🐾WHS ROAR REPORT🐾

Homecoming starts before Homecoming Week even begins! Some of the very best high school memories are made during the planning, decorating, building, laughing, and time spent together getting ready for the big week.

This weekend, we strongly encourage every Panther to get involved with your class! Show up. Help out. Meet someone new. Get out of your comfort zone. Paint something, build something, decorate something, or simply lend a hand. Whether this is your very first Homecoming or your very last, don’t miss the chance to be part of it.

Our class advisors and Student Council have put a tremendous amount of time and energy into creating a great Homecoming experience for our students, and now we need YOU to be part of it!

Parents, please encourage your student to participate—even if they’re a little hesitant. Sometimes the best memories begin with simply deciding to show up. ❤️

Not sure where or when your class is meeting this weekend? Check SportsYou or reach out to your class advisor for details.

Get involved. Show up. Make memories. These really are the moments that matter. 🐾❤️🤍

There is NO BUS provided to Tech on early release Wednesdays. Students are welcome to drive on their own if they wish, but the absence will be excused at Tech because we do not provide transportation.

This week in basic woodworking student tried their hands at Computer Aided Design (CAD).

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Abby Shriver, Gavin Downey, Ava Thomas, Luis Villegas, Allison Piggott, and Braidyn Dawson

Norma Gutierrez, Aaron, Alvarado Abbie Hayes, Kyle Domingo-Sturgeon, Hanna Lomoro, Aiden Wolford, Mackenzie Birmele, Tyler Cole, Maycie Medlin (and Landon Schlipp not pictured.)

If your child participates in a sport, club, or school group, coaches and advisors use SportsYou to share important updates. Parents/guardians should also be included in these messaging groups.

Please contact your child’s coach or advisor to make sure you are added to SportsYou. Important information is shared regularly, and we want every family to stay connected!

Clubs & Teams

Class Advisors

Intermediate woodworking classes have their social contracts plaques well underway and are working on the lettering before the final finish and hanging.

There will be NO BUS to Tech and students' absences will be excused to remain in the building all day for Homecoming events and activities.

Students collaborating and sharing !

Wednesday, the Debate Team competed against Grand Rapids City, Caledonia, Ionia and Wayland Union. Here are the result for Watervliet:

Chamber scores:

3rd Place: Lily Collins

7th Place: Braydon Collins

4th Place Reaghan Prestidge

7th Place: Makenzie Birmele

8th Place: Eithan Nickell

5th Place: Kaden Conklin

4th Place: Brianna Shriver

7th Place: Landon Schlipp

3rd Place: Jazmine Moses

4th Place: Braydon Collins

9th Place: Abby Shriver

9th Place: Landon Schlipp

With nearly sixty students at the competition, the chamber scores were combined with speaker scores to determine top speakers in the meet. As a result, Jazmine Moses earned 5th place overall. Congratulations to Jazmine and all the members of the debate team!

Our Parent Advisory Council (PAC) held its second meeting of the year on September 15. PAC meets with me once a month throughout the school year and includes two parent representatives from each grade level. This group provides valuable parent feedback, asks questions, and helps us continue improving the WHS experience for students and families.

Our 2026–27 PAC members are Stephanie Vargo (Liam Robertson), Heather Jarvis (Tyler Jarvis), Angie Laws (McKaylen Laws), Angie Harris (Sienna Harris), Chad Harris, Tiffany Wendt (Isaiah and Eli Wendt), Melissa Morlock (Caroline Weber), Holly Musick (Hadley Musick), and Staci Brown (Katelynn Brown).

At our September meeting, we discussed FinalForms, possible changes to next year's Open House and student check-in, CrisisGo and I Love U Guys safety communication, SportsYou communication, and ways to continue improving our parent newsletter. Parents especially enjoyed seeing more student photos and suggested featuring our senior painted parking spaces in upcoming newsletters!

We also talked about freshman assignment notebooks, After-School Homework Help, Standards-Based Grading, PBIS, Caught in the Act rewards, Homecoming, Hispanic Heritage Week, and October College Application Month.

