WECHS Principal's Weekly Message 10/28/2022
Happy Friday!
It is recruitment season, and word of mouth is our best advertisement. If you know someone who would be interested in attending WECHS next year, see this link
Outreach to Potential New Students and Families.
We have begun our work to reach out to Wake County 8th-grade students and their families to ensure they are aware of the opportunities available at WECHS. In-person and virtual information sessions and tours have been scheduled, and sign-ups are linked to this WECHS website. The application period is October 14 - December 14. Please help us spread the word.
WCPSS Magnet & Early College Fair Saturday, 10/29, 9:00 a.m-noon - Enloe Magnet High School 128 Clarendon Crescent, Raleigh, NC 27610
November 8: PHS Workday/ WTCC North IN! (No Buses)
November 10: WECHS & WTCC Workday
November 11: WECHS & WTCC Holiday (Veterans’ Day)
PHS Parent Reminder: Please refrain from food deliveries at lunch.
Accreditation Year at WECHS
Every five years, all schools undergo a renewal process for accreditation, and this is our year. We are accredited through Cognia, which certifies schools across the country.
A critical component of this process includes surveys. We need all our parents to complete a critical survey. This survey provides vital information in areas of success and improvement to ensure the academic success of all our students. There are two surveys to complete. Each survey was intentionally designed to capture various feedback from each stakeholder group and provide valuable information that aligns with the Cognia Performance Standards.
The surveys should take at most 15 minutes to complete.
WECHS Climate & Culture Parent Survey
WECHS Family Engagement Survey
Election Day is November 8. All nine WCPSS School Board District seats, a multi-million dollar school bond and four of the seven Wake County Commission districts will be on the November ballot. This site is a non-partisan resource for election information.
Learn more about the 2022 Capital Improvement Program.
The upcoming Wake County election ballot will include a proposal for a $530.7 million school bond to address our schools' critical safety and maintenance needs.
The bond will help fund:
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The rebuilding of seven existing schools
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Significant repairs to schools, such as roofs, heating, air conditioning, and plumbing
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Replacements for equipment that has aged out, such as classroom furniture, student and staff devices, and security upgrades
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The construction of five new schools on new sites
AfterSchool Tutoring
Peer tutoring is available in person (some days) and virtually every Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday from 4 pm-5 pm. Have your student complete the attached form so we can best assist them. https://forms.gle/EXqBvTfkmgsdMKrV8 Reach out to Mrs. Wilcox with any questions at Mcwilcox@wcpss.net.
Updated: WECHS WTCC Calendar combo
Bus Riders: Remember to use your resources, Live Bus Updates on the website, and download the Here Comes the Bus app to track the bus location (WCPSS code is 67500). If you have not already joined WECHS Transportation Remind, the code is @abkb7ch79d. Call the WECHS PHS office with questions: 919-212-5800 “0” and we will try to help. Refer to the HELP section on the Here Comes the Bus page for problems with the app. We cannot resolve app issues at the school level.
Express Bus Route Locations and Times
It's time to order your 2022-23 WECHS Yearbook!
Top reasons to order now:
Get a book with this school year's memories featured!
Your future self will thank you!
Contact Ms. Wernersbach with questions at kwernersbach@wcpss.net.
The PTSA Carpool link might need updating if you entered information previously.
PTSA at WECHS! WECHS Spirit Wear Purchase Online
Wake Tech Spring 2023 Advising/Course Questions:
Contact Ms. Graham to set up an appointment to discuss spring 2023 courses for spring 2023.
amgraham1@waketech.edu
WECHS spring 2023 group advising was held from September 26 – September 30 during HS Seminar. Group advising is mandatory for all students that plan to take Spring 2023 WTCC classes. WECHS spring 2023 individual advising with a Wake Tech advisor was held from October 5 - 14.
Student Services Updates:
Our website has links to helpful resources
9th Grade Signs of Suicide Presentation - Today, Friday, October 28th, Student Services presented a required lesson to all 9th-grade students focused on depression and suicide awareness and prevention. If you have any questions about the program or concerns for your student, please contact Mr. Muse at jmuse@wcpss.net
10th (Performing Arts), and 11th Grade Students - Governor’s School - The application window is now open for 2023 North Carolina Governor’s School. Please visit the Governor’s School website for more information, including an overview video and application information. There will be a school informational meeting next Wednesday, November 2nd, on North Campus at 2:00 in Room 336. Applications will be due to Mr. Muse by Nov. 10th. Please get in touch with Mr. Muse at jmuse@wcpss.net if you have any questions.
October is Countdown to College Month through CFNC - Find out more information using this link - Countdown to College. There is information for all grade levels to assist with college planning.
Class of 2023
Mark your calendars: WECHS Class of 2023 Commencement ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, May 24th, at 7 pm. Graduation practice (mandatory) is Tuesday, May 23rd, at 1:30 pm.
Preparation for Graduation: Students can wear either the WECHS or WTCC cap and gown to WECHS graduation. Please use this link to purchase the WECHS cap/gown and other graduation items.
Class of 2023: We can help review applications, essays, etc., for any students. Reach out to your school counselor for help.
Financial Aid for College: Reminders: FAFSA opened on October 1 for the 2023-2024 school year. The earlier you submit your FAFSA, the higher your potential is for more financial aid. Some colleges, including UNC-Chapel Hill, require the submission of the CSS profile. Check to see what forms your colleges require.
