Friday, March 18, 2022

Good afternoon,

I wanted to provide you with an update regarding the status and the work that has been done and the work that is in progress since the January 28th girls’ basketball game between Westford Academy and Wayland High School.  While I am unable to  share specific disciplinary actions, please know that there were consequences for the students who were directly involved in taunting the student-athlete from Wayland.  This “chirping,” taunting that takes the form of insulting and being disrespectful to an individual, is being discussed across the Dual County League.  In addition, other spectators that were present at the game met with Dr. Michele Shannon-Mingo to discuss the difference between being an upstander and bystander when you hear something that is not right or inappropriate.  

As a follow up with Wayland High School, Mr. Bunyon and I sent an apology letter to the Wayland player and another letter is going to be delivered soon from the students that were directly involved.  We are hopeful that these apology letters will help with the healing process.  In addition, the Wayland and Westford administration are working on ways for our spring athletes to connect in some way.  This is something that is evolving and I should be able to share some thoughts and ideas with all of you in the next few weeks.  Both administrations are committed to this work, and I truly appreciate the support from the Wayland School Administration.  

This spring we are reviewing our student handbook and our athletic handbook in order to update the disciplinary outcomes should a spectator or a student athlete address another player or team with negative, hurtful, and/or racist language. We are reviewing the language in regards to sportsmanship and what that looks like for spectators and student athletes.  On Tuesday, March 14, 2022,  Mr. Bunyon and I ran our first Captain’s Meeting, which we will continue to do each season moving forward.  All spring captains spent time with us talking about what it means to be a captain and a leader at W.A. Captains signed a contract that outlined the expectations of a team captain, which includes being an upstander.  

Furthermore, we held our spring coaches’ meeting last week and we reviewed the expectations for all coaches.  Coaches are responsible for the way their players conduct themselves.  Coaches need to be very clear that chirping will not be tolerated on the field, court, or other athletic venue.  Coaches were reminded that their student-athletes represent the school when they wear the Westford Academy athletic gear.  We also mentioned that negative or disrespectful comments should never be made to referees or opposing coaches or spectators.  

I would like to thank Dr. Chew for his leadership throughout the last two months.  It has been a very difficult time and I know he is committed to the work of diversity, equity, inclusion and wanting our students to have a sense of belonging.  A district DEI team, which includes all school principals, plus teachers, parents and students meets regularly to discuss current events and next steps. We have an established DEI team within W.A. and we are working on ideas for the remainder of this year and looking to increase our activity for next year.  We had great momentum prior to the pandemic; our primary focus is to get that momentum back and to continue with this important work.  We know we have a lot of work ahead of us, and we accept the challenge.  

Next week there is another opportunity for community members to be part of a restorative circle on March 24th.  Please visit the Westford Public Schools website for more information. From what I have heard, the first round of restorative circles went very well.  

I hope this information has provided you with a better understanding of what has been done since January 28th and what works lies ahead.  There is a very strong commitment from the Westford School Committee and the Westford Public Schools Administration and Faculty in regards to the work of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

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W.A Mascot Update:  The Westford Academy Mascot Committee met to review a plan in order to collect images for a new ghost mascot. The Committee unanimously decided it would be best for students in grade 6-12 to be part of a school mascot redesign competition.  Once the images are collected, students in grades 6-12 will have the opportunity to vote for the image they believe best represents the school community.  Please see the details on the infographic below.

Mascot Competition- Infographic

https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/principals-corner/files/wa-mascot-design-c...

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Financial Support:

Recently some members of our school community reached out to me to see if they could provide some financial support to any W.A. student(s) that struggled to purchase a prom ticket, or transportation to the prom.  If you/your student have any financial needs regarding the end of year celebrations, please reach out to me and I will organize the financial support.  

Prom Ticket Costs/Transportation Costs- there is support.  

Please email me at jantonelli@westfordk12.us

Requests will be completely confidential.  

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

From the Westford SEPAC

Westford Special Education Parent Advisory Council is hosting a virtual event on March 30th at 7pm. Nadine Briggs, CEO of Simply Social Kids and co-author of the How to Make & Keep Friends book series presents: I Feel Worried: Helping Your Child Manage Anxiety

Attendees will gain an understanding of what happens in the brain when anxiety takes over, how to read the early signs when anxiety is building and several strategies for how to manage it. Parents will learn the unexpected ways that anxiety can present itself in children and teens, providing an overall greater understanding. Please contact Westford SEPAC at sepacwestford@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83784300983?pwd=NFZkakZTUUJCbWNJbkFqU01BbytLdz09

ELPAC Planning Committee (English Learner Parent Advisory Council)

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HszVlaS-8HTENLCT7CkNrijoh8DrFxfF...

