🌿 The final piece of our parking lot project is complete! All of the plants have been installed in the bioretention basin, adding a beautiful finishing touch to this major improvement at WMS.
We’re excited to see this space come together and appreciate the work that went into making it both functional and beautiful. The new landscaping really brings it all together!
Next time you’re here at WMS, be sure to take a moment to admire it! 🌱
At Westfield Middle School, we use PowerSchool to communicate student academic progress. In an effort to reduce paper waste and provide families with convenient access to academic information, we do not send home paper-based progress reports or report cards. Instead, all grades are available electronically through the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
For the 2026–2027 school year, midterm dates are October 16, January 15, and April 30, while end-of-trimester grades are available on December 4, March 19, and the last day of school.
Midterm grades will reflect your child's academic progress at the halfway point of each trimester and are not finalized until the end of the trimester. If you have any questions regarding your child's grades at the midterm close, please contact your child's teacher.
If you need assistance accessing PowerSchool, please contact Alexis Lemelin at a.lemelin@schoolsofwestfield.org.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting your child's academic success.
Sincerely,
Principal McMillan
Jennifer Johnson-Corwin's Social Studies classes visited the library yesterday where Mrs. Scott taught them about the history of Veterans' Day and how to write a letter of correspondence. Students worked very hard to create thoughtful and gracious cards and letters for local veterans. These will be given to Senator Velis' staff to be distributed in our community. It is amazing to read our students' reflections, patriotism, and kind words!
We’d love to see you at our October PTO Meeting this Monday, October 5th at 6:00 PM! All PTO meetings are virtual, so you can join right from home! Google Meet: Meet - ihr-cnha-vyd
Log in to see what’s happening at WMS, share your ideas, and help us plan a great year for our students! We hope to see you there!
Please click below for the latest newsletter from Westfield Public Schools. Thank you! https://app.smore.com/n/yd186
WMS FAMILIES — WE ARE SO CLOSE TO OUR GOAL WITH OUR MEADOW FARMS FUNDRAISER! We’re so close that we’re going to squeak out a few more days! ❤️🖤
📌 ALL PAPER ORDERS with cash/check are due WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 at 9:00 AM. Please turn them in ASAP!
💻 ONLINE ORDERS can be completed through the end of the day Wednesday, September 30.
Every order helps support our WMS students with field trips, field days, student activities, and staff appreciation. We would LOVE your help getting us across the finish line!
👉 Register your student or place an online order:
Meadowfarms.com/register
WMS Group ID: 1227117
📌 ALL PAPER ORDERS with cash/check are due WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 at 9:00 AM. Please turn them in ASAP!
💻 ONLINE ORDERS can be completed through the end of the day Wednesday, September 30.
Every order helps support our WMS students with field trips, field days, student activities, and staff appreciation. We would LOVE your help getting us across the finish line!
👉 Register your student or place an online order:
Meadowfarms.com/register
WMS Group ID: 1227117
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Westfield Middle School Sept. 28-Oct. 1! This event gets kids excited about reading and earns funds for our school. Students will visit with their ELA class or you can shop at our Open House on Wednesday, Sep. 30. You can pay with cash, card, or set up a Scholastic e-Wallet on our Book Fair webpage.
The Wolfpack is off to a strong start! Our overall attendance rate is currently 96.4%—and we’re setting our sights even higher. Attendance Matters. Every Day. -Principal McMillan
Westfield Middle School’s school store received a donation of handmade jewelry and painted bags, created over the summer by art classes at the Westfield Senior Center.
Assistant Principal Karoline Kells said that WMS students earn “minga points” for positive actions and can redeem them in the school store. “Thanks to this donation, students will now be able to use their points to ‘purchase’ these unique handmade pieces for themselves or as gifts for loved ones,” Kells said.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/09/art4good-donates-handcrafted-jewelry-and-bags-to-westfield-middle-school-store.html
Assistant Principal Karoline Kells said that WMS students earn “minga points” for positive actions and can redeem them in the school store. “Thanks to this donation, students will now be able to use their points to ‘purchase’ these unique handmade pieces for themselves or as gifts for loved ones,” Kells said.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/09/art4good-donates-handcrafted-jewelry-and-bags-to-westfield-middle-school-store.html
Please review the new City of Westfield ordinance regarding E-bikes, Scooters, Mopeds, and Skateboards. Thank you!
Our 8th grade English students are diving into Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Tell-Tale Heart" as part of our StudySync English curriculum-and one of our teachers is taking an especially interesting approach to the reading!
Students are using a strategy called “Graffiti Reading.” Instead of simply reading and answering questions afterward, students leave comments, questions, connections, reactions, predictions, and observations as they work their way through the story.
