sign in sign up
<<
Home , Monmouth University

HIGHLANDER NEWS May 2015 “A message from the Principal”

By the time you receive this newsletter, we will be into the fourth marking period with less than nine weeks to go in the school year. PARCC testing is almost completed and AP Testing begins on May 4th. The Supervisors and Student Counselors have been busy working on next year’s course offerings and we hope to have a schedule with few conflicts ready for review by early June. It is important to remember that within our schedule we have over 8,000 possible course configurations, therefore some classes will not fit. In these cases, another class will have to be substituted. We would prefer to amend schedule conflicts before the end of June. Contact your child’s counselor before school ends if you have any questions with their schedule.

Finally, please note that school will be closed from Thursday May 21st through Monday May 25th. Thursday and Friday are unused snow days and Monday is Memorial Day. Have a great holiday and if you can attend the West Milford Memorial Day Parade, cheer our Highlander Band as they led the celebration.

Sincerely,

Fred Hessler Principal “Remember to give respect to get respect.”

Important Dates

April 20-May 15 PARCC EOY Testing May 2 SAT West Milford High School May 4-14 AP Exams May 18 Distinguished Scholars Night May 19 or 20 (depends on weather) Memorial Day Assembly May 21-25 School Closed (unused snow days and Memorial Day) May 26-27 NJ Biology Competency Test May 29 (June 3 rain date) Highlander Day May 29 TV Science Film Festival (evening showing)

Important Message for Parents/Guardians regarding the Acceptable Use Policy

Each year we ask students and their parent/guardian to review and update the online check-list. Now is that time, so please log onto the Parent Portal and click both the student and the parent acceptable use agreement. It is also a good time to update contact information in the Honeywell Login. Thank you.

Dress Code Policy As the weather gets warmer the types of clothing that student’s wear to school changes. The dress code was implemented in order to create a reasonable and appropriate learning environment. Certain articles of clothing are prohibited in order to reduce distractions that may inhibit learning. The Student Handbook outlines the policy on pages 32 and 33. Policy concerns are for students wearing halter tops, half shirts or any clothing that exposes the chest, stomach, waist, shoulders and or the lower portion of the back are not permitted. That applies to both men and women. In general clothing must not be too short, too tight or too revealing. Please check how your child outfits before they leave home each morning. We appreciate your support.

Signing out of school It has been brought to my attention that students have been asking to sign out of school early without parental permission and to bring other students with them. The practice that we follow is that students 18 and older can sign themselves out any time they choose as they are treated like adults. If they are a minor they must have a parent sign them out and pick them up. Under no circumstances can a student sign out other students including any minor whether we have a parent note or not. Thank you.

Guidance Coming in June! NEW EVENT -- PSAT Practice Test. You may have heard that the format of the SAT is changing next spring. So that the tests will be aligned, the PSAT format is changing too, effective with the October 2015 test. To help students prepare we are offering a FREE PSAT New Format Practice Test on Saturday, June 6. Details and registration information will be coming soon.

 AP Exams start on Monday, May 4 and run through Friday, May 15. We have 135 students taking 236 exams. If your child is taking an exam please support them by making sure they get a good night's sleep and eat breakfast and/or bring something healthy to eat before the afternoon session tests.

 May 26 and May 27 are the dates for the Biology Competency Test. All Biology students, except those in AP Biology who have previously taken a Biology course, are required by the State Department of Education to take the test.

 Distinguished Scholars Night is May 18 at 7:00 p.m. The top 15 students in each grade are honored at this event, and each department chooses one senior to receive their Departmental Award. Those students being honored, and their families, will receive invitations to the ceremony.

 By this time most seniors have received responses to their college applications and submitted their deposits. Deposits are generally due on May 1, and if an accepted student does not submit the deposit by that date the college will assume that the student has chosen another school and will offer the spot to someone else. So if your child has not yet submitted the deposit to the college of his or her choice, now is the time for you to call the school and ask if you can still do so.

 For those who have not yet made college plans, be assured that there are colleges that are still accepting applications. The National Association of College Admission Counselors will publish a list of schools that still have space available within the next two weeks. Meanwhile, you can do research through the Common App website and the College Board's Big Future feature. If you need help, your child's school counselor can provide guidance.

 Scholarship deadlines are approaching. Mr. Heaney has been “e” blasting through Naviance when new scholarship applications are added. To find the list of scholarships go to your Family Connection> Colleges tab > Scholarships & Money > Scholarships. Included in the list are West Milford's own Community Scholarships. To find these click the category "Community Scholarships." Need help? Contact Mr. Heaney.