DESE COVID Testing

As a reminder, we are still participating in the DESE COVID testing option for symptomatic testing as well as providing at-home rapid tests to students and staff who opt-in to participate.  Throughout the duration of the program, students and staff can elect to opt-in or discontinue participation.  As a district, in order to have the opportunity to provide the at-home rapid tests, we must provide the opportunity for the symptomatic testing, as well. Individuals, however, do not need to participate in both in order to access one or the other. Each part has a separate consent process. We submit the orders for the at-home rapid tests on a two week cycle, so it is possible to change participation on an ongoing basis moving forward but adjustments need to be made within the ordering windows for each cycle so there could be a delay.  For those participating in the at-home rapid test program, the expectation is that the tests are administered at home on Sunday evening or Monday morning and any positive results are communicated to the school nurse. All of the information is available on our website:https://www.westfordk12.us/district/news/covid-19-school-related-informa...

SENIORS Capstone

SENIORS participating in Capstone: signout sheets will be handed out next Friday, March 25 during Advisory.  Please plan to be in attendance that day to receive this important information.
 

Starting the Conversation: College and Your Mental Health Webinar

NAMI Central Middlesex’s 9th annual college panel discussion, "Starting the Conversation: College and Your Mental Health" is soon - this coming Monday, March 21, 7:00-8:30 pm.  It will be presented as a webinar again this year.  Panelists will be a student currently in college, 3 college administrators, and a youth counselor. This program has always been well-received.  

We welcome students, their parents/guardians, and school guidance personnel. To register, go to  namicentralmiddlesex.org.

https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/principals-corner/files/starting-conversat...

Westford Academy Spring Sports tryouts start this Monday, March 21st 2022.
Sports offered this season are: Baseball, Boys and Girls Crew, Boys and Girls Lacrosse, Softball, Boys and Girls Tennis, Boys and Girls Track & Field, and Boys Volleyball.
All student-athletes MUST register on FamilyiD prior to try outs and turn in an UP-TO-DATE copy of their physical to the coach, main office, or nurse prior to ANY participation. Reminder, physicals are valid for 13 months.
Payments can be made online through MySchoolBucks AFTER teams are selected or a check can be given to the coach.

Please refer to rSchool schedluer for specific locations & times of games and events!

FamilyiD: https://www.familyid.com/westford-public-schools

rSchool: https://www.dualcountyleague.org/public/genie/241/school/10/

WA Athletics: https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/wa-athletics

Payment AFTER tryouts: https://www.myschoolbucks.com

WA Library – Many resources are available

Third quarter is here and that means many students have started their history research paper. Classes are visiting the library regularly for tips and strategies to help with the research process. The library has many resources available on the WA Library website. In addition to print books, we have a large collection of electronic books and research databases. There are also links to Turnitin and Noodletools. Mrs. Harde and Mrs. Monaghan are available to help students find quality sources, use Noodletools for citation, and submit their paper to TurnItIn.com.

https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/wright-library

To the Parents/Guardians of Graduating Seniors

If your graduating senior has money left on his/her lunch account, you may request a refund or a transfer of funds to a sibling.  Please contact the Food Service Department in writing:  cwallace@westfordk12.us   ,  trazzaboni@westfordk12.us   or   kthompson@westfordk12.us

Requests must be in writing and should be done by June 6th of this school year.  Requests received after June 6th cannot be processed until September, 2022.

Ghostwriter: Graduation 2022
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 1, 2022 The Ghostwriter staff 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://forms.gle/m4ocuRuDoSvrYUgM9

Feel free to email me with any questions!
Janet Fonden
jfonden@westfordk12.us
English and Journalism Teacher
WA Ghostwriter Adviser

Tickets to see Aaron Sorkins’ To Kill a Mockingbird

Through the generous support of anonymous donors, English teacher Emily Coates has been able to secure tickets to take students to see Aaron Sorkins’ To Kill a Mockingbird on Saturday, April 9 at 2pm. This Broadway play is being performed at The Boston Opera House. We will be leaving Westford Academy at 12pm on Saturday, April 9, 2022 and returning around 6PM.  We will be traveling by bus to and from the play.   

There are 5 tickets left; this trip is open to all WA students. Cost per student: $20. Please pay in cash or in a check made payable to Westford Academy. Scholarships available. Please email Emily Coates at ecoates@westfordk12.us for a permission slip and to secure a ticket.

Have a great weekend!

Respectfully, 

Jim Antonelli