🐾WHS ROAR REPORT🐾

Dear Parents/Guardians of Junior Girls,

I wanted to make sure you are aware of an outstanding opportunity available to junior girls this year. The American Legion Auxiliary Michigan Girls State program will take place June 14–20, 2026, at Michigan State University. This weeklong leadership experience allows students to participate in a mock government while developing leadership, confidence, public speaking, and civic engagement skills.

The best part — this experience is fully funded for our selected student, so there is no cost to families. Programs like this look excellent on college, scholarship, and future applications and often become meaningful, confidence-building experiences for students.

If your daughter is interested, please have her send me a short paragraph introducing herself, explaining why she would like to attend, and what makes her a strong candidate. Applications are currently being accepted and are due March 2nd, and I would love to see strong interest from our students.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for encouraging your student to consider this wonderful opportunity!

This week we’re highlighting Carolyn Simmons and the great work happening in her AP Seminar class (Advanced 10th Grade English). Students are working collaboratively to research, design, and defend arguments while practicing discussion, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.

Research shows students learn deeply when they talk through ideas and explain concepts to one another, building both confidence and understanding. Carolyn’s classroom reflects this approach beautifully — students aren’t just learning content, they’re strengthening communication, collaboration, and real-world thinking skills.

The State of Michigan recently awarded $10 million to 67 school districts to strengthen FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) completion efforts across the state. These funds help schools support students and families through the financial aid process and expand access to college and career training opportunities.

Completing the FAFSA is one of the most important steps seniors can take. It opens the door to federal and state financial aid programs, including the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and the Community College Guarantee, which can provide up to $27,500 toward a four-year degree or a tuition-free pathway to an associate degree or skill certificate.

We are proud to share that Watervliet High School earned more than $96,000 through this grant to directly support our students with FAFSA completion. These funds will allow us to expand hands-on assistance, provide structured support, and ensure every senior has access to available financial resources.

To kick things off, every WHS senior who completes their FAFSA will receive a $100 Visa gift card. We plan to begin calling students to the office next week to distribute these — just one more way we’re celebrating this important milestone and encouraging all seniors to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

Across Michigan, FAFSA completion rates are climbing, with the Class of 2025 achieving higher than an 85% success rate for FAFSA completion.

If you have a senior who hasn’t completed their FAFSA yet, there’s still time — and we’re here to help every step of the way.

📣 WHS Weekly Announcements 🐾

🥫 JMG Canned Food Drive – Starts Next Week!

The JMG class will be hosting a school-wide canned food drive to support members of our community in need.

📦 Bring in canned goods and non-perishable items.
🏆 JMG students will collect donations from 1st hour classes each day.
🎉 The 1st hour class with the most donations will win a special surprise!

Let’s show our Panther pride by giving back!

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⚾ Baseball Meeting Make-Up

If you missed the Baseball Meeting, please see Coach Tremblay to pick up the required forms.

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📘 Juniors – FREE SAT Prep

All juniors have been emailed information about FREE SAT Prep in March.
Please check your email for details and registration information.

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🤝 PBIS Team Meeting – Monday

Students interested in joining the PBIS team for an hour of community service and sharing their input are invited to attend.

📍 Media Center
⏰ 3:15 PM
📅 Next Monday

We’d love your voice at the table!

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💤 Wednesday Early Release = Pajama Day!

Wednesday is an Early Release Day — and students may wear pajamas!

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👟 Shoe Drive – Sponsored by the Middle School

Have extra shoes at home? From flip-flops to cowboy boots, all styles are welcome!

📦 Drop donations in the box located in the office.

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🎓 Senior Class Trip Chaperone Meeting

📅 Sunday, February 22
⏰ 2:00 PM
📍 High School Cafeteria

All senior class trip chaperones should plan to attend.

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👗👔 Formal Wear Donation Drive

Help fellow students prepare for upcoming formal and semi-formal events!

Donate:

• Clean, gently used formal dresses

• Men’s dress apparel

📍 Drop off in Mrs. O’Toole’s room before the end of the month.
🎁 Donors will receive a small prize from the office!

Your generosity makes special events accessible for everyone — thank you for showing Panther Pride in action!

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❤️ Panther Help Box

The Panther Help Box is now located outside the counseling office.

If you’d like to:

• Connect with a counselor

• Share a concern with administration

• Reach out without emailing or meeting in person

Simply fill out a slip and place it in the box.

Support is always here when you need it.

