Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year at Traverse City West Senior High School!! I hope your summer was relaxing and that you were able to spend quality time with family and friends.

This summer has been a very busy one at West Senior High. Classrooms were added internally to accommodate the ninth grade, including two additional science labs. Video technology was also expanded to include most classrooms and we are now wireless throughout the school. Teachers also met throughout the summer to finish preparing for trimesters and to review last year's ACT/MME results. Overall, scores did improve for the second straight year, but we feel that with some adjustments, the results can be even better.

Finally, the circle drive around the school will be adjusted yet this summer to pave the way for an auxiliary gym, athletic director's office, locker rooms and additional storage for the 2009-2010 school year. Ground breaking on this project will begin in September. I am very pleased to say that all projects are on target and we are excited about all the changes in curriculum and facilities. There are changes that we have made to student drop-off and pick-up areas! There will be handouts about this change at registration. We need your cooperation with traffic flow to ensure a safe and orderly environment for all students, parents, staff and guests.

Throughout the summer, I took some time to read some of the current research on parental involvement at school and its impact on student achievement. Guess what? Very little has changed! Research still points out that the more parents are involved with the school, the higher the academic success of the student. Our students have had great success at T.C. West Senior High School, but there is always room for improvement.

I sincerely believe that your active involvement can make this a better place for students, staff, parents and community members. Please consider volunteering in the Noon Activity Program (NAP). Be an Academic, Athletic or Music Booster. Attend the monthly West Parent Advisory Committee (WPAC) activities and come to co-curricular events. Visit a class and use Parent Viewer to keep current with classroom assignments and your student’s grades. Use the T.C. West Senior High Web site (www.tcaps.net/wsh/) to access daily announcements, and e-mail or call me if you have any questions or concerns.

If I don’t have your e-mail address, please send it to me at www.tibaldijo@wsh.tcaps.net and I will include you in my bi-weekly parent update. We need, and sincerely want, you to be an activities member of the T.C. West Senior High community!

Registration for 10^th, 11^th and 12^th grade students will be on Monday, August 18^th from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, August 19^th from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Parent Orientation will also be held on Monday August 18^th at 7:00 pm in the auditorium.

Freshman orientation and registration will be held on Wednesday, August 27^th from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Since our opening in 1998, we have worked hard to establish a school environment based upon mutual cooperation, respect, and high expectations for all. We believe the foundation of this positive school culture rests within our Standards of Practice. The Standards were mutually developed and are reviewed annually by parents, students and staff to serve as a guide for our school. We believe that a continuing commitment by everyone puts our school standards into practice and plays an important role in the continued success of T.C. West Senior High School.

T.C. West Senior High School

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE

We will treat all people with dignity, honesty, respect and trust.

We will be positive contributors.

We will foster a safe and orderly environment.

We will provide all students opportunities for success.

We will demonstrate quality work.

Thank you for sending us such great young adults!! Enjoy the last few weeks of summer. I hope to see you at registrations, Parent Orientation on August 18^th and throughout the school year at our events and activities.

Joe Tibaldi, Principal

Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year at Traverse City West Senior High School!! I hope your summer was relaxing and that you were able to spend quality time with family and friends.

If I don’t have your e-mail address, please send it to me at www.tibaldijo@wsh.tcaps.net and I will include you in my bi-weekly parent update. We need, and sincerely want, you to be an activities member of the T.C. West Senior High community!

We will provide all students opportunities for success.

We will demonstrate quality work.

Thank you for sending us such great young adults!! Enjoy the last few weeks of summer. I hope to see you at registrations, Parent Orientation on August 18th and throughout the school year at our events and activities.

Thank you for sending us such great young adults!! Enjoy the last few weeks of summer. I hope to see you at registrations, Parent Orientation on August 18^th and throughout the school year at our events and activities.