20 January 2023
Dear Families,
Happy Friday. Welcome to the halfway mark of the school year! I wanted to offer a couple of important reminders as we approach the end of the quarter. These reminders are especially important for our 9th graders to note. Please talk to your teachers if you have any questions.
- When we start Quarter 3 on Monday January 23rd, students are reminded to check their new schedules in Powerschool as any quarter classes they have in Quarter 2 will change that day.
- Also, when we start the second semester, our lunch schedules will change. Students are reminded to check with their block 4 teachers to be sure which lunch they will be taking for the remainder of the school year.
- Quarterly Schedule for the remainder of 2023:
| Quarter 3 Begins | 01/21/23 |
| Quarter 3 Ends | 03/31/23 |
| Quarter 4 Begins | 04/01/23 |
| Quarter 4 Ends | 06/29/23 |
Seminar Day Speakers Needed for March 1, 2023
On behalf of Wellesley High School’s Student Congress, we would like to extend an invitation to participate in this year’s Seminar Day on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023. We are looking for new, or returning, seminar day speakers to provide our students with an opportunity to explore exciting and engaging subjects outside of our curriculum!
Each seminar Block (A,B,or C) will be held in person for one full hour, and you can speak for one, two, or all three blocks. Health and safety considerations are guiding our planning to reflect our current reality.
Schedule for Seminar Day 2023:
- Advisory: 8:00-8:15
- Block A: 8:20-9:20
- Block B: 9:25-10:25
- Block C: 10:30-11:30
If you know you cannot commit to this year’s Seminar Day, but are interested in staying on our contact list, please simply answer the first few questions on the form below. This will ensure we continue to contact you for future Seminar Days in the years to come. For those willing and able to volunteer your time, we encourage speakers to sign up for more than one Block. Our deadline for seminar day speaker sign-ups is Friday, February 17th.
If you know someone outside of WHS who would be a great addition to Seminar Day, please direct them to the Seminar Day Speaker Form or put them in contact with us!
Seminar Day Speaker Sign Up Form
If you have any questions about this year’s Seminar Day, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Sincerely, Stephanie Erickson and Condro Lukitosari, Faculty Advisors for Student Congress
Attention Seniors – Mid-Year Grades
The School Counseling Department WILL send your Mid-Year grades to all of the schools you have requested transcripts for UNLESS they receive this form from you BY January 31st, 8:00am to HOLD your grades/transcripts.
New 2023 Art Trip Announced
Due to political unrest, the Art Trip to Peru over April Break has been canceled. A new art trip to London, England is being planned for April 12-20, 202 (pending School Committee approval) and is open to all students. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Mr. Carter cartert@wellesleyps.org for more information.
WHS Parent YA Book Club
Interested in reading and discussing YA books? WHS parents and librarians meet once a month to discuss a book. All are welcome.
Our next gathering will be on Tuesday, February 28th, 7:30pm @ Wellesley Free Library (in the cafe on the 1st floor) to discuss the book:
A Sitting in St. James by Rita Williams-Garcia (the Wellesley Free Library will have copies available to borrow)
Any questions? Email WHS Librarian Sara Jauniskis at jauniskiss@wellesleyps.org
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The college admissions process can be a source of stress and anxiety for students and parents alike. This research-based workshop addresses many of the important questions we hear from families. What do college rankings really measure? Are students who attend more selective colleges better off later in life? What is “fit” and why does it matter? Participants will learn practical strategies to help reduce unnecessary pressure around the college admissions process and ways to support their student’s overall well-being and readiness for life in college and beyond.
Thursday, March 9th, 2023 | 7:00pm – 8:15pm
Who should attend: Parents, Students, Educators Price: $10 per person
If the cost of attending this workshop is a barrier for you or students you work with, please reach out about our financial assistance.
Learning Objectives
- Learn research-based findings on the relationship between college selectivity and future outcomes, including learning, job satisfaction, and well-being.
- Explore practical strategies to embrace a healthier approach to the college admissions process.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the value and meaning of engagement in college and high school.
INTERESTED IN MORE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS RESOURCES?
See our Resource page for everything from our college admissions white paper to blog posts and suggestions from the experts for how to approach this college admission conversations.
Wellesley Scholarship Foundation
Attention Seniors:
Applications for the scholarships offered through the Wellesley Scholarship Foundation (WSF) opens December 1st. WSF funds students attending four-year degree programs, as well as two-year college or technical schools if the student is working towards a degree or certificate.
Please use this link for more information.
Juniors – PSAT Scores
Attention Juniors: Your PSAT scores are now available on the College Board website.
Here is a brief presentation to help you access your scores and understand how to interpret them. PSATs will also be reviewed in your Junior Seminar, which begins Q3.
Please see your School Counselor if you have questions.
Get Involved with Wellesley Town Government
Interested in running for local government? Here’s a video of the League of Women Voters of Wellesley’s program, “How to Run for Local Public Office” as well as links to related publications.
https://my.lwv.org/massachusetts/wellesley
National Honor Society Tutoring
For anyone interested in a NHS tutor, please fill out this form if you, or one of your students, are interested.
We will contact you shortly.
School Council Parent Email
School Council is a site based management council at every school in the Commonwealth. Through open discussion, it serves to advise the principal on matters relevant to the school and approves changes to the Student Handbook (see Subsection C, Jurisdiction). The Council meets regularly to assist the Principal in the identification of the educational needs of the students attending the school, in adopting educational goals for the school, in the review of the annual school budget, and in the formulation of a school improvement plan.
As parents you have four representatives who serve to represent your voice here at Wellesley High School on our School Council. Since the parent group is so varied and large they have set up an email address so you can reach out to them with feedback and questions. The email address is:whsparentreps@gmail.com
Wellesley High School’s National Curlers
Wellesley High School sisters Alexa (grade 10) and Julia (grade 12) recently competed in the U18 USA National Curling Championships in Lafayette Colorado. It was amazing for them to be there, but they didn’t settle for just making the trip. They finished as Silver medal winners – Congratulations Alexa and Julia!
Last night I was fortunate enough to have dinner with a couple of retirees who served as important mentors to me when I first came to Wellesley High School. We shared stories and had a good time remembering students and events from many years ago. What they each told me was that neither one of them would have done anything else with their lives or careers. They talked about how important the work of education is and the satisfaction they took from helping kids on their journeys.
That same sentiment is alive and well at Wellesley High School today. We look forward to improving every day and serving this community for the second half of this school year beginning on Monday.
I hope you all enjoy your weekend.
Best,
Jamie