Westfield Public Schools

Westfield Public Schools and Offices will be closed on Monday, September 2, in observance of Labor Day. Have a great long weekend! Thank you.

Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center will once again begin classes on Sept. 4 for the morning and afternoon sessions of its integrated preschool programs at its longtime home at 35 White St., Westfield. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/08/fort-meadow-to-welcome-westfield-preschoolers-with-orientation-ice-cream.html

Westfield Public Schools is offering Free SAT Prep Courses this fall. Sessions will be held this September at both WHS and WTA. See image for more details.

To emphasize the importance of attending school, DESE's "Power of Presence" initiative asks you to submit a creative piece of artwork, music, photography, videography, writing, etc. to express why you attend school. We hope to hear from everyone:pre-K to adult students, families, school staff, educators, and administrators! Some examples include a short story about your school community, a painting of your favorite teacher, a photo of your classroom decorations, a video interview of your favorite teacher, a song you've been practicing for the school play, a testimonial about a new skill you learned - we are encouraging you to get creative! We will choose one entry to be featured this spring, highlighting you and your school community! We can't wait to see what you create and what makes your presence so powerful. This opportunity is open to all students, school staff, educators, and families in Massachusetts public pre-K-12 schools and adult learning classes. Deadline: December 20, 2024 To Submit: Complete the Entry Form (with included Media Agreement language) Attach your submission to the form. Deadline is Friday, December 20th, by 11:59 p.m. The creator of the entry that will be featured in the spring will be notified on or before January 10, 2025. https://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/attendance/?utm_source=DA-Commissioner%27s+Weekly+Update&utm_campaign=bcd0ba25fc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_08_26_08_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-bcd0ba25fc-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

For the first time, Westfield’s public high schools are offering a free SAT prep course through a collaboration with Westfield State University, Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy. The classes will be offered in person at both high schools. “This is a shared commitment to look at post-graduation options families have. Colleges are certainly one of them. This will help level the playing field,” said Human Resources Director Michael Morris, adding, “This is an important test for people who want that option.” https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/08/westfield-high-schools-to-offer-free-sat-prep-classes-with-help-from-university.html

Elm Electrical hosted a co-op signing day on Aug. 20 at its training facility at 21 Cycle St., Westfield. The event brought together new hires, their families, company leaders and community partners to formally welcome three former co-op students to the Elm Electrical team. Dylan Morgan and Rudy Charland, 2024 graduates from Westfield Technical Academy, and Israel Vargas from Chicopee Comprehensive High School were the guests of honor. All three were joined by proud parents, teachers and administrators at the event. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/08/elm-electrical-hosts-signing-day-for-former-co-op-students-beginning-careers.html

Thank you to St Joseph’s Church for their donation of school supplies. These supplies will be distributed to our refugee and McKinney Vinto families

Westfield Public Schools is pleased to announce FREE SAT Preparation classes this fall for students at Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy. Please click on the image for sign up information. Thank you!

The Westfield High School step up transition program is in its second week offering an opportunity to rising ninth graders to get to know the school, some of the teachers and other students in a smaller, more intimate group setting. “The transition program is a good opportunity for students to get comfortable in a new building and to build relationships with students and staff,” said adjustment counselor Anthony Saccomani, who is in charge of the program this year. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/08/ninth-graders-get-to-know-new-school-in-small-group-setting.html

Approximately 65 rising seventh graders in the Westfield Middle School transition program were completing a team-building exercise in the gym around cooperation on Wed. morning, Aug. 7. WMS Dean of Students Lauren Paret, who is running the four-day program, said the entering students will become part of the WMS Wolves, which are pack animals. Every day of the transition program the group is focusing on themes for the pack -- perseverance, accountability, cooperation and kindness. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/08/students-get-comfortable-in-middle-school-transition-program.html

The 150 students attending the transition program at the Westfield Intermediate School this week are working hard getting to know their new surroundings, meeting new friends, and of course mastering the combination locks for their lockers. WIS Grade 6 Math and science teacher Victoria Hedge, who is in charge of the program this week, said it is the smooth transition program they’ve held to date. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/08/incoming-fifth-graders-are-mastering-locks-and-making-new-friends.html

Beginning on Monday, Aug. 5, hundreds of students entering Westfield Intermediate School, Westfield Middle School and Westfield High School this fall will have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their new schools ahead of the first day at the schools’ transition programs. Unfortunately, all of the programs are filled, but there will be scheduled orientations for some of the schools later in the month. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/08/hundreds-of-westfield-5th-7th-9th-graders-sign-up-for-transition-programs.html

Band Camp 2024 is underway, with 128 students from rising 5th graders on up practicing from 8 a.m. until noon at the Westfield Middle School over the next two weeks through Aug. 9. According to Instrumental Music Director Patrick Kennedy, Band Camp gives students a target, something to be excited about over the summer. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/07/band-camp-builds-community-and-pride-in-westfield.html

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