PARENT EAGLE NEWS

Prom is on Friday, May 8 at the Collingswood Ballroom. Doors open at 5:30 PM, and prom will end at 9:30 PM. Tickets will be on sale starting MONDAY, 4/13 until WEDNESDAY, 4/22. Tickets will be sold in the Athletic Office during lunch periods. Tickets are $100. Before purchasing a ticket, students must fill out the prom permission form.

https://forms.gle/bfHJNqmE4HjpDkdy9

If your student is bringing an out-of-district student to attend prom, they must get the "Out of District Student" permission form completed by their school administrator. All of out district students attending prom must meet with one of the administrators before their ticket is purchased.

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!"

Excused absences for "Take Your Child to Work Day" must include documentation from the employer.

Students in Video Tech have been learning different elements and concepts within the video production industry, which range from: phases of production (planning, filming, editing) to learning about the radio/TV industry, how to become a Foley sound artist, to competing in video tech film challenges among other schools in New Jersey.

Some video projects that video tech students completed are being reflected on the movie posters, which consist of TV sitcom creation, WDHS video tour, and producing a radio podcast.

On Friday, March 27, the WDHS SeaGlide team captured 2nd Place Overall in the competition held at Philadelphia’s Kroc Center. Our Team also earned 1st Place in the Bug Hunt, 2nd Place in the White Paper, 2nd Place in Circuitry and Coding, and 2nd Place in the Vehicle Performance. The competition included 10 Philadelphia-area schools. It consists of multiple components, including a research paper and a 30-minute virtual meeting with two NAVSEA engineers, during which the team presents a commercial and a slide presentation and answers questions about their design.

SeaGlide is part of the 2026 Greater Philadelphia SeaPerch & SeaGlide Challenge sponsored by NAVSEA, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Temple University College of Science and Technology, and Robonation.

Special Thanks to Aimee Boucher, RiverWinds Aquatics Supervisor and Cristin Veit, who arranged a lane for testing; Tim Brunetta, Director of Facilities, West Deptford School District; and Angel Colon, WD Maintenance, who both supplied a 2-meter PVC hydrostatic test stand for calibrating a pressure sensor.

The team plans on returning to compete in 2027. We are always looking for new students to carry on the SeaGlide competition tradition. The best way to do this is to reach out to a team member and also to enroll in the West Deptford High School Exploring Engineering 1 course.

During March and April, students in Mrs.Castone’s Honors and AP Classes participated in March Mammal Madness, an event created by Dr. Katie Hinde of Arizona State University.

Students would fill our brackets and would follow simulated battles of organisms, hoping that their champion would be the one to win.

Our top scorers were Bruce Clark Jr. and Blair Weber, each earning Wawa gift cards. Samantha Keller was a top scorer in her class and Caylee Randolph (not pictured) also picked the correct champion - a Humpback Whale and her calf.

Thank you to all who participated!

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

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

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.***

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