🐾WHS ROAR REPORT🐾

We had a wonderful week celebrating the rich and vibrant Hispanic and Latino cultures that make our Panther community so special! 🌎💜 From cultural dress-up days and trivia to learning new Spanish words and traditions, our students and staff came together to honor heritage, history, and pride.

A huge thank you to all of the students who helped lead the initiatives and bring this celebration to life — your creativity, leadership, and enthusiasm made the week a true success! 🐾✨

Looking ahead, in November we’ll take time to celebrate the Native American tribes represented by our students. Stay tuned for more information coming soon! 🌾

#PantherPride #CantStopWontStop #HispanicHeritageWeek

In English 10, students have been honing their research skills by learning how to identify and evaluate credible sources. As part of this unit, they are also practicing proper citation techniques using MLA format, an essential skill for academic writing. This research work is tied into a broader exploration of the PSAT and SAT exams, where students are learning about the structure and purpose of these standardized tests. Through this integrated approach, students are developing both their information literacy and their college readiness—two critical components for future academic success.

📘 Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting Minutes
Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Attendees: SAC Members

🗣️ Discussion Highlights

1. After-School Snacks for Athletes

• Concern was raised about there being no more snacks available for athletes after school.

• Action: Mrs. Powers will follow up to address the issue and explore options for reinstating this support.

2. Mural Competition Update

• We currently have two mural proposals submitted! 🎨

• The competition has been added to announcements, and students were emailed a reminder.

• Deadline: Monday

• Next Steps:

  • Mrs. Hunt and Mr. Dennison will prepare the wall space.

  • Once all proposals are received, we’ll host a student vote (likely during lunch) to select the winning design.

• The winning mural will be painted by the Art 2 class, and the student designer will receive $100 and lasting recognition at WHS!

3. Open Space Next to Woodworking Lab

• The team discussed plans for the open space next to the woodworking lab.

• The area will be mowed down, and the goal is to develop and design the space in the spring.

• Mrs. Powers met with Cadence and her mom to evaluate the area.

• The school will reach out to community benefactors to help design and support the project.

4. Voter Registration & Student Engagement

• The council reviewed the latest memo about voter registration and opportunities for students age 16+ to learn how to register.

• SAC members expressed interest in running a spring voter registration campaign, when more students will be turning 18. 🗳️

✨ Thank you, Panthers, for your leadership and ideas!
Your voice is helping shape WHS into a stronger, more student-centered community. 💜🐾

The members of the 25-26 SAC team are:

Next Thursday, all juniors and voluntary sophomores will take the PSAT/NMSQT beginning at 8:10 AM. This is an important opportunity for students to practice college readiness skills and, for juniors, to qualify for national recognition and scholarships.

💡 The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) measures critical reading, writing, and math skills. For 11th graders, scores are also used to determine eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship Program — one of the most prestigious academic recognitions in the country.

To help students do their best, please ensure your child:

✅ Gets a good night’s rest the night before

✅ Eats a healthy breakfast

✅ Arrives on time and ready to test

We’re proud of our Panthers and look forward to seeing them give their best effort on test day! 💜🐾

Imagine a world where animals merge to form entirely new species! These hybrids carry the abilities of three different animals and adapt to habitats that support their unique traits. Students in Art II designed and illustrated their own Evolution Animals, showcasing whimsical creatures and the environments they call home.

We invite all Watervliet High School families to join us for Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, October 16th. Conferences are open to all families, and we encourage you to bring your high school student with you if at all possible.

🕛 Conference Times:

• 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM

• 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

When you arrive, please enter through the café side of the building to check in, pick up your student’s schedule, and receive their updated progress report. From there, you are welcome to visit with any or all of your student’s teachers to discuss progress and next steps for a successful semester.

We look forward to partnering with you and your student to celebrate successes and set goals for continued growth! 💜🐾

Students in Freshman English began a worldwide competition of word mastery. In Michigan, they are currently in 2nd place in their division. The contest lasts through November, and they are currently mastering PSAT words related to tone. While they are mastering words, the computer picks up schools across the world and identifies the school in real time. During 4th period, Watervliet High School appeared with the word they were sure to master: Respectful.

I have 5 siblings, their names are Jaylee, Jasper, Eleanor, Oliver, and Victoria. My favorite teacher has been Mrs.Hollandsworth because I love her personality, and she is a great teacher. My favorite class is Theatre because it is a fun class. I enjoy singing and reading in my free time. After high school, I might like to go to college to do graphic design, or be a dental hygienist.I am proud to be a WHS Panther because of our high scores in marching band.

