additionally, our Math Lab and Writing Lab are two resources available to students during lunch or study hall all sessions of the day in the Library. Both Labs provide academic support in content-specific areas. More information is available through your student’s Math and Language Arts teachers. Please encourage your student to take full advantage of these programs to better support his/her goals and academic success. These resources help support our DOn’t quIT theme.

STARS Tutoring Reminder STARS is a peer-to-peer tutoring program that students can utilize during Study Hall, Lunch, I/E, or afterschool on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday beginning at 2:40 pm. Students can sign up to provide help as a tutor or to receive help in the different subject areas. Applications are available in the library or counseling office. Please return completed applications with a parent/guardian signature to the library or to Mr. McCabe in room G-02. Meetings will be arranged through Schoology. If you have any questions, please email Mr. McCabe (bmccabe@wsdweb.org) or via Schoology message. Check out our STARS Website.

Student Assistance Program (SAP)

The Student Assistant Program (SAP) offers support services to students experiencing concerns of mental health, issues involving substance use, behavior, and/or emotional difficulties that may pose barriers to school success. Students can be referred to the SAP team by parents/guardians, school personnel, peers or self-referrals. The SAP team is comprised of specially trained teachers, administrators, school counselors and mental health and/or drug and alcohol consultants. The goal of the team is to work with students and families to provide supportive interventions and recommendations for success. Where barriers are sometimes beyond the scope of the school, the team can provide information and help families gain access to community resources. View brochure for more information about SAP.

WHS welcomes prospective students and families who are interested in learning about our programs to visit and tour the school. Please contact School Counselor Mrs. Marissa Samit (msamit@wsdweb.org) to schedule your visit. Our tour dates and times for the 2019-2020 school year are:• December 10th at 10:00 and 1:00• February 6th at 10:00 and 12:00• March 12th at 10:00 and 1:00• April 29th at 10:00 and 1:00• May 27th at 1:00

Upcoming Events

• November 25th and 26th – Conferences• December 3rd – Winter Choral Concert• December 17th – Winter Band, Guitar, and Strings Concert• December 19th – Winter Jazz Concert

WHS Tours for Prospective Students

Thanks to our Health Careers Club for their hard work in organizing our annual Fall Blood Drive! A special shout-out to Erin Daley, Corrine Lafferty, and Ari Sasson for their leadership – the event was very successful and everything ran smoothly, thanks to their efforts. And thanks to the Health Careers Club sponsor, Ms. Jarvis, for her commitment and hard-work. Our students and staff donated a total of 61 pints of blood. Each pint helps three people so we are able to make a difference to 183 people! Thank you, WHS, for Paying it Forward!

Our WHS Student Council organized a Trick-or-Treat event at WHS for the LGE fifth graders on Halloween! Check out the great pictures of our students providing treats to our friends from down the road! Thanks to StuCo for building this fun partnership!

On November 9th, the Wissahickon FBLA Club hosted its first annual FBLA Fall 5K Run and Mile Walk at the Wissahickon High School stadium. With many students and families participating and volunteering, the club was able to raise money for charity and give back to the community. Each year, the Pennsylvania FBLA selects one charity for all of the PA FBLA chapters. As a part of the state project, Wiss FBLA organized a run and collected donations for the American Heart Association. By working with local businesses to collect donations and sponsorships, Wiss FBLA organized a fun event with many supporters and raised a lot of money to donate to a very important organization! In the upcoming years, Wiss FBLA hopes that future club leaders will continue to host the event in order to raise more money and awareness for important charity organizations.

#WissDonates 61 Pints to Save Lives!

WHS “Trick or Treats” with LGE

1st Annual FBLA Fall 5K Run and Mile Walk: A Great New Tradition

TROJAN TRIUMPHSAthletic Update from Jim Cairnes, Athletic Director

GIRLS WATER POLO The Wissahickon Girls Water Polo team capped off a historic season by capturing Third Place at the 2019 State Championship tournament. The 2019 campaign included the titles of Suburban One League Co-Champions, Eastern Conference Co-Champions and the aforementioned bronze medal finish at State Championships. Finishing with an overall record of 20-5, league record of 9-1 and conference record of 10-1 the post-season accolades were plentiful landing 5 players on the prestigious All State Teams. In total, 7 Trojan Players earned Post-season recognition.

