Yesterday, Westfield High School sent a group of five students to the Chemistry Olympiad at UMass, a chemistry competition put on by the American Chemical Society. Approximately 50 students from Western MA participated. In the 60-question multiple-choice assessment. Among the top six scorers, were WHS students Conner Gelinas and John Doyle.
Conner and moved on to the next stage where they completed some short answer problems as well as a lab practical. Their results in this part will determine if they take the national exam to compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad in July.
It was great to see WHS students perform so well alongside other Western MA schools. Congrats to Conner and John!
If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight this morning, please click on the link below. This week, we spoke with students from Munger Hill Elementary School about their new Student Council. Westfield High School Assistant Principal Andrew Joseph joined us to tell us about pi on Pi Day, and Westfield Technical Academy Culinary Arts staff and students helped us to celebrate the day with some freshly made chocolate cream pie. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtSyZgbck-8
Students in grade 11 from Westfield, MA High School, Westfield Virtual School, Westfield Technical Academy, and St. Mary's High School participated in our 6th Annual Career Fair at Westfield State University this morning. After the event, students were treated to lunch at the Dining Commons on campus. Special thanks to Westfield State University, Westfield Gas + Electric/Whip City Fiber, the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, and the over 75 businesses in attendance for making this even a success again this year!
On Friday, March 8, Westfield High School participated in the Region 1 Science and Engineering Fair. Our students from Westfield did extremely well, placing first overall, Tegan Chisholm- Godshalk will attend the International Science Fair in Los Angeles in May. Seven teams moved on to the Massachusetts Science Fair at Gillette on April 5th. Of those seven teams, five received special awards in the categories of life science, engineering, and a special designation from the Air Force!
Last week, Westfield Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and Science, Technology and Engineering Supervisor Lauren Figy Cadigan met with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to present their application for a Career Innovation Pathways designation for a manufacturing engineering curriculum at Westfield High School.
Cadigan said the project has been in the works for four years.
“We’ve had a three-course pathway. This would be a five-course pathway, focused on getting kids industry experience,” she said. “We’ve been in the process of putting the structures in place for this to be a possibility for four years.”
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/03/westfield-high-school-applies-to-state-to-help-fund-more-engineering-courses.html
Today, for the first time since the pandemic, the Westfield High School Band hosted its Pops Concert Senior Citizen Luncheon through our partnership with the Westfield Senior Center. MGM Springfield donated more than 150 lunches for guests as well. The band was amazing, the food was delicious, and all attendees had a special afternoon. Thank you to MGM for their generosity and support! As a district, we are extremely happy to bring this tradition back to the city.
Tryouts are currently being held for Gator Swim Club's spring and summer season! Gator Swim Club is a nationally-ranked USA Swim Club based right here at Westfield High School. We accept swimmers as young as 6 years old, of varying ability levels. We even offer a discount for Westfield High swimmers looking for somewhere to train when the high school season ends!
For more information about the club, visit us at www.westernmassgators.com, or follow us on instagram @westernmassgators. To arrange a tryout, contact Coach Tom Avila at (978) 771-0332 or CoachTAvila@gmail.com
Many WPS teachers in grades PK-12 attended the annual Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Spring PD Day at WPI, organized by the Mass Learning Project. Teachers attended sessions that focused on curriculum mapping, collaborating, networking, utilizing artificial intelligence, and helping students solve meaningful problems through authentic skills. Teachers left the day feeling prepared and inspired to continue facilitating applied learning with their students through PLTW.
The city’s longest-running annual music event returns Friday as the Westfield High School Band presents its 71st pops concert, “Night & Day: Music from Stage and Screen.”
Evening performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 8-9, in the high school gymnasium at 177 Montgomery Road, Westfield.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/03/westfield-high-school-readies-for-night-day-pops-concerts-friday-saturday.html
If you know a student in high school who is nervous about what their future holds, whether they’re interested in college or not, have them attend an upcoming career fair.
Susan Dargie, Director of Curriculum and Instruction in the Westfield Public Schools, and Stefan Czaporowski, Superintendent of Westfield Schools, are here to talk about the importance of these events.
https://www.wwlp.com/massappeal/career-fair-for-high-school-students-offers-options/
A voice from Westfield will be heard on national television this Monday, as Westfield High School graduate Madison Curbelo returns to “The Voice.”
“I am so proud to represent Western Massachusetts on a stage like this and so happy to have you all supporting me along the way,” she said on Facebook. Her audition will air on Springfield’s NBC station, WWLP, Channel 22, at 8 p.m. Monday, March 4.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/03/westfield-singer-returns-to-airwaves-in-mondays-episode-of-the-voice-on-nbc.html
Thank you to all that attended our Westfield Business to Education Alliance (WE2BA) meeting this week at Westfield Technical Academy. This month, we finalized preparations for our annual Career Expo and Job Fair on March 13, Elementary School Career Days in the spring, and Project Based Learning Experiences for students at our Intermediate and Middle Schools in June. Attendees were also treated to an omelet station provided by WTA's Culinary Arts students. We are very grateful for our business partnerships that offer our students authentic learning experiences throughout the school year.
