What's Up, Westside!

OCTOBER

• 24: Homecoming
• 29 Financial Aid & FAFSA Night
• 30 Personal Statement Workshop

NOVEMBER

• 5: College 101 for Families
• 11: Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL
• 12: Parent to Parent
• 13: West Seattle High School PTSA Fall Fundraiser
• 26 - 27: Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Day (NO SCHOOL)

Hi Wildcat Families!

We have had an exciting week here at WSHS celebrating Homecoming. The ASB students did a great job planning a fun and inclusive spirit week and it was awesome to see so many folks participating. We were shocked to sell out of Homecoming tickets. The number of ticket sales on Thursday at lunch had exceeded the previous record of sales by nearly 200 and reached the capacity of the venue. This was unexpected and also amazing to see so many students wanting to participate in a school event. We know some students and families were left feeling disappointed that they were unable to purchase a ticket on Thursday, and we apologize for that. Luckily, thanks to the creative thinking of our school staff and the venue, we were able to re-open ticket sales on Friday to allow students to purchase tickets. Moving forward, we will plan for larger attendance and have bigger caps on our venues to ensure student participation.

If your student is attending the dance tomorrow night, please take a moment to speak with them about safe behaviors before, during and after the dance. I reminded all students of the expectations and consequences related to substance use during our assembly today, and I ask that you also have this conversation with your kids. Know what their plans are before and after the dance. We want to ensure a safe, fun night for all students and this can only be done in partnership with you. Check out the recent family blasts sent by our Care Team via TalkingPoints for tips on how to have these types of conversations with your students.

I am excited to see students tomorrow night having a great time! ASB has worked so hard on this dance and it should be a ton of fun.

Go Wildcats!

Megan

Hello WSHS parents & caregivers!

Feeling the stresses of raising a teenager? Come join other parents to learn about ways to raise thoughtful, resilient teens. We have a monthly topic, guided discussion, and plenty of time for connection. Dinner included!

RSVP for our November meeting, Thursday Nov. 12th 6-7:30pm:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/uXCe7YtB0P?origin=lprLink

National Principals Month Spotlight: Principal Brian Vance

Today, we're proud to recognize Principal Brian Vance and the West Seattle High School community. This year, West Seattle High School was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top high schools in Washington, earning the No. 32 ranking statewide.

West Seattle's success reflects a commitment to ensuring all students have access to challenging coursework, meaningful opportunities, and the support they need to thrive. That dedication is helping more students take part in Advanced Placement courses and achieve success in the classroom and beyond.

As Principal Vance shares, "WSHS continues to break down barriers that prevent all students from accessing the most challenging courses. Our Advanced Placement enrollments and success on national tests, like the AP, indicate that students can rise to the challenges of advanced coursework, when given the opportunity and the support."

Congratulations to Principal Vance, the staff, students, and families of West Seattle High School on this well-deserved recognition.

Yuen Lui Studio – Makeup/Retake Picture Day at West Seattle High School, Tuesday, October 20

Makeup Portraits

• For students who missed Picture Day — students are responsible for getting a photo
• Preorder makeup portraits here: 2026-27 West Seattle High School Make-up/ Retake Pre-payments 10/20

Retake Portraits

• Anyone is welcome to get a retake — students are responsible for getting a photo
• The retake will replace the original photo for:
• The yearbook
• PowerSchool
• If you preordered a photo package earlier:
• You can return it to the photographer on 10/20 and a new package with your retake photo will be issued at no charge
• ID cards will not be printed for retakes — only the first photo gets an ID card

View or Order Photos

• Previously taken portraits can be accessed online:
  Order School Photos — Yuen Lui School & Sports Photography
• Keyword: West Seattle
• Online Code: Your student’s school ID number

Questions?
Contact Yuen Lui Studio for support

Enter the monthly birthday drawing. See Ms. Wardle, Attendance Specialist, Room 122F.

The registration and payment window for AP Exams is now open. Students will receive exam registration information directly from their AP teachers.

Registration is not complete until:

1. Payment has been submitted, and

2. College Board registration has been finalized.

Payments may be made:

• Online through SchoolPay via your Parent Source Account: 3.99% processing fee added. https://ps.seattleschools.org/public/

• By check or exact cash in the Main Office: do not incur fees.

Payment Deadline: October 30

Exam Fees

• $125.00 Standard

• Online payments made through SchoolPay include a 3.99% transaction processing fee

• Payments made by check or exact cash in the Main Office do not incur the processing fee

• $20.00 Fee waiver application for Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL) opt into other benefits https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application

Please see the Advanced Placement webpage for more information.

https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/assessments/exam-schedule-and-registration/

With the addition of 2 more portables, our parking situation will become even more challenging. I cannot emphasize enough that we will not have enough parking for everyone who want to park. It is not a requirement that we provide parking for all of our students, so, I highly encourage students to not drive to school and find alternatives, to carpool, or anything to reduce the need. We are working with SPS legal on what we can actually do to enforce, parking, including ticketing and towing. The parking lot by the portables will be restricted to STAFF parking only. No student parking. and will be subject to tickets or towing. We do not have any flexibility on creating other parking options. So, again, please have a conversation with your student and when possible, coming up with alternative transportation plans would be advisable. During the school day, we will also be implementing a one way flow through the parking lot. Lastly- The Church parking lot is strictly off limits for student parking, they have already communicated that they will be towing unauthorized cars that park in their small lot. See attached document for more transportation information.

