Friday, March 10, 2023
Good afternoon,
I am going to keep it short today, because there is plenty for you to read below. Enjoy your weekend and don’t forget that WE LOSE AN HOUR OF SLEEP this weekend on Sunday night! It is usually Saturday night that we change the clocks. Be sure to update your alarm and your students’ alarm clock (phone alarm.)
MCAS Letter 2023
https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/principals-corner/files/mcas-letter-2023
“Senior Skip Day”
Parents of Class of 2023 - Information provided to the administration indicates that Friday March 17th will be “Senior Skip Day.” This day is not sanctioned by the Westford Academy Administration. Students will be responsible for all classwork and the absence will count towards attendance policies. Furthermore, if you elect to call your student out absent, please call the attendance line 978-692-5570 and press 1. This call can be placed anytime between now and next Friday and would be appreciated in advance.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Daniel Twomey, Dean of Students
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
SAT, Saturday, March 11th at WA
If you have registered for the SATs that are taking place at WA on Saturday, March 11th then please arrive to WA between 7:30-7:45am and go directly to your testing room. Room assignments were emailed out to students-- along with other important SAT info. Please check your student email if you have registered to test on 3/11!
Westford Academy Spring 2023 Sports Registration is OPEN!
All student-athletes MUST register on FamilyiD prior to try outs and turn in an UP-TO-DATE physical to Danielle Mendonca in the main office prior to ANY participation. Reminder, physicals are valid for 13 months. Activity fees are collected AFTER teams are selected. This can be done online through MySchoolBucks or by check. Checks are to be given to the coach.
Sports offered this season are: Baseball, Crew, Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, and Boys Volleyball.
Tryouts are tentatively scheduled to start on Monday, March 20th, 2023. Contact the coaches for more information.
FamilyiD: https://www.familyid.com/westford-public-schools/westford-academy-athlet...
Junior Job Shadow
The Junior Job Shadow will be held on Tuesday May 16, 2023. The job shadow program is a structured career exploration activity where a student follows an employee at their workplace to learn more about a particular occupation or industry. The purpose of job shadowing is to help students explore a range of career options. For this to be a meaningful experience, a student should shadow someone who works in a career that is of potential interest to that student. Students are responsible for contacting a potential job shadow site to arrange their job shadow experience. For more information, please see the WA School to Careers Website
https://sites.google.com/a/westfordk12.us/school-to-careers/junior-job-s...
Mrs. DeMagistris will offer drop-in hours during the below long blocks. Students can come see her during their scheduled lunch with any questions about job shadow!
Thursday, March 16 - B Block
Thursday, March 23 - F Block
Once you have secured a site for job shadow, please fill out the job shadow agreement form which an be found on the school to careers site and also here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1Zargx03ULZCEkgdYt90uE6WmE_Kw...
The job shadow agreement form will be due on Friday, March 24 at 2 PM.
Reminder To All Graduating Seniors
The WA Trustee and Community Scholarship applications opened on February 16th. The FIRM deadline for students to submit applications is Monday, March 13, 2023 at 2:00 PM - NO exceptions or extensions. For detailed information and instructions, please refer to the WA website, under Counseling, click on Trustee Awards & Senior Scholarship Listing & Applications link.
https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/trustees-westford-academy/pages/trustees-a...
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training, April 3, 2023
https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/principals-corner/files/youth-mental-healt...
From the SEPAC
3rd Annual Parent and Caregiver Survey Opens March10th
The Westford SEPAC, in collaboration with Westford Public Schools Office of Pupil Services, is interested in your feedback as it relates to special education. Our 3rd annual survey allows both the SEPAC and the district to self-reflect on current practices, make improvements, and plan for meaningful SEPAC activities.
If you have a child on a 504/IEP, please take a moment to fill out this brief survey, we expect the survey should take less than 10 minutes to fill out. You can access the survey here:
https://forms.gle/wqRs1B2TdfJHo9pr8
Last year's survey helped us gain some insight into the successes and concerns, and we're looking forward to comparing this year's results to last year to see improvements and additional areas we need to focus on. If you want to see last year's survey findings, check out Survey 2021-2022 School Year results here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YPJ-a-PohwskRYZvb7ebj5LeQyEEq8MH/view?u...
LAST NIGHT 2023
WA Last Night 2023 is the all-night, substance-free celebration for our Westford Academy graduating seniors, which will be held on Friday, June 2nd 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 on how to sign up to volunteer or to donate, please see the Last Night website at www.walastnight.org
Class of 2023 Senior Parents – Last Night Committee – Senior Slideshow and Photo Wall
The Last Night Committee is working hard to prepare a fun-filled celebration for our graduates. We are asking for your help with digital pictures of your students for this celebration.
How will the photos be used?
We are creating two things:
1. Senior Slideshow with photos from the high school years that will be played during the Last Night Event.
2. Photo Wall: laminated photo collage posters that will decorate the hallways of the Last Night event with photos of students from any years they have spent in Westford Public Schools. The Photo Wall will also be stored and used during class reunions.
Please follow this link for instructions on how you or your senior can submit pictures.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pND9DiO7Ir17B9qGsxZYm4yYGNbEIVYXS5Vi...
Working Papers
Working papers are requested online. If your student has been offered a job, please have them go on the Westford Academy webpage. Click on “For Students” and then click on “Working Permit – Ages 14-18”. https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/students/links/working-permit-ages-14-18
Ghostwriter to Celebrate 2023 Graduates
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 some other
possibilities.
The staff of the student newspaper, The WA Ghostwriter, invites you to
purchase a printed 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 also celebrate the graduates on our @wagraduates Instagram account. Please encourage your child to fill out the google form for this project.
Here are all the forms you need for the Ghostwriter celebrations:
1. Purchasing print graduation shout-outs: https://forms.gle/ixnzubjaMaGihtWN9
2. Submitting college information for the center spread of the print edition:https://forms.gle/jBBb9pbRNCe61KjFA
3. Submitting information for the WAgrads Instagram posts:https://forms.gle/dZJJpkwV2JpciSDj6
Feel free to email me with any questions!
Janet Fonden
English and Journalism Teacher
WA Ghostwriter Adviser
Book Event - WA history teacher, Christopher C. Gorham
WA history teacher, Christopher C. Gorham, will be at the Westford Museum Sunday, March 12 from 1:30 to 3:00 PM discussing his new book: THE CONFIDANTE: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America (Citadel, 2023). Gorham's WA connection was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal's recent review and in his interview on WBUR's "All Things Considered."
Copies are available at The Silver Unicorn Books in Acton and LaLa Books in Lowell as well as everywhere books are sold.
Kimball Farm Job Fair, Westford, MA, March 18th & 25th
https://www.westfordk12.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif5181/f/uploads/kf_2023_jo...
Westford Youth Soccer Coaching Volunteer Opportunity
Westford Youth Soccer is looking for high school student coaches for their in-town program this spring: Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2 Boys and Girls, Grade 3/4 Boys and Girls Rec, and Grade 5/6 Boys Rec. Kids love having a high school student as a coach and it's a fun way to earn volunteer hours. Kindergarten has one combined practice & game on Saturdays; Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3/4 Rec, and Grade 5/6 Rec have one weeknight practice and one game on Saturday. We can work to place you with a team that best meets your interests and schedule. Check out the WYSA website to get more info about the age groups or to register as a student coach. Email with any questions: rec@westfordyouthsoccer.com www.westfordyouthsoccer.com
Have a great weekend!
Respectfully, Jim Antonelli