Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.
School principals and business leaders brainstormed about how they can help students prepare for careers at the Nov. 28 meeting of the Westfield Education to Business Alliance.
Area businesses have been working with teachers to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities and share information about career opportunities in their fields through the Adopt a Classroom program.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/11/westfield-school-business-leaders-brainstorm-on-how-to-link-students-to-careers.html
Holi-daze
Presented by Mad Science of Western New England and sponsored by Westfield Public Schools
Date: Tuesday, December 12th, 2023
Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Where: Munger Hill Elementary School
33 Mallard Ln. Westfield, MA 01085
Please email Sarah Kotarski at
s.kotarski@schoolsofwestfield.org
to register
The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce’s Share the Warmth Coat Drive to benefit the children in Westfield public schools from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 will continue through Dec. 15.
In the spirit of giving, the Chamber is asking for new or gently used winter coats of all sizes. Hats, snow pants, boots, gloves, mittens and scarves are also welcome, along with donations of new socks and new undergarments.
Drop-off locations, all of which are in Westfield, include the Chamber office at 16 N. Elm St.; the Westfield schools office at 94 N. Elm St., Suite 101; Amelia Park Arena, 21 S. Broad St.; Shortstop Bar & Grill, 99 Springfield Rd.; Anytime Fitness, 415 E. Main St.; Results in Wellness, 93 Springfield Rd., Suite B; Richard’s Jewelers, 146 E. Main St.; Cannabis Connection, 40 Westfield Industrial Park Rd.; Betts Plumbing & Heating Supply, 14 Coleman Ave.; Westfield Bank, 300 Southampton Rd.; Rehab Resolutions, 1111 Elm St.; and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport’s terminal building at 110 Airport Rd.
School Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski said he is thankful that the Chamber’s new director Amanda Waterfield and Chamber members are still supporting the coat drive.
“I love that the Chamber wants to continue doing this with us, and how the community comes together to support our students. This is the seventh year we’ve been doing this, and we never end up with leftover clothing,” Czaporowski said.
The coats and other winter clothing go to whatever school has pupils who need them. He said a lot of the clothing goes to the elementary kids, and adult sizes go to the clothing closets at both high schools.
Czaporowski said the schools added snow pants to their wish list this year, because it is one of the items that students often don’t have.
“I used to love making igloos. When I would go sit in my igloo, I loved having snow pants,” he said.
Czaporowski said schools are seeing the effects of price inflation on some families’ ability to purchase warm clothes for their students. He said the schools will accept both new and gently used clothing, because sometimes kids grow out of their clothes so quickly they do not show a lot of wear. The schools are asking that any undergarments and socks that are donated be new.
The clothing is also offered to new families that come to Westfield, some from milder climates. Czaporowski said when a new student comes in, the topic of adequate winter clothing is worked into the conversation.
“It’s also good for our recent immigrants to Westfield,” he said.
The final collection will take place at the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce Holiday Breakfast, 7-9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 15, at East Mountain Country Club, 1458 E. Mountain Rd. Czaporowski said the Westfield High School Chorus will perform holiday tunes at the breakfast.
For more information or to sign up for the breakfast, visit www.westfieldbiz.org or call 413-568-1618.
https://www.thereminder.com/Localnews/westfield/westfield-schools-coat-drive-continues-through-mid/
Congratulations to all of our Girls on the Run who completed their 5K this past weekend at Western New England University! Thank you to our Coaches and all of the Running Buddies! Way to go!
