WPS District Updates

Greetings Wilmington Community,

While the weather may not be cooperating, the calendar is irrefutable - Spring is soon around the corner and it is a wonderful time to celebrate (soon) the ‘turning of the seasons’ in New England. As we make our way through March, I know there are many wonderful events, both inside and out, that will take place, and I hope you are able to enjoy them.

One of the things that my office has worked hard to try and bring attention to over recent months is to recognize the notable days, weeks and months that are set aside to celebrate those in our midst. To that end, March is Women’s History Month. The theme for Women's History Month this year is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.” This is truly a wonderful time to celebrate, and thank, the many incredible achievements and contributions of women in our WPS community.

We are fortunate to have many terrific women working in multiple roles in our school system and in every department that direct and/or support the work the district does every day. As just one example… I’ll draw your attention with a shoutout to Ms. Terresa Pietro in the letter of recognition that follows in this newsletter.

As American Lawyer and Jurist, Ruth Bater Ginsburg once said… “As women achieve power, the barriers will fall. As society sees what women can do, as women see what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we’ll all be better off for it.” We are proud and appreciative of Ms. Pietro’s accomplishments, as we are of so many other women in our WPS Community, and we want to extend our gratitude for their hard work, commitment, and resilience to our students and our schools.

Happy Spring!

Glenn Brand, EdD, Superintendent of Schools

Date/Time: Typically held at 6:30pm (unless otherwise noted)

• 3/5/2025
• 3/25/2025
• 3/31/2025 at 7pm

Location: Most meetings are hybrid (via Zoom webinar and in-person at WHS LGIR), check the website meeting page for up-to-date information.

More information about the school building project is available on the project website. Check out the updated FAQ page. For questions or comments about the project, send an email to wildwoodprojectquestions@wpsk12.com

Please join us in extending appreciation to our school custodians who show dedication and commitment to keeping our schools and office environments clean and safe. They go above and beyond each day, ensuring that our spaces are not only tidy but also welcoming for everyone. They play an essential role in creating a conducive atmosphere for our students’ productivity and success. And they remind us that no job is too small or insignificant when it comes to creating a harmonious and thriving learning environment and workplace.

Wilmington Public Schools has formed a Welcoming Committee with the focus of looking at our schools and evaluating how welcoming our school environments are and what changes we can make, if necessary.

In order to understand how welcoming our schools are from the perspective of staff, students, families, and community members, we are seeking feedback via a survey. If you can take a few minutes to complete the survey, we would appreciate it.

🟡The survey will be open from 3/7/2025 to 3/24/2025.🟡

AWARDS: Range from $250 to $2,000 (number of recipients to be determined)

ELIGIBILITY: The recipients of these scholarships must be:

• residents of the Town of Wilmington,
• a high school senior, and
• must have been accepted to pursue education beyond the secondary school level at an institution deemed accredited by the Scholarship Committee

Click on the application link below to download the 2025 Town of Wilmington Scholarship Application. Applications are due by April 23, 2025, at 3:00 pm. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted, so be sure to check the list of items needed to submit your application before sending.

2025 Town of Wilmington Scholarship Application

Wilmington Public Schools Preschool and Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is OPEN! Visit the district website at www.wpsk12.com for the online registration link. Registration is open 3/1/2025 through 3/31/2025.

KINDERGARTEN

Please register by March 31st to ensure your child gets a screening appointment. Thank you!

PRESCHOOL

Please register by March 31st to ensure your child is included in the lottery. Families will be notified on April 3rd if your child receives a spot.

For those who are unable to complete the registration online, please contact your child’s home school (see below). An appointment will be made to obtain the 2025-2026 registration packet, required documents, and provide assistance if required.

Boutwell Early Childhood Center

Sarah Atwater, Administrative Assistant

978-694-6070

Wildwood Early Childhood Center

Justine Marquard, Administrative Assistant

978-694-6010

At the Shawsheen Elementary School the Grade 3 Student Leaders supported and welcomed the Warrior Project into the building. The Warrior project collects donations for books for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The students’ books will benefit the Lowell General Hospitals Specialty Care Unit. The school also had an author visit to celebrate the Warrior Project named Sherry Cerino. All classrooms received an autographed copy of her book The Turtles of Crab Island about friendship and kindness.

The school also just completed the PAC read-a-thon and will be adding up all the minutes that the students read this past month. So far, they have over 35,000 minutes read as a school! Lastly, for the first week of March the Shawsheen will be celebrating Read Across America with special theme days like Pajama Day, Career Day, and Superhero Day.

Read Across America Week is celebrated from March 2 to 6 — it begins on the birthday of the beloved author, Dr. Seuss. The entire month of March, in fact, is dedicated to reading. The National Education Association (N.E.A.) aims to encourage reading and educate people about its benefits, especially among children and young adults.