Be sure to check out all things L I B R A R Y! https://app.smore.com/n/czd4wn

We have another record breaker. This time it’s on the Swive team. Eden O’Donnell clocked in at 1:04.56 – 100 Fly. Yes queen!
We have four District Qualifiers in Golf. Sunny Thompson and Davis Thompson on the boys team and Madison Hoover and Holly Smith on the girls team.

West Seattle High School is bringing home all the awards.

Go Wildcats!

Fall Sports Standings:

Cross Country (Boys and Girls): 4th

Football: Varsity: 8th JV: 9th C-Team: 9th

Golf (Boys): 6th Golf (Girls): 15th

Soccer (Girls): Varsity: 8th JV: 4th C-Team: 2nd

Swive (Girls): 11th

Volleyball: Varsity: 15th JV: 6th C-Team: 12th

FALL SPORTS SENIOR NIGHTS:
October 23rd at 7pm: Football @Bishop Blanchet

October 29th at 7pm: Girls Volleyball @WSHS

WINTER SPORTS:

To all the students and families who have winter sports athletes, and have entered their information into Final Forms, emails have been sent out to indicate if your account is in green, yellow or red status. Green (good to go), yellow (account needs attention for signatures or a soon to expire physical), and red (account needs a lot of attention).

Your Final Forms account will need to be in green status before your student athlete may tryout or participate in a sport. Parents and students both need their own accounts to access and sign forms. Pro tip: Make sure the parent profile is set up first.

October 30th during Advisory- Personal Statement Workshop and UW Personal Statement Readers Visit in the Commons. UW reps, staff, and former students will support seniors in writing and editing your personal statements.

🎓 Senior College Planning & Support

We are excited to support our Class of 2027 as they navigate the college application process!

On Tuesday, September 29, we walked seniors through important steps in the college application process, including how to request transcripts and letters of recommendation and how to download their unofficial transcript. We will continue providing weekly drop-in college advising support during Wednesday Advisory in Room 231. If your student has questions or needs additional support with their college applications or post-high school planning, please encourage them to stop by!

We are also excited to offer two parent nights in partnership with the WSHS PTSA:

📅 Thursday, October 29 | Financial Aid & FAFSA
Join us for an evening focused on financial aid and the FAFSA, with support from Seattle University. We will share important information to help families understand the financial aid process and prepare for the steps ahead. This event can be joined in-person or online via Team Live at this link here.

📅 Thursday, November 5 | College 101 for Families
This evening will walk families through the college application process and the specific steps and resources we are sharing with students at school. Come learn alongside your student, get on the same page about the application process, and get your questions answered.

We look forward to partnering with seniors throughout the year as they explore the many pathways available to them after high school! This event can be joined in person or online by using this link: https://tinyurl.com/2026WSHSCollege .

St. Jude Leadership Society (SJLS)—a national leadership development program for high-performing high school students who are passionate about service, community, and making a difference.

SJLS offers a unique experience built around three core elements:

• Leadership Development
  Members participate in four dynamic sessions led by community and corporate leaders. Each session is inspired by St. Jude founder Danny Thomas and centers on timeless leadership traits like grit, empathy, integrity, courage, gratitude, and good citizenship.

• Shared Experience
  Students grow alongside mentors, peers, and ALSAC/St. Jude professionals—gaining career insights, building communication skills, and developing leadership qualities that will serve them in any future path.

• Transformational Fundraising
  Members receive the tools and support to create and execute a personalized fundraising strategy. They learn how to manage a project from start to finish while making a real impact for the children of St. Jude.

You can learn more and access the application using this link: www.stjude.org/sjls.

• Erica Nguyen: Last Names A–El: etnguyen@seattleschools.org
• Kinsey Hedeen: Last Names Em–Leb: krhedeen@seattleschools.org
• Mallory Neuman: Last Names Lee–Pi: mlneuman@seattleschools.org
• Christine Nutters: Last Names Po–Z: canutters@seattleschools.org
• Seattle Promise: Book an appointment with Rony Nunez-Alvarez

Hiawatha Community Center - Teen Program

Hiawatha Community Center Painting Party

PTSA Membership Drive

West Seattle High School PTSA Fall Fundraiser: November 13, 2026. You can buy your ticket now!

The WSHS PTSA aims to be your most reliable source of up-to-date information. Please bookmark our website and like and follow us on social media.

• WSHS PTSA Website
• WSHS PTSA Facebook Page
  
• WSHS PTSA Instagram Page
• Email questions to: president@wshsptsa.org

Please also subscribe to our events calendar to stay up-to-date throughout the year.

The WSHS PTSA advocates for our students, supports school staff, and builds community. It takes members like you to do this well! Remember, your PTSA membership needs to be renewed every school year. Become a member of the WSHS PTSA today. After you become a member, take this survey to let us know how you’d like to get involved.

The WSHS PTSA offers membership scholarships to those who are unable to afford our membership fees; please email president@wshsptsa.com. Be a part of making WSHS the school community you want!

• WSHS Website
• WSHS PTSA
• Bell Schedule
• Calendar
• Volunteering
• Athletics
• Attendance
• Counseling
• Library
• Teen Health Center
• Friends of West Seattle Music & Drama
• West Seattle Booster Club
• Westside HEY Coalition

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If you would like to share news or publicize an event or opportunity relevant to the West Seattle High School community, please contact us at communications@wshsptsa.org.