Dear Families, 

Next week will mark the end of the second quarter and the first semester of the school year. This means some elective courses will be ending and many classes will be giving major assessments next week. 

This year, my advisory consists of 10th graders. Once per cycle, upperclassmen from the Journey’s program join us to offer advice. Today they shared a universal tip: use a three-day weekend wisely. They recommended studying for a chunk of time each day instead of cramming everything at the last minute. Spreading study sessions over several days is a more effective and less stressful way to reinforce learning than pulling an all-nighter.

A quick reminder that 8th grade parent/guardian night will take place Wednesday starting at 7 pm. If any parent wants a tour they can arrive at 6:30 and have a tour of our building from one of our student ambassadors. We did send this message directly to our 8th grade families already but some of you may have another child coming up or a friend/neighbor. 

Over the past few years, we have been seeing an unexpected situation where parents call the house offices to release their child from school, but then the student does not in fact leave the building. This is a challenging situation for us because we are responsible for their whereabouts and well being, especially our underclass students. Please note if we find a student in our building who has been called out but is not in the class they belong in at the time, this will be considered a class cut and appropriate consequences will be given. 

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.  

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

The Wellesley High School chapter of Girls Who Code aims to foster a safe, welcoming, and judgment-free space for girls to learn and pursue computer science. Every month, the club releases a newsletter packed with current artificial intelligence trends and computing insights.

Please see their current newsletter for the latest AI updates and news.

This year‘s Cotillion will be on Saturday, January 31st at The Verve Hotel in Natick. All juniors and seniors who either live in Wellesley or go to school in Wellesley are welcome to attend.

We are looking for parent volunteers for that evening. Please complete the Sign Up Genius Form and thank you in advance for your support.

We need everyone’s help to pull off this wonderful evening!

Thank you in advance.

Jill Fischmann and Kerrie Grover 

Cotillion Co-Chairs

Additional information visit: WHS School Counseling Website 

1/21/26 – 8th Grade Parent/Guardian Night  *This event is in person: WHS Auditorium

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

The Spectra aims to foster inquiry and discovery through opportunities to discuss and engage in STEM exploration. Work in The Spectra culminates in publications that promote scientific literacy among the Wellesley community.

The first issue of our magazine has been published. We have a digital version uploaded on our website, and hard copies will be available for distribution.

Please visit our website for further information and to read our current issue.

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. 

It is always important not to just wish the kids a happy long weekend without also reflecting on why the holiday exists. Reflection is sometimes the most important part of learning. 

Monday is of course Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This morning the students on our announcements did a nice job of reflecting on Dr. King and his work so I thought I’d share that with all of you so you can reflect on the importance of the day as well. 

I hope the weekend is exactly what you need it to be – or close enough. 

Best, 

Jamie