The Whetstone Weekly

Para leer en español: haga clic o seleccione "Translate" en la parte superior de la pantalla.

Upcoming Dates

• Mock Trial* - Friday, 2/6 - Franklin County Courthouse
• Cornerstone Deli/Whetstone PTA Fundraiser* - Wednesday, 2/11
• Mile a Quarter, Special Ed Basketball game: Whetstone vs. Centennial - Thursday, 2/12
• No School - Monday-Tuesday, 2/16-17
• PTA Meeting* - Wednesday, 2/18, 6:30
• Spring Sports Parent Meeting - Thursday, 2/19 @ 6:30
• History Day Showcase - Friday, 2/27
• SAT for Juniors - Monday - Friday, 3/2-6
• PSAT for Freshmen - Monday - Friday, 3/9-13
• Q4 Start - Monday, 3/16

*See below for more info

Whetstone PTA Calendar

https://www.whetstonepta.org/home/calendar

CCS District Calendars

https://www.ccsoh.us/calendars.aspx

The Buckeye Brawl Invitational hosts high schools from across Ohio at a competitive tournament before the OCLRE District Competition. Congrats to advisor Mr. Ford and selected WHS students that competed on Sunday, January 18! Get more info at https://www.ohiostatemocktrial.com/sgtournament-1-1-1 and watch for future mock trial events!

There have been plenty of changes to February schedules so be sure to connect with your coaches on specific practice and game changes!

Some key date changes due to the weather:

• 2/4 Varsity Boys Wrestling @ Centennial, 6pm,– MOVED to 2/11
• 1/30 V Girls vs Northland, 6pm – MOVED to the 2/9, SENIOR NIGHT
• 2/4 V Girls Basketball vs Madison Plains – RESCHEDULED TO 2/10
• 1/30 V Boys @ Northland – MOVED TO 2/9
• Swim City Championship was moved to this Saturday at 2pm.
• Girls City League Basketball Championship has been moved to 2/14
• Boys City League Basketball Championship has been moved to 2/21
• Wrestling City Championship is still on 2/21 @ Briggs.
• Bowling City Championship is still on 2/10 as of right now.

Friday:

• JVB/JV/V Boys Basketball vs East, 4pm/5:30pm/7pm -SENIOR NIGHT

Saturday:

• Swim/Dive City Championship, 2pm
• Boys Wrestling Meet (6 teams)- HOME , 9am

Head Baseball Coach Tim Broskie was inducted into the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame! Coach Roberts gave a beautiful introduction speech followed by Coach Broskie addressing the room and sharing thanks. He was then presented with a plaque and a hall of fame ring. This accomplishment is rare, difficult to achieve, and very respected. Coach Broskie has officially solidified his place in the history of baseball in Ohio.

Some of our volunteers will no longer have students at Whetstone next year, so we need your help to continue to make our great Athletic Boosters programs possible. We are looking for people to fill the following roles:

Chair, Senior Awards Committee - This person will lead the program that awards scholarships to graduating athletes. Duties are primarily confined to a few months in the Spring.

• Recruit a committee to score applications using a rubric
• Update the application and deadlines, promote the opportunity, monitor submissions
• Compile applications and remove the candidate names for the committee's review
• Compile committee scores; prepare for honoree announcement in May

Chair, Concessions - This person will ensure the concession stand is stocked and staffed for sales at home football games and basketball games. There is also occasional work for special events in the Spring. Concession sales are our largest revenue generator, so it is imperative that we fill this role to be able to continue to support our athletics programs.

• Monitor inventory and purchase items needed for concession sales
• Create/update Signup Genius for volunteers to staff concession stand
• Coordinate opening/closing of stand and train volunteers in their duties (Athletic Boosters officers help with this, as well)

Chair, Senior Banners - This person will coordinate team photos and the production of banners for our senior athletes. Duties are performed for all sports seasons but only require a few days of work per season.

• Coordinate with Athletic Director and photographer to capture senior and team photos
• Verify seniors' preferred names and spellings for banner production
• Assist with setup, props, and directing student athletes on picture days
• Organize digital photo files from photographer and send to banner vendor
• Proof banners, pickup from local vendor, deliver to school

You are welcome to share/split the duties of any of these roles with a friend or partner. Interested or have questions? Please join us at our next meeting. Can't make the meeting? No problem! Please reach out to Athletic Boosters president, Jill Langhals, at 419-348-3709.

