WHS Newsletter
Fall 1 2023 (8/29/23)
A Message from Principal Callaghan
Dear WHS Students and Families,
Welcome back from Summer-one that I trust brought you rest, relaxation, and many fond memories with family and friends.
It is my sincere hope this letter finds you in a space and place that has you and your child eager for the start of the 2023-2024 school year. It’s hard to fully express how excited I am for this coming school year. We have hired new staff whom I expect will bring a perspective that will enrich our school community and make positive impacts on students. We have also worked tirelessly on developing a master schedule that met over 95% of student requests (the total number of requests was nearly 9,000). The school is freshly clean and furnished, the staff is ready, and we can’t wait to greet students on Wednesday.
To guide our efforts on a number of strategic focus areas throughout the 2023-2024 year, the school-wide theme at WHS is, ‘Why We Share’.
We have much to be thankful for in regard to the progress made at our comprehensive high school. This year we will strive to be intentional about sharing more with students, families and each other about the highlights in the learning process, talents, expertise, achievements, and anything that illustrates the values of WHS, its students, staff, and the educational process. This includes athletics, fine arts, and clubs/activities. We are confident that sharing more can lead to even better outcomes for students and the community than what we already enjoy. The simple act of sharing can open doors of opportunity and possibility for anyone that act touches. Please know that we value and respect every one of our students, and we appreciate that students and families trust us with the most valuable community gifts… our children.
All WHS staff are excited to build upon the gains of last year in order to reach even higher levels of learning in the year ahead. Together, we will work with diligence to meet the goals of our shared mission to foster growth, development, and learning in all students.
In this newsletter, you will find a myriad of informational items to hopefully assist you in successfully preparing for the upcoming school year. Please take the time to read the information and share key dates and material with your student.
Lastly, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher, school counselor, or administrator if you have any questions whatsoever.
Best wishes for a successful school year ahead.
Sincerely,
Mr. Brian M. Callaghan
Principal
IMPORTANT: STUDENT DROP-OFF/PICK-UP PROCESS & LOCATIONS
In an effort to ensure safety, and jointly with the Westborough Police Department, WHS has identified TWO DESIGNATED STUDENT DROP-OFF & PICK-UP LOCATIONS.*
MORNING DROP-OFF:
Entering WHS Via West Main Street /East Side
- Parents/guardians entering the WHS campus from West Main Street (the main school entrance) will take the first left onto the bus road by the softball field and tennis courts. This is a ONE-WAY Street in the morning. The drop-off location when entering from West Main Street will be OUTSIDE THE CAFETERIA DOORS on the bus road.
- You will exit campus onto Ruggles Street.
Entering WHS Via Ruggles Street/West Side
- Parents/guardians entering the WHS campus from Ruggles Street (the side entrance near the baseball fields). You will proceed to the Auditorium Door Entrance for student drop-off.
- You will exit campus onto West Main Street or back onto Ruggles Street.
STUDENTS WHO DRIVE TO SCHOOL can enter the WHS campus either via West Main or Ruggles Street and proceed to the student-designated parking spots as usual. (No change in process for students who drive themselves.)
AFTERNOON PICK UP:
THERE IS NO STUDENT PICK-UP AT EITHER THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF WHS OR OUTSIDE OF THE CAFETERIA UNTIL 3:00 P.M. OR LATER. Families can pick up their students immediately after school ONLY at the Auditorium Doors at the Upper Parking Lot. The WHS Campus is much less congested and more safely and easily navigated after 3:00 p.m.
*Students who require medical or handicap assistance are permitted to use the Main Entrance to drop off or pick up.
Tips For a Successful Start to the School Year
A nice trial run for 'talking about expectations' is around the use of electronic devices at WHS. Habits and practices will be restored to meet the current policy at WHS, which states:
Phones, Electronic Devices
Students are allowed to properly use phones, iPods, Air pods/headphones/earbuds, and other electronic devices ONLY during the following times:
- Prior to 8:10 a.m. (or before the start of school)
- During A.M. Beak
- During Lunch
- After School
While we can all acknowledge the use of devices increased during the pandemic for obvious reasons, it remains the expectation that these devices do not interfere with teaching and learning or disrupt the learning environment for students.
More details will be shared with students by their teachers and during the grade level assemblies in the weeks ahead. Electronic devices shall only be used during class time for educational purposes only. The consequences for repeated violations are outlined in the WHS Student Handbook.
