Abner Gibbs Elementary School

Tune in on Thursday, February 2 from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on WSKB 89.5 FM, WCPC cable channel 15, or westfieldtv.org for the next episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight". This week we will be talking with our Central Registration Team all about our Countdown to Kindergarten Event being held on February 8 at 6:00 p.m. at Westfield Middle School. We will also be following Punxsutawney Phil for Groundhog Day. Thanks for watching!

ATTENTION ALL AREA EMPLOYERS Sign up for our annual Westfield Education to Business Alliance (WE2BA) Career Expo and Job Fair sponsored by Westfield Public Schools, the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, Mass Hire, and Westfield State University. Engage in conversations with our students about careers and industries and recruit local students for internships and job opportunities. This is a FREE event that will be attended by over 500 local high school students. Scan the QR code or click on the link below to be a part of this yearly event and meet employees of the future. The deadline to sign up is Friday, March 10. Thank you for your support! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd82tz-vb-5UK9rRUPvmmz3fTMkEPWZAYABB0JtEea0d55Vew/viewform

Tomorrow (1/25/23), students will be released at 12:15 due to inclement weather. Students will eat lunch before dismissal. The YMCA afterschool program is cancelled. The Boys & Girls Club is available for afterschool care for students who attend this program.

Westfield Public Schools will have an early release day on Wednesday, January 25, due to the predicted snowfall in the afternoon. High Schools will dismiss at 11:00 a.m., Middle, Intermediate, and Virtual Schools at 11:30 a.m., Elementary Schools and Southampton Road Preschool Program at 12:15 p.m. Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center will be closed. The Westfield YMCA after school care program is also cancelled. Please drive safely.

The city granted $500,000 it received from the federal government in the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, to fuel assistance and food security programs. The Greater Westfield Food Pantry will get $200,000 over four years, the city said Monday in a news release. The Food Pantry provides groceries to approximately 1,200 people per month, with 51% of those clients being children and 14% being elderly. The city also gave Valley Opportunity Council $300,000 to expand home heating assistance programs. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program — LIHEAP — funded by the state and federal governments provides up to $1,319 per household to assist with heating costs incurred from November through April. The Westfield Food Pantry is at 101 Meadow St. For additional information on receiving food assistance, please call 413-572-0802 or visit its website at www.westfieldfoodpantry.org. For questions related to the Westfield Fuel Assistance Program, residents should call the Valley Opportunity Council Welcome Center at 413-534-2466 or email Jessica at jking@valleyopp.com. https://www.masslive.com/business/2023/01/westfield-gives-500000-in-arpa-money-to-food-heating-programs.html

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is inviting students, parents, education professionals, and community members to participate in a survey that will provide feedback on the MCAS program and help inform improvements. The Department is seeking stakeholders’ input in several areas, including communications and support, data and reporting, and release of test questions. The survey will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 27. Please contact mcas@doe.mass.edu with any questions. https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7072286/Future-Directions-MCAS-General-Survey

Behavioral Health Network Inc., which merged with the Carson Center eight years ago, has opened a new BHN WellBeing Center with expanded hours, expanded service, and walk-in care in its offices at 77 Mill St. in Westfield. The BHN WellBeing Center, along with one that opened at 417 Liberty St. in Springfield, are part of a statewide network of Community Behavioral Health Centers, or CBHCs, and are intended to shorten wait times for individuals seeking behavioral health treatment with MassHealth and Health New England insurances. The hours for walk-in care at both locations are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those seeking care can also call 413-301-WELL (413-301-9355) to be connected to services or visit bhninc.org for more information. https://www.masslive.com/news/2023/01/walk-in-behavioral-health-care-clinic-opens-in-westfield.html

Families of next year’s kindergarten class are encouraged to attend the Countdown to Kindergarten on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the Westfield Middle School cafeteria at 30 W. Silver St., Westfield. The event begins at 6 p.m. but families can drop in anytime until 7:30 p.m. The snow date is Feb. 15. “We’re really trying to get the word out,” said Christine Shea, director of assessment and accountability for Westfield schools. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/01/westfield-schools-will-make-kindergarten-registration-a-family-fun-event.html

WPS is Hiring! Be a part of Westfield Public Schools! We are hiring multiple positions across the district including substitute teachers, substitute nurses, classroom and 1:1 paraprofessionals, school custodians, and many more opportunities that can be found on our district website at www.schoolsofwestfield.org.

Dine Out Night! January 24, 2023 - 5 - 9:30pm The Maple Leaf

The Department of Mental Health has launched a new Behavioral Health Help Line that people can call or text at 833-773-2445. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in more than 200 languages. The help line can help individuals and families navigate the behavioral health system and access treatment, including mobile crisis services. Please click on the link below for more information. https://www.masshelpline.com/

Reminder: Westfield Public Schools will be closed on Monday, January 16 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. Thank you.

Keeping Kids Safe and Secure Online: A Project Safe Childhood Presentation for Parents - Wednesday, January 18th from 6:30 – 7:30 pm The presentation is free. Registration is required REGISTRATION DETAILS Please register at the following link: (via Chrome browser)) Event address for attendees: https://usao.webex.com/usao/onstage/g.php?MTID=ec3d8ccd61ccdd26ee39d8c6ffd5c57aa Password: PSC1 Questions or difficulty registering? Please contact Karen Legace @ USAMA.PSCOutreach@usdoj.gov

Please note that our regularly scheduled School Committee Meeting on January 3, 2023, has been postponed until Monday, January 9, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you.

The month of December at Abner Gibbs Elementary school was filled with music and special activities, said Abner Gibbs Principal Erika Masciadrelli. The holiday concert featured the fourth grade band led by Gina Clark, and fourth grade chorus led by chorus teacher Makenzie Carvalho. Students in each grade level learned songs in their music classes that they also performed in the concert. https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/12/abner-gibbs-students-lead-up-to-the-holiday-break-with-concerts-rewards.html

The Westfield Planning Board approved three special permits and site plans at its meeting on Dec. 20, clearing the way for the new school on Franklin Street. https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/12/westfield-planning-board-approves-new-school-cell-antennas-contractors-shops.html

There will be no school for students starting Monday, December 26, 2022 - Monday, January 2, 2023, for the Holiday Recess. Schools will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Happy Holidays from all of us in the Westfield Public Schools!

Allison McMordie, the City Engineer in Westfield, has visited Mrs. Lewis’ second graders at Abner Gibbs Elementary on several occasions so far this school year as part of our Adopt a Classroom program at Westfield Public Schools! Allison taught students about the engineering process of our own famous Green Bridge and challenged students to build their own bridge with specific constraints. Their models had to stand up to wind, rain, and support a a certain amount of weight. Allison plans to return to Mrs. Lewis’ classroom in the spring when they begin learning about erosion.

Please click on the images below to read the second District Quarterly Newsletter of this school year. Happy Holidays from all of us in the Westfield Public Schools!

The Westfield Public Schools saw the Food Pantry's request for help and quickly created a "festive dress down day" to raise some money. All the schools and administration combined raised $1,089 for the pantry and had some fun while doing it. Here are a few pictures from the Intermediate school.