District

Western Wayne Olympic Medalist Set to Return Home this Spring

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From Western Wayne soccer fields and wrestling mats to the mountains in Pyeong Chang, South Korea. Wayne County native and Western Wayne alumni Mike Minor has accomplished a lot at 28.  Mike won a bronze medal in the Snowboard-cross event and a gold medal in the Banked Slalom event at the 2018 Paralympic Games this March.

Mike, a 2008 Western Wayne graduate, moved to Colorado about four years ago to pursue his dream of professional snowboarding.  Later, Adaptive Action Sports discovered Mike’s talents when he was working at Copper Mountain and started working with him.  Once being discovered, he pushed even harder with his Olympic training.

Mike’s family including his sister Mallory Minor, another Western Wayne Alumni, are extremely proud and excited about all of his accomplishments. Mallory confirms that Mike will be the parade Marshall at the Waymart Pride and Patriotism parade on June 9.  She also confirms that Mike has agreed to speak to Western Wayne Students at their annual end of year sports banquet.

Western Wayne Administration and staff are also very proud of Mike’s accomplishments and look forward to welcoming him back to the area to share his stories and encourage others this June.

Mike’s former guidance counselor Renee Chernin feels very proud of his incredible accomplishments at the Olympics.

She explained how Mike was the Keynote Speaker at a county-wide Transition Expo held this past October at Ladore Conference Center. The Transition Expo is designed to help students successfully transition from high school to college or work.

There are three focusses of the conference: post-secondary education, employment, and independent living. Area agencies, service providers, colleges and employers are there to provide students with information.

Chernin explained how Mike’s presentation that day fit in perfectly with the purpose of the event.  She said Mike’s speech captivated all of the Western Wayne students in attendance.

“Mike spoke about overcoming physical limitations and believing in oneself despite naysayers.  He discussed how having a goal can change your life,” Chernin explained.  “The students were inspired to see someone from our hometown travel the world to follow his dream.  They were given photo opportunities and an autographed picture as mementos.”

Chernin is glad the students had the chance to get to know Mike, who was born missing his right forearm, before his Olympic experience.  She believes Mike inspired the students in the fall and feels these students are even more so motivated to go after their life goals after seeing someone so similar to them achieve his dreams.

“Mike was a typical high school student,” Chernin said.  “He sometimes struggled academically with meeting deadlines.  However, he has a magnetic personality and is a person who likes to have fun and be the center of attention.  Mike enjoyed the thrill of sports and competition in high school.  He self-accommodated and excelled in all sports and physical activities.  For example, Mike was a skilled wrestler.  He could pin an opponent within seconds, with one arm.  Mike never needed help from anyone and would not take help if offered.”

Mike’s former Western Wayne soccer coach Matt Fitzsimmons agrees with Chernin about Mike’s strongest qualities as a student and athlete at Western Wayne.

“Mike was always a tough kid and a kid that gave his all on everything,” Fitzsimmons explained.  “His hustle and determination was never questioned.  I truly believe his work athleticism and work ethic translated into his medal winning performance.”

Fitzsimmons explained how he very much enjoyed working with Mike when he played forward and midfielder positions on the Western Wayne Soccer team.

“When I think of Mike in soccer, what I picture is a kid hustling his butt off, taking hits, bouncing right back up and going even harder,” Fitzsimmons recalls.  “I always joked that he was made of rubber because he would bounce off people, the ground, get hit, roll, but just keep moving.”

This imagine correlates with Mike’s continuing successful journey as a snowboarder.  He already is focused on training for the 2022 Paralympic games in Beijing.  Luckily, for Western Wayne students, Mike has agreed to return home later this spring to speak at Western Wayne’s Annual end of year sports banquet.

Fitzsimmons looks forward to seeing Mike again in person so he can congratulate him.

“I am very proud of him and think it is awesome what he has done,” Fitzsimmons said.  “To say that I coached an Olympic Gold Medalist is humbling.”

Everyone at the Western Wayne School District also is incredibly happy for Mike and look forward to his return home to celebrate all of his successes with him and his family.

 

FREE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES!

