SWHS Principal's weekly updates for March 26

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

Thank you for a great Safety and Security meeting this past Tuesday evening in our auditorium. If you missed it, we had some great discussion and have a plan to move forward. This plan involves creating two separate committees. The committees will be divided into funding and then with actual planning. If you wish to participate on these committees, Please reach out to Wendy O'Hara at wopncmom2@gmail.com or to David Rosen at photoinnovations@gmail.com. Feel free to navigate to the Principal's weekly updates to click on these e-mail addresses directlty. 

This past week, we finished reviewing both the tornado and fire drill in all 4 lunches within the cafeteria.  We also conducted a school wide lock down drill. Please ask your child about these drills. If there are any concerns about what you heard from your child, please share them with me. We will continue to conduct drills as we move through the school year and inform you of those drills that have been practiced. Thank you for all feedback as it is greatly appreciated.

The 3rd quarter ends on Thursday, March 29th. Adhering to the county wide calendar, report cards will be distributed on Tuesday, April 17th after spring break. Please make sure you are in contact with your child's teacher for academic help or to make sure any excessive time is made 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, March 26

4:00 PM Mens Varsity Golf Conference Match hosted by Dudley at Gillespie Park Away 

4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Ben L. Smith High School Away 
5:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball Western Alamance High School Away 
5:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse East Forsyth High School Endowment Game Home 6:00 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse Glenn Away 
7:30 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse East Forsyth High School Endowment Game Home 

Tuesday, March 27

3:30 PM Mens Varsity Golf West Forsyth High School WF @ Bermuda Run West GC Away 

4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Ragsdale High School Home 

5:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball Mount Tabor High School Home 

5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball Mount Tabor High School Away 

5:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer Mount Tabor High School Home 

6:00 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse Parkland High School Away 

7:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball Mount Tabor High School Away 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer Mount Tabor High School Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Mount Tabor High School Away

Wednesday, March 28

4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Northwest Senior High School Home 

4:30 PM Coed Varsity Track Conference Meet vs. Mt. Tabor/Smith Away 

5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball Southern Guilford High School Home 

5:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer Northwest Senior High School Home 

6:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer High Point Central High School Away 

6:00 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse Ronald Reagan High School Away 

7:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse Southern Alamance HS Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Southern Guilford High School Home 

Thursday, March 29

All day - PTSA student jean day IF student has purchased 2nd semester bracelet
6:00 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse Atkins High School Away 
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer Ben L. Smith High School Away 
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse Atkins High School Home 
7:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball Ben L. Smith High School Away 
7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Ben L. Smith High School Away

Friday, March 30

No School

Coming up...

Friday, April 13
All day - SWHS PTSA Chic Fila Day

Tuesday April 17

3rd quarter Report Cards distributed to 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. 

We are... Southwest!

SWHS Principal's weekly updates for March 19

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

As I mentioned in my previous connect eds, we have a parent who is willing to make a large donation for safety and security as well as technology matching dollar for dollar up to $30,000 for every donation made by the community. I invite you and your friends to attend a very brief overview regarding safety and security at SWHS on Tuesday, at 6PM in the auditorium as well as touch base with you regarding this donation and how you can help if you choose to do so. Please know we will use these donations to add to what GCS is already planning on assisting us with. These donations will assist us with going above and beyond. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting this Tuesday evening at 6pm in our auditorium!

10th graders taking English II this semester must meet with Mr. Hawkins first before registering for classes. If they took English II last semester they are good to go with registration. In addition, Mr. Hawkins will set up in the cafeteria during all 4 lunches next week assisting students with registration who took English II last semester. 

This past week, we reviewed both the tornado and fire drill in 3 of the 4 lunches within the cafeteria. The 4th lunch will go over their drill on Monday.All students listened carefully and were allowed to resume socializing once we reviewed these drills. We will continue to inform you of the various drills that have been practiced in our school.

Rising 11th and 12th grade students who are interested in dual enrollment via Career & College Promise have an opportunity to find out more about this program by attending an informational session at GTCC Jamestown on March 20, at 6PM in the Sears Applied Building.

