september 2018 - westlake high...
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Table of Contents
Campus News .......................................................................................................................................................... 2
PTO .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
General Meeting ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Homecoming Mums ................................................................................................................................................. 6
No Hassle Fundraiser ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Staff Appreciation .................................................................................................................................................... 8
PSAT/NMSQT ........................................................................................................................................................... 9
EEF ......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Westlake Speaker Series 2018-2019 .............................................................................................................. 11
Concessions ........................................................................................................................................................... 12
Band ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Theatre .................................................................................................................................................................. 14
Choir ...................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Hyline .................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Cheer ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Westbank Libraries ................................................................................................................................................ 19
Community Partners .............................................................................................................................................. 22
September 2018
Chap Connections is a monthly newsletter with the latest PTO news and updates from extra curricular groups on
WHS campus. All groups at Westlake High School are invited to submit news each month, in Word or PDF format.
To contribute to the newsletter, please email Heather Felder at [email protected]
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Campus News
We are off to a fantastic start to the 2018-2019 school year at Westlake High School. On August 22nd, 2786 students
descended onto our campus to begin their own special journey as a senior, junior, sophomore or freshman. Our teachers,
counselors, administrators, custodians, librarians, teaching assistants, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and security folks were all
ready to make sure all of our students felt welcomed, safe, respected, and valued from day number one. After beginning on
classes on a Wednesday and returning from Labor Day weekend, we are off to a solid start at WHS.
We look forward to our annual Homecoming festivities which include our Homecoming Pep Rally, Homecoming Football
game, reunion tours, and our Homecoming Dance. For those of you new to Texas, we design and purchase mums. This is
especially a strong tradition for this is one of our PTO’s fundraisers. We have a crew of mothers who work tirelessly and with a
unique passion to help our students and staff enjoy some beautiful mums while also raising funds for our PTO which is passed
along to our teachers and staff through allocations.
One of the areas impacted by the generous support of the PTO is our Faculty Lounge. If anyone had seen our lounge, they
would agree that there may not have been any improvements or upgrades in this lounge for 35-40 years. Since the lounge has
been redesigned and updated, our staff is utilizing this space to congregate for meals, Professional Learning Community time and
professional development. We appreciate the PTO helping us provide space for our community of learners. We also had the
opportunity to create more space for our students in the Ninth Grade Library to allow them to have more opportunities to work
collaboratively.
Steve Ramsey, Principal
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PTO
Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year!
A very warm welcome to all new and returning WHS families, staff and administration. We’re
delighted you are a part of our wonderful community!
The PTO is a parent-run group of volunteers, and we exist to support the students and staff at
Westlake High School Campus. We raise funds through many ways - Parking Spot Fundraiser,
Homecoming Mums, Concession sales for all sports, Pavers, and our No Hassle Fundraiser Campaign.
You will find more information about all these initiatives in the newsletter and on our website. All
funds go directly back into the classrooms, fulfilling student needs and staff requests. We have
funded some significant projects around campus in the past years, including the Language Lab,
Library Furniture, TLC Patio, Mindfulness Training for Counselors, and most recently renovated the
Staff Lounge.
All WHS parents are members of the PTO! There are no dues or membership fees. We encourage
you to stay in touch with us through the WHS PTO Website, Chap Connections, WHS PTO
Facebook Page and on IG @whspto .
I encourage you to join us at our general meetings which are held during the lunch hour to allow
working parents, teachers, and even students to join in. This is a great opportunity to share ideas,
make connections, get caught up on campus news & PTO activities, and meet our passionate and
committed group of volunteers. The PTO General Meeting schedule can be found on the PTO
website and in the newsletter. We will be set up in the Commons area for back to school night;
please come by and say “Hello”!
It is my privilege to serve on the PTO executive committee; we strive to enhance the
educational experience for our students, and welcome your ideas, suggestions, and comments.
Please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected]
Scroll down to see a picture of the awesome 2018-2019 PTO executive committee members and of
all the thank you cards we received over the summer.
We feel the love!!!
Shalini Komarla, PTO President
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General Meeting
UPCOMING General PTO Meeting
Friday, September 7th @ noon in the Lecture Hall
(Check in at the CHAP Court)
• Principal Ramsey will hold an informal Q&A session
starting at 11:30am
• Challenge Success will review past projects and preview
the year ahead
Please join us!
