WBMSHS Principal Update to Families
I hope this newsletter finds you well. Please take some time to read it and learn about all the great things happening at the MSHS and the community. I hope it can provide you with some important information and give you a glimpse into what we are doing throughout the school year.
As always please feel free to reach out to us at anytime with any questions or concerns.
Have a great weekend.
Mrs. Page
Drop Off - Pick Up
Another friendly reminder, PLEASE DO NOT drop off or pick up in the Spring Street Parking Lot or the MSHS main parking lot. Please follow the MSHS procedures by coming in the entrance and dropping off in front of the building and proceeding around the building. It truly only takes about 5 minutes start to finish. Also, remind your student to have everything ready to hop out of the car so you do not hold up the line. If your student isn't ready to get out please pull up to the right so others can get around you. Thank you for your attention to this!
2024 MCAS DATES
High School Dates
Grade 10
March 26, 2024 - ELA Session I
March 27, 2024 - ELA Session II
May 21, 2024 - Math Session I
Mary 22, 2024 - Math Session II
Grade 9
June 4, 2024 - STE Session I
June 5, 2024 - STE Session II
Middle School Dates
Grade 8
March 27, 2024 - ELA Session I
March 28, 2024 - ELA Session II
May 1, 2024 - Math Session I
May 2, 2024 - Math Session II
May 14, 2024 - Science Session I
May 15, 2024 - Science Session II
May 29, 20214 - Social Studies Pilot
Grade 7
March 20, 2024 - Grade 7 ELA Session I
March 21, 2024 - Grade 7 ELA Session II
May 6, 2024 - Math Session I
May 7, 2024 - Math Session II
Welcome - Officer Packard
We are excited to introduce Officer Christopher Packard as our new SRO. Chris is a graduate of The West Bridgewater Class of 2004. Chris was an active duty Marine for six years (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Specialist & Marine Embassy Guard). He graduated with a Master's in Criminal Justice from Bridgewater State University. Chris presented research at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in Toronto and has been a police officer in the Town of WB for the past ten years. Chris is an active SWAT officer, motorcycle officer, bicycle patrol officer and a certified drug recognition expert. Chris is married to his wife Nicole and has to beautiful boys, Cole and Brody, who attend the West Bridgewater Public Schools. Chris has two dogs and two cats and in his free time, Chris loves to fish, golf, snowboard and attend live sporting & music events.
Recognitions
Mr. Finley's Artist of the Week - Avery Cloutier
West Bridgewater Band
The WBMSHS Band is proud of two of our talented players who participated in the Bridgewater State University High School Honors Band today. Jazmyn Lawler and George Baroud represented WB with spirit and learned a lot playing with players from around the MA/RI area. @WBPSwildcats
Community News
World Culture Night at the MSHS
If you or someone you know lives in West Bridgewater and has preschool age children, the registration information is in the button below.
Middle School WB T-Shirt Fundraiser
Are you looking for a way to help the Middle School fundraise AND look good while doing so?! Look no further, the 7th & 8th grade is selling WB t-shirts! Staff and students want to lessen the cost of the end of the year field trips and buses. Shirts are expected to be delivered on March 21st. Teachers will send a follow up email when shirts arrive! Simply click the button below to access the link.
Summer Opportunity - PCC
Students in Grades 7-10
Project Contemporary Competitiveness Advanced Studies Program, (PCC), is an overnight summer camp, which affords students the opportunity to take unique classes in a four week experience.
Informational nights will be held at Stonehill College on January 10th & 29th at 7:00pm. These nights are a great opportunity to come to the campus and check out a presentation on what PCC is all about. There will be a slideshow and an opportunity for parents/guardians to ask any questions.
Interested students and families can choose which night that works best for them!
If you have any questions please contact the guidance office.
Guidance News
Guidance Counselors have been working on next year’s schedules with students. The intention is to have the 2024-2025 schedules completed by the end of this school year.
