📣Calling all Teachers, Staff, and PTOs of the Westfield Public School District:
Our 2022/23 Grant Application is posted on our website, and officially OPEN for submission!! We are so excited to be back from the COVID shutdown and are thrilled that we are able to offer this program once again.🍎✏️🎓📚
Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded to fund dynamic classroom and curriculum projects. Grants will be considered in all disciplines including the arts, sciences, reading and writing, physical education and social competency.
The link to the Grant Application is below. Should you have any questions, we are here to help! Contact us via e-mail at: westfield.foundation2013@gmail.com
We are looking forward to receiving your awesome and unique ideas for our students!
https://www.westfieldfoundation.org/grant-application
Today, in partnership with the Westfield Police Department, the Westfield Technical Academy conducted an enhanced lockdown drill utilizing some of the principles of ALICE. The drill ran smoothly, and our students and staff did an excellent job! If you have any questions regarding the drill, please don't hesitate to contact me at (413) 572-6533. Thank you, and, as always, please know how grateful I am for all that you do on behalf of WTA!
Tune in this Thursday, October 27, 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 are talking with Andrea Allard about the Westfield YMCA. Thanks for watching!
As part of our ongoing efforts to increase communication with our school community, the district is publishing a quarterly newsletter that will contain updates, important dates, and other information. Please click on the images to view our first newsletter of the school year. Thank you.
Westfield Public Schools continues to update our school district’s comprehensive safety plan in conjunction with the Westfield
Police and Fire Departments. A team of Westfield Administrators and other staff members representing every level from
elementary to high school, has been working collaboratively with the Westfield Police and Fire Departments to make sure our
students, staff, and families have a current, research-based, and educationally sound safety plan.
As part of our continued work with Westfield Police Department and our ongoing
training for students and staff, both city departments working together will conduct
lockdown drills in our schools the week of October 24-28 utilizing the enhanced
lockdown procedures known as A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and
Evacuate). If you have any questions regarding our drills please contact
Mr. Christopher Rogers, Administrator of Student Interventions and Safety for
the Westfield Public Schools at 413-572-6397.
Aviation Launch!!!
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, and many more opportunities that can be found on our district website at https://www.schoolspring.com/jobs/?employer=11953
As there is a growing need for counselors in the state, Westfield Public Schools works in partnership with River Valley Counseling and Rick’s Place to provide additional emotional support for students.
The River Valley Counseling provides four to five clinicians that will come into the school buildings for entire days. This meets the need of about 52 referrals that came in this month so far.
Currently, there are about 36 counselors that focus on social and emotional learning, plus academics and careers. With River Valley Counseling’s partnership with the school district, adjustment counselors are allotted more time to work with more students in small groups, enter classrooms, and do social-emotional learning with a whole class.
As a result of the pandemic, students’ mental health has become more evident in a school setting. “If a student isn’t in a good place mentally then it is a barrier to learning. They really may have something else going on and can’t focus on instruction,” said Westfield Public Schools superintendent, Stefan Czaporowski. “We need to really help them to be prepared and successful in a school environment.”
For adolescents and families that may have lost a loved one due to the pandemic or another cause, Rick’s Place helps with their grief. “The counseling students receive can continue through school vacations and through the summer to carry the progress forward,” adds the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Susan Dargie. However, counseling often takes years to have its desired effect.
River Valley Counseling continuation through summer and vacations would be at the request of parents. Students can also be seen in the clinic. Typically, a student who is referred to River Valley Counseling is already seeing an adjustment counselor, which brings additional support. Sometimes family counseling can also be a result.
“Vast majority of our students are having their needs addressed, but I always think we could do better. Counselor-to-student ratio is a strength of ours,” expressed Czaporowski.
“When we think about educating students, we are educating the whole student and we can’t separate out a child’s brain from their emotions and from their social skills and needs,” said Dargie. “So, we have to look at the big picture.”
For the school to completely replenish from the pandemic, it can take five to 10 years, according to Cazaporowksi, but is certain the vast majority of students will be ok.
A future BRYT program may also be another future development for Westfield Public Schools. This will allow more support for students that may be coming out of hospitalization. “Meeting the need that is needed at that time,” said Dargie.
“We often have students who are really struggling to maintain in the classroom, they really can’t be in that general setting,” explained Dargie. “A program like this would be another space where there is an educator there, but there is also a clinician” (hospitalized for their own safety). With these services, the school district has hopes the mental and academic needs of students will be met.
https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/westfield-public-schools-therapy-service-partnerships-help-adjustment-counselors-work-with-more-students/
This week has gotten off to an exciting start here at the Academy as our freshman have begun there one week exploratory rotations! Near the end of their one day exploratories, students selected their six favorite shops in rank order. This year, we were beyond pleased that 100% of our freshmen were able to receive their first three choices. They will continue through their one weeks and make their final job selections right before we break for the winter holidays.
We hope to see you there!
