The Cougar Communicator is published weekly when school is in session. It is available here and is also delivered to email via School Messenger.
The newsletter includes a message from our principal, news and updates, upcoming events, and information from our PTO.
Click on the buttons below to follow the links.
Dear Clough Families,
It’s hard to believe that this is our final week of school. We have several fun activities planned this week before we send the kiddos home for the summer. Kindergarten has their graduations on Monday and Tuesday evenings (see schedule below). We have our Fund-a-thon on Tuesday. It looks like the weather is going to be fantastic. The PTO is providing cheese pizza and popsicles on Tuesday for each student and staff. Only pack food for lunch on Tuesday if your child doesn’t like pizza. Wednesday evening is our 5th grade awards night. On Thursday at 11:00 am our fifth grade students will take the “walk of fame” around the building to be recognized by the entire student body and teachers. 5th grade parents/family members are more than welcome to take part by lining up outside the front of the building and high-fiving the 5th graders as they finish their walk at the front of the building. After their walk, I will be taking a class photo of the group in front of the Clough sign. I encourage parents to take photos as well. Clough Pike is hosting this year's district wide 5th grade skating party. It's only for 5th graders across our district. This is not for younger siblings. I encourage our kids to skate and meet friends and future middle school classmates.Â
I know I speak for all the staff when I say it’s been an honor to work with your children this school year and I hope each of you have a wonderful summer.Â
Kevin S. Thacker
Principal
May 22, Kindergarten Graduation for Wang and Mattingly, 6:00-6:30.
May 23, Kindergarten Graduation for McEnaney and Dahm, 6:00-6:30.
May 23Â (Fundathon field day)
May 24, 5th-grade Awards Night, 6:30-7:30 Clough Pike Cafe
May 25 Last Day of School
May 25, 5th Grade Skating Party, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
FUNdathon is an opportunity to support Clough Pike Elementary School. Students will enjoy a day full of games and fun on Tuesday, May 23.
Hey West Clermont! Let’s pack our local IPM Food Pantry one last time this school year! Join us for the WC Food Drive Challenge from May 15th-19th. The top classroom from every school will receive a popcorn party! Most importantly, everything donated benefits our local community through the IPM Food Pantry. Requested items:
Peanut butter
JellyÂ
CerealÂ
Soup
RavioliÂ
ShampooÂ
Deodorant
Hello class of 2030! As your 5th grade students begin looking forward to next year, we want to start providing information regarding the middle school experience and the dates we want you all to be aware of as the year progresses. We cannot wait to meet our RISING 6th GRADERS!Â
Important Notes:
Parent Informational Meetings:
Our GoogleMeet Informational Meetings have concluded (the dates were 03/15 and 03/16).Â
You can view a recording of this meeting by viewing this document and scrolling down to the section labeled “Parent Meetings.”
Please reach out to one of our 6th grade school counselors, Mary Sandmann (sandmann_m@my.westcler.org) or Sandra Stricker (stricker_s@my.westcler.org), for any questions or concerns regarding the information provided.
Student Building Tours - May 17th - May 19th, all the elementary schools will take a field trip to visit WCMS during the school day! Students will have an opportunity to hear from WCMS students and engage in fun interactive activities. See the dates for each elementary below:
May 17th - Summerside & WT
May 18th - Merwin, Clough, & Holly Hill
May 19th - Amelia & Willowville
Students may pack or buy lunch at the middle school!Â
For more information regarding this exciting visit, click here.
Open house - August 15 - 4:00 pm-7:30 pm
On August 15, we are inviting ALL West Clermont Middle School families to visit the Middle School, see their homeroom, meet their teachers, and pick up their schedules. You will be receiving an email prior to this event with your students homeroom assignment. Upon arriving in the building, you can go to their homeroom to receive their schedule.Â
More Information:
View this document for more details and ongoing communication regarding this transition.Â
You can also receive more information by going to https://www.westcler.org/hub/rising-6th-graders or the Class of 2030 course on Schoology that your 5th grader has been added to.Â
Last week, you received an email from Superintendent Adams inviting you to participate in a survey. If you completed the survey, thank you! This information will be very important to principals and the District Leadership Team in our summer meetings.
