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The Whetstone Weekly

Friday, March 21st, 2025

The WhetstoneWeeklyFriday, March 21st, 2025

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Dates & Calendars Dates & Calendars

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Upcoming Dates

  • End of 3rd Quarter - Friday, 3/21
  • No School (Records Day) - Wednesday, 3/26
  • HADESTOWN: Teen Edition* - 3/28 & 29, 4/4 & 5
  • Athletic Boosters Meeting* - 4/1 @ 6:30
  • 30-minute Early Release - Thursday, 4/17
  • Spring Break! - Friday, 4/18 - 4/25
  • PTA Meeting* - Monday, 4/28 @ 6:30
  • Athletic Boosters Meeting* - 4/28 @ 6:30
  • Special Olympics Track Meet - Saturday, 5/3
  • No School (Professional Development Day) - Wednesday, 5/7
  • Spring Choir and Orchestra Concert - Wednesday, 5/7
  • PROM* - Saturday, 5/10
  • Spring Bands and Bells Concert - Thursday, 5/15
  • PTA Meeting* - Monday, 5/19 @ 6:30
  • No School - Monday, 5/26
  • LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - Thursday, 5/29
  • Graduation Rehearsal* - Friday, 5/30
  • GRADUATION* - Saturday, 5/31


Recurring Dates

  • Whetstone Chess club - after school Tuesdays, 2:30PM-3:30PM, Room 220
  • Journalism club - after school Wednesdays, 2:30PM-3:30PM, Room 220
  • WAPA - 2nd Monday each month, 6:30PM, Library
  • PTA Meeting* - 3rd Monday each month, 6:30PM, Google Meet
  • Athletic Boosters, last Monday each month, 6:30PM, Café
  • Coffee Connect with the Principal, 1st Wednesday each month, 7:00AM, Library


*See below for more info


Whetstone PTA Calendar

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


CCS District Calendars

https://www.ccsoh.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=2704

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Academics Academics

Graduation Info

Graduation Rehearsal is mandatory and scheduled for Friday, May 30th at 7:30AM.


Graduation will take place on Saturday, May 31st at 6PM. Each graduate gets 10 tickets which will be distributed during Graduation Rehearsal along with Cap & Gowns.


Location is TBD.


Graduates must have all uniforms turned in, outstanding fees and fines paid.

Infinite Campus / Parent Portal

Is Your Parent Portal Account Activated? Stay engaged in your child’s education by setting up and

signing into the Columbus City Schools Parent Portal. Through the Parent Portal, you’ll be able to securely access valuable information on your student(s):

  • Teacher Contact
  • Grades and Course Schedules
  • Daily Attendance
  • Missed Assignments
  • Paperless Applications for: School Choice, Summer School, and Career Tech
  • Update Contact Information**
  • Pay Fees


For more info, visit ccsoh.us/domain/188.


Get detailed instructions and help at secure.smore.com/n/upq6z!

PTA PTA

PTA Meeting

The next PTA Meeting will be on Monday, April 28th, 6:30-8:00 via Google Meet (https://meet.google.com/snv-wifn-oxz). We hope you can join us! Meeting agenda and financial updates will be posted as soon as available to our calendar event page, at https://www.whetstonepta.org/home/calendar.

Help Out with the PTA Next Year?

It's still winter (ugh!), but before you know it, spring and graduation will be upon us. And that means it's time to start planning for transitions in your Whetstone PTA to replace outgoing parents.

Amidst all the craziness in the world these days...are YOU potentially willing to step up and contribute an hour or two of your time each week next year as a PTA leader? It's a really good feeling to help make Whetstone HS a better place for ALL the kids and staff.

For the 2024-'25 school year, we're looking to fill the following roles:
- Secretary
- Fundraising Chair
- Communications Chair

If you have any interest in being one of these heroes or heroines, please just drop us a note at whetstonepta@gmail.com, OR join us for our March 17th meeting online (see link above). Thanks!!

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Kroger Card

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.

About

The Whetstone 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!

Athletics Athletics

From the AD, Hannah Bleikamp

Boys basketball and cheer celebrated their seasons last week at their awards banquets. We have one team left to celebrate and that is girls basketball on 3/30.


We started getting some Spring Team photos done in addition to our senior banner pictures. Big shout out to Mr. Smith and Tanya Bender for volunteering their time to organize and take our team and senior photos. You can view the photos on Instagram: instagram.com/whetstone_athleticdirector


Boys volleyball kicked off their games this past weekend at Pickerington Central Quad where they defeated Briggs.


Looking ahead, we have a busy week ahead as spring sports are in full force

  • Tennis will play their first match on 3/27.
  • Track opens their season on 3/29 with a Home Invitational.

WHS Cheerleading

Whetstone HS cheerleading tryouts start soon! And, for the first time, WHS is forming a Dance Team! Get more info below and sign-up at volunteersignup.org/YC4HX.

Schedules & Tickets

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

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Baseball

Get WHS Baseball news and information at the Whetstone High School Baseball Website. Still got questions? See Coach Broskie in Room 141B or at broskcity@yahoo.com.