Seniors were informed about available scholarships that are being offered under the local scholarship application and the Howard Trustees Funds. They have been strongly encouraged to start the application process. The application deadline is March 29, 2024 and the additional documents are due no later than April 12, 2024. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in disqualification. Students were also informed that there is a mandatory one-hour volunteer requirement to assist in the Toll Road on Saturday, April 27, 2024 in order to be considered for the scholarships. If they cannot make it that day, they must meet with Mrs. Myers to discuss an alternative event in which to volunteer.
We are in the beginning stages of planning a field trip for juniors to attend a national college fair on Thursday, May 2nd in Boston. Juniors are encouraged to inform us of their interest in attending by registering in Guidance. There will be a transportation fee. Once we have a definite number of attendees, we will know the cost per student.
Students will be taking the English/Language Arts MCAS March. Please ensure they are prepared with a good night's sleep, a healthy breakfast, a fully charged Chromebook, and a positive attitude. Thank you!
See the dates listed above.
Class of 2024 Information
- All seniors should be prepared to pay $100 by the end of term three. This amount covers the cost of the yearbook, graduation cap/gown and stole. Money may be paid in cash, check or online. Any student/family who has a financial hardship should contact the main office.
- Seniors are STRONGLY encouraged to check the Google Classroom for the 2024 Scholarships and/or come to guidance to browse through the material. Please do not miss out on these opportunities. Also, remember to share your acceptance letters with your counselor.
Important Yearbook Information
Class of 2024 PDA Parent Ad and Business Ad deadline extended through Monday, 3/4/2024.
GO HERE, https://yb360.walsworthyearbooks.com/login/webBannerRedirect.html?snap=&schoolstore=west_bridgewater_juniorsenior_high_school_buy_yearbook_2740/PRSR6aloTFvrkFYYUL7d87g2 ,TO PURCHASE PERSONAL ADS, BUSINESS ADS & YEARBOOKS or TO UPLOAD PHOTOS, Contact Mrs. DeLorenzo sdelorenzo@wbridgewater.com & Mrs. DeSimone edesimone@wbridgewater.com with any questions.
Parent Ad Pricing: Full-$185, Half page-$135, Quarter page-$85, Eighth page-$50
Business Ad Pricing:Full page-$225,Half page-$165,Quarter page-$100, Eighth page- $60
A Peek Inside Classes and Clubs
Middle School Exploratory Spanish
Students in Ms. Kotsovolos' seventh grade exploratory Spanish class participated in “speed dating!” Students asked each other about their school schedules: teachers, classes and times. They did a great job!
WB Dance Team
The WB Dance Team is having a performance at the West Bridgewater Council on Aging on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 2:30pm. They will also be performing for the community in the MSHS auditorium on March 15, 2024 at 5:30pm. All are welcome! Come out and support your dance team. They have been working hard!
Model United Nations
The West Bridgewater Model United Nations Club attended Medfield High School’s MUN meet on February 3, 2024. Students had the opportunity to listen to two state representatives speeches. Students also researched, wrote position papers and engaged in their role play respective to their committee, Gun Reforms or the D - Day Invasion. We will be participating in BC High School’s MUN meet on March 2, 2024. These events are excellent opportunities for students to build their communication skills while learning about critical concerns and engaging in robust debates towards solutions.
IRobot Field Trip
Computer science and robotics students got to see some real world robots in action last month when they were invited to visit the iRobot Headquarters in Bedford, MA. Students met a programmer and a design engineer who gave us a tour of iRobot’s “Cool Stuff Museum”. Did you know that before iRobot made Roomba they got their start building a Mars Rover robot? They actually funded the project by selling movie rights! iRobot then went on to create toys including My Real Baby, a robotic baby doll that could show emotions and speak based on interaction with humans. Students and staff were impressed with iRobot’s mine sweeping robots that helped clear minefields in Cambodia. After touring the museum students were able to practice coding on some real robots in the iRobot MakerSpace. What a great opportunity to see coding in action!
Ms. Massa's Student Art Work
Art 1 students completed their symbolic profile collages. Students used magazines, images, text, and personal ephemera in a creative way to symbolically represent themselves. The project focused on Elements of shape and texture. Identity mapping was used to help students brainstorm their focus and ideas. Students brought in objects to complete their collages. The background was designed to contract their profile and create emphasis on the whole piece. This mixed media project allowed students to be creative in a different way.
