Warrior Bulletin

October 23, 2026: Senior Celebration Fall Event

October 27, 2026: Assessment Day

Grade 12 (ACT or Senior Seminar)
Grade 11 (ACT Testing)
Grade 10 (Pre-ACT Testing)
Grade 9 (No School)

November 1, 2026: Daylight Saving Time Ends (Fall Back 1 Hour)

November 2, 2026: Board of Education Meeting

November 3, 2026: Election Day

November 11, 2026: Veteran's Day

November 25-27, 2026: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)

December 7, 2026: Board of Education Meeting

December 17, 2026: 1st Semester Final Exam Day #1

December 18, 2026: 1st Semester Final Exam Day #2

December 18, 2026: Last day of 1st Semester

December 21, 2026 - January 4, 2027: Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)

OCTOBER SCHOOL LUNCH MENU

Oct 23: Corner: Fajitas | Diner: Chx w/ Waffle
Oct 26: Corner: Totchos | Diner: Crispy Chx Sandwich
Oct 27: Corner: Meatball Subs | Diner: Crispitos
Oct 28: Corner: Walking Tacos | Diner: Walking Tacos
Oct 29: Corner: Pizza Hut | Diner: Caesar Chx Wrap
Oct 30: Corner: Beef & Broccoli | Diner: Spicy Chx Sandwich

1ST QUARTER ATTENDANCE HONOR ROLL

Congratulations to our Westside students who made the 1st Quarter Attendance Honor Roll! These students had a 95% attendance rate to all classes including SHIELD Time.

HELP SUPPORT WESTSIDE FAMILIES

We are entering a time of year when our generous community often reaches out to ask how families, community groups, and student clubs can support Westside Community Schools’ students. We’re excited to share a few ways you can support Westside families.

On September 18th, we proudly opened The Carriage House at WHS. This second resource center was designed with WMS & WHS students in mind, allowing them to access a grab-and-go food pantry and clothing closet by appointment with a school social worker. Our Family Resource Center at Westgate Elementary School is continuing operations and is available to serve Westside Families.

How You Can Help

We serve families and students from kindergarten through 12th grade, so we welcome new or gently used clothing in all sizes, shelf-stable food, and basic hygiene items. Click here for a full list of items needed and donation information.

Items that are critically low right now include:

Shampoo & conditioner
Cleaning supplies
Body wash & body lotion
Laundry detergent
Toothpaste & toothbrushes
Deodorant
Hair styling products
Spaghetti noodles & pasta sauce
Peanut butter & jelly
Hamburger Helper/Tuna Helper
Canned meats (tuna, chicken, etc.)
Breakfast foods (cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix)
New underwear, socks, bras

Where To Bring Your Donations

All donations for either facility can be dropped off at the Family Resource Center at Westgate Elementary, using its separate entrance on the northeast corner of the building.

Location: 7802 Hascall Street, Omaha, NE
Drop off time: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (school days)

Our school social workers and dedicated volunteers sort donations once items arrive and distribute them to each location appropriately. This team of individuals ensures all donated items are cared for and find a home.

If you, or someone you know, would like to learn more about the Family Resource Center please reach out to a school social worker.

Thank you for caring for our families and helping make Westside a community where everyone belongs. Every donation is a meaningful way to support our students and the families who care for them.

DAILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Daily Announcements are found on the PowerSchool Student/Parent Portal. The announcements are updated on a daily basis and will be an excellent place to keep up with all the latest news from Westside High School.

POWERSCHOOL PARENT PORTAL

The parent portal is an online portal accessible anywhere on the web that parents can log in to and see all of their children in one place, their grades, assignments, scores, attendance, schedules, and school bulletins for each school your children attend. If you have one student in middle school and one in high school, parents will see bulletins for both the middle school and high school. You can access the Student and Parent Sign In Portal by clicking this link.

