Westfield Public Schools

The inaugural ceremony for elected officials will take place at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, in the Westfield High School auditorium, 177 Montgomery Road. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/city-officials-to-be-sworn-in-tuesday-at-ceremony-in-westfield-high-school.html

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing the winners of the second annual, “Name A Snowplow” contest for statewide elementary and middle school students in Massachusetts. The winning plow names are Flower Plower, Edward Blizzardhands, Glacier Gobbler, Polar Pathmaker, Snow B Wan Kenobi, The Snolar Express, Sleetwood Mac, Snow Place Like Home, Snow-hemian Rhapsody, The Mayplower, Snow Monstah, Fast and Flurryous. This contest received entries from public school classrooms from across Massachusetts. The contest chose names for 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during this 2023/2024 winter season. The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to help recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during the winter season.  “Keeping our roads across Massachusetts clear and safe every winter is a tough job. We are glad to see educators engage their students in a fun competition that pays tribute to this essential public service,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “I want to congratulate the winning classrooms and look forward to seeing all of the snowplows in the field.”     “This is a fun way for schools across the state to connect with the crews who perform vital road work every year during New England’s harsh winters,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “Congratulations to the winners, and our appreciation to everyone who participated.” District 2 Franklin Avenue Elementary Westfield 1st, McKenna Mortimer Glacier Gobbler Congratulations McKenna! https://www.mass.gov/news/massdot-announces-the-winners-of-the-name-a-snowplow-contest-0

At the School Committee meeting on Dec. 18, Westfield Intermediate School Principal Gregory Miller introduced some of the students in the newly formed peer leadership club to talk about their school. Miller said the idea for the club came from reading interventionist Joann Roselli, the peer leadership club adviser, who asked what could be done for the students who have been achieving academically, doing the right thing in the classroom and who show a lot of potential for leadership. He said teachers in the school selected 25 sixth graders to form the club to learn some leadership skills and use them to help other students in the school. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/westfield-intermediate-school-showcases-student-leadership-team-activities.html

Once a month, a group of dog owners bring their pets to Westfield Middle School. They’re not ordinary dogs, but specially trained therapy dogs. These exceptional four-legged visitors spend about two hours every third Friday with seventh and eighth graders. They’ve been trained to work as therapy dogs by volunteers from the local chapter of the Love on a Leash program. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/lab-partners-dog-visits-make-tough-days-better-for-westfield-middle-schoolers.html

If you missed the Holiday Concert by the Westfield High School Chorus last Wednesday, please click on the link below. Happy Holidays! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WizZaQmUCKI

Our Holiday Recess will start on Monday, December 25. Schools will reopen on Tuesday, January 2. Happy Holidays from all of us at the Westfield Public Schools!

The Westfield Virtual School’s sixth, seventh and eighth grade students met in person for the first time this school year for a Science Slam on Dec. 15 in the school’s office suite in the Westwood Building on North Elm Street. Five stations were set up for hands-on experiments relating to subjects being studied in the school’s curriculum. In the Spit & Taco station for example, students studied the chemical reactions when food gets digested by adding drops of amylase, water and benodic solution to a taco solution, and judging the results. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/westfield-virtual-school-hosts-in-person-science-slam.html

At Diane Mayhew’s last meeting after a 12-year run on the School Committee on Dec. 18, her husband Dennis Mayhew started the honors with a salute to his wife during public participation. Dennis Mayhew said he was being joined virtually on Channel 15 by their three children, Patrick, Shannon and Lauren, “all very successful products of the Westfield school system,” along with their families and “six awesome grandchildren.” https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/diane-mayhew-ends-12-year-run-on-westfield-school-committee.html

Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.

The Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center was buzzing with excitement on Dec. 14, when the three- and four-year-olds came back to school in the evening with their families in tow to meet Santa and get a present, play some games and take a cookie on the way out. Fort Meadow Principal Jonathan Scagel was standing at the door to the school in a Santa hat, welcoming families. He said there was a big turnout for the PTO-sponsored event in the gym, which also had crafts, games and a scavenger hunt. ' https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/fort-meadow-pto-presents-cookies-with-santa.html

Click below for the latest newsletter on the Franklin Ave/Abner Gibbs Replacement School Project: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Construction-on-the-new-Elementary-School-continues--December-2023-Newsletter.html?soid=1127583543316&aid=liwzqD2cYms