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Homecoming Mums
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No Hassle Fundraiser
Westlake High School PTO No Hassle Fundraiser 2018-2019
Thank you to those who have already donated to the 2018-19 No Hassle Fundraiser! EVERY dollar raised STAYS on WHS campus, and goes to support our students,
teachers and staff. We hope to continue building a strong community by working
towards 100% participation. Every dollar helps!
In the past, we have funded large projects such as new library furniture, a language lab, a staff lounge remodel and an art gallery. We also fund smaller initiatives like staff trainings, calculators, radio kits, cameras, 3D printers, publications, music stands, and so much more. With your help we can meet the needs of our campus again this year.
Please donate today at www.whspto.net.
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Staff Appreciation
Welcome back to school, Chap families!
And, a bigger welcome to our new Chap families! WHS PTO Staff Appreciation has been working all
summer with our facilities department to remodel the Main Campus Staff Lounge. While it is a work
in progress, the staff is already enjoying fresh floors and paint, new tables and chairs as well as more
microwaves and coffee makers. Please take a peek in the lounge to see the upgrades. The photos
below illustrate the starting point to the current progress. We are so close. We will post pictures of
the final product soon!
As always, please reach out to our committee chair Christine Machon at [email protected] to
join our crew. We promise our Volunteer Committee is can suit your availability. It’s going to be a
great year! Go Chaps!
Please consider joining our committee and contact our Staff Appreciation chair, Christine Machon at
[email protected] if you are interested or would like more information about the program.
PTO STAFF APPRECIATION
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PSAT/NMSQT
WHS will be testing Sophomores and registered
Juniors for the PSAT/NMSQT on October 10,
2018. Sophomores and Juniors will be sent an email
with registration and test information.
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EEF
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Speaker Series Westlake Speaker Series 2018-2019
Westbank Library - 12:00pm 1:00pm
DATE TOPIC & SPEAKER
August 30th “Organization & Study Skills in the Digital Age!”
Christina Woodall, MLIS www.collegetutors.com
September 13th
“Managing Your Digital Life: Strategies for Note-taking, Digital Organization, Calendars, and Time Management!”
Lisa Johnson, M. Ed. (WHS Ed Tech) www.techchef4u.com
September 27th
“Everyday Mindfulness for a Peaceful (stress-less) Presence!” Stacy Thrash, MMI www.peacebox.com
October 11th “Anxiety: When Does it Become a Problem and How to Support
Your Anxious Teen!” Austin Anxiety and OCD Specialists www.austinanxiety.com
October 25th "Deciphering Girls’ Friendships!”
Barb Steinberg, LMSW www.barbsteinberg.com
November 8th
“Simple Strategies to Manage Stress!” Dave Wofford, MA, LPC www.clearspringscounseling.com
December 6th “Catching the Signs: Suicide and Self-Harm Awareness!”
Chris Quaglino, LCSW, LCDC www.itoiaustin.com
January 24th “Positive Discipline: Parenting your Teen with Confidence!” Julie Smith, MA, LMFT-A www.austinfamilycounseling.com
February 7th
“Parenting a Perfectionist Child: How to Know When They Are Pushing Themselves too Far!”
Edward Dreslinski, LCSW www.socopsychotherapy.com
March 28th “The Science to Overcoming Performance Anxiety!” Afshan Khan, M.D. www.austinoakshospital.com
April 11th “How Teaching Your Teen Self-Compassion Beats Self-Esteem Every Time!”
Ashleigh Edelstein, LMFT-A www.austinpsychotherapyservices.com
May 9th "Becoming a College Parent: What to Expect During the First Year of
College!” Katy Oliveria, MA www.collegehoodadvice.com
Katie Bryant, LCSW Kristi Waidhofer, LCSW [email protected] [email protected]
www.healthychaps.weebly.com
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Concessions
Hello, and Happy Fall! Westlake High School PTO is getting a jump on things for Concessions this
football season. We wanted to reach out to offer your WHS club or group an opportunity to work
Concessions for our Fall Football games AND GET PAID FOR IT! But, first, we will give you some
background and important information.
How does Football Concessions work? PTO operates three concession stands during home football games - Home, Visitor and The Pit. PTO needs
volunteers for several jobs each football game. Groups such as yours provide volunteers on the day of the game to
prepare the concession stands before the game (Load In job), and/or work in one or more of the concession stands
before and during the game (Concession jobs). Each job needs a different amount of workers, so your group will be
matched to the job that best meets the number of volunteers you can provide.
