Westfield Public Schools

If you missed "Rock on Westfield" this morning, click on the link below. This week, Harry Rock interview Westfield High School Chorus Instructor Korey Bruno and the students in the WHS Show Choir. The show also features some terrific student performances. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddPEfdk6RKY

Westfield Technical Academy students brought back a tradition on Feb. 17 when they visited Abner Gibbs Elementary School to read stories and demonstrate hands-on activities related to their chosen trades, something they haven’t been able to do since before coronavirus pandemic. The event was part of WTA’s celebration of Career Technical Education Week. WTA Career Technical Director Peter Taloumis and School Librarian Sarah Scott organized the event and selected the books with the help of Abner Gibbs Principal Erika Masciadrelli and school secretary Erinn Tirrell. https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/02/westfield-tech-students-share-their-trades-at-abner-gibbs-elementary-school.html

Next week is Winter Vacation! There is no school for students starting Monday, February 20 through Friday, February 24. Students return to school on Monday, February 27. Have fun and be safe! Thank you.

If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, please click on the link below. This week, we talked with Assistant Principal Kevin Daley and School Counselor Carol Groom about Career Technical Education Week at Westfield Technical Academy. We also learned a lot about almonds on National Almond Day. Thanks for watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqmA_v8l7A

High School Science and Engineering Fair organizers have announced the students and their projects that qualified to enter the Region I Science Fair on March 10 at Western New England University. Top projects included first place winner, Luke Bulan’s project, “Investing in a Cheap and Comfortable Yet Effective Phototherapy Blanket For Babies.” https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/02/top-high-school-science-fair-projects-qualify-for-regionals.html

A reception at Tiger’s Pride on Valentine’s Day gave friends and colleagues from Westfield Technical Academy and the Westfield Police Department a chance to recognize retiring School Resource Officer Tracy Ploof, and to wish him well after 20 years of helping to keep the peace at the school, and 30 years with the city police. “The word spread to other retirees from the Police Department and Westfield Technical Academy. It was a really good turnout, a lot of people popped in,” said WTA Adjustment and Substance Abuse Counselor Kristine Hupfer, who organized the event along with Lt. Eric Hall of the Westfield Police Community Services Unit. https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/02/westfield-tech-police-community-thank-retiring-school-resource-officer.html

Close to 100 families attended the Westfield School Department’s Countdown to Kindergarten event on Feb. 8 to kick off kindergarten registration for the fall. The event is a collaboration with Westfield’s Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grant and coordinator Paula Hebert-Pike. Families that attended were given an opportunity to meet the principals and staff from the city’s elementary schools, learn about the district’s literacy and STEM initiatives, all about school transportation, and to see sample school lunch menus. All attendees received kindergarten goody bags and tips about getting their children ready to start school. https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/02/nearly-100-families-attend-westfield-kindergarten-registration-fair.html

The registration portal for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year is now open. Please visit the Westfield Public Schools website at www.schoolsofwestfield.org for more information. Thank you!

Tune in on Thursday, February 16 from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on WSKB 89.5 FM, WCPC cable channel 15, or westfieldtv.org for a special Career Technical Education episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight". This week, we will be talking with Assistant Principal Kevin Daley and School Counselor Carol Groom all about Westfield Technical Academy. Thanks for watching!

For the first time in three years, Into the Arts is BACK! We are excited to share that this celebration of all the arts in Westfield Public Schools will return this April 28th and 29th!

Five veteran teachers and one teacher new to the profession were named 2023 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award winners in Westfield this week. Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski surprised the winners at their schools on Feb. 7. Winners have demonstrated exemplary teaching practices and have had a strong impact on their students; they’ve inspired and motivated others, engaged their students’ families, and gone above and beyond in the classroom and school community. https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/02/westfield-superintendent-surprises-6-educators-with-excellence-in-teaching-award.html

If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, please click on the link below. This week, we talked with staff, students, and judges that participated in the annual Westfield Public Schools Science, Technology, and Engineering Fair. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZKK_bY2Tbg

Tune in on Thursday, February 9 from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on WSKB 89.5 FM, WCPC cable channel 15, or westfieldtv.org for a crossover episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight" and "Tiger Talk". This week, we will be broadcasting live from Westfield High School during our Annual High School Science Fair. We will be talking with staff, students, and judges about the incredible projects from students at WHS and WTA. Thanks for watching!

