Friday, May 10, 2019 | Westford Public Schools

Good afternoon,

We continue to experience some phone issues at Westford Academy. To assist you in reaching a staff member at Westford Academy, I am providing with a link to the Staff Phone Extensions. I apologize for any inconvenience.

WA Voicemail/Phone Extensions 2018-2019

https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/friday-email/files/wa-voicemailphone-exten...

Westford Challenge Success Parent Newsletter

https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/friday-email/files/westford-challenge-succ...

JUNIOR COTILLION - Saturday May 11th 2019: Looks like GREAT weather!!!

Hello Class of 2020

We are super excited that next Saturday, May 11th, is your Junior Cotillion! It is important to note a few specific details to help us all have great fun and a memorable experience!

Cotillion pictures will be held on the football field prior to attending Kimball Farm. You can arrive at Westford Academy for 5:45PM (High heels will not be allowed on the football field). Upon arrival at the WA Football Field, you will be asked to check in and you will receive a bracelet for Kimball Farm. (If there is inclement weather, the cafeteria will be prepped and ready to go as an alternate place to take pictures.)

In addition to the field and/or café for pictures, we will be opening the W.A. Courtyard, which is in beautiful shape and great for some group pictures.

Please check in by the last name of the person that filled out line #1 on the form you turned in with your money. If you are bringing a guest, you both should check in together under that name on line #1.

Please arrive at Kimball's by 7:00 PM. There should be signs directing traffic to park in the back of Kimball's in lot A(near the zipline)for easier access for all of us.

There will be trolleys and golf carts to get guests to and from the parking lot.

You must wear the bracelet you are given so you have access to all the activities (food, photo booth, driving range, mini golf, bumper cars, bumper boats, volleyball, lawn games, batting cages). These activities close to the public at 9:00PM, but you will have full access until 11:00PM.

The pitch and putt course is unavailable. The arcade and soaring eagle zip line will be open, but these are not included in your ticket price and will need to be paid for if you are interested in using those areas.

Dinner will be served from 7:00PM-9:00PM and ice cream will be served from 7:00PM-10:30 PM.

The Cotillion will end promptly at 11:00PM.

Please remember that ALL SCHOOL RULES APPLY. Even though we are off-campus, school rules still apply and will be enforced. Please come to the cotillion ready to eat, dance, golf, play volleyball, and have as much fun as you can! Finally, please remember, we will not be the only group of people at Kimball's that night. This is your chance to show the world how truly great Westford Academy and all of its students are. We know we need not remind you, but we must - please show proper respect to the grounds, Kimball's, and other guests on this great night. You want this to be a night you will remember!

If you have any questions, email Mrs. Croteau or Mr. Nidzgorski

Your advisors,

Mrs. Croteau and Mr. Nidzgorski

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

A few reminders for students who drive to WA from desks of Det. Pavao and Dean Twomey:

Reminder: Junior Operator License in Massachusetts

Now that most of the Senior class is on their respective Capstone projects the WA Senior Lot is now able to be used by WA Juniors who have their MA Driver's License AND a parking pass. Dean Twomey and I help dismiss this lot of cars daily and have observed many “Junior Operators” leaving the lot with passengers. Please see below for the definition of a “Junior Operator” and the law pertaining to this. Please use this email as a friendly reminder that if your son or daughter just obtained their driver's license and they are under 18 years old they CANNOT have any passengers in their car for the first 6 months from the day they passed their driver's test and was issued a MA License. Junior Operators who are caught driving with passengers will be cited and face a 60 day license suspension. Vehicles found in the WA Senior Lot without a parking pass are also subject to tow.

On January 3, 2007, Massachusetts enacted the Junior Operator License (JOL) law. The law is designed to ensure that teen drivers are not only getting the best possible training before they are fully licensed but that they are also aware of the responsibilities associated with getting behind the wheel. Here are the key JOL restrictions:

The Passenger Restriction prevents a Junior Operator from carrying passengers under the age of 18 (except for siblings) during the first six months that the driver has his/her license. This restriction was designed to reduce the number of distractions that an inexperienced driver may face while driving.

The Night Restriction prevents a Junior Operator from driving between 12:30 AM and 5:00 AM, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Crash rates for young drivers are higher late at night when they may be drowsy, tend to speed, or take more risks because there are fewer cars on the road. This restriction was designed to prevent driving during these dangerous hours. A first offense of one of these restrictions will result in a 60-day license suspension and a $100 reinstatement fee.

Furthermore, a Safe Driver Law went into effect on September 30, 2010 prohibiting mobile phone usage by drivers under the age of 18. This means absolutely no cell phone use while driving. The only exception is for reporting an emergency. First offense results in a $100 fine, 60-day license suspension, and a required attitudinal retraining course. Second offense results in a $250 fine, 180-day license suspension. A third or subsequent offense will lead to a $500 fine and one-year license suspension.

REMINDER ABOUT TARDIES -From Handbook

B. TARDY

TARDY TO SCHOOL

School begins at 7:35 AM. Students are considered “tardy to school” if they arrive to class after 7:35 AM. Attendance for the day is taken by first block teachers. Students who arrive after 7:35 AM should report to Mrs. Brown in the Guidance Office for a pass to class. Students cannot be excused tardy after-the-fact; parents must notify the school in advance of the student arriving late or must provide the student with a note to give to Mrs. Brown excusing the tardy. Mrs. Brown can be reached at (978) 692-5570, then press 1.

