Friday, October 4, 2019 | Westford Public Schools

Good afternoon,

It was great to see so many of you yesterday at our Back to School Event. I hope that you enjoyed the experince and found it helpful to "put a name with a face".

This afternoon the PARENT/STUDENT PORTAL will be open at 2:00PM for you to review 1st Qtr. Progress Reports.

OTHER ANNOUCNEMENTS:

STUDENT DISMISSALS

Please note: We will not accept dismissals made by email or fax. Dismissals must be by written note or phone call.

Have your student bring in a dismissal note (given to the attendance secretary Karin Brown who sits in the Guidance Department).

OR:

Call the attendance line at 978-692-5570 then press #1 to leave a detailed message.

Have your student pick up their dismissal pass from the Attendance Secretary (Karin Brown) prior to the dismissal time.

Please note that a dismissal is NOT valid unless these steps are followed.

Junior Class Highlights

· Academics

· PSAT, October 19, 2019

· Career Breakfast, December 4, 2019

· Junior Parent Night, February 11, 2020

o College Search process

· Guidance meetings after February vacation

o Assist in college planning

· Cotillion, May 9, 2020

· Junior Job Shadow Day, May 20, 2020

AP Students - the final deadline to register

AP Students - the final deadline to register for your AP exams is next Friday, October 11. Students must register and pay for their exams through Total Registration as well as join the AP Classroom on CollegeBoard. Please see the WA Guidance website for more information, and don't forget to join the AP Google Classroom for updates and reminders!

Financial Aid Night: Parents

Tuesday October 22, 2019, 6:30 PM PAC (Westford Academy)

This seminar, presented by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) and hosted by WA Guidance Department will provide information and clarity on the entire college financial aid application process. You’ll learn about financial aid applications (FAFSA, CSS Profile) and types of financial aid, the factors that determine eligibility and a Q&A to wrap up the event.

Chipotle Fundraiser – WA Boys Soccer

The Westford Academy boys soccer team is having a fundraiser at the Westford Chipotle on Saturday, October 5th from 4:00 – 8:00 PM. Please support our team! Remember, you must mention WA Boys soccer when you pay.

WA Crew Regatta - Sunday in Lowell

The Westford Academy Crew team will be competing in their first regatta of the season at the Textile River Regatta in Lowell this Sunday. Come over to the boulevard and cheer on the varsity rowers. The first race begins at 11:00 AM and runs through 3:00 PM. Looks for the Westford Academy tent along the river to find racers and parents cheering on the team!

School Trip to Portugal - April 2020

The art department is hosting a 10-day trip to Portugal in April 2020. There are still spots available. If you are interested in learning more about this wonderful travel opportunity for your child, please visit eftours.com/2148462CK or contact Ms. Bolotte at lbolotte@westfordk12.us.

Compost Driver Volunteers Needed

Would you like to help our schools compost their fruit and veggie scraps at Westford Academy? We need volunteers to transport bags of fruit & veggie scraps, twice-a-week, from the Crisafulli and Blanchard schools over to Westford Academy, where students make compost. Compost drivers get free bags of compost! If interested, contact Sharon at westfordcommunitycompost@gmail.com

You're invited! WA Athletic Boosters – Come Meet the Athletic Director

The WA Athletic Boosters are hosting a social event to "meet the Athletic Director" at Bamboo Restaurant, on Wednesday, October 9th at 7:00 PM. Jeff Bunyon will provide us with an update on great changes that will be coming to the Westford Academy Trustees Field. Please join us for some light refreshments, drinks and discussion. Whether your son or daughter is a fall, winter or spring athlete, please take this opportunity to meet with Jeff Bunyon and to discuss WA athletics. Booster members will be in attendance if you'd like additional information about upcoming events, volunteering opportunities, WA team requests, and recent athletic equipment purchases. All money raised by the WA Athletic Boosters goes back to all athletes at WA, through scholarships, purchased equipment or events/banners/letters/pins, etc. We are actively seeking new members to keep our amazing organization going. We provide support to all WA athletic teams, provide senior scholarships to 30 to 40 seniors as well as helping with any requests from Billy Bombaci - our trainer, or Jeff Bunyon- our athletic director. We hope to see you there and we welcome all new members!

Nashoba Youth Hockey Beginner Programs

Here’s your chance to experience your child’s second “first step!” Nashoba Youth Hockey’s fall sessions of Learn to Skate and Learn to Play Hockey start the weekend of October 12th. NYH’s goal is to create a fun environment that builds proficiency on the ice, while fostering both good sportsmanship and good citizenship. Both beginner programs are staffed by experienced coaches and several youth hockey players. We are excited to share that, due to a special grant from the KDK Foundation, our Learn to Play program is free to residents of Westford. Please visit www.Nashobahockey.com for more information about our programs and to register.

Westford Parent Connection Kicks Off Its 19th Season

It seems nearly impossible for young people to escape childhood without being bullied. With the advent of technology, bullying is more pervasive than ever. The Westford Parent Connection kicks off its 19th season with Stop The Cycle Of Bullying, with Dr. Elizabeth Englander, on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the Stony Brook Middle School. Dr. Englander – popular speaker, educator, and author – is the founder and executive director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) at Bridgewater State University. She is a wealth of information, which she delivers in a straightforward, compassionate way. Parents will learn valuable techniques that they can use immediately to support their children’s social and emotional well-being. Due to the generosity of its sponsors, the Westford Parent Connection is able to offer all of its programs free of charge. For a full list of this year’s programs, check out https://www.westford.org/wpc/docs/WPC_General_Flyer_2019-2020.pdf. In addition, the Westford Parent Connection is launching a book discussion group this year. The first meeting – scheduled for Thursday, October 17, 2019 – will discuss Frank Bruni’s Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote To The College Admissions Mania. The discussion will be held at the J.V. Fletcher Library at 10:00 a.m., and is open to the public. A limited number of copies of the book are on hold at the front desk for those who wish to borrow them. For a complete list of books to be discussed, check out https://www.westford.org/wpc/docs/WPC_Book_Discussion_Group_2019.pdf. For more information, go to https://www.westford.org/wpc/ or contact Mary Anne Seraphin at mary.anne.seraphin@gmail.com.

FAME: Friends Advancing Music Education

Friends Advancing Music Education is a non-profit 501(c)(3) all-volunteer parent organization that supports music students, teachers, and programs of Westford Public Schools K-12. Founded in 1983, FAME believes incorporating music into a child's education cannot be understated. There is a heap of incontestable research showing that an education rich in music improves students' cognitive function, boosts IQ, focus and overall academic performance. FAME activities would not be possible without the efforts of committed volunteers throughout our community. Join us to help keep the nationally-renowned WPS music program a treasured resource for this and future generations of student musicians. You can support WPS Music & FAME by attending school concerts, purchasing tickets for one of FAME's fundraising events, donating money to support the scholarship fund, or join FAME volunteers by committing 2 hours a month. Find out more about FAME and how we can work together to support OUR music students! Monthly meetings are on 2nd Tuesdays, 7pm in Room 108 at Westford Academy. Our next meeting is on this coming Tuesday, Oct 8th. In order for FAME to continue to thrive, we need your ideas--and your help putting them into action. Thank you in advance for your support! Contact us by email fame.westford1@gmail.com

Have a great weekend! Jim Antonelli