There were actually three different surveys and each parent or family member randomly received one based on three different topics. Below are the links to all three surveys. If you have not had a chance to respond, we encourage you to pick one (or more) and share your thoughts. If you did respond to a survey, here is an opportunity to share your thoughts on another. Each survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Student Safety, Wellbeing, and Engagement - https://tinyurl.com/5n8bfckb
Student Pathways & Performance - https://tinyurl.com/3txjhrth
Modern Student-Centered Learning Design - https://tinyurl.com/4r5yzzndÂ
(NOTE: Each survey begins with the same opening video. However, the questions following the video are different depending on the topic of the survey. If you have already completed the survey for a particular topic, a message will pop up that says, "You've already taken this survey.")
Thank you for your time and effort to help our school and the entire West Clermont community!
Your voice matters. West Clermont Focus Groups (and Virtual Focus Groups) are an excellent way to share your experiences, expectations, and insights with the district. These professionally moderated sessions last approximately 90 minutes and are scheduled multiple times throughout the year. The discussion topics vary, but the general theme of all WC Focus Groups is OUR KIDS and their future success. We encourage parents, grandparents, staff, alumni, community members, and students to participate in this valuable process of sharing, caring, and learning.
To find a focus group that fits your schedule, please visit our Focus Group Sign-up.
Building to Building Transfer Request applications for the 2023-24 school year will be available April 1st- May 15th.  Â
Families can access the 2023-24 Building to Building Transfer Request application in their parent portal by clicking on the Forms icon in the menu on the left-hand side of the screen and then choosing the Enrollment tab.Â
Families of students grades 1-5 will be notified on May 30th with the status of their applications. Kindergarten students will be notified on August 1st.Â
Families may contact Central Enrollment at 943-5042 or enrollment@westcler.org with any questions.Â
Ordering information was sent out last week. Orders are open through 6/9 for regular yearbooks, and through 6/3 for personalized orders.Â
Click here for more information.
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Our summer camp program is completely free and will take place from June 5-July 28. We are open M-F 9am-5pm. Our camp is for those who have been enrolled in school, so children who have completed kindergarten up to completion of 11th grade. We will provide breakfast, lunch, and snack daily. Our camp will continue to focus on Graduate, Fit for Life, and Ready 2 Serve programming with lots of fun field trips included. Families can sign their children up at bgcgc.org/memberships.
Contact - Lydia Schmitt, Club Director
lschmitt@bgcgc.org
(513) 947-9632, ext. 501
We encourage you to view the recording of the 2023 State of the Schools presentation on our district's YouTube channel. You can also view the slides from the presentation. Then, after watching the presentation, we'd love to hear from you! Let us know the area that you would like to learn more about to better understand how the school operates and what lies ahead in the future! Share your thoughts by taking part in our ThoughtExchange.Â
West Clermont is hosting a series of 25 IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL Focus Groups in March and April. Each focus group will include 8 -10 participants and lasts about an hour. We’re eager to have people from these community groups involved:
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Parents and Caregivers
Teachers and Staff
Alumni
Local Businesses and Service Organizations
Local Faith-based organizations
Residents and community members
In-person focus groups will be held during the day and early evening at West Clermont High School. Virtual focus groups will be held in the evening and allow you to participate from home using Zoom. All sessions will be seeking your insights on creating FUTURE-READY STUDENTS. This is an opportunity for you to join a group of other community members that care deeply about the future of West Clermont. Sign up today, and we’ll contact you with more information about dates, times, and topics.
