Good morning,
Sorry for the delay. Keep the fingers crossed for the SUN to stay out!!! JA
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT WA?
May 21 Senior Prom - (Pictures on the Westford Common- 4:00/4:30-6:00)
May 23 Foreign Language Awards, 7:00 pm, PAC (note time)
May 24 Half –day Professional Development Day
May 31 2-hour delay – Collaboration Day
May 31 Senior Internship Exhibition from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm in Main Gym (all welcome)
June 1 MCAS – Grade 9 Science
June 1 Senior Performing Arts Showcase, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm in PAC
June 2 MCAS – Grade 9 Science
June 2 Senior graduation practice @ 9:45 am in AUX Gym
June 2 Senior Awards Night @ 7:00 pm in PAC (by invitation)
June 3 Senior School Awards Breakfast @ 8:30 am in the PAC (by invitation)
June 3 Graduation, 5:30 pm, Alumni Stadium Field
June 9 Spring Sports Awards, 6:30 pm, Main Gym
June 10 WATA Academy Awards, 6:30 pm, PAC
June 13 Underclassmen Awards, 6:30 pm, PAC (by invitation)
June 14 Freshman Class Celebration, 8:30 am, PAC (by invitation)
June 16 Exams G & F
June 17 Exams E & D
June 20 Exams C & B
June 21 Exams A & Makeup
June 2 Last day of classes- 1/2 day- Summer recess begins at 11:00 for students!!!
Senior Athletic Banquet (sponsored by the WA Athletic Boosters):
Reminder for THOSE WHO PREVIOUSLY RSVP'd to attend the event; the banquet will be held this Sunday, 5/22 at 5 p.m. in the WA cafeteria. Unfortunately, tickets will not be sold at the door, and we cannot accept 'walk ins'.
OTHER ITEMS:
Follow W.A. on Twitter!
We have started to use twitter as an additional way to communicate Principal Antonelli's Friday email, as well as other important updates, to you. If you have a twitter account, click on the "Follow WA on Twitter" on the bottom of the WA home page.
To: Senior Parents
Monday, May 23rd, is the last day of school for the Seniors. If your child is not going to be in school please call Mrs. Mahoney @ 978-692-5570. Any student that is not officially excused from school will be marked TRUANT as outlined on page 18 of our student handbook. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Thank You. Mr. Ware
Guidance Corner
Juniors Moving in the Right Direction
This has been a very busy and hopefully worthwhile week for juniors. On Monday, juniors listened to a panel of College Representatives as they provided first hand knowledge of the college application process. Representative from Northeastern University, UMass Amherst, Middlesex Community College, Assumption College, Boston University and Dean College gave students an inside view of the admissions process.
On Tuesday, juniors spent the day shadowing a professional in a field of interest. Student feedback reinforces what an eye opening experience this can be.
On Wednesday, juniors attended an essay-writing workshop. This highly informative session provided juniors with the keys to a successful essay. Many thanks to Michael Stafanowicz, St. Michael’s College Admissions Counselor, who walked students through examples of mistakes to avoid and exemplary essays. Students received a timeline for completing their essay draft this summer, as well as an assignment to write and send a thank you note to their job shadow hosts.
Healthy Kids Coalition Meeting Scheduled
Tues, May 24, 7:00 PM
Mary Atwood Room, JV Fletcher Library, Westford
Please join us if you are interested in facilitating change in our school cafeterias. Parents from all schools are welcome but we are really in need of parents from Robinson, Nabnasset and Crisafulli.
For more info, please contact Heidi @ 978-392-0470.
News from the WA Athletic Department
- Congratulations to Brendan Sullivan who set a new state record in the pole vault with a height of 15’7. Great job and good luck the rest of the season.
- Attention All Seniors Student Athletes: Please be reminded that any WA uniforms and/or equipment must be turned in immediately to your coach at the conclusion of your season.WA Varsity Spring Sports Awards Thursday June 9th, 6:30 WA Gymnasium
Important changes to athletic eligibility starting in the fall of 2011.
- No student will be allowed to practice or tryout unless they have turned in the necessary forms and have proof of a current physical on the first day of the fall season. No exceptions. User fees will be collected after teams have been selected and will be due before the first game/event.
- Please be advised that there is pending Massachusetts legislation pertaining to the awareness and education of head injuries. Parents and students may be required to complete a free online concussion class to meet this new state law. Stay posted for more information over the summer.
- For the latest schedules for the remainder of the season/fall schedules, please visit www.highschoolsports.net or www.wagreyghosts.com.