Thank you for your support!

The Athletic Boosters Board

Show your Whetstone pride and support your Whetstone athlete! There are many options and sites to support WHS Sports and Cheer.

Visit the Athletic Booster Spirit Wear store at https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/OH/Columbus/Whetstone%20High%20School to browse and buy hoodies, t-shirts, hats, blankets, drinkware, and more. Personalization is available on select items. There are Parent/Family, Alumni, and Teacher/Staff logos, too. And most importantly, all proceeds benefit our kids!

Interested in Whetstone Bowling Spirit Wear? Get some at https://whetstone-bowling.square.site

Get your Softball-specific sportswear at https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/stores/whetstone-softball#/lockers/whetstone-softball

See past and upcoming matches for all WHS sports at WHS Athletic Schedule and buy your tickets at WHS Athletic Tickets.

WHS Boys and Girls Bowling Info, Schedule, and more can be found at https://www.cohsbc.com/index.aspx

The WHS Athletic Boosters provide team support - paying for various expenses that coaches and teams need to be successful during a season and annual monetary awards for graduating student athletes that have demonstrated excellence in academics. Visit whetstoneathleticboosters.com for more info.

Join us next Thursday February 12th for a special Dinner Theatre experience at Whetstone, in partnership with Whetstone Academy of Performing Arts (WAPA) and Senior Council!

Enjoy a delicious Olive Garden buffet while watching live theatre featuring
Check Please & Check Please: Take Two
by Jonathan Rand — a hilarious evening of dating disasters you won’t want to miss!

Doors Open: 6:15 PM
Buffet Opens: 6:30 PM
Show Begins: 7:00 PM

Tickets: $35 per person
All proceeds benefit WAPA and Senior Council
Tickets available at: WAPA.net

Come hungry, bring a friend, and get ready for a night of laughs, food, and fantastic performances!

• Friday & Saturday, March 20 & 21, 2026
• Friday & Saturday, March 27 & 28, 2026
• 7:00 PM 9:00 PM
• WAPA Performing Arts Center

Plunge into this stunning all-singing, all-dancing, dynamic stage show! When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world. With lives hanging in the balance and all hope lost, a most unexpected hero rises up. The power of optimism really can save the world!

The SpongeBob Musical is based on the beloved animated series created by Stephen Hillenburg and features a book by Kyle Jarrow, with original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I., and songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny and Andy Paley. Additional lyrics are by Jonathan Coulton, with additional music by Tom Kitt. The musical production was conceived by Tina Landau.

An exciting new musical featuring irresistible characters and magical music, this deep-sea pearl of a show is set to make a splash with audiences young and old. The future is bright, the future is bold, the future is The SpongeBob Musical.

Tickets on Sale Late February

Currently there are groups for Whetstone Band, She Kills Monsters, Jazz Ensemble, Whetstone Vocal Music, Whetstone String Orchestra and WAPA Volunteers. Your student *should* already be a member and can send you an invitation to join via the app. If not, reach out to the directors or you can email wapaboosters@gmail.com and we will do whatever we can to help get you connected.

Get the Band App at https://www.band.us/en

WAPA IS...A place to experience inspiring music and theater. A place for students to grow. A place for instructors to shine. A place for our community to come together. WAPA is here to inspire.

WHETSTONE. ACADEMY. of PERFORMING. ARTS.

For more info, visit wapa.net.

New year, new gear! Get some WHS merch! We have hoodies, mugs, t-shirts and even stadium seat cushions for those exciting basketball games!

https://whetstonepta.givebacks.com/shop?category=35618

Interested in getting involved? Our PTA holds open meetings each month:

• PTA Academic Committee - 1st Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the school library
• Come to learn and help grow and recognize the academic elements at WHS.
• PTA - 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the school library
• Join to hear what’s going, get updates from Principal Rodriguez, and learn how you can contribute to our wonderful school community.

All are welcome but in order to be a voting member, you need to pay $10 for a membership. Click here for membership options.