If you haven't been able to tune in, catch up on Tiger Talk Live here. And remember, you're in the flow, with Carol, Kev, and Joe!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEGTeKN8paw&list=PLnSwTu8SRtqIA3xtNAnD_rQFSd8aXozvH
GIRLS SOCCER
Westfield Technical Academy 3, Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School 0
Three different players – Iryna Shvyryd, Mia Slack, and Caprice Allen – scored one goal apiece as Westfield Tech shut out PVCICS.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2022/10/the-westfield-news-scoreboard-westfield-technical-academy-shuts-out-pvcics-3-0-more.html
It's that time of the year again. Thanksgiving pies!!!
As always, our Culinary Arts Staff and Students appreciate your loyalty and patronage!
The 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) launched on October 1. New and returning students who plan to attend college between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, should complete the FAFSA form as soon as possible. Massachusetts resources, including links to regional organizations and events that can help students and families complete the form, are posted at https://www.doe.mass.edu/financialaid/ and will be updated continuously. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education has helpful tips, such as “Seven Things You Need Before Filling Out the FAFSA Form,” “Eight Steps to Completing the FAFSA Form,” and “15 Myths We’re Busting About the FAFSA Process.”
Mr. Langone got a nice break from his usual routine as he accompanied Chef Mucciarone, Ms. Boisseau, and the Culinary Arts sophomores and juniors to the HPC Food Show at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut. In addition to more delicious free samples than anyone could imagine in one place, our students had the opportunity to interact with industry professionals and discuss their products and services in detail. And, as always, they represented WTA fantastically!
What’s more synonymous with Halloween than a festively carved pumpkin, all aglow with candlelight?
Hundreds of kids and their families will get the chance to test those creative skills at this year’s PumpkinFest, slated for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, rain or shine, on the athletic fields behind Amelia Park off South Broad Street in Westfield. Now in its sixth year, the event is organized by Westfield on Weekends, and according to Co-President Bob Plasse, more than 100 people volunteer their time to make this event happen.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2022/10/westfield-pumpkinfest-promises-fun-for-whole-community-next-weekend.html
Westfield Public Schools and the Westfield Police Department Release Drill Dates
Westfield Public Schools continues to update our school district’s comprehensive safety plan in conjunction with the Westfield Police and Fire Departments. A team of Westfield Administrators and other staff members representing every level from elementary to high school, has been working collaboratively with the Westfield Police and Fire Departments to make sure our students, staff, and families have a current, research-based, and educationally sound safety plan.
As part of our continued work with Westfield Police Department and our ongoing training for students and staff, both city departments working together will conduct lockdown drills in our schools the week of October 24-28 utilizing the enhanced lockdown procedures known as A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate). If you have any questions regarding our drills please contact Mr. Christopher Rogers, Administrator of Student Interventions and Safety for the Westfield Public Schools at 413-572-6397.
It's here! The new furniture we were able to obtain for the Stephen J. Pippin Library through the generosity of Bob's Discount Furniture and the efforts of Sarah Scott, our school librarian, arrived today. Special shoutout to Senior Custodian Mark Poulin and our Horticulture Technology Students for taking care of the pickup into our Construction Technology students for handling the assembly.
During the week of November 28, 2022, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Westfield Public Schools. The Office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child’s special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chairperson(s) of the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations.
Parents and other individuals may call Marc Oldenburg, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at 413-314-6703 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the district with a report with information about areas in which the district meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the district requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report at http://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/reports/.
The Westfield Technical Academy recently earned Tree Campus Honors from the National Arbor Day Foundation! WTA is one of 70 elementary, middle, and high schools across the United States, and the only one in Massachusetts, to earn recognition through the Arbor Day Foundation’s new Tree Campus K-12 program. The Arbor Day Foundation is the largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to tree planting. Its Tree Campus K-12 program, launched last year, encourages educators to create meaningful opportunities for students to interact with trees. In the first year of the program, more than 15,000 students participated in an Arbor Day celebration, and nearly 30,000 trees were planted. To earn this distinction, Westfield Technical Academy’s horticulture program had to meet four goals: Maintain a Tree Campus team dedicated to achieving recognition; create an education plan that connects students to trees and their global benefits; offer a hands-on experience that engages students in trees and the community and hold an Arbor Day observance to celebrate trees within the school or the community. Nate Sperry, our Horticulture Department Chair, said the school worked with Westfield Tree Warden Scott Hathaway to apply for the recognition. Sperry said on Arbor Day a student crew joined Hathaway and his city crew to plant 50 trees and 50 bushes at the site of the former Tekoa Dam, to help with bank forestation and restabilization of the area that was disturbed during the deconstruction of the dam. Congratulations to our Horticulture Department for a job VERY well done!
Among the native trees planted were red maple, river birches, gray birches, black sweet gum, and tupelos. The bushes were all sweet fern to help stabilize the dry and sandy bank.
“There’s usually more excitement when we plant a tree than putting in perennials and shrubs,” Sperry said. He said his student crews have planted trees at the WTA campus and several other city schools, for homeowners and for other customers in town. “We’re more than happy to plant trees anywhere,” he said.
Sperry said an upcoming project will involve two big pin oaks the city bought to replace ash trees on the Municipal Playground on Hubbard Street that have been infected by the emerald ash borer, a problem throughout the state. For this project, they will also be working closely with Hathaway.
“The idea of implanting really large trees requires equipment and quite a bit of detail,” Sperry said, adding that they will have to remove the stumps, and will probably grind them down and plant next to them.