I appreciate our PAC parents for giving their time and sharing thoughtful feedback that helps us make WHS better for our students and families.

📅 Next PAC Meeting: October 27 at 5:00 PM

Advanced woodworking students are tackling projects for the school, ranging from Cam's custom custodial cart lid at the request of one of our wonderful cleaning crew teamates--to Deven, Ethan and Luis' work toward a proper oak kframe for last year's mural by the front office!

Students decorated their notebooks for Mrs. Riedinger's ELA class. They purused through magazines, coloring books, and stickers to find images and symbols to make a collage to showcase who they are. They will be using their notebooks all year long for journal entries, figurative language notes, drafting essays, and so much more!

This week in physical science students were assigned an element to create an “element superhero”. Students designed their own superhero and created superpowers based on properties of the element. It was fun seeing their creative ideas come to life!

Student council members have been hard at work this week prepping for Homecoming!

🎓 Why Apply Day at WHS!

On Friday, our JMG students visited classrooms to introduce students to a quick 30-question O*NET career interest survey that helps identify careers that match their interests and connects those careers to education and training pathways.

Throughout the day, we also shared “Why I Applied” stories from WHS staff, giving students a chance to hear about the different choices and experiences that shaped their teachers’ lives.

Why Apply Day encourages students to think about what comes after high school and reminds them that “applying” can mean many things—college, trade school, an apprenticeship, the military, career training, or other opportunities. The goal is simple: help every Panther explore their options and take that next step toward their future! 🐾🎓

All WHS students have access to Relay 12 through the Clever link on their school-issued device. Relay 12 provides students with another way to report serious safety concerns directly to building administrators.

If a student is concerned that someone may harm themselves or someone else, or becomes aware of another serious safety concern but does not feel comfortable talking with or emailing a teacher or administrator, they can click the Relay 12 link anytime to submit a report.

Please encourage your child to remember: If you see or hear something concerning, say something. We want our students to feel safe asking for help—for themselves or someone else. 🐾

A group of WHS students has volunteered their time to plan and organize a special week for our school! We appreciate their creativity, leadership, and hard work and are looking forward to all the fun they have planned in just a couple of weeks! 🐾❤️

SMC College Fair | Thursday, October 1, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

We are excited to host our College Fair again this year and give students the opportunity to connect with representatives from a variety of colleges and universities. We currently have 44 institutions registered, and we are looking forward to another great event!

If you are interested in attending with your students, please let me know and provide the number of students you plan to bring. To help with the flow of traffic this year, we will have staggering school arrival times. Your school will be assigned an arrival time of either 10:00 or 10:30 a.m. Everyone who confirms their attendance will receive a follow-up email with additional details in the next couple of weeks.

Student Registration for the College Fair

One additional update is that StriveScan now provides counselors with a way to register their students before attending a college fair. This allows students to arrive with their barcode already prepared, making the check-in process much smoother. StriveScan does not sell or share student data with third parties.

You can register students here: Rapid Registration

As part of our Tier 1 PBIS plan, students receive a brief review each week of our schoolwide expectations for a specific area of the building. These weekly reminders help ensure that all students clearly understand what it looks like to be respectful, responsible, and safe throughout Watervliet High School.

Next week, students will review our LOCKER Expectations with their 2nd-hour teacher.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to read through the LOCKER expectations below and review them with your child at home. When school and families reinforce the same expectations, it helps us create a positive, safe, and successful environment for everyone.

Thank you for partnering with us! 🐾

As we prepare to welcome students back, we want to remind everyone of a few WHS dress code expectations. Our goal is to keep expectations simple and ensure students come to school dressed appropriately for a learning environment.

A few of the most common dress code concerns to remember:

• Crop tops are not permitted. Shirts should provide appropriate coverage of the midsection.
• Undergarments should not be visible. This includes tops worn off the shoulder that expose bra straps.
• Shorts must provide appropriate coverage. Shorts should completely cover the buttocks at all times, including when sitting, bending, or moving.
• Pajamas are reserved for Early Release Wednesdays. Students should wear regular school-appropriate clothing on all other school days.

