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Federal Way High School
Eagle Times
Principal: Dr. Matt Oberst
Assistant Principals: Richard Lasso ▪ Chelsea Gallagher ▪ Jamie Tough
Dean of Students: Ruth Erwin-Svoboda ▪ Randy Long
30611 16th Ave S. · Federal Way, WA 98003
Main Office 253-945-5400 · Fax 253-945-5454 · www.fwps.org/fwhs
Attendance: 253-945-5419 • Attendance E-Mail: FWHSattendance@fwps.org
Important Dates
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As the month of April begins, we look forward to a
week of Spring Break to refresh and revive us all before
the many activities that occur towards the end of the
year. We have had an incredible winter with a WA State
Championship for our Boys’ Basketball Team and a
State Champion Gymnast on Floor Exercise. Add to this
the excitement for the construction that is occurring to
build our beautiful new school.
During the next few months, testing will give students
the opportunity to show what they have learned
throughout the year. The new test this year, The Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) will measure
students’ ability to meet the Common Core State
Standards. Our SBAC English Language Arts testing
begins for grades 10 and 11 on May 21 through June 1.
The SBAC Math testing begins for grade 11 on June 2
through June 4. For more information, please view the
Federal Way High School website about testing at:
http://schools.fwps.org/fwhs/testing/.
Thank you for your continued support of our students
and our school. Please continue to check our child’s
grades online and contact teachers, counselors and
deans if there is a pattern of assignments and projects
not turned in.
It’s great to be an Eagle!
Dr. Matt Oberst
Principal
Federal Way High School is on Facebook and Twitter.
Follow us on Twitter “@federalwayhigh” and like us on
Facebook @ facebook.com/FederalWayHighSchool.
April 2015
4/20
4/28
5/1
5/4
5/5
5/13
5/14
5/16
5/20
5/25
5/26
6/2
6/12
6/13
6/16
PTSA Meeting, 6:30 pm
Parent Night (Prom & Graduation), 6 pm
Jostens Graduation Announcement Delivery
No School - Data Day
Band/Orchestra Concert, 7 pm
Senior Banners Due
Key Club Blood Drive
Celebrate Ourselves Assembly, 6 pm
Prom, Temple Theater, 8 pm
Senior Awards, 6:30 pm
No School - Memorial Day
No School - Snow make up day, if needed
Spring Choir Concert @ Decatur, 7 pm
Graduation Rehearsal
Graduation, 10 am @ Tacoma Dome
Last Day of School, Early Dismissal
Attendance Information
Regular school attendance is necessary for students at
FWHS to be successful with their educational program.
What to do when your student is absent:
Contact FWHS via telephone or email regarding your
student's absences. Text messages are NOT accepted. All
students need an off campus pass when leaving school for
any reason. FWHS operates a closed campus. Once
students arrive on campus and start their class schedule,
they are not allowed to leave campus at any time during
class time or at lunch. Please send a note in the morning
before picking up your student for an appointment so we
can have them ready to go.
Phone: 24/7 Attendance Line: 253-945-5419
Email: fwhsattendance@fwps.org
Federal Way High School
State Champions 2015
Tia Thomas, 2015 State Champion 4A Gymnastics (floor)
(pictured with coaches Karrie (left) and Kimmie (right)
Marton).
FWHS Boys Basketball team, 2015 4A State Basketball Champions, pictured with City of Federal Way leaders. Federal Way
Mayor, Jim Ferrell, proclaimed March 18, 2015 Federal Way
Eagle Day in honor of the Boy’s Basketball State Championship.
Counselor’s Corner
There are many affordable and educational opportunities available to high school students over the summer. Whether
students would like to learn more about a specific field or program or if they are looking to be active over the break,
there are several opportunities they can pursue.
Many communities such as Federal Way, Kent, and Auburn offer summer camps and volunteer opportunities. Go to
http://itallhappenshere.org/ for more information on programs at the Federal Way Community Center this spring and
summer.