If you're not already participating, take three minutes and enroll your Kroger Plus card with their Community Rewards program to benefit Whetstone PTA. Visit whetstonepta.org/home/kroger-community-rewards-for-whs-pta for more info.

The Whetstone Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is a community of parent volunteers, working to provide scholarships for students, grants for teachers, connect school leadership with parents, and enrich the high school experience for ALL the students at Whetstone High School. See below for selected PTA-related information, and visit whetstonepta.org to join and get even more!

New this year: We’ve started a group on the Band app to better facilitate communication. Join us here!

Ms. Ottey, Mr. Harris, and WHS students in the Black Student Union attended the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. dinner in January.

See below or click here to purchase Cap & Gown Senior Photos. Make-up date is March 5, 2026, 12-3pm.

Please see Ms. Ottey for assistance.

When: Saturday, May 9, 2026, 7-10

Where: Hilton Columbus at Easton (3900 Chagrin Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43219)

Class of 2026 Requirements to attend Prom:

• Have ALL 120 Internship hours completed AND entered in School Links.
• Have passed all of your courses for 1st semester AND 3rd grading period.
• Have100% of your required VCAP/EDMENTUM courses completed by May 1, 2026.
• NO suspensions, this is including ISS and OSS from October 1 - May 6, 2026

Class of 2027 Requirements to attend Prom:

• Have a minimum of 90 Internship hours completed AND entered in School Links.
• Have passed all of your courses for 1st semester AND 3rd grading period.
• Have 100% of your required VCAP/EDMENTUM courses completed by May 1, 2026.
• NO suspensions, this is including ISS and OSS from October 1 - May 6, 2026

Questions can be sent to Ms. Ottey, Mr. Eagle, Mr. Haffele or your student's counselor.

Graduation will take place on Saturday, May 30 at 12:00 PM in the Battelle Grand Ballroom at the Columbus Convention Center.

More info to come...

💙 Monday 2/9– Navy, White & Pink Day - Whetstone Love

• Wear navy, white, pink—or any combination
  

• Whetstone gear encouraged

💌 Tuesday 2/10– Candy Hearts & Kind Messages Day-Words Matter

• Wear shirts with kind messages, positive affirmations or fun and cheesy valentines sayings

💗 Wednesday 2/11– We Wear Pink

• Wear pink (any shade!)

🤝 Thursday 2/12– Dynamic Duos & Friendship Crew Day-Better Together

• Matching outfits, themes, or coordinated colors

🧸 Friday 2/13 – Cozy Wear / PJ Heart Day

• School-appropriate PJs only

The WHS Custodians worked hard to make sure the building was ready for all staff and students to have a safe return to school. Please take time to thank them for their work clearing sidewalks, not once but twice!

Brave The Future 2026 is a wrap!

Roughly 200 attendees started the evening with a warm welcome from new principal Kimberly Rodriguez, informational remarks from our parent organizations, and insightful answers from a student panel. Parents and students learned about the many opportunities WHS has to offer by visiting academic, athletic, extracurricular, and post-education information centers and taking student-led mini-tours. And everyone enjoyed the WHS music and cookies! Hopefully this event gave prospective families the information they need to make an educated decision about their students future academic careers.

Many tanks to the many parent, faculty, and student volunteers that helped make this event a huge success!

Visit https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Mw3nHRqnxDKXauNT9PDPnu2me7GcyZqN?usp=sharing for a few, fun photos!

Candy grams will go on sale starting 2/9. The senior cabinet is requesting that seniors sign up to sell during lunch! Students can sign-up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0544AEAA28A0FFC25-62161683-candy#/

This fundraiser benefits seniors by reducing the cost of prom! Sign-up today!

Columbus City Schools has partnered with School Smiles on-site dental care to visit Whetstone on 3/27/26. Services include cleaning, fluoride treatment, x-rays, sealants, silver diamine fluoride (SFD), fillings, crowns and extractions. This program is available to ALL students. They accept Medicaid, private insurance, offer self-pay rates and grants through their foundation for uninsured students. Registration is now open online at https://schoolsmiles.com/student-signup/ or by scanning the QR code below. Please reach out to Nurse Nancy at 614-365-6060 if you have any questions or need a paper copy to complete.

