PARENT EAGLE NEWS

WDHS Families,

We are excited for Spring to arrive, and we are extremely proud of our students for their maturity, attention to detail and assistance with our Phase I Rollout. Everything we do here at West Deptford High School is founded in our belief in "Pride, Passion and Commitment to Excellence." Our ability to remove distraction from the learning environment has already begun to pay dividends academically, socially, as well as in student focus on academic achievement.

A reminder of Phase I policies:

- Hats and hoods off immediately upon entering the building.

- Cell phones can be used in:

• Homeroom
• Hallways during the change of period
• Study Hall rooms
• Cafeteria during lunch

• During academic periods
• In hallways during class periods
• Students CANNOT take cell phones into the hallways during any period.
• If a student leaves the classroom for the restroom, Nurse, Guidance, Main Office, etc., the cell phone must be left in the classroom.
• The goal of this is to ensure that the student returns to the classroom as efficiently as possible and without added distraction.
• Headphones can be used
• Homeroom
• Study Hall rooms
• Cafeteria during lunch
• Headphones cannot be used
• In hallways after homeroom
• During academic periods

The arrival of Spring also brings several exciting events to West Deptford High School. Our school musical production of "Les Misérables", Senior Trip, District Wide Band Day, and "Bring Your Child to Work Day" are all set for the coming weeks. Our Spring sports teams are preparing to kick off their seasons, and the warm weather will be a welcome change after a long Winter.

The school year continues to fly by, and we challenge our students and staff to be where their feet are every single day in order to create an atmosphere of progress and success.

Thank you to our WDHS families for your continued support and commitment to our system of belief.

Jason Morrell

West Deptford High School Principal

Phone: 856-848-6110 ext. 2628

"Pride, Passion & a Commitment to Excellence!"

JUNIORS:

· Most Juniors have met with their counselor and chosen their classes. Please be sure to review and sign your student’s course selection form and return to the Guidance Office.

· The 2025-2026 Course Selection Form is posted on the high school homepage, under the Curriculum tab, along with the Curriculum Guide which contains course descriptions and additional information about special programs available to rising seniors.

SOPHOMORES:

· Most Sophomores have met with their counselor and chosen their classes. Please be sure to review and sign your student’s course selection form and return to the Guidance Office

· All rising juniors will need to take English, Math, Science, History, Health and Physical education.

· The 2025-2026 Course Selection Form is posted on the high school homepage, under the Curriculum tab, along with the Curriculum Guide which contains course descriptions and additional information about special programs.

FRESHMEN:

· Counselors are meeting with ninth graders through the end of March. Once your child has had their meeting, please be sure to review and sign your student’s course selection form and return to the Guidance Office.

· All rising sophomores will need to take English, Math, Science, History, Health/Physical Education and a second year of their World Language, if they plan to attend college.

· Students are encouraged to review the information they received on electives and how they align with exploring various career pathways and have some preliminary elective choices ready for when they meet with their counselor.

Current 10th & 11th graders can take up to two courses in their fall and spring semesters and WDHS will cover the tuition and fees. Students and parents will only be responsible for the cost of any textbooks or materials that may be required.

Current 9th graders can also participate, but at the parents' expense. RCSJ offers students a substantial tuition discount.

Classes are held on RCSJ's campus in Sewell OR on-line.

Credits from these courses will be reflected on a college transcript that can be submitted for transferability evaluation to the college or university of your choice. WDHS students have had great success in transferring these credits to both in-state and out of state schools, as well as public and private schools.

Please see your school counselor for more information.

1. Seniors who took the Accuplacer at WDHS are reminded to review their scores and make an appointment at RCSJ if they need to re-test. To find sites to review and practice, go to: https://www.rcsj.edu/testing/gloucester/placement/faq.
2. WDHS will be taking a trip over to RCSJ on April 22nd for seniors who plan to attend RCSJ in the fall. Students will get a tour of the campus, learn about special programs, meet with an academic advisor, and register for classes. Permission slips will be sent out in early April.
3. Numerous scholarships are offered! Don’t miss out on free $!

Go to www.rcsj.edu/scholarships for more info.

· Seniors should check out the numerous local scholarships that are available specifically for the

WDHS Class of 2026. The list of scholarships and application details can be found on the high school website under the Guidance Tab, under “Local Scholarships & Awards”.

· Seniors are also encouraged to frequently check Naviance for regional and national scholarship opportunities. New scholarships are added weekly.

1. Shades of Harmony Scholarship is offering a $1000 scholarship to a musically talented senior girl who is interested in pursuing a career in vocal music, music therapy, music education, or theater. Interested students should go to www.shadesofharmony.org for more info. Deadline is April 10, 2026.