5 Interesting Facts About Dr. Seuss That You Should Know

1. You betcha

His friend bet that he couldn't write a book using 50 words, and that’s how “Green Eggs and Ham” came to be.

2. Dr. Seuss in the hat

Whenever he had writer’s block, he put on one of his funky hats to get the creativity flowing.

3. It’s in the genes

Dr. Seuss credited his mother for a lot of his rhymes.

4. He was underestimated

Dr. Seuss was voted “least likely to succeed” by his college classmates.

5. Not just for children

He even wrote two adult books.

Both of the middle school robotics teams did very well, especially considering they were the only middle school teams at the Battle of Lexington over the break. Team Apollo ranked 11th out of 28 teams. Team Artemis ranked 7th out of 28 teams and went deep into the playoffs. They were one win away from making the finals. Their performance earned Team Artemis the Motivate Award! The high school team dominated the competition, broke the state scoring record and won the Battle of Lexington to advance to the state championship! A lot of hard work and perseverance was on display by all the Wilmington Robotics members. All our teams really represented Wilmington well.

The Wilmington Wired Wildcats finished in 1st place at the Regional Qualifiers at "The Battle of Lexington" at Lexington High School on Feb 15th.

Now, the team is going to the FTC State Championship Competition on March 9th at Wentworth Institute of Technology.

The robotics team also holds the highest scoring match in the state and have the #1 autonomous OPR in the state!

Academic Decathlon

The Academic Decathlon is excited to head to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Emma Tarin and Purnina Thapa led the way with great performances at the regional competition in Ashland this past February. Emma received Honorable Mentions in Economy and Literature events. She also received the bronze medal in the Interview event. Purnima also received an Honorable Mention in Music. In addition, Ms. Thapa received a bronze medal in the Interview and Silver medal in the Social Studies event.

We wish the club well as they take on the best in the state finals at MIT!

March Multilingual Madness!

• March 2 - March 8: National Foreign Language Week 2025 - Music, Contests, and More!
• March 13: WHS Culture Festival! The World Cultures Club invites all WHS students and faculty to participate in the WHS Culture Festival on Thursday, March 13 @ 6:30PM in the WHS Cafeteria and Auditorium. We would like to showcase and celebrate the various cultures represented by the students and faculty at WHS and/or those cultures that may hold a special interest for us.
• To make this a really fantastic celebration we need YOU! For more information or to sign up, check out the flyer at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S34WmCIMyNphwfRPHPRRU-DamEnGIJsI/view

• March 20: French Language Day! March 20th is International Francophonie Day and French Language Day, which celebrates the French language and Francophone cultures.
• March 25: Dantedì is the Italian holiday that takes place on March 25th to celebrate the life of Dante Alighieri, the author of The Divine Comedy

We're grateful for our educators. Congratulations Ms. Pietro!

(Sharing accolades from the Massachusetts World Language Teachers Association)

Please note: Courses range in age and grade eligibility for students entering grades 4th through 12th. Please see Course Offerings & Descriptions (link below) for details.

Registration Deadline: Open Until Full

All Classes will be held at Wilmington High School, 159 Church Street.

Course Offerings & Descriptions:

https://sites.google.com/wpsk12.com/whssummer2017/enrichment

Registration Link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdc10oXJpgKslNvLowtcXFr0E3t60RSoH4Qnmpgn8fNPYMEsw/viewform

Please direct all questions for the WHS Summer Enrichment Program to:

Matt Hackett matthew.hackett@wpsk12.com

Michael Jones michael.jones@wpsk12.com

Or call WHS Main Office - 978-694-6060

During the summer, the Wilmington High School Athletic Department sponsors a series of sports clinics for children entering Grades 1-8. All clinics will be held at the Wilmington MIDDLE School unless otherwise specified below. All clinics will be run by WHS Coaches, Alumni, and Student-Athletes. The focus of each clinic is the development of skills through activity-based drills and scrimmages. The ultimate goal of the clinics is to develop children who enjoy participating in athletics.