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⚽ Girls Soccer Meeting

Students interested in playing Girls Soccer:

📅 Tuesday, February 24
⏰ After School
📍 Cafeteria

Contact Coach Casiano with any questions.

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Attention 10th and 11th Graders:

We are now able to schedule individual Van Buren Tech Visits for specific programs of interest. If you are interested in scheduling an individual visit to a specific program (or two), please email Mrs. Dawson with your program of interest and she will work on getting a visit schedule for you.

See scholarships below.

We are pleased to announce our first ever Student Leadership Summit! The Student Leadership Summit is a unique opportunity for students that are interested in fighting hate, antisemitism, promoting social justice and making a difference in their school community to come together with like minded peers for two days of learning culminating in the opportunity to develop a service learning project that can help positively impact their school and community.

This two-day program will take place at The Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, August 5th and 6th, 2026. We will select fifteen students to join the first cohort to learn how to be leaders in their community.

Students who are selected to participate will have the opportunity to work with expert educators at The HC learning leadership skills and to create their service learning project.

This program is open to students entering 9th-12th grade during the 2026-2027 school year.

Applications close May 1st, 2026. Apply today!

For more information look at the attached flyer, or you can reach out to me, Willow Hokett-Reames at willow.hokett@holocaustcenter.org or 248-571-0495.

Have a great day,

Willow

Willow Hokett-Reames (she, her, hers)

Outreach Specialist

Phone: (248) 571-0495

28123 Orchard Lake Road

Farmington Hills, MI 48334

holocaustcenter.org

Watervliet Concert Choir and Treble Choir performed their Pre-festival concert on Tuesday, Feb. 17th. WHS Concert Choir sang “Stopping By Woods”, and “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel”, and WHS Treble Choir sang “Old Joe Clark” and “Canadian Boat Song”. Both choirs performed beautifully, and will represent our school well next week at the MSVMA District Choral Festival. The festival will be held at The Chapel, in St. Joseph, Michigan. Each choir will be required to sing for a panel of judges, followed by sight reading before a judge as well, and will receive a rating. Best wishes to all choir members!

Spanish classes recently completed an engaging project exploring Spanish-speaking countries and the Olympic Games. Students first studied national flags and the symbolism behind their colors, then researched their country’s participation in the Winter Olympics and identified an athlete who competes in a winter sport. When some students discovered their chosen country had not yet participated in the Winter Olympics, they extended their research to the Summer Olympics and selected a summer athlete instead.

The project was a tremendous success. Students were eager to learn more and found creative ways to deepen their understanding. One important takeaway was how much more accessible information can be about American athletes online compared to athletes from other countries. Several students even took their learning a step further by contacting the athletes they researched—and some received replies. It was inspiring to see such curiosity, initiative, and enthusiasm for learning.

The WHS Art Department is proud to announce this year’s student submissions to the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts High School Juried Show. Fifteen talented students have entered work into this prestigious competition, which draws hundreds of submissions from nine counties across Southwest Michigan.

The Student Advisory Council (SAC) is a group of students who meet with Ms. Powers every two weeks to share their voice, ideas, and feedback about what’s happening at the high school. Members help shape programming, discuss school policies, and offer input on ways to improve the student experience. They also get an inside look at upcoming initiatives and decisions, giving them a deeper understanding of how the school operates while building leadership and communication skills.

Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting Minutes

Date: 2.18.26
Location: Watervliet High School

Student Concerns & Updates

Pep Band at Basketball Games
Students again expressed interest in having a pep band present at basketball games. Discussion included the possibility of a smaller student group from the band attending games, potentially supported by a drum major to help coordinate and facilitate participation. This idea will continue to be explored.

SAT Prep Saturdays

Plans are underway to offer free SAT Prep Saturdays in March from 10:00 AM–12:00 PM for any interested juniors.

• Current focus: ELA preparation sessions

• Exploring: Possible math prep option

• Student feedback: Positive — many indicated they would attend and appreciate additional preparation opportunities.

Cell Phone Policy & New State Law

Students discussed the upcoming state law regarding student cell phone use.

Key points:

• Our current school policy already aligns closely with the law.

• Some inconsistencies exist in classroom enforcement:

  • Some teachers prohibit phones being visible even before the bell.

  • Others begin enforcement once class officially starts.

• Current expectation:
  Cell phones should remain in lockers during class time.

• Questions raised:

  • Should teachers address phones visible in pockets?

  • What accountability measures exist if expectations are not followed by students or staff?

This topic will be revisited with staff in the new year when the law formally goes into effect.