 We are now into the fourth and last marking period of the year. Report cards will be available on the Parent Portal on May 4. If your student is struggling to pass a class, now is the time to get help. Students must pass 30 credits this year in order to be eligible for sports next fall and winter. Students must pass 30 credits each year in order to move to the next grade. Remember that 120 credits, in specific areas, are required for graduation. The expense of summer school to recover credits lost through failures or excessive cuts or absences is the responsibility of the family.

 Enjoy the spring! And remind your child that the school year is not over until it's over. Continue to monitor their homework and grades, and support and encourage their success. School is a family affair!

Anthony Pellegrino was selected by WMHS as our 2015 recipient of the West Point Leadership Award. The award recognizes our nation's outstanding high school juniors who have demonstrated exceptional performance in academics, athletics, community service, leadership, moral character, and to promote the values of national service as exemplified by Dwight D Eisenhower. High schools select one junior per year for this honor. Anthony was recognized at a ceremony at West Point on April 25.

College Acceptances as of April 27, 2015 As seniors prepare to commit to the college of their choice on or about May 1st, a list of colleges where they have already been accepted is listed below. Congratulations to each of them.

Adelphi Dordt College Montclair State Albright Moravian SUNY Alfred East Stroudsberg University University of New England Alvernia Fairleigh Dickinson U niversity University of New Haven Bergen County Community College Felician College NJIT Berkeley College Florida Institute of Technology Northeastern SUNY Binghamton Florida Southern PACE Bloomsburg Furman Passaic County Community College Boston University Gettysburg Penn State Hartwick Princeton Case Western Reserve University Indiana University of Pennsylvania SUNY Purchase Cazenovia College Ithaca Quinnipiac Cedar Crest College James Madison University Ramapo Centenary College John Hopkins Rider Clark University Johnson and Wales University Roanoke Clemson University Kettering Roger Williams University of Colorado at Boulder LaSalle of Connecticut Lebanon Valley Sacred Heart Coppin State Lehigh Rutgers Cornell Lynchburg College of St. Rose Mansfield University of Pennsylvania University of Scranton Culinary Institute of America Marist Dartmouth Marywood Southern Conn State University University of Dayton University of Massachusetts Amherst Southern NHU Defiance McDaniel St. Johns University Delaware Valley College Michigan State SUNY New Paltz University of Delaware Monmouth Sussex County College University of Vermont West Virginia Temple Villanova William Paterson Towson Virginia Commonwealth University Williams Tufts Virginia Wesleyan Wingate United States Military Academy Wellesle Vassar Wentworth Institute of Technology

Is there a Doctor in the house? Career success is different for everyone. For some the desire to reach the highest level of education is the driving force behind their career goals. We are proud to announce that two of our colleagues have recently completed their dissertations and have been awarded their doctorates. Dr. Liz McQuaid, our District Supervisor of Special Education, earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Misericordia University. Her dissertation was “Advancing Clinical Skills Through Management, Leadership, and Advocacy in School Based Practice.”

Recently, Dr. Greg Matlosz, our Supervisor of History and Social Sciences earned his doctorate in Historical Studies from Drew University. Dr. Matlosz’s thesis was “The Political Symbiosis of Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley.

Athletics - Congrats to the varsity baseball team for their opening round win in the Passaic County tournament 10-5 over Eastern Christian.

Boys’ JV Volleyball - The volleyball team has won its first game in WMHS history on April 10th against Montclair and its first ever home game against Wayne Valley! Congrats on the early success of the program!

Congrats to the boys volleyball team for taking first place in the Elizabeth HS tournament on Saturday, April 25th. The Highlanders defeated Bergen Catholic, Don Bosco, Elizabeth, Summit and Memorial High School on their way to first place.

Final Score vs. Wayne Valley

Football News - Senior Football Player, Tanner Yuhas, was selected as one of the Scholar Athlete Award Winners for the Passaic County Chapter of The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. Tanner was awarded a $750.00 scholarship.

Coach Brian Leslie and Tanner Yuhas alongside the Heisman Trophy, which was present at the awards dinner.

Happy 50th Birthday to Michael J. Deering, longtime WMHS volunteer to the athletic department! Celebrating with 43 years of varsity baseball coaches. Tony DeMarco, Peter Anzelone, Joe Trentacosta and Joe Jordan

Softball Team - 3rd Seed in the Passaic County Tournament!

