Southwest Guilford High School Principal's Message: November 2017

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

SWHS Principal's weekly updates for November 27th

Good evening, this is Mike Hettenbach, Principal of Southwest Guilford High School with your weekly updates and reminders...

I hope each and every one of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving break!

We now have roughly 6 weeks left before we start testing near the end of the first semester. Please make sure your child's grades are kept up, excessive attendance issues are corrected, time made up, and positive choices maintained. This window of time always seems to fly by. We don't want any student being blindsided by the very end of the semester finding themselves in a tough situation. Thank you for helping us guide our students down the right path. If you need assistance with grade monitoring through the parent assistance program, please contact Kristy Cline through e-mail at clinek2@gcsnc.com.

Come out and support Spikesgiving on Wednesday. SW volleyball players vs SW soccer players. It starts at 6:30 pm. Entry into Coggins gym is either 2 cans of non perishable items or $2. There will be a faculty game as well. The Faculty winner will play the winner of the students game. Grand champion will be allowed one full week to wear jeans during the week of December 4th.

November is Tobacco Prevention Month. The teen years are critical for brain development, which continues into young adulthood. Young people who use nicotine products in any form, including e-cigarettes, are uniquely at risk for long-lasting effects. Because nicotine affects the development of the brain's reward system, continued e-cigarette use can not only lead to nicotine addiction, but it also can make other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine more pleasurable to a teen's developing brain. Nicotine also affects the development of brain circuits that control attention and learning. Other risks include mood disorders and permanent problems with impulse control—failure to fight an urge or impulse that may harm oneself or others

As it relates to the weekly athletics, please feel free to navigate to the www.cowboysports.org website for detailed information.

Upcoming Athletic schedule, extracurricular events, and important activities:

Monday, November 27

No athletic events
PTSA Meeting 6-8 - Conference Room, C130

Tuesday, November 28

4:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Basketball High Point Central High School Away
5:00 PM Coed Varsity Swimming High Point Central High School Away
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Basketball High Point Central High School Away
7:30 PM Mens Varsity Basketball High Point Central High School Away

Wednesday, November 29
Spikesgiving - 6:30PM - Coggins gym
4:30 PM Coed Varsity Track GCS Polar Bear Meet @ SEGHS Home

7:00 PM Mens Varsity Wrestling Dudley Senior High School Match Away

Thursday, November 30

4:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Basketball Ragsdale High School Away
6:00 PM Coed Varsity Swimming Bishop Mc Guinness Memorial H S Home
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Basketball Ragsdale High School Away
7:30 PM Mens Varsity Basketball Ragsdale High School Away

Friday, December 1
5:00 PM Mens Varsity Wrestling Falcon Frenzy @ W. Henderson Away

Remember, you are always able to access this message on our school website under School News and titled Principal's Weekly Updates or on Facebook and Twitter. Please follow Southwest High School at SouthwestGHS for both Twitter and Facebook. This is a great way for us to communicate and stay connected.

The Southwest family hopes you all had a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving break. We look forward to seeing everyone back in action tomorrow, Monday November 27th!

We are... Southwest!

Sunday, November 19, 2017

SWHS Principal's weekly updates for November 20th

Good evening, this is Mike Hettenbach, Principal of Southwest Guilford High School with your weekly updates and reminders...

As the holidays and the end of the semester approach, be mindful that your child may be experiencing more stress and anxiety than usual. Look for signs such as sleeping more or less, school avoidance, and changes in mood or other behaviors. Use this time off from work and school to have open and honest conversations about how they are dealing with stressors.

This Tuesday, interim reports will be distributed. Please make sure you ask your child for each teacher's report. Tuesday is also a jean day ONLY for those who have purchased a PTSA bracelet. Students who do not have a bracelet must be in dress code for the day.

