News & Announcements

Child comfort and support kits for children in homeless shelters, donations of Spanish language books for an aftercare program, and collections of granola bars and other nutritional treats for service men and women and first responders were among the many creative efforts undertaken during Community Service Week in the Westfield Public School District.

As part of a Historical Fiction unit, 5th graders in Westfield Public Schools read "Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry, a historical fiction novel that follows a friendship between a Jewish girl and a Christian girl in Copenhagen and their journey to freedom during World War II. Recent virtual presentations on the Holocaust provided students with important real-life context to these classroom experiences.

Since the summer of 2012, students and staff have looked forward to attending STEM Camp. Unfortunately, due to the health and safety concerns relating to COVID-19, the district will not be offering the camp this summer. The district has discussed alternatives such as a virtual camp but remote STEM Camp would not come close to the experiences we have provided over the years. We look forward to when we can offer our popular in-person STEM Camp in the future.

The Westfield Board of Education has hired a consulting firm to conduct the search for a new superintendent. Community members and district staff are encouraged to complete a short survey to provide input as to the educational characteristics, leadership style, and values that are important for the position. Read on to access links to the surveys.

Students and our visual and performing arts staff continue to find creative ways to produce art and music, even in this virtual world. Read all about it in the December/January issue of Arts a la Carte.

At its reorganization meeting on Jan. 5, 2021, the Westfield Board of Education welcomed new members Sahar Aziz, Leila Morrelli, and Sonal Patel, who were sworn in by Board Attorney Richard Kaplow before the virtual meeting.

Westfield High School 11th and 12th graders in Jennifer Sirman’s environmental science class made a recent virtual field trip to a sea turtle hospital in Florida as part of a classroom ecology unit. Students were given a virtual tour, meeting “Galapagos,” “Justice Ginsberg,” and other rehabilitating sea turtles named, by hospital staff, after places and people in history.

Whether teaching life lessons using quotes of famous people, spreading Math cheer, encouraging creative writing, or being a good listener, teachers in Westfield Public Schools were lauded by their students who used poetry, essays, song, and art to thank the educators during this time of COVID.

Whether creating holiday cards for senior care facilities, conducting food drives and collecting warm clothing for families in need, or donating masks and cleaning wipes to school staff, the Westfield Public Schools community continues its tradition of giving, despite challenges presented by COVID-19.

The district's Technology Department has created a list of tips to help families and staff navigate common technology problems related to remote learning.