Boys Lacrosse - The Boys Lacrosse team is off to an excellent start with a 10-3 record. Individual accomplishments have been at an all time high. Charlie Cole reached the 100pt mark, Kyle Little made his 100th save and Corey Curran has now gone over 100 goals and 200pts.

Girls Lacrosse - Junior Bailey Cole is the first girl in West Milford School history to reach 100 career goals, for Girls Varsity Lacrosse. Girls Varsity Lacrosse is currently 6-5 and had a 6 game winning streak this season. Girls JV Lacrosse is currently UNDEFEATED with a current record of 10-0-2 (ties).

Congratulations to John Finke (), John Caillie (Bowling) and Ray LaCroix (Basketball)- 3 Big North Coaches of the Year - Winter 2015. John Finke was also named Passaic County Coaches Association Coach of the Year.

Pictured from left to right is John Finke, Principal Fred Hessler, Athletic Director Joe Trentacosta, John Caillie, and Ray LaCroix.

Field Hockey - Top 30 student athletes within NJ are selected, and then the top 5 are announced in June at a luncheon in Edison, NJ. Those top 5 will each receive a $5,000.00 scholarship. Julia is #8 in her class academically and with regards to field hockey she is #3 in Passaic County. She scored 20 goals and has had 10 assists in her WMHS career, as a midfielder on the WMFH team, and is a 3-year varsity winner. Her dedication to the WMFH has been amazing, and she really set the tone this past season on and off the field and was an easy choice when submitting the application. She made the team a strong family and this helped us be successful this past season.

Junior Prom - The Junior Prom was held on March 27, 2015 at the Casa Bianca in Oak Ridge. Two hundred twenty-four smiling dressed up students had a wonderful time. The dance floor was full the entire night and was lead by DTM Productions. The students were treated to appetizers and a full dinner buffet, followed by an ice cream bar. The theme of the night was “Midnight Masquerade” and there were many decorations and props that reflected it. It’s always a successful event when the administration is complemented by the venue and the DJs. It makes us all proud to be Highlanders. We continue to instill school pride and involvement.

High Honor Roll Breakfast

Many of our students work very hard on a daily basis to achieve good grades. Besides being proud of their accomplishments we offer those with High Honor Roll status (all A’s) a breakfast. Because of their dedication to their studies for some of these students getting out of class is sometimes a concern however those who attend usually have a good time. Keep up the good work!

The Department of History & Social Sciences History Club - The team under adviser, Ms. Kathleen McCort, has advanced to the National History Day “States” competition which will take place on May 2 at William Paterson University. The students will display their very own created historical artifacts, research papers, and speeches against other students from the entire State of NJ. If successful, the team will move onto “Nationals.” If you are interested in seeing the History Club, the National History Day Committee will allow the public to see these artifacts at 1 pm at William Paterson University.

Congratulations to Mrs. Donna Deutsch-Tynan for her nomination to compete to win the 2015 NJ Council for the Humanities Teacher of the Year Award.

The Department of History & Social Sciences will officially have a Board seat on the NJ Council for History Education. Supervisor, Greg Matlosz, will serve to continue the objective in reinforcing the importance of history education. The Department will have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with historians and professors of History from around the country. The NJ Council for History Education holds its annual conference at in the first week of December.

The English Department Congratulations to Mrs. Petrosillo and the Staff of “The Highland Echo". West Milford High School’s newspaper and student news site received a 2nd Place ranking in the American Scholastic Press Association's 2015 Scholastic Newspaper Awards! They also received a Special Category Award in Outstanding Service to the Community for their "Elementary School Book Drive" article from our holiday edition! Fantastic work!

Department of Business and Industrial Arts The Department of Business and Industrial Arts recently participated in a contest for the West Milford Economic Development Commission (EDC). The objective was to develop a logo and tagline to serve as the face of the EDC. After judging over 150 entries, the Commission declared three finalists: Pieter Hoek, Matt Filipek/Joe Fenui (who collaborated on the same entry) & Joshua Iglesias who were then forwarded to the West Milford Town Council for final decision. Matt Filipek and Joe Fenui were chosen as the winners and both received an iPad mini along with accessories. For our two runners-up, Pieter and Joshua both received $50 Amazon Gift Cards. Mr. Steven Drew, WMTPS Board Member and Chairman of the West Milford EDC was excited to see the students’ effort for the contest. “We reviewed around 150 entries and the students displayed remarkable talent and creativity,” Drew said. “Picking just three finalists was extremely difficult due to the quality of so many of the entries. The students showed off their amazing talents as well as their love for their community and school.” Congratulations to all our finalists and all the students who participated!

