Dear WED Community,

As we approach Memorial Day on Monday, May 29th I would like to recognize and thank all veterans past and present as well as current members of the armed services in our community. We thank you for your service to our country!

Sincerely,

Patrick McGee, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Each Friday for the past four years, weather permitting, students from Hamlet Middle School have been participating in Ultimate Frisbee after school from 2-3pm at the middle school field. Hamlet Middle School School Resource Officer (SRO), Mike Velino , as well as Hamlet Middle School teachers Elizabeth Paolella, Briana Resto, and Katherine Conway have organized the club with a consistent group of 16-20 students participating weekly. This club has provided an opportunity for students to interact with their teachers and resource officer outside of school, building positive relationships.

Last week, the Hamlet club competed against Ricci Middle School from North Providence Ultimate Frisbee Club at Hamlet Middle School for the first ultimate frisbee game ever between two middle schools in Rhode Island. Both teams had a great time. Many parents and friends from both schools came out to watch their students compete and demonstrate great sportsmanship. Hamlet Middle School plans to continue this new tradition of competing against another middle school next year.

Thank you to Ms. Paolella, Ms. Resto, Ms. Conway, and Officer Velino for volunteering their time with our amazing students. Our students are very lucky to have such caring and dedicated teachers and resource officers!

Below, you will find pictures of the club.

Please click on the link below to read about the WHS/WACTC Interact Club's book nook project.

Please click on the link to the Valley Breeze article to read more about this selfless student.

Congratulations to the following Villa Nova Middle School students who were recognized for the 3rd quarter:

iExplore Recognitions

Lucas Gonzalez

Eliana Louis Jean

Barbara Fortunato De Souza

Jaxon Lebrun

Branson Khounvichith

Hitomi Pom

Darryl Soucy

Rylie Bootland

Leighana Boutiette

Ayush Tiwari

Renell Askie

Carlenia Abney

Dollie Levan

Malick Jatta

Marta Polanco

Lyla Touray

Sita Kaba

Olivia Padula

Mackenzie Lee

Music Recognitions

Sam Jarrie

Aaron Bennett

Aiden Gorman

Leighana Boutiette

Allyson Dube-Prosper

Ndeyeoumy Ngack

Isabella Cruickshank

Roberto Perez

Kelvin Sanchez Guaman

Kenyon Williams

Art Recognitions

Mario Nieto

Abigail Taylor

Lilianah Insisiengmay

Jaziyah Robinson

Elizabeth Neak

Jakob Maclure

Jasiel Rosado Rivera

Jetzabelle Martinez-Malave

Library Recognitions

Dominic Beauregard

Gregory Richet

Elizabeth Nealy

Jaliyah Desaulniers

Mackenzie Lee

Logan Ramsay

Ebayeta Okpoko

PE/Health Recognitions

Jabriel Caban Alvarado

Francis De Paz Lopez

Kimcoung Le

Nicole Szulc

Rylie Bootland

Cassidy Gaynor

Ariel Medina

Anna Sayphrarath

Greydis Zelaya Florez

Brandon Dettloff

Alianys Tifa

Sita Kaba

Jensen Natal

Jan Felix

Congratulations to Woonsocket High School students Colin Cintron, Damian Bunnell, Abdoul Aziz Diallo, and Michael Gallardo for making it to the 2023 National Finals of the National Personal Finance Challenge. The team will travel to Cleveland, Ohio from June 4th-June 5th to compete for the title of National Champions.

The mission of the Finance Challenge is to equip K-12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Teams will participate in a Fictitious Family Scenario. They will have two hours to prepare their case study presentation and then they will present to a panel of judges. The top team from each judging room will advance to the Final presentation round and present their case study to our VIP panel of judges.

I would like to thank Mr. Robert Gruetzke, WHS/WACTC math teacher and team advisor for his guidance, mentoring, and dedication to these students! We wish these amazing students the best of luck at the National Championship!