The 40th annual Sons of Erin Colleen Ball was held at Tekoa Country Club on Friday with 12 contestants. Ciara Catherine Morgan Johnson-Corwin, 17, a senior at Westfield High School, was chosen as the 2023 Westfield colleen. Her court will be Kelly Elizabeth Burns, 19, Shannon Marie Corbett, 17, Cailyn Grace Crean, 17, and Sarah Margaret Moriarty, 18. The colleen and her court will embrace a yearlong journey as they represent the city and the Sons of Erin. Congratulations! https://www.masslive.com/living/2023/02/westfield-sons-of-erin-chooses-colleen-honors-st-pats-award-recipients.html

A plan to have veterans serve as school safety attendants will start in the next couple of weeks, after the pilot program got the go-ahead from the School Committee in December. Veterans Services Director Julie Barnes, who said the assignment will be part of her tax write-off program for veterans, said seven veterans have already signed up and are going through background checks, required for anyone who volunteers in the schools. Westfield School Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski said the veterans will start in the elementary schools, which don’t have school resource officers, starting with Franklin Avenue, Abner GIbbs and Paper Mill. https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/02/several-westfield-veterans-volunteering-as-extra-eyes-for-school-safety.html

If you weren't able to catch the latest episode on "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, click on the link below. This week we talked with our Registration Team about our Countdown to Kindergarten Registration Event being held on Wednesday, February 8, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at Westfield Middle School. We also looked into the history and tradition of Groundhog Day. Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? Find out midway through our show. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB1CiRe8rzM

As the hours tick down to their 25-hour fundraiser, organizers of the Western Massachusetts Charity Danceathon are running through a final dress rehearsal before welcoming several hundred people stepping out for charity. Middle and high school students in Westfield are putting on the danceathon — their first all-night event — to benefit local children and their families. Organizers aren’t sure how much money they’ll raise for three local charities, but 20 dancers raised $16,000 in four hours during a dry run in 2022. “These kids are mindful of all the effort they put into it, and all the money they raise is going to help children and their families in need in Western Massachusetts. The tagline is ‘We dance because we care.’ The kids came up with that,” said Andrea York, the danceathon’s marketing director. The Westfield Youth Recreation Center at Blessed Sacrament Church on Holyoke Road is hosting the event from 7 p.m. on Feb. 3 until 8 p.m. on Feb. 4. The call is going out far and wide for dancers and their families. “This is not a Westfield event. We want to include all kids in Western Mass., from middle school on up,” said Yorke. All the money raised will benefit Rachel’s Table (free food distribution), Rick’s Place (help for grieving children) and the KEVS Foundation (free youth heart screenings and CPR training). Planning is directed by a seven-member Youth Advisory Committee and a Junior Advisory Committee. Members of these two committees are in high school or middle school and have been calling the shots, from when the event will take place down to every last detail. “We want to help develop future leaders who will make big decisions. That part was really exiting to me. It’s all quite heartwarming,” said Yorke. More than 125 volunteers are helping to pull off the danceathon. The students are being given advice and direction from an adult Steering Committee and Board of Directors. Dominic Monti, 18, is the only student on the board. “I got involved with the danceathon to not only benefit the community but to connect other teens with organizations that work for those who need help such as those who are grieving or experiencing food insecurity,” said Monti. There will be no problem filling a dance card during the danceathon. Several DJs will be playing for the entire 25 hours. Students came up with the playlist that includes Latin, Polish and Irish music plus Zumba, ballroom dancing, hits from the ’80s and beach music. There will also be places to rest, play games and enjoy different activities. Security and medical personnel will be on hand for the entire event. Student organizers met monthly when they started planning the danceathon a year ago, and as often as four times a month as the event drew closer. They got together on Sunday nights, after homework, activities, sports and other responsibilities had been taken care of. “These kids are so inspiring. They blow me away every day. Their energy, enthusiasm and vision are palpable. There is no question in my mind that with these kids, our future is bright. I am so inspired by them. They are the reason the adults involved are helping them,” said Yorke. The students have endured the pressure of working with the adult board, doing media interviews planning and publicizing the event, and everything else that comes with putting on a dance party for hundreds of people. The next step is seeing who can keep up the pace for as long as 25 hours. “These kids are driven. I don’t think many of them are going to go home. They’re going to be on the dance floor a good amount of time. It’s definitely a dance party,” said Yorke. Anyone that wants to register to dance, sponsor a dancer make a donation or volunteer at the event can visit www.wmcd.org for more information. Advance registration and parent permission is required to participate in the dance. Dancers must be middle or high schoolers, and only registered dancers will be allowed on the floor. High schoolers (grades 9-12) are welcome to participate any time from 6 p.m. on Feb. 3 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 4; middle schoolers (grades 6-8) will dance 3-8 p.m. on Feb. 4. https://www.thereminder.com/localnews/westfield/danceathon-in-westfield-to-raise-money-for-charity/

