Westfield Technical Academy

If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, click on the link below. This week we talked with our Director of Curriculum and Instruction Susan Dargie about our curriculum renewal process and our new Social Emotional Learning Curriculum PreK-12. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL0RBFEBDVk

Nine seniors from Westfield Technical Academy participated in the heat this week in the Massachusetts Pre-Apprenticeship and Vocational School Training Program, sponsored by MassDOT through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration. For the past several years, students in the program have been working on digging up the broken slate entrance to the school at 33 Smith Ave., Westfield, to prepare for pouring concrete slabs, under the auspices of program director Jeffrey Cathcart and lead instructor Thomas Lemon. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/09/westfield-tech-seniors-gain-construction-union-experience-in-massdot-program.html

While we were expecting a cooler day on Friday, September 8, the latest forecast from the National Weather Service predicts that the Heat Index tomorrow will remain between 95-100 degrees. The Heat Advisory also remains in effect. As a result, Westfield Public Schools will dismiss staff and students early again tomorrow. 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. Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center will be closed. Thank you.

Hello Families, We are excited to announce that all back-to-school forms and medical information will be completed through the PowerSchool Parent Portal and SNAP Student School Health Portal this fall rather than using paper forms. You should have received 2 emails with instructions about how to do this today. If you did not receive two emails, please check your SPAM folder. If you don't receive either of these emails, please contact your child's school

This evening's SEPAC Meeting is postponed (September 7). We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you.

Good afternoon, There is a heat advisory in effect for our area on Wednesday, September 6 and Thursday, September 7. Heat indices are expected to reach between 95-100 degrees. These temperatures make teaching and learning especially difficult in the majority of our buildings that are not air conditioned. For that reason, Westfield Public Schools staff and students will be dismissed early the next two days. High schools will dismiss at 11:00 a.m., Intermediate and Middle Schools at 11:30 a.m., and Elementary Schools at 12:15 p.m. Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday as well. Sincerely, Superintendent Czaporowski

There is a heat advisory in effect for our area on Wednesday, September 5 and Thursday, September 6. Heat indices are expected to reach between 95-100 degrees. These temperatures make teaching and learning especially difficult in the majority of our buildings that are not air conditioned. For that reason, Westfield Public Schools staff and students will be dismissed early the next two days. High schools will dismiss at 11:00 a.m., Intermediate and Middle Schools at 11:30 a.m., and Elementary Schools at 12:15 p.m. Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday as well. Sincerely, Superintendent Czaporowski

A reminder that schools are closed on Monday, September 4, 2023, for Labor Day. Schools will reopen on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Thank you.

Westfield Public Schools is hiring: Speech and Language Pathologists Special Education Teachers ESL Teachers Paraprofessionals Click on the link below to view our current openings. Thank you! https://www.schoolspring.com/jobs?employer=11953&fbclid=IwAR1GNsNa8Kvxp-JJN--3K6AuBq0q3d6vHQUsWwUIrmfgXYI1N6IrLcygiMg

Christine Shea, Westfield public schools’ director of assessment and accountability, said 152 new English language learners moved into the district this past year. English language learners are students whose native language is not English and who are not yet able to complete ordinary classroom work in English. According to state and federal laws, each school district must arrange for them to receive instruction from certified ELL teachers trained specifically to work with students still learning English. Most of the new families in Westfield are coming from Ukraine, a total of 102 students this past year, some from the same families. Other students are from Russia, Moldova and Turkey, and 15 are from Afghanistan, families that are still trickling out after the end of the U.S. occupation. There are also several families from Ecuador that recently arrived. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/07/families-from-ukraine-afghanistan-among-english-learners-in-westfield-schools.html

Students from Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy who signed up for the Westfield Promise early college program in their junior year, accompanied by their families, gathered in the WTA cafeteria on June 15 to learn more about the program and to meet each other. Tara Bean, student services counselor, said 48 students from WHS and 48 from WTA, doubling the number in that school from last year, have signed up for the partnership with Westfield State University. Many of the students will be the first in their families to go to college. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/06/westfield-promise-open-house-encourages-students-to-enter-stretch-zone.html

With school ending today, the Westfield Athenaeum is offering a fun program with prizes that is aimed at helping children and teens stay engaged with reading over the summer months. The Athenaeum’s annual Summer Reading Challenge program has reading challenges for all ages, complete with different levels of activities. One program is for children up to grade 6, and a second one is for teens from grades 7-12. There’s even a reading challenge for adults who want to join their kids in summer reading. All participants are challenged to read at least 20 minutes a day. Reading challenges run from June 26 to Aug. 12 — at least 1,000 minutes of reading, total. Signups are being taken at westath.beanstack.org/reader365. The Athenaeum uses a program called Beanstack, which allows participants to sign up, track their reading and earn extra raffle tickets toward prizes online instead of using a paper log. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/06/summer-reading-programs-for-youth-adults-begin-next-week-at-westfield-athenaeum.html

A reminder that Westfield Public Schools are closed on Monday, June 19. Tuesday, June 20 is the last day of school, and it is 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 a.m. Thank you.

If you missed the season finale of "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, please click on the link below. This week, we talked about the new elementary school project timeline, progress, and shared photos and drone footage of the work completed so far. You can actually see the footprint of the building already. Westfield Technical Academy Culinary Arts students also helped us celebrate National Fudge Day. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cf6fPKjKqE

Did you know students in grades 4,7, and 10 are required to submit a physical exam within 30 days of school entry. Students in grades K-12 are also required to be fully immunized against certain diseases. Please click on the image for more information.

Westfield Public Schools Summer School is open and FREE OF CHARGE to all Westfield Middle School, Westfield Technical Academy, Westfield Virtual School, and Westfield High School students in need of credit recovery and academic support. Click on the image for more information.

The good: the Westfield Technical Academy softball team did not allow a single earned run and put a runner on base in each of the last six innings of their state postseason opener. The bad: the Tigers failed to push a run across, while allowing two unearned runs. No. 24 Oxford scored two unearned runs and held off ninth-seeded Westfield Tech in a Division 5 softball state tournament Round of 32 game, 2-0, Monday at Whitney Field. Congratulations on a great season! https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/06/no-24-oxford-slips-past-no-9-westfield-technical-academy-2-0-in-a-d5-softball-state-tourney-opener-2-0.html

If you missed this morning's episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight", please click on the link below. This week, we spoke with Senator John Velis about the mental health crisis and what he is proposing to increase services for students. We also celebrated National Doughnut Day with some treats from Mrs. Murphy's. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_zpfDQZVi0

If you missed the latest episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight", click on the link below. On last week's show, we talked with Food Services Director Rachel Kania about all our school breakfast and lunch program. We also talked about some famous people named George on National George Day. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XjU0WMpDBM

Westfield Public Schools Quarterly Newsletter is out now, you can read it by clicking here: https://www.schoolsofwestfield.org/o/wps/page/district-newsletter for updates from our various departments and important dates and events coming up.