This event will celebrate the vast reach of our applied learning initiatives across grade levels, subjects, and schools in our district. We invite you to experience student demonstrations and presentations of these meaningful, innovative projects.
Please register to attend and provide our students with the relevant feedback that helps bridge the gap between the classroom and workforce.
The showcase will take place on Friday, April 10th from 8:30-11:00am.
We are looking for volunteers to serve in our elementary schools as Safety Officers - you set the dates and times! Your volunteer hours translate into a property tax abatement up to $1,500!
To apply contact Julie Barnes at julie.barnes@cityofwestfield.org or call the office at 413-572-6247 for more information.
To learn more about our programs or get involved or how you can get involved, please call Laurie Chistolini at 413-562-2298. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wwa5WiagtSyL3oe33odtVf6lrQRWJTxw/view?usp=sharing
The High School Career Fair, taking place on April 1 in Scanlon Hall at Westfield State University, will be attended by juniors from Westfield High School, Westfield Technical Academy, St. Mary’s High School and White Oak School.
Local businesses are sought who would like to set up tables — which will be provided — and share their fields with students. There is no cost to participate. “If they are recruiting for jobs now or work in a field they want to get kids interested in, they are welcome,” said organizer Kate Perez.
The event, which will draw 400 juniors from area Westfield schools, will run from 9:40 a.m. until 12:10 p.m., and vendors are welcome to set up beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Interested businesses may email Kate Perez at kate.perez@schoolsofwestfield.org to sign up. The Career Fair is held in partnership with the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce and Westfield Education to Business Alliance (WE2BA).
Credit for Life Fair
Volunteers are also needed for the Credit for Life Fair on April 8, which will take place in the Westfield High School gymnasium, with student participation from WHS, WTA, St. Mary’s, White Oak, Southwick Regional, Lower Pioneer Valley Education Collaborative and Gateway Regional.
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 is to help students to learn how to live within their budget.
Volunteers, who are asked to arrive at 7:30 a.m. for training, will be assigned to a booth and engage with students as they make their financial decisions. While many of the volunteers come from the financial industries, all backgrounds are welcome, and volunteers will be matched at suitable booths. The first shift of students arrives at 8:30 a.m. and the fair ends at 12 p.m.
Volunteers, who are asked to arrive at 7:30 a.m. for training, will be assigned to a booth and engage with students as they make their financial decisions. While many of the volunteers come from the financial industries, all backgrounds are welcome, and volunteers will be matched at suitable booths. The first shift of students arrives at 8:30 a.m. and the fair ends at 12 p.m.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/03/businesses-volunteers-sought-for-high-school-career-fair-and-credit-for-life.html
Celebrating 250 years of American music.
Join us for the 73rd Annual Pops Concert at Westfield High School
March 13 & 14, 7:00 PM
$10 General Admission
$5 For Students
Tickets at the door or westfieldhighschoolband.com
A jubilant atmosphere glided through Hangar 2 of Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport on Thursday as Galen Wilson was honored for his immense role in growing the local aviation community.
A little over 10 years after jumpstarting the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at Westfield Technical Academy, Wilson was chosen as the Bradley district’s Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year by the Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team for his “technical expertise” and “lasting impact on students, schools and the aviation community itself.” He was chosen for the award by the Board of Directors of the General Aviation Program.
“I’m truly honored,” Wilson said in an interview with The Westfield News following the March 5 ceremony. “When I think of the award, it’s got my name on it, but it applies to everybody. It applies to the Westfield Technical Academy, it applies to the administration, the students [and] people that support it.”
Because the WTA program emulates a two-year college program, Wilson said that when students graduate, they can bring up to 69 college credits to some universities. He also shared that students can go directly into the industry as a licensed FAA technician to work in airplanes immediately after graduating from the program.
Many were in attendance to celebrate Wilson’s achievement, including Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski, Mayor Michael McCabe, state Rep. Kelly Pease, a representative from state Sen. John Velis’ office and Wilson’s students and family. All of the elected officials presented some kind of certificate to Wilson.
In his remarks during the ceremony, Czaporowski highlighted Wilson’s innate teaching ability, which was evident right after he was interviewed for the instructor position decades ago. Czaporowski said immediately after meeting Wilson, the interview team wanted to give him the job right on the spot.
“Sometimes you’re just born to teach,” Czaporowski said. “We couldn’t be any more proud to have Galen. It has been, and I hope continues to be, a pleasure to work with you as we move forward.”
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/03/wilson-awarded-district-aviation-maintenance-technician-of-the-year.html
On Feb. 26, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski, Director of Assessment Christine Shea and Curriculum Director Susan Dargie gathered flower bouquets and balloons for a surprise delivery to the six Westfield teachers who were honored with the Grinspoon Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award.
This year’s honorees included five veteran educators who have collectively impacted thousands of students, alongside one teacher new to the profession who is already making a meaningful difference.
In the nominations from their school principals, this year’s Grinspoon teachers were described as going above and beyond for their students and their school communities as a whole.
“So many of our staff members go above and beyond every day for our students, and it is both a pleasure and a privilege to honor six educators each year with the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards. I am also deeply grateful to the Harold Grinspoon Foundation for continuing to make this meaningful opportunity available to our district,” said Czaporowski after the visits.
All of the Grinspoon Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching honorees will be celebrated at a banquet held at the Log Cabin in their honor on May 12. They will also receive $250 scholarships, tuition incentives for graduate courses, YMCA memberships and other gifts and benefits.
The Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards program is made possible by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation in partnership with the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, and supported by area colleges and universities, YMCAs of Pioneer Valley, the Springfield Jewish Community Center, Arrha Credit Union, Country Bank, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/03/six-westfield-teachers-honored-with-excellence-in-teaching-awards.html
Parents, guardians, students, and staff are encouraged to review the proposed requirements and provide feedback through the statewide survey. Input from our community is important and will help inform future decisions.
The survey will remain open through June 30, 2026.
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8612728/Statewide-Graduation-Council-Interim-Report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ6Oa6O9Gos
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 emergency operations plan.
As part of our continued work with Westfield Police Department and our ongoing training for students and staff, our city departments working together will conduct lockdown drills in our schools the week of March 9-12 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, Director of Operations and Safety for the Westfield Public Schools at 413-572-6495 or c.rogers@schoolsofwestfield.org. Thank you!
Paquette received his bachelor’s in history from Fitchburg State College, his master’s in education from Our Lady of the Elms and his master’s in school administration from Westfield State University.
Before joining WTA, Paquette served as an assistant principal at Westfield High School for six years and as an assistant principal in Palmer for one year. Before entering administration, he spent thirteen years as a social studies teacher at Chicopee Comprehensive. He has also served as a head tennis coach and assistant football coach.
Czaporowski said the appointment follows an intensive and comprehensive search process led by a dedicated 12-member interview committee. The committee included representation from WTA staff, students, parents/guardians, district office administrators, and a School Committee member who devoted many hours to reviewing applications, selecting semifinalists, and conducting formal interviews with four candidates.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to all who served on the committee for their time, professionalism, and commitment to the future of WTA,” Czaporowski said.
“Paquette is a familiar and respected leader at Westfield Technical Academy, having served as assistant principal since August 2023. His deep roots in Westfield Public Schools and extensive administrative background made him the clear choice for this role,” Czaporowski said.
“We are confident that his leadership will continue to strengthen WTA as ‘the place to be’ and advance excellence for both students and staff.”
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/02/new-principal-chosen-for-westfield-technical-academy.html