“How do I know what is needed to submit for college financial aid and scholarships?” Check the scholarship and financial aid pages on college websites to see the deadlines and forms needed to apply for university scholarships. If you need any help, please get in touch with your school counselor. We can help you find what you need to know. No question is too small. Plus, we have a financial aid counselor who comes each Monday and can answer your questions, too!
Scholarships: It is not too early to apply for scholarships. Please check out our scholarship page, many search engines, and scholarship bulletin.
Class of 2023 Quicklink access sheet
Please complete this Family Needs Survey and contact the counselors with any additional needs/questions.
To join the Student Services Remind for your class, text 81010 with the corresponding message below:
9th: @2022wechs
10th: @2021wechs
11th: @2020wechs
12th: @19wechs
13th: @2018wechs
Counselor Contact Information: (updated from last year)
Ms. Lachance (Last name A-L), mlachance@wcpss.net, 919-212-5800 ext. 26054 https://calendly.com/wechs-lachance
Mr. Muse (Last name M-Z), jmuse@wcpss.net,
919-212-5800 ext. 26058
https://calendly.com/wechs-muse
Career Development Corner:
Please join Ms. Hill’s Career Development Corner (CDC) Remind. Messages are sent regarding volunteer opportunities and various career/college events. You can also find valuable information on the CDC website.
Join code information: To join the CDC Remind for your class, text 81010 with the corresponding message below:
9th Grade - @wec-cdc-26
10th Grade - @wec-cdc-25
11th Grade - @wec-cdc-24
12th Grade - @wec-cdc-23
13th Grade - @wec-cdc-23
Next week, WTCC’s Electroneurodiagnostic Technology program will join us for a WECHS Works Wednesday next week! Individuals in this field help to record the electrical activity of the brain and nervous system. We look forward to learning more about the program and careers in this field.
Over 50 Seniors and Super Seniors have recently been certified in STOP THE BLEED. The American College of Surgeons STOP THE BLEED® teaches people how to help stop bleeding in an injured person using direct pressure, packing the wound, and/or applying a tourniquet.
This weekend, student volunteers from the WECHS Chick-fil-A Leader Academy and American Red Cross Club will participate in the PoeFest Community Festival! This event aims to celebrate healthy choices and is free to the public.
NCBCE’s Ready, Set, App! challenge is a mobile app development competition for high school students sponsored by Lenovo™. Student groups are asked to develop a mobile app to solve a problem in their school or community. Registration is open now until December 16th, 2022. To learn more and register, visit www.ncbce.org/ready-set-app.
Wake Electric seeks applicants for a one-week, all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the 2023 Electric Youth Tour. Winners also receive a $1,000 scholarship. Winners MUST go on the Washington Trip to become eligible for the $1,000 scholarship. The trip will be from June 17 – 23, 2023. The deadline to apply is December 15, 2022, by 5:00 p.m. Applicants must currently be high school juniors. Applicants DO NOT have to live in households served by Wake Electric to win. For exciting details on the Youth Tour and what you can expect, visit www.youthtour.coop. To download an application, visit www.wemc.com.
The Department of Defense (DoD) SMART scholarship program accepts applications through December. This program is for students who have earned a year’s worth of college credit and covers full tuition, stipend, books, etc., for students pursuing STEM degrees and can be awarded for multiple years, all the way through a graduate degree program. Upon graduation, recipients work for the Department of Defense annually to receive a scholarship. Here is where you can learn more: https://www.smartscholarship.org/smart.
Wake County EMS is also offering an EMS Club. This group meets on the 2nd Monday of each month from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Click here for more information and the application. This opportunity is precious and rewarding. If your student is considering applying for the Wake County WCPSS High School EMT program during their senior or super senior year, this club would be a great asset for them.
Is your student interested in becoming a veterinarian? NC State’s VetPAC provides several opportunities, including Spend a Day at State. Visit the website for more information. https://cals.ncsu.edu/vetpac/
The Perry Virtual Experience is a free, 2.5-hour, interactive online experience for high school and college-aged students who gender-identify as female or nonbinary are interested in pursuing careers in orthopedics and engineering. Participants will hear from women leaders in these fields and dive into online mock orthopedic surgery simulations and biomechanics experiments. Click here for current opportunities.
Update: WECHS student-athletes participate in Athletics through Enloe High School, and the new and improved website is now live!
Testing
Final Exams
WECHS high school final exams will be administered on December 15, 16, 19, and 20. WTCC final exams are scheduled for December 8-14. Please do not plan to travel during this time.
Testing questions should be directed to Robin McAlexander at rmcalexander@wcpss.net.
Driver’s Education Registration Jordan Driving
Visit www.jordandriving.com to sign up. Payment is not due until the class is confirmed by the Driver’s Education teacher at Enloe, Carolyn Hunter, enloedrivered@gmail.com.
Principal’s Tip of the Week:
Teaching Students about Self-Advocacy: Many of our students want to advocate for themselves but sometimes skip a few steps. Self-advocacy is a skill essential to success on North campus and in life. While I can’t speak to this author's credibility, I found the tips in this post helpful in working with teens on self-advocacy skills.
Principal Cummings’ Office Hours/Coffee Chats at 8:30 on Friday mornings. Open to all. The meet link is posted on our Google Calendar call, email, or let me know when you’d like to meet in person. Email: lcummings@wcpss.net Desk: 919-212-5803 Mobile (call/text): 919-341-9844 or use my online scheduler
Please take care of yourself, your friends, and your family, and contact me with any questions.
Principal Lisa Cummings
