🐾WHS ROAR REPORT🐾

The Seal of Biliteracy testing will take place on April 7 at 8:10 AM in the Media Center.

If you would like to try again—or take the test for the first time—this is a great opportunity to earn a valuable certification on your diploma that recognizes your language skills.

If you are interested in testing, please email Ms. Powers to sign up. I’m excited to see how many of our Panthers take advantage of this opportunity!

Today we welcomed our incoming 8th graders to Watervliet High School, and a group of our own students helped lead the way.

A big thank you to Abby Klopp, Marqus Liberto Taylor, Owen Williams, Cadence Phillips, Gianna Berry, and Alex Zuniga for stepping up and doing such a great job.

They talked with our 8th graders about what high school is really like and helped make them feel comfortable and excited about what’s ahead. They were positive, genuine, and did an awesome job representing WHS.

We’re really proud of these students and grateful for the example they set. They made a big impact on our future Panthers today.

Our Watervliet High School Robotics Team is gearing up for an exciting competition season, and we are proud to recognize the students representing WHS!

The team will be competing at the following events:

• March 20–22 at Berrien Springs High School (after school on Friday through Sunday)

• March 27–29 at Battle Creek Central High School

These competitions provide students with the opportunity to apply their skills in engineering, problem-solving, teamwork, and innovation in a highly competitive and collaborative environment.

We are proud of the dedication and hard work these students have put in to prepare for competition:

Izzy Grigereit
Sam Milham
Brady Pullins
Ben Ruland
Shelby Schlipp
Paige Shafer
Sofie Shafer
Liz Torres
Isaiah Wendt
Lucas Wilder

We wish our Robotics Team the best of luck as they represent Watervliet High School. Your Panther family is cheering you on! 🐾

Watervliet High School is proud to recognize a group of outstanding students who have earned the Seal of Biliteracy—a prestigious honor that highlights proficiency in two or more languages.

This achievement will be formally noted on each student’s diploma, signifying their ability to communicate effectively across cultures and languages—an increasingly valuable skill in today’s global society.

In celebration of their hard work and dedication, these students will also receive a special stole to wear at graduation and will be recognized during the ceremony for this remarkable accomplishment.

Each recipient successfully passed the biliteracy assessment, either this year or last year, demonstrating not only strong academic ability but also perseverance, commitment, and a willingness to challenge themselves.

We are incredibly proud of these students for setting themselves apart and representing the very best of Watervliet High School. Their achievement reflects both their individual determination and the strength of our language programs.

Congratulations to our Seal of Biliteracy recipients—we celebrate you and your success! 🎓🌎🐾

Karla Cervantes

Sukhpreet Singh

Brisa Ortega

Julian Cardoso

Larry Perez Cruz

The Advanced Art classes have been hard at work on an exciting new project for our school hallways. Back in November, we held a mural design competition, and students selected the winning design through a vote. Now, the painting process is underway. In addition, students are also recreating WHS school mottos from the past fourteen years.

If you ran XC in the fall or are currently running track, have a 3.5 GPA, and are going to college next fall, you qualify for the SJBH Scholarship. Please see the information found at the link below. If you plan on applying please let Mr. Guillean know!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jzTZr0qZrtuxniq1GzlPkLj025V4eGDM

The Wood Family Summer Arts Scholarship will provide financial support for students to experience summer camps, intensives or programs that explore an artistic discipline. Two scholarships of up to $1,500 each are available.

Artistic disciplines that would be considered include but are not limited to:

• Instrumental and vocal music;
• Dance;
• Visual arts such as painting, sculpting and photography;
• Theater arts such as acting, directing and costume design.

Eligible applicants:

• Any Berrien County student entering 9th-12th grade in Fall 2026.

Applications due April 30, 2026.

To learn more or to apply for the Wood Family Summer Arts Scholarship go here: https://www.berriencommunity.org/WoodFamilyArtsScholarship

Thank you!

Susie

Susan Matheny

Program Director

We would like to extend a sincere thank you to senior Riley Smith and Ana Maack from the Van Buren Tech Center for their outstanding presentation to our students and families on Tuesday evening.

Riley and Ana did a fantastic job sharing their experiences and highlighting the many opportunities available through the Tech Center. From hands-on learning to career-focused pathways, their presentation gave great insight into how students can explore interests and prepare for future careers while still in high school.

We are so proud of the leadership they demonstrated and the way they represented both the Tech Center and our school community.

If you were unable to attend, please take a moment to review the slides shared from the presentation to learn more about the programs offered.

Students who are interested in visiting the Tech Center or signing up to attend as juniors or seniors next year should email or see Mrs. Dawson as soon as possible to get started.

Thank you again to Riley and Ana for making such a positive impact!

At Watervliet High School, the safety of our students, staff, and families is always our top priority. Recently, we have received several reports of students not driving safely in the student parking lot.

We want to take a moment to remind all families and student drivers of our expectations. The parking lot is a shared space with both vehicles and pedestrians, and it is essential that all students drive with caution and care.

Students who are reported by a parent or staff member for:

• Driving too fast

• Driving recklessly

• Driving through the grass

will lose their privilege to park on school property.

We ask that you please take a few moments to talk with your student about the importance of safe driving while on campus. Driving responsibly helps ensure that everyone arrives and leaves school safely each day.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our school community safe.