As the governor proposes funding to keep school meals free until the summer, Rachel Kania said the free school meals program Westfield EATS has been good for students, families, and for the schools. “It’s going swimmingly. The participation is extremely healthy, with more kids participating than expected,” said Kania, the School Department’s food services director. https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/02/free-meals-good-for-students-families-says-westfield-food-services-director.html

Something new is coming to Westfield Public Schools – volunteer patrols to add an extra level of security during the school day. Westfield Public Schools will implement a new program to keep kids safe by recruiting voluntary veterans to patrol the inside and outside of schools, using their military expertise to identify any potential threats. The pilot program will start in Franklin Avenue, Paper Mill, and Abner Gibbs Elementary Schools. The volunteer vets will be unarmed and carry walkie-talkies to communicate with the school’s office staff if they identify suspicious activity on school grounds. Superintendent of Westfield Public Schools Stefan Czaporowski told Western Mass News that the volunteers’ military experience will help with recognizing potential threats. “Due to their circumstances, they’re able to identify a potentially dangerous situation; they just have experience in those kinds of atmospheres,” he said. “Not that our schools have that, but I think they could also serve as a possible deterrent.” Veterans will also receive an added benefit for their volunteer work. The city of Westfield is prepared to dish out a $1,500 property tax break if they hit 100 hours of patrols. The Director of Veterans Services for the city of Westfield Julie Barnes told Western Mass News that even before they added the tax incentive, veterans were eager to volunteer their time. “We had a lot of veterans come into our office before the program even released,” Barnes said. “They kind of heard it through the grapevine, so when it released on January 1st, we’ve had quite a few veterans come in.” Superintendent Czaporowski told us that this program is another small but necessary step in continuing to protect against potentially dangerous situations at school. “It takes a village, and I think that student safety is a top priority, not just for the school department, but for everyone,” he said. https://www.westernmassnews.com/2023/02/01/westfield-public-schools-pay-veterans-patrol-schools-increase-security/

The First Veteran Appreciation Luncheon hosted by Westfield Veterans Services took place Wednesday at Westfield Technical Academy. The goal is to show our military vets some much needed admiration for their service. Moving forward, lunch will take place on the first Wednesday of every month until May and will have dining space for up to 60 vets. On behalf of the Veterans Council, we want to thank Elm Electrical for sponsoring the lunch, Westfield Technical Academy Tigers Pride Restaurant for making a great meal, and Westfield High School Band providing some spectacular entertainment! Veterans that would like to sign up for the March luncheon, please call 413-572-6247.