Tammy Allison, COO/Foundation & Community Relations at Mary Rutan Hospital Foundation, presented West Liberty-Salem Middle School Principal Mr. McGill, Middle School Counselor Kim Leichty, and Treasurer Chelsea Baldwin with a $500 check to complete a mural of encouragement for our Middle School. The mural that was designed by Rachel Schmucker, a WL-S graduate, will be displayed in the main middle school hallway offering encouraging words to students passing by. Kim Leichty thought the mural would provide students a bit of brightness in their day, while adding some much-needed color to the Middle School wing. The design will be completed by W Productions in Urbana, Ohio, who graciously offered to pick up any remaining balance after supplies and labor are accounted for. Thank you to Mary Rutan Hospital for supporting the students in the communities you serve, and Rachel Schmucker, and W Productions for being a part of this project!
West Liberty-Salem Middle School has chosen their November Students of the Month. The following students are nominated and selected by their teachers for being great students and peers. They receive a t-shirt from BOSS, Marie's Candies, and gift cards from Malia Hughes, Powered by Fathom Realty. Congratulations to the following students:
8th Grade: Ellery Wygal & Zach Cordell
7th Grade: Mackenzie Damron & Levi Birt
6th Grade: Amelia Miller & Dawson Turner
Tiger Athletics Week at a glance! Go Tigers!
The PTO did a wonderful job stocking our Santa Shop with so many goodies for our elementary shoppers! Students were thrilled to select gifts for loved ones and wrap them before bringing them home this week. Students who ride the bus may bring gifts home over the next few days so they don't have to bring so much all at once, but don't worry! We will make sure everything makes it under the tree this week! 🎄
West Liberty-Salem has announced their December Seniors of the Month! Seniors of the month are nominated by their teachers for being great students and active in their school and other activities. They are awarded with gift cards to local eateries, a free lunch at WL-S, and are celebrated by the local Kiwanis Club at their Senior of the Month Luncheon.
Congratulations to Riggs Lapp and Anna Byrd for being selected as the December Seniors of the Month! Take a moment and read a little about them below.
West Liberty-Salem SENIOR OF THE MONTH QUESTIONNAIRE
NAME: Riggs Lapp
SCHOOL: West Liberty-Salem
PARENTS: Jason and Gretchen Lapp
School Activities and Awards:
Throughout high school, I participated in four years of football, and four years of FFA.
During my Junior year, I started participating in Link Crew. I am also involved in the
National Honor Society. In addition, I am a hall monitor along with Sam Lauck.
If I were principal for a day:
If I were the principal for the day, I would send out an all call to the students and staff of
WL-S and have school cancelled for the day.
Favorite school memory:
My favorite school memory is wandering the hallways periodically throughout the day.
People who have been an inspiration to me include: My parents and grandparents
have been some of my biggest influences.
Because: They showed me what it means to be a hard worker and how things
are earned and not given.
Lately, I have been reading:
Lord of the flies by William Golding
My advice to parents:
Let them be a teenager and let them learn from their mistakes. Don’t hold them back
from doing what they enjoy.
My biggest regret:
Not playing baseball in high school
Next year I will be:
I will be attending a two-year college for an undecided major.
NAME: Anna Byrd
SCHOOL: West Liberty-Salem
PARENTS: Leslie & Paul Waibel
School Activities and Awards:
This year I participated in the drama production of Chasing Charming and was one of
the three flag captains in the WL-S marching band. I’m currently in the school’s Book
Club and Pages group. I was voted in by the student body as Senior Class President
and Officer.
If I were principal for a day:
I don’t think much would change actually! I think I would talk to students one-on-one to
make sure everyone is enjoying their school year and their classes!
Favorite school memory:
My favorite school memories are Friday Night home football games and performing at
halftime!
People who have been an inspiration to me include: My dad, Paul Waibel
Because: My father is the reason for my drive to succeed in life. I admire his
work ethic, his determination, and all that he does for my family. I can only hope to be
like him one day.
Lately, I have been reading:
My book club read The Silent Patient, a psychological thriller about a mute patient and
her psychotherapist.
My advice to parents:
Hug your kids and tell them you love them every time you leave, even if you’re just
going to the other room. Kids are hard on themselves, don’t ever let them forget that
they are loved no matter what.
My biggest regret:
My biggest regret is not putting my all into my grades until this year. I usually get decent marks, but working hard makes getting an A+ so much better.
Next year I will be:
Next year I hope to be attending Ohio University and working towards a degree in
journalism!
Congratulations to Gabe McGill, Cam Bair, and Josh Wilcoxon!
Need Driver's Ed?
The Madison-Champaign ESC is offering a Driver's Ed Program for HS students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. For students that qualify, the in-classroom and on-road instruction will cost parents/guardians $25. For more information, click the following link: https://5il.co/2aa1n
To express interest in this program, please contact Principal Greg Johnson at your earliest convenience. The first of 2 sessions will start in January but WL-S will need to reserve your spot by the end of next week.
On Nov. 30th, Pages students visited Wexner Center for the Arts to see three exhibits. All exhibits featured artists exploring home, cultural identity, family and food. Food was an important part of all three, with 'bread' being featured throughout.
After the exhibition and discussion, students were given BuckID cards to have lunch at the Union at The Ohio State University.
Pages: Art & Writing, is a multi-disciplinary program that supports literacy and writing skills through the exploration of contemporary art, film, and performing arts. The program is led by high school teacher Jess Haney and is a free program for students across Central Ohio. The program pairs educators and artists from the Wexner Center with high school teachers in the planning of writing-based experiential learning opportunities.
Students will watch a film at Wexner Center in February with an Open Mic ending the program in May.