Get ready for some Sweet & Savory Treats at the annual Dominion MS PTSO Chili & Dessert Cookoff!

This fun event is February 26, 6-8PM at Dominion Middle School cafeteria and includes live music by DMS students and a raffle featuring products & services from local businesses. See the flyer for more info!

Does your student need extra hours? Consider volunteering by contacting Allison Haedt at allison.haedt@gmail.com

Ready to make this summer the best one yet?

The CCS 10th Annual Summer Opportunities & Engagement Fair is on Feb 21, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at CML Main Branch. Explore summer’s best camps, creative arts, academic experiences and more. Register today at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclSN4J9MrGhh0vx4G-VEIwh5UvBhAJumemomg7sex51HDBRQ/viewform

CCS is excited to officially launch our Attendance Matters Month campaign across Columbus City Schools!

This midyear season is an important time to reinforce routines and remind students that attendance is connected to belonging, relationships, and confidence. When students show up consistently, they stay connected to learning and the people who support them.

Our Restart–Refocus–Rise Challenge ended Friday, Dec. 9. Our schools will be acknowledged Jan. 20-24, we now shift into our next phase…

🌟 February 2026 — Attendance Matters Month: “Show the Love — Every Day Counts!”

Dates: January 12 – February 13

Key Message: “Show yourself some love — show up every day! When you’re here, we’re better together.”

For sample activities, family connections and more, please click here.

Each month, schools may provide activities, themes, and recognition to support daily attendance.

🏆 Winners Announced: February 23–26

Thank you for helping your child show love through showing up. Every day counts!

CCS is actively engaging our community in developing a Portrait of Family Partnership. Its purpose is to create a shared understanding among families, educators, and community partners about what strong family partnership looks like in practice in Columbus City Schools. The Portrait Design Team will meet three times to design the Portrait of Family Partnership, and each meeting builds upon the other.

Time: 5:00pm-5:30pm Dinner, 5:30pm-7:30pm Portrait Design Team Meeting

Dates:

• Meeting 1: January 28, 2026
• Meeting 2: February 24, 2026
• Meeting 3: March 25, 2026

A formal invite with location information will be emailed prior to the first meeting.

Visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSckE48ek0aV39O95bnUvb5vCfyxNeax8_z9m1gtG-v6aPYMKg/viewform to learn more and participate!

For many, the Whetstone Website at https://www.ccsoh.us/whetstonehs is the first place to look for timely and relevant WHS-related information. In early 2026, CCS District will soon be updating all school websites. Watch for a new look, feel, and even better information coming soon! Until then, thanks for your patience...

The Ohio State University Student Life Disability Services is proud to announce two webinars for high school students preparing for college. These sessions will explain the key differences between high school and collegiate services and how to register for accommodations. The webinars are open to any students who plan to attend college.

Our upcoming sessions, “Next Stop: College! Navigating Disability Supports After High School,” will guide students through the changes to expect after high school graduation. Students will learn:

• How to choose a campus that fits their needs
• How disability is broadly defined
• The steps to register for accommodations (including key resources and documentation tips)
• The importance and value of self-advocacy in college
  

This is a great opportunity for students to learn how they can transition successfully to college with confidence and clarity!

Register Below!

February 19 @12noon

Overview ⋮ Next Stop: College! Navigating Disability Supports After High School ⋮ Blackthorn Events

April 16 @6pm

Overview ⋮ Next Stop: College! Navigating Disability Supports After High School ⋮ : Blackthorn Even…

​​​​​

Questions? Email us at slds@osu.edu.

Students who will be in 7th through 12th grades for the 2026-2027 school year are eligible to apply for College Credit Plus (CCP). Admission into the program is determined by the college/university for which the student takes CCP courses.

College Credit Plus (CCP) Information for the 2026-2027 school year NOW AVAILABLE!

• Want to take a college course or college courses next school year?

• Want to learn more about taking college courses for FREE?

• Want to take college courses that are connected to Careers?

If you answered yes, then register to attend ONE Information session listed on the flyer. Get more info at https://www.ccsoh.us/academics/college-credit-plus/informational-meetings-letter-of-intent

Stay engaged in your child's education! The Parent Portal (through Infinite Campus) is your link to real-time information on your Columbus City Schools student(s), including class schedules, assignments, grades, attendance, and more.

