No EBT Card Access April 26-27: The state Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) is changing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) vendors. As part of the transition, families will not be able to use their food benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP) or withdraw cash benefits (Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children, TAFDC; or Emergency Aid to the Elderly Disabled and Children, EAEDC) from 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 through mid-day on Sunday, April 27. No food purchases can be made during this time.
Spring Vacation starts on Monday, April 21, 2025, and ends on April 25, 2025. School resumes on Monday, April 28, 2025. Have a safe and enjoyable break!
Westfield Public Schools and Offices will be closed on Monday, April 21, in observance of Patriots Day. Thank you.
At the School Committee meeting on April 7, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and Human Services Director Michael Morris introduced Dr. Gregory Rosenthal as the search committee’s pick to be the new administrator of special services and student support services. Rosenthal will replace Debra Ecker, who is retiring after serving five years at the top special education post and previously as a supervisor.
Rosenthal is the current director of special education and student services for the Douglas Public Schools. Before to that role, he had a similar one with the Northbridge Public Schools. He has also worked as a special education teacher and administrator in public schools and out-of-district private special education schools. He has led professional development on topics such as differentiated instruction, student engagement, and co-teaching, said Morris.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2025/04/dr-gregory-rosenthal-hired-as-new-administrator-of-special-services-in-westfield.html
Young adults ages 14-25! Are you in high school or out of school? Are you looking for a job?
Come to our Job Fair to explore paid and volunteer opportunities through one of our many job and career pathways.
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
1:00 P M – 4:00 PM
MassHire Springfield Career Center
Dress to Impress Bring your resume
For list employers go to www.masshiresprinfield.org/YouthWorks
For more information contact:
Phylis Gedeon—pgedeon@masshirespringfield.org/413-858-2818
Katherine Perkins—kperkins@masshirespringfield.org/413-858-2831
At the Credit for Life Fair on April 10 at Westfield High School, the students entered the gymnasium in two shifts, with upperclassmen from Westfield High School visiting first, followed by Westfield Technical Academy, Gateway Regional and St. Mary’s High School.
The interactive event of the Western Mass. Credit for Life Committee, co-chaired by Melissa Taylor of Berkshire Bank and Linda Saltus, formerly of MassHousing, teaches students real-world budgeting and money management skills.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2025/04/students-learn-real-life-costs-at-credit-for-life.html
High school seniors should complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or, for students who are eligible non-citizens, the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA), by May 1, the priority deadline for state aid. Both can make higher education more affordable. All federal and state student aid and some private sources require completion of the FAFSA. The FAFSA or MASFA are required for students to access MassGrantPlus for four-year colleges and to access no-cost community college through MassEducate.
https://www.mass.edu/osfa/programs/massgrantplus.asp
The School Committee Budget Review Meeting scheduled for Monday, April 14, 2025, has been postponed to Monday, April 28, 2025, at Westfield intermediate School at 6:00 p.m. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause. Thank you.
Hear ye, hear ye! Amelia Park Children’s Museum invites you to join our tea party on Friday, May 9th. Come dressed as fairytale royalty or your favorite fantasy character. Adorn yourself with jewels and designs, paint a teapot, and decorate a mask (we provide the supplies). Your reign lasts from 10am to noon, with light refreshments beginning at 11am. Regular admission fees apply. Members of Amelia Park Children's Museum are admitted free of charge.
Amelia Park Children's Museum is located at 29 South Broad Street in Westfield, MA and is open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Thursday-Tuesday. The museum offers hands-on learning for children ages 1-7 in a safe and welcoming environment. Cost of admission is $8 per person. Grandparents and seniors are admitted at a reduced rate of $4. For those who present a valid EBT card, the rate is $2 per person (up to 6 people). Questions? Call us at (413) 572-4014 or email us: fun@ameliaparkmuseum.org. Learn more about the museum at ameliaparkmuseum.org.
Recently, thirty-one students from Westfield Technical Academy’s ‘Flying Tigers’ Aviation program were given a tour of American Airlines (AA) at Boston’s Logan International Airport. The tour was arranged by AA pilots Captain Chris ‘Biggs’ Bigelow (USAF retired and WTA Aviation Advisory Board member) and Captain Bradley Nordgren (Prior Army aviator and AA Chief Pilot) in conjunction with Mr. Galen ‘Chief’ Wilson (WTA Aviation Dept Head). Through many hours of coordination and airport security protocols the students were able to view, amongst other things, up-close a Boeing 777 aircraft.
After a superb AA in-briefing and lunch, provided by AA, the students split into six groups and then were off to tour the facility. Here’s how it went - The students were given a tour of the aircraft cockpit by two senior AA pilots. The pilots informed the students on such systems as aircraft flight control, communications, electronic flight instrument system, navigation systems and engine control/monitoring systems, just to name a few. Each student was given a chance to sit in the left (Captain’s) or right (First Officer’s) seat while simultaneously briefed on the cockpit’s instrumentation and glass (monitor screens) cockpit functions by AA senior captains.