(Left to Right) Runner-up Pieter Hoek, 1st place winners Joseph Fenui & Matt Filipek, Runner-up Joshua Iglesias

Open Mic Night on April 16th was a wonderful success! Mrs. Giroux, Mrs. Petrosillo and Mrs. Guenter created a safe and welcoming space at the West Milford Teen Coffee House for students to share their intended performances, and then some. We look forward to seeing this event grow and flourish under their continued guidance next year!

Music Department Ensembles Achieve Outstanding Success Wind Ensemble - On April 18, the Highlander Wind Ensemble was a featured performer at the 2015 Metropolitan Wind Band Invitational. Held at Roxbury High School, the festival is comprised of the top ten high school bands in the state. Each band receives a personal invitation to perform. Each band is evaluated on their performance by a panel of the nation's best band conductors. This year's panel included Colonel Arnald Gabriel from the US Air Force Band, Mr. Alfred Watkins from Marietta GA, Dr. Dennis Fisher from North Texas State University, and Cynthia Turner from the University of Georgia. All four panelists gave the Highlander Wind Ensemble rave reviews, describing the band as "A fine band" "Excellent!!" "A terrific ensemble with a wonderful conductor."

Indoor Percussion - The 2015 West Milford Indoor Percussion Group participated in the US Bands Winter Percussion Circuit. This season the unit participated in 7 competitions throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. On Saturday, April 18, they concluded their competitive season at Lehigh University Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, PA by earning the 2015 Scholastic Marching 1A Championships Title. The West Milford Indoor Percussion Group would like to thank all of our parents, fans, alumni and the school community for their continued support.

Winter Color Guard - The Indoor Color Guard had an incredible season taking first place at the Matawan, Norwalk, and East Haven shows and making the finals at the highly competitive Winter Guard International Regional at South Brunswick HS and Eastern Championship held at Monmouth University. The guard received a "Silver Medal" at both the Musical Arts Conference and Mid-Atlantic-Indoor-Network Championships in the Scholastic National "A" Division. The group attended the Winter Guard International World Championships in April and competed against over 122 color guards from across the United States and Taiwan and put on a great show. They got to meet guard members from the United States, Canada, Holland, and Japan to round out this year's color guard experience. They also cheered on a West Milford color guard alumni, Alex "Sasha" Keating (color guard staff volunteer) who performed with an independent group in the World Class Finals competition.

Jazz Ensemble - The West Milford Jazz Ensemble is currently in the midst of its most successful year in the program's short existence. The band has received Gold ratings in every festival they have participated in and have also received numerous outstanding section and soloist awards. Most recently, the ensemble finished 2nd in the state at the NJAJE State Jazz Finals where they competed against the top 9 bands in New Jersey following a rigorous preliminary festival comprised of over 50 ensembles. The band also received the award for best trumpet section and best sight reading at the state finals. This is an incredible placement and has put the West Milford Jazz Ensemble amongst the top bands in the state. The band also hosted the 4th annual West Milford Jazz Festival which grew to featured 10 performing ensembles and has quickly established itself as the biggest high school jazz festival in north Jersey. The jazz ensemble will be performing at Trumpets Jazz Club on May 13th alongside the One More Once Big Band. In only five years, the band has reached incredible heights and is now a major force in the New Jersey Jazz scene.

May Concerts

May 7 @ 7:30 PM - The West Milford HS Concert, Women’s Men’s and Jazz Choirs May 19 @ 7:30 PM - The West Milford HS Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble

Highlander Pipes and Drums at West Point Tattoo

On Sunday 26 April, 2015, the Pipes and Drums of the Highlander Band attended the 33rd Annual Tattoo Concert at the US Military Academy at West Point. The band had and outstanding performance and was very well received, particularly for being the only juvenile ensemble to perform that day. Our West Point visit was especially exciting for senor piper and Pipe Major Haley Steel as she will be attending the Academy this fall.

Senior Prom Planning The Senior Prom is approaching! If you didn’t notice the prom is on Thursday, June 4thm beginning at 5pm at Mayfair Farms in West Orange. Anyone attending the prom can elect to stay home Friday, but they will be charged with an absence that may or may not affect their course enrollment. All students should be back in school on Monday, June 8th. When they arrive to school there will be a special program in the parking lot sponsored by the West Milford Police Department providing Apple gift Cards. In addition any senior who attends school that day can pick up their yearbook if they are in by then. We expect all students to be in school Monday, June 8th.