March-April 2008 Newsletter
Warrior Words May-June 2008
The Newsletter For Washington Junior High School Principal‚s Message: It Is That Special Time Of Year By Mark R. Hepner, Principal Spring is one of my favorite times of the school year. Granted, we (teachers and students alike) are all looking forward to summer break. But in my mind, what really makes this time of year special is that we have many more opportunities to recognize and honor students for their successes in school. There have been many awards presented already this year in which student success were recognized. Two notable examples would be the Illinois Principals Association Student Leadership Award and the Rock Island Medal of Honor. On Friday, May 23, we will hold our 7th Grade Awards Breakfast. Again this year, we will recognize those 7th Grade students who have earned Straight A‚s, exhibited perfect behavior, and achieved perfect attendance. While there is no elaborate ceremony or program, it is still a special time for students and their parents to celebrate their success this past year and honor those students who were a joy to have in class. Of course, the climax of our school year is the annual 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony, to be held on Friday, May 30. As many of you know, Washington has a tradition of holding a fairly elaborate Promotion Ceremony for the outgoing 8th Grade class. Please note, I said Promotion, not Graduation Ceremony. Each year, there is the discussion as to whether we should continue that tradition. Back in the 19th and early 20th Centuries, most people left school at the end of their 8th grade year and went to work on the family farm or the factories. Back then, this Ceremony was truly one of graduation. Today the emphasis is on Promotion. It is a rite of passage to the high school and their final phase in general public education. It is also a time of celebration and an opportunity to reward those students who have done what was asked of them, and more. It is a very uplifting time for the students, staff, and parents. It is our desire that this will motivate students to continue their academic success in high school, get that diploma, then continue on to college and earn an advanced degree. In many ways, all of these ceremonies are really mere promotions from one level of learning to the next. It is hoped that all of our students will continue to advance and expand their knowledge and understanding so that the Washington Promotion Ceremony is merely the first step in a long journey of learning. Promotion Ceremony Set For May 30 The 2007-08 school year will climax with the annual 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony. It will be held on Friday, May 30, starting at 7 P.M. It will be held at the Rock Island High School Field House. By having it there, everyone will be assured of a parking space and a seat to enjoy the ceremony. Students are asked to arrive at 6:30 and report to the locker room hallway behind (north side) the main gym. They are asked to wear dress pants/slacks or skirts. Students are also asked to wear a shirt with a collar or nice blouse. Coats and long heavy garments are discouraged. The field house is not air conditioned and it will be warm. We want our students to be comfortable. However, this is also an important formal ceremony and we ask the students to dress accordingly. We also ask that all of our visitors and guests not talk and to turn off their cell phones during the ceremony. Again, this is an important milestone in the life of the students. We want to make sure everyone can hear and enjoy everything and that all distractions be kept to a minimum. We are very excited about returning to RIHS for this event. Many of you who might remember when we had the ceremony in the WJHS Gym. You might also remember the lack of parking, the heat, and the immense crowd that prevented some parents from getting in and seeing their child being formally promoted to the high school. Hopefully we have solved that problem. We look forward to seeing you May 30. A Word About Medications Many of your children have been receiving scheduled or "as necessary" medications at school this past year. The last day for scheduled medications is Friday, May 30. The last hour of school is 8:13-9:13 A.M. on Monday, June 2A parent, guardian, or responsible adult must pick up all medication by 9:13 A.M. on Monday, June 2. Any medication left at school after that time will be properly discarded. If you plan to have another adult pick up the medication you must call School Nurse Phyllis Whaley at 793-5915 and advise her who will be picking it up. Medications will not be given to students. Important Notices On Thursday, May 15 there will be an informational workshop on Internet Safety presented by the Rock Island Police Department. It will be held in the RIHS Little Theater, starting at 6:30 P.M. Parents seeking transportation reimbursement must complete the proper forms and submit them to the Central Administration Office by June 30. All forms are available at the WJHS Office. District #41 is proud to welcome back the Christina‚s Smiles non-profit mobile dental care facility. It provides free dental care to children in need. It will be set up in the parking lot just north of the Central Administration Office from 8 A.M. to 3 P.M. on July 7, 8, & 9. Children between the ages of 6 and 15 are eligible if they meet the income guidelines. For more information and to apply, please call the District at 793-5900, ext. 280 or 241. Student Success Corner The WJHS Band won superior performances at the IGSMA Music Contests on March 8. The 8th Grade Band received a first place rating and qualified for state. It was their best concert this year! There were 59 band and choir students who received a Division One rating on their solos and ensembles, with two perfect scores: Jordan Turnbull and Jeff Sloan. We had 21 division 2 ratings and 3 three ratings.The following Warriors qualified for wrestling at state; Lucas Rusk, Taelor Hufford, Kyle Kerres, Darrius Henderson, Brian DeHaven, and Inyase Hakizimana . Congratulations to all of them! A special congrats to Kyle Kerres for placing 6th at State! 7th Grader Sydnie McNeal from WJHS qualified for The 28th Annual Regional Spelling Bee, sponsored by The Dispatch/Rock Island Argus. It was held on Tuesday, March 18 at Augustana. Washington is proud that our team was the winner of the Illinois SECME Mousetrap Car Competition. The Rolling Rocks placed 1st out of four Illinois teams and second between the Iowa and Illinois Regions. The team will be competing this summer in Tuskegee, Alabama at the SECME National Competition. The Rolling Rocks team consists of Charles Emberton, Jordan Turnbull, and Thomas Knuckey. Congratulations to Zavier Clark and Simone Collins. Both of these 8th Grade students were selected by the staff to receive the Illinois Principals Association Student Leadership Award. They were formally presented with their awards on April 17 in recognition of their outstanding academic performance and excellent behavior in school. On May 7, 8th Graders Ally Sweeney & Argo Reece and 7th Graders Zach Chapman & Dominique McQueen received the Rock Island Medal of Honor at the Holiday In in Downtown Rock Island. This is the highest honor a Rock Island student can earn from the District. They were selected by the teachers on the basis of their grades, attendance, and behavior in school. Reward Fund Donations Washington would like to thank Major & Mrs. Scott Whitman and Mr. & Mrs. Michael Mandel for their recent donations to the WJHS Reward Fund. This money is used to pay for things like the 7th Grade Awards Breakfast and the 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony. Important Dates To Remember: Spring Music Ice Cream Social & Concert 6:00 P.M., Thursday, May 15 Semi-Formal Dance 7-9 P.M. Friday, May 16 Winning Warriors & 7th Grade Awards Breakfast 7:00 A.M. Friday, May 23 No School/Memorial Day Monday, May 26 Shortened Days Dismissal at 1:45 P.M. May 28, 29, 30 PTA 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, May 27 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony @ RIHS 7:00 P.M. Students report at 6:40 Friday, May 30 Final Day of School 8:13-9:13 A.M. Monday, June 2 Final Report Cards Mailed Home June 4 WJHS Office Closes for Summer 3:00 P.M. Friday, June 20 Registration for 2008-09 12 Noon to 8:00 P.M., Wednesday July 23 8:00 A.M. to 12 Noon, Thursday, July 24
This Page was last update: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 9:41:56 AM This site is using the Washington Junior High School theme.
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