The result is a conversation with the text—and, when students share their annotations, a conversation with one another. It encourages students to slow down, notice details, think critically about an author’s choices, and build meaning together.
It’s a great example of the kind of active, student-centered learning we want to see in our classrooms: students not just reading a story, but thinking deeply about it!
Science is in action at WMS! 🔬⚙️
Our seventh grade students are diving into the first unit of the OpenSciEd curriculum, exploring the science of motion and collisions. Through hands-on investigations, students are testing ideas, collecting evidence, asking questions, and working together to figure out what is happening and why.
Our learning experiences put students in the driver’s seat. Rather than simply being given the answers, students are encouraged to think deeply, make predictions, investigate their ideas, and use evidence to develop their own understanding of scientific concepts.
These pictures capture just a little bit of the curiosity, collaboration, and problem-solving happening in our seventh grade classrooms!
James Laverty has just started his fourth year as a school safety attendant at Highland Elementary School through a Veterans Services program.
Director of Veterans Services Julie Barnes said the volunteer program started four years ago in elementary schools that didn’t have school resource officers from the Police Department. Currently, Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy each have an SRO assigned, and Westfield Middle School and Westfield Intermediate School share an SRO.
At the time, Barnes met with state Sen. John Velis and Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski to discuss implementing the veterans’ volunteer program. In return for their volunteer work, veterans who work 100 hours in the schools can get a $1,500 tax abatement.
Director of Operations and Safety Christopher Rogers provides onboarding for all volunteers, who are all CORI-checked and fingerprinted. According to Rogers, the veteran's program is designed to identify and deter potential problems and foster a sense of security by having an extra level of protection in the schools.
Interested veteran volunteers should contact Barnes at 413-572-6247. Program guidelines and a volunteer application are also available on the city website under Veterans Services. Barnes said veterans must have served on active duty to qualify for the abatement program.
Heidi Cote, coordinator of Volunteers in Public Schools, said there are many volunteer opportunities in the schools throughout the year for the public at large, including at special events, where extra hands are always needed.
Cote said there is currently a big need for cafeteria support at both Highland Elementary and Westfield River Elementary. She said there are three lunches a day with recess between them, and volunteers who can come in for an hour or two are most welcome. “Consistency is best,” Cote said. Email heidi.cote@schoolsofwestfield.org to sign up. Anyone with questions should call Cote at 413-572-6463, ext. 61417.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/09/veterans-who-volunteer-in-the-schools-receive-tax-abatement.html
Director of Veterans Services Julie Barnes said the volunteer program started four years ago in elementary schools that didn’t have school resource officers from the Police Department. Currently, Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy each have an SRO assigned, and Westfield Middle School and Westfield Intermediate School share an SRO.
At the time, Barnes met with state Sen. John Velis and Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski to discuss implementing the veterans’ volunteer program. In return for their volunteer work, veterans who work 100 hours in the schools can get a $1,500 tax abatement.
Director of Operations and Safety Christopher Rogers provides onboarding for all volunteers, who are all CORI-checked and fingerprinted. According to Rogers, the veteran's program is designed to identify and deter potential problems and foster a sense of security by having an extra level of protection in the schools.
Interested veteran volunteers should contact Barnes at 413-572-6247. Program guidelines and a volunteer application are also available on the city website under Veterans Services. Barnes said veterans must have served on active duty to qualify for the abatement program.
Heidi Cote, coordinator of Volunteers in Public Schools, said there are many volunteer opportunities in the schools throughout the year for the public at large, including at special events, where extra hands are always needed.
Cote said there is currently a big need for cafeteria support at both Highland Elementary and Westfield River Elementary. She said there are three lunches a day with recess between them, and volunteers who can come in for an hour or two are most welcome. “Consistency is best,” Cote said. Email heidi.cote@schoolsofwestfield.org to sign up. Anyone with questions should call Cote at 413-572-6463, ext. 61417.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/09/veterans-who-volunteer-in-the-schools-receive-tax-abatement.html
The WMS Band will be hosting a Dine-to-Donate fundraiser at 7B's Bar and Grill on Wednesday September 23 from 5-9:00 PM. 10% of all dine-in and take-out sales will go toward our middle school band program. Funds raised helps with school instrument repair & maintenance costs, band room materials, and concert music costs throughout the year. We hope to see you there!
Enjoy the long weekend!
Click here to view the September newsletter from Westfield Middle School: https://app.smore.com/n/h36w4
We’re excited to introduce our new WMS Core Values — TRACKS! Take Ownership Respond, Don’t React Aim Higher Choose Courage Keep Growing Strengthen the Pack Every choice leaves a track. What will yours be? ❤️🖤🐺
We are incredibly appreciative of the generous donation of bike helmets to our school! These helmets will help keep our students safe as they ride to and from school.