2. Dunkin Scholarship - $5000 scholarships are available for students who plan to continue their education after high school either at a college or vocational school. Go to scholarshipamerica.org/scholarship/dunkinphilly. Deadline is April 15th.

3. South Jersey Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is offering scholarships to graduating female African American students who plan to attend college n the fall. Application Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGqnWgYBcWTj18Gnk1hIaOF6GMLF7rigOjd8T_6IpyBEvI-A/viewform

Edward Galatilis

Cole Haley

Brianna Hogan

Madison Laxton

Sydney O’Loughlin

Trent O’Neal

Leah Pedrick

Sophia Shirey

Ryan Vespe

Madison Widen

On Saturday, March 14, the WDHS STEM Club participated in the 2026 Rutgers Medical School Brain Bee Competition in Piscataway, NJ. Standing L-R: Albert Alexis, Annagabrielle Alexis, Jody Wu, Amera Amalou, Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom MD and Dr. Huaye Zhangh. Back L-R: Marielle Lewis and Brianna Valentino.

In addition to the actual competition, students were treated to a presentation on the latest Neuroscience Research at Rutgers Medical School, Brain Anatomy Lab Demonstrations, and informal conversations with researchers, graduate students, and medical school students.

Dr. DiCicco-Bloom is a researcher and pediatric neurologist who serves on several autism and brain disease-related scientific panels, including the Eagles Autism Challenge, the Autism Science Foundation, and the American Brain Coalition, and Chairs the NIH Developmental Brain Disorders study section. He spoke to students at WD in 2018 about Autism.

The STEM Club is looking to participate in the 2027 Rutgers Brain Bee Competition. Please reach out to the students mentioned above or Mr. Pustie for more information.

On March 11, Mrs. Castone (WDHS) and Mrs. Lattanzio (WDMS) accompanied students from WDHS and WDMS to the Build Big Dreams STEM Conference at Princeton University. The event was hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and brought together students for an exciting day of exploration and discovery in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Students had the opportunity to hear keynote speaker and astrophysicist Dr. Stephanie Wissel, who shared insights about her groundbreaking research studying neutrinos in Greenland. In addition to the keynote, students participated in hands-on activities, small-group presentations, and engaging science demonstrations that highlighted the real-world impact and importance of STEM.

It was an inspiring experience that encouraged curiosity, innovation, and big dreams for the future!"

We are proud to share that several of our DECA students attended this year’s State Career Development Conference (SCDC) in Atlantic City, where they competed against a record number of students from across the state.

Our students presented business ideas they have spent countless hours researching, refining, and developing. Their hard work, professionalism, and dedication were on full display throughout the conference.

In addition to delivering their business pitches, they had a great time networking with peers from other schools and building lasting connections.

Please join us in congratulating:

Brady Cobb

Isaac Diallo

Jumana Abd El-Hamid

Amera Amalou

Reem Akkad

We are incredibly proud of the way they represented our school.

Winter Track is proud to recognize several athletes competing on the national stage. Kayla Romanoski participated in the New Balance Nationals, Devyn Hightower competed in the Nike Indoor Nationals, and Lane McClintock, Vincent Busbee, and Grayden Tagye will compete in the Adidas Indoor Nationals this weekend.

Congratulations as well to our wrestlers who competed in the NJSIAA State Individual Wrestling Championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Charles Schriver IV, John-Anthony Fenuto, and Ryan McConaghy all represented WD with pride and competed hard.

Our spring sports seasons is officially underway and it is always an exciting time of year as the energy around our fields, courts, and campus starts to pick up again. Our student-athletes feel that support every day, and it continues to make a difference.

Thank you, as always, for your continued commitment to West Deptford Athletics.

Come join the National Art Honor Society to glaze your very own ceramic “under the sea” mug! Add your creative touch and take home a one-of-a-kind keepsake.

📅 When: Thursday, April 30th, 5–7 PM

📍 Where: Art Room

💲 Cost: $20 per ticket

Don’t miss out on this fun, seasonal activity—spots are limited!

Scan the QR code or here is the link: https://forms.gle/AsYDAzdw317qqMSJ7

The SOCK DRIVE organized by Patrice Chambers with participation from the West Deptford School District was a tremendous success! The High School rallied together, collecting over 500 pairs of socks, thanks to the participation of both staff and students. A BIG SHOUT OUT to the Middle School as they truly outdid themselves, amassing an impressive total of over 1741 pairs!

Oakview Elementary school collected 238 pairs of socks.

Your efforts are making a significant difference — many less fortunate individuals will have warm, dry feet because of our collective efforts. Thank you all for your generosity and support

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.***

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.

Today, some of our WDMS 7th-grade students got to come over to visit WDHS to gain perspective into what their future holds when they walk these halls in two years' time.

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: jmorrell@wdeptford.k12.nj.us

Principal: Mr. Jason Morrell

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