Welcome to the WHSD News page
If you have a concern or question please call the newsline at (412) 256-3324 and leave a message or email concerns@whsd.net. Within 24 hours of the next business day a response will be provided here or on the newsline.
ALL AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES CANCELLED - JAN. 6
All afterschool activities for Tuesday, January 6 have been cancelled. This includes the S.H.I.N.E. program, after-school tutoring, and athletics.Woodland Hills Success Featured in Post-Gazette
"Officials say corner turned on disruptions at High School" writes Deborah Todd in Wednesday's East Section of the Post-Gazette. To read the complete story, click on this link.DANCING WITH TEACHERS -- JAN 10 AT HS
The very popular "Dancing with Teachers" show will return this year on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at 7:00 pm. This year it will be held in the High School Auditorium to accommodate a larger audience. Last year's show was so successful that people had to be turned away at the door for the sold-out single performance.
This year, patrons are encouraged to buy their tickets early. The tickets are $6.00 for adults and students and will be on sale at the HS Box Office in the lobby on January 7 & 8 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. The Box Office will also be open the night of the performance at 5:00 pm.
Also, the "Dancing with Teachers" show is being professionally videoed by LG3 Entertainment, LLC. this year. DVD order forms will be available the night of the performance in the High School lobby. Patrons, or supporters who are not able to attend the performance, do not have to wait until the night of the show. Anyone wishing to order a DVD can visit the following link to reserve/purchase a copy today and enjoy the performances over and over. Click on the following links for more information about the DVD:Hyper Link LG3 Entertainment, LLC.: www.LG3Entertainment.com
Hyper Link: Click Here to - www.lg3entertainment.com/whdancingteachers.html
To read more about the show and and this uniquely Woodland Hills fundraiser, click on this link.
FREE PARENT WORKSHOPS
The WHSD is sponsoring a series of mini-workshops for parents on the theme "Beginning with the End in Mind." The workshops will be presented by the PEAL Center and are designed to explore and support the parent's role in developing special education plans. Parents will learn the basics of their child's educational right to special services and to work effectively with school teams. To register for the series of programs beginning on Tuesday, January 27, you can download a form at this link. If you want to register by phone or email, call Ms. Lee Hovanec, WHSD, Special Education Department, 412-731-1300, ext. 0141 or email hovabe@whsd.net.
The complete schedule of programs is: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 -- 9:00 am -11:00 am or 5:00 pm -7:00 pm, "Developing a Strong IEP."
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 -- 9:00 am - 11:00 am or 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm, "Working Effectively with Your School Team."
Tuesday, March 24, 2009 -- 9:00 am - 11:00 am or 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm, "IEP Clinic."
Light refreshments will be served. All workshops will be held at the WHSD Administration Building, 2430 Greensburg Pike, Churchill.
Performing Arts Show -
The WHHS Performing Arts Class production of Dr. Samuel Hazo's "Solos" will be broadcast on Comcast Cable stations 13 and 98 depending upon your viewing area, this week.Dickson PSSA Saturday Coaching Begins Jan 10
The staff at Dickson Intermediate will be guiding students in small group coaching sessions for the PSSA tests. The focus of the sessions will be on the math and reading standards as well as specific test-taking strategies that students should know in order to perform at the proficient and advanced levels on these high-stakes state tests.
These PSSA coaching sessions will be held at Dickson Intermediate on nine Saturday mornings. They will be:
January 10, 17, 24, 31, February 7, 21, 28, March 7 & 14 from 8:30 to 11:15 am
Materials and a snack will be provided, however, transportation is the responsibility of the parent/guardian. We strongly encourage every child's participation in this voluntary activity. A student may attend all or as many coaching sessions as they are able. Coaching sessions will be individually designed for each participant using the 4Sight Benchmark data to determine student strengths and weaknesses.Wilkins Primary Holds Kindergarten Open House - Jan 12
Wilkins Primary will be holding an Open House for prospective Pre-K and Kindergarten students on Monday, January 12. Parents should arrive at 9:00 a.m. for a tour of the school. Interested families should call the school to reserve a space for the visit. The school phone number is : 412-824-3231. All visitors are to sign in at the front office where they will meet the Principal, Mrs. Karen Bloch, and begin their tour. A light breakfast will be available for visiting families.Students Present TIme Capsule to Library - Jan 17
Students at Fairless Intermediate School in North Braddock are studying archaeology and anthropology in the GATE program this year. They have been conducting simulated archaeological digs and have decided to create a time capsule that would allow people in the future to discover what life was like in the Fairless community in the year 2008. The Braddock Carnegie Library has agreed to house the capsule for twenty years. A ceremony will be held on Saturday, January 17th at 2:00 pm when students from Fairless will present the capsule to the library staff. Everyone is invited to attend. To read more about this project, visit this link.Looking for a Few Good Families
Three teenage students, sponsored by the American Field Service--USA, will be arriving in January to attend school in this country for six months. They do not as yet have families to live with. If you would be interested in providing a home for one of these students, from Mid-January to the end of June, 2009, please contact the Public Relations Office of the WHSD, 412-731-1300, ext. 0172.
