#SBAppreciative ...Update! | Westford Public Schools

We were able to celebrate a lot of things this week which is always a great way to slide towards June.

The WMSPTO did an amazing job appreciating our staff all week. Every day they provided healthy goodies and less healthy goodies as quick grab snacks. They placed large easels with post-it notes around the lobby and cafeteria so students could write words of appreciation and gratitude to their teachers. They ended the whole week by sponsoring a catered lunch for the staff that was beautifully displayed in the library to provide a special bit of ambiance to the occasion. No one left hungry indeed.

Thursday of this week we held a special luncheon after the early release to celebrate the career of Mrs. Gutteridge who is retiring at the end of this year. It gave us an opportunity to share stories and enjoy more good food. Following the lunch, part of the professional development planned for the afternoon included teachers sharing the many successful strategies and lessons that they have witnessed and or experienced throughout the year so that colleagues can continue to collaborate in making Stony Brook the wonderful student-centered place that it is.

On Wednesday night, Mr. McElhinney and I were honored to join two of our 8th graders and their families at the New England League of Middle Schools Annual Scholar Leaders Ceremony. 8th graders Ragini K. & Cole K. were nominated by their teachers for this prestigious honor in recognition of both their academic achievement as well as their contribution as leaders and mentors in their daily interactions with their peers at Stony Brook.

Earlier in the week, the 2018 MathCounts Nationals took place in Washington, DC. The Massachusetts State Team won the sixth place among 56 teams. 7th grade Max X. from Stony Brook ranked 38th among 224 national competitors and he ranked 10th in 6th and 7th grade students. Max is the first Westford student reaching the top 40 national rankings in the MathCounts competition.

This morning, 7th grader Jason P. serenaded the Greater Boston Radio listeners with his rendition of Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" on Mix 104.1's Royal Puppy Wedding. Jason was selected through a contest to provide the first dance music for the royal pups. It was a very exciting surprise to hear Stony Brook mentioned on the radio especially as it was a fun, entertaining story rather than some of the negative headlines associated with schools in the news.

Finally, on more serious note, last year at this time, Superintendent Olsen sent out a letter to all 6-12 families with information about a Netflix series called "13 Reasons Why". I learned this week that the second season of this series is now available on Netflix. I thought it would be pertinent to share last year's message once again, especially since our 6th grade families did not get the message previously, so I have included it at the end of this update.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Chris

Dr. Christopher Chew
Principal
Stony Brook School
Westford, MA 01886
(978) 692-2708

Dear Westford Grades 6 through 12 Families,

There has been much communication recently about the controversial Netflix series "13 Reasons Why." This series emphasizes some of the difficult issues associated with youth suicide and is a great concern to all of us who are entrusted with supporting the social and emotional well-being of all students. It is not intended to be an educational or instructional film, and it does not appear to provide research based recommendations for treating mental illness and preventing suicide.

We believe it is important to inform you of this controversial series since it is an increasing topic of discussion among students. The fictional series focuses on a female high schools student who commits suicide after having left thirteen tapes which detail the reasons why she decided to end her own life. The series presents challenging issues such as bullying, depression, cyberbullying and abuse.

The issue of suicide is a very difficult issue for adults and children to understand and process. If your child viewed this series, we encourage you to engage them in conversation to understand their thoughts. If your child has not watched this series but intends to do so, we ask that you consider watching it with them and have them discuss their thoughts.

The counselors at our schools are aware of the controversial nature of this series and are prepared to conduct discussion with students about mental health issues and suicide. It is important for all of us to understand that suicide continues to be a leading cause of death to teens and young adults.

We have included three links below which will provided useful information to assist you in having conversations with your children about this series, or mental health issues in general. We will all continue to work together to support the social and emotional health of our children.

Sincerely,

Everett V. Olsen, Jr.
Superintendent of Schools

Kerry Clery, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

Please mark your calendars for a major event that's coming up in four weeks!

We're hosting a forum with expert panelists to discuss the impact of stress on our region's young people, and what can be done to help them navigate the rough waters of adolescence.

Topic: Crisis Mental Health and the Next Generation
Day / Date: Thursday, June 14th
Time: 6:30pm (Registration); Panel 7:00pm to 9:30pm
Place: Stony Brook School Auditorium
Address: 9 Farmer Way, Westford
Contact: Nancy Burns
Phone: (978) 399-2549
Email: Click here.

We appreciate registrations in advance for this FREE event. Light refreshments provided.

All are invited, especially concerned parents and area residents, first responders, counselors, teachers, and youth advocates. Session is approved for 2 OEMS hours for EMTs and 3 CEUs for nurses.

Child care is available for ages 4 and up, but you must sign up for this service by Friday June 8th.

The WA Girls' Basketball team will be running a clinic from Monday, June 25th through Thursday, June 28th at Westford Academy. The team will teach basic, intermediate, and advanced skills and game play to girls entering 2nd through 9th grade. The clinic stresses teaching basketball to all levels of players in a fun, inclusive environment. There are half-day and full day options available. Please go to the Westford Academy Boys' Basketball website and look for the "WA Girls' Clinic Info" link just below the main pictures.