We appreciate families reviewing these expectations with students before the first day of school. Starting the year with everyone understanding the expectations helps us keep the focus where it belongs—on learning, relationships, and having a great school year!

Thank you for your support, Panthers! 🐾

September

❤️ CKH Theme: Connect with Heart & Empathy

• September 21–25 – Homecoming Week

• September 22 – Debate Team and AP Government Classes Trip to the State Capitol

• September 23 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• September 23 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• September 26 – Homecoming Dance 8-11 PM

• September 28–October 2 – Hispanic Heritage Celebration Week

• September 28 – PBIS Team Meeting (3:15 PM) All students and staff invited

October

🧠 CKH Theme: Think • Choose • Act (Self-Direction)

• October 1–30 – College Application Month

• October 1 – Freshman Vision Screening (during the school day)

• October 2 – Student of the Month Breakfast (8:15 AM)

• October 5 – College Admissions Presentations (Grades 11–12)

• October 7 – Count Day

• October 7 – AP Literature Field Trip to the Shakespeare Festival

• October 7 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• October 9 – No School for Students; PD Day for Faculty

• October 12 – Early Middle College Presentation (10th Grade)

• October 13 – Picture Day (all students will have a picture taken)

• October 14 – Debate Competition #2

• October 15 – PSAT/NMSQT Testing (11th Grade)

• October 16 – Senior Campus Visit to Lake Michigan College

• October 19 – Fall Band Concert (7:00 PM)

• October 21 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• October 22 – Half Day (11:40 AM Dismissal)

• October 22 – Parent-Teacher Conferences (12:30–3:00 PM & 4:00–6:00 PM)

• October 22 – College Admissions Presentation for Parents (6:00 PM)

• October 22 – Choir Concert (7:00 PM)

• October 23 – Half Day (11:40 AM Dismissal)

• October 23 – Annual College Fair

• October 23 – Senior Football Night

• October 26–30 – Red Ribbon Week

• October 26 – PBIS Team Meeting (3:15 PM) All students and staff invited

• October 26 – Senior Campus Visit to Southwestern Michigan College

• October 28 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• October 29 – MCTI Field Trip (Selected Students)

• October 30 – Progress Reports Sent Home

November

🤝 CKH Theme: Better Together (Teamwork)

• November 4 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• November 4 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• November 4 – Debate Competition #3

• November 6 – SMC RoadRunner Day (Juniors Only)

• November 6 – Student of the Month Breakfast (8:15 AM)

• November 9 – High School Cheer Begins

• November 9 – Picture Retake Day

• November 11 – High School Boys Basketball Begins

• November 16–20 – Indigenous Peoples Week Celebration

• November 18 – High School Girls Basketball Begins

• November 18 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• November 18 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• November 25–27 – Thanksgiving Break (No School)

• November 30 – PBIS Team Meeting (3:15 PM) All students, parents and staff invited

December

⭐ CKH Theme: Do Your Part (Responsibility)

• December 2 – Debate Competition #4

• December 2 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• December 4 – Student of the Month Breakfast (8:15 AM)

• December 7–11 – Kindness Week

• December 7 – Blood Drive

• December 9 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• December 14–18 – Holiday Fun Week

• December 16 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• December 17 – Early Middle College Parent Presentation (6:00 PM)

• December 17 – Winter Choir Concert (7:00 PM)

• December 21–January 1 – Winter Break (No School)

January

🫶 CKH Theme: Honor Me, Honor You (Respect)

• January 8 – Student of the Month Breakfast (8:15 AM)

• January 11–15 – Winterfest Week

• January 13 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• January 15 – Winterfest Dance 8-11 PM

• January 18 – Professional Development Day (No School for Students)

• January 19 – Early Release Schedule; Semester Exam – Period 7 (1:30–3:10 PM)

• January 20–22 – Semester 1 Exams (Half Days – 11:40 AM Dismissal)