How will we get paid? PTO’s Volunteer Chair logs the work hours for each volunteer provided by each group. The Chair submits all
volunteer hours for each group to the PTO Treasurer at the end of the football season. When the school year is
completely over, the PTO calculates its Net Profit for Concessions for that school year. PTO then splits the Net
Profit between itself and the groups that provided volunteers for load in and concession jobs. Workers are paid for
each hour worked and payment is issued in August before school begins in the fall. To be clear, if your group volunteers for a job during the Fall 2018 football season, it will not get paid for that job until August 2019 because
PTO cannot pay out until our Concessions books are closed after the entire school year. The nice thing about this
system is that it only matters how many volunteers you bring to the table and how many hours they work. It does
not matter if you work the biggest or the smallest game. All work earns the same per hour.
Can we get service hours for our students? Yes, but then your group will not get paid for the hours worked by the students. Your student volunteers must
decide if they want service hours or monetary compensation. They cannot double dip! If your students want the
service hours instead, please let them know that they need to come to the Concession stand with their own forms
in hand because PTO does not have any forms.
How will we sign up? Contact Kelli Brown for more information. [email protected] All volunteer spots are filled on a first come-first serve basis.
Thank you,
KB
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“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art.” – Albert Einstein
Band
The Westlake High School Chaparral Band kicked off band camp
on August 1st. Band students worked outside in the morning and escaped the heat in the afternoon with indoor rehearsals at the WACC. With the start of school, we’ve already begun daily early morning rehearsals in preparation for a great season!
The Westlake Band’s 2018 contest show is entitled Myspherical. The Chap Band will take you on an exciting journey as they work to discover the secrets of a mysterious sphere. Musical selections include excerpts from Igor Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring”, Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek” and original music by Carol Britton Chambers.
We invite you to support the Chap Band at our first contest performance: BOA- Waco Regional hosted at Kelley Reeves Stadium on October 13th. The Chap Band is excited to support the Westlake High School football team on Friday September 7th against Cy-Ranch High School. Go Chaps! Upcoming Dates:
September 7th WHS v. Cy-Ranch – Middle School Night
September 13th WHS v. Akins @ Burger Center
September 21st WHS v. Austin High – Homecoming
September 28th WHS v. Lehman @ Bob Shelton Stadium
October 6th Westlake Marching Festival
Stay up-to-date with future Chaparral Band performances and all EISD Fine Arts performances by checking the Fine Arts
Department website— www.eanesisd.net/dept/finearts
2018-2019 Chap Band Seniors
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Theatre
Save the dates for our 2018-2019 season: New Beginnings
It’s not too early to mark your calendars for outstanding performances by our very own Westlake Theatre students!
Our 2018-2019 season is all about beginning new traditions, celebrating old classics and finding ways to get as many
people involved in our art as possible.
Plan now to support the arts and our kids by joining us at the Westlake High School Black Box Theatre – on the right
side of the rotunda in the Ninth Grade Center – for performances of:
Oct. 25-27 Nov. 15-17 Dec. 7
You’ll find more details, including the lineup for our full season, show
descriptions and performance times, on our website.
Westlake Improv Troupe brings down the house
The quick-witted kids of Westlake Improve Troupe – WIT – entertained young
and old Aug. 31 at Westlake Theatre’s first performance of the season. It was
an evening of pure, unadulterated, unscripted improvisational comedy.
Don’t miss WIT’s second show of the year at 7 p.m. Dec. 7! We’ll have some
special surprise guests, to be announced in late November.
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Westlake Theatre may be headed to Scotland!
After a successful trip in 2017, Westlake Theatre has been invited to return to the American High School Theatre
Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, during the summer of 2019! AHSTF runs in conjunction with the Edinburgh Festival
Fringe, the world’s largest performing arts festival. Our kids will have the opportunity to experience this event both as
performers and audience members.
AHSTF chose to include Westlake Theatre in the festival after a rigorous selection process based on our recent bodies
of work, community involvement, philosophies and recommendations. We are extremely proud of our kids and the
Westlake Theatre program for achieving this honor!
Tentative dates: July 27-Aug. 11, 2019
Cost: Between $5,600 and $6,200, and fundraising opportunities will be available.
