Academics and Counseling

ACADEMICS AND COUNSELING

Class Load

All students must be registered for at least six classes each semester. All students need 24 credits, which is 48 classes, in order to graduate.

In the Wrong Class?

If you signed up for the wrong class, see your counselor immediately! If the error was in the scheduling, the counselor will take care of it. If you want out of the class for other reasons, you will need to follow certain guidelines your counselor will tell you about. You usually cannot enter a new class after the 5th day of a semester. If you choose to drop the class by simply not showing up… your absence will be dealt with as an unexcused absence. See your counselor!

Centralia College - Running Start and College in the High School

W. F. West students can take classes at Centralia College as a Running Start student.. You will need your counselor's approval before you may sign up for a Centralia College class. A five-credit class at Centralia College, with a course number of 100 or greater, is worth one credit at W. F. West. Centralia College also offers a variety of other classes with varying credit values, so be sure to check with your counselor for credit information. W.F. West also offers Centralia College classes at the high school. See your high school counselor about these opportunities.

Makeup Work

If you were absent and missed an assignment, it is your responsibility to make arrangements for make-up work. The normal practice is to allow a day to make up a missed day. This may vary with the type of work to be made up and prior deadlines made for certain assignments. If you develop a pattern of missing key days, such as test days, you may not be given the opportunity to make the next test up. If assignments are given absolute guidelines, you will be expected to have the assignment delivered by the deadline. Know what the policy is for your teacher! If you are absent for two days or more, you can call the school office to have your assignments requested from the teachers, OR you may email your teachers directly. Your teacher’s email address (with few exceptions) is the teacher’s first initial followed by the last name, then “@chehalisschools.org”. I.e. Johns Smith’s email address would be: jsmith@chehalisschools.org

Problems

Some problems are challenges, and some problems are problems. A problem that is a challenge is one you are ready to take care of. A problem that is a problem is one you need some help with before you can tackle it.

If you need some help get help! What are your options at school? One option is one of your teachers. Another option is your counselor or any of the other counselors in the guidance office. These folks have a vast amount of training and experience in helping students through most every problem imaginable. Other options are the school nurse, coaches, administrators, education assistants, secretaries, cooks, custodians and other specialists in the district. When in doubt, ask.

APEX - Credit Recovery

APEX is our online credit recovery option for students who are deficient in core academic subject areas. If interested, please visit the counseling center for more information.

Need Help?

W. F. West has certified Mental Health counselor to assist you with information or help with any problems. The office is near the guidance office. Hours vary, but if you don't catch them, check with your counselor or the secretary. Information you share is treated with the utmost confidence. If you, or a friend, have a question or a problem stop by and see our Mental Health counselor or your school counselor. If you have a concern about a fellow student, you can recommend that the counselors follow up with your concern. Referral forms are in the guidance office and available from any counselor.

Feeling Threatened?

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you feel threatened by another student or a trespassing person, just walk into any classroom where there is a teacher or class in session and tell the teacher what the situation is. The teacher will call the office for assistance.

We have Tino Sanchez and Todd Thornburg as a campus and district security, and the Chehalis Police Department is available on a moment's notice.