Recently, West Clermont released the Talking to Your Kids About School Safety and Wellbeing Discussion Guide as part of Volume 2 of the WC Roadmap Report. We recognize that school safety may be a tough topic to discuss at home so we developed the guide to help with the conversation with the support of the West Clermont Citizens Advisory Commission (CAC). The easy to use resource has two parts that consist of a Discussion Guide and an in depth survey. We urge you to take some time to have these important conversations with your kids.Â
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Go the following web address: https://family.titank12.com/
Select the “Apply for Meals” box.
Under the District box, as you begin to type West Clermont, the drop-down box will allow you to choose our district.
Type in your household address, daytime phone number and email address.
Choose the assistance program if applicable (Example- SNAP). It will ask for your SNAP number if you have chosen that program. You can obtain this number by calling your Case Work at the Clermont County Job and Family Services number.
Add each student enrolled in the West Clermont District. You will need their Student Identification Number. If you do not know the student’s ID number, you will need to contact your student’s school to obtain the number.
Choose your students' race and ethnicity.
Place the last four digits of your Social Security number in the boxes provided.
Sign the application by typing your full name and then hit Submit. The applicant will receive email confirmation upon receipt of the application.
The application is reviewed within 10 days and the applicant will be notified by email or by letter via US Mail.
You are able to pre-pay online, and check your balance, at the following:
Dear Parents\Guardians:
Head lice is a common occurrence in school. During the winter months when students wear coats, hats, etc., it is not unlikely to see an increase in the number of cases. Â
Head lice do not carry disease, nor does their presence indicate that a child is unsanitary. Head lice are transmitted from one head to another directly or possibly indirectly through such items as brushes, hats, headphones, etc. Lice do not fly or jump.
The most common signs of head lice is itching and scratching of the scalp. If your child complains of this, please examine their hair. If you see any visible signs of head lice or nits it is important to treat your child. Your pediatrician can prescribe treatment, however numerous over the counter products are available at drug stores and supermarkets.
Please contact your school Health Assistant with any questions or concerns.
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 Each week, students who demonstrate our core behavior values of being respectful, responsible, and safe earn "Cougar Pride" tickets. These tickets can then be put into a bin for a chance to win donated prizes from our community partners. Each week we pull names from the bin to spin the "Wheel of Fun-der" to win one of our current prizes.
 Thank you to our current partners:
Clough Pike PTO
Cicis Pizza
Frisch's Big Boy
Cherry Grove Lanes
Texas Roadhouse
We would love to recognize more students for all of the great things they do. If you or someone you know are interested in building a community partnership with us or being a private donor, we would love to hear from you! Please contact Mrs. Kenney at kenney_b@my.westcler.org or Mr. Thacker at thacker_k@my.westcler.org.
If you would like to purchase the optional insurance for your child’s Chromebook, follow the link below by clicking the button. Kindergarten students do not take Chromebooks back and forth from school to home, which is where most damages to the device occur.
Have a cute picture of you and your pet you would like to share? Students and staff are being encouraged to bring in a picture of themselves and their pets that will bring joy and smiles to our school. All pictures will be displayed in our cafeteria on a bulletin board for everyone to see.
PaySchoolsÂ
Families have the option to pay their child's school fees and add money to their meal accounts using PaySchools.
To set up your PaySchools account, follow the steps in the parent user guides below:
For additional help, you can also check out these walkthrough videos for families.
If your child is a car rider to school in the morning, and you want them to eat breakfast here at school, please try to be early in the car line so they have time to eat. We try to close the cafeteria at 8:35 so the kids don't miss any class time.
Clough Pike library volunteers are needed! We are looking for parents or grandparents of Clough Pike students who have at least two hours per week that they could spend in the library. A training session is provided. Duties include scanning and shelving books. A background check and fingerprinting are required in order to volunteer. Interested? Email Tanny McGregor, West Clermont elementary library coordinator: mcgregor_t@my.westcler.orgÂ
Important:Â Free school breakfast & lunch will not be automatically offered for everyone during the 2022-2023 school year.