We have a little less than 2 weeks left until the 3rd quarter ends. Please make sure you are in contact with your child's teacher for academic help or to make sure any excessive time is made 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, March 19
4:00 PM Mens Varsity Golf Mount Tabor High School Conference Match hosted by Mt. Tabor Away 
4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis North Forsyth High School Home 
5:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse Davie High School Home 
6:00 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse Grimsley High School Away 

Tuesday, March 20

6:00 - 7:00 PM - Safety/Security Meeting - Auditorium

4:00 PM Mens Varsity Golf Tri-Match vs. Glenn/Ragsdale Home 
5:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball Cornerstone Charter Academy Home
5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball Parkland High School Away 
5:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse Northern Guilford High School Home
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer Parkland High School Away 
7:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball Parkland High School Away 
7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Parkland High School Away 
7:30 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse Northern Guilford High School Home

Wednesday, March 21
1:30 PM Mens Varsity Golf GCS Invitational at Bryan Park Away 

4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Mount Tabor High School Home 
4:30 PM Coed Varsity Track Conference Meet vs. Dudley/Smith Away 
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse Mount Tabor High School Away 

Thursday, March 22

4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Cancelled- R J Reynolds High School Home 

5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball Providence Grove High School Home 

5:30 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse High Point Central High School Away 

5:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer R J Reynolds High School Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer North Forsyth High School Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Providence Grove High School Home 

7:15 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse High Point Central High School Away 

Friday, March 23

4:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball North Forsyth High School Home 

5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball Northwest Senior High School Home 

5:15 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse Northwest Senior High School Home 

6:00 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse North Davidson High School Away 

7:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball North Forsyth High School Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer R J Reynolds High School Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball North Forsyth High School Home

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. 

We are... Southwest!

SWHS Principal's weekly updates for March 12

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

Please be sure that your cell phones have automatically adjusted to daylight savings, and that you have advanced all other clocks in your house and cars as daylight savings was this past weekend. 

 As I mentioned in my last connect ed, we have a parent who is willing to make a large donation matching dollar for dollar up to $30,000 for every donation made by the community. I invite you and your friends to attend a very brief overview regarding safety and security at SWHS on Tuesday, at 6PM in the auditorium as well as touch base with you regarding this donation and how you can help if you choose to do so.. Please know we will use these donations to add to what GCS is already planning on assisting us with. These donations will assist us with going above and beyond. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting this Tuesday evening at 6pm in our auditorium!

This past week, I met with the staff and informed them how we will be reviewing our safety procedures weekly, with the expectation that these procedures will be reviewed with each of their classes. This past week, we conducted both our monthly fire drill as well as as our tornado drill. All students were wonderful as they took this drill serious and paid attention to all of the directions given to them by those who monitored the drills. We will continue to inform you of the various drills that have been practiced in our school.

A big thank you to those of you have heave heard my plea to stop dropping off or picking up your child on the main road outside our school. This not only impedes the flow of traffic, but it is a very unsafe situation that can lead to a very unfortunate incident.  

If you have been reading the news about GCS students walking out on Wednesday, please know I am extremely proud that many students have approached me inquiring about various dates over the next month with walking out. We decided to move forward with this Wednesday, showing our solidarity with the students and the community in honoring the 17 lives lost in Florida by holding this walk-out at 10:00 am that will last 17 minutes. While there were many dates floating around for these walk-outs, we wanted to use this date as a non political platform to honor the lives lost in the Florida event.   

Registration for the 2018-19 school year is underway.  Students have been meeting with their counselors to discuss class offerings for the upcoming school year.  Guilford County Schools requests students to register for classes through PowerSchool.

Parents and students should sign into  the student’s PowerSchool account and click on Class Registration. Once students login into the registration system they will be able to see each teachers recommendation.  Students are encouraged to follow the teachers recommendation.  If parents and students disagree with the recommendation please reach out to the teacher for clarification.  We have added several new course selections for the upcoming school year and we are excited about the variety of course offerings.  If your student needs assistance with the online registration system, counselors will be available in the cafeteria during lunch on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  The registration system will be open Monday, March 12-Sunday, March 18.  The courses that students select help us to determine which classes will be offered next year as well as how many sections of each course will be offered. This is extremely important to understand as many individuals think it is an easy switch come Fall, but again, please understand what students choose now drives the number of teachers and courses for each class.

