SCHOOL YEAR 2025-2026

OCTOBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

As always, we are here to assist, if you have questions or concerns regarding the upcoming school year, please contact the office (Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM-3:30 PM, 717.938.6561, or you can email us at the following:

Melissa Herbert, Principal, Grade 12: mherbert@wssd.k12.pa.us
Katie Jackson, Assistant Principal, Grade 10: kjackson@wssd.k12.pa.us
Shelly McGowan, Assistant Principal, Grade 11: smcgowan@wssd.k12.pa.us
Mrs. Mikayla Norton, Assistant Principal, Grade 9: mnorton@wssd.k12.pa.us
Tom Peifer, Athletic Director: t peifer@wssd.k12.pa.us
Virginia Bramley, Grade 10 Counselor: vbramley@wssd.k12.pa.us
Jennifer Marczyk, Grade 11 Counselor: jmarczyk@wssd.k12.pa.us
Thomas Moore, Grade 12 Counselor: tmoore@wssd.k12.pa.us
Aaron Walter, Grade 9 Counselor: awalter@wssd.k12.pa.us
David Butler, Career Coordinator: dbutler@wssd.k12.pa.us

WSSD 2025-2026 CALENDAR

Picture retakes will occur Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

Did your student have their picture taken, but forgot to give you their code? Follow this link!

We anticipate previously ordered photos arriving next week! Stay tuned!

✨ Homecoming is Saturday, October 11, 2025, 7:00-10:00PM, at Red Land High School ✨

Students and guests, need to bring their IDs with them to the dance.

🎟️ HOMECOMING TICKETS 🎟️

Tickets will be sold Monday, October 6, through Thursday, October 9, 2025, during all lunches.

10:29AM - 12:42 PM, Ticket Sales
Tickets are $15.00 each

💛 GOLD OUT SHIRTS ON SALE 💛

'Gold Out' for Childhood Cancer is the theme for the Homecoming football game. Shirts will be on sale in the cafeteria during lunches, Monday, October 6, 2025, through Thursday, October 9, 2025. Shirts are $10.00

On Thursday, October 23, 2025, Red Land High School will be hosting our 7th Career Exploration Day. The Career Exploration Program at Red Land High School emphasizes the importance of post-secondary plans for all students: Enrolled • Enlisted • Employed. To help students prepare for life after high school, this day will be an opportunity to provide students with exposure to career opportunities, financial literacy, a college and career fair, college visits, the various branches of the Armed Forces, local businesses, real-life experiences, and more.

CPACTC STUDENTS: Students in grades 9th – 11th will be in attendance at Red Land for Career Exploration Day for the full day. Classes at CTC are not in session due to CTC being closed.

FRESHMAN: Freshman will participate in team building activities, attend a Cumberland Perry Area Career & Technical Center (CPACTC) presentation to see their various programs while meeting with current CPACTC students, and rotate through various stations entitled Adulting 101 lead by our staff.

SOPHOMORES: Sophomores will be provided the opportunity to: explore health related careers, meet with local businesses, learn about career opportunities, visit local colleges , attend the college and career fair, and experience team building activities.

JUNIORS: Juniors will be provided an opportunity to: take the PSAT or ASVAB, attend a college and career fair, as well as explore their interests for post-secondary plans by selecting a rotation of presentations related to our three pathways, Enrolled • Enlisted • Employed.

SENIORS: Seniors will utilize this day as an opportunity to job shadow or visit a college. The required documentation can be found on Schoology.

PSAT INFORMATION

Our juniors taking the PSAT will also use this assessment as practice for the SAT and possibly earn scholarship money based on their performance through the National Merit Scholarship and other organizations. The approximately three-hour exam will include four timed sections: evidence-based reading, writing and language, a math section without calculators allowed, and another math section with calculators allowed. In addition to these benefits, students who score 970 or above on the PSATs (1010 is the approximate average score) could qualify for one of the Pennsylvania Graduation Pathways given they earned a passing grade for the high school courses associated with each Keystone Exam (Algebra I, Biology, Literature) in which the student is less than Proficient. You may visit the PSAT website for more information: https://parents.collegeboard.org/college-board-programs/psat-nmsqt

ASVAB INFORMATION

11th grade Students who do not elect to take the PSAT, will take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). This exam is a multiple-aptitude battery that measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and occupational success specifically to the military, but generally to one’s career path. This opportunity is also free for our students, and also could assist students in qualifying for one of the Pennsylvania Graduation Pathways that applies to all students in the class of 2023 and beyond. Student scores will not be released to the military unless your child is interested in future enlistment. You may visit the ASVAB website for more information: https://www.officialasvab.com/

If you have any questions, please contact your child's counselor.