The three students are all boys and range in age from 15-17. Jose is from Colombia, Henrique is from Brazil and Diego is from Chile.
There are currently several foreign exchange students living in the District and attending Woodland Hills School District. These students are being sponsored by the CIEE program and Rotary International. The District would like to expand the opportunities to have more students from other countries study in our schools. The exchange of cultural experiences between our students and foreign visitors is of great benefit to all.
Families that host students are especially positive about their experiences. If you would like more information about the students or the organization that is sponsoring them, please contact the Public Relations Office.
Fairless Intermediate Parent Gatherings
Fairless Intermediate parents will be hosting a series of community gatherings during the month of January at Panera Bread in Wilkins Township. Please put the following dates on your calendar and plan to attend: Fourth Grade ~ January 8, 2009, hosted by Ms. Lum and Ms. McCullough; Fifth Grade ~ January 12, 2009, hosted by Mrs. Timm; and Sixth Grade ~ January 15, 2009, hosted by Mrs. Polce. Parents are welcome to come and discuss the intermediate curriculum and the PSSA tests with the Fairless staff.Dickson Student to Attend Inauguration
Sixth grade student Justin McCord will be attending the Inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama in January. Justin will be traveling with the Junior Youth Inaugural Conference to Washington for five days. Justin will watch the inauguration parade while having lunch on the National Mall. He will also attend numerous conferences on election issues and the election/inauguration process, meet with journalists and congressional staff, and attend roundtable discussions and lectures. One guest speaker Justin will hear is Colin Powell.
Justin was selected to be part of the Junior Youth Inaugural Conference because of his participation in the National Young Scholars Program (NYSP). Justin was nominated for the NYSP by Dickson 4th grade teacher, Ms. Taylor, because of his excellent academic performance and his outstanding character traits. Although Justin’s family and friends put in a lot of work to raise over $2,000 for the trip, they feel it was well worth the effort. Justin is extremely excited about the trip and says, “it will be a great experience. With the first African American president being sworn in, I’ll get to see history being made.”
His teachers and friends at Dickson, as well as everyone in the District are all very exited about Justin’s trip. We are anticipating his first hand accounts and reports about the inauguration. Have a great time Justin. We are very proud of you!
Read story about Justin in Jan. 1st edition of the Tribune-Review at this link.
SIGN UP FOR E-NEWS ALERTS
WHSD parents and community members are invited to sign up for our "E-News" list and receive updates about important District events. If interested, click on bennsh@whsd.net to send an email. Write "WHSD E-News" on the subject line.
Read Community Magazine On-line
For alumni and individuals who are interested in keeping up with what is going on in the District, but do not have home delivery of the community magazine, In Woodland Hills, you can now read the latest and previous issues on-line. Visit the InCommunity magazines website at this link.Hometown High Q Team has TV date
The Woodland Hills High School Hometown High Q team’s first round of competition was taped and will air on Jan 24th at 11am on KDKA TV. It will be replayed again on Jan 31st at 11:30am.The team is composed of Seniors Cassidy Adkins, Matt Stoffregen, and Nathan Thiem. The coach for Hometown High Q is WHHS Gifted teacher Heather Nyapas.
WHHS Score HIgh In National Financial Competition
Students in the Advanced Mathematical Finance Class at Woodland Hills High School participated in the National Financial Literacy Challenge in November. Five students scored in the top 25 % of the country and earned National Letters of Recognition! The students winning awards are: LINDSAY M. BAGWELL, COREY M. BARBUSIO, GREGORY M. HARBISON, SAMUEL LIVINGSTON, and NATHAN THIEM.The National Financial Literacy Challenge is an initiative recommended by the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy. From November 3, 2008 to December 12, 2008, the Challenge was taken by more than 75,000 high school students. Participants included students in rural areas, suburbs, and cities in this country, and in Department of Defense schools around the world.
The purpose of the Challenge is to inspire students and teachers to focus on financial education. The President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy has recommended that the Department of the Treasury offer the Challenge as a means of reinforcing the many financial education programs currently available for high school students. Information on future offerings of the Challenge will be available at www.treasury.gov/financialeducation in the coming months.
