October is National Principals Month, and we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the amazing principals who lead our schools. Their dedication, passion, and commitment shape the educational experiences of our students and foster positive school cultures.
Every day, our principals inspire teachers, staff, and students to strive for their best. They navigate challenges with grace and create environments where every student can thrive. This month, join us in recognizing and thanking these remarkable leaders.
To our wonderful principals, thank you for all that you do. Your leadership and tireless efforts make a profound difference. Let’s all take a moment to #ThankAPrincipal and show our appreciation for their invaluable contributions to our schools and communities.
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 October 15-18 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.
WMS Families: The Principal's Council is seeking donations of pumpkins and corn stalks for our upcoming Fall Fest Dance on October 18th. If you are able to donate, please email Principal McMillan at jesse.mcmillan@schoolsofwestfield.org. You can also drop them by the Main Office any time. Thank you!
Rain in the forecast may have stopped some people from attending the Big E on Sept. 26, as the fair only managed 48,078 admissions, far short of the pleasant-weather standard.
But on Salute to Westfield Day, it couldn’t keep several city residents from making the short trip to the West Springfield fairground to see their exposition favorites, like the Avenue of States.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/09/westfield-residents-enjoy-food-business-sightseeing-on-citys-day-at-big-e.html
Mark your calendars! WMS will be hosting this year's first all-school dance on Friday, October 18th. Tickets will be sold at lunch beginning next week.
The Principal's Council is pleased to announce our first Spirit Week next week! We will celebrate the end of the week with an all-school pep rally!
With our new 57-minute classes, all teachers are implementing the WMS instructional model to help break up the time: Do Now (5 min); Mini Lesson from teacher (10-15 min); Learning Activity where students can work with partners or small groups (30-35 min); Wrap Up to close the lesson (5 min). Today, all students were engaged in a math activity during Mrs. Jordan’s 8th grade math class where they needed to collaborate in small groups to solve problems. Check out the “Math Talk” poster with student-friendly sentence stems to aid them in their conversations!
Dear WMS Families,
School pictures are ready!
To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number.
All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.
Roll out the red carpet! Our 7th graders created prosthetic footwear as a part of the Project Lead the Way engineering class with Mr. Preye. Their peers used a rating form to provide feedback based on specific criteria.
Hello from your WMS PTO! We’d like to introduce ourselves and our role in supporting school activities and community needs. Our first meeting is Tuesday, September 17th at 6:00 p.m. virtually; the link will be posted on our PTO Facebook page. At this meeting, we’ll elect officers and plan the year's meetings, so please like our page for updates. Each year, we organize 2-3 major fundraisers, including a Fall and a Spring event, with a possible third depending on participation. You can also opt out and make direct donations at this link. Look out for a fundraiser packet from Meadow Farms coming home soon!
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WMS PTO FACEBOOK PAGE: Hello from your WMS PTO! We’d like to introduce ourselves and our role in supporting school activities and community needs. Our first meeting is Tuesday, September 17th at 6:00 p.m. virtually; the link will be posted on our PTO Facebook page. At this meeting, we’ll elect officers and plan the year's meetings, so please like our page for updates. Each year, we organize 2-3 major fundraisers, including a Fall and a Spring event, with a possible third depending on participation. You can also opt out and make direct donations at this link. Look out for a fundraiser packet from Meadow Farms coming home soon!
If you were unable to watch or listen to this morning's edition of "Superintendent's Spotlight", please click on the link below. This week, we spoke with staff from Westfield Middle School about instruction and our instructional priority for this school year. The staff and students in Westfield Technical Academy's Culinary Arts Department also helped us celebrate 'National Chocolate Milkshake Day'. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR6sC8iDuRI
Student Opportunity: Young Singers of Greater Westfield
This is a friendly reminder that Picture Day is Monday, September 9th!
If you missed last week's Rock on Westfield with host Harry Rock, click on the link below. Guests Superintendent of Schools Stefan Czaporowski and Director of Curriculum and Instruction Susan Dargie talk with Harry about the 2024-2025 school year and more. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLyi7YDDK20
The WMS administrative team is here to support you throughout the 24-25 school year! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything we can do to help. Please visit the website for contact information. From left to right: Jenn Leveille (8th AP); Karri Kells (7th AP); Jesse McMillan (Principal); Lauren Paret (Dean); Lisa Wood (Principal’s Secretary); and Alexis Lemelin (Secretary).
Westfield Public Schools and Offices will be closed on Monday, September 2, in observance of Labor Day. Have a great long weekend! Thank you.
WMS Students: Principal McMillan is seeking 2 students from EACH PACK to represent their team of students - and the entire school - on the 2024-2025 Principal's Council. If you are interested, please click here - or check your email for the link - to complete your application by next Thursday, September 5th: https://forms.gle/ajAcPgmfKpXyYrP19
Please like, share, and follow the Westfield Middle School Facebook page for daily photos and updates!
https://www.facebook.com/share/utTG4yoxjq17EVpF/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Dear WMS Families,
I hope this message finds you well. I'm writing to share that our opening day was marked by a strong start, setting a positive tone for the academic year ahead. Students arrived ready to engage, demonstrating a commendable level of focus and adaptability as they settled into their new classes and routines. We even had an unexpected fire drill within the first hour of school, and students did an excellent job! Their conduct throughout the day was a testament to the values we uphold at our school.
Our faculty and staff's dedication was evident in the seamless execution of the day's activities. Their preparedness and enthusiasm laid the groundwork for a productive learning environment.
As we embark on this new school year, I'm reminded of our motto: "Excellence Happens Here." Today, I witnessed numerous instances that embodied this principle. From the thoughtful questions posed in classrooms to the collaborative spirit in our hallways, our students exemplified the pursuit of excellence that defines our school community.
As your principal, I am deeply honored to lead this remarkable community. The potential I observed today reinforces my confidence in the exceptional year that lies ahead. I look forward to our continued partnership in supporting our students' academic journey and personal growth. Together, we will foster an environment where excellence is not just a motto, but a daily practice.
Thank you for your trust and support. If you have any questions or insights to share, please don't hesitate to reach out.
-Principal McMillan
Dear WMS Families: We look forward to welcoming our students tomorrow morning! Please remember, the entry bell is 7:50 a.m. For tomorrow only, all 7th grade students will line up by the double doors in the bus loop. All 8th grade students will continue around the corner to the far side entrance. Homeroom teachers will be holding signs and will help direct students into the building. In addition, administrators and counselors will be available to provide students their homeroom teacher's name, if needed. All students will have a two-hour homeroom tomorrow morning, which will allow teachers and students to review schedules, address questions, and navigate any changes that might need to occur. We promise that your students will be in great hands! -Principal McMillan
