Friday, February 15, 2019
Good afternoon,
I hope many of you will be able to take some time next week to have some fun with family and friends.
I wanted to share the following letter with all of you before we get too deep into the second semester.
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Now that first semester grades have been released and we enter the course selection process, I am writing to remind you of a message that I shared with faculty and students at the beginning of the year - words matter. When you reach out to different members of our school community, I ask that you address our faculty respectfully. Please remember that we are all working to serve the needs and best interests of our students. While we may disagree on the best method to do this, we work toward the same goal, so it’s important to be courteous to one another throughout the process. Being nice and being kind both matter.
As outlined in the Westford Academy Student Handbook, please keep the following points in mind for effective communication:
1. Define your concerns clearly.
2. Express your concerns in a respectful manner.
3. Listen to what the other party has to say without interrupting.
4. Remain open-minded about what the other party has to say.
5. Remember what problem you are trying to solve and remember your goal.
6. Remember that both parties may need a chance to voice their feelings.
In this day and age, it’s more common for us to communicate via email, so please remember that it can be difficult to discern tone in writing. What may be intended as a request might be perceived as an imperious demand, so please consider your phrasing.
Our school system works well because of the strong partnership between home and school. We have an outstanding faculty who are experts in their fields and who care deeply about their students. Please treat them with courtesy and respect. I know that you place a strong emphasis on education and work hard to make sure that your children have access to and capitalize on the educational opportunities they have at Westford Academy. You, in turn, deserve the same courtesy and respect.
It is my sincere hope that we model civil discourse and treat one another with mutual respect. The faculty and administration enjoy working with you and your students and all of us that work at Westford Academy have a common goal, which is to create a safe and welcoming environment while delivering a strong education to one child at a time.
Respectfully,
James P. Antonelli, Principal
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Request for Name Pronunciation
Parents, you will notice this email has already been sent to both parents and students. Please have your student complete this task by February 25th. We have attached the link with directions on how to complete. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
First, using your laptop or cellphone, record yourself (from tools/voice memo on iphones, audio app, etc.) stating your LEGAL NAME - FIRST, MIDDLE AND LAST NAME. Please speak SLOWLY and CLEARLY.
Second, save your recording to your laptop or cellphone.
Third, open this link: https://goo.gl/forms/pyl1ddmiU1RJwOrF3.
There are 4 simple steps that will take you about 10 seconds to complete.
Choose your YEAR OF GRADUATION, click NEXT.
Enter your LEGALFIRST, MIDDLE (if you have one) and LAST NAME.
Under RECORD YOUR NAME click on ADD FILE and attach your recording.
Click on SUBMIT and you're done!
Thank you,
Ms. Murphy, Mr. Ware, and Mr. Twomey
Deans
DESE Report Card Letter 18-19
Every year, each public school and school district in Massachusetts receives a report card. Just as your child's report card shows how they are doing in different subjects, the school's report card is designed to show families how our school is doing in different areas. Below is a link to our district's report card:
https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/friday-email/files/dese-report-card-letter...
Caps & Gowns - Class of 2019 - Graduation
Seniors who have not ordered their caps and gowns for graduation, please use the link below to place your order online as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Langille in the Main Office. And please note that this year, graduates may select either maroon OR white caps and gowns.
https://buildagrad.com/westford
The WA Honors Orchestra
The WA Honors Orchestra will be performing a program centered on student solos and compositions at 7:00 PM on Friday, March 8th in the PAC. The orchestra will also be presenting a special performance of Dmitri Shostakovich's Sinfonia for String Orchestra op. 110a dedicated to "The Memory of the Victims of Fascism and the War". Tickets will be available at the door and are $5 for adults and free for students, seniors, faculty, and staff.
Ghostwriter: Graduation 2019
Dear Senior Parents/Guardians:
The end of your child's high school career is near! We know you have many different ways to commemorate the occasion, but we'd like to offer another possibility. The staff of the student newspaper, The WA Ghostwriter, invites you to purchase a graduation shout-out for your son or daughter. ~We publish a printed June edition of the newspaper that is distributed at graduation. Since it features a list of the graduates college destinations, it tends to be a hot commodity! We are selling four different shout-out spaces this year.
Deadline for submitting all materials and payment: April 4, 2019
The Ghostwriterstaff will design your shout-out at no additional cost!
Photos that work well:senior portraits (that you have a release for), baby pictures, candids, close up and clear photos
Photos that do not work well:Iphone photos, blurry or unfocused photos
Message example: “We are so proud of you Sam! We know you will do well in college and succeed at UConn! We hope you always stay true to yourself and follow your dreams! Love, Mom and Dad”
If you would like to purchase a shout-out, please fill out the Google form here: https://goo.gl/forms/s9CoFOiC6IxCgp2b2
Feel free to email me with any questions!
Janet Fonden
English and Journalism Teacher
WA Ghostwriter Adviser
LAST NIGHT 2019
Last Night 2019 is the all-night, substance-free celebration for our Westford Academy graduating seniors, which will be held on Friday, June 7th starting at 10:00 PM. With almost 100% participation, Last Night is a highlight for WA graduates. It takes over 300 volunteers and many, many generous donors to make this evening a success. Parents of all students from K to 12, are encouraged to volunteer. For more information, please see the Last Night website at www.walastnight.org
Donations to support Last Night can be made online at www.walastnight.org/donate or please send your contribution to: Last Night 2019, PO Box 4079, Westford, MA 01886. All gifts are tax-deductible.
Last Night Needs Volunteers! Help is always needed at the event, but you can also volunteer before the event. To volunteer in any capacity, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Cindy McKeen at volunteer@walastnight.org.
Westford Parent Connection
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Westford Parent Connection had to cancel Dr. Elizabeth Englanderís event previously scheduled for January 17, 2019. Fortunately, Dr. Englander is now back on. She will present Stop The Cycle Of Bullyingat 7:00 p.m. at the Stony Brook Middle School, 9 Farmer Way, Westford on February 28, 2019. Dr. Englander is the founder and director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) and is a psychology professor at Bridgewater State University. She is very knowledgeable and presents a wealth of information and practical, compassionate advice. Her presentation is free and open to the public due to the generosity of our sponsors. For more information about her, please go to https://www.englanderelizabeth.com/.~
The remaining 2019 programs include:
What Emotional Abuse Looks Like, with Jody Marchand, Wednesday, March 13
Prepared Parents, Protected Kids: When A Will Is Not Enough, with David Feakes, Wednesday, March 27
Raising Kids Youíll Love To Live With, with Bonnie Harris, Tuesday, April 9
Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Friendship, Popularity, And Social Cruelty In Childhood, with Dr. Michael Thompson, Tuesday, April 30
In addition, the Westford Parent Connection has an opportunity to win $1,000.00 as part of MillTown Plumbingís Helping Handsprogram. Every month, MillTown selects a few local non-profits and asks these organizations to spread the word. Whomever receives the most votes at the end of the month wins $1,000.00. You can vote once a day, every day, until the end of February. Please help us win! We are sure to put the money to good use. https://milltownplumbing.com/milltowns-helping-hands/For more information about the Westford Parent Connection, check out the organizationís website at http://www.westford.org/wpc/or contact Mary Anne Seraphin at mary.anne.seraphin@gmail.com.
Have a great weekend and a fun and safe February vacation. Jim Antonelli