Art 2 students showed off their watercolor skills in an abstract skills challenge, showcasing different watercolor techniques in an unusual way. The proactive challenge turned into a visually interesting project on its own. These techniques were later used on a larger abstract watercolor painting. This project provided students with a lot of opportunities for self expression and student choice.
Bowling Field Trip
Students from the MSHS have been doing community field trips. This month they explored leisure activities and students had a great time bowling at Ryan Family Amusements!
Wildcat Leader
As part of the February advisory, our wildcat leaders visited the middle school powerblocks to discuss what they wished they knew back in middle school and how to prepare for the high school years. It was a great activity and students had some important questions for their leaders!
Science
Currently in Mrs. Warnock's Biology class, students are learning about how different types of cells obtain and use carbohydrates to make their energy. They just finished a unit on photosynthesis. To support this unit, students watched leaf discs float as they began producing oxygen in response to exposure to sun and water.
Students are now learning about how heterotrophs use carbohydrates to make their energy, using the products of photosynthesis to undergo cellular respiration. In the last class, students made playdoh models of all of the reactants and products of cellular respiration.
In a lab, students blew up balloons with the Carbon Dioxide produced by yeast when fed sugar in a test tube. We got some great results and had some in depth discussions of the reactants and products of cellular respiration. Attached are some pictures of these student experiences.
Nurture your mental well being through the use of positive affirmations! By consistently affirming oneself with positive statements, individuals can reshape their mindset and replace self-doubt with self-assurance. These affirmations act as seeds of empowerment, cultivating a resilient inner dialogue that bolsters confidence and resilience in the face of challenges. This practice also fosters a greater sense of self-awareness and mindfulness, grounding individuals in the present moment. Research suggests that regular use of positive affirmations can lead to reduced stress levels, increased optimism, and improved overall mental health. Try starting your morning with a positive affirmation. Use these as starters!
"I am capable of achieving my goals and dreams with determination and effort."
"I embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and learning."
A message from the Athletic Director, Jenn Hammel
Unified Basketball
The first game of the season for unified basketball was a success. Students had a great time playing over at East Bridgewater JSHS.
Check out our Winter Sports scores, highlights and posts below! We have wrapped up the regular season and moved onto States! Thank you to all who have come out to support our athletes throughout the winter season! As always make sure to check out our coaches ' X, formerly Twitter as well as @WBMSHSAthletics for updates on the schedule and highlights from games and matches.
Spring Sports is right around the corner! The link to sign up for Spring Sports is below. The registration is open and ready for athletes to sign up now!
Please see our ATC, Emma to make sure you have an up to date physical on file.
West Bridgewater Athletics have opened an online store where you are able to personalize and order gear. Check out the link below to create and order your Wildcats Gear. Let’s Go WB!! There is a Grand Opening Offer of 20% off everything for a limited time only. The Code is SPIRIT20. Click the button below.
Unified Basketball
Great job by our Unified Basketball team as they kicked off their season with a scrimmage at East Bridgewater Tuesday! The wildcats played in mini games against both East Bridgewater and Whitman Hanson. Thank you to all who came out to support them! The team will have their first game of the season at home against Pembroke on Monday, March 4!!
Indoor Track and Field
WB Boys and girls winter track had two meets in one day on Saturday February 10th.
This was the last winter track meet for 4 of our seniors. Derek Cashman, Derek Fredericson, Sam Salter and Christian Frederickson. These student athletes have been dedicated, stand-up track athletes, leaders and role models. Best of luck boys, you will be missed!
The Winter track SSC league meet was held at Greater New Bedford Voke-Tech. Highlights include a 6th place/medal for Viviana Morales Wakin in the 2 mile, 4th place/medal for Emma Pope in the 1000M, and 6th place overall for Sean Hancock in the high jump. The boys 4 x 400M relay team of Derek Cashman, Derek Frederickson, Christian Frederickson and Andrew Perry placed 6th overall, earning them ribbons.
