To: Michael Green
From: Phillip Pearson
Date: January 18, 2022
RE: WHS Report
Omicron in Pictures and Numbers
The graph below shows the number of students excluded from school over time. It’s a perfect description of the Omicron peak at WHS. In two words, it was severe and short. On January 3rd there were 3 students excluded from school. On January 12th, there were 85. By February 14th, we were back down to 7. Our staff absences peaked on January 14th with 20 staff out (including me) and 4 unfilled sub jobs. Although it was incredibly stressful for all involved, I’m enormously grateful and proud of the WHS team for coming together and keeping our doors open.
Athletics and Activities Update
This past week our boy’s basketball team finished up their run in the regional playoffs with a hard fought contest against Black Hills High School. Today (2-18) the state wrestling tournament kicks off. Four Beaver wrestlers qualified for that tournament and will be competing sometime today. For the first time, the WHS Robotics team qualified for the state tournament. The team traveled to Seattle in early February and finished 16th overall. Spring athletics kick off in earnest in about a week, the TOLO dance is set for March 5th, and this spring drama production is in rehearsals. There’s a lot going on!
PSAT and School Day SAT
In October, WHS administered the PSAT to all sophomores free of charge to families. Those results are being put to active use by our student services team to assist families in developing high school coursework plans. In March we will administer the SAT to interested Juniors and Seniors on campus. This will also happen free of charge to families. We’re hopeful that these opportunities will serve to broaden options for our students.