We are hoping to find 15 talented and dedicated student performers eager to take the trip. Applicants must:
- Be currently enrolled in a Theatre Arts course at Westlake High School. - Have participated in at least one Westlake Theatre Department production. - Be in good overall standing with Westlake High School and the Theatre Department. - Be willing to accept any role (cast/crew) assigned to them for the production at AHSTF and strictly
adhere to trip rules and regulations. - Be willing to participate in rehearsals outside of class time during the 2018-2019 school year and
summer of 2019. - Commit to the payment schedule determined in the fall semester of 2018.
The deadline to apply is Oct. 1. Applications and more information are available here or by contacting Director of
Theatre Meredith Yanchak at [email protected].
Westlake Theatre kids perform and see the
sights during our 2017 trip to the Edinburgh
Festival Fringe.
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Choir
Calling all Choir Parent Volunteers!
Please join us for
Football Concessions
Friday, October 12
WHS v. Lake Travis
Sign up at:
http://signup.com/go/zsYupFd
Thank you!!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sept 7-9 Choir Retreat at Mo-Ranch,
Hunt, TX
Fri Sep 21 Ad Sales Due
Fri Sep 21 Homecoming
Sat Sep 29 TMEA District Auditions, WHS
Fri Oct 12 WHS vs. Lake Travis Concessions
Tue Oct 16 Fall Concert, WCPAC, 7:00 pm
Sat Oct 20 TMEA Region Auditions, Vandegrift HS
Join us for our
FALL CONCERT
Tuesday, October 16
WCPAC, 7:00 pm
Choir Retreat
Mo Ranch
Fri-Sun, Sept 7-9
Thank you to our 2018-2019
Westlake Choir Parents Board
President – JJ Langston
President-Elect – Laura Hollenbeck
Treasurer – Terri Giles
Treasurer-Elect - Ashley Cannatti
Secretary – Jill Bustamante
VP of Fundraising – Amy & Monte Gomillion
Mo Ranch Reps – Angela Abide & Leslie Abbott
Senior Reps – Melinda Barber & Renee Ernst
Junior Reps – Betsy Gochnour & Dana Bradley
Sophomore Reps – Cristi Jakubik & Laura
Colangelo
Chaparral Reps – Jayshree Velacheri & Jennifer
Muyshondt
For the latest Choir information, and to sign up as
a parent volunteer, please visit
http://westlakechoir.com
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Hyline
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Cheer
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Westbank Libraries
Here is just a sampling of what is happening in September at Westbank and Laura’s Library. Please check the website
for detailed information including programs on hiatus due to closures.
SEPTEMBER CLOSURES
Both Westbank and Laura’s Library will be closed Sunday, September 2 and Monday, September 3 in honor of Labor
Day. If you’re heading out of town, please defer your account to not miss your reserves. Simply log in your account at
westbanklibrary.com and choose your vacation dates under “My Account” and then “Reserves/Requests.”
TUTORS
Tutors are welcome to tutor in open library spaces (not enclosed quiet rooms) if they can do so without disturbing
others. Tutors are limited to working with three students or fewer at a time. Because of our proximity to WHS, the
upstairs meeting room at Westbank is reserved for after-school tutoring from 4-6PM on Mondays through Thursdays
during the school year. If no evening programs are scheduled, tutors may continue to use the space until 7PM.
Otherwise, they may continue tutoring elsewhere in the library until the library closes.
HEY YA’LL YOUNG ADULT BOOK CLUB
1ST THURSDAYS | 4:45PM | LAURA’S LIBRARY
Teen-facilitated young adult book club for fans of young adult (YA) literature. Please note, some books
contain mature content. Please check the calendar for monthly selections.
FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP: SCREENWRITING
SEPTEMBER 10 | 5-7PM | WESTBANK LIBRARY
Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, come to the Writing Workshop on the second Monday of each
month from 5-7pm at Westbank Library. Topics this semester will be: Screenwriting (in September and October) and
Memoir (in November and December). A great way to meet other writers and try genres that you may never have
explored before.
LIBRARY HOURS:
Monday - Thursday: 10 am - 7 pm
Friday - Sunday: 11 am - 5 pm
Call Us 512.327.3045
Text Us 512-649-2247
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TEEN ARCADE
SEPTEMBER 25 | 5-7PM | LAURA’S LIBRARY
Calling all teen gamers! Leave your quarters at home and join us for our monthly video game
meet-up! We’ll have a Switch for chucking Koopa shells at your friends in Mario Kart, a PS3 to spam fireballs in Street
Fighter, and two Wiis for some old school fun. We’ll also have a six-station Minecraft LAN party. Ages 13-17. No need
to register!