The Mass Qualifier/last chance to qualify meet was held at the Reggie Lewis Center. Ella Dunbury placed 1st overall in the 2 mile today with a new school record of 11:22. Ella is now ranked 15th in the state and 60th in the country in the 2 mile, with her eyes on even better this week. Kenly Laime ran the 300M coming in 9th out of 93 with a new PR time of 37.88! Kenly also placed 6th overall in high jump with a jump of 5'6. Ella, Kenly and Aly Basset move onto D5 states this Wednesday and we wish them the best of luck!!!
Ella Dunbury, Kenly Laime and Aly Basset all competed in the Division 5 States meet at the Reggie Lewis Center against top athletes in our division. Aly earned third place with a time of 8.84S in the 55M Hurdles. Kenly placed third in the high jump with a season's best jump of 6’ and threw 40’ in shot put. Ella placed 2nd in the 2 mile.
Ella Dunbury and Aly Basset both had big days at All States. Both put up strong performances, however did not reach their goals of a new PR or moving onto New Englands/Nationals. Both Aly and Ella are so vastly talented and did a fantastic job. Thank you to both Aly and Ella for the leadership and guidance they have brought to the Winter track team. As well as their dedication and focus that they have provided throughout the season.
Gymnastics
The Cranberry League Championships were held Saturday 2/10 at Spectrum Gymnastics. The Co-op team of Bridgewater-Raynham and West Bridgewater won their 8th straight League Championship scoring a 144.7. The Co-op team of Brockton/ East Bridgewater/ Cardinal Spellman was second with a 142.8 and the Co-op team of Falmouth/Mashpee/Barnstable was third with a 136.55.
Below are the top 3 results for the all around ( all around athletes not eligible for individual events)
All Around
Lily Moreira- BR/WB- 36.95
Ciara Thomas Brockton/EB-36.85
Lindsay Woodbury-BR/WB-35.75
Below are the top 3 results for events ( all around athletes not eligible)
Vault
Natalia Flores-BR/WB- 9.25
Caitlin Ward F/M/B-9.2
Ella McCarthy-Brockton/EB-9.1
Uneven Bars
Gigi Figureia-Pires-Brockton/EB-9.0
Brianna Buckley-BR/WB-8.75
Elizabeth Mochen-Co/No-8.7
Balance Beam
Ella McCarthy-Brockton/EB- 9.4
Cecilia Meoli-BR/WB-9.15
Brianna Buckley-BR/WB-8.95
Floor Exercise
Ella McCarthy-Brockton/EB-9.0 (tie)
Frankie Fernandes-BR/WB-9.0(tie)
Cecilia Meoli-BR/WB-8.95
Top Scores of the meet ( All Around & Event gymnasts)
Vault- Lindsay Woodbury-BR/WB-9.55
Bars- Lily Moreira-BR/WB-9.4
Beam-Ella McCarthy-Brockton/EB-9.4
Floor- Lily Moreira-BR/WB-9.4
Boys Basketball
The West Bridgewater Gym was electric as the Wildcats dominated Gardner with a 60 to 33 victory in the first round of the state tournament. Nine players from WB got in on the scoring action, but their defense and strong rebounding were the keys to victory. Thomas Stapleton, Luke Destrampe, Jag Garces, And Colin Baker were outstanding on the boards for WB. Armani Lloret, Noah, Schneeweis, and Jag Garces were all over the court playing tenacious defense. Ben Stapleton, Nick Navin, and Collin Baker had some key steals at big moments for the Wildcats. You knew it was going to be a phenomenal night when the chuckwagon himself, Charlie Mallett, and Mr. Sportsmanship, the nicest guy in the gym, Aidan Mayer stepped up big time to hit two clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter. The team will travel to Millbury for the second round of the state tournament.
The Boys JV Basketball team wrapped up their season with a win at Bourne over the February break. The team battled hard throughout the season showing great improvement as a group. Congratulations on a fantastic season. Great Job Wildcats!