Summer is also a great time to do some fun and educational reading! It is important that students continue reading
during the summer so that they can stay academically sharp for the following school year. The following books are
recommended by FWHS Cambridge English teachers. Try your local library to check out one or more of the following. As several books on this list are classics, they may also be available at discount book and secondhand stores.
The Namesake by Jumpa Lahiri
A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines
House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
How the Garcia Sisters Lost their Accent by Julia Alvarez
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
I am One of You Forever by Fred Chappell
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James
Brown
Another great use of time over summer break would be to prepare for the new SATs that will be implemented starting
the following school year. Khan Academy has partnered with CollegeBoard to offer FREE SAT prep materials so that
students can easily access the information. Go to https://www.khanacademy.org/sat for more information and test
materials.
Another fun way to prep for the SATs is to download a SAT Word of the Day app on a smartphone.
April 2015
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Federal Way High School
Smarter Balanced Testing Coming to High School
State testing information from the District Office:
This spring, Federal Way students in grades 3-8, 10 and 11 will take new state assessments. These are referred to as the Smarter
Balanced Assessment and students across Washington state, and in many other states, will take them. The assessments measure student
knowledge of the new state standards. This is the second year we have been teaching to these standards, which are often referred to as
Common Core.
What is different about these assessments?
For one thing, instead of a pencil and paper test, Smarter Balanced Assessments will be taken online at a computer. The tests are
“adaptive.” This means the questions will adjust automatically depending on how a student answers earlier questions. Something else
that’s different: one part of the assessment is called a performance activity. This means the class participates in a teacher-led activity
and then students complete an assignment on their own.
What does this mean for high school students?
High school students are nearing graduation and haven’t been learning to the new state standards for long. They are not expected to
pass the new Smarter Balanced Assessments in order to graduate for the next four years. Beginning this year, 10th and 11th
grade students will have the opportunity to take the new assessments. Taking them will help FWPS and the state determine what parts
of the testing works and what might need to be changed. The results will also provide a new benchmark for schools.
When will Smarter Balanced results determine graduation?
Beginning in 2019, high school students (those currently in grade 8 or lower) will need to pass the Smarter Balanced Assessments in
English Language Arts and Math, as well as the Biology End-ofCourse (EOC) Exit Exam, to graduate (see the chart below for
more information).
When are the tests?
Students will take these assessments over several days this spring.
The testing period will be slightly longer than it has been in the
past. You will receive information once the schedule is set.
What other assessments will students take?
At various points throughout the school year, students are assessed
so that teachers and parents know where they are in their learning.
We use the STAR tests for much of this, and also give assessments that are similar to the end-of-year state assessment.
Assessments are not just tests, though. Students are assessed in
many ways, all through the learning continuum. An assessment
could be as simple as a classroom conversation or a student
presentation. These ongoing (or “formative”) assessments allow
the teacher to determine if the student needs more instruction. If
so, the teacher tries to teach the concept or skill using a different
approach -- what we call differentiated instruction. Depending on
the courses students take, they may also take a variety of other
tests throughout the school year, including Cambridge, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests.
Remember—Performance on any assessment shows only what a student knows and can do at that point in time. It does not show
whether your child is capable or not, or how good his or her teacher is. There are many other gauges of a child’s capability and
knowledge, and a teacher’s skill. This is especially important to keep in mind when new tests are being rolled out. Smarter Balanced
Assessments are challenging. And we know that anytime there is a new state assessment, there is always a temporary drop in test
scores. We’ve been through this before with the WASL, the MSP and HSPE. It will take some time for students and staff to learn and
adapt to a new assessment. Ultimately, FWPS students will be prepared for 21st century jobs and college.
Resources
There are many online resources where you can learn more about Smarter Balanced Testing at your child’s grade level. Here are just a
few: The FWPS Smarter Balanced Assessment webpage (http://www.fwps.org/teaching/washington-standards/student-smarterbalanced-testing/) includes a chart showing which tests high school students must pass for graduation each year through 2019.