My family is my dad Kris, my mom Julie, my older brother Gage, my younger sister, Addison, and my baby brother, AJ. My dad and brother love to joke around and play games while my two younger siblings are energetic and like playing. My mom is a huge music fan, often going to concerts and festivals.

My favorite teacher here has been Mrs. Irmen due to her chill nature and humor that makes things in class bearable and fun. I like to draw and listen to music in my down time, often listening to indie rock.

I would like to get into U of M after my high school stay to become a full body surgeon.

I am proud to be a WHS Panther because of our high reputation in the MCBA and our high test scores in general.

My family is composed of my mom, my step dad, my brother and my sister. My brother is 2 and my sister is 4. My mom helped me through a lot and I love her and appreciate her more then she will ever know. My step dad helped teach me a lot since I didn't grow up with a dad. He taught me a lot and am thankful for him.

My favorite teacher has been Mr.Dennison. I like how he makes jokes and everything isn't too serious. Also his projects are fun.

My favorite class has to be woodshop. I've never had the class in any other school and it is so fun, plus I think everyone should take woodshop. It's a good skill to have. In my free time I either play sports, or hangout with my friends. After high school I want to go into welding and eventually own my own welding business one day.

I'm proud to be a WHS Panther because of the pride this school has for its teaching and community.

There are 6 members in my family. There is my dad, mom, my brother John, and my two sisters Julie and Jessica while I'm the youngest.

- This year my favorite teachers have been Mrs. Lefor and Mrs. Hunt. They have both been so welcoming the years I've known them and I am really appreciative of that.

- After high school, I hope to find myself in schooling for a future in optometry.

- During my free time I like to stay at home in bed like most people. I am not one to go out and socialize. I'd rather stay at home and wind down.

- I am proud to be a WHS Panther because our school is filled with community and compassion for one another and I'm glad to be a part of such a welcoming community.

My family consists of my aunt and uncle and our 3 cats.

My favorite teacher is Mr. Weber because he makes lots of jokes and makes learning about government very fun.

My favorite class is Anatomy, because there are only four other people in my class as well as Ms. O'Toole is very understanding and will give you extra time if you need it to complete an assessment.

I love watching T.V and playing video games with my friends.

I would love to try and pursue making or helping develop technology in some kind of way after high school.

I'm proud to be a WHS Panther Because coming here has given me an opportunity to change my life, and I couldn't be more grateful.

My family includes my Mom, my Dad, my Stepmom, my Brother, and my Sister. I live in two different houses and we have two cats at each house as pets, my Sister has a rabbit at my Mom's house.

My favorite teacher is Mrs. Hollandsworth. She has been one of my teachers since I first started band in 5th grade. She is very caring towards everyone in the band and helps all of the band do our very best.

This year my favorite class has been AP Bio. This is because I like the subjects that we talk about and am interested in pursuing after high school.

In my free time, I like to hang out with my friends and family. I like to go to the beach and I also like to go see any movie in a movie theater.

After high school, I want to go to college, I'm not sure where. I want to study either biology to become some sort of doctor, or business.

I am proud to be a WHS panther because this school gives me and everyone else so many opportunities to succeed further in life. The people and community within the school are also amazing.

The members of my family are my parents, my older sister Jaidyn, and my little brother Kasey. My dad is a big role model for me. He always makes me laugh and brings me joy whenever I’m down. My mom shows me so much love and affection all the time.

My favorite teacher is probably Mr. Andrew’s because he teaches US History and History in Depth. He always makes me laugh and make class fun. He makes me want to go to class. I also like him because he has the same first name as me.

My favorite class is History. I really like learning about the history and how stuff happened and worked back in the day.

The stuff I like to do on my free time is play football with my teammates and friends. I like to hangout with my friends and family. I also like to play video games during the weekend.

After high school I would like to be a Game Warden because when I was younger I wanted to be a police officer. I also liked the outdoors and hunting. So when you put that all together a Game Warden is the perfect job for me.

I am proud to be a WHS Panther because the school provides a good environment for me to be in. All of the staff and students make going to school better and easier.

In my family I have my mom, dad and little brother. My little brother Caleb is a 5th grader at north school.

My favorite teacher is Mrs. O'Toole because I love science and she does an amazing job of sharing her love for science and teaching. She is also one of my NHS advisors so over the years we have got to spend lots of time together!

I like to spend my free time with friends and family. I also enjoy reading and going on walks. When I spend time with my friends we are usually shopping or going on some sort of adventure!