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Friday, October 31, 2025.

If you would like a group conference (all teachers), please contact your child's guidance counselor
If you would like an individual teacher conference (just one teacher), please contact your child's teacher

Guidance Counselor Contact Information

Virginia Bramley, Grade 10 Counselor: vbramley@wssd.k12.pa.us
Jennifer Marczyk, Grade 11 Counselor: jmarczyk@wssd.k12.pa.us
Thomas Moore, Grade 12 Counselor: tmoore@wssd.k12.pa.us
Aaron Walter, Grade 9 Counselor: awalter@wssd.k12.pa.us

01 NHS INDUCTION, 6PM

02 CUSTODIAL/BLDG GROUND APPREC. DAY

04 SAT TESTING, RLHS

07 PICTURE MAKEUP DAY

09 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 6:30PM, ACE

09 FINANCIAL AID NIGHT, 6:30PM, VIRTUAL

10 REMOTE LEARNING DAY

10 HOCO FTBL GAME VS SHIPPENSBURG, 7PM

11 HOMECOMING DANCE, 7PM, RLHS

13 NO SCHOOL

15 PATE, 12PM, 217

15 WL HONOR SOCIETY CEREMONY, 6PM, RLHS

18 SMD, 8:30AM, CAFE

18 WS GALA, 6PM, WSCC

21 COLLEGE & MORE CAREER FAIR, 7PM, CCHS

22 WS UNITY DAY

22 CPACTC NOT IN SESSION

23 CAREER DAY

23 CPACTC NOT IN SESSION

28 RL POPS CONCERT, 7PM, RLHS

30 END OF 1ST MARKING PERIOD

31 NO SCHOOL / CONFERENCES

Parents of Seniors;

We have a link on our homepage to RED LAND SENIORS 2026. As new information is shared, we will update this webpage as well.

🚨 Senior Portrait 🚨

Senior Portraits are due October 20, 2025. Please contact Mrs. Angela Kauffman, akauffman@wssd.k12.pa.us with questions. The document will provide details on requirements for the senior portrait--> RL 25-26 SENIOR PORTRAITS.pdf

Senior Deans

Heather Wolfe, hwolfe@wssd.k12.pa.us
Taylor Wiggins, twiggins@wssd.k12.pa.us

Senior Counselor

Thomas Moore, tmoore@wssd.k12.pa.us

Upcoming Senior Events:

NHS Induction, October 1, 2025, 6:00PM
SAT Testing, October 4, 2025, Red Land High School
Financial Aid Night, October 9, 2025, Virtual, 6:30PM
High School College Fair, October 21, 2025, Cedar Cliff High School, 7:00PM
FAFSA Seminar, November 5, 2025, Virtual, 6:30PM
SAT Testing, December 6, 2025, Cedar Cliff High School
Senior Class Mandatory Meeting, January 7, 2026, Period 3 or Period 6
Senior Exit Interviews *MANDATORY*, February 13, 2026, Red Land High School
West Shore Future Educator Open House, March 2, 2026, ACE, 4:00-6:00PM
SAT Testing, March 14, 2026, Red Land High School
Senior Class Mandatory Meeting, April 29, 2026, Period 3 or Period 6
College Signing Day, May 1, 2026, Red Land High School, 11:00AM
SAT Testing, May 2, 2026, Cedar Cliff High School
Military & Career Signing Day, May 8, 2026, Red Land High School, 11:30AM
Prom, May 16, 2026, Barn at Creeks Bend, 6:00-9:00PM
Senior Honors Breakfast, May 19, 2026, Red Land High School Cafeteria, 8:15AM
Senior Awards Night, May 20, 2026, Red Land High School, 6:00PM
Graduation, June 5, 2026, 6:30PM, PA Farm Show complex

If your Senior is applying Early Action, the November 1st deadline is rapidly approaching! It is important that your student gets all the required documents in on time. Remember, if they need a letter of recommendation, they need to ask their teachers now!

