WHS Principal’s Newsletter for 25 September, 2026

Dear Families, 

Welcome to the last Friday in September this year.  Believe it or not, midterm for the first quarter is a little more than a week away.  Please encourage your child to go see their teachers next week if they have any questions or concerns about how any of their classes are going. 

Congratulations to the WHS class of 1971 on their reunion celebration this past Saturday 19 of September.  I had the pleasure of hosting about 20 members of this class on a tour of the “new” high school.  I was fortunate to have five of our seniors along and the conversations between our alumni and our current students was nothing short of magical.  It was mesmerizing listening to stories from the late 1960’s and early 1970s.   Did you know a student once got arrested for swearing at the microphone during an assembly?  Amazing. 

WHS NHS Tour Guides: Ryan Kim, Ethan Mitchell, Anastasia Canellos, Sara Hernandez, Logan Mock

The group was also joined by two of their former English teachers, Brooks and Jeanie Goddard who helped bring even more memories to life.  The joy that it brought for Brooks and Jeanie to see their former students again was palpable.  Finally, the group was given a thorough history of our “new” high school by none other than giant of the community Catherine “Gig” Babson, herself a WHS graduate from 1965.  She took the group through the long and thoughtful process of bringing our current school to reality and she showed them all the artifacts from the 1938 historical room in our school library. 

I share this story with you all because the event reminded me of the truly special role our high school plays in the community of Wellesley.  I know for our student volunteers at the event they couldn’t help but ask themselves would they be returning to their high school in 55 years and what would have happened in their lives during that time.  What would they remember about their high school years? To give me some perspective, Town Historian and member of the class of 1971 Beth Hinchcliffe told me the students of 2026 listening to them would have been like her class meeting graduates of the class of 1916.   What a fantastic throughline for all of us to realize. I feel privileged to have been there. 

I had a great morning Friday when I started my day joining Ms. Spangler’s Biology class at the brook in front of our school.  The students were doing a true wet lab with waders and tools used to scoop out water samples. By measuring different properties of the water and seeing what organisms they could find living in it, they were able to determine the health of the water itself.  They caught lots of critters, but you’d have to ask them if the water was safe to drink or not (no one drank from the brook).   This lesson, repeated by all the students in ACP Biology this fall, was the perfect example of hands-on, collaborative learning that didn’t use a screen, and got our kids out into the fresh fall air.  Enjoy the pictures. 

 We also had two days of school club fairs this past week.  We had over seventy clubs represented and I saw lots of kids signing up to be a part of something they found important. 

Adolescents choosing what they want to be involved with is so essential to their development as an independent person.  It’s important for them to do things because they believe in them and because it brings them a sense of fulfillment and joy.  I’m sure many students chose clubs that might be interests they share with their families, but I also know plenty of examples where kids choose to get involved in things their parents have almost no interest or knowledge about.  Getting involved is a great way to meet new people and for them to learn to express themselves as themselves.  Sometimes a club or activity can be the most overall meaningful learning experience a student has in high school.  

Watching kids explore the fair this week was a lot of fun.  If your student is interested in learning more about clubs they should check out the Clubs and Student Activities tab on the main page of our website. Thanks for supporting your kids as they pursue their passions. 

Dear Families,

SEPAC and Wellesley Public Schools Student Services invite you to join us for our Annual Basic Rights Presentation- Understanding Your Rights: A Guide for Parents in Special Education on Monday, September 28th at 5:30 p.m. at Hardy Elementary School.

This informative session will be co-led by members of SEPAC and the Student Services team and is designed to help families better understand the special education process, parent rights and responsibilities, and how families and schools work together to support students.

The evening is open to all families. We especially encourage parents and caregivers of students with IEPs and 504 Plans to attend, as well as families whose children do not currently receive services but who would simply like to learn more about special education and the supports available within our schools.

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about resources available to families.

We hope you will join us for what we believe will be a helpful and informative evening.

Warmly,  Wellesley SEPAC & Wellesley Student Services

Step Up Day is Wednesday, October 14th at Wellesley High School. Students will participate in activities tailored to their grade level. 

9th & 10th Grade 

11th Grade  

12th Grade  

Visit the WHS Step-Up Day for detailed information.

Questions? Contact your school counselor or Jen Culver, WHS Testing/SSD coordinator.

Homecoming 2026 is almost here! We are excited to announce a fantastic lineup of events for the entire Wellesley community. Mark your calendars for an unforgettable weekend.

Friday, October 16: 

Saturday, October 17: 

Lastly, we need chaperones for the Homecoming Dance.  Please consider joining us – contact Leah Marshall or Julie Caparco. We’d love to have you (and we’re a lot of fun)!

We look forward to seeing everyone there – 

Dear Parents and Families,

Do you have an old graphing calculator (like a TI-83 or TI-84) sitting in a drawer gathering dust? If your child has graduated or upgraded, please consider donating their used, working calculator to the school.

Many high school math classes require expensive graphing calculators that can cost over $100. Not all families can buy them. We are collecting used, working calculators to create a loaner pool for students in need. 

If you would like to donate your used and working calculator, please drop it off at the WHS Main Office, or send it to school with your student. Thank you for your support!

I’m sorry this is so late getting to you all this week.  My schedule was thrown off when we moved our Friday night football game to 4:30.

I hope everyone stays safe and dry this weekend.

Best, 

Jamie