Daily Bell Schedule
Important Information & Links
- There are two Assistant Principals at WHS. Please reach out to them as you need to.
- Mrs. Jessica Barrett works with students with last names beginning with the letters A through K.
- Mrs. Kate Mercadante works with students with last names beginning with the letters L through Z.
- There is no generic "Student Supply List" at the high school. On the first day of school, the teacher will communicate if anything specific is needed for the class.
- Reminder to Parents/Guardians to log into your Powerschool Parent Portal and complete/update the following sections: 1) Contact Info 2) Health & 3) Sign Offs. Instructions are attached.
- Any student who wishes to have a school locker should complete this form using their school-issued email.
- Free & Reduced Lunch Form - Although the 2023/2024 School year school lunch will be free, we are asking any family who would qualify to please fill out and return this form. This is important to do if you will also be seeking reduced fees for other things like sports and activity fees throughout the school year.
- For the 23/24 Bus Routes and Information, please click here.
Please Welcome Our Newest Staff Members
- Alex Pilger - School Counseling Department Head
- Rylee Morin - Special Education Teacher
- Michael Lux - Paraeducator
- Corinne Carbone - Assistant Athletic Trainer
- Joey Teevens - Social Studies Teacher
- Caitlyn Deacetis - School Nurse
- Jon Rego - Mental Health Clinician, CSS
- Kayla Tonucci - School Counselor
- Lexi Dowgiert - Art Teacher
- Vinh Nguyen - Biology Teacher
- Jessica Conrad - English Teacher
- Mark Guzman - English Teacher
- Xi Li - Chinese Wolrd Language Teacher
WHS Open House ~ September 7 @ 6:30 p.m.
We look forward to seeing you at the WHS Open House on Thursday, September 7th, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Open House represents an opportunity for parents to better understand our high school programs and a chance to meet teachers.
Teacher presentations should cover the following:
- The nature of instruction and major course objectives
- Academic expectations and what students will be doing
- Homework, grading, & special requirements
- Suggestions on how parents can support the efforts of students
Please print a copy of your student’s schedule or use your PowerSchool Parent Portal to follow the order of periods below:
23/24 Calendar Highlights
09/04/23: School Closed - Labor Day
09/07/23: WHS Open House @ 6:30 p.m.
09/22/23: Early Release
09/25/23: School Closed - Yom Kippur
10/09/23: School Closed - Indigenous People's Day
11/03/23: Early Release
11/07/23: School Closed for Students: PD for Staff
11/10/23: School Closed - Veterans' Day
11/22/23: Early Release - Thanksgiving
11/23-24/23: Schools Closed - Thanksgiving
Click here for the 23/24 District School Calendar.
Click here for the WHS Website Calendar.
Nurse's Corner
Greetings and welcome to a new school year! We would like to review some start-of-school items:
Please be sure to notify the school nurses of any new health concerns your high schooler may have.
All students who are prescribed an epinephrine autoinjector for a life-threatening allergy must have renewed medication orders at the beginning of every school year. Please do this as soon as possible. Students with severe allergies are expected to carry their epinephrine autoinjectors on them at all times.
11th-grade parents/guardians, please take note of an important immunization requirement for 11th-grade school entry in August 2023:
- All students who are 16 years old and entering 11th grade are required to receive a booster dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY). 1 dose is acceptable if it is given on or after the 16th birthday. Please submit physician documentation of this in order to update your child’s school health record. We recommend that you arrange this 11th-grade immunization requirement as soon as possible if it has not been done yet. If you are experiencing difficulty arranging this vaccine, please feel free to contact the high school nurses.
- The documentation can be submitted by email, fax, or mail:
- Email: connorss@westboroughk12.org
- Fax : 774-399-6271,
- Address: Westborough High School 90 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581
Please feel free to contact the health office with any questions or concerns you have regarding your high schooler’s health.
Wishing all a healthy and productive school year.
508-836-7720 X3193
Ask the Office
Westborough High School
Principal: Brian Callaghan
Assistant Principal: Jessica Barrett
Assistant Principal: Kate Mercadante
Email: mcdermottm@westboroughk12.org
Website: http://whs.westboroughk12.org/
Location: 90 West Main Street, Westborough, MA, USA
Phone: 508-836-7720
Twitter: @WboroPrincipal