Yearbook Permissions

Our biggest difficulty this year is definitely dealing with permission to include students in the yearbook. Most years, we only have around 5% of students to speak with about not turning in permission at the start of the year. However, this year the district changed how first day packets were handled. This change caused less than 50% of district permissions to be returned.

At this point, the yearbook has been complete for weeks, however, we've been working on permissions for months. As of this Friday, anyone without permission will have to be removed from the yearbook so it can go to print. At this point, around 20% of students still have not turned in permission. We've tried announcements in the morning announcements, lunch announcements, visiting advisory classrooms, posters, flyers, posting who has permission by student lockers, and physically trying to find the ~500 students without permission. We've made progress, but will still be pulling a lot of students out of the book on Friday.

If your student has not turned in a permission form, or they are unsure, they need to bring one to Mr. Wegscheid on or before Friday, April 24th. Forms can be picked up from the office, or printed from the Wais Yearbook page. (direct link to form).

If you have concerns about the permission forming making it from home to school, you can instead send a picture of it to Shaun.Wegscheid@springbranchisd.com

Three WAIS OM Teams Advance to Worlds

Student teams headed to World Finals this summer at Michigan State University in East Lansing. 

Westchester teams placed in 1st Place in Problem 4, Lose your Marbles, Division 3; in 2nd Place in Problem 5, Silent Movie, Division 3; in 2nd Place in Problem 1, Runaway ‘Train,' Division 2; and our vehicle problem was awarded the highest award for creativity, the Renatra Fusca Award, for the team’s creative propulsion system.

Read about all the SBISD OM Teams at SBISD Snapshots. 

2015 Duke TIP Talent Search Results

This year we had a total of 15 seventh grade students take either the SAT or ACT through the Duke University Talent Identification Program.  These are the same tests that high school students are given. Of these 15 students, 11 received at least one form of recognition.  7 students qualify for State Recognition and 1 student qualified for Grand Recognition.  This is the largest group of students to be recognized in recent years.  It is also only the 2nd time we have had a student qualify for Grand Recognition since 2007.  Our previous Grand Recognition student graduated last year. 

Based on their scores, 6 of these students were invited either to attend the Academy of Summer Studies and 5 to the Center for Summer Studies.  You did not have to receive State or Grand Recognition to get those invitations, but it does indicate they did well on the test. 

Students that are receiving State Recognition scored at or above the national average of high school graduates on at least one part of the ACT or SAT and are invited to a special recognition ceremony held at a university in Texas.  In the past this has been Lamar University. 

Grand Recognition indicates the student scored at or better than 90% of high school graduates on at least one part of the ACT or SAT and are invited to a special recognition ceremony at Duke University. 

WAIS hosts Texas Regional Botball Tournament; Competes in PVAMU Agribotics

Saturday March 28th, WAIS hosted the Texas Regional Botball Tournament. Teams traveled from as far away as Presidio, while others just from other areas of Houston. In Botball, like many other robotic competitions, students build and program an autonomous robot to complete a variety of tasks within a time limit. Unlike many other robotic competitions, students must program in the C language, complete and submit documentation throughout the season, as well as present information on their team and its progress. Both middle school and high school students may participate in Botball.


This is WAIS' second year to participate and first year to host. This year's team featured six returning members, and five new members. All of WAIS' team members range from 7th-10th grade this year. The team took Second Seed from the preliminary matches, Third Place in double elimination, Special Judges Award for their C Programming, and Third Place overall.

WAIS Robotics Club advisers & members, NHS Students, and Class of 2016 helped with setup, concessions, directing foot traffic, break down, and clean up for the event. Photography provided by WAIS Clicks4Good adviser.



PVAMU 4H Extension Agribotics
A team of WAIS 8th grade students also participated in the PVAMU 4H Agribotics City-level Tournament at Lockhart Elementary on Saturday. The students took 1st and also received a Special Judges Award for the Spirit of Robotics due to their willingness to help others. The team will compete again at the Prairie View A&M University Agribotics Invitational in May.

Staff & Students visit Rome International School

Approximately 40 members of the WAIS staff and student body visited the Rome International School (in Rome, Italy). WAIS students and staff were able to spend an afternoon on the campus, meet with members of RIS, and participate in afternoon classes. Classes varied, from a lesson in language acquisition, to a Mathematics exercise in proving 1=0, piano practice, and a somewhat confusing, but interesting variant of Dodgeball.

RIS offers services for students from age 2 to 18, and features an authorized IB Primary Years Programme and Diploma Programme, as well as the Cambridge IGCSE in the first two years of high school. RIS is associated with LUISS University (Libera Universita Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli, or the Guido Carli Free International University for Social Studies).

WAIS competes with FIVE teams at the Houston Region OM Tournament

 

The five WAIS Odyssey of the Mind teams competed on Saturday at the Houston Region tournament. The 12th grade team came in 1st place in Problem 4 "Lose your Marbles", Division 3. The 11th grade team came in 3rd place in Problem 3 "Pandora's Box" Division 3. The 10th grade team came in 4th place in Problem 5 "Silent Movie", Division 3. The 8th grade team came in 2nd place in Problem 1 "Runaway Train", Division 2. The 6th grade team (WAIS & Cornerstone students) came in 5th place in Problem 3 "Pandora's Box" Division 2.

 

The 8th grade team also won the Ranatra Fusca award for exception creativity and risk-taking. This is Odyssey's highest honor! Several students and alumni came out help at the tournament and to support our teams' efforts.  

 

The next tournament is the State competition on April 11 at Spring Woods High School. 

WAIS Theatre Presents The One-Act Comedies

The One-Act Comedies

Of David Ives and Shel Silverstein

Come see five hilarious shows in one hysterical night!

March 5^th and 6^th – House opens at 7:00pm

March 7^th – House opens at 5:00pm

Tickets are only $10 at the door!

Come enjoy five one-act comedies written by Shel Silverstein and David Ives. Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) is the well known writer of The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Silverstein's work has sold over 20 million copies, and translated in more than 30 languages.

David Ives (1950-present) is a contemporary American playwright, and has written several books, including the children's book Monsieur Eek. Ives has worked both Broadway, off-Broadway, and in venues around the nation.

Bring your friends and share an evening of laughter and giggles!