After high school I plan on attending a 4 year university (hopefully University of Tampa, GO SPARTANS!) and study Biology or Biochemistry.

I am proud to be a WHS panther because of the community that has been built from the teachers and students!

In September, students in Basic Woodworking each made their own Social Contract Plaques to be hung in the wood shop. Students learned how to use a router to carve letters into their plaques (Aaron Hayes finishing his template), which were then painted (Kaden Leiter painting in his letter), sanded, and stained for their finished project (Braelyn Campbell showing hers off!).

This week students in physical science did a “speed dating” bonding activity where they were given an element card and had to find their perfect “pair” for ionic or covalent bonds. Here are some fun photos from the activity.

This week in all Spanish classes we celebrated Hispanic Heritage month by researching people of Hispanic Heritage. It was pretty amazing what our students learned this week! Did you know:

• Jose Hernandez-Rebollar, from Pueblo, Mexico, invented the "AcceleGlove"? This is a device will translate sign language into written or computer generated voices! What this means, if a person is wearing the device, the device can detect the movements and then translate it. It currently knows the alphabet and about 300 words/sayings.
• Pope Frances was the first Latin-American Pope - he was from Argentina!
• Sylvia Mendez fought for desegregation for Latinos in California!

This picture is of Amber Bryant and her presentation on José Hernandez, he is a NASA astronaut. Something special about him is that he never gave up. He applied twelve times to get into NASA . He is definitely a person that can show all of us that you should not give up on your dreams.

Friday, Oct 3rd

7:00 PM Varsity Football vs South Haven @ Watervliet HS

Saturday, Oct 4th

TBA MS & Varsity Cross Country Portage Invite @ Portage West MS

2:00 PM Friends & Family Band Performance

Tuesday, Oct 7th

5:30/6:30 PM JV/V Volleyball vs Allegan @ Watervliet HS

Wednesday, Oct 8th

7:30 PM V Soccer vs Three Rivers Quarterfinals Districts

Thursday, Oct 9th

4:30 PM SAC Cross Country @ Gilmore Car Museum

5:30/6:30 PM JV/V Volleyball vs Howardsville Christian @ Howardsville

Lucy Logsdon, Olivia Mitchell, and Leanna Lovell participated in Bronco Band Day at WMU. They joined over 300 high school students from multiple states to spend Saturday with WMU marching band. They practiced with the band throughout the day and were a part of three performances, including the half-time show of the football game. They had a great time and got a taste of what it’s like to be in a college marching band.

Subject: Learn More About the Early Middle College Opportunity for Your Sophomore

This week, your child heard a presentation about an exciting opportunity — the Early Middle College (EMC) Program through Watervliet Public Schools and Lake Michigan College (LMC).

This program allows students to begin taking college courses during their junior year of high school. By the time they finish their senior year, they will have completed one year of college coursework — all while still enrolled at WHS!

Here’s how it works:

🎓 Students graduate with their class after 12th grade, then continue for one additional year at LMC.

💰 WPS pays for all of the college coursework, saving families thousands in tuition costs.

🎉 By age 19, your child could earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree — at no cost to you!

➡️ After completing the program, students may transfer their credits to a four-year college or university to continue working toward a bachelor’s degree if they choose.

We’ll host an Early Middle College Parent Night in December to share more information and answer questions.

If you’re interested in getting your child started on this pathway, please contact Mrs. Dawson in the Counseling Office — she’ll guide you through the next steps.

📅 Important Note:

Applications open in December and are due during the sophomore year, so now is the perfect time to begin exploring this opportunity.

We’re proud to offer this incredible program to help our Panthers get a head start on their college journey! 🐾

Dear Senior Parents and Guardians,

October is College Application Month, and we’re excited to support your senior as they take important steps toward their future! Throughout the month, we’ll be offering several opportunities to help every student prepare for life after graduation.

Here’s what’s happening at Watervliet High School this month:

📅 College Application Days in Senior English Classes
Students will complete college applications in their English classes. Seniors will be applying to Southwestern Michigan College (SMC), Lake Michigan College (LMC), completing the Common App., and any and all other applications that each would like to complete.

✏️ Additional Support with Mrs. Bruce
If your senior does not have English at the high school, Mrs. Bruce will be available on October 7th and October 21st during 2nd hour to help with:

• College applications

• Resumes

• The Common App

• Personal statements

• Any other college or career questions

🎓 College Fair – October 17th
We’ll host a College Fair on Thursday, October 17th, and all seniors are strongly encouraged to attend. Representatives from multiple colleges will be here, and past graduates will speak about their college experiences.