Annual Education Report (AER)

Students were shown the Annual Education Report (AER) currently highlighted in the parent newsletter.

• This is a state-required yearly report on the status of the school.

• The report will also be shared with staff for awareness and understanding of its contents.

Portrait of a Graduate

Students received an introduction to the Portrait of a Graduate initiative.

• Mr. Waggoner will attend a future SAC meeting to gather student input.

• Discussion included:

  • What the Portrait represents

  • Why student voice is essential in shaping it

  • How it connects to future-ready skills and school improvement

Athletic Participation Discussion

The group reviewed athletic participation data compiled after each season.

Students shared insights on why some peers choose not to participate in sports:

• High school athletics sometimes feel more like work than fun.

• Limited playing time can discourage involvement.

• Some students feel they are not skilled enough to participate.

• Concerns about coaching styles and team management.

• Student surveys at the end of each season provide a venue for feedback.

Next Steps

• The SAC will meet again in two weeks.

• Focus of the next meeting:
  Student input on the Portrait of a Graduate.

We are incredibly proud of Senior, Natalaya Desjardin for a beautiful act of kindness this past Saturday. On her own initiative, she visited the Cancer Center in Kalamazoo and placed roses along with uplifting notes on cars in the parking lot for patients and their families. The attached photos capture just a small glimpse of the compassion and thoughtfulness she shared.

Natalaya’s gesture reflects the very best of Panther Pride — showing care for others, spreading encouragement, and making a meaningful difference simply because it’s the right thing to do. We couldn’t be more proud of the example she continues to set. 💛

Congratulations to ALL of our ensembles who attended MSBOA District 6 Solo & Ensemble festival today at SMC!! All of our groups received Division 1 ratings!

Woodwind Trio: Sophie, Isabella, & Marissa

Woodwind Quartet: Lucy, Sofie, Olivia, & Claire

Marimba Duet: Nolan & Gabe

Flute Duet: Claire & Olivia

Mixed Brass/WW Trio: Isabella, Gianna, & Layla

We are so proud of you!

NICE JOB OLIVIA, CLAIRE, LUCY, SOPHIE, NOLAN, AND GABE!

CONGRATULATIONS ISABELLA, LEILA, MOEKO, MARISSA, ADDISON and KEIRA!

The Panthers competed in two locations Saturday, with athletes at Aquinas College and Saginaw Valley State University, delivering several strong performances. At SVSU, Sam Casiano ran a mile PR of 4:51.57 and later helped his 4x800 relay team finish in 8:46.64, just missing state qualification.

At Aquinas, Payton Yeske recorded PRs in both the 1600M (6:29.56) and 800M (2:52.52). Alvin Jones ran the 60M hurdles in 10.77s, while Neco Washington (57.63s) and Kevin Johnson (PR 63.29s) competed in the 400M. All three also ran the 60M dash, with Kevin earning another PR at 8.45s.

Next Saturday is the final opportunity to qualify for the state meet in two weeks.

Our Panthers were busy spreading the love last Friday! Students took time to write kind messages to friends and staff, helping create a positive, uplifting atmosphere throughout the building. The banner filled with these notes will stay up for about a week so everyone can continue enjoying the encouraging messages.

It was wonderful to see both students and staff embracing Panther Pride by sharing kindness and appreciation with one another. Ms. Powers also joined in the fun by handing out an abundance of free coupons — which, as you can imagine, the Panthers definitely loved! Moments like these remind us how powerful simple acts of kindness can be in strengthening our school community.

Ms. Powers also recently secured a grant through the Watervliet Alumni Foundation to enhance the outdoor space next to the woodshop. The grant will help add plants, picnic tables, and improvements that will create a welcoming outdoor learning area. As the weather warms up, this space will give classes another option for small group work, hands-on projects, or simply a change of environment to support learning. We are grateful for the Alumni Foundation’s continued support and excited to see students benefit from this refreshed outdoor space.

A big thank you to Mrs. Lefor’s 6th hour class for joining the recent photo opportunity and for their willingness to be part of this exciting project. The Student Advisory Council (SAC) team, which Ms. Powers meets with every other week, will play an important role in helping determine the layout and design of the updated outdoor space. We appreciate students stepping up to share their ideas and voice — their input helps ensure this space truly reflects what our Panthers want and need.

Mrs. Simmons recently secured a grant from the Watervliet Alumni Foundation to cover membership costs that will allow our Debate Team to compete at the state level. This support opens the door for our students to showcase their skills, confidence, and hard work on a larger stage. Pictured with Mrs. Simmons are debate team members Brianna Shriver and Lily Collins, who are excited for the opportunities this grant provides. We appreciate Mrs. Simmons’ initiative and the continued support from the Watervliet Alumni Foundation in helping our students succeed.

