Students Write the Academic Center Newsletter

Under the direction of Ms. Alison Stojak, 7th Grade English Teacher, students from the Academic Center have begun a newsletter.  You can read the first newsletter here.

WYAC Goes to Washington!

Our 8th graders are preparing to go to Washington, D.C. this April.  The Washington, D.C. Fundraising Committee is sponsoring a silent auction during Report Card Pick-Up on Thursday, November 17.  If you (or your company) are able to donate any items/services, please contact Mr. Swanson at mjswanson1@cps.edu.

Parent Hot Topics: "Successful Transition"

Calling all WY Parents – popular Hot Topics sessions are back!

You're invited to the first Parents' Hot Topics session of the year: “Successful Transitions,”  Thursday morning, October 27 in the school library.  Hot Topics from 8:00 to 9:00 AM; Informal networking from 7:30 to 8:00 AM and following the session. Coffee, tea, fruit and pastries will be provided.  Please make time to join us before you start your day.

Are any of these topics "hot" in your household:

1. Is my 7th grader or freshman student transitioning well to the new school year - academically?  socially?  emotionally?
2. Is my sophomore, junior or senior transitioning well to a more challenging course load?  Is my student balancing academics with sports and other extra-curricular activities?
3. How can I as parent/guardian help my student with successful transitions?

If you have these questions or others, please join us to listen and to direct your questions to a panel of WY parents who have "survived the drama."  Also, Ms. Norma Chinn, Counseling Director and Ms. Marla Vender, WY Social Worker, will be on hand to answer any program related questions.  Space is limited to the first fifty (50) parents.


RSVP to:
Kelly McGinnity
WY Parent/LSC

Open House for Prospective Students

On Saturday, October 22, we will roll out the welcome mats for prospective students and their families!  Visitors will hear from former Academic Center students, parents, the Academic Center Director and Whitney Young Principal.  Guided tours will also be on the agenda, lead by current Whitney Young students who are eager to show off their school to you!  Applications and Whitney Young Academic Center information will be passed out to each family who attends the Open House.

The structured program will begin at 12:00 PM in the school theater (map).  While there are three parking lots available, public transportation is strongly recommended.

Seeking Parent Volunteers

The Counseling Department is looking for parents who would be interested in volunteering once a week from 8:00 AM -3:00 PM. Volunteer would greet students and assist with scheduling appointments with counselors. We are looking for parents who can commit to one day a week for the school year.

Available days are Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

Please contact Norma Chinn- nvchinn@cps.edu or 773-534-7500 ext. 23774 if you are interested.

Homecoming!

Spirit Week is upon us here at Whitney Young and that can only mean one thing:  Homecoming is near.  Here is the Spirit Week breakdown:

10/7:  Nerd Day
10/11:  Animal Kingdom
10/12:  Pajama Day
10/13:  Class Color Day

10/14:  Orange & Blue Day

Spirit Week leads up to the Homecoming pep rally on Friday, October 14.  School buses will be available to take students to the football game after school against CVCA at Rockne Stadium.  Homecoming Weekend concludes with the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, October 15 at 7:00 PM at Whitney Young.  Tickets will be on sale in the School Store for both the football game and dance.  A combo school bus/game pass will also be available.

Applications to the Whitney Young Academic Center now available!

Whitney Young Academic Center is pleased to announce that the application process has now begun for the 2012 - 2013 school year!  You may begin the online application process here.  Paper applications will be available on October 1, 2011 on www.wyoung.org.  Applications will also be available at our Open House on Saturday, October 22, 2011.  The presentation begins promptly at 12:00 PM.

If you have any concerns or questions about your child's application, please contact the Office of Academic Enhancement at 773.553.2060.

WYAC will be at the Options for Knowledge Fair

Attention prospective Whitney Young Academic Center parents and students!  Come learn about the Whitney Young Academic Center at the Chicago Public Schools' Options for Knowledge Fair on Saturday, October 1 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  There will be a table set up with handouts, flyers, and information about our upcoming Open House.  Mr. Swanson, Academic Center Director, will be there to assist you any questions you might have about the program.

Class of 2012 Posts the Highest ACT Average in Whitney Young History!

The current Senior class took the Prairie State Achievement Exam in April 2011.  During the two-day test, the students took the ACT and Work Keys exam.  On this state-wide exam, these 481 students averaged 26.6 on the ACT, the highest average at Whitney Young High School!  Congratulations to the current Senior class on this historic achievement!

Student Handbooks

Each student received a school handbook (which doubles as an assignment notebook) during orientation or on the first day of school.  The first set of pages includes the Whitney Young Handbook.  The Handbook lists procedures, policies, dress code, and rules that students and parents must adhere to.  Please take a moment to review it here.  You also can find it on www.wyoung.org.

Clubs & Daily Announcements

Are you curious to know when yearbooks go on sale?  Where the tryouts for Poms will be held?  When does the Ping Pong Club meet?  The Daily Dolphin is a daily publication which is displayed in Division every day to all students.  Parents are welcome to view the Daily Dolphin on the Whitney Young website.  To post an announcement in the Daily Dolphin, a student club leader turns it in to their Faculty Club Sponsor.