Students were also introduced to the cabin of the aircraft by two flight attendants. The flight attendants (FA) explained their role in customer service, passenger protection and flight safety. The FA’s also explained the training that goes into being an FA along with their ‘typical’ flight schedule.
The students then went outside and toured the exterior of the aircraft. They also took turns getting inside the cargo area and the avionics bay, where they saw the line-replaceable units (LRUs) that make up the electronics used in the aircraft for navigation, weather monitoring, surveillance and control.
Lastly, the students went to the aircraft maintenance facility where the AA technicians service/troubleshoot/repair up to eighteen aircraft per night. The technicians were able to explain their day-to-day life, all-the-while answering many questions from the students. The technicians were AWESOME!
The students and faculty of WTA ‘Flying Tigers’ would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to American Airlines for such an informative and memorable day – THANK YOU!
The annual Career Expo & Job Fair took place on March 27 in Scanlon Hall at Westfield State University. More than 400 students from Westfield High School, Westfield Technical Academy, St. Mary’s High School and White Oak School connected with over 65 area employees to explore career pathways, network with professionals, and gain valuable insights into their futures.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2025/04/students-engage-with-area-businesses-at-westfield-career-fair.html
If you missed this morning's "Superintendent's Spotlight", please click on the link below. This week, we recognized Paraprofessionals Appreciation Day with staff members from Westfield Intermediate School. We also celebrated National Chocolate Mousse Day with staff and students from Westfield Technical Academy's Culinary Arts Department. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPjl3gSL2xk
On March 11, students from 13 schools in District 6 for SkillsUSA MA competed in a written competition for a chance to head to the State Leadership and Skills Conference in May.
WTA had 34 students that medalled in the district competition, the most of any of the participating schools. The first and second place medalists will advance to the state competition on May 1, 2 and 3 in Marlborough.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2025/03/westfield-technical-academy-is-sending-30-students-to-state-skillsusa-competition.html
DPW Deputy Superintendent Casey Berube, in a collaborative project with city stormwater coordinator Noel Lioce-Marra, seniors in the horticulture department at Westfield Technical Academy and John Raymaakers of J.L. Raymaakers and Sons Construction, began installing a rain garden at School and Elm Streets this week. The plantings will be done by horticulture students later in the spring.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2025/03/dpw-installs-rain-garden-on-school-street-with-wta-horticulture-and-raymaakers.html
Patrick Kennedy, band director for Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy and lead music teacher for Westfield Public Schools grades 5 to 12, will be receiving the Massachusetts Music Educators Distinguished Service Award in a ceremony on Thursday, March 27, at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2025/03/patrick-kennedy-to-receive-the-mmea-distinguished-service-award-on-march-27-in-worcester.html
On the afternoon of March 13, Westfield Technical Academy played its annual student vs. faculty basketball game to support the Robert P. Ollari Memorial Scholarship fund.
According to assistant Principal Kevin Daley, the students narrowly beat the staff by five in a hard-fought battle watched by over 570 students and staff, including Mayor Michael McCabe and Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski.
The tournament raised over $1000 through donations from staff, students, and the raffle. WTA awards a $1000 scholarship each to two deserving seniors to use towards college or the workforce upon graduation.
If anyone would like to donate to the scholarship, checks may be made out to the WTA Rob Ollari Scholarship Fund and mailed to Westfield Technical Academy ℅ WTA PVO-Ollari Scholarship, 33 Smith Ave., Westfield, MA 01085.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2025/03/wta-students-beat-faculty-in-tourney-to-support-robert-ollari-memorial-scholarship.html
If you missed this morning's brand new "Superintendent's Spotlight" about our English Language Learner Program, click on the link below. This week, we had the pleasure of meeting a few of our EL students from Afghanistan, Ecuador, and Ukraine. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPuO36CcpNM
Join us for Into the Arts on Saturday, April 5 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Westfield High School!
We are seeking volunteers for the Credit for Life Fair, an interactive event that teaches students real-world budgeting and money management skills.
At the Fair, students will select a profession, receive a monthly take-home salary, and navigate various booths—such as housing, insurance, clothing, and retirement—to make “purchases” using imaginary cash, credit, or savings. The goal? To learn how to live within their budget.
As a volunteer, you’ll be assigned to a booth and engage with students as they make their financial decisions. Volunteers will receive a booth overview and all necessary information before students arrive.
📅 Date: Thursday, April 10
📍 Location: Westfield High School Gymnasium
⏰ Time: 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM (students arrive at 8:30 AM)
High school students from Westfield and surrounding schools will attend.
If you’re willing and able to volunteer, please register by scanning the QR Code on this flyer. If you have any questions, feel free to email kate.perez@schoolsofwestfield.org.
Thank you for helping make the Credit for Life Fair a valuable experience for our students!
On Thursday, the teachers and staff at Westfield Technical Academy got their first chance to check out their staff lounge which has been completely renovated into a warm and inviting space to relax, or recharge.
“We want our schools to know that their community supports them and values the incredible work they do,” Senior Vice President of Elm Electrical Inc. Keith Saltmarsh said.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2025/03/elm-electric-spearheads-wta-teacher-lounge-renovation-project.html