The Freshman Boys -
The Freshman Boys Basketball team wrapped up their season with a win over Bourne. They had a great season going 13-1. The team played with great intensity and pride in their games. They had a tough loss against Dighton Rehoboth but bounced back to finish out the season winning their final 3 games. Great Job!!
Middle School Boys Basketball
The boys middle school basketball team lost their final game to Holbrook. Captain Brett Stout had his best game registering 14 points and 12 rebounds for our first double double in recent memory. Captain Sam Bell had his best game leading the way for his eighth grade teammates, Gavin Annese, Noah Popotte, and Andrew Amaro. Matt Navin played well on defense. Thanks for a great season boys.
Girls Basketball
So proud of our Girls basketball team! The Girls Basketball team wrapped up their season with a tough loss against East Bridgewater. The team worked hard every game and left everything they had out on the court! You rock!!! Best of luck to seniors Jenella Jacobs and Mia Harrington!!
The JV Girls Basketball team finished their season on a high note with a win over Greater New Bedford Vocational School. The team picked up a 38-32 win in a hard fought close game. Way to go Wildcats and congrats on a great season!!
Girls MS Basketball -
The Middle School girls basketball team played their annual parents vs athletes game Thursday night to wrap up their season. Great job by both groups! What a fun way to wrap up the season.
Girls Ice Hockey
The WEB Girls Ice Hockey team wrapped up their season with a 4 to 1 loss to Hanover. The lone WEB goal was scored by Senior Riley Bain. Congratulations to the team on a great season! Great work! Congratulations to our WB girls Ice Hockey team and Senior Riley Bain! We wish you the best of luck!
Boy’s Ice Hockey
The WEB Boys Ice Hockey team won their last game of the season in a high scoring affair. They took down Everett/Revere by a score of 7 to 5. K. Greeley scored two goals, Christian Bates had a goal and three assists, T. Henderson had a goal and three assists, E. Brew had a goal and an assist, D. Vaughn had a goal and an assist, and J. Greeley scored his first varsity goal. Brayden Bates stopped 34 of 39 shots to pick up the win.
Good luck to Christian, Evan, Kaleb, Matthew and Ryan in the future.
Cheer Team
The team did a great job participating in the Tri-Valley League Tournament on February 24th at Bellingham at 1:00! The team spent countless hours preparing for the tournament and did very well in their competition finishing in second place! Awesome job!! A huge shoutout to our Cheer team for all their support and energy during the games! Well done! Finally, a huge shout out and best of luck to their Senior Reese Bunker!
Other Athletic News:
Congratulations to James Harris for being selected to play in the Shriners Game this June at Bentley University. Being selected is a huge honor!
If you are interested in signing up for the Boys Lacrosse Co-op between West Bridgewater and East Bridgewater, you can sign up by using the following link. https://students.arbitersports.com/programs/west-bridgewater-2023-2024-west-bridgewater-athletics-registration
**WB-CAM:
A big thank you to the WB-CAM for live streaming our athletic events! They do an amazing job! Please follow them on Twitter to find out which athletic events are being live streamed. Let's Go Wildcats!
Twitter: @WBCAM0998
A Message from Ann Marie Grinder, Food Services Director
National School Breakfast Week- March 3-8! "Surf's Up with School Breakfast" We are bringing exciting new menu options to lunch and celebrating National School Breakfast Week with some special creations and prizes!
Monthly Menus - Click on WB Food Services to find March's menus. Locally grown apples from CN Smith Farm are still being served each week.
Cafeteria Taste Testing- We are bringing back taste testing! Students love tasting a bite of a new dish before choosing it for lunch.
Food Assistance- Project Bread Food Source Hotline , West Bridgewater Food Pantry.
Position available- Great at social media and interested in food photography? There is a stipend available for an individual to promote our School Nutrition program on social media. Hours are very flexible and variable but the applicant will need to be available during the day.
Questions, concerns, suggestions? Contact Ann Marie Grinder, Food Service Director at agrinder@wbridgewater.com or (508)894-1220.
Check out a few recently served lunch entrees below!