...and more!

If you didn't see it here, you can probably find it in the Weekly Whetstone Athletics Roundup. Visit https://rebrand.ly/WhetstoneWeeklyRoundup for more WHS athletics info!

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Spirit Wear

Show your Whetstone pride and support your Whetstone athlete! The Booster store has options to support WHS Sports, Band, and Cheer. There are Parent/Family, Alumni, and Teacher/Staff logos, too. And most importantly, all proceeds benefit our kids!


Visit the Athletic Booster Spirit Wear store to browse and buy hoodies, t-shirts, hats, blankets, drinkware, and more. Personalization is available on select items. There is something for everyone!

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Athletics Boosters

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.

Arts Arts

HADESTOWN: Teen Edition

This intriguing and beautiful folk opera delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience. Following two intertwining love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and lady Persephone – Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Inspired by traditions of classic American folk music and vintage New Orleans jazz, Mitchell’s beguiling sung-through musical pits industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.


Get info and tickets at whetstonemusic.ludus.com/index.php


Showtimes:

FRIDAY MARCH 28TH @ 7PM

SATURDAY MARCH 29TH @ 7PM

FRIDAY APRIL 4TH @ 7PM

SATURDAY APRIL 5TH @ 7PM


We simply cannot WAIT to tell this story onstage! Tickets on sale MARCH 7TH @ NOON!

Congressional Art Competition Announcement

Congresswoman Joyce Beatty is inviting high school artists who reside in Ohio’s Third Congressional District to participate in the 2025 Congressional Art Competition! This annual nationwide contest showcases the creativity of young artists, and the grand prize winner will have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for an entire year—plus receive a complimentary trip to Washington, D.C.!


Learn More & Download Forms at beatty.house.gov/services/art-competition.


For questions or assistance, email andrew.markovitch@mail.house.gov or call (614) 220-0003.

WAPA

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.

Extracurricular Extracurricular

Prom Info

Prom is May 10, 2025! Watch this space for updated info.
  • 7 - 10 PM
  • Hilton at Easton (3900 Chagrin Dr, Columbus, OH 43219)

Requirements to attend Prom:

  • SENIORS - Have ALL 120 Internship hours completed AND entered in School Links.
  • JUNIORS - Have 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 APEX courses completed by May 3 rd.
  • No suspensions from November 1 - May 10, 2025


If you have any questions, please speak to Ms. Ottey, Mr. Eagle, Mr. Haffele or your counselor.

District News District News

CCS Board Candidate Forum

For the first time since 2017, Columbus Board of Education candidates will have a primary election on May 6, 2025 .


Several CCS parent-led organizations are hosting a forum for the CCS School Board Candidates on April 2nd in Clintonville at the First UU Church. We would love to invite families, students, teachers and other community members to attend. This year we will be voting for three new board members. On a seven seat board, having three open seats is a big deal! There are ten candidates running for these three seats. This forum will give folks a great chance to learn about the candidates. This is a nonpartisan event designed to ensure the community is informed and engaged in the decision-making process. Candidates will also respond to a community-developed questionnaire, and their answers will be shared with attendees.


See the flyers for more info!

District Messages on Immigration for Families and Staff

Please see this special Newsletter full of information, links, and resources regarding Immigration for Families and Staff.

Columbus City Schools

Columbus City Schools

Columbus City Schools by Amanda Hughes | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, businesses and more

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Beyond Whetstone Beyond Whetstone

Clintonville Rotary/Dr. Brian H. and Carrie L. Kvitko Peace Scholarship

Interested in a chance at winning a $4,000 scholarship? Check out the Clintonville Rotary club's tenth annual scholarship competition!


Endowed by Dr. Brian H. and Carrie L. Kvitko, the award provides funds for post-high school education at an accredited college, university, or career training program.


The key element of the application is a 500 word essay describing how the applicant advocates and acts for peace in his or her daily life, as exemplified by peer interactions and life experience. This 2025 theme reflects Rotary International's Humanitarian Peace Mission. Applications due by March 31, winner announced April 1, and award presented in late June.


For much more information, check the flyer or visit scholarship.clintonvillerotary.org.

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2025 Clintonville Scholarship Flier PDF.pdf
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Our Community Our Community

The Dad Band Show

The Dads will be at Global Gallery for an end of the year shindig on Saturday, May 17th. Time TBA. Selected WHS Student Art will be on display, as well. Many of the Dads have WHS graduates this year, so it will be a special show. Come join the fun!


Get more info at facebook.com/events/679791277729390

Online Online

Can't get enough 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

Contact Contact

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, Janet Routzong: jroutzong2475@columbus.k12.oh.us

Assistant Administrator (11th and 12th graders), 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

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

Records Secretary, Susan Jeffers: sjeffers@columbus.k12.oh.us

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

Family Ambassador Note Family Ambassador Note

Damian Synadinos smiling
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Thanks for reading! If you missed or want to revisit an issue, visit The Whetstone Weekly Archive to find it and catch up!


For lots 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

dsynadinos@columbus.k12.oh.us

Damian Synadinos
Damian is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters
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