If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, click on the link below. This week we spoke with Devin Streeter from the Gandara Center about all the programs and services available to Westfield students and families. Their Family Resource Center is located on 16 George Street in Westfield, and they can also be reached at 413-417-2020 if you would like to learn more. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1dlbJ4BaVM
If you missed the latest "Superintendent's Spotlight" this morning, please click on the link below. This week, we spoke with Westfield Technical Academy's School Resource Office Bryan Turgeon about school safety, threat assessments, and our most recent safety drills. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WazZZHC4gIY
We had beautiful weather for Fall Fun Day at Highland! Students and staff showed school spirit in their cozy, fall flannel! Students in every grade participated in the Annual Pumpkin Patch. Pumpkins with math problems were placed out in our “pumpkin patch.” Our PreK and K students went on a scavenger hunt for shapes, colors, and numbers while our 1st- 4th graders worked individually or in small groups to solve math problems. Thank you to our PBIS team who did an amazing job organizing this event!
Yesterday Miss Miller's preschool class was able to participate in STEM stations run by 11th Grade Biomedical Chemistry students from WHS. They had so much fun exploring the inside of a pumpkin, making corn dance, painting trees, making nature collages and creating mini volcanos! Thank you to Mrs. Ayers and Mrs. Cadigan for making this experience possible for our students!
If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" this week, please click on the link below. This week, we visited Highland Elementary School for STEM Week. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k4-h2sdeSI
As part of its continuing work with the Westfield Police Department and ongoing training for students and staff, the Westfield School Department will conduct lockdown drills the week of Oct. 23-27, using the enhanced procedures of what is called ALICE, which stands for “alert, lockdown, inform, counter, evacuate.”
Christopher Rogers, director of operations and safety, said Westfield has been using the ALICE protocol since 2014-15.
“It’s research-based, and it provides our staff and at the upper grades our students the ability to make decisions in real time based on the information they have that is critical to their safety,” he said.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/10/westfields-public-schools-will-conduct-lockdown-drills-later-this-month.html
Click here for the latest Westfield Public Schools District Newsletter: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1997/WPS/3618809/WPS_NEWSLETTER_2023-Q1.pdf
A HUGE "Thank You" to Highland moms Beth Stanton and Jessica Bazanchuk, who spent time this weekend doing to some much needed weeding to the area outside of our gym. Take a look at the before and after photos!
PumpkinFest is back, rain or shine, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, on the athletic fields behind Amelia Park off South Broad Street in Westfield.
https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2023/10/westfield-on-weekends-pumpkinfest-promises-family-fun-amid-autumn-traditions.html
Hello Highland Families! Our Lost and Found has already acquired quite the collection from the first month of school. Take a look at some of the photos and see if you recognize anything. If something belongs to your family, please have your student stop by the office to pick it up!
Good afternoon,
If you have already started the process of completing the Back to School Forms, please complete the forms and submit online. If you need assistance in completing the form, please contact the main office at your child's school.
Thank you,
Westfield Public Schools
A nationwide test of the emergency and wireless alert systems will be conducted Wednesday at 2:20 p.m. ET, when a message will be sent to all cellphones, TVs and radios.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a news release in August that a message that reads, “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed,” will be sent to all phones.
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/national-emergency-alert-test-cell-phone-wednesday-text-rcna118468
If you missed "Superintendent's Spotlight" yesterday, please click on the link below. This week, we met our Special Education Administrators and talked about some of the special education programming in the district. Thanks for watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXJRLwVJTMM
Our next SEPAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 5 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Tiger's Pride Restaurant in Westfield Technical Academy. Please click on "view image" for more information. Thank you!
CALLING ALL LOCAL STUDENT ARTISTS!
The City Clerk's Office invites local students K‐12 to enter the Westfield Elections' Coloring Contest. The first of hopefully many coloring contests will be to design your own ‘I Voted’ sticker. Winning artwork will be used in Westfield Election materials, promotions and outreach and exhibited through the City. The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2023. A completed entry form must accompany each sticker design. Official details and entry form can be found here: "I Voted" Sticker Design Competition | Westfield, MA - Official Website (cityofwestfield.org) Need a paper copy? Stop by the City Clerk's Office, 59 Court Street, Room 210 between 9AM-5PM.
https://www.cityofwestfield.org/895/I-Voted-Sticker-Design-Competition