Iowa standardized tests go digital
Cameron Wilson, reporter
April 18, 2019
Iowa Assessments are given to students in order to rate the state in education by comparing scores nationally. This will be the first year that Iowa Assessments go online. The new test, the Iowa Student Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), will be taken on Chromebooks this April. ...
A looming threat draws ever closer
Tim O'Leary, Reporter
April 7, 2019
The point of no return draws ever closer for mother earth. A number being commonly thrown around is 12 years, making the march to the tipping point dangerously close. Yet still many superpowers, notably the U.S., seem to be doing little to stop it, or perhaps doing more to speed it forward. “Our...
Crisis drills in the Davenport Community School District
Cameron Wilson, Reporter
March 20, 2019
Safety drills are important to practice in order to be prepared for a dangerous event. West is required by law to have four fire drills, four tornado drills, and two A.L.I.C.E (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Encounter, Evacuate) drills per year. Fire drills Fire drills were introduced into schools in 1958 af...
Midterm election causes mixed emotions
Kate Kealey, Editor in Chief
November 8, 2018
As the 2018 midterm elections wrapped up on Nov. 6, the Iowa elections went into a late night with Republican Governor Kim Reynolds coming out on top over Democrat opponent Fred Hubbell. With polls closing at nine, part of the night views were told to keep the lights on and drink some coffee because t...
Humans of West: Jodi Zimmerman
Dani Reitz, Voice Editor
September 21, 2018
While she sat with her dying father in a bleak nursing home, social studies teacher Jodi Zimmerman learned to crochet. Burdened by chronic back pain and an inability to sit still, Zimmerman kept herself busy by crafting woven rectangles and the occasional scarf. It is a truth well known by Zimmerman...
Reporter
I finished my fourth quarter of freshman year at West, so as a sophomore, this will be my first full year here. This is also my first on the newspaper staff. Along with newspaper, I love playing rugby,...