Ed Lane, PHEAA's Higher Education Access Partner for Cumberland and York Counties, will present information on the financial aid application process, the types of aid available to students, and strategies to begin thinking about affordability regarding post-secondary school admission. Time will be built into the session for questions you may have regarding the financial aid process. FAFSA VIRTUAL FINANCIAL AID NIGHT

Red Land is proud of our culture and climate, yet we recognize we must continue to grow and nurture our culture. We also recognize expectations must be the same for everyone (students, staff, and families) in order for our culture to thrive and improve.

The R•L•H•S Expectations are expectations designed for ALL constituents of Red Land. This common vocabulary and the R•L•H•S Expectations are outlined below. We will share the R•L•H•S Expectations at our grade level meetings, as well as the commitment to recognize students and staff when the R•L•H•S Expectations have been demonstrated.

Through this framework, along with positive reinforcement and accountability, we want to create a safe learning environment at Red Land.

WEST SHORE SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT HANDBOOK

Many studies have shown that cell phones are a major distraction for students in schools. West Shore School District, along with both high schools, believe that students will be able to obtain all the information they need through their new iPads. Therefore, cell phones will no longer be allowed during class time. This will also include any form of headphone.
Students may still use their cell phones during non instructional times, such as lunches and in between classes. During class time, cell phones cannot be out, so students either need to put them into classroom phone lockers or keep them in their backpacks.

Please be mindful our lots are for student and staff parking, please do not park in any numbered spots. Additionally, please do not park in our fire lanes, along the building and sidewalks, or on our grass.

Please note the driveway in front of the school will be closed from 7:00AM - 7:30AM, to allow buses and students to safely enter the building. The driveway in front of the school will also be closed from 2:20PM - 2:45PM to allow buses to line up for dismissal, and our students to safely exit the building.

We've included important links for our students that attend Cumberland Perry Career & Technical Center.

STUDENTS MAY NOT DRIVE TO CPACTC, THEY ARE TO RIDE WSSD TRANSPORTATION.

CTC is in session when RL is not:

October 10, 2025
October 31, 2025
December 22, 2025
March 23, 2026
May 22, 2026

CTC's last day is May 29 2026, WSSD is in session until June 5, 2026.

CPACTC STUDENT HANDBOOK

CPACTC 25-26 SCHOOL CALENDAR

CPACTC WEBSITE

🦃 NOVEMBER 🦃

05 FAFSA SEMINAR, 6:30PM, VIRTUAL

13 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 6:30PM, ACE

15 SMD, 8:30AM, CAFE

17 WINTER PIAA SPORTS START

18 TURKEY LUNCH DAY

18 DISTRICT VOICE, 5:30PM, ACE

19 PATE, 12PM, 217

20 FALL INTERNATIONAL FOOD DAY

20 CHILDREN'S GRIEF AWARENESS DAY

20 SUBSTITUTE APPRECIATION DAY

20 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 6:30PM, ACE

21 FALL MUSICAL, 7PM

22 FALL MUSICAL, 7PM

23 FALL MUSICAL, 2PM

26 NO SCHOOL

27 NO SCHOOL

28 NO SCHOOL

IMPORTANT ATHLETIC AND ACTIVITIES UPDATES:

There are a lot of opportunities to get involved at Red Land. Included is a list of some of our clubs and activities, as well as our seasonal sports. Go to the Red Land Athletics page for more details on clubs, activities, and sports!

LINKS TO RED LAND ATHLETICS

PATRIOT ATHLETICS WEBPAGE

RED LAND ATHLETIC FORMS

RED LAND ATHLETIC SCHEDULES

RED LAND ACTIVITIES BOOKLET