Friday, May 29, 2020
Good afternoon,
I am still smiling! The Class of 2020 parade around W.A. yesterday was awesome! I hope that everyone enjoyed the parade! I could see smiles, tears, and I could feel the love! Thank you to everyone who came out yesterday to support OUR seniors.
Senior Send-Off
https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/friday-email/files/wa-senior-send-may-28-2020
Next week:
Seniors will be returning Chromebooks, Chromebook Cords, and textbooks at W.A. Seniors must sign up using the Sign Up Genius that Dean Dan Twomey has sent out. The building is clean and we have prepared the building using social distance guidelines. Jeff Stephens (Westford Health Department) walked the building with me this past Tuesday and gave his approval for the return process. NOTE: Students MUST wear masks, MUST maintain 6 feet apart, and we encourage students to use the sanitizing stations that will be on site.
Once seniors fulfill their obligations by returning all Westford Academy property, then students can pick up their school records (including their high school diploma- please don’t lose. We do not have duplicates.) Cap, gowns and stoles will be handed out, along with a gift from the Last Night Committee, the Ghostwriter (school newspaper) and other handouts will be available.
Schedule for next week:
Tuesday 9:00-Noon and 1:00-4:00 PM
Wednesday 1:00-4:00 PM
Thursday 9:00-Noon
Please remember Chromebook and cord, ALL textbooks including Library Books.
Seniors- PLEASE park in the senior parking lot, enter through the “senior entrance” and pick up a schedule once you walk in at your “designated time.” You will then enter the café and I will be able to greet you with a smile, but it will be with a mask on! :-) I will check in your Chromebook. If anything is broken, you will be charged. Please have a checkbook with you; otherwise you will not be able to move forward. If your screen is cracked, hinges are broken, keys are missing from the keyboard or your have “etched” something into the computer, you WILL be charged. There will be incremental charges based on any damage.
Missing charger= $25.00
1 Repair= $80.00
2 Repairs= $110.00
3 Repairs= $140.00
4 or more repairs= $152.00
Checks will be made payable to: Westford Public Schools
Thank you for your cooperation. This is a daunting task to collect all of these materials and to hand out cap, gown, stoles, records, etc. We appreciate your cooperation and patience. We are all in this together. Let’s stay positive and remain humble and kind!
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
College Essay Writing Workshop
Roudenbush Community Center is offering a College Essay Writing Workshop taught by WA English teacher Lynn Bonakdar and WA Guidance Counselor Tracy McLaughlin. The course begins June 22 and will include remote instruction (three evenings), ongoing instructor feedback throughout the writing process, and one-on-one conferencing. For a full course description and to register, please visit Roundenbush's website: https://www.roudenbush.org/events/college-essay-writing-workshop-3.
The WA Ghostwriter- Online Summer Camp
The WA Ghostwriter has decided to extend an opportunity to rising seventh, eighth and ninth graders to get some exposure on how their newspaper works through an online summer camp! The camp will run from 2 PM to 4 PM from August 11th-14th. Click on this link to sign up and get more information: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1A0sUvPzUMu51mC_vq6EuNDD90TrjxR2K7qHYk-t...
RE: WA Graduating Class of 2020
Hello Westford,
We hope that this note finds you and your family healthy and safe during these unprecedented times.
So many people have been adversely impacted and our hearts go out to anyone that has been hurt by the pandemic.
We are writing to you today to discuss one group that has been badly impacted by the current situation. The Westford Academy Class of 2020 has lost many of the rites of passage that they were about to enjoy after 12 years in the Westford school system. Many of you are aware but the Class of 2020 has had their senior capstone project cancelled, their trip to Disney cancelled, their traditional Boston prom has been cancelled, graduation and Last Night will likely look different to what other Westford Academy graduates have experienced for years. Much of their senior year has been robbed from them and unfortunately there is no getting these precious moments back.
The Westford Academy Last Night Committee is trying to do something for this class that has lost so many of memories and experiences that they should have looked forward to and should have been able to enjoy.
Last Night has been celebrated with the WA graduates for over 25 years. Although Last Night likely can’t happen in its traditional format this year, one component can. Among the activities that normally occurs during Last Night (graduation night), is a raffle for the seniors. Typically, the raffle committee would purchase or have donated approximately enough raffle items to award approximately 1/3 of the class a raffle item the night of graduation.
To give a little something to the class that has lost so much, we are going to do a virtual raffle and our ultimate goal would be to have a raffle item for each of the 423 graduating seniors.
How can you help?
We have created a number of wish lists for the class of 2020 and if you would like to help bring a little joy back to this class, please click on the link below and see if you are able to donate a raffle gift to the class.
Any gift you might be able to donate large or small is greatly appreciated. Maybe even team up with others to sponsor a raffle gift. We understand that this may not be possible for all, depending on how they may have been adversely impacted by the pandemic and that is okay. Last Night is normally funded through generous donations of Westford Families and area businesses. Through a history of strong support from the community Last Night has been able to be held without needing any funding from the school system. Donations from individuals are more important this year as the economic challenges facing our local businesses are likely to limit what contributions they can make. Local businesses normally make up a large percentage of our raffle gifts.
We appreciate your consideration in helping us give to this class, if you can please spread the word.
The following link will bring you to the WA Last Night website. From there you will be able to access all three registry links as well as the link for cash donations.
You can also mail a check to – payable to “Last Night”:
WA Last Night
P.O. Box 4079
Westford, MA 01886
Many thanks for considering helping us give to this class.
Any questions, gift ideas or concerns, please feel free to reach out to either of us.
Warmest regards,
Christine Saro and Kristin Cressman
Last Night Raffle Committee Co-Chairs
Stay healthy, Stay Safe, STAY STRONG and Have a WONDERFUL weekend!
Oh…by the way. Another surprise for our seniors next week! ;-)
Respectfully, Jim Antonelli