Breakfast Costs:Â 2022 - 2023 Breakfast will cost $1.20/student and $.30 for reduced if you complete the application below.Â
Lunch Costs:Â 2022 - 2023 Lunch will cost $2.70/student and $.40 for reduced if you complete the application below.
Please see the information below to apply for the free/ reduced breakfast & lunch program.
Recent guidance regarding COVID for you to review. You can find this on the Wolfpack hub under "links".Â
Currently, schools are reporting positive cases but not contact tracing. If guidance changes throughout the year, we will forward information to you.Â
Bus Routes
Updated routes are expected to be posted by August 16 on the "Bus Route E-Link" system. However, we recommend you continue to check this site up until the first day of school to note any potential changes made to your child’s route. To access the E-Link system:
Visit the Transportation section of the WolfPack Hub, scroll to Transportation Links and Forms, and then click on Bus Route E Link
Username: Student ID
Password: Child’s birthdate (8 digits. For example: 08012018)
Changes in Pick-up/Drop-off Locations:
Transportation routes are based on the student’s home address. Therefore, any variations (such as picking up or dropping off at a babysitter's address or daycare) will require the parent to submit a Transportation Request Form.
Petermann Bus Tracker App:
Petermann Bus Tracker is an application (app) developed to help improve communication with families. This app will securely allow parents/guardians to view the location of their child(ren)’s bus in relation to their assigned bus stop as well as provide information about their routes, in near real-time, including the scheduled arrival time of each stop.
Jen Schaeffer-President
Sarah Simpson-Vice President
Ariel Casey-Secretary
Nicole Brown-Newsletter
Stephanie Daniels-Treasure
Click on the button to follow the link to the Clough Pike PTO page.
All meetings are scheduled on the first Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Clough Pike Elementary library.
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Wednesday, Â October 12, 2022
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Wednesday, , January 4, 2023
Wednesday, , February 1, 2023
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Wednesday, Â May 3, 2023
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Natasha AdamsÂ
West Clermont Superintendent
We are creating a courageous culture by focusing on our mission of committing to excellence with every learner, every day, every way. We strive to have a safe, caring, positive learning environment where all students have a sense of belonging.
Visit our WolfPack Hub to find everything you need to know. The One-Stop-Shop for West Clermont Families!
Staff, students, families, and community members,Â
Over the past week, several threats on schools across the U.S., including Ohio, were made. We’d like to take this opportunity to remind the West Clermont community of our commitment to keeping our school community safe, as well as the proper methods for reporting a threat or concern. Â
Should you see or hear anything suspicious, please report it through one or more of the following:
Contact Law Enforcement
Union Township Police Department-513-752-1230
Clermont County SheriffĘĽs Office-513-732-7500
Pierce Township Police Department-513-752-4100
Or Dial 911
The Safer School Tip Line by calling or texting 844-723-3764
Contact the School Principal
Thank you for partnering with us to help us maintain our focus on every learner, every day, every way.
We are listening to our students, families and community members and creating a path forward together to ensure all students are future-ready with a competitive advantage. Please attend one of our upcoming Town Hall Meetings.
Our public Town Halls are scheduled for:
September 22nd at 7 PM at West Clermont High School (4101 Bach Buxton Road)
October 20th at 7 PM at Withamsville-Tobasco Elementary (3950 Britton Blvd.)
November 10th at 7 PM Merwin Elementary (1040 Gaskins Rd.)
December 8th at 7 PM at West Clermont Middle School (1341 Clough Pike)
Seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot here!
PowerSchool recently changed the West Clermont District Code for the PowerSchool Mobile App. The new District Code is PRMG to access your student’s information. Mobile App users must log out of the app and update the District Code to PRMG. If you need assistance with updating the District Code on the mobile app, complete the PowerSchool Parent Portal Support Form or call 513-943-5078. Please allow 2 business days for a response.
Click the link to download the app:
PowerSchool Mobile App for Apple Users
PowerSchool Mobile App for Android Users
*Reminder, report cards cannot be accessed through the PowerSchool Mobile App.
