It’s hard to believe but there are only two weeks left in the second quarter!  With this in mind, please continue to review your student’s grades in ProgressBook.  You and your student can also set up alerts for low grades and missing assignments as well.  Please feel free to contact your student’s teacher, guidance counselor, or an administrator with any questions.  Our expectation is that grades are updated in ProgressBook once per week and that any email or phone call is returned within 24 business hours.  If you are experiencing problems accessing ProgressBook, please reach out parentaccess@southwestschools.org. 

MAYOR’S FUND FOOD & CLOTHING DRIVE

Next week, December 5 – 9, marks the annual food and clothing collection drive for the Mayor’s Fund.  Our district goal for this year is to collect 30,000 items and our goal at the high school is to collect 7500 items.  Students may bring in clothing to donate in the main lobby, and we will be collecting non-perishable food items in students’ first bell classes.

MONDAY DECEMBER 5 – “THE STRUGGLE IS REAL” AT THE HARRISON BRANCH LIBRARY

On Monday, December 5 at 7:00 PM, the Harrison branch of the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library is offering a presentation for adults with middle or high school aged youth that includes warning signs, facts and statistics, how to talk with your child and how to work with school staff. Our presenters will be from NAMI Southwest Ohio (National Alliance for Mental Illness). Registration is required.  For more information, please click here.

SEMESTER EXAMS & GRADING

As a reminder, we will no longer be doing any kind of adjusted bell schedule for midterm exams at the end of the second quarter.  In lieu of a traditional separate exam, teachers will have the option of giving a cumulative test or project that will be calculated into the second quarter grade.  We are also coordinating a schedule of days on which each of the different departments will give these cumulative tests so that students do not have more than two or three on any given day.  Since the exam is no longer a separate part of the semester grade, each quarter will count for 50% of the semester grade, and students must still pass the second quarter regardless of their first quarter grade to earn the semester credit.

BUILDING ACCESS BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL

Now that the colder weather is here to stay, we are opening the lobby of the main building for students to stay inside before and after school.  The main lobby is now accessible at 6:45 AM for students who are dropped off early or who take the bus to Diamond Oaks.  After school, we are clearing the Activity Center at 3:15 due to the increase in winter practices and contests; students should wait for their ride in the lobby of the main building. 

HEALTH & WELLNESS INFORMATION

As flu season is in full swing, please remember to keep students home when sick to help prevent spread. Students must be free of fevers, vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours, without the use of medication, before returning to school. Please contact the school if your student will be out. Let’s stay healthy and safe this winter!

CLASS OF 2023 ORDERING INFORMATION

This is the last weekend to order Class of 2023 items like the cap & gown, graduation stationery, and spirit wear!  After December 5, 2022, the price of the cap & gown will increase and some graduation and spirit wear items may no longer be available.  To order online, visit www.graduateserviceinc.com and search for “William H Harrison.”  We also still have a limited number of hard copy order packets available in the main office.

UPCOMING DATES AT A GLANCE:

• Mon 12/5 – Fri 12/9: Annual Food & Clothing Drive
• Tues 12/6: Holiday Chorus Concert – 7:00 PM
• Tues 12/13: Holiday Band Concert – 7:00 PM
• Fri 12/16: No School/Records Day

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions at any time.  Thank you, have a great weekend and Go Wildcats!