Clubs and activities are just getting started.  To view an entire list of clubs and activities at Whitney Young, you can find a list on the Whitney Young website.  Updates to this list will be ongoing.  Parents and students are able to research the Faculty Club Sponsor on this list as well as their contact information.

National Merit Semifinalists - Former AC Students Named!

The 2012 Semifinalists have been announced and Whitney Young is proud to announce that we had 19 students achieve National Merit Semifinalist status - the most from any Illinois public school! Further, 17 of the 19 Semifinalists are former Academic Center students from the class of 2008! Congratulations to all Semifinalists!

The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®)–a test which serves as an initial screen of more than 1.5 million entrants each year–and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.

ISAT Scores!

We will be distributing ISAT scores for current 8th and 9th grade students from the Spring 2010 test on Parent Night, September 15.  If you can't make it to Parent Night, do not worry.  We will send it home with your child in the following days.

If your child is currently in 7th grade at Whitney Young, your child's previous school has received their 6th grade scores.  Please check with the previous school's Counselor to coordinate picking up a copy.

As a whole, Whitney Young's Academic Center did VERY well!  Congratulations to all the students who put in all the hard work to master the material.  Also, congratulations to the teachers in the Academic Center for creating high standards and keeping a rigorous curriculum!

What is Division?

Every day, students meet during their Division between periods 3 and 4.  Daily attendance is taken and announcements are read.  Students stay with the same Division teacher during 7th and 8th grade.  A new Division teacher will be assigned for grades 9 through 12.  Divisions are generally 10 minutes long, with the exception of most Wednesdays.

Long Division allows for each grade level to be in the Theater together for a presentation.  Honor roll assemblies, Class Officer speeches, and guest speakers usually take place during this time in the Theater.

School Locks now Available

School locks are now being sold for $12 in the School Store, located near the Main Office.  This lock should be placed on your hallway locker.  If you are sharing a locker, only one lock is needed.  See the School Store Attendant if you have any questions.

Former Academic Center Student on the Cover!

Zoe Damacela
Whitney Young Academic Center Graduate
Class of 2006, 2010

For the first time ever, Seventeen Magazine has decided to put a reader on its cover -- a pretty amazing reader. Five finalists chosen for their accomplishments and community outreach were selected in June, 2011 and readers voted to select the Seventeen girl who best represented them. Recently, on the MTV-televised special, Seventeen Magazine's Pretty Amazing, the winner was selected: Zoe Damacela, a Whitney M. Young Magnet High School graduate of the Class of 2010 and Academic Center Class of 2006!

Zoe will appear on the cover of the October issue of Seventeen. Congratulations, Zoe!

UPDATE:  Zoe is now the focus of Chicago Ideas Week.

First Issue of the Beacon Distributed Today

The student-run school newspaper, The Beacon, has been distributed to all students today during Division.  Students in Journalism I, II, and III contribute to the newspaper.  Ms. Alison Stojak is The Beacon Adviser and teaches seventh grade English.

You can read the online version of the current and previous issues here.

Fall Carnival

The second annual Whitney Young Fall Carnival will be taking place Friday, September 23 (3:00 PM - 10:00 PM ), Saturday, September 24 (12:00 PM - 10:00 PM) and Sunday, September 25 (12:00 PM - 9:00 PM) in Skinner Park, adjacent to Whitney Young's campus.

Tickets will be on sale at Parent Night on Thursday, September 15 and then in Red House during all lunch periods in the weeks prior.  Mega-Pass wristbands are good for all rides for all three days and are $35 pre-sale and $45 at the carnival. Single tickets are one dollar each where most of the spectacular rides require four or five tickets.  Proceeds will benefit the Friends of Whitney Young.

There will be kiddie rides, Tilta-Whirl, Fun Slides, carnival games, and of course, carnival treats like corn dogs, deep fried snickers and Oreos, funnel cakes, and cotton candy.  Some new additions this year will be a Giant Ferris Wheel, Cliff Hanger, Pharaoh’s Fury, Zero Gravity, and a Yo-Yo ride. Club and team booths have also pledged to sponsor a pie eating contest, a dunk tank (where last year many teachers were dunked), and a DDR station.

Parent Night is Coming!

Meet with your child's teachers and walk through your child's shoes on Thursday, September 15!  Use the following bell schedule to follow your child's schedule:


Period 2    5:35 pm - 5:47 pm
Period 3    5:52 pm - 6:04 pm
Division will not meet
Period 4    6:09 pm - 6:21 pm
Period 5    6:26 pm - 6:38 pm
Period 6    6:43 pm - 6:55 pm
Period 7    7:00 pm - 7:12 pm
Period 8    7:17 pm - 7:29 pm
Period 9    7:34 pm - 7:46 pm (grades 9 - 12 only)

Five minutes to get from room to room!  Remember, don't be tardy!

Welcome!

Welcome to the Whitney Young Academic Center blog.  Here we will post information about the program, student and staff achievements, school news, admission information, and more!

The blog is written by the Academic Center Director, Matthew Swanson.  You can reach me directly at mjswanson1@cps.edu with questions, comments, or concerns.