Roadmaps to read about what your high school student should be able to do in English Language Arts by the end of the grade level
(http://www.cgcs.org/domain/36. Also in Spanish at http://www.commoncoreworks.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=365). Roadmaps
to read about what your high school student should be able to do in Math by the end of the grade level. (visit http://www.cgcs.org/
Page/244. Also in Spanish at http://www.commoncoreworks.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=367). Your Child’s Progress at
http://yourchildsprogress.com/, is an online publication about Washington’s learning standards and state testing (all grades) for
2014-15 school year. It has been translated into 9 languages.
April 2015
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Federal Way High School
Federal Way High School Accolades
Key Club
Photography
Congratulations to Andrea
Diep for being elected Lt.
Governor for Key Club
Division 33!
Our photography students are
doing great work! Congratulations to Nicole Davis and Kemi
Akinlosotu for being selected as
finalists in the 35th Annual
College & High School Photography Contest, sponsored by
Nikon USA and to Chloe Kim for
being recognized in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition with a Silver Medal for
her photograph titled "Elsie".
Key Club members (below)
collected over four full
shopping carts of food
during a recent food drive
they held to restock the
Eagle Pantry! Way to go!
“Elsie” by Chloe Kim
By Nicole Davis
By Kemi Akinlosotu
Who has the best teachers in Federal Way? We do!
Congratulations to Mr. Powers for being named the best High
School teacher in Federal Way by the Federal Way Mirror, and
to Mr. Cameron for tying for second place!
April 2015
Congratulations to Rachel Arnold for winning the
2015 Americorps Mural contest! Her mural
(pictured above) will be painted at a location in
Federal Way (TBD).
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Federal Way High School
French Corner
Students in French classes are more involved
than ever this year! We took our biggest
group to French Camp on February 28, where
students spoke French all day while playing
games, singing songs, building Eiffel Towers
out of candy, eating French food, and having
a dance party. We also have our largest group ever
participating in our guest student program, known as
Program Passepartout. Students come from our sister
school (Lycée Jules Verne) in Nantes and stay with
families of our students for three months while visiting
our school. The following year, their host siblings get to
do the same thing in France! Currently, one of our
students is living in France with the family of a former
exchange student, and we will be welcoming three
students to FWHS in mid-April. Stay tuned for information on our upcoming spring field trip for all French
students!
Now that World Languages are being recognized as
more important for a well-rounded high school graduate,
we are seeing increased enrollment. You might think
that studying French is impractical, but on the contrary,
it is HIGHLY beneficial to a student's intellectual and
personal development. French has had such a large
influence on English over the centuries--over 40% of
English words come from French, with many of them
more formal and college-level words. French is not only
spoken in France, but also in 54 other countries, including the one that is just 3 hours north of us! It is an official language on all continents except Antarctica and
Australia. Plus, if you can't tell, French at Federal Way
High School has great opportunities and is just plain fun.
Sign up for French today!
PTSA
Federal Way High School PTSA is back! Join now and
make a difference. Become a member and you can be
informed at monthly meetings in an open forum for
transparent communication from our Principal, Dr. Matt
Oberst. Topics such as updates on our construction and
grading system will be included in our agenda. Please
join us and together we can make Federal Way High
School the best it can be. Contact the Main Office for
more information.
The next PTSA meeting is on April 20th at 6:30 pm in
Library Portable 7.
Key Club
Key Club is helping to organize FWHS teams for Relay
for Life. There will be more info on student participation
coming out soon.
What is Relay for Life?
RFL is an event sponsored by the American Cancer
Society where communities come together to honor
cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight
back against cancer. It is an overnight walk-a-thon where
participants raise funds to donate to the American Cancer
Society. It is a team event, where you work with a team
to make sure that a person is walking (or running!) on the
track through the whole event.
