Franklin Avenue Elementary School

The newest thrift shop downtown, Blessed Buys, has expanded its offerings and has made the decision to donate a portion of its profits during the holidays to families in need with children at Abner Gibbs and Franklin Avenue elementary schools. Blessed Buys volunteer Cindy Gaylord said that the shop had been exploring how to help charities and causes in Westfield that may not get as much attention as some more prominent ones, like the soup kitchen and food pantry. Instead of donating to a specific charity, they decided on giving directly to families in need. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2022/11/congregational-church-thrift-store-will-donate-some-profits-to-school-families.html

Westfield Public Schools and Offices will be closed on Friday, November 11, for the observance of Veterans Day. Thank you.

Tune in this Thursday, November 10, from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on WSKB 89.5 FM, WCPC cable channel 15, or westfieldtv.org for the next episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight". This week, we are talking with our Director of Curriculum and Instruction and our Substance Abuse Counselors about the results of our youth risk survey that administered last spring. Thanks for watching!

PTO MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, 11/9. Please join us by using this link: https://meet.google.com/bfx-tbvj-emp?hs=224 We will discuss our Maple Leaf Dine in Fundraiser, our Holiday Family Event, and a student program for the spring, Birds of Prey. Thanks for supporting our Franklin PTO.

Picture retakes have been rescheduled to November 22. If you plan on having your child's picture retaken, please be sure to fill out the documents on-line before this date.

A reminder that there is no school for students on Tuesday, November 8. Thank you!

If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, click on the link below. This week we talked about special education programming in the district with our special education leadership team. We also had a little fun with National Cliche Day. Thanks for watching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMQb5MWMoaw

Tune in this Thursday, November 3, from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on WSKB 89.5 FM, WCPC cable channel 15, or westfieldtv.org for the next episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight". This week, we are talking with our Director of Special Education and Special Education Supervisors about programming in our district. Thanks for watching!

The Westfield Education to Business Alliance (WE2BA) marked its sixth anniversary during a morning meeting at the Westfield Gas & Electric Operations Center on Thursday. Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski said the organization, which provides opportunities for the business community and the schools to collaborate, survived COVID-19 and remote meetings, and is still thriving. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2022/10/westfield-school-business-alliance-still-thriving-as-it-marks-6th-anniversary.html

Franklin Avenue held our monthly HEART Raffle today where students won a variety of prizes of time and activities donated by our amazing Franklin Staff. Crafts, silly string wars, principal chair and more were among the prizes won by students in grades K - 4. And the best prize of all, a HEART CELEBRATION PAJAMA PARTY will take place on Monday for the WHOLE SCHOOL! Kids and teachers are so excited!

If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, click on the link below. This week, we spoke with staff members from the Westfield YMCA about their programming and their collaboration with Westfield, MA Public Schools. We also recognized National Civics Day. Thanks for watching #NationalCivicsDay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru7n9ccxzuo

📣Calling all Teachers, Staff, and PTOs of the Westfield Public School District: Our 2022/23 Grant Application is posted on our website, and officially OPEN for submission!! We are so excited to be back from the COVID shutdown and are thrilled that we are able to offer this program once again.🍎✏️🎓📚 Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded to fund dynamic classroom and curriculum projects. Grants will be considered in all disciplines including the arts, sciences, reading and writing, physical education and social competency. The link to the Grant Application is below. Should you have any questions, we are here to help! Contact us via e-mail at: westfield.foundation2013@gmail.com We are looking forward to receiving your awesome and unique ideas for our students! https://www.westfieldfoundation.org/grant-application

More than 30 storefronts are expected to participate in the annual downtown trick-or-treat Friday, Oct. 28, 4-5 p.m. Signs provided by the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield will be displayed in the windows of participating merchants along Elm and Main streets, declaring “Trick-or-Treaters Welcome Here.” https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2022/10/downtown-merchants-are-ready-for-trick-or-treating.html

Tune in this Thursday, October 27, from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on WSKB 89.5 FM, WCPC cable channel 15, or westfieldtv.org for the next episode of "Superintendent's Spotlight". This week, we are talking with Andrea Allard about the Westfield YMCA. Thanks for watching!

