Dear Families,
Welcome to the weekend. Tonight and tomorrow night are big nights in the Athletics world as our Hockey teams, girls and boys will take on our rivals Needham tomorrow night, and our Basketball teams will take on those same Needham Rockets tonight. Rivalries create a lot of excitement, energy and fun in the athletic world. I’ve seen many of our students rise to new heights as a result of participating in rivalry games against Needham in particular, because at some point we all decided these games mean more than the others.
Rivalries at other times can be taken too far. One time I made a speech at the annual Needham-Wellesley Thanksgiving Day football banquet where I made the comment that but for living a few miles in either direction these rivals would actually be best friends. You would have thought I insulted everyone’s families! I think most of the time our students and fans keep these games in perspective, but there are occasions when the feelings become more intense than they should. This has happened online leading up to or after the games, it has happened in the stands and it has happened in the parking lots. These moments miss the point and can be dangerous and hurtful. There is no place for them in high school athletics.
I write this today as a reminder for all our fans to please be on their best behavior at our games this weekend. We encourage you to root hard for our Raiders, and let’s leave it at that. Some of my favorite professional colleagues work at Needham High School and when we share stories about our work it is more than remarkable how similar the two schools actually are. We are far more like our friends in Needham than we are different. As hard as that might be to read, I know it’s true.
Wednesday, Feb 1: Half Day Schedule for Students
| BLUE Block (Day 7) | 7:30 – 8:30 |
| Intervention Block | 8:35 – 9:30 |
| RED Block (Day 6) | 9:35 – 10:35 |
| Advisory Block | 10:40 – 11:30 |
| Dismissal | 11:30 |
Please Note: PowerSchool is NOT Accurate – please use this schedule
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8th grade Parent Night
It’s hard to believe but this past Wednesday we hosted a webinar for the incoming 8th grade parents,
Welcome Wellesley High School Class of 2027. We had 140 people join us on the call and we shared a ton of information. A special thanks to the parents who attended my January Principal’s coffee and gave me some great advice to share with new families. In an effort to help those families access that information I’m posting our slide deck and a link to the video for families to watch again. Some of the information might even be helpful to returning families, so feel free to access it even if you don’t have a rising 9th grader.
Our Middle School Counseling department will be posting both on their website soon as well.
Here is the slide deck.
Here is a video of the presentation itself.
Course Change Form – Please Check Your E-Mail
With a new quarter/semester, there are students making schedule changes. If you received an email from whscounseling@wellesleyps.org , it is the electronic course change form that requires your signature to move forward for department approval.
Timely completion expedites the course change. Thank you for keeping your eye out for this.
Evolutions Midyear Expo
WHEN: Monday, January 30th 6:30p – 8:00p
WHERE: WHS Cafeteria
You are invited to join us in celebrating the Evolutions Gen 8 Midstone project Expo where students share their passion projects. They identified a focus of their curiosity, conducted interdisciplinary research, and then had to conceptualize a product that could share their understanding. This event is a live, energetic event open to the community. Check our website on Friday for the project overviews. Stay curious!
The Senior Project Program
The Senior Project program enables qualified seniors to spend the last month of senior year working on a substantive project of their own choice on a partial or full-time basis. Senior projects are designed to help the student explore a personal interest. Such exploration might include a possible career choice, a special talent, or a community service project. Please click here for a program overview. Interested students may pick up applications at Bradford House Office starting Wednesday, February 1st, to be submitted by February 15th.
Wellesley Education Foundation Event
The Power of Education to Inspire – Discussion with Steve Pemberton
Time & Location: Mar 06, 7:00 PM at Wellesley Middle School, 50 Kingsbury St, Wellesley, MA
On March 6th, WEF will be hosting renowned speaker Steve Pemberton at the WMS Auditorium. Steve is the best-selling author of A Chance in the World and The Lighthouse Effect, How Ordinary People Can Have an Extraordinary Impact in the World. With anxiety being one of the top challenges faced in our post-pandemic world, Steve has inspired many with his message of hope, resilience and kindness. He shares how he overcame tremendous obstacles in his childhood with the support of educators and how simple acts of kindness can have a profound effect.
To learn more about Steve Pemberton and to RSVP, please use this link
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 cannot commit to this year’s Seminar Day but are interested in staying on our contact list, please answer the first few questions on the form below to ensure we contact you for future Seminar Days. 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 have them contact us!
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.
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.
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
Shout out to our Dreamfar Athletes in the snow!
Click here to learn more about Dreamfar!
Finally we have a Friday without rain or freezing precipitation. The big yellow thing in the sky we’re supposedly going to see this weekend is the sun, I’m told. I hope you have good opportunities to enjoy it.
Best,
Jamie