Westfield Public Schools

The middle school has planted more than 40 trees on its campus since Arbor Day, and the principal says it’s on track to reach its goal of 50 trees next year. “We actually planted slightly fewer than we originally planned,” said Westfield Middle School Principal Jesse McMillan, adding some will be saved until next spring in order to dedicate the time to ensuring the planted trees’ survival. McMillan’s efforts are part of the Greening the Gateway Cities tree planting program, a state initiative that has been planting trees all around Westfield’s downtown for the past three years. “All of them look beautiful — we only lost one, which was anticipated for this size of a planting. Overall they’re healthy — we have watering bags on them, which is helpful, and we fill them once a week,” McMillan said. One of the key partners of the Greening the Gateway Cities Program is the Westfield Puerto Rican Association, which has launched a “Say Yes to the Trees” initiative to encourage families and businesses in the city to get involved and plant trees. In June, WEPRA President Agma Sweeney, who McMillan said was one of the individuals who first brought the program to Westfield, presented a certificate of appreciation to the school in June for their participation in the program. “The trees play an important role for increasing Westfield’s urban tree canopy along with cleaner air, a healthy environment, natural beauty and important learning opportunities for the students now and in the future,” stated the message from Sweeney and WEPRA. For more information about the campaign, visit www.wepra.org/urbancanopy. “That was a pleasant surprise to be recognized by them,” McMillan said. He said the project at the school first started when he was speaking to School Committee member Kathleen Hillman last fall about ways to enhance the school property. “We thought, what better way to do this than with trees? As someone who lives in the Hilltowns, surrounded by trees, I could certainly appreciate what this could offer to our school community,” said McMillan, a Chesterfield resident. The trees that have been planted are a mix of large and small shade trees, suited to an urban environment, long-lived, and many are native and have ornamental features, with the more decorative trees planted in the front of the school. At an Arbor Day ceremony on April 26, a tulip tree was planted to kick off the school’s collaboration with the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Greening the Gateway Cities program in Westfield, which has a goal of planting 800 trees in the city. Speaking at the ceremony were state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield), acting Education Commissioner Russell Johnston, urban forester Sarah Greenleaf of the Greening the Gateway Cities program, and Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski. Mayor Michael McCabe and members of the School Committee and City Council also participated, digging a ceremonial shovel of dirt. “We started planting in Westfield in spring 2021 and have planted 616 trees thus far. We will continue working in the Westfield planting zone for the foreseeable future and are always looking for new interested homeowners, renters, and business owners to sign up for our program,” Greenleaf said at the time. Westfield Middle School’s 40 trees have now been added to that total. https://thereminder.com/local-news/hampden-county/westfield/tree-initiative-at-westfield-school-adds-to-leafy-urban-canopy/

Masslive announced its 2024 All-Western Mass. selections on Tuesday, July 23. Less than two months after earning their fifth Division II state championship, the Westfield boy's volleyball team was rewarded with seven combined selections, while Agawam was next with six. https://www.masslive.com/highschoolsports/2024/07/2024-all-western-mass-boys-volleyball-state-champion-westfield-leads-all-selections-with-seven.html

Mary “Kate” Ritchie of Westfield is the new principal of the Southampton Road Elementary School, as of July 1. According to Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski, who made the announcement, Ritchie came highly recommended from her prior jobs, with one reference stating that she created a “unity among the staff, thereby leading to a more positive work environment. [She] shares our district’s values for creating strong relationships with students and families,” Czaporowski said. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/07/westfield-resident-parent-settling-in-as-new-southampton-rd-school-principal.html

Students in the preschool summer vacation academy at Highland Elementary School were delighted by special visitors to their classroom on July 12, when Forest Park’s Wildlife on Wheels arrived with its animal ambassadors. Wildlife on Wheels programs are meant to provide information about the animals, including their special adaptations, habitats, behaviors, diets and status in the wild. Handlers brought a rooster, hissing cockroaches, a rabbit, a tortoise, and a tegu lizard from South America. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/07/preschool-summer-camp-in-westfield-welcomes-furry-feathery-scaly-visitors.html

Many of Westfield’s summer school programs began this week, but registration is still open for sessions beginning later in the summer, including a second session of credit recovery, activities for students transitioning to a new school, and the always popular Band Camp. Highland Elementary School is already buzzing this week and next as 266 students in pre-kindergarten to sixth grade participate in three summer vacation academies at the school. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/07/westfield-summer-school-begins-registration-still-open-for-some-offerings.html