TECHNOLOGY USE AT WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

PURPOSE OF TECHNOLOGY

At Westside Community Schools, technology use will be intentional and educational, ensuring students are active participants in learning. From this guiding principle, we are committed to implementing high-quality tools that are purposefully designed to have a positive impact on student growth. Our approach is intended to put teachers in the driver's seat, support families with transparent information, and keep student wellbeing at the center of every decision we make.

WHAT WE DO

Westside Community Schools uses technology to improve learning outcomes, meet state established learning standards across the curriculum and provide experiences that wouldn't otherwise be possible. At Westside High School, students use the iPad across the curriculum to complete creative activities, engage with digital resources, review and practice key concepts, and complete assessments. This can allow more personalization to help meet each individual learner’s academic needs.

WHY WE DO IT

We believe every student deserves an exceptional education and the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. Technology supports this work by adapting to each student's learning level, reinforcing essential skills, and giving teachers real-time insights to personalize support. By combining expert instruction, purposeful technology, and a steadfast belief in every child, we ensure every learner is supported, challenged, and empowered to achieve more than they thought possible.

HOW WE DO IT

Technology use in our district is intentional and educational, ensuring students are active participants in learning rather than passive consumers. Every student in grades 9-12 has an assigned device they can use at teacher discretion. Each student also has access to a Logitech Crayon stylus for handwriting, note taking, drawing, and interactive learning.

We analyze our use of technology on an annual basis. Some adjustments we are making this school year include disabling YouTube Shorts on all K-12 devices. We will begin piloting alternatives to direct YouTube access for audio-visual content at WHS, limiting unrestricted access on school-issued devices. Students will continue to have access to teacher-approved instructional videos through approved platforms, ensuring educational content remains readily available while reducing access to non-instructional content.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

WCS is committed to being a thoughtful steward of your child's screen time during the school day, and we encourage families to carry that same intentionality into the home. With clear expectations, open conversations about media use, and a focus on balance, we can make sure technology serves our children well, inside the classroom and beyond. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated its guidance in January 2026, shifting focus from how long to the quality and context of digital media use.

Check out our Technology Use Guide using this link to learn more.

HEALTH OFFICE NEWSLETTER

Click this link to check out the latest Health Office Newsletter. This will help you stay up to date with what is going on in our School Nurse's Office.

COLLEGE & CAREER COUNSELING

As part of The Westside Foundation's Impacting Excellence campaign, WHS is excited to open the College & Career Readiness Center this fall. With this addition, we are reorganizing our counseling department to provide more individualized support to students as they near graduation.

As part of this reorganization, Dr. Vicki Londer will serve as our College & Career Counselor, supporting students and families as they navigate and plan for life after high school. This work builds on the strong foundation our counseling team has established over many years in helping students pursue a wide range of post-secondary pathways.

FAFSA GRADUATION REQUIREMENT

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now a GRADUATION REQUIREMENT in Nebraska for all seniors (Neb. Rev. Stat. §79-729) and can be completed on the FAFSA website. The purpose of the FAFSA is to inform postsecondary institutions about student eligibility for grants, work-study opportunities, and student loans. In addition, some scholarship providers require information from student FAFSA’s to determine eligibility and award amounts. Financial aid awards based on submitting a completed FAFSA help students pay for educational expenses after high school, reducing barriers to postsecondary education.

Because the FAFSA requires both student and parent participation, the deadline for completing this graduation requirement is Friday, February 26, 2027.

STEPS TO COMPLETE THE FAFSA

Review the attached documents that provide information about the FAFSA.
Create your FSA ID. Student and a "contributor" parent will each need to have an FSA ID. FSA IDs can be created by using this link.
Complete the FAFSA Application by using this link.

OPT OUT OF THE FAFSA GRADUATION REQUIREMENT

The FAFSA GRADUATION REQUIREMENT states that each public high school student must complete and submit to the United States Department of Education a FAFSA prior to graduating from high school unless the form HERE is completed. Completing the opt-out form now does not prevent students from completing the FAFSA later if they choose to do so; it is indicating that at this point in time the parents/guardians authorize the student to decline to participate in the requirement.

INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTS

CLASS OF 2027 SENIOR INFORMATION

The Westside High School website has a page dedicated to senior information that can be found by clicking on this link. Families are encouraged to bookmark this page and return often for updated information.

TEAM/PROGRAM SCHEDULES

Want to see when your Warriors will be in action next? Download the free Bound app to set up a customizable feed that highlights your favorite Westside programs.

WTV LIVE STREAM

Can't make it to the game or fine arts performance? Warrior Television has you covered! Enjoy watching your Warriors from the comfort of your home thanks to our WTV Livestream.

ACTIVITY TICKETS

All students participating in an NSAA sanctioned sport will need to purchase an Activity Ticket. The cost is $70 and students can purchase with cash from the WHS business office or online via the Hudl ticketing platform (Purchase Activity Ticket Here). Students will have the Activity Ticket added to their digital ID and will be given free admission to all Westside home sporting events (excludes Jamborees, Metros, & Districts) during the 2026-27 school year.

EVENT TICKETS & ANNUAL PASSES

You can purchase tickets to events ahead of time via the Hudl ticketing platform (Hudl Tickets). You can also purchase seasonal or yearly Athletic passes via Hudl as well.

Asset 7: Community Values Youth

Listening to diverse opinions can help everyone move ahead

As young people grow older, they quickly sense where they are wanted and where they aren’t. Do the young people around you have opportunities to participate, serve, lead, and make decisions within the community? Do these same young people feel the community supports children and youth? If the answer to these questions is “not always” or “not enough,” it may be time to make some changes. After all, remember how you felt when you were young and the adults around you didn’t listen or give you credit for your opinions? Everyone deserves a voice! Community Values Youth is Asset 7 of Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets, the qualities, experiences, and relationships that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.

Here are the facts

Research shows that young people who perceive that adults in the community value young people are more likely to grow up healthy, exhibit leadership, value diversity, and succeed in school. Only 22 percent of young people, ages 11–18, perceive that adults in the community value their opinions and input, according to Search Institute surveys. Set a goal to create an environment in which you and other adults take time to listen to young people, spend time with them, and give credit to their opinions.

Tips for building this asset

Young people’s perceptions can tell you a lot about your community and what needs to happen so they feel the community values them. Ask young people what they think. Acknowledge their opinions, even if you don’t agree. Work together to turn your community into a place that values its young people.

Also try this

In your home and family: Ask your child’s opinion about something in the news. Listen carefully, without interrupting. Discuss the topic (agreeing to disagree, if necessary).

In your neighborhood and community: Serve on a community committee and seek out young people’s feedback about specific issues. Let them know you greatly appreciate their presence and participation. Encourage civic groups to include young people in critical conversations.

In your school or youth program: Engage the young people in your school or program as leaders and decision makers. Get their input on school board or program directors’ decisions. Invite them to discuss their experiences with the school board or program directors.

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Developmental Assets® are positive factors within young people, families, communities, schools, and other settings that research has found to be important in promoting the healthy development of young people. From Instant Assets: 52 Short and Simple E-Mails for Sharing the Asset Message. Copyright © 2007 by Search Institute®, 877-240-7251; www.search-institute.org. This message may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). All rights reserved.

WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICE HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday: 7:30 am - 3:30pm
Tuesday: 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Out of office from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm)
Wednesday: 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday: 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Out of office from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm)
Friday: 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM

WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE COUNTS

5 Absences or Tardies in a Class

Teacher contact to parent via SchoolStatus indicating that attendance is a concern.

10 Absences or Tardies in a Class

Assigned Administrator will consider placing the student on an Attendance Success Plan based on individual student circumstances.

15 Absences or Tardies in a Class

Open Campus Privileges Revoked
No extra-curricular activities (dances, athletic events, etc.) for remainder of the grading period
Assigned ALL open mods

15+ Absences or Tardies in a Class

Student MAY BE dropped by administration from the class with a Withdraw Fail (WF) that will be reported on the student's transcript. This will be an administrator decision.