As part of our ongoing efforts to increase communication with our school community, the district is publishing a quarterly newsletter that will contain updates, important dates, and other information. Please click on the images to view our first newsletter of the school year. Thank you.

WPS is Hiring! Be a part of Westfield Public Schools! We are hiring multiple positions across the district including substitute teachers, substitute nurses, classroom and 1:1 paraprofessionals, and many more opportunities that can be found on our district website at https://www.schoolspring.com/jobs/?employer=11953

As there is a growing need for counselors in the state, Westfield Public Schools works in partnership with River Valley Counseling and Rick’s Place to provide additional emotional support for students. The River Valley Counseling provides four to five clinicians that will come into the school buildings for entire days. This meets the need of about 52 referrals that came in this month so far. Currently, there are about 36 counselors that focus on social and emotional learning, plus academics and careers. With River Valley Counseling’s partnership with the school district, adjustment counselors are allotted more time to work with more students in small groups, enter classrooms, and do social-emotional learning with a whole class. As a result of the pandemic, students’ mental health has become more evident in a school setting. “If a student isn’t in a good place mentally then it is a barrier to learning. They really may have something else going on and can’t focus on instruction,” said Westfield Public Schools superintendent, Stefan Czaporowski. “We need to really help them to be prepared and successful in a school environment.” For adolescents and families that may have lost a loved one due to the pandemic or another cause, Rick’s Place helps with their grief. “The counseling students receive can continue through school vacations and through the summer to carry the progress forward,” adds the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Susan Dargie. However, counseling often takes years to have its desired effect. River Valley Counseling continuation through summer and vacations would be at the request of parents. Students can also be seen in the clinic. Typically, a student who is referred to River Valley Counseling is already seeing an adjustment counselor, which brings additional support. Sometimes family counseling can also be a result. “Vast majority of our students are having their needs addressed, but I always think we could do better. Counselor-to-student ratio is a strength of ours,” expressed Czaporowski. “When we think about educating students, we are educating the whole student and we can’t separate out a child’s brain from their emotions and from their social skills and needs,” said Dargie. “So, we have to look at the big picture.” For the school to completely replenish from the pandemic, it can take five to 10 years, according to Cazaporowksi, but is certain the vast majority of students will be ok. A future BRYT program may also be another future development for Westfield Public Schools. This will allow more support for students that may be coming out of hospitalization. “Meeting the need that is needed at that time,” said Dargie. “We often have students who are really struggling to maintain in the classroom, they really can’t be in that general setting,” explained Dargie. “A program like this would be another space where there is an educator there, but there is also a clinician” (hospitalized for their own safety). With these services, the school district has hopes the mental and academic needs of students will be met. https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/westfield-public-schools-therapy-service-partnerships-help-adjustment-counselors-work-with-more-students/

Nothing is better than to see our students beaming with pride as they showoff their classrooms and schools to their families. Open House is one of the best night's of the year. We welcome new families, beam at former students, and greet everyone with a smile. Thank you to all who made it possible!

What’s more synonymous with Halloween than a festively carved pumpkin, all aglow with candlelight? Hundreds of kids and their families will get the chance to test those creative skills at this year’s PumpkinFest, slated for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, rain or shine, on the athletic fields behind Amelia Park off South Broad Street in Westfield. Now in its sixth year, the event is organized by Westfield on Weekends, and according to Co-President Bob Plasse, more than 100 people volunteer their time to make this event happen. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2022/10/westfield-pumpkinfest-promises-fun-for-whole-community-next-weekend.html

During the week of November 28, 2022, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Westfield Public Schools. The Office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students. In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child’s special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chairperson(s) of the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations. Parents and other individuals may call Marc Oldenburg, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at 413-314-6703 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements. Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the district with a report with information about areas in which the district meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the district requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report at http://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/reports/.