We had a fantastic Back to School Night last night! Thank you to those of you who were able to join us for this spirited annual event. (It always feels like we are hosting a community dinner party!) I hope you got a meaningful glimpse of our school’s spaces and rhythms, as well as the warm, wonderful staff that supports our students’ learning and growth. We are grateful to the WHS PTO for so generously providing dinner for our faculty last night.
Today we completed our first eight-day cycle, marking an important milestone in the start of the school year – students seem to be easing into their new routines and activities well. Today we also commemorated the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, with school-wide remarks and a moment of silence. This evening’s football game halftime show will feature a patriotic selection played by our WHS Band and a ceremony honoring our local emergency personnel.
For Grades 10-12 Families: MGH/Harvard Medical School Study
For the fourth year, we are partnering with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in a study related to improving student mental health and reducing substance use. To provide a baseline for this year’s phase of the study, we will be using Extended Advisory on October 15 for all 10th, 11th, and 12th graders to complete a confidential survey related to their mental health and substance use. It will take approximately 15-20 minutes.
For more information about our partnership with MGH and Harvard Medical School and their study, please see this
linked informational letter from the lead of this project, Dr. Randi Schuster.
The letter also includes information for parents and guardians who would like to opt out their student from this survey.
A Note on Open Campus
It is a good time to remind families and students about our Open Campus policy. While 11th and 12th graders are eligible for Open Campus privileges, please know that 9th and 10th graders do not have open campus privileges. These grades must remain on campus for the entire school day unless they are called in late or dismissed by a guardian for a School Committee-approved reason. Open campus violations will result in consequences and may impact privileges in future years. We think being at school and accessing the full range of support and opportunities is in the best interests of all of our students, but especially our 9th and 10th graders.
MCAS Family Portal
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is rolling out their new MCAS Family Portal, which allows families to securely access and view their students’ past MCAS test results. Please be on the lookout next week for messaging from the office of Betsy Gavron, Assistant Superintendent, that will include instructions for creating your portal account and viewing test results.
Enjoy the weekend!
~Allyson Mizoguchi, WHS Principal