November is Tobacco Prevention Month. The teen years are critical for brain development, which continues into young adulthood. Young people who use nicotine products in any form, including e-cigarettes, are uniquely at risk for long-lasting effects. Because nicotine affects the development of the brain's reward system, continued e-cigarette use can not only lead to nicotine addiction, but it also can make other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine more pleasurable to a teen's developing brain. Nicotine also affects the development of brain circuits that control attention and learning. Other risks include mood disorders and permanent problems with impulse control—failure to fight an urge or impulse that may harm oneself or others

As it relates to the weekly athletics, please feel free to navigate to the www.cowboysports.org website for detailed information.

Upcoming Athletic schedule, extracurricular events, and important activities:

Monday, November 20

Tuesday, November 21

Interim Reports are distributed in each class
Jean day for students with PTSA bracelets ONLY
5:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Basketball Southeast Guilford High School Away
7:00 PM Coed Varsity Swimming Northwest Senior High School Away
6:00 PM Mens Varsity Basketball Southeast Guilford High School Home
7:30 PM Womens Varsity Basketball Southeast Guilford High School Home

Wednesday, November 22
No School for staff and students

Thursday, November 23

THANKSGIVING!
No School for staff and students

Friday, November 24
No School for staff and students

Remember, you are always able to access this message on our school website under School News and titled Principal's Weekly Updates or on Facebook and Twitter. Please follow Southwest High School at SouthwestGHS for both Twitter and Facebook. This is a great way for us to communicate and stay connected.

The Southwest family hopes you all have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving break. We look forward to seeing everyone back in action on Monday November 27th!

We are... Southwest!

Friday, November 10, 2017

SWHS Principal's weekly updates for November 13th

Good evening, this is Mike Hettenbach, Principal of Southwest Guilford High School with your weekly updates and reminders...

This Tuesday is a our 1st semester Senior Speech. If you are still interested in judging speeches, please contact Dawn Davis at davisd9@gcsnc.com as soon as possible.

November is Tobacco Prevention Month. With the rise of vaping products, research is beginning to show that teens who are more likely to end up using traditional cigarettes, make e-cigarettes a gateway to traditional tobacco. Addiction may be the most dangerous thing about teen use of e-cigs/vaping. "Nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and harm the development of the brain". Parents, please have this conversation with your teenager about the dangers of tobacco and vaping products.

Southwest is having a school wide canned food drive Nov 13th -17th this week. Items like canned soup, canned vegetables, and canned fruit are needed. Please no glass containers. The collected items are going to Out of the Garden that serves families in Guilford and Forsyth county. To make this really easy for you, you can drop your goods off in the morning car line in the front circle on Thursday morning. Students from the leadership team will be there to greet you and collect those goods.

Report Cards were distributed this past Wednesday. If you did not see your child's report card, please ask them for a copy or call the main office and ask for Ms. Durant.

Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors: The Guilford Apprenticeship Partners will have an information session at school on Wednesday, November 15^th. The GAP program offers a path to attaining a college education for free while also obtaining paid on the job training. See Michelle Cook, cookm@gcsnc.com for more information or to sign up.

As it relates to the weekly athletics, please feel free to navigate to the www.cowboysports.org website for detailed information.

Upcoming Athletic schedule, extracurricular events, and important activities:

Monday, November 13

Tuesday, November 14

Senior Speech Night - 5:30 - 9:00 (Still looking to judge - reach out to Dawn Davis at davisd9@gcsnc.com)

Wednesday, November 15
Guilford Apprenticeship Partners Information session -Media Center - 10:30 - 11:30 AM

6:00 PM Mens Varsity Wrestling Tri-Meet with Northwood/Smith Home
6:00 PM Coed Varsity Swimming Glenn Home

Thursday, November 16

6:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Basketball Ronald Reagan High School Home
7:30 PM Womens Varsity Basketball Ronald Reagan High School Home

Friday, November 17
All County Orchestra

Saturday, November 18
HOSA Event - 7 AM - 5:30PM - SWHS
All County Orchestra - SWHS
9:00 AM Mens Varsity Wrestling Cedar Ridge Round Robin @ Cedar Ridge HS Away
8:00 PM Coed Varsity Swimming Freshman and Sophomore Invitational Meet host by Grimsley HS Away

Monday, November 20
Reality of Money for Freshmen - 8:15-3:35 - Old gym

Tuesday, November 21
5:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Basketball Southeast Guilford High School Away

6:00 PM Mens Varsity Basketball Southeast Guilford High School Home
6:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Basketball Southeast Guilford High School Away
7:00 PM Coed Varsity Swimming Northwest Senior High School Away
7:30 PM Womens Varsity Basketball Southeast Guilford High School Home

We are... Southwest!