1. Student Concerns

• A student shared a concern regarding the technology driver changing every 3 days

• Action: Christina Powers will follow up to gather more information

2. Teacher of the Month Program

• Reviewed current Teacher of the Month plan

• Updates:

  • New nominations will be sent out the week after Spring Break

  • SAC will present the winner during the second week of each month

  • The top vote-getter will win (no repeat winners this year)

  • Students only will vote (no staff voting)

  • SAC members will participate in the presentation ceremony each time in the teacher's class.

• Recognition:

  • Ms. Irmen was the first recipient

  • A ceramic panther will be passed to each new winner

  • Announced during school announcements and included in the parent newsletter

3. Superintendent Candidate Visits

• SAC will host and tour the final two candidates

• Dates: Monday & Tuesday

• Time: 1:00–1:25 PM

• Plan:

  • Provide a building tour

  • Meet in the media center for Q&A

  • A subgroup of SAC students will lead this process

• Questions for candidates:

  1. Why do you want to be the Superintendent of Watervliet Public Schools?

  2. What qualifications or experiences make you the best candidate?

  3. What is your vision and goals for the district?

4. 8th Grade Presentations

• Ms. Powers will visit all 8th grade classes tomorrow

• SAC students assisting:

Period 2. Alex, Marquis

5. Student-Led Events

• SAC supports a student-led themed week:

  • Last week of April: Mental Health Awareness Week

  • CPowers will reach out to students to see who is interested in hosting and facilitating this week.

  • May: Student-led Cancer Awareness/Support initiative

6. School Communication Feedback

• Concern raised:

  • Students are not hearing announcements due to talking during 2nd hour

  • Students are not reading announcements

• Suggestion:

  • Create visual signage around the building for dress-up days and events

• Action: Ms. Powers will increase visibility of announcements and event promotion

7. Additional Notes

• SAC group photo was taken for the yearbook

• Next meeting scheduled for two weeks from today

Last week, six WHS art students learned that their artwork has been accepted into the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts High School Show. This prestigious juried competition receives hundreds of entries from across Southwest Michigan.

Congratulations to:

Jaylee Havenaar

Vivienne Sexton

Leila Wells

Their artwork will soon be delivered to the gallery for display and will be considered for final juror awards.

Awards will be announced during the opening reception at the KIA on April 10 at 5:30 PM.

👏 Way to represent, Panthers!

Watervliet High School is proud to recognize Mrs. Irmen as our first Teacher of the Month, as selected by the WHS student body through a Student Advisory Council survey.

Although she has only been teaching at WHS for two years, Mrs. Irmen has already made a tremendous impact on her students. Students describe her classroom as welcoming, supportive, and engaging, where science becomes exciting and students feel comfortable asking questions and being themselves.

Many students shared that they look forward to her class because of the positive environment, humor, and kindness she brings each day. Beyond teaching science, Mrs. Irmen helps students build confidence, feel valued, and believe in themselves.

Across every nomination, the same themes appeared: kindness, support, and a genuine commitment to students.

Congratulations to Ms. Irmen, and thank you for the difference you make in the lives of our Panthers every day. 🐾

Hi Students,

As the weather starts to warm up, this is a reminder that our school dress code remains the same. Just because it is spring does not mean the expectations change.

Please remember:

• No crop tops – we should not be able to see your stomach or belly button.

• No short shorts.

• No shirts worn off the shoulder.

Now that we are moving into the spring months, there will no longer be free warnings for dress code violations. If a student is out of dress code, they will be expected to change immediately or contact home for appropriate clothing and they will earn a detention.

We want everyone to be comfortable as the weather gets nicer, but we also need to make sure we are following the school expectations.

Thank you for helping keep our school a respectful learning environment.

Please complete the form below. If you do not complete the form, a spot will not be reserved for you. If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Dawson. https://forms.gle/qxRCgVfais3R8Ne27

Registration is now open for 26-27 classes at Lake Michigan College! If you are interested, please see Mrs. Tyler to grab registration forms and look at class options.

See some current WPS students and alumni in this musical phenomenon based on Daniel Wallace's novel and Tim Burton's acclaimed film has enchanted audiences worldwide with the tall tales and deep truths of Edward Bloom's remarkable life.

Giants. Witches. A love story for the ages. And at the center of it all, a son's quest to know his father before it's too late.

Get tickets for this limited engagement today!
LMC students get free admission, 18 and under $5
https://www.themendelcenter.com/events/detail.html?calendarid=253

This AI tutor is for high school students to have easy access to SAT-like practice problems as they prepare for the test. All that students have to do is click on the link to the Google Gemini gem and ask it for either an ELA or math question. Students can drill down to concepts that they are struggling with, as well, asking the AI for questions on vocabulary or even trigonometry. The program will also assist students to understand their mistakes if they make them.

https://gemini.google.com/gem/6f855164b4a5?ts=69a0a726

Please thank Mr. Dimino for creating this for you !!

See scholarships below.

📚 After-School Homework Help – Tuesday–Thursday

We encourage all students to take advantage of our after-school homework help program, which is available every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday until 4:15 PM.

This support time provides students with a quiet, structured environment to complete homework, study, and receive extra help when needed — all with no interruptions. The location is announced daily during morning announcements, so students know exactly where to report.

We strongly recommend helping your child build this into their routine early in the semester. Developing the habit of staying after school for focused work time can make a big difference in organization, stress levels, and academic success.

If your child needs a calm place to work, extra academic support, or simply time to stay caught up, after-school homework help is a great option!

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.

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