• January 20 – Exams: Periods 1 & 2

• January 21 – Exams: Periods 3 & 4

• January 22 – Exams: Periods 5 & 6

• January 25–29 – Financial Literacy Week

• January 25 – PBIS Team Meeting (3:15 PM) All students, parents and staff invited

• January 26 – Required Dual Enrollment Meeting

• January 26 – Semester 1 Report Cards sent home

• January 27 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• January 27 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

February

💙 CKH Theme: Spark the Heart (Kindness)

• February 8–12 – Career Exploration Week

• February 10 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• February 11 – Parent-Teacher Conferences (4:00–7:00 PM)

• February 11 – Pre-Festival Band Concert (7:00 PM)

• February 12 – Half Day (11:40 AM Dismissal)

• February 12 – Annual Career Fair

• February 15 – Mid-Winter Break (No School for Students)

• February 16 – Pre-Festival Choir Concert (7:00 PM)

• February 17 – Blood Drive

• February 18 – Senior Class Meeting (All English Classes)

• February 18 – Senior Parent Meeting (6:00 PM)

• February 22–26 – Black History Celebration Week

• February 22 – PBIS Team Meeting (3:15 PM) All students, parents and staff invited

• February 24 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

March

💪 CKH Theme: Step Up (Courage)

• March 3 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• March 10 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• March 10 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• March 15 – Spring Sports Begin

• March 15–19 – Women's History Week Celebration

• March 18 – All-Day Choir Competition

• March 22 – PBIS Team Meeting (3:15 PM) All students, parents and staff invited

• March 24 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• March 24 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• March 25 – Half Day (11:40 AM Dismissal)

• March 25 – Pie in the Face Event for Seniors Completing the FAFSA

• March 25–April 4 – Spring Break (No School)

April

🏁 CKH Theme: Finish Strong (Perseverance)

• April 7 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• April 7 – Progress Reports Sent Home

• April 9 – Student of the Month Breakfast (8:15 AM)

• April 19–23 – Mental Health Awareness Week

• April 20 – Dual Enrollment Parent Meeting (6:00 PM)

• April 21 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• April 26 – PBIS Team Meeting (3:15 PM) All students, parents and staff invited

May

⭐ CKH Theme: Be Leadworthy (Integrity)

• May 1 -- PROM Lake Arvesta South Haven 8-11 PM

• May 3 – Decision Day Celebration (10:00 AM)

• May 5 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• May 7 – Student of the Month Breakfast (8:15 AM)

• May 11 – Blood Drive

• May 12 – Early Release (1:10 PM Dismissal)

• May 17 – Panther Legacy Walk

• May 18 -- Senior Awards Night

• May 19 – Student Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting (7:30 AM)

• May 20 – Spring Choir Concert (7:00 PM)

• May 24 – PBIS Team Meeting (3:15 PM) All students, parents and staff invited

• May 24–28 – Senior Final Week

• May 25 – Senior Exams (Periods 6 & 7)

• May 26 – Senior Exams (Periods 4 & 5)

• May 27 – Senior Exams (Periods 2 & 3)

• May 28 – Senior Exam (Period 1)

• May 28 – Senior Checkout Sheets Due (10 AM)

• May 28 – Senior Farewell Tour of District Buildings (10 AM)

• May 28 – Senior Car Parade (4:00 PM)

• May 28 – Senior Sunset (6:00 PM)

• May 31 – Memorial Day (No School)

June

🎓 Finish the Year Strong!

• June 1 – Underclassmen Awards Program (6:00 PM)

• June 2 – Baccalaureate (6:00 PM)

• June 3 – Senior Picnic (1:00–3:00 PM)

• June 3 – Mandatory Graduation Practice (3:00 PM)

• June 4 – Graduation Ceremony (6:30 PM)

• June 8 – Early Release Schedule; Semester Exam – Period 7 (1:30–3:30 PM)

• June 9–11 – Semester 2 Exams (Half Days – 11:40 AM Dismissal)

• June 9 – Exams: Periods 1 & 2

• June 10 – Exams: Periods 3 & 4

• June 11 – Exams: Periods 5 & 6

• June 11 – Last Day of School

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