Weekly Messages from the Principal / 2020-21 Messages

Good morning Bobcats, this is Mr. Fatout with my weekly principal's message. This week will be a little different regarding the school schedule. Due to staff and students returning to e-learning on campus the District has adjusted the school schedule. Please follow the dates and times below for school to begin and end.
- Tuesday, October 13th, 7:40AM-2:40PM (9th Grade only return to campus) Regular School Day
- Wednesday, October 14th, 7:40AM-12:40PM (9th Grade return to campus with confirmation email) Early Release Day
- Thursday, October 15th, 7:40AM-2:40PM (10th-12th Grade return to campus with confirmation email) Regular School Day
- Friday, October 16th, 7:40AM-12:40PM (10th-12th Grade return to campus with confirmation email) Early Release Day
Monday, October 19th - No School, Employee Planning, First Quarter grades closed
Tuesday, October 20th - Start of 2nd Quarter Regular School Day

Below are some friendly reminders for students that chose to return to school for e-learning:

- If a classroom’s maximum occupancy is already met, or if the assigned instructor is on leave, your child will be redirected to an overflow room to continue with their e-learning from their laptop.

- Students must bring their own mask, and are recommended to bring an extra mask; both of which must cover their nose and mouth to enter the campus. Students must continue to wear their mask throughout the day, except for when they are eating breakfast or lunch.

- Students must bring their own devices and chargers to support their e-learning. No materials or supplies, including chargers, will be provided to students.

- Students are recommended to bring their own headphones/earpods to use with their computer during elearning.

- Students should bring their own filled water bottle(s). Water fountains will not be permitted to be used.

- Students will be rotating from class to class, following their class schedule on the A/B day calendar.

- Student traffic on campus will have a common flow to follow between classes. All hallways and buildings have been marked with traffic flow patterns. Students are reminded that all directional arrows are to be followed at class exchange between periods, to maintain social distancing and safety.

- Students are reminded to bring their school ID for entry into campus, along with their "confirmation email". Students may use their ID from their previous school year. Students without a school ID will be scheduled for the opportunity to get one when they return to school.

- Students will not be permitted to roam the campus in the morning or at lunchtime. Areas have been designated for students to wait for the opening bell to ring for them to go to class. The same plans have been made for breakfast and lunch times, where students will be socially distanced in designated areas.

School Announcements:
- As of Monday, October 12: Fall Athletics continues voluntary practices for athletes. Fall sports include football, bowling, cross country, cheerleading, and girls volleyball. Student athletes must have their paperwork submitted to their coach(es). If your student is interested, please visit our Athletics page on our school's website and contact the respective coach or Athletic Director, Coach Darr. Once students complete their paperwork, they will follow a health screening each day they enter campus to participate in practice after school.

- Friday, October 23, 2020 is the deadline for the National English Honor Society applications. Applications are available from English teachers for students in Grades 10, 11, and 12. Students should make sure to include with their application, a screenshot of their Virtual Counselor GPA verification with their name showing, and the names of 2 teachers who have agreed to provide recommendations. One of the recommendations must come from last year's English teacher. Email Mrs. Rivero if you have any questions. Next National English Honor Society Meeting for current members only is Thursday, October 22, at 3PM through TEAMS. See the NEHS Teams Tile for the link.

- Food and Nutrition Services: Free Grab-and-Go meals will be available at our school in the parent/car loop every Tuesday and Thursday from 9-10AM for all children 18 years and younger who are not participating in face-to-face learning. Every school will now have their own meal service time; call 211 for more locations and times. Children or their parents can drive or walk up to receive meal bundles that contain multiple days-worth of meals. Parents must bring identification for their child, such as a student ID or report card, to pick up meals if the child is not present. Our Food and Nutrition Services staff are so excited to serve nutritious meals to make sure that every child can power up! We look forward to seeing you at the next distribution!

We are working diligently to keep our school's website up-to-date with the most current information. Please visit it frequently at browardschools.com/westbroward, including the Archive of Principal's Messages at https://www.browardschools.com/domain/16751.

West Broward High would like to remind all of our Bobcat Community that we are working together to make the reopening experience smooth and efficient. Please continue to communicate with your teachers through Canvas and Teams. Have a happy and healthy week. Go Bobcats!
Good afternoon Bobcats. As we enter the 4th week of E-learning I want to stay connected with our Bobcat Community. I would like to begin with a mindfulness moment. Our days are often filled with urgency and details while blocking us from events that would otherwise bring us joy. Where we allow these joyful moments to go overlooked and/or underappreciated, mindfulness encourages us to be present. Whether it's by taking a deep breath, closing of your eyes, or making a purposeful smile, these small moments allow us to step out of a mindset of stress or anxiety, and embrace a simple note in the hectic rhythm of the day. The attached image is a reflection of the difference between having a "Mind Full" vs. "Mindful" moment. Please take a look at it. Find the moments of joy in your day. And above all, practice an attitude of gratitude!

Parents, it is important that your child is reminded to utilize teacher Canvas pages as a syllabus and Microsoft Teams as the virtual connection with your child's teacher for both instructional and support communications. To be recorded as present for attendance, students must engage live through Microsoft Teams each period every day. Please refer to our school's website under the Parent / Student tab for District E-Learning tips and updates.

Interim reports are due by teachers on Friday, September 9, 2020. Please monitor your child's Pinnacle grades. If you have a question regarding your child's academic progress, please email the teacher directly. All staff emails are under the contact tab on our school website, as well as through their Canvas page.

A message from our BRACE Office: Thinking about College? Sign up now for NACAC Virtual College Fair at https://www.nacacfairs.org/virtual. Over 600 colleges will offer Zoom sessions for students. Log in, drop in, ask questions, and learn more about your college dreams. The Virtual College Fair will take place on Sunday, September 13, from 12-8PM. Check the NACAC website for more dates in October and November. Contact your BRACE Advisor for more information: Ms. Longhi (A-M)- vanessa.longhi@browardschools.com and Mrs. Hartzell (N-Z)- tina.hartzell@browardschools.com.

We are respectfully asking parents to update all contact information via the back to school forms app. These electronic forms can be activated on the BCPS Wizard App through our school website and directly through https://scaweb.browardschools.com/bts/.
Good afternoon, Bobcats. This is Mr. Fatout, Principal at West Broward High. With a little over one week before school starts, I want to welcome every family to West Broward.

Recently, we held a textbook and item drop off and a laptop distribution day. We will soon have our virtual orientation on August 14, and are looking forward to the first day of school on August 19th. Additionally, our virtual Open House will be on Tuesday, August 25th.

I encourage all families to visit our school website weekly to follow all of our school and district updates. To our website, we have posted a principal's welcome message to our Bobcat families. In it, you will find important calendar dates, class times, a message regarding student schedule updates, and a special invite to Broward Schools Parent University. Please visit our website at browardschools.com/westbroward for all of this information and more.

We pride ourselves on effective communication and look forward to connecting with our Bobcat families. Have a great evening, and Go Bobcats!