Where: Evergreen Elementary

When: Saturday, October 21, 2017

Time: 10:00 a.m. until noon

WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

 

 

Public Asked to Donate for Hurricane Victims at Homecoming Game Friday, Sept. 29

Along with the usual traditions of crowning a homecoming king and queen, students at Western Wayne are focussing on giving back to others this week as a part of their homecoming celebration. The Wildcats are asking students, staff, and the community to bring items to aide hurricane victims to the Friday, September 29, Homecoming Game. Mike Biondi; owner of Team Biondi LLC, Lake Ariel; has donated a truck to be used to hold all of the goods and will then transport it to where it needs to go to help those in need at the conclusion of the drive. Please help our students to “Stuff the Truck!”  Suggested items are cleaning supplies, school supplies, paper products, nonperishable food, and baby supplies.  Also, items can be delivered to the High School Office, Middle  School Office or EverGreen Elementary School Office through October 13.  Finally, there is a Homecoming Tailgate for all High School students from 3 p.m. until the start of the football game this Friday night in the High School parking lot area.  There will be music, food and drinks provided for students, including chili from the chili cook-off made by faculty and staff.  From left, members of the homecoming court:  Dominic Corma; Abigail Zeiler; Kaitlyn Juhasz; Marty Spewak; Jennifer Bradley, assistant high school principal; Paul Gregorski, high school principal; Cole Fuller; Lilli Millon; Ryan Cavage; Kirstin Metschulat; Nick Koch; and Katelin Dennis.

EverGreen Elementary Hosts Drive for Hurricane Victims from Sept 25 – Oct 13

Administration, faculty, staff and students at Western Wayne’s EverGreen Elementary School are working as a team to collect items for hurricane victims and would like members of the community to help in their efforts. Principal Justin Pidgeon credits fifth grader Austin Kenyon for this wonderful idea.  Items for the drive can be dropped off at the EverGreen Elementary School.  Suggested items include: nonperishable food, water, paper products, cleaning supplies, school supplies, and baby items such as diapers and formula.  The drive will run from September 25 through October 13. Mike Biondi; owner of Team Biondi LLC, Lake Ariel; has donated a truck to be used to hold all of the goods and will then transport it to where it needs to go to help those in need at the conclusion of the drive.

 

Western Wayne Can’t Hide Their Wildcat Pride

A focus for the 2017-18 school year at the Western Wayne School District is school pride. Some of the efforts for this initiative at the district include involvement in the PROSPER Program, the re-opening of the school store at the high school, the promotion of Wildcat Wednesdays district wide, and the use of the motto: We can’t hide Our Wildcat Pride!

PROSPER is a seven week program to be held at the Western Wayne Middle School to help parents and caregivers and their 6th grade children transition to middle school successfully. The program begins on Wednesday, September 27 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Interested families can obtain a registration form by contacting the middle school office at 1-800-321-9973 option 2.

The new high school store features a line of Wildcat apparel by the local business, talk Shirty to me. Students in Western Wayne’s special education program will work in the school store to learn transitional skills.   Anyone in the community can buy apparel through the school store online at wetalkshirty.com/WWSD .   Items can be sent to a home address or students can order and pick up items in the store. All proceeds will benefit the Western Wayne School district.

Another way that teachers and students at all buildings in the district will show their Wildcat pride is through wearing black and gold to school on Wildcat Wednesdays.

A final effort to promote pride at the district involves the use of the motto: We can’t hide Our Wildcat Pride! Administration and faculty hope their students say this more and show it in their actions. There are posters throughout the schools promoting pride. Many of them have the motto along with what the letters of the word pride mean for Western Wayne students: prepared, respect, integrity, dedicated, and extraordinary.

Staff and students are working together in all of these efforts to promote school pride at Western Wayne. From left: Jennifer DeNike, assistant director of special education; Cindy LaRosa, director of special education; Becca Tomczyk, cheerleading captain; Eddie Sledzinski, football player; Paul Gregorski, high school principal; and Jennifer Bradley, assistant high school principal.

Grade Book Parent Portal

In preparation for the 2017-18 school year, the Western Wayne School District will be collecting demographic information, emergency card information, and signature forms online through the Parent Portal on Grade Book. The following information will be available for your review and edit through this Parent Portal on Grade Book:

  • Student Demographic Information
  • Emergency Card Information
  • Medical Information
  • Handbook Forms
  • Lunch Account Balance
  • Class Assignment and Grades (MS/HS only)
  • Emergency Release Information
  • Attendance

To access the Parent Portal

  1. Visit http://www.westernwayne.org.
  2. Click the link: “Students/Parents”.
  3. Select “GradeBook Parent”
  4. Enter your unique login. (You will be prompted to change your password and enter a valid email address).

 

Download a copy of our frequently asked questions:

Parent Portal FAQ Letter

Created: 25 - 08 - 2017
Preview

 

If you need assistance with Grade Book’s Parent Portal, please contact the building secretary at your student’s school:

  • EverGreen: 800-321-9973 (x 3)
  • Robert D. Wilson: 800-321-9973 (x 4)
  • Middle School: 800-321-9973 (x 2)
  • High School: 800-321-9973 (x 1)

 

We are excited to offer this opportunity to complete these forms online. As a convenience to you, there will be computers available at each of the school buildings for your use to complete these forms during Orientations and Open House.

