PARENT EAGLE NEWS

Our first semester of the 2025-2026 school year is winding down. Mid-Term Exams will take place January 26th through the 29th for ALL GRADE LEVELS! Exam grades are reflected in a separate column on each student’s report card and will factor into the student’s overall average of each course. Students are encouraged to study diligently for each exam.

Please remember that drinks and snacks should not be dropped off at school during the day. This helps minimize classroom disruptions and ensures all students follow the same guidelines. Lunches that students may have forgotten at home may still be dropped off if needed. Thank you for your cooperation and support in keeping our school day running smoothly!

On Wednesday, January 7th, we proudly hosted our first-ever Alumni Sharing Day at West Deptford High School, and it was AMAZING!!

Our students had the opportunity to hear directly from WDHS alumni who returned to share their journeys, career paths, lessons learned, and advice for the future.

It was inspiring to see our past and present Eagles connect, ask thoughtful questions, and learn firsthand how a WDHS education can open doors beyond graduation. We are so grateful to our alumni for giving back, sharing their stories, and reminding our students that success takes many paths.

This was truly a special day for our school community, and we look forward to making Alumni Sharing Day a tradition!

Our alumni are now studying at institutions such as Penn State University, the University of Delaware, and the Ford ASSET Program at RCSJ.

Emma Guzzetti and Leah Slesinski, WD Class of 2022, recently spoke to all three engineering classes and the STEM Club about their experiences and future career plans. Ms. Guzzetti is a senior biomedical engineering student at the University of Delaware, and Ms. Slesinski is a senior packaging student at Rutgers University.

Both presentations were eye-opening and inspiring. We are so thankful that Emma and Leah took time from their Winter Break to share their college and internship experiences. We wish them the very best as they start their careers as degreed engineers!

Click HERE to view the presentation.

Emma is a Biomedical Engineering Ambassador in the UDEl College of Engineering and studied for a semester in Australia. She spent a semester doing research in a laboratory and has interned at the Institute of Engineering-Driven Health. Emma shared her Junior Design Project, which created a new device to improve chest tube insertion, and her Senior Design Project, which involved a urinary catheter system to monitor fluid flow. Emma wants to work in the final stages of medical device implementation, specifically, readying the device for medical professionals and consumers.

Leah is the Vice President of Rutgers Packaging Engineering Club and is a member of the Society of Women Engineers. She interned at Unilever in the Summer and Fall of 2024, Estee Lauder in the Summer of 2025, and is now a consultant for Estee Lauder’s Tom Ford Product line. In her latest position, she executes end-to-end packaging development work, including feasibility, costing specifications, supplier selection, packaging technical profiles, and failure mode and effects analysis. Leah enjoys working as a liaison between marketing and manufacturing the product.

The Exploring Engineering I class held its annual robotic dance competition using the LocoXtreme robot. Students designed a presentation featuring music, dance moves, and a light show to entertain pediatric patients hospitalized over the holidays. First, second, and third places were awarded.

Students in Ms. Thayer’s class took their second trip to the library today! They all received their library cards and got to check out their favorite books! A fun time was had by all!

Signups have begun for the Spring 2026 season for WDHS Esports! Anyone interested in being part of the team should visit http://www.tinyurl.com/wdhsesports for more information and the signup form.

Congratulations to Logan Markowski, Class of 2027, for placing in the top three for the CMU CS Academy Creative Task Challenge - Fall 2025! There was some incredibly tough competition this fall and we are very proud of his accomplishment!

M3 Challenge: Using Math and Data to Solve Real-world Problems

MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge is an entirely internet-based math modeling competition with no registration or participation fees. Schools in the U.S., England, and Wales are eligible to enter in teams of three to five students. Over $1.95 million has been awarded through 2025.

Unlike other math competitions!

• Address a real open-ended problem

• Use your math skills – all levels welcome!

• Work as a team under flexible 14-hour time constraint

• Access tons of free resources – books, videos, tutorials

• Finalists win scholarships & go to NYC to present with expenses paid

• Try for extra technical computing awards

• 37 team scholarship awards, so go for it!

Please see Mr. Seeley if you are interested!

Girls Who Code is an international nonprofit organization that aims to close the gender gap in technology by inspiring, educating, and equipping girls and non-binary individuals with computing skills.

We will be meeting on Wednesdays during homeroom in the Media Center.

Anyone who joins in January will be eligible to receive a free t-shirt!

For more information, use the Google Classroom code ic57pyv. Any questions, see Mr. Seeley!