When/Where is it?
Friday May 29th 6:00pm - Saturday May 30th Noon at
Saghalie Middle School.
What do you need to know?
Yes, it is an overnight event for students but there will be
no tents. We will have open canopies and camp chairs,
etc. Guidelines will be forthcoming.
To be able to stay overnight, students must raise a minimum amount of money or volunteer a certain number of
hours (TBD), so only dedicated students will be allowed
to stay.
Here is a link for more information about Relay for Life:
http://relay.acsevents.org/site/PageServer/?
pagename=relay_learn
Blood Drive
Key Club is holding a blood drive on
May 13th, during the school day.
Students, family members and friends
are welcome to come to the school
and donate. The blood drive is
through Cascade Regional Blood
Services, which supports local regional emergency
services. Every donation could save three lives!
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April 2015
Federal Way High School
FWHS Construction Update
The layout and installation of the new building's foundation
is already starting.
Demolition of the 500 wing is wrapping up. This is looking
from the 308th side toward the theater.
A view from near the theater, looking south/southwest toward the demolished 400 wing and
what's left of the 500 building.
A view from the old Nutrition Services Building, looking east.
April 2015
Photo looks south at what is left of the 500 building.
For more information, please visit http://www.fwps.org/highlights/constructionupdates/
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Federal Way High School
Traffic Safety
Registration for Traffic Safety (Driver’s Ed) Summer
Classes began on April 13th and will be accepted
through the last day of school (as long as space is
available). Registration forms can be picked up in our
Main Office, but must be turned in to the Traffic Safety
Office at Thomas Jefferson High School (4248 S. 288th
Street, Auburn 98001).
Summer classes will start on June 17th and end on July
15th. Classes run Monday through Thursday with the
morning session at 8:00am to 10:00am and the evening
session at 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
All Summer Classes will be held at the Support Service
Center located at 1211 South 332nd Street, Federal Way.
Please call the Traffic Safety office at 253-945-5731 for
any questions regarding this program.
Eagle Expectations
This year, we have created five Eagle Expectations for
students and staff. As Eagles, we strive to be:
-Respectful
-Responsible
-Engaged
-Dependable
-Resilient
Students are acknowledged for exhibiting one or more of
these characteristics by receiving an Eagle Feather from
staff members. Feathers are then placed in a box in the
Main Office for weekly and monthly drawings. Students
whose feathers are drawn receive small items to
acknowledge their positive behaviors. For more
information, please contact Colleen Allen at
callen@fwps.org or 253-945-5433.
Communities in Schools
As we gear up for the end of the school
year and summer break, Communities
In Schools wants to ensure that our
students and families are prepared for the time off. If
you are in need of a community resource, food for home,
or other information, please contact Kaitlin Thomas, our
School Outreach Coordinator, at 253-945-5416 or
kaitlint@cisfederalway.org.
Prom is just around the corner! Many gently
used prom dresses have been generously
donated to CIS for our students. If you have
a student in need of a dress, please have
them see Kaitlin Thomas. There will be
more information coming soon!
Keep an eye out for Communities In Schools’ national graduation
celebration! #changethepicture.
Federal Way High School Staff Scholarship
One male and one female from the graduating class of
2015 will be awarded a scholarship sponsored by the
staff at Federal Way High School. To qualify, students
must be planning on attending an accredited post secondary institution upon graduating (includes Community
College, Technical College, 4-Year Colleges and Universities both public and private), have a minimum GPA of
2.5, have accumulated at least 23.5 credits as of June 7th,
completed application must be turned in to Ms. Boone no
later than 2:00 PM on April 23rd. Late applications will
not be accepted!
Application Process:
1. Application Cover Sheet (available on our website
www.fwps.org/fwhs).
2. Two letters of Recommendation. These can be letters
you have for other scholarships, jobs or college
applications (you should already have 2 in your 13th
Year Plan, Master Portfolio !).