Brady LePage of South Hadley, who will be a senior in internet technology at Westfield Technical Academy this fall, was waiting nervously on June 28, the last evening of the national SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta, Georgia for the finalists in “Internet of Things: Smart Home” to be called up to the podium during the awards ceremony. His teammate, collision technology senior Adrianna Vazquez, who competed in auto refinishing, said LePage kept telling himself he didn’t know if he got it. She reassured him, reminding him to enjoy the moment. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/07/westfield-technical-academy-earns-first-national-gold-medal-in-skillsusa.html

Westfield Technical Academy’s aviation maintenance technology department is looking to build a second hangar at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport to expand its program, the only high school aviation maintenance program in the Northeast, and one of only three in the country. Airport Manager Christopher Willenborg said the plans are in the beginning stages, with a feasibility study starting this July to look at the cost of a new hangar in a collective effort by WTA, the Westfield School Department, the city government and the airport. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/06/westfield-tech-aviation-shop-hopes-for-new-hangar-more-students-added-skills.html

Westfield Transition Services’ annual “Bridge to Adulthood” ceremony on June 11 at Shaker Farms Country Club honored the young adults who are turning 22 in 2024, and are leaving the Westfield public school system. This year’s honorees were Jacob Brooks, Colette Croteau, Katelyn Flaherty, Andrew George, Madelyn Goodwin, Alina Gusieva, David Partridge, Josh Pedro, Bryanty Reyes, Nathanael Rodriguez. and Lilia Shiliuk. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/06/westfield-transition-students-honored-in-bridge-to-adulthood-ceremony.html

By the year 2030, nearly 500 thousand technicians will be needed in the aviation industry, creating a major gap in the labor market. “The need in the aviation industry for employees is probably larger now than it ever has been and so as a certain generation retires, we need people to replace the workforce,” explained Westfield Public School Superintendent, Stefan Czaporowski. Westfield Technical Academy is offering students an opportunity to get involved in the aviation industry. The school's aviation maintenance technology program gives high school students hands-on training with live aircraft, to help meet the requirements of the FAA. Students are exposed to things like basic electricity, aircraft drawings, ground operations and servicing, landing gear systems, and navigation. “We have a lot of connections that help our students get cooperative education placements, which means they can work after school in the industry that their interested in. So, once they graduate, they’ll have a job waiting for them,” said Czaporowski. He also told Western Mass News students who show interest in aviation remain interested throughout their lives. He added that programs like these can also help students who are under performing academically. “We’ve had students sign up for this program and it is a rigorous program, that were not academically strong but rose to the occasion to be successful in this program and we’ve had students that really picked up better study habits and also just a desire to learn because they were so passionate about the content this program has,” Czaporowski said. Western Mass News also spoke with the program’s department head, Galen Wilson. He tells us, this high school aviation program is the only one of its kind in New England, and there are only two others like it in the entire country. “We have students that are flying for JetBlue, we have students that are pilots and earning their living that way. We have the technicians that are working for gulf stream, and breeze airlines and so on and so forth,” explained Wilson. Wilson noted to Western Mass News that their program is ideal for any student interested in flying planes or working with aircraft. “What we look for here is that passion for aviation, its in your gut its in your belly this is something that you really want to do,” said Wilson. https://www.westernmassnews.com/2024/06/20/westfield-school-offers-aviation-program-students/

Jennifer Thielen’s third grade class at Franklin Avenue Elementary School dressed as colonists and British soldiers in an impromptu play about the Boston Tea Party on June 13, performing it four times for parents and the other students in the school. Thielen said the play came about when a field trip was canceled due to rain. Reading from a Reader’s Theater book in the classroom, the class decided to perform the play for the school. The students had recently dressed up as colonists for a trip to an open house at the 1735 Dewey House in town, where they had a booth and made butter, so they found it easy to get into character. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/06/westfield-third-graders-re-enact-boston-tea-party-after-field-trip-is-canceled.html

Oliver Brown, an Engineer and Designer from ST Math visited and chatted with fourth grade students at Franklin Avenue last week about his career. Students were able to ask him questions about how he helps create puzzles, where he went to college, and if he thinks ST Math can ever be “beat”. Oliver encouraged students to get into coding now while they are young and have fun with it. Students even got a sneak peak of new ST Math puzzles in the making! Fourth graders won this virtual visit with Oliver Brown when a group was awarded the prize for “Outstanding Math Game” at the One8 Applied Learning Student Showcase in May. Students programmed their own ST Math inspired game in ScratchJR titled “Mathsketball”.