FOR PARENTS:
LIFE KI-DO RIVER PARENTING WORKSHOP – FINDING THE FLOW
SEPTEMBER 6 | NOON | LAURA'S LIBRARY
Looking for more ease and flow in your family life? Join Sensei Jonathan, co-author of the award-winning book Life Ki-
do Parenting: Tools to Raise Happy, Confident Kids from the Inside Out, and founder of Life Ki-do Martial Arts, for an
experiential River Parenting workshop. Practice conscious communication and empathy to deepen your connection to
your child while learning tools for self-care, how to return to your center, and bounce back when your buttons are
pressed. You’ll learn a common language you can share with your children to help the entire family with mindfulness
and self-regulation.
Jonathan Hewitt has over 30 years of experience studying mindfulness, meditation, and the brain-body connection. He
has taught martial arts and personal development to thousands of children, teens, and adults at his two Life Ki-do
Martial Arts academies in Westlake and Lakeway over the past 25 years. He also teaches his life education system in
local public and private schools to children, parents, and teachers alike.
TWICE EXCEPTIONAL, MANY TIMES FAILED
SEPTEMBER 12 | 6PM | WESTBANK LIBRARY
Schools are tasked with the nearly impossible mandate of transmitting a standardized curriculum to a wide variety of
students. Schools often label students “gifted” or “learning disabled” if they cannot fit in academically with the
majority of students who make up the middle of the proverbial bell curve. Twice Exceptional (2e) students are typically
the worst served students because they are simultaneously considered gifted and learning disabled. Coupled with their
small numbers, schools are ill-equipped to expend the required resources and make the necessary accommodations
for 2e students to thrive in a standardized setting. Antonio Buehler will highlight actionable steps that parents can take
to ensure that their 2e children are not being failed by school.
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WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTS: NOTE TAKING, DIGITAL ORGANIZATION, CALENDARS, AND TIME MANAGEMENT
SEPTEMBER 13 | NOON | WESTBANK LIBRARY
Lisa Johnson (M. Ed., WHS Ed Tech) presents Note Taking, Digital Organization, Calendars, and Time Management.
Learn more at www.techchef4u.com.
TESTING IN, OPTING OUT
SEPTEMBER 18 | 6PM | LAURA’S LIBRARY
Testing has become synonymous with schooling, but there is little evidence that testing promotes learning. However,
there is ample research on the harms of testing. Antonio Buehler of Abrome will talk about how we can help young
people navigate the testing environments in their schools as well as provide them with the information they need to
opt out of tests that do not serve their needs.
WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTS: EVERYDAY MINDFULNESS FOR A PEACEFUL (STRESS-LESS) PRESENCE
SEPTEMBER 27 | NOON | WESTBANK LIBRARY
Stacy Thrash presents Everyday Mindfulness for a Peaceful (Stress-less) Presence. Learn more at www.peacebox.com.
SMART SCHOOLING BOOK GROUP
SEPTEMBER 27 | 6PM | LAURA’S LIBRARY
Led by Antonio Buehler, founder of Abrome, this book group comes together to discuss books that touch upon topics
in education, with an emphasis on the psychology that should inform how we approach education. September’s
selection is Most Likely to Succeed by Tony Wagner.
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Community Partners Westlake High School PTO would like to thank all of our Community Partners!
The Steam Team is a Westlake family-owned business and a proud supporter of EISD
as well as Westlake Athletics.
Over the last decade, Steam Team has helped raise over $150,000 to help fund the gap
between good and excellent in EISD. Family member/owner Josh Lasch graduated
from WHS as did his 2 brothers. Their mom was an EISD school nurse for 25 years!
For water damage, fire damage, carpet cleaning, tile cleaning and call types of
restoration and disaster clean up, call Steam Team. Mention the word Westlake
during the month of September when you call in for service to get an additional 10% off. Go Chaps!
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Do you own a business in Westlake? We'd love to feature you as a Community Partner. For your
sponsorship you will receive:
• A “sponsor” feature article 1x/year in the parent newsletter • Logo displayed on large banners in the WHS Stadium and Main Gym seen by an estimated 50,000 fans per year • Logo displayed on WHS PTO website (www.whspto.net) • “Banner” headline promotion for one month/year on WHS PTO website • Sponsorship decal/certificate for display at your place of business
Please contact Debra Thompson at (512) 413-5589 or [email protected]