3. A one page essay titled “What a Post
Secondary Education Means to ME.”
April 2015
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Federal Way High School
SENIOR CALENDAR
APRIL
► SENIOR CLASS MEETING: April 22nd during Advisory 8:30 am – 8:55 am in the Gym (Master portfolios, senior
profiles, banners)
► PARENT NIGHT: April 28th @ 6:00 pm , Location TBD.
Topic: Prom/Graduation
► ANNOUNCEMENTS distributed: April 28th during
lunches and 6pm in the cafeteria
MAY
► BYU correspondence coursework turned in May 1st
► May 2nd: SAT, SAT II test
► SENIOR BANNERS DUE: May 5th
► May 8th: Register for June SAT, SAT II
► Let the Career Center know if you received a scholarship or
award by May 2nd
► SENIOR CLASS MEETING: May 5th during Advisory
8:30 am – 8:55 am in the Gym (Prom & Graduation)
► GRADUATION SINGER TRYOUTS: After school in
the Choir Room, May 6th
► GRADUATION KEYNOTE SPEAKER TRYOUTS:
After school in Library, May 7th
► GRADUATION THANK YOU TO PARENTS SPEAKER TRYOUTS: After school in Library, May 8th
► Advanced Placement and Cambridge tests given
► Arrange to have your final transcript sent to the school that
you will definitely attend in the Fall
► Spring Career and College Fair
► CELEBRATE OURSELVES ASSEMBLY: May 15th
(evening performance, May 14th)
► SENIOR PROM: May 16th at Temple Theatre, Tacoma,
8:00pm – 11:00pm
► SENIOR AWARDS EVENING: May 20th, 6:30 pm
► CAPS & GOWNS distributed: May 20th during lunches
► BYU final exams must be completed by May 15th
► SENIOR CLASS MEETING: May 28th during Advisory
8:30 am – 8:55 am, in the Gym (Graduation)
JUNE
► Running Start and PSSC students bring proof of passing
to the Counseling Office by June 3rd
► June 6th: SAT, SAT II test
► Cambridge testing continues
► SENIOR CHECKOUT SHEETS distributed during Advisory June 1st, begin check out process
► LOCKER CLEAN OUT: June 4th during Advisory
► SENIOR FINALS: June 1st – 5th
► MOVING UP ASSEMBLY and CHECK OUT SHEETS
DUE: June 5th
► BACCALAUREATE: Time and location TBD
► TEST MAKEUPS/RETAKES: June 8th, 9th and 10th
► GRADUATION REHEARSAL: June 12th, 10:00 am
► SENIOR BBQ: Following rehearsal and 2nd lunch (will
begin at 12:30)
April 2015
► GRADUATION: June 13, 2015 @ 10:00 am @ Tacoma
Dome
 JULY
► DIPLOMA PICK UP: July 8th, 15th, 22nd, & 29th 2015
(Wednesdays) 9:00 AM
Graduation Tickets
Each graduating Senior will be given ten tickets to
Graduation when turning in their completed check out
sheet. Additional tickets can be purchased through
bookkeeping for $2 each or at the ticket booth at the
Tacoma Dome.
2015 Senior Prom
Senior Prom will be held on Saturday, May 16th from
8:00 to 11:00 pm at The Temple Theater, located in the
historic Stadium District of Tacoma.
Ticket sales will start on April 27th at $20 per ticket.
April 30 through May 8th tickets will be $25, May 11 &
12 they will be $30, May 13 & 14, $35 and the last day to
buy tickets is May 15th at $40 each.
From the Bookkeeper
Please remember to check your student’s fines & fees
before the end of the school year. Your student will not
be able to purchase Prom tickets, receive official
transcripts or their diploma if they have any outstanding
fines or fees. If you any questions please feel free to
contact Mr. Green at 253-945-5412.
CONGRATULATIONS
CLASS OF 2015!!
Eagles are One, Second to None!
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