The following consequencesapply to being tardy to school each quarter (OD=Office Detention):Three (3) tardies to school = one (1) O.D., parent(s) notified Six (6) tardies to school = two (2) O.D., parent(s) notified Nine (9) tardies to school = three (3) O.D., parent(s) notified Twelve (12) tardies to school = 1 day of in-school suspension,office detention assigned, parent meeting requested Fifteen (15) tardies to school = 2 additional days of in-school suspension, office detentions assigned, parent meeting requested.

Graduating Students: Lunch Account Refunds

Please contact Colleen Wallace, Food Service Director, cwallace@westfordk12.us for lunch account refunds for graduating students or to transfer funds to siblings. These requests should be made in writing (email) before the end of this school year. Additionally, there is a lunch fund in each school for students in need to which you may donate the account balance.

Graduation Details - June 7, 2019

Graduation will be held on Friday, June 7, 5:30 PM, on the Westford Academy Alumni Field (First rain date: Saturday, June 8, 5:30 PM. Second rain date: Sunday, June 9, 2:00 PM) NO TICKETS ARE NEEDED and you may bring an many guests as you wish! Our seating is first come, first served. We rent 1,800 chairs in addition to having the use of our bleacher seats. We have plenty of handicap parking and have a handicap/elderly drop-off area. There will be people assisting with traffic flow and parking.

Graduation 2019: Remember All The Balloons Last Year?

The Westford Education Foundation is doing it again! Send your favorite WA Class of 2019 graduates shiny maroon and silver Mylar balloons as a fun way to congratulate them on this big accomplishment. Imagine hundreds of balloons decorating mailboxes and front porches of WA seniors throughout town on graduation day. Balloons are just $6 each. An array of six balloons to the same address (ordered at the same time) is $30. The deadline to order balloons is THURSDAY, May 30, 2019. Go to https://www.westford.org/weffor the balloon order form. Be sure to include the grads' names, addresses, and your own personal note for each recipient, and WEF will take care of the rest. Balloons will be delivered the day before graduation. Questions? Contact Kelly Guthrie at kellyguthrie1@gmail.com. Proceeds from balloon sales help WEF fund a wide variety of innovative educational and professional development grants for Westford schools, as well as two scholarships to graduating seniors majoring in education. The Westford Education Foundation is grateful for your support.

LAST NIGHT 2019

WA 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: WA 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. More information can be found on the Last Night website at www.walastnight.org

Digital photo deadline has been extended to Sunday, May 5th. Small group shots are preferred for the slide show (two to four people are best). Larger group shots can be included in the Facebook group. Please be sure to label all students in all photos. Please email your digital photos to ann.brazinski@gmail.com.

Westford Cultural Council Logo Contest 2019

Eligible Applicants: Current high school and college students residing in Westford, MA

Award: $200

Timeline: Open submission from: May 1 - May 31

Deadline: 6:00 PM on May 31, 2019

About the Westford Cultural Council: The Westford Cultural Council (WCC) is a volunteer-led committee appointed by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Westford. The WCC's mission is to enhance the quality of life in the Westford community by supporting arts, humanities, and sciences programs held in Westford, and by Westford artists, arts organizations, schools, and community organizations. The Westford Cultural Council promotes the availability of cultural experiences in Westford through an annual grant awarded by Massachusetts Cultural Council. These grants can be used support a variety of projects and activities within Westford - including exhibits, festivals, field trips, short-term artist residencies, or performances in schools, workshops, and lectures. More information about the WCC can be found at: https://www.westfordma.gov/627/Cultural-Council.

How the Logo will be Used: The logo will become the property of the Westford Cultural Council and be used on the WCC website, social media accounts, press releases, and other promotional materials. Logo Design Contest Rules: All current high school and college students who are residents of Westford are eligible to participate. The logo submission must be in .PNG file format. Any software program may be used to create the design. The logo MUST include “Westford” and “Cultural Council” in the logo design. The logo should be versatile enough to be used on a website, brochures, stationary, press releases, etc. Make sure the logo is recognizable when resized and will look good in black and white. No copyrighted or trademarked images should be included in submissions. Logo designs must be submitted to Westford Cultural Council no later than 6:00 p.m. Friday, May 31, 2019.

Voting Process: The members of the Westford Cultural Council will determine the winning logo design.

All entries will be judged based on the following criteria: Artwork's relevance and clarity in design, overall creativity and concept, visual appeal / impact

Entry Information: The logo design should be electronically submitted on an 8.5x11” page along with the following information: Contact Information: Name, Westford mailing address, Email address, grade and school name, information about the logo design (Description of what the logo signifies or the meaning behind your design). Submissions should be emailed to WestfordCulturalCouncil@gmail.comby 6:00pm on Friday, May 31, 2019. Winners will be notified by August 31, 2019.

'Hit a Homerun for Habitat' at Fenway Park

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell is partnering with Friends of Rajiv Paluri to host a Red Sox Night! Purchase discounted upper bleacher tickets for game on Wednesday, September 4th, 2019 at 7:10 PM, Red Sox vs Minnesota Twins. At just $30 per ticket, this fundraiser is a great way to enjoy a night at Fenway with friends & family, while supporting the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell & The Rajiv Paluri Memorial Foundation. To order by mail, download order form http://bit.ly/homerun4habitatform

To order tickets online, http://bit.ly/homerun4habitat

Order deadline is May 31st; e-tickets will be emailed to all purchasers week of June 10-14th. For more info, contact Heidi Tierney at htierney@lowellhabitat.orgor (978) 692-0927.

Have a great weekend! Happy Mother’s Day to ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL MOM’s!

Jim Antonelli