Ware Shoals High School

All boys in 7th-12th grade wishing to play golf needs to email Coach Gilbert to get information for the upcoming season at dgilbert1@gwd51.org.

Monday (tomorrow) is an elearning day just as originally scheduled. Assignments will be given and attendance will be taken.

WSSD51 E-Learning/Distance Learning pick up meal plan REMINDER: All requests need to be completed for free breakfast and lunch meals for ALL students and children 18 years and younger in our community to receive meals for the week of January 11 - 15. Please sign up by this Thursday at 3:00 pm. Meals may be picked up curbside at each schools' chosen location Monday, January 11th and Wednesday, January 13th from 10:00 – 11:00 am. Please sign up using this link: https://rb.gy/6voqf4 Please contact Sharon Mann, Food Service Director, with any questions. 864-456-7496 Thank you!

During our return to virtual learning January 5th - 18th, we will provide FREE MEALS to ALL students and children 18 years and younger in our community. If you want your child(ren) to receive free breakfast and lunch, you must sign up in advance using the form at this link: https://rb.gy/6voqf4 Meals may be picked up curbside at schools from 10-11AM on these dates: January 6, January 11, and January 13. Sign up starts TODAY and ends Monday, January 4th @ 3:00 pm. for pickup on the 6th. Sign up will required again for the week of the January 11th, and may be done between 3PM on Monday (Jan. 4 ) and 3PM Thursday (Jan. 7) using the same link. Please contact Sharon Mann, Food Services Supervisor, with any questions (864-456-7496).

During our return to virtual learning January 5th - 18th, we will provide FREE MEALS to ALL students and children 18 years and younger in our community. If you want your child(ren) to receive free breakfast and lunch, you must sign up in advance using the form at this link: https://rb.gy/6voqf4 Meals may be picked up curbside at schools from 10-11AM on these dates: Wednesday, January 6th Monday, January 11th Wednesday, January 13th Sign up starts TODAY and ends Monday, January 4th @ 3:00 pm. for pickup on the 6th. Sign up will required again for the week of the January 11th, and may be done between 3PM on Monday (Jan. 4 ) and 3PM Thursday (Jan. 7) using the same link. Please contact Sharon Mann, Food Services Supervisor, with any questions (864-456-7496).

The Board of Trustees met today to discuss our return to school, considering the spike in COVID-19 cases from the Christmas break. They decided we would return to virtual instruction from January 5-18. They will meet again in 2 weeks to review the data and decide what to do starting January 19th. Right now community spread is higher than it’s ever been, so we will take a pause in coming to school to learn. It is the safest choice, but it is not an easy choice. Board members and I understand and accept that there is no solution that will please everyone; however, the priority in our district has been and will remain safety for all. COVID-19 is a threat…an intruder…one that we take very seriously because it is highly contagious, it causes illness that is sometimes serious, and it can cause death, especially for those who have underlying health conditions. Many of our employees are at risk of having complications if they get the virus. During the remaining holidays and the 10 days of virtual instruction, please observe the safe practices that you’ve heard over and over and encourage others to do so as well, so that we can get back to school Jan. 19th! Dr. Fay Sprouse, Superintendent

WSHS girls' and boys' basketball games scheduled for Friday vs. Dixie have been postponed. A make-up date has not yet been determined.

We have added three important links on our district website under the COVID-19 tab, which is circled in red. Please review and submit the electronic permission form if you agree for our nurses to administer COVID rapid tests if your child becomes symptomatic. Read all about it on our website. If your child tests positive for COVID or if your child is a close contact of a positive case during the holidays we need you to report it to our district nurse using the electronic form or by calling 864-377-0587. The district will be monitoring the numbers over the holidays and will announce by January 1st if there is a need to return to eLearning. Students are bringing all needed materials home today and tomorrow to be prepared in case that happens. The extra work brought home by some is not homework to be completed over the holidays. We encourage everyone to follow the CDC guidelines of wearing a mask in public, socially distancing six feet, washing hands frequently, and avoiding social gatherings. These simple steps prevent the spread of COVID-19. Let's all do our part so that we can be back to a normal schedule soon after the holidays!

