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Many Walpole students have been accepted into various honor music ensembles. These students had successful auditions and earned the opportunity to participate in festivals including the SEMMEA Senior and Junior Districts Festivals, MMEA All State Festival, and SEMSBA Senior and Junior Festivals. Festivals consist of a day of intensive rehearsals on the first day, followed by a second day with dress rehearsals and a culminating concert. The School Committee and Administration is proud of their dedication, hard work and commitment to excellence!

Also recognized were Walpole High School students who won various Scholastic Art Awards. The Scholastic Art Awards are the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. This is a remarkable achievement for our students whose work was recognized by a panel of creative professionals as the most outstanding work submitted among their peers. Walpole takes great pride in their accomplishments!

Favor N., Walpole High School representative to the School Committee provided the following report:

• Time is certainly flying by as we are already more than halfway through the 3rd term of the year.

• There are many things to look forward to at Walpole High School, including the opportunity for bilingual juniors to obtain the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy.

• Spring sports are right around the corner and tryouts will begin next week.
• Many winter sports enjoyed a rewarding season. In particular, the girls’ varsity basketball team secured the Bay State Champion Title and the Track and Field team was able to send players to Nationals.
• The Humane Society is collecting donations for local shelters, including towels, pet food, and more.
• The Science Olympiad team competed in the Science Olympiad Massachusetts State Competition. Many members put on an outstanding performance and produced amazing rankings.
• The Speech and Debate team competed at Shrewsbury High School and came home with 3 award-winning students. They are now getting ready to compete this Saturday at the last regular season tournament.
• The UNICEF Club is making final preparations for the 2nd annual Egg My Yard Fundraiser. Families can enjoy the fun of an Easter Egg Hunt without the troubles of putting it all together. Click here to sign up for this fundraiser.
• Overall, the year continues to get busier. It’s been a great year thus far and better things are still to come.

1. Out of State Field Trips - The School Committee voted to approve the following three out-of-state field trips:

1. Walpole High School Robotics to Houston, TX from April 16 to April 21, 2024
2. Walpole High School Boys' Cross-Country Team to Manchester, NH on September 21, 2024
3. Walpole High School Boys' Cross-Country Team to Warwick, RI on September 28, 2024

2. Art Curriculum Update - Sandy Allison, Art Department Chair at Walpole High School, delivered a Art Curriculum update. The full report can be viewed here at time marker 9:15.

3. Music Curriculum Update - Timothy Fleming, K-12 Music Coordinator, provided a Music Curriculum Update. Mr. Fleming's full report can be viewed here at time marker 25:00.

• Two weeks ago, Walpole High School was one of 29 districts awarded $75,000 to enhance its career pathway programs, providing students with coursework and hands-on experiences in high-demand STEM industries.
• Information regarding MCAS was provided. MCAS testing is an essential assessment that measures student progress, informs school accountability, and impacts our district’s DESE rating. Participation is required by federal and state law, and results can qualify students for state awards like the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship and the State Seal of Biliteracy. The data collected helps educators refine instructional strategies and allocate resources to better support student learning. Families can support students by encouraging a positive mindset, ensuring they get adequate rest and nutrition, and reinforcing the importance of doing their best. Together, we can help our students approach the MCAS with confidence and achieve success.
• An overview was provided of the upcoming events scheduled for March and early April. To stay informed about these events, please refer to the school and district calendars.
• Please be reminded the Walpole High School is currently accepting applications for the STEM Academy Class of 2028 (current grade 8 students). The deadline to apply is May 17th. All information, including the online application, can be found by visiting WHS STEM Academy. Students should contact their current technology teacher or Mr. Braccini at jbraccini@walpole.k12.ma.us with any questions.

• The Extended Day Program is offering an April Vacation Camp for the upcoming school break on Tuesday, April 22 - Thursday, April 24. The Camp will take place at Boyden Elementary School and is open to all Walpole students in grades K - 5.

  To register, please complete the online registration form by Monday, April 3rd

1. Student Opportunity Act - The DESE Student Opportunity Act/Student Opportunity Plan is a legislative requirement mandating districts to develop a 3-year plan, regardless of the of the increase in Chapter 70 funding received. This plan supports the implementation of strategies and resources to close gaps for identified targeted student groups. The School Committee approved plan submission by Dr. Gough by April 1, 2024.

2. Budget Update - Dr. Gough and Mr. Friscia provided an update regarding the Walpole Public Schools FY25 budget outlook. They reminded the Committee that a Finance Committee Meeting is scheduled for March 25 to vote on town budgets.

3. Middle School Building Project -

To streamline the transition of the consolidated middle school, there will be two additional June early release days, exclusively for middle school students, on Friday, June 7th and Tuesday, June 11th. This allocation of time will allow staff to efficiently transfer all materials from both Bird and Johnson to the new Walpole Middle School by the end of the school year. It's important to note that these early release days apply solely to middle school students.

The Middle School Building Project is still on-time, on-budget and moving along very well. Recent building photos and videos can be seen on the middle school webpage. The community is encouraged to visit the webpage and reach out to the Middle School Project team with any questions or comments via email at middleschoolproject@walpole.k12.ma.us.

4. High School Project - Mrs. Denitzio provided an update on the high school project. The Walpole High School Working Group met recently to review the latest project cost estimates. A Meeting is scheduled for March 21 with the School Committee, Select Board, Tappe Architects and Vertex Companies to review the scope of the project.