Sincerely,

WWSD Administrative Team

 

 

2017 Late Bus Routes

 

The northbound late buses will travel the following routes:

Late bus #46 will leave R.D. Wilson at 5:00 pm, will leave the middle school at 5:15 pm and the high school at 5:30 pm. From middle and high school north on Rt. 296, stop at Country Trails, right onto St. Tikons Rd. to left onto Tuthill Rd. to left onto Owego Turnpike then right onto Belmont St. (Rt. 296). Pulls into R.D. Wilson then continues north on Rt. 296 to Elk Lake Dr. to Cole Rd. Turns around on Cole Rd., back to Stanton Dr. Turn left on Stanton Dr., back to Rt. 296 to Rt. 247 turning around. Going back to Rt. 247, Creamton Dr. to Rt. 170. Left onto Rt. 170 to Yarrns Rd. Turning around and going back down Rt. 170 to Rt. 6 to Cavage bus garage. The bus will stop along route as needed.
Late bus #5 will leave R.D. Wilson at 5:30 pm, will leave the middle school at 5:45 pm, the high school at 6:00 pm. From the middle and high school north on Rt. 296. Pulls into R.D. Wilson, then continues north on Rt. 296 to Elk Lake Dr., then to Cole Rd. Turns around on Cole Rd., back to Stanton Dr. Turn left on Stanton Dr., back to Rt. 296, to Rt. 247 turning around. Going back to Rt. 247 Creamton Dr. to Rt. 170. Left onto Rt. 170 to Yarrns Rd. Turning around going back down Rt. 170 to Rt. 6 to Cavage bus garage. The bus will stop along the route as needed.

 

The southbound late buses will travel the following routes:

Bus #84 leaves the middle school at 5:15 pm and the high school at 5:30 pm and goes down Rt. 296. It takes a left on Tresslarville Rd. toward Lake Ariel corners and then a right on Rt. 191 toward Hamlin. It stops at every house along the way if there is a drop off. Once to Hamlin corners, it takes a left and goes to the Hideout main gate. After departing the Main Lodge, the bus will also proceed to the North Rec Hideout Station if necessary. It then leaves the Hideout and takes a left toward Hawley, it takes a right on Ledgedale Rd., crosses over Goose Pond Rd. and continues on Ledgedale Rd. to Sledzinski Rd., where it turns around and goes back out to Rt. 590 exactly the way it came in. It then takes a right on Rt. 590 and continues on until reaching Everly Rd. across from Pranzo’s Service Station. It takes a right on Everly Rd. and follows that to the intersection of Goose Pond Rd. at the Totem Pole Inn. It crosses straight across this intersection onto St. Mary’s Church Rd. and follows this to the end, then takes a left on Ledgedale Rd. toward Indian Rocks. It follows Ledgedale Rd. out to Rt. 191, takes a left on Rt. 1915 and then a right onto Moon Rd. and then a left up Callapoose to the garage.

Bus #3 leaves the middle school at 5:15 pm and the high school at 5:30 pm and heads down Rt. 296 and takes the left toward Gravity. It gets to the top of the hill then takes a right toward Lake Ariel corners. It stops at St. Thomas Moore Church and then goes up Tresslarville Rd. and then takes a left on Rt. 296 again toward Morgan Hill. This late bus will pass the Evergreen School and can make a drop there in the rear if necessary. Once to Hamlin corners it takes a right on Rt. 590, bear right on Rt. 348 and then a right on Maplewood Rd. It will bear right on Fernwood Rd, then make a left at the Ryan Hill/Freighthouse Rd. intersection. It then comes back down to Maplewood Rd., takes a left and comes back out to Rt. 348. It then makes a right on Trace Rd., then a right on Lake Henry Rd. and proceeds to the Maplewood Fire Hall where it will turn around and come back out Lake Henry Rd. to Rt. 348 near Aurel’s. It takes a left on Rt. 348 and then a right on Parry Rd., crosses over Rt. 590 and then a left on Neville Rd. Follows Neville to the end and then takes a right onto Spring Hill Rd. The bus goes only as far as Sterling Gardens Rd. and then turns around and comes back Spring Hill Rd. and follows it all the way to Sterling corners and then takes a right onto Rt. 196 and goes to Pocono Springs where it turns around and then comes home past Pradon Rd which is the last designated stop. The bus then returns to the garage via Moon Rd and Callapoose Rd.

Bus #60 will leave the middle school at 5:55 pm and the high school at 6:00 pm and take anyone living in the south end of the district who could not fit on buses 3 & 84 or finishing activities later than 5:30. This late bus will cover all roads and intersections noted above for buses 3 & 84 except for the Hideout North Recreation station. The Route 60 bus will only stop at the Main Lodge within the Hideout.