Each year, schools in Michigan are required to share an Annual Education Report (AER) with families and the community. This report provides important information about our school’s progress, student achievement, programs, and overall performance. It helps ensure transparency and keeps families informed about how we’re supporting student learning and growth.

Watervliet High School is proud to continue making progress while serving approximately 338 students in grades 9–12. Our focus remains on increasing student attendance, improving achievement on assessments like the SAT and PSAT, and preparing every Panther for success after high school through strong academic, career, and leadership opportunities.

The report also includes information about our curriculum, graduation rates, parent engagement efforts, and college and career readiness opportunities such as dual enrollment, Advanced Placement courses, career tech programs, college visits, FAFSA support, and more.

You can view the full Annual Education Report anytime online here:

👉 https://bit.ly/3Lo4HVd

If you would prefer a printed copy or have questions about the report, please contact the high school office — we are always happy to help.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are building strong opportunities for our Panthers today and into the future.

📅 Upcoming Dates to Remember

Feb 23 — 3:15 PM
PBIS Meeting — Media Center
All students and parents are welcome

Feb 25 — 1:10 PM Dismissal
Early Release Day

March 3 — 6:00 PM
Dual Enrollment Information Meeting — Media Center
All parents invited to learn more about dual enrollment

March 6 — 8:15 AM
Student of the Month Breakfast — High School Café

March 9
Spring Sports Begin (YAY!)

March 11 — 1:10 PM Dismissal
Early Release Day

On the 18th, these students will be inducted into the NTHS at the Van Buren Tech Center! This includes second year students-Isabella Bultema, as well. The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) recognizes students who excel in career and technical education programs while demonstrating strong academic performance, leadership, character, and commitment to their future career paths. Membership highlights students who are developing real-world skills through hands-on learning experiences and preparing for success in today’s workforce.

📚 After-School Homework Help – Tuesday–Thursday

We encourage all students to take advantage of our after-school homework help program, which is available every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday until 4:15 PM.

This support time provides students with a quiet, structured environment to complete homework, study, and receive extra help when needed — all with no interruptions. The location is announced daily during morning announcements, so students know exactly where to report.

We strongly recommend helping your child build this into their routine early in the semester. Developing the habit of staying after school for focused work time can make a big difference in organization, stress levels, and academic success.

If your child needs a calm place to work, extra academic support, or simply time to stay caught up, after-school homework help is a great option!

At Watervliet High School, student safety is our top priority. We want every Panther to feel safe and supported while at school.

To help with this, we have created the Panther Hotline — a simple way for students to report a safety concern if they ever feel uncomfortable speaking directly to an administrator or teacher.

By clicking the link below, students can anonymously share their concern. As soon as a report is submitted, Ms. Powers receives an immediate email notification so that the situation can be addressed quickly.

🔗 https://forms.gle/YH6RG4pnJzsZBHtj9

Please encourage your student to use this resource if they ever feel unsafe or see something concerning. Together, we can ensure that WHS continues to be a safe place for all of our Panthers.

Full Day

Period 1 8:10-9:02 (52 min)

Period 2 9:07-10:01 (54 min to include announcements)

Period 3 10:06-10:57 (51min)

Lunch A 10:57-11:27 (30 min)

Lunch A Class 11:32-12:23 (51 min)

Lunch B 11:27-11:57 (30 min)

Lunch B Class 11:02-11:22/11:52-12:23 (51 min)

Lunch C 11:53-12:23 (30 + 5 min passing time)

Lunch C Class 11:02-11:53 (51 min)

Period 5 12:28-1:19 (51 min)

Period 6 1:24-2:15 (51 min)

Period 7 2:20-3:10 (50 min)

Half Day Schedule

Period 1 8:10-8:36

Period 2 8:41-9:06

Period 3 9:11-9:36

Period 4 9:41-10:07

Period 5 10:12-10:38

Period 6 10:43-11:09

Period 7 11:14-11:40

Early Release Schedule

Period 1 8:10-8:45

Period 2 8:50-9:24

Period 3 9:29-10:03

Period 4 10:08-10:42

Period 5

A Lunch 10:47-11:17

A Class 11:17-11:51

B Class 10:47-11:21

B Lunch 11:21-11:51

Period 6 11:56-12:30

Period 7 12:35-1:10