- Attention all WA Varsity Captains for the 2011-2012 school year. WA Athletics will offer the first annual “Captains Academy” on Thursday June 23rd and June 24th. All “varsity captains elect” for next year are strongly encouraged to attend this 1.5 day program.
Important Fall Athletic Department Dates:
Football First Practice August 22, 2011
All Other Fall Sports First Practice/Tryout August 25, 2011
Fall Parent Coach Preseason Meeting September 6th 6:30 pm
Fall Sports Pictures/WA Boosters Canister Drive September 10th 8:45 am
Fine Arts News
This year students from the Westford Academy chapter of the National Art Honor Society participated in The Memory Project, an inspiring project that unites art and community service. WA art students created portraits for children and teens
around the world who have been orphaned, neglected, or disadvantaged. The goal of the project is to inspire caring, global friendship, and a positive sense of self. Thank you to the following students: Delia Sanders, Alexis McAuliffe, Ana Raso, Katy Pietras, Mary Boutet, Chiraag Lathia, Elizabeth Britton, Mindy Zhang, Sarah Mooieweer, Brian Cummins, Sophia Lin, Jiexin Wang, Heather Denison, and Theresa Yuan. The student’s portraits as well as photographs of the children receiving their portraits will be on display at the Millennium School (Central Office) May through September.
Our kids are growing up in public
When we were growing up, a permanent record was something your school kept. Now, our kids create lasting records of their lives whenever they post something online. In a world where anything can be copied, pasted, altered and distributed in the blink of an eye to a vast invisible audience, kids must understand that they hold the key to what kind of reputation they create for themselves.
Help kids help themselves
As parents, it's up to us to help our kids understand the consequences of their actions and prepare them for the fact that the user name "FatGreenWizard" -- which might have been cute in 5th grade -- won't be so adorable at that first job interview. We have to help them think long term about posting those pictures that will inevitably come back to bite them on areas of the body that were all too likely on display in the offending snapshots. Here are a few rules of the road that will help our kids as they grow up in public.
Rules of the Road for Kids
1. Guard your privacy. What people know about you is up to you.
2. Protect your reputation. Self-reflect before you self-reveal. What’s funny or edgy today could cost you tomorrow.
3. Nothing is private online. Anything you say or do can be copied, pasted, and sent to gazillions of people without your permission.
4. Assume everyone is watching. There’s a huge, vast audience out there. If someone is your friend’s friend, they can see everything.
5. Apply the Golden Rule. If you don’t want it done to you, don’t do it to someone else.
6. Choose wisely. Not all content is appropriate. You know what we mean.
7. Don't hide. Using anonymity to cloak your actions doesn’t turn you into a trustworthy, responsible human being.
8. Think about what you see. Just because it’s online doesn’t make it true.
9. Be smart, be safe. Not everyone is who they say they are. But you know that.
From commonsensemedia.org
Last Night
Seniors may still register for the Last Night event. Please turn in your permission slips and $25 check made payable to WASA LAST NIGHT.. as soon as possible. Both the senior and parent/guardian must sign the permission slip. Permission slips may be found in the main office at WA or at www.westford.com/wasa. (select the Last Night page and scroll down to the Last Night 2011 paragraph). Permission slips and checks can be returned to the Last Night box located in the main office at WA or mailed to: Diane Baker, 13 Little Bear
Hill Rd.
Yellowstone National Park - Summer 2012
Want a great way to kick off the summer of 2012? Do you like to travel? Do you like the outdoors and exploring new places? Do you like to hike? Would you like to whitewater raft down the Snake River near the Grand Tetons Mountains in Wyoming? Then how about going on a trip to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks with a small group of WA students and chaperones next summer? A fourth expedition is being planned for the summer of 2012, to take place a week after school gets out, to visit these places. Please see Mr. Haight in Room 225 (or email him at jthaight@westfordk12.us) for a commitment form if you are interested. A reservation commitment will need to bade soon since reservations need to be made this summer.
The Ghostwriter
Are you interested in sponsoring the WA student newspaper, The Ghostwriter, this year? The staff is issuing a print edition in honor of the graduating class, and traditionally parents and residents wish the graduates (or an individual student) good luck for the future in the paper. You can enter a personalized message under your family name in the June newspaper in 3 different sizes for 3 different prices:
Business card: $50
Half-page: $75
Full page: $150
Friends of East Boston Camps
The Friends of East Boston Camps are having a spring BBQ event on May 22nd from 12-4, and they are in desperate need of some volunteers. They are going to meet up at the camps around 11:00 on the 22nd. They will need help with games, parking, serving food, etc. They can provide community service hours to those who are willing to help out. Please email balcorn@harknesslaw.com or call Brian at 978-692-9170 to sign up!