A reminder that there is no school for students on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Thank you!
Check out the latest edition of the Bomber Bulletin here:
https://5il.co/2f6ex
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, our city departments working together will conduct lockdown drills in our schools the week of February 26 - March 1 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.
Schools will be closed starting Monday, February 19, 2024 - Friday, February 23, 2024, for our Winter Recess. Have a happy and safe winter break!
Five teachers with decades of experience and one teacher new to the profession were surprised in their classrooms on Monday by Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and members of his central office team with this year’s Grinspoon Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award.
“Surprising our deserving staff members with the Pioneer Valley Teaching Excellence Awards is truly one of the highlights of our school year. Recognizing staff for their outstanding work with our students and contributions to the school community is something that I look forward to,” Czaporowski said.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/02/westfield-schools-celebrate-6-recipients-of-excellence-in-teaching-awards.html
Due to the significant snowstorm being forecast for tomorrow, February 13, Westfield Public Schools and offices will be closed. Thank you.
Today really has been a special day at Westfield High School. Not only did we learn that we were awarded two Grinspoon Award winners in Mr. Dargie and Mrs. Bruno, but we also had the grand reopening of our Community Closet. What started as a small idea back in 2016 has truly blossomed into something special. Back in 2016, our Faculty Leadership Team recognized that something was missing from our school. We surely had many students who were struggling and in need of clothing and other items, but we really didn't have a space or the capacity to support these students well, at the time. We decided to try to create a community closet. When doing this, one of our staff members truly stood out as the ambassador and advocate for the need for this space. It was Jill Keenan. Over the next few years the Community Closet has had a few different locations and surely some different looks. Through it all, Jill has been there. She has been the constant source of trying to create a comfortable, stylish, and relaxing area where our students could visit without any stigma attached. She wanted it to look like a boutique. She wanted students to want to come visit, and through the years, students have done just that. Largely through Jill's efforts, we have received generous donations from various companies and individuals, grants from Senator Velis's Office, and a large grant from Home Depot that rebuilt our entire Community Closet room. Our Community Closet is an amazing space. It is a true testament to Jill's commitment to supporting our students both inside and out of the classroom. Today's grand opening was a huge success and I am grateful to Mrs. Keenan for her efforts. Attached are some images from today's grand reopening! Great job Jill!!
A Westfield teenager, with the support from a city councilor, is looking to complete his Eagle Scout project. The idea is to place an incinerator in the middle of a park for ceremonies that would honor both the American flag and our veterans.
For 16-year-old Eagle Scout Brandon Cekovsky, he has been looking for a way to have folded flags burned safely to honor our veterans.
“It was originally an open burn pit, and they (the parks and rec. commission) were concerned about the embers and the smoke,” Cekovsky said. “There’s just so much of a buildup and there was no easy way to dispose of them (the flags) quickly.”
So, during the last year, Cekovsky has been working hard to get a flag incinerator in the middle of Parker Memorial Park, which is home to several stones paying tribute to those from the Westfield area who died during some of the most well-known conflicts in history. To avoid disrespect by throwing away a folded flag, there is a tradition of burning it known as the ceremony for the proper disposal of the American flag.
“The American flag, as a symbol, is sacred. This project would allow all Westfield veterans organizations to burn a limited number of flags on a regular basis with greater public access,” said Westfield City Councilor Dan Allie.
Allie has supported the project for a while and has been impressed with Cekovsky’s determination. While most flags would continue to be disposed of by veterans groups and Boy Scout troops in ceremonies at other city locations and surrounding communities, the idea is to have a small patio and incinerator in Parker Park to give the public a chance to observe the ceremony firsthand. With the project on the agenda at a Westfield Parks and Recreation Commission meeting Wednesday night, Allie, who is also the chair of the city properties committee, said there should be no issue with getting the idea passed.
“Congress passed this procedure back in 1937 and I see nothing in local or state law that would prohibit them from doing this,” Allie added.
No matter the result, the Westfield High School student is proud of his hard work and the support he has received.
“My biggest takeaway from this project is keep on pushing, keep on persevering through it,” Cekovsky explained. “I could basically show the scouting community that even when people retaliate against you and they say, ‘no, you can’t do this.’ I just want to show the scouting community, ‘yes, you can.’”
If the city’s parks and recreation commission approves the project, the hope is to have the patio and incinerator in place by Memorial Day weekend.
https://www.westernmassnews.com/2024/02/07/westfield-eagle-scout-city-councilor-team-up-bring-flag-incinerator-park/