The West Liberty-Salem High School Calculus Club is continuing a long time Holiday tradition started by retired Club Advisor and high school Math teacher Todd Lewis. The club, now advised by Stephanie Spencer, adopted a family for Christmas. They shopped for the gifts and wrapped them at their recent club meeting to be delivered just in time for the holiday. Thank you, Calc Club, for this great service project! Keep up the good work!
Team Champ swimmers, comprised of athletes from Graham, Urbana, West Liberty and London competed in the Team Champ Opening Sprint meet at the Champaign Family YMCA in Urbana on November 28th against Jonathan Alder, Fairbanks, Kenton Ridge and Shawnee.
In the girls competition the finishers were as followed:
West Liberty Salem:
200 Medley Relay of Addison McAuley, Lilly Smith, Lydia Schmidt, Laney Craig 2nd (2:33.35)
100 Freestyle - Lilly Smith (1:06.44) 3rd and Lydia Schmidt 4th (1:12.47)
50 Freestyle - Lydia Schmidt (32.37) 5th, Laney Craig (35.77) 15th, Addison McAuley 17th (37.47)
50 Backstroke - Laney Craig (44.31) 8th and Addison McAuley 9th (44.97)
50 Breaststroke - Lilly Smith 4th (1:40.19)
200 Freestyle Relay - Addison McAuley, Lydia Schmidt, Laney Craig, and Lily Smith 3rd (2:17.73)
Go Tigers!
West Liberty-Salem Musical Director Jakob Schaufelberger has announced the cast list for this year's musical, Footloose! Congratulations to the following cast members!
West Liberty-Salem Principal’s featured in Men’s Health Magazine, November Edition
West Liberty-Salem High School Principal Greg Johnson and Middle School Principal Andy McGill are featured in November’s Men’s Health Magazine for their outstanding efforts in recovery and response to schools across the nation that have experienced gun violence. The Article, The Club No Principal Wants to Join, written by freelance journalist Gloria Liu, takes readers on a journey alongside four of the 21 founding principals of The Principal Recovery Network, who led their schools through the aftermath of a school shooting.
Gloria Lui worked on the story for several months, recounting their experiences from the days, months and even years following events at Columbine, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Perry Hall High School, and right here in our own community. “She interviewed us via phone and zoom and even met us at a conference in California to hear us present,” Principal Greg Johnson shared. The conference was the ‘2023 School Safety Symposium: Active Shooter Awareness,’ where West Liberty-Salmen graduate Logan Cole, Greg Johnson, Andy McGill, and Superintendent Kraig Hissong were Keynote speakers. “I thought she did a great job weaving the four personal experiences together into one story. She uniquely captured the essence of the Principal Recovery Network in a powerful and well written narrative.”
While no one recovers the same way after a tragic or traumatic event, similar themes present themselves in patterns. Lui writes, “They [principals] led their communities forward. They faced common challenges, which unfolded in a similar sequence.” She continues, “Today, as the PRN, they offer their experiences as a guide, in hopes they might help others find smoother passage through. On the other side of the hardship, the principals promise, there can be healing.” Lui, Gloria, “The Club No Principal Wants to Join”, Nov. 2023. “This group is spread out over the country,” Principal Andy McGill said, “and I would do anything to be there to assist them. They are my friends. I am proud to be a part of this group because I do think we are doing good.”
Now, years later, both Johnson and McGill are still sharing their experience with schools across the nation. Like other members of the PRN, retrospect has given them pause to look at what they might have done differently in the days following the shooting. In the article, Johnson and McGill share regrets and guilt, but also the sentiment that life doesn’t just go on, McGill says, “it must go on.” They continue to look at the positive outcomes, the milestones, and the healing that follows.
To read the complete article, pick up a copy of the November edition of Men’s Health Magazine, or read the complete story online at Principals Speak Out on Trauma and Healing After School Gun Violence (menshealth.com).
Photo Credit: Angelo Merendino
AngeloMerindino.com
Goodmorning families, Just a reminder that we are on a two hour delay this morning for Professional Development. School will start at 9:40 for MS and HS and 9;45 for Elementary.
Thank you
Kraig Hissong
Please help us congratulate Laurie Park, who retires today after 23 years of service to our district! Laurie served our students and staff in the food service department, and always with a smile and kind greeting. We thank you for your many years of service and wish you well on your next chapter!
Join us for the sounds of the season on two different evenings. The high school Choir will take the stage in the cafetorium on Monday, December 4th, at 6:30 PM, followed by the high school Band. Middle school choir (grades 6-8) and band (grades 7 & 8) will follow on December 5th, in the same order, in the cafetorium at 6:30.
Winter sports media day is always a great time photographing our athletes and capturing their fun personalities. Pictured are this season's senior athletes. Please help us wish them success and a lifetime of memories as they embark on their finale seasons as Tigers!
Week at a glance! Go Tigers!
The elementary Santa Shop is right around the corner on December 4th & 5th! Students should have brought home information and Santa Shop envelopes home recently. There are gifts for every family member that range from 50 cents to $10 each. Older students and our PTO volunteers will be available to help younger students shop. Thank you to our wonderful PTO members who shop all year long for this beloved event!
Reminder that on Friday, December 1st, our staff will be in Professional Development. Students will be on a 2-hour delay.
Professional development is essential for career growth and advancement. Educators use this time to identify strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and create a structured plan and timeline for achieving them.
The WLSAA along with some of our winter athletes helped welcome Santa to the Village in the annual holiday parade on Friday evening. Athletes, or better known as Santa's elves, braved the cold to pass out candy canes and spread holiday cheer! Thank you Lilly, Kerrigan, Garrett, Lyndee, and Liz Carter!