The house on 64 Mill St. that is being built by Westfield Technical Academy juniors and seniors in construction tech, cabinetmaking, electrical wiring, and horticulture is nearing completion, according to lead construction instructor Matthew Gomes, who also designed the house. Groundbreaking began in December 2022 and is projected to be completed by February 2024. “It’s going incredibly well. We got a late start last year, but it’s going really fantastic,” Gomes said this week. He expects the house to be 100 percent ready for sale in February. It will be fully landscaped with plantings. “Most new construction doesn’t have that,” he said. The 2,200 sq. ft. Cape-style house will have four bedrooms, two and a half baths, a main bedroom suite on the first floor, and an open kitchen, living room and dining room.The house also features a mudroom and oversized one-car garage, an outdoor patio living area and walkway, and newly poured concrete sidewalks. Gomes said there are a lot of high end features in the house, thanks to generous donations from the community. “A big driving force of the project is so much has been donated,” he said. Construction Tech junior Avalise Davis was inside the house on Dec. 7 working on finishing a piece of the beech hardwood flooring. “We have to do each piece individually,” she said, making certain of the measurements and angles. After placement, they will be putting in a filling and a finish on the floor. “I love it. It’s engaging. I think it’s a really good trade, good money, good social connections,” Davis said. Outside, juniors in the horticulture shop were completing the patio out of concrete pavers donated by Ondrick Natural Earth in Chicopee. Lead horticulture instructor Nate Sperry said his students started on the project in October, installing the top soil and starting the lawn. “Students got experience understanding when and how to put in a lawn,” Sperry said. The house is a project of the newly formed Westfield Technical Foundation, a non-profit entity set up to benefit the school, enabling WTA to borrow the money to buy the property and build the house from the Polish National Credit Union at zero percent interest. When the home is completed, it will be sold and proceeds will go back into the school’s programs. “It really is in a fantastic area - walking distance to the park, the hospital and the Mill on Crane Pond. There is a lot of lively high-end cultural activity,” Gomes said, adding that he grew up around the corner. He said the school plans to have a public unveiling once the house is completed this winter. https://www.thereminder.com/localnews/westfield/completion-date-set-for-westfield-tech-student-bui/

If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, please click on the link below. This week, we spoke with students and staff about Girls on the Run and more. Students and staff from the Westfield Technical Academy Culinary Arts Department also helped us celebrate National Cupcake Day. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6Ej53EI-sc

Westfield High School Instrumental Music Director Patrick Kennedy recently announced all are welcome to the annual Winter Band Concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, in the auditorium at the high school, at 177 Montgomery Road, Westfield. The concert will feature the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble and the Westfield High School Band. The Concert Band will perform the traditional “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney, and “A Festive Holiday Celebration,” a nod to several seasonal celebrations. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/westfield-high-school-bands-ensembles-will-play-winter-concert-thursday.html

If you missed the latest "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, please click on the link below. This week we spoke with Principal Jendrysik and other Westfield High School staff members about the WHS Career Center, the WHS DLP Program, and more. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxIYTZ_mOYg

uAspire will offer a FAFSA webinar for students three times: 4:00-5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 3; 5:00-6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30; and 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27. Registration is open online. In addition, FAQs are available in English and Spanish, and more resources are posted on uAspire.org/resources, uaspire.org/Checklist, and uaspire.org/FSAID. Click on the link below to register. Thank you. https://uaspire.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__5YaoPfhT92PLRAZ429SCg?utm_source=DA-Commissioner%27s+Weekly+Update&utm_campaign=64f2f12cea-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_12_04_11_41&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-64f2f12cea-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D#/registration

If you missed the latest episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight" yesterday, please click on the link below. This week, we talked with Abner Gibbs Elementary School Principal Erika Masciadrelli and School Adjustment Counselor Amy Crowley about the great things happening at Abner Gibbs. Westfield Technical Academy Culinary Arts students also helped us to celebrate National Mousse Day. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TJZw1YCZ94

Westfield High school counselor Patricia Healy, who is now in charge of the school’s Career Center, said she has an open door policy for students. “Kids just walk in, that’s the purpose of it.” She said when she’s not available, her email address is displayed on her door. “A student walks in the door and says I want to work - I need a job. That’s the start of it,” Healy said. She will give the students information on available jobs in the community, businesses like Dunkin’, McDonald’s, T.J. Maxx, and Cracker Barrell in Westfield, but that is only the start. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/12/westfield-hs-career-center-has-an-open-door-for-students.html

School principals and business leaders brainstormed about how they can help students prepare for careers at the Nov. 28 meeting of the Westfield Education to Business Alliance. Area businesses have been working with teachers to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities and share information about career opportunities in their fields through the Adopt a Classroom program. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/11/westfield-school-business-leaders-brainstorm-on-how-to-link-students-to-careers.html

Holi-daze Presented by Mad Science of Western New England and sponsored by Westfield Public Schools Date: Tuesday, December 12th, 2023 Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm Where: Munger Hill Elementary School 33 Mallard Ln. Westfield, MA 01085 Please email Sarah Kotarski at s.kotarski@schoolsofwestfield.org to register