At the varsity basketball games vs Dixie High School on Friday , Dec. 18th, we will be observing Senior Night. The ceremony will begin at 5:30. The ticket door will open at 5:15. Each Sr. will be given 4 tickets to distribute as they wish. All other players/cheerleaders will be offered a chance to purchase tickets. No tickets will be sold at the game nor to anyone but players/cheerleaders prior to the event. Masks are required for entry and you are asked to remain “masked up” the entire time you are in the facility. Also we request that you exit the facility after your child has completed competition.

Due to the rising number of cases of Covid 19 in our area. Ware Shoals High School and Middle School are not going to allow visiting fans to basketball games. We will allow our home fans, and our coaches with high school league passes. We will not allow any coach from out of district to use his or her high school league pass. We will allow any Administrator/Administrators from the team we are playing to come in with a league pass. Thanks for understanding and we will be sure to comply with your home game guidelines to help prevent the spread of Covid 19. Thank You, Coach Johnston

Thursday, December 17th is a "B" Day for students. Dismissal is scheduled for 12:00. We will follow a normal schedule and release at the appropriate time. Students are expected to complete their eLearning assignments on Friday, December the 18th . Tuesday, January the 5th is an "A" day.

Ring Ceremony Protocol for December 16th in the WSHS Auditorium @ 2:00 - Each recipient will be given two tickets. - Visitors/recipients will be allowed inside the auditorium at 1:30. - Masks are mandatory. - Please sit in unmarked (not taped) seats. The auditorium has been set up to allow for social distancing to the extent possible. - Students are asked to be seated in the section on the right (facing the stage) in their assigned seat. - Students will be called up to received their rings and will remain on stage. - Once all students have received their rings, they will be asked to place them on at the same time. - The students will then exit the auditorium and meet their guests outside. - Visitors are asked to leave the auditorium immediately after the ceremony .

Picture Day(s) are Friday, December 4th and Monday, December 7th. Underclassmen will be called throughout the day. **Seniors ** please check your school email for your scheduled picture time for Friday, December 4th.

WSHS Class Ring Ceremony December 16 at 2:00 PM Ring balances should be paid 24 hours prior to the event at www.RhodesGraduation.com/payments

Ware Shoals Basketball Game Day Protocol Face Coverings • Coaches are required to wear face coverings when they are not able to social distance. • Non-participating athletes are required to wear face coverings if they cannot social distance while on the bench. Warm-Up Basketballs. • Each team must provide their own warm up basketballs. Water • Water will not be provided at games. Athletes need to bring her own water bottle. Locker Room • Locker rooms WILL be available to guest athletes to change clothes. . • The girl’s locker room will have a designated bathroom for the visiting team. Table/Bench • WSHS clock keeper will be the only personnel allowed at the scorer’s table. Face coverings must be worn. • Visiting personnel will sit with their teams’ bench. Home Fans • Per Board Policy ALL fans are required to wear a mask while inside the building at all times. You will not be admitted to the facility without a mask and one WILL NOT be provided. • Home fans will be allowed to enter the gym at 5:30pm. • 48 tickets will be sold in the front office of the school. 24 per team and only available to players for purchase. • Home fans will park in the back parking lot and enter through the back of the gym. • A restroom facility for females and handicapped patrons is located on the main floor near the Men’s restroom stairs. • Male spectators will make use of the restroom located at the bottom of the stairs opposite the scoreboard observing limited occupancy and distancing guidelines as well. • There will be no fans on the bottom row of our bleachers. • Please sit as a family. Maintain social distance between you and another family. • When the game is over fans need to exit the facility through the door they came in and wait outside for their student athlete. We are asking that the boys fans come at 7:15. Visiting Fans • Per Board Policy ALL fans are required to wear a mask while inside the building at all times. You will not be admitted to the facility without a mask and one WILL NOT be provided. • Visitors will be allowed to enter the gym at 5:30pm. • Visiting teams and fans should enter the gym from the front of the High School via the breezeway into the gym where visiting sections will be clearly marked. • A restroom facility for females and handicapped patrons is located on the main floor near the Men’s restroom stairs. • Only visiting teams will be allowed into the girls’ locker-room. • Male spectators will make use of the restroom located at the bottom of the stairs opposite the scoreboard observing limited occupancy and distancing guidelines as well. • Visiting team will be mailed 48 tickets to pre-sale at their school. • Visiting team must bring us the money and the tickets they did not sale on the day of the game. • Visiting team should email us a roster the day prior to our game. • No one is allowed on the playing court at any time. • Fans must leave the gym immediately after the game and wait on the athlete outside. • Visitor parking is in front of Ware Shoals High School. • Visitor seating will be in the first two sections of the bleachers closest to the entrance and will be marked. • Please sit as a family. Maintain social distance between you and another family. • When the game is over fans need to exit the facility through the door they came in and wait outside for their student athlete. We are asking that the boys fans we come at 7:15 • There will be no fans on the bottom row of our bleachers. Concession • Concessions will not be sold and all fans are asked to leave the gym immediately via the proper exit after the contest. You will not be allowed to re-enter the gym once you leave. Home team girls can dress in the upstairs classroom. Visiting girls in downstairs locker rooms Visiting boys in downstairs locker rooms Our players can only use the bathroom in the building. All other bathrooms are for visiting players and fans only. When the girl’s game is over, we will ask our girls to leave but give them an option of sitting behind the boy’s bench in the bleachers provided. We will take two buses if possible to keep the two teams divided so both teams would not have to quarantine if there were to be a positive case. Only 48 tickets will be sold. No one else besides administrators, and public safety personal will be allowed in the gym. Fans must wear a mask at all time or will be asked to leave. There will be NO visiting cheerleaders and 5 cheerleaders for the home team. Home cheerleaders will have a designated area to sit. Cheerleaders must wear a mask while cheering. No fans on the bottom row of the bleachers. (This is for our players safety)