Recently, the Woonsocket High School grade 12 AP Literature and Composition class collaborated in small groups to create an interactive Elizabethan Faire for their final project. Student's researched a variety of Elizabethan-era topics from the Black Plague to Music to Torture and the Tower of London. A library exhibit was developed from their research that included informative stations with tri-fold boards, costumes, live music, food, games, and a "photo-op" pillory. Students from other classes were invited to participate in a "Scavenger Hunt" to find information by visiting each display and interacting with the student researchers. The exhibition was a successful showcase of knowledge and lots of fun was had by all those involved!

Nitto Avecia visits the WACTC BioTech Program

Last week, Manufacturing Material Support Specialist and WHS/WACTC alum, Casandra Averett (nee Nieves) had an opportunity to visit the WACTC BioTechnology program to share her story and love for her work. Casandra works at Nitto Avecia, which is a pharmaceutical development and production company located in Milford, MA. Of her experience, Cassandra shared: “I remember being in their shoes, so it was great to show them all the possibilities of working in biotech.”

NEIT Health Careers Day

On May 12th, the WACTC 2nd-Year Health Careers students attend the NEIT Health Careers Day.

Due to Rhode Island's first congressional special election dates on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 (Primary Election) and Tuesday, November 7, 2023 (General Election), the WED 2023-24 Academic Year Calendar has been modified to reflect the fact that there will be no school on either date as our schools will be used as polling sites. The last day of school for the 2023-24 school year will be Friday, June 14th. I apologize for any inconvenience this modification may have caused. Please click on the link below to access the modified 2023-24 WED Academic Year Calendar.

Please click on the Woonsocket Call link below to read more about the WEDs Passport to Kindergarten Series for students and their families who will be attending Kindergarten in fall.

The following recognition comes from RIDE Commissioner of Education Angelica Infante-Green's recent weekly Commissioner's Field Memo:

Woonsocket Recognition of Peers Mentors in Teen Mental Health

The Woonsocket Education Department hosted a successful Mental Health Awareness Recognition Ceremony at WHS where close to 200 students were recognized for their contributions to Mental Health Awareness through their participation in the Peer Mentor Program, a range of trainings from Teen Mental Health First Aid, to Healthy Relationships with Sojourner House, Substance Abuse Signs and Symptoms with RI Student Assistance Services, and Nonviolence trainings with Non Violence Institute (peer mentors, athletes and other leaders in the school and community), the district SEL Workgroup, student-led Design Lab, the Let It Out Woonsocket Video (Duffy and Shanley) and the Chris Collins Foundation Team (school-wide campaign including assemblies and mural).

On Sunday, May 29th, the annual George Nasuti Novans Pride 5K race will be held at 8:30am at Leo Savoie Elementary School. Please click on the link below to register for the race.

The Woonsocket Education Department cordially invites you to our Passport to Kindergarten Series! Come to one event or come to them ALL because it is never too early to get your child ready for kindergarten. Have fun traveling through a variety of activities in the exploration stations listed below.

The BASICS PRINCIPLES include the following:

Maximize Love & Manage Stress

Talk, Sing & Point

Count, Group & Compare

Explore Through Movement & Play

Read & Discuss Stories

Children who will turn 5 years old by September 1, 2023 will be eligible to enter kindergarten for the 2023-24 school year.

Please click on the following links below to access our Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten flyer.

Passport to K Series Event Flyer-Spanish.pdf

Passport to K Series Event Flyer-English.pdf

• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day (No School)
• Monday, May 29th - George Nasuti Novans' Pride 5K Race (8am @ Leo Savoie Elementary School)
• Tuesday, May 30th - WHS Music Awards Night (7pm @ WHS)
• Wednesday, May 31st - WHS Senior Awards Night (6:30pm @ WHS)
• Thursday, June 1st - SELAC Virtual Meeting (6pm, Click on the following link to access the meeting: https://meet.google.com/wwk-acxz-srh)