We welcome additional helmet donations at the Middle School main office. Every donation makes a difference! 🚲
Westfield EATS, Westfield Public Schools Food Services, has announced a new partnership with My School Menus that offers interactive online menus to make it easier for families, students and staff to see what’s being served each day.
“My School Menus is a program that we’ve teamed up with to help us get all of the menus and pertinent information out to parents,” said Food Services Director Rachel Kania. She said parents can now scroll through the daily menu items and see pictures of the food, nutritional facts and ingredients, which is especially important for families of children with allergies, she added.
“Now we can have all of that information right at the fingertips of parents, who can go online and see all of the options available every day,” she said.
Kania said Westfield EATS gets its food from local farms and partnerships. For example, ground beef comes from North Elm Butcher Block, which grinds it fresh that day. Lettuce and produce come from local farms, and fruit from Mountain Orchard Farms in Granville.
Previously, Kania had to keep track of all the recipes, ingredients and nutritional information by hand on an Excel spreadsheet. She said her staff spent the summer transferring the information to My School Menus.
“To be honest with you, it was a pretty big undertaking. We had to enter every ingredient for every recipe we have here. It took us two months to enter over the summer,” she said. “Now parents can see what we can see, make their own decisions and navigate the menu safely.”
On the menu site, there is a drop-down list for allergies. For example, if an egg allergy is indicated on that list, any items containing egg will be crossed off the menu.
Kania said some medical conditions also require nutritional information. For a child with diabetes, parents can now see a carbohydrate count, so they know how much insulin is needed for their child. “This helps everybody, from nurses to parents to us; it’s a great program,” she said.
Kania said parents can either navigate menus on their own with their children or utilize a menu from a registered dietitian. Food Services has a dietitian on staff who has been with the department for 25 years. The dietitian may be reached at 413-572-6493 or by visiting the Food Services office in Suite B10 in City Hall at 59 Court St.
The new online menus for Westfield EATS may be accessed at: menus.healthepro.com/organizations/3724
“It’s really a wealth of information at the parents’ fingertips, which we’re so excited about,” Kania said.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/09/westfield-food-services-offers-new-interactive-menus-for-parents-to-safeguard-kids-choices.html
“My School Menus is a program that we’ve teamed up with to help us get all of the menus and pertinent information out to parents,” said Food Services Director Rachel Kania. She said parents can now scroll through the daily menu items and see pictures of the food, nutritional facts and ingredients, which is especially important for families of children with allergies, she added.
“Now we can have all of that information right at the fingertips of parents, who can go online and see all of the options available every day,” she said.
Kania said Westfield EATS gets its food from local farms and partnerships. For example, ground beef comes from North Elm Butcher Block, which grinds it fresh that day. Lettuce and produce come from local farms, and fruit from Mountain Orchard Farms in Granville.
Previously, Kania had to keep track of all the recipes, ingredients and nutritional information by hand on an Excel spreadsheet. She said her staff spent the summer transferring the information to My School Menus.
“To be honest with you, it was a pretty big undertaking. We had to enter every ingredient for every recipe we have here. It took us two months to enter over the summer,” she said. “Now parents can see what we can see, make their own decisions and navigate the menu safely.”
On the menu site, there is a drop-down list for allergies. For example, if an egg allergy is indicated on that list, any items containing egg will be crossed off the menu.
Kania said some medical conditions also require nutritional information. For a child with diabetes, parents can now see a carbohydrate count, so they know how much insulin is needed for their child. “This helps everybody, from nurses to parents to us; it’s a great program,” she said.
Kania said parents can either navigate menus on their own with their children or utilize a menu from a registered dietitian. Food Services has a dietitian on staff who has been with the department for 25 years. The dietitian may be reached at 413-572-6493 or by visiting the Food Services office in Suite B10 in City Hall at 59 Court St.
The new online menus for Westfield EATS may be accessed at: menus.healthepro.com/organizations/3724
“It’s really a wealth of information at the parents’ fingertips, which we’re so excited about,” Kania said.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/09/westfield-food-services-offers-new-interactive-menus-for-parents-to-safeguard-kids-choices.html
We're excited to invite all families to our upcoming Open House on Wednesday, September 30th from 6-7:30 p.m.!
This is a wonderful opportunity to visit our school and see what makes our community special. Drop in anytime during the scheduled hours – come and go as you please! We encourage you to bring your student along so they can give you a personal tour and show you around the school. It's a great chance to see their classrooms, meet teachers, and experience a typical day through their eyes.
Feel free to join us early or stay a little later for our annual food trucks! We hope to see you there!
-Principal McMillan