2020-2021 Ware Shoals High Basketball 12/11/20 Bye 12/15/20 Ware Shoals @ McCormick 12/18/20 Dixie @ Ware Shoals 1/5/21 Calhoun Falls @ Ware Shoals 1/8/21 Ware Shoals @ Southside Christian 1/12/21 High Point @ Ware Shoals 1/15/21 Ware Shoals @ Whitmire 1/19/21 Bye 1/21/21 Whitmire @ Ware Shoals 1/22/21 McCormick @ Ware Shoals 1/26/21 Ware Shoals @ Dixie 1/29/21 Ware Shoals @ Calhoun Falls 2/2/21 Southside Christian @ Ware Shoals 2/5/21 Ware Shoals @ High Point Boys Coach – Chris Johnston Girls Coach- Patricia Wirszyla

Placement Testing for Seniors Attending PTC 2021-2022 Reminder: PTC Placement Testing will be Thursday, December 3rd at 9 AM in the high school computer lab. Please be sure to be here by 8:50 AM in order to test. We will be testing both A and B day students. If you are not sure if you need to test, please email : scampbell@gwd51.org.

We are very thankful for our students, especially those who look for ways to help others. This is Eli Burton, an 11th grader at WSHS, who bought paper sacks while working at an auction this past weekend. He donated them to our Food Service program! What a great way to SERVE others, by providing supplies for sack lunches. Thanks, Eli....you embody our motto "LEARNING, SERVING, LEADING," and we appreciate you!

The Annette Batson Memorial Thanksgiving Luncheon will not be served this year. “It is with great regret we are unable to celebrate and continue the tradition this year, but health and safety concerns are a priority,” said Paul Anderson, principal of Ware Shoals High School. “We look forward to continuing our tradition next year.” Dawn Amerson, Executive Director of Five Star Senior Living, began overseeing the preparation of the Thanksgiving luncheon the year after Mrs. Batson’s death. Amerson, along with Chefs throughout the Five Star organization, cook and serve a traditional meal to members of the Ware Shoals community. “Out of an extreme abundance of caution during this pandemic, we will not host the community Thanksgiving luncheon this year. A majority of citizens who normally attend the Thanksgiving luncheon have major underlying medical issues and putting one life at risk is not something we are willing to do,” said Amerson. “We look forward to continuing the tradition next year.” Since 2011, Mrs. Batson, former Family and Consumer Science instructor at WSHS, along with her students prepared a Thanksgiving luncheon for the greatest generation. She taught her students to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal, all the while teaching them how to give back to the community.