GIRLS TENNIS Girl's Tennis finished as District 1 quarterfinalists as did doubles teams of Ella Chang/Katie Lu and Lily/Solomon/Claira Baldasano. All 4 girls in addition to singles Suburban One American runner up and District qualifier Nicole Zappin return next year with lots of promise to further another run for PIAA Team and Individual Championships.

FOOTBALL The 2019 Football season can be viewed as a transformation year. A transformation in how we play, how we finish, and how we compete. The football team learned how to finish games during the 2019 season, picking up our first SOL league win in 5 years with a 21-18 victory over Hatboro-Horsham. The growth off the field is what I’m most proud of with this time. This group have paved the way for all future Wissahickon Football teams on what is needed to move the program forward in a positive direction.

MARCHING BAND Congratulations to the Wissahickon Marching Unit for winning the 3rd Place Bronze Finalist award at State Champs as well as the "Most Improved" Award!

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

The Girls’ Cross Country team finished the regular season with a 7-1 dual meet record, three invitational championships, and the Suburban One League American Conference Championship. Congratulations to the whole team. Every teammate counts.

GOLF We would like to recognize our district competitors: Christian Lee, Sam Barsh, Jackson Tappen, Christian Matt, and

Elizabeth Beek. From Districts Christian Matt and Elizabeth Beek moved on to Regionals, Christian Matt missed the cut to move on to States by 2 strokes, while Elizabeth won Regionals posting -6. Elizabeth moved on to States and winning the second Golf State championship in Wissahickon School History. Congratulations to all the golfers.

READ MORE IN SUBURBAN ONE SPORTS

ALL LEAGUE HONORS Congratulations to our Trojans who received the following Suburban One American Conference All-League Honors:

Cross Country Boys

2ND TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Zachary Dallal • Hanson Leung • Michael Licata • Alexander Schultz

HONORABLE MENTION • Josh Chaiken • Doug Hoyer • Solomon Thistle

Cross Country Girls

1ST TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Leah Dubin • Lindsey Frenia

2ND TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Nora Cahill • Natalie Drake• Marie Kleha

HONORABLE MENTION • Mila Jovanovic • Ainsley Olszewski

Field Hockey

1ST TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Grace Ball • Hannah Havrilla • Meghan Reilly

2ND TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Kate Lovensheimer • Brynne Miller

HONORABLE MENTION • Lauren Donofrio

Football

1ST TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Raejon Benjamin

2ND TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Kevin Pineda

HONORABLE MENTION • Zahmir Baldwin • Michael Fath • Brandon Gilliard• Shamir Wilson

Boys’ Soccer

1ST TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Christian Vorchheimer

2ND TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Emmanuel McFarlene

HONORABLE MENTION • Leo Morales • Jake Slackman

Girls’ Soccer

1ST TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Carly Amato • Margo Kasenchar

2ND TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Kylie Friedman • Anna Schools

Girls’ Tennis

1ST TEAM SINGLES • Hannah Wang

2ND TEAM SINGLES • Nicole Zappin

HONORABLE MENTION • Ella Chang

1ST TEAM DOUBLES • Elizabeth Kooman • Katie Lu

2ND TEAM DOUBLES • Claira Baldassano • Saachi Mehta • Lauren Kooman • Lily Solomon

Girls’ Volleyball

HONORABLE MENTION • Maliyah Boone • Haley Leauby

Boys’ Water Polo

3RD TEAM ALL-STATE AND 1ST TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Danny Crump

2ND TEAM ALL – LEAGUE • Anthony Schoppe

HONORABLE MENTION • Guy Cimini • Dan Krieger • Dan Tumolo

Girls’ Water Polo • Anna Alberti – 2ND TEAM ALL LEAGUE, 1ST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE, 2ND TEAM ALL STATE • Chloe Lovensheimer - HM ALL LEAGUE. 2ND TEAM ALL CONFERENCE, HM ALL STATE • Jaclyn Staub - HM ALL LEAGUE, 3RD TEAM ALL CONFERENCE • Paige Benning – 1ST TEAM ALL LEAGUE, 2ND TEAM ALL CONFERENCE, HM ALL STATE • Maggie Krieger – 2ND TEAM ALL LEAGUE, 1ST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE, 3RD TEAM ALL STATE • Becca Valentine – 1ST TEAM ALL LEAGUE, 1ST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE, 1ST TEAM ALL STATE • Maddie Johnson – 3RD TEAM ALL CONFERENCE, FRESHMAN ALL STATE TEAM