Attendance - A message from Administration
Any student who is late to school should either have a note from a parent to give to the attendance secretary upon their arrival OR parents should call the attendance secretary, Mrs. Mahoney, X2101 (#1 on the telephone prompt) regarding their students attendance for the day. As described on page 20 of the Student Handbook, "Students are considered tardy to school if they arrive after 7:35 ..... Students cannot be Excused Tardy after the fact ..... Students who miss over half the class period without a note are considered to have cut the class." Thank you for your help. Any questions, please call Mr. Goldberg @ Agoldberg@westfordk12.us.
Memorial Day
The Memorial Day Planning Committee is looking for WA students to help at the Westford Memorial Day Service on Sunday, May 29th.~
Students are needed to participate in the reading of the Westford Honor Roll and/or the Flag Folding Ceremony.
If you are interested in reading part of the Honor Roll, you will read a list of approximately 40 names, which will be emailed to you ahead of time.
If you are interested in the Flag Folding Event, you will need to attend a mandatory practice on Saturday, May 28th.~ Time of the practice has yet to be determined.
Please come and help honor those who have sacrificed everything for you and for me.~ We really need your help!
THE WESTFORD ACADEMY ATHLETIC BOOSTERS cordially invite all Seniors, who have participated in athletics during ANY of their four years at WA, their parents, and their coaches to the Annual Senior Sports Awards Banquet. This year the banquet will be held at WESTFORD ACADEMY on Sunday, May 22, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. The invitation has been emailed to all seniors and their parents or can be found at http://www.westford.com/waboosters.
We look forward to seeing everyone and celebrating your athletic accomplishments while at Westford Academy.
Donations Needed
HELP!! The Physics teachers are looking for "Tinker Toys" and "Hot Wheels car tracks. If you could donate any materials it would be greatly appreciated. Contact Bill Bowen at bbowen@westfordk12.us for further information.
Three math courses offered through Grey Ghost Summer Academy 2011
Preparing for Algebra II
Course description: Students will review essential topics necessary to be successful in Algebra II including solving multi-step equations and inequalities, graphing lines and inequalities, rules for exponents, working with polynomials, and factoring.
Three math courses offered through Grey Ghost Summer Academy 2011
Preparing for Algebra II
Course description: Students will review essential topics necessary to be successful in Algebra II including solving multi-step equations and inequalities, graphing lines and inequalities, rules for exponents, working with polynomials, and factoring.
Preparing for Trigonometry
Course description: Students will review essential topics necessary to be successful in Trigonometry including solving multi-step equations and inequalities, rules for exponents, working with polynomials, and factoring, logarithms and if time permits, a general overview of the conic sections.
Official SAT Study Guide by College Board
Course description: Students will be exposed to the format of the mathematics portion of the SAT. The mathematics curriculum on the SAT will be reviewed and students will take actual SAT practice tests. Answers and methods for solving the problems will be discussed. Strategies for taking standardized mathematics tests will also be given to students and then practiced.
Classes are held @ WA beginning on Tuesday June 28th and ending on Friday July 15th. Tuesday through Friday – 12 class meetings – 2 hours per day 8:30 am to 10:30. Cost is $125.
Summer School for the Performing Arts
The Summer School for the Performing Arts will take place June 27 & August 7, 2011 at Westford Academy under the artistic direction of Michael Towers. The SSPA mission is to teach and exercise positive effective expression of self through the living arts: musical theater and dramatic acting. SSPA offers areas of study in Musical Theater, Dramatic Acting, and Technical Theater. Performances for the 2011 season include Bye Bye Birdie on July 16 & 17, 2011 and Fame on August 5 & 6, 2011. Download SSPA 2011 flyer.
SSPA jr. -- for students entering grades 1 & 2 !
SSPA jr. students will use the interactive, fun and exciting playmaking process to explore the world around them. During each session, students will harness their unique voices and learn to express themselves through performance. Each SSPA jr. session will culminate in a performance for friends and family that will be a showcase of the student's creative learning experience.
Help! The Wright Library yearbook collection at WA is missing the following copies: 1954, 1957, 1959, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1985 and 1998. If you have any of the missing copies and would be willing to donate them to the high school, please contact Mrs. Pietras or Mrs. Harde at 978-692-5570 x2143.
Have a great weekend. Jim Antonelli
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