Dear Families,

Welcome to the end of the last week of January and the start of Quarter 3. This week seemed like a long and cold week even with the snow day on Monday. I’m certainly hoping this weekend’s weather stays out at sea and misses us completely. 

Next Tuesday and Friday we will welcome the 8th graders from Wellesley Middle here at the high school for an introduction and a tour from our amazing Student Ambassadors. The WHS Class of 2030 is preparing to come to the high school already!

Student Ambassadors are high school students who volunteer their time to welcome new students who may transfer to the high school or who come here as 9th graders from our own middle school. They help orient 8th graders on this step up visit, but they also help the ninth graders on opening day at their new school in the fall. These student leaders make themselves available to give tours of WHS to families upon request after school during the year as well. I try to make sure I praise them any chance I get because their work here is incredibly important to helping our new students feel welcomed and informed from the very beginning. If you know a student who might be interested in becoming a new Student Ambassador ,please contact our Director of School Counseling, Meg Wallendin, in our main office. 

Later in the month of February and in early March students in grades 9, 10, and 11 will be meeting with their current teachers to talk about their recommendations for courses and levels next year. As a faculty we take these recommendations seriously and the current teachers know your students as learners. 

One warning I’d like to include here is that if you end up having to drop a level next fall, your student could lose a valued elective in order to accommodate the change. Those changes can be very disruptive to a student’s start of the year. Now is a good time to check out the 2026-2027 Program of Studies as a family so you can think about what courses your student might want to request. 

Also, please consider balancing course requests with after school activities and obligations as all of those pieces combine to make a full picture of a high school student’s actual day. Students hear from their school counselors the need to consider the right balance for their lives as they make their choices. 

WPS parents and caregivers are invited to participate in an online focus group to share your insights on current WPS website needs, including accessibility, resource organization, and communication efficiency. The perspective of parents and caregivers is essential to building a platform that better serves our WPS community. 

The focus group will be held on Monday, February 2, from 7-8 p.m. on Zoom. Register using this link. 

Thank you for your continued commitment to our district’s Core Values and for helping us innovate our digital tools to better support our students and families!

When: Saturday, February 7, 2026

Time: 9:00 AM -12:00 PM

Where: Proctored online via Zoom

Cost: $20 – 100% of the proceeds benefit Wellesley HS Class of 2027

*Please note that these live exams are proctored in standard time only. If you have been approved for an extended time accommodation, go ahead and register for the exam, then use this self-proctoring guide to walk you through the process of self-proctoring with extended time.

When: Saturday, February 7, 2026

Time: 9:00 AM -12:30 PM 

Where: Proctored online via Zoom

Cost: $20 – 100% of the proceeds benefit Wellesley HS

*Please note that these live exams are proctored in standard time only. If you have been approved for an extended time accommodation, go ahead and register for the exam, then use this self-proctoring manual to walk you through the process of self-proctoring with extended time.

 

Step 1: Register here: https://www.revolutionprep.com/partners/495          

Step 2: Schedule a free 30-minute score report review with a Revolution Prep testing expert to help you interpret the results and develop a customized plan to prepare. Please schedule this appointment for the few days after the exam. You can pre-schedule this Score Report Review here: https://www.revolutionprep.com/vasilios-kostakis  

Step 3: Attend the mock exam and instantly receive our best-in-class score report, illustrating three high-impact areas to focus on for each section of the test.

 

Questions? If you have questions or want to learn more about Revolution Prep, you can reach out to Vasilios Kostakis at (781) 916-8668 or by email at vasilios.kostakis@revolutionprep.com

Hi Freshman Students and Families,

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up for our 9th grade movie night! We’re excited to watch BACK TO THE FUTURE on Friday, February 6th from 4 – 6:00 pm in the WHS cafeteria.

The tickets are $10 for Basic Entry and $15 for a Deluxe Ticket that includes pizza, popcorn, and a drink. Please fill out submit this google form to purchase your ticket.

This will be a fun night for our class so make sure you purchase a ticket by Thursday, February 5th.

Hope to see you there!

Sincerely, Your Class of ’29 Officers

Chris Wang, Will Peng, Taylor Zimmer and Sydney Lai

Seminar day is an annual event on the first Wednesday of March in which students, faculty, and community members can share a unique story or teach about a topic outside of our normal curriculum.

Each seminar block will be held in person for one full hour, and speakers can sign up for one, two, or all three blocks. Please note: Deadline to sign up is February 20th

Schedule for Seminar Day 2026:

Please sign up with this Seminar Google Form, and we hope to see you there!

Please contact baileya@wellesleyps.org, prichardt@wellesleyps.org, or 26budson-mcquilkena@wpsraiders.org with any questions or requests for any materials.

**** 

Thank You, The WHS Student Congress

We are beginning the succession process for the PTSO Executive Board and committee chair positions. We are looking for dedicated parents and guardians to step into leadership roles for the 2026-27 school year. Serving on the PTSO Board is a meaningful way to support our students, collaborate with school staff, and help shape programs and activities that enrich our school community.

We are currently looking to fill all board positions, including:

No prior PTO/PTSO experience is required. just a willingness to collaborate, communicate, and contribute your time and ideas. Board members work as a team, and support and guidance are provided. More information will be provided when we return in January. Please send any questions or interest to whsptsopres@gmail.com. 

SBIRT screening (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) will be conducted during 10th grade Health classes. SBIRT is a mandated screening for substance use/abuse in public schools. The screening is interview-based and takes approximately 5 minutes. All results are kept confidential and are not included in your student’s school record. The screening is completed by trained health teachers and nurses. For more detailed information see the full letter here: SBIRT Info Letter.

If you would like to have your child opted-out of this screening for this year, please let us know by filling out this form: SBIRT Opt-Out Form.  

Additional information visit: WHS School Counseling Website 

Students will begin meeting with teachers about course recommendations for next year after February break. Course selection for the 26-27 school year will take place in March.

9th graders will prepare for course selection with counselors in seminar in January. 10th and 11th graders will have counseling seminar during the course selection window in March.

All meetings are from 9-10 am on Fridays in the Faculty Dining Room. Next Dates: February 13, April 10

Wellesley Scholarship Foundation application is now open and closes on March 1st. Please check in with your counselor with any other post-secondary questions.

Visit the Standardized Testing Padlet for all your testing information throughout the year.

WHS School Counseling Department

Director: Margaret Walendin – walendinm@wellesleyps.org

Ever wonder about the books teens are reading?

Ever read a popular YA book and wished you had someone to discuss it with?

The librarians at Wellesley High School host a monthly Book Club for parents where we read YA books and discuss. If you are interested in participating please email us at whslibrary@wellesleyps.org

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at the Wellesley Free Library Cafe (1st floor) at 7:30pm to discuss Scythe by Neil Schusterman (SciFi)

The Wellesley Free Library will have copies available for check out.

Any question can be emailed to whslibrary-group@wellesleyps.org.

The Wellesley High School Council serves as the legislative branch of the school government. The Council is responsible for conducting open discussions and making recommendations on matters of school policy, school culture, curriculum, and other issues brought to its attention from its respective constituencies of the Student Congress, Faculty Senate, PTSO, local residents and the principal. 

Please see the WHS School Council page on our website for the latest updates and information.

Our list of clubs and enrichment programs for 2025-2026 has recently been updated.

To print your own copy or access the list, see Complete List of 2025-2026 Clubs on the WHS website. 

I hope you all have a safe and warm weekend. 

Best, 

Jamie