💰 FAFSA Now Open!
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open! We encourage all families to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible to ensure eligibility for grants, scholarships, loans, and free money for any post-secondary training.
👉 Complete the FAFSA Here

🎯 Our Goal:
We want every senior to have a plan for life after graduation — whether that’s college, trade school, the military, or the workforce.

If you or your senior need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Dawson in the Counseling Office. She’s happy to help guide you every step of the way!

With Panther Pride,
Christina Powers
Principal, Watervliet High School
📧 cpowers@watervlietps.org | 📞 269.463.0730

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.

At Watervliet High School, we use PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) to help create a safe, respectful, and positive learning environment. PBIS means that we don’t just correct behavior—we also teach, model, and review expectations with students the same way we do with academics.

Each week, all WHS teachers review expectations in a specific area of the building. Next week, our focus will be the the cafeteria at breakfast. Please take a moment to review these expectations with your child at home as well.

Please reiterate that clean up is everyone's responsibility. All students should be thrown away trash and returning plates.

Together, we can ensure our Panthers are set up for success every day!

📅 DateEvent

We’re excited to announce that after-school homework help is now available for our students. Students can stay for one hour after school 3:15-4:15 PM to get extra support or simply have a quiet place to focus on assignments.

• Tuesdays: Work with Mrs. Simmons

• Wednesdays: Work with Mr. Dimino (MATH ESPECIALLY)

• Thursdays: Work with Mrs. Brant

No sign-up is required—students can just stop by the teacher’s classroom after school to participate. This is a great way to catch up on work, get extra help, or stay on top of assignments.

👉 Please note: Students will need to arrange their own transportation home after the session.

We hope many of our Panthers will take advantage of this opportunity for extra support! 🐾

9th Grade Campus Visit – Southwestern Michigan College

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Watervliet High School is pleased to offer each grade level one facilitated college campus visit each year. This year, the Freshman Class (9th grade) will be visiting:

Destination: Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) – Dowagiac, Michigan
Date: Monday, October 28
Departure: The bus will leave WHS at 8:15 a.m.
Return: Students will return by 11:30 a.m. — in time for lunch and part of 4th hour.

The visit will be supervised by WHS teachers and a school counselor. Because this is the scheduled freshman class campus visit, if your child is in school that day, he/she is expected to attend.

• 🚌 Students will travel by school bus.

• 🍎 Snacks will be provided.

• 👟 Students should wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather, as there will be lots of walking and students will be outside for part of the morning.

• ⚠️ Students who are inattentive, disrespectful, or disruptive during this trip will not be allowed to attend future trips.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Ms. Powers at the high school office.

Thank you for supporting this opportunity for our Panthers to begin exploring college and career pathways!

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop – Panther Pride! 🐾

AGENDA FOR THE VISIT

9:00am Arrival
9:15am Presentation at the Library

9:45 am Kahoot (Prizes Top 3)

10:00am Break into 3-4 groups for tour
11:00-11:15 am Return to the library/Departure

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Watervliet High School is pleased to offer each grade level one facilitated college campus visit each year. This year, the Sophomore Class (10th grade) will be visiting:

Destination: The University of Olivet– Olivet, Michigan
Date: Thursday, November 6th
Departure: The bus will leave WHS at 8:15 a.m.
Return: Students will return by 2:30 PM —students will eat lunch at the university.

The visit will be supervised by WHS teachers and a school counselor. Because this is the scheduled sophomore class campus visit, if your child is in school that day, he/she is expected to attend.

• 🚌 Students will travel by school bus.

• 👟 Students should wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather, as there will be lots of walking and students will be outside for part of the morning.

• ⚠️ Students who are inattentive, disrespectful, or disruptive during this trip will not be allowed to attend future trips.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Ms. Powers at the high school office.

Thank you for supporting this opportunity for our Panthers to begin exploring college and career pathways!

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop – Panther Pride! 🐾

AGENDA FOR THE VISIT

Arrival: 9:45am

Welcome/Presentation: 10:00am

Campus Tour: 10:30am

Lunch: 11:30am, and then you can head back once your group is finished eating

Here you'll find a list of all public and private, 2-year and 4-year colleges in Michigan. You can find institution-specific information, such as admissions and financial aid, using the links below.

https://sites.google.com/micollegeaccess.org/cavacollegeguide/home

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