Westfield Public Schools and offices will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, in observance of the Juneteenth Holiday. Thank you.

Tenth grade students in Nicole Hamel’s AP History class at Westfield High School teamed up with residents of Armbrook Village this spring for a “Past Meets Present” living history project. Thirteen students were paired with 12 residents at the senior living facility, meeting first at the high school in an introduction to the project, and two more times for the interviews. On June 10, the students presented their reflections to the residents at Armbrook. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/06/westfield-teens-team-up-with-armbrook-village-for-living-history-project.html

Westfield's own Madison Curbelo returned to her alma mater this afternoon to perform for the students at Highland Elementary School. She also took time to answer questions from students. Thank you, Madison.

There are moments in Massachusetts sports lore that resonate in people’s minds for a lifetime like the epic Red Sox comeback against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS that broke the Curse of the Bambino or the New England Patriots improbable come-from-behind win against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Although not professionals, the top-seeded Westfield High School volleyball team played like it, rallying from a 2-sets-to-none deficit to defeat No. 3 Wayland in five sets in the Division 2 state championship Thursday night at Worcester State University. The Bombers, who trailed 21-17 in the third set and were on the brink of elimination, won 11-25, 14-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-13. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/06/from-edge-of-defeat-westfield-boys-volleyball-rallies-to-win-fifth-championship-title-in-seven-tries.html

The Westfield Starfires are thrilled to announce that hometown hero and finalist of NBC's 'The Voice,' Madison Curbelo, will be performing at Bullens Field as part of the pre-game entertainment on Saturday, June 29th. In addition to her pre-game performance, Curbelo will also have the honor of singing the National Anthem. Curbelo, whose powerful performances on 'The Voice' captivated millions, will bring her incredible talent back to her roots in Westfield. This special appearance is a testament to her connection to the community that has supported her journey to national recognition. “I am so excited to be back in Westfield for my official homecoming event with the Starfires,” said Curbelo. “My Westfield community got me through every round of The Voice and it’s an honor to be able to connect with them again after this journey.” The festivities will kick off at 5:30 p.m. with Curbelo's pre-game performance, followed by her rendition of the National Anthem at 6:30 p.m., just before the first pitch. Fans will also have an exclusive opportunity to meet Curbelo during a special meet and greet during the Starfires game against the Worcester Bravehearts. The game is presented by Berkshire Heating & Air Conditioning. Tickets for the game are available by visiting https://ci.ovationtix.com/36043

If you missed the season finale of "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, please click on the link below. This week, we provide updates on the new elementary school project. Westfield Technical Academy Culinary Arts students also helped us celebrate National Strawberry Shortcake Day. Thanks for watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyGaGLG1awI

The Marblehead High School softball team’s players are known as the Magicians, but it was the Westfield Bombers who pulled a rabbit out of their hat. Westfield junior reserve Sophie Svantesson hit a walk-off, two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to help the fourth-seeded Bombers rally past No. 9 Marblehead 3-2 in the Division 2 softball state semifinals Tuesday at Worcester State University. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/06/magic-act-foiled-no-1-westfield-rallies-past-no-9-marblehead-in-extras-to-earn-d2-softball-state-finals-berth.html

The last day of school is on Monday, June 17. It is also an early release day. High school students will be dismissed at 11:00 a.m., Middle and Intermediate School students at 11:30 a.m., and Elementary School students at 12:15 p.m. Thank you.

Thus far this postseason, the only team that truly has been able to beat the Westfield High School boys volleyball team is the Bombers themselves. No. 1 Westfield dominated No. 5 Longmeadow in nearly every fashion, save for a few moments of mental fatigue, en route to a three-set sweep in the Division 2 boys volleyball state semifinals Monday night at Chicopee Comprehensive High School. The Bombers won 25-14, 25-19, 25-11. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/06/no-1-westfield-contines-revenge-tour-advances-to-play-no-3-wayland-in-d2-boys-volleyball-state-finals.html