Rising 11th and 12th grade students who are interested in dual enrollment via Career & College Promise have an opportunity to find out more about this program by attending an informational session at GTCC Jamestown on March 20, at 6PM in the Sears Applied Building.

We have a little less than 3 weeks left until the 3rd quarter ends. I hope all of you have received your child's interim report from last Thursday. Please make sure you are in contact with your child's teacher for academic help or to make sure any excessive time is made 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, March 12

4:00 PM Mens Varsity Golf Conference Match hosted by SWGHS @ Jamestown Park Home 

4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Western Guilford High School Home 
4:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball Western Alamance High School Away 
5:30 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse Glenn Home 
7:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball Western Alamance High School Away 

7:15 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse Glenn Home 

Tuesday, March 13

6:00 - 7:00 PM Safety/Security meeting - Auditorium

4:00 PM Mens Varsity Golf Tri-Match vs. Grimsley/Ragsdale Home 

4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Ronald Reagan High School Home 

4:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball East Forsyth High School Away 

4:30 PM Coed Varsity Track Conference Meet vs. Dudley/W. Guilford/Smith Home 

5:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer Northwest Senior High School Away 

6:00 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse Atkins High School Away 

6:30 PM Womens Varsity Softball East Forsyth High School Away 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer Northwest Senior High School Away

Wednesday, March 14

7:45 AM Leadership Meeting - Barnum's office
10:00 AM school wide walkout

4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Parkland High School Away 

5:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball East Forsyth High School Home 

5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball West Forsyth High School Home 

5:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse R J Reynolds High School Home 

7:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball East Forsyth High School Away 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball West Forsyth High School Home  
7:15 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse High Point Central High School Home 

Thursday, March 15

4:00 PM Mens Varsity Golf Quad-Match vs. Glenn/Ragsdale/Grimsley at Winding Creek Away 

5:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer Summit School Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer High Point Central High School Home 

6:00 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse High Point Central High School Away

Friday, March 16

4:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball Western Guilford High School Home 

5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball North Davidson High School Home 

5:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse West Forsyth High School Away 

5:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer Western Guilford High School Home 

7:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball Western Guilford High School Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer Western Guilford High School Home 

7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Western Guilford High School Home 

7:30 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse West Forsyth High School 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. 

We are... Southwest!

SWHS Principal's weekly updates for March 5th

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

This coming week is Social Worker appreciation week. Our very own, Michelle Phillips is one of the best and we are privileged to have her. The amount of tasks she handles unbeknownst by many is extraordinary and should not be overlooked. Please help me in thanking Mrs. Phillips for what she brings to Southwest. 

This Tuesday, March 6th, is our Rising Freshmen visit for students only during the school day followed by the parents of Rising Freshmen Curriculum Night promptly at 5:30 - 7:00 starting in the auditorium and ending in the freshmen gym. Please share this event with all of your friends who have rising freshmen coming to SWHS next year. The Middle School/High Chorus School performance will follow immediately thereafter and there will be a Food Truck on site, Food Freaks Stuffed Hamburger truck for dinner if you are interested. 

This coming Thursday is the 2nd interim report for the 3rd quarter. Please make sure your child brings home a report from every one of their teachers.

This coming Friday is PTSA Chic Fila day for SWHS. Whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, please visit them for a meal or remind your driving teenager to stop by  place an order and simply mention SWHS so a portion of the proceeds come right back to the SWHS PTSA. 

The past couple of weeks, I am sure most of us have had a very similar topic on our mind, and that is safety in our school. I have spoken to and met with a handful of you and I am happy to know you are on board with us as a school to do whatever it takes to make sure we are as safe as possible at Southwest Guilford High School. We have a donor who is willing to make a large donation matching dollar for dollar for every donation made by the community. We will share more about that in the coming weeks. While we must keep the routines of our everyday instructional practice as normal as possible, please know we are focusing additional efforts on safety at SW. 

This past Thursday, I have recently met with district wide principals, reviewing safety practices and procedures, lock down protocols and threat awareness. While I have asked our staff to review these procedures with our students these past couple of weeks, there will be additional hands-on training for school staff in the coming months.