Friday, November 3, 2017

SWHS Principal's weekly updates for Nov 6th, 2017

Good evening, this is Mike Hettenbach, Principal of Southwest Guilford High School with your weekly updates and reminders...

Please make sure you have turned back the clocks this evening one hour. This Wednesday is an early release at 1:35 for students and Friday is a holiday, no school for students and staff.

Great job to the Men's Soccer team for a fantastic season. Additionally, a great job to the Men's Cross Country team for finishing 7th in the states. Men's football plays this Friday against Statesville at home in the first round of the playoffs.This is the first home playoff game for the football program in the history of Southwest Guilford High School.

November is Tobacco Prevention Month. With the rise of vaping products, research is beginning to show that teens who are more likely to end up using traditional cigarettes, making e-cigarettes a gateway to traditional tobacco. Addiction may be the most dangerous thing about teen use of e-cigs/vaping. "Nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and harm the development of the brain". Parents, please have this conversation with your teenager about the dangers of tobacco and vaping products.

Southwest is having a school wide canned food drive Nov 13-17th. Items like canned soup, canned vegetables, and canned fruit are needed. Please no glass containers. The collected items are going to Out of the Garden that serves families in Guilford and Forsyth county.

Sprint Cellular has a grant whereby some students will qualify for a special smart phone program and Southwest High is participating in this grant. Students who meet these qualifications will be called into Mrs. Barnum’s office for more information. Parents of those students will also be given extensive details.

A heads up to all parents and guardians that report cards will be distributed to all students this Wednesday on November 8th. Please ask your child for their copy. If your child informs you they did not receive their report card, please call the school. This is also an early release day at 1:35 so please be prepared to see your child arrive home early on this day.

Registration for rising 11^th and 12^th graders began last week. Students will meet with their counselors individually via English classes to discuss their options based on their post high school plans. This is the perfect time to start having conversations about life after high school as planning for that life begins now. If your child is not enrolled in English this semester, they will meet with their counselor next semester.

There will be another Senior Meeting on Wednesday, November 8th. Students will be released early after this meeting. Seniors will order their graduation supplies from Herff Jones. Information about supplies was provided to your child this past Wednesday at the November 1st senior meeting. Additionally, the senior counselors distributed information in an e-mail this past Wednesday with specifics related to this process. As seniors will be allowed to go home early on Wednesday, seniors should take advantage of this day by filling out applications, resumes, working on essays and even going to visit a college. You can register to take an official college tour by going to a college or university’s admissions website. Also, seniors who completed the FAFSA application process will receive an extra incentive on this day.

Free Tutoring opportunity! Brainfuse now offers students tutoring services, designed for a wide range of academic needs. Students can get help with classwork, extra help in difficult subjects or prepare for college preparatory tests including the SAT. These services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to accommodate any schedule.To access these resources go to gparesources.gcsnc.com to register for an account and/or sign in to access resources.Students can access Brainfuse on any GCS computer. At home, they'll need to use their parent's log-in to the Guilford Parent Academy website.

As it relates to the weekly athletics, please feel free to navigate to the www.cowboysports.org website for detailed information.

Upcoming Athletic schedule, extracurricular events, and important activities:

Monday, November 6
Freshman Incentive trip

Tuesday, November 7

Instructional Meeting - 10:30 - Barnum's Office

Wednesday, November 8

Seniors order graduation supplies - Coggins Gym (early release for seniors)
Report Card Distribution
Early Release Day for students
Pre ACT Test (10th graders

Thursday, November 9
Junior Incentive trip

Friday, November 10

Holiday - No School

Coming up.....

Tuesday, November 14th
Senior Speech Night - 5:30 - 9:00

We are... Southwest!