Back by popular demand, Garden State Cyber will be holding a Capture the Flag competition, the first round of which will run from Tuesday, February 24th through Saturday, February 28th. Like last year, this will be a two-round competition designed to engage students at a wide range of ability levels. More details will be forthcoming, and we are excited to provide NJ cybersecurity students with a chance to grow and showcase their skills!

Anyone interested in putting together or being part of a team, please see Mr. Seeley!

• The Winter months are here! If your child has asthma and may need to carry a rescue inhaler at school/sports, and an asthma action plan has not been turned into the Health Office, please have your child see the Nurse for a plan. The forms are also available online on the high school's main webpage under the Nurse tab and click "printable forms" (Asthma Action Plan & Self Administration of Medication). See link here: https://hs.wdeptford.k12.nj.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=3686&pageId=61914

• Please do not send your child to school with a fever (temperature 100.4 or greater) or other symptoms of illness and have them see the nurse for dismissal. Please evaluate your child before school and take him/her to a medical provider if needed. Please obtain a note for school to turn into the Attendance Office (if school is missed for an appointment).

• As a reminder, please have all Physical Education excuse notes delivered to the School Nurse.

Families of seniors are encouraged to submit their FAFSA ASAP. Many financial aid resources, as well as FAFSA tips and detailed, line-by-line instructions, can be found in the Guidance Goggle Classroom for Seniors. Ask your senior to show you!

*** Completion of the FAFSA is now a graduation requirement in New Jersey.***

• Check out the listing of available scholarships in Naviance!
• Students who plan to attend RCSJ should check out over 100 available scholarships. Go to: www.rcsj.edu/scholarships.

Students in eligible WDHS courses can apply to earn college credits for these courses. Registration info has been emailed out to eligible students and families and can also be found on the high school homepage. The deadline to sign up is February 27. If you have any questions, please contact your guidance counselor.

Don Delaney from CCC will host a zoom info session on Tuesday, Feb. 11th at 5:30pm to discuss how dual college credit works and how to register. Please use the link below to participate:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://camdencc-edu.zoom.us/j/93677827468?pwd=sme3HNBRSj13c7mhXMhZXIHbzm4RTb.1

Meeting ID: 936 7782 7468

Passcode: 101318

The SAT will be given on March 14th, 2026. Register NOW at collegeboard.com if interested. Fee waivers may be available for qualifying families. Please see your school counselor for more details.

Interested students can register at www.collegboard.com.

• Families who qualify for free or reduced lunch are eligible for a fee waiver. Please contact your school counselor for more information.
• If you are not sure if you should take the SAT, please talk with your school counselor.

Rowan University is offering a MEDacademy Summer Program at Cooper Medical School:

• MEDacademy is a four-week summer program geared towards motivated and talented rising high school juniors and seniors who have an interest in entering medicine.
• Students are exposed to four featured medical specialties - Pathology, Cardiopulmonary, Gastroenterology, and Neurology - and participate in lectures, hands-on demonstrations, case-based learning activities, and interactive clinical simulations taught by faculty, medical students and staff.
• The MEDacademy Program will take place starting Monday June 29th - July 24th 2026 - 9:30am-3:30 pm at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
• Tuition for the four-week program is $3,000. Limited scholarships are available.· Online Application (Located within this link in addition to additional program details: https://cmsru.rowan.edu/education/academic-credit-programs/medacademy.html

Today, some of our WDMS 7th-grade students got to come over to visit WDHS!! They toured the halls, ate lunch in the cafeteria, and visited some classes they are interested in taking when they come to high school in two years! They had a great day and we enjoyed having them! We are looking forward to the next group coming to visit soon!

PARENT/TEACHER ORGANIZATION

The WDHS Parent Organization will meet several times during the 2025-26 school year in the high school Media Center. All parents are welcome to attend and participate in the organization's various activities. Please check our high school calendar for the MOST CURRENT meeting DATES and TIMES.

Services this group provides to our students include scholarships and Project Graduation activities.

Your involvement and support are greatly needed to continue providing our students with these and many more activities. We hope to see you at one of our meetings.

You can read the PTO NEWS LETTER AND SIGN UP TO BECOME A MEMBER HERE.

Email: mspaventa@wdeptford.k12.nj.us

Principal: Mrs. Michelle Spaventa

HS Website: https://hs.wdeptford.k12.nj.us

Location: 1600 Crown Point Road, West Deptford. NJ, 08093

Phone: 856-848-6110

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552841374461

X: https://x.com/WDHSATHLETICS

WDHS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WDHSTV