The district is also partnering with representatives of Sandy Hook Promise, an organization that teaches gun violence prevention. This will teach us ways to recognize the signs of a potential threat, especially on social media, and how to build a community of inclusiveness that prevents young people from becoming isolated from their peers.

So while we need secure buildings, and we at SW have some items in motion to increase the security at SW, as well as having an SRO on campus, we also need to recognize the signs of children in crisis and find outlets for help. Additionally, we must report legitimate threats and not perpetuate panic by blindly sharing unsubstantiated posts on social media.

I hope you are on board and understand as I say we will not solve this problem today. I am working with a team of parents in the coming weeks as we will be looking to acquire projects from the county as well as solicit funds from the community to increase the level of security that is already coming our way. I will keep you updated with our plans for increasing safety and security at SWHS. 

As I am on the topic of safety, we are seeing an increase have too may cars dropping off students on the main roads. Please drive into our campus to drop off your child. Dropping your child off on the main roads, or picking them up, not only impedes the flow of traffic but is an extremely unsafe practice for yourself and for others.  

Seniors, Herff Jones will be back on SWHS’s campus on Monday, March 5 during lunches to work with seniors who either:

1. Failed to pick up their cap and gown.
2. Are having problems with their cap and gown.
3. Anything dealing with supplies for graduation. 

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, March 5
4:00 - 6:00 PM Sophomore Ring Orders - Front Foyer
6:30 PM - Winter Sports Awards - Auditorium
3:30 PM Mens Varsity Golf R J Reynolds High School Home 
4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis Grimsley High School Home 
5:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer West Forsyth High School Home 
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer Triad Women's Challenge @ Bryan Park Away 

Tuesday, March 6

8:50 - 11:30 AM - Rising Freshmen Visit
5:30 - 7:00 PM - Rising Freshmen Parent Night
7:00 - 8:30 PM - MS/HS Chorus Performance
10:30 AM Instructional Meeting - Mrs. Barnum's office
3:30 PM Mens Varsity Golf Tri Match vs. NWGHS/Ragsdale Home 
4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis R J Reynolds High School Away 
5:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball Ben L. Smith High School Home 
5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball Southeast Guilford High School Home 
5:30 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse High Point Central High School Home 
7:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Ben L. Smith High School Home 
7:15 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse High Point Central High School Home

Wednesday, March 7

8:00 AM Faculty Meeting -Media Center
3:30 PM Mens Varsity Golf High Point Central High School Away 
4:30 PM Coed Varsity Track Conference Meet vs. Dudley/N. Forsyth Home 
5:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball High Point Central High School Home 
5:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball High Point Central High School Away 
5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball Cancelled- Glenn Home 
5:30 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer Ledford Senior High School Away 
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer Triad Women's Challenge @ Bryan Park Away 
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Glenn Home 
7:00 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse West Forsyth High School Away 

Thursday, March 8

2nd Interim Reports for 3rd quarter 
6:30 - 8:00 PM NHSDA Benefit for Life Concert - Auditorium
DECA State competition
4:30 PM Mens Varsity Tennis High Point Central High School Away 
5:00 PM Womens Junior Varsity Softball Ledford Senior High School Home 
5:30 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse Ragsdale High School Home 
7:15 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse Ragsdale High School Home

Friday, March 9

ALL DAY - PTSA Chic Fila day - Mention SWHS
8:30 - 10:00 AM - Breakfast of Champions - Trailer 5
DECA State competition
4:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Baseball Dudley Senior High School Away 
5:15 PM Womens Junior Varsity Soccer Northwest Senior High School Home 
5:30 PM Mens Junior Varsity Lacrosse Ronald Reagan High School Away 
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Soccer Triad Women's Challenge @ Bryan Park Away 
6:00 PM Womens Varsity Softball Dudley Senior High School Away 
7:00 PM Mens Varsity Baseball Dudley Senior High School Away 
7:00 PM Womens Varsity Lacrosse Western Guilford High School Home 
7:30 PM Mens Varsity Lacrosse Ronald Reagan High School 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. 

We are... Southwest!