Westfield Public Schools and Offices will be closed on Monday, September 2, in observance of Labor Day. Have a great long weekend! Thank you.
See you tomorrow!!
To emphasize the importance of attending school, DESE's "Power of Presence" initiative asks you to submit a creative piece of artwork, music, photography, videography, writing, etc. to express why you attend school. We hope to hear from everyone:pre-K to adult students, families, school staff, educators, and administrators!
Some examples include a short story about your school community, a painting of your favorite teacher, a photo of your classroom decorations, a video interview of your favorite teacher, a song you've been practicing for the school play, a testimonial about a new skill you learned - we are encouraging you to get creative!
We will choose one entry to be featured this spring, highlighting you and your school community! We can't wait to see what you create and what makes your presence so powerful. This opportunity is open to all students, school staff, educators, and families in Massachusetts public pre-K-12 schools and adult learning classes.
Deadline: December 20, 2024
To Submit:
Complete the Entry Form (with included Media Agreement language)
Attach your submission to the form.
Deadline is Friday, December 20th, by 11:59 p.m.
The creator of the entry that will be featured in the spring will be notified on or before January 10, 2025.
https://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/attendance/?utm_source=DA-Commissioner%27s+Weekly+Update&utm_campaign=bcd0ba25fc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_08_26_08_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-bcd0ba25fc-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
Please join me in welcoming our new staff!
Thank you to St Joseph’s Church for their donation of school supplies. These supplies will be distributed to our refugee and McKinney Vinto families
Spirit wear is now available. Check out the flyer for information.
Join our English Language Parent Advisory Council! Check out the calendar for the meeting dates and location.
Join our Special Education Parent Advisory Council! The meeting dates/locations are attached.
Looking to volunteer? We can use lunch monitors! Join us at Highland!!
Beginning on Monday, Aug. 5, hundreds of students entering Westfield Intermediate School, Westfield Middle School and Westfield High School this fall will have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their new schools ahead of the first day at the schools’ transition programs.
Unfortunately, all of the programs are filled, but there will be scheduled orientations for some of the schools later in the month.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/08/hundreds-of-westfield-5th-7th-9th-graders-sign-up-for-transition-programs.html
Students in the preschool summer vacation academy at Highland Elementary School were delighted by special visitors to their classroom on July 12, when Forest Park’s Wildlife on Wheels arrived with its animal ambassadors.
Wildlife on Wheels programs are meant to provide information about the animals, including their special adaptations, habitats, behaviors, diets and status in the wild. Handlers brought a rooster, hissing cockroaches, a rabbit, a tortoise, and a tegu lizard from South America.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/07/preschool-summer-camp-in-westfield-welcomes-furry-feathery-scaly-visitors.html
Westfield Public Schools and offices will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, in observance of the Juneteenth Holiday. Thank you.
Westfield's own Madison Curbelo returned to her alma mater this afternoon to perform for the students at Highland Elementary School. She also took time to answer questions from students. Thank you, Madison.
The Westfield Starfires are thrilled to announce that hometown hero and finalist of NBC's 'The Voice,' Madison Curbelo, will be performing at Bullens Field as part of the pre-game entertainment on Saturday, June 29th. In addition to her pre-game performance, Curbelo will also have the honor of singing the National Anthem.
Curbelo, whose powerful performances on 'The Voice' captivated millions, will bring her incredible talent back to her roots in Westfield. This special appearance is a testament to her connection to the community that has supported her journey to national recognition.
“I am so excited to be back in Westfield for my official homecoming event with the Starfires,” said Curbelo. “My Westfield community got me through every round of The Voice and it’s an honor to be able to connect with them again after this journey.”
The festivities will kick off at 5:30 p.m. with Curbelo's pre-game performance, followed by her rendition of the National Anthem at 6:30 p.m., just before the first pitch. Fans will also have an exclusive opportunity to meet Curbelo during a special meet and greet during the Starfires game against the Worcester Bravehearts. The game is presented by Berkshire Heating & Air Conditioning.
Tickets for the game are available by visiting https://ci.ovationtix.com/36043
The last day of school is on Monday, June 17. It is also an early release day. High school students will be dismissed at 11:00 a.m., Middle and Intermediate School students at 11:30 a.m., and Elementary School students at 12:15 p.m. Thank you.
Highland students and staff were so excited to welcome back some of our former Huskies, Seniors from the Graduating Class of 2024! Staff and students lined the halls to celebrate the seniors with cheers, applause, and high fives. It was such a wonderful experience for everyone! Congratulations Class of '24!
Amelia Park Children’s Museum announces the opening of their new permanent train exhibit. The new nearly life-size train houses a three-level train table, crawl-through train tunnel, and conductor controls so children can roleplay driving a train.
“Our train table has long been one of our more popular exhibits at the museum, so it’s very exciting to see an upgraded version installed on-site,” said Brianne Zulkiewicz, APCM’s Assistant Director. “We are excited to see how children choose to interact with the train’s new features and learn about train transport. In the coming months, we hope to build off of the enthusiasm for our new exhibit to educate our visitors about the history and importance of trains in our region.”
The new train exhibit was made possible through financial support from Shurtleff Children's Services, Inc. and The Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) Destination Development Capital (DDC) Grant Program.
Amelia Park Children’s Museum is open Thursday through Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The museum is closed to the public on Wednesdays.
If you missed yesterday's "Superintendent's Spotlight", click on the link below. This week, we talked with staff and students in our English Learner Program. Thanks for watching! #AchievingExcellenceTogether
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDh48u_8su4
Kristen Koziol, STEM Specialist at Highland Elementary School, and her third grade programmers presented projects to the School Committee on Monday night. Students completed a Project Lead the Way Computer Science module, which culminated in the creation of their own game in ScratchJR, a kid-friendly, block-based coding application. Students worked collaboratively to program a game that included a main sprite, a target, a moving obstacle, and feedback to the player on if they were successful or not. The games proved to be a big hit among School Committee members, who were very engaged in playing "Penguin Chase", "Space Invasion", and "Get the Alien to Earth". Way to go Highland Huskies!
If you missed yesterday's "Superintendent's Spotlight", please click on the link below. This week, we were live from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield to talk with Kellie Brown all about the great things they have going on at the club. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYNr7FNzZlA