To access the Parent Portal, visit: https://columbusoh.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/columbusCity.jsp

For information on how to access and use the Parent Portal, visit: https://www.ccsoh.us/parentportal.aspx

or

https://secure.smore.com/n/3jk0e-ccs-infinite-campus-parent-portal

Parent Portal App info is available at: https://secure.smore.com/3jk0e

The Pathway Express program is back for another year with three unique destinations for students and families to explore!

Pathway Express demonstrates how learning extends beyond the classroom walls. These transformative experiences shape and empower our students for success, as they align with our goals of increasing math and reading proficiency and help close opportunity gaps. Create lasting memories with engaging hands-on learning experiences at each of our Pathway Express stops!

The next Pathway Express is at Indian Village Outdoor Education Center in April. These learning opportunities will lead us through the 2025-2026 school year, right up to our 2026 Summer Experience. See event details below.

April 25

• Saturday, April 25, 2026

• Location: Indian Village Outdoor Education Center (3232 Indian Village Road)

• Time: 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

To learn more visit the Pathway Express page at https://www.ccsoh.us/pathwayexpress

Want even more WHS info? Visit these WHS-related groups and pages online.

• Whetstone HS (Instagram) - instagram.com/whetstonehigh/
  
• Whetstone HS PTA (Instagram) - instagram.com/whetstone_pta/
• Whetstone HS PTA (Facebook) - facebook.com/whetstonehighpta/
• Whetstone HS PTA Family Group (Facebook) - facebook.com/groups/472994289728615
• Whetstone HS Athletic Boosters (Facebook) - facebook.com/WHSAthleticBoosters
  
• Whetstone AD (Instagram) - instagram.com/whetstone_athleticdirector/
• Whetstone Football Program (Instagram) - instagram.com/whetstonehsfootball/
• Whetstone HS Cheer (Instagram) - instagram.com/whsbraves.cheer/
• WHS Baseball (Facebook) - facebook.com/Whetstone-Braves-Baseball-199500710084504
  
• WHS Baseball (Twitter) - twitter.com/WhetstoneBraves
• Whetstone HS boys soccer (Instagram) - instagram.com/whetstoneboyssoccerofficial/
  
• Whetstone HS girls soccer (Instagram) - instagram.com/whetstonegsoccer/
  
• Whetstone Baseball (Instagram) - instagram.com/whetstonebaseball1
  
• WAPA (Instagram) - instagram.com/whetstoneapa/
• WAPA (Facebook) - facebook.com/WhetstoneAPA/
• WAPA Boosters (Facebook) - facebook.com/groups/127079587751458
• Columbus City Schools (website) - ccsoh.us/district
• Columbus City Schools (Facebook) - facebook.com/ColumbusCitySchools

Location: 4405 Scenic Dr, Columbus, OH 43214

Website: ccsoh.us/WhetstoneHS

Email: whetstonehs@columbus.k12.oh.us

Hours: 7:30AM - 2:30PM

Phone: (614) 365-6060

Principal, Kimberly Rodriguez: krodriguez@columbus.k12.oh.us

Assistant Administrator (11th & 12th), Tara Ottey: tottey@columbus.k12.oh.us

Assistant Administrator (10th), Daniel McElroy: dmcelroyjr4864@columbus.k12.oh.us

Assistant Administrator (9th), Sarah Jaffy: sjaffy6286@columbus.k12.oh.us

Leadership Intern, Sibyl Barber: sbarber@columbus.k12.oh.us

Administrative Secretary, Martina Jakob: ejakob@columbus.k12.oh.us

Attendance Secretary, Lisa Hord: lhord4655@columbus.k12.oh.us

Thanks for reading! If you missed a past issue, visit the Whetstone Weekly Archive.

For much more info, visit the WHS PTA - Family Ambassador Page. And, as always, if you have suggestions or content for inclusion - or any other questions, comments, or concerns - please feel free to contact me. I'm here to help!

Damian Synadinos

WHS Family Ambassador

dsynadinos@columbus.k12.oh.us