Pittsburgh Mayor Performs Wedding Ceremony for WHSD Teachers
Turtle Creek Mayor and Junior High teacher Adam Forgie married his fiancee, Allison McNutt, also a WH Junior High teacher over the weekend and the ceremony was performed by the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh Luke Ravenstahl. Both young mayors met at a conference of municipal leaders last spring. Forgie asked his fellow mayor to do the honors in September. The wedding took place at Edgewood Country Club in Churchill.
Mayors in Pennsylvania are granted the authority to perform civil ceremonies. This wedding was only the third wedding that Ravenstahl has performed. To read the article in the Tribune Review, click on this link.
Academy Proposal
The draft of the Woodland Hills Academy proposal is available at this link.School Board Meeting Schedule for 2009
Click on this link to see the schedule of school board meetings for 2009.District Event Calendar for December, January & February
To see a listing of District events and activities for the coming months, click on this link.MINORITY VITA BANK
The Woodland Hills School District is always seeking opportunities to enhance diversity among its faculty and administrative staff. The Vita Bank is designed to maintain a reference file of minority candidates who are seeking academic employment. This is not a guarantee of an offer of employment nor an employment service.
To be included in the WHSD Minority Vita Bank, please submit a resume and cover letter outlining your interests to the District Personnel Office. You can find more information on the Personnel webpage.
Students teachers and college students who are interested in a student teaching experience or internship in a diverse educational environment, should also contact the Personnel Office.
WHHS Wins 2nd Place in Gingerbread House Competition
WHHS students from the Foods and Nutrition class and from the Visual Arts class collaborated on THE BIRDS OF A FEATHER gingerbread houses for the annual competition at PPG Place. Woodland Hills entered this year for the first time in the high school category and won SECOND PLACE. The houses will be on display in the PPG Place Wintergarden and Two PPG, during the holiday season. WHHS teachers Melissa Bostard and Barb Amick supervised the students who worked on the project: Cydnei Mallory, Nina Bobulz, Maddie Moyta, Shemeise Caldwell, Antonio Cotton, Rondell LeGrand, Sara Morgan, Candice Davis and Olivia Valenti.
For more information about the 6th Annual Gingerbread House and Train Display, visit this link: http://www.ppgplace.com/schedule_wg.shtml. The exhibit will be available for viewing until January 7 at the PPG Place Wintergarden and Two PPG Place. Over 300 handcrafted gingerbread structures built by area individuals, students, chefs, and organizations will be part of this spectacular display of creativity. All houses are available for purchase and the proceeds benefit Children’s Hospital’s Free Care Fund.
All houses on display in Two PPG Place can be viewed from the exterior windows of Two PPG Place. Wintergarden Hours: Monday through Thursday: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Open all holidays. (Please call 412-434-1928 for details.)
Update Your Child's Immunization Record
Per the Allegheny County Health Department's current immunization regulations, students who have not submitted the required immunization updates to their school nurse are now enrolled provisionally. If you have not yet returned the forms that were sent home in the spring (2008) outlining needed immunizations, please do so as soon as possible by submitting the updated information to your child's school nurse. You can visit this link to see the new immunization requirements. If you are unsure of your child's immunization status, please call your child's school nurse.World Affairs Council Program at HS
On Thursday, December 4, 2008, WHHS students hosted the World Affairs Council and students from many different school districts who attended a special seminar: "Spotlight on Georgia - Conflict and International Relations."
The WAC presented this prestigious program in cooperation with the Woodland Hills High School Gifted Department.
Fighting in Georgia’s region of South Ossetia in August 2008 caused widespread destruction and forced the world to focus on long-simmering tensions between Georgia and Russia. Now that the fighting has officially ended, what is to be done about the strained relations that remain? What does this mean for relations between these countries and the U.S.?
Ambassador Sikharulidze was appointed as Ambassador of Georgia to the United States, Canada and Mexico in March 2006. Prior to his assignment in Washington, he served as Georgia’s First Deputy Minister of Defense, responsible for policy and planning, international relations and legal affairs. He also served as Undersecretary of the National Security Council of Georgia and Head of the NATO Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Ambassador Sikharulidze graduated from Tbilisi State Medical University, Faculty of Physician, and worked as a physician and psychiatrist prior to his career in public service.
VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE PROCEDURES
Individuals wishing to volunteer in the District schools or work with students, should visit this link for information about volunteer procedures.Skills Tutor / Parent Resource Center Help Available
The Woodland Hills School District has developed a Parent Resource Center that provides parents, guardians and caregivers easy access to information and resources to improve their children's development and educational achievement. The Parent Resource Center is located on the District web page.
The District also has available an online instruction program called SkillsTutor to provide all students with an innovative way to learn. Click on this link to learn more the Skills Tutor program and how it can help your child and how you can use it at home.