For more information and to register, please visit:

https://students.arbitersports.com/programs/2025-wildcat-summer-sports-clinics

Clinic/Weeks:

Week 1: Baseball and Softball (@ High School), 6/16-6/20, 9am-2pm, (no clinics on 6/19). $200

Week 2: Boys + Girls Tennis (@ Boutwell Tennis Courts), 6/23-6/27. 9a-12p. $150

Week 2: All Sports, 6/23-6/27. 9am-2pm MON-THUR & 9am-12pm FRI. $225

Week 3: Boys Hoop and Field Hockey, 6/30-7/3, 9am-2pm, (No clinics on 7/4). $200

Week 3: Cross Country, 6/30-7/3, 9am-12pm, (No clinics on 7/4). $150

Week 4: Volleyball and Flag Football, 7/7-7/11, 9am-2pm MON-THUR & 9am-12pm FRI. $225

Week 5: Boys Soccer and Girls Soccer, 7/14-7/18, 9am-2pm MON-THUR & 9am-12pm FRI. $225

Week 6: Girls Hoop, Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, 7/21-7/25, 9am-2pm MON-THUR. 9am-12pm FRI. $225

Winner of eight Tony Awards, including best musical, HADESTOWN is an intriguing and beautiful folk opera that delivers a deeply resonating and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience. Following two intertwining love stories - that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of immortal King Hades and Lady Persephone - HADESTOWN invites audiences on a wild journey to the underworld and back. Inspired by traditions of classic American folk music and vintage jazz, this captivating musical pits industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.

This just released Teen Edition of HADESTOWN provides the full Broadway musical experience, edited slightly for high school performers.

We are pleased to share with you that Wilmington will be holding the 7th Annual Wilmington Unified Game Day hosted by The Special Olympics. This year, the event will be held on Friday, May 2nd from 10:00am to 2:00pm on the WHS Athletic Field, with a rain date of Monday, May 5th. The WPS Special Olympics Committee has been working hard to plan for this incredible annual event. More information will be shared as the date gets closer.

Help support the WHS Best Buddies Club and the Unified Game Day athletes by wearing a Game Day T (available in white and blue). Deadline to order is 3/17/2025.

More details are available at the Custom Ink site.

For local events, activities, and clubs, feel free to check out our district Friday Flyers page throughout the school year at https://www.wpsk12.com/cms/one.aspx?pageId=26924989

The Wilmington Town Museum, with support from the Wilmington Minutemen Company, will be hosting the 250th anniversary commemoration event for the creation of the Wilmington Minute Men in March of 1775, who mustered and marched on April 19, 1775 for the Battle of Lexington, Concord, & Menotomy.

The event will be held at the museum on Sunday, 3/23/2025 from 12-4pm and will include an Officer Installation ceremony, guest speakers, followed by a reception. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

What: Behind Their Screens, What Teens Are Facing (And Adults Are Missing)

When: Tuesday, 3/25/2025, 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Where: Zoom

Description:

Dr. Emily Weinstein and Dr. Carrie James, co-founders of the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education and authors of the impactful book Behind Their Screens, will join us virtually to share surprising insights from their latest research about teens and technology (particularly social media and GenAI), as well as practical strategies for parents, educators, and other caring adults. Register to receive reminders or drop in on the day of the program with this Zoom link.

More info on WML website at https://wilmlibrary.libnet.info/event/13096950

3/6/2025, 12pm, Empowering Students for the College Transition

Learning objectives:

• Caregivers will better understand common stressors and challenges in the college transition
• Caregivers will learn how to assess individual student strengths and areas of growth
• Caregivers will learn about the Emotional Preparedness model for college readiness

4/8/2025, 12pm, Managing Screen Time and Social Media Use

Learning objectives:

• Caregivers will learn how to develop a screen time plan for their kids
• Caregivers will know the specific types of social media use and their associated impacts on mental health
• Caregivers will learn tools for assessment of and changes to social media use

Important information:

All information for the caregiver webinars, including dates/times, Zoom links, presenter information and learning objectives can be found here on this website: https://healthcare.mgb.org/streaming/Live/McLean/McLean_SCS.html

All caregivers of school aged children K-12 and school staff in the Wilmington school/district are invited to attend. Webinars will be hosted live on their scheduled date and time with closed captioning. If you are unable to watch it live, they will be recorded and available “On Demand” shortly afterwards. The On Demand videos will be found on the same website link above. No pre-registration is required for the webinars.

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc. (MPY) is pleased to offer proven resources to help students' families thrive. Explore this curated collection of quick videos and informative handouts thoughtfully grouped by relevant topics. Each segment in the link below is filled with proven, practical, and easy-to-implement video solutions on a wide range of parenting challenges.

MPY is pleased to partner with Peace At Home Parenting to bring you expert resources to transform your parenting experience. Discover valuable insights and strategies to help you manage every aspect of parenting with clarity and confidence. When families thrive, kids succeed at school and parents can focus at work. Peace At Home works with family friendly companies, schools and organizations who understand that helping parents navigate challenges at home is critical to their success.

Click here to access the MPY informational library of videos and handouts. Resources available in English and Spanish.

The Town of Wilmington seeks talented individuals to join the summer Recreation Department team to be Silver Lake Lifeguards. Employment application forms can be found on the town

website at www.wilmingtonma.gov. Note: Applicants must be at least 16 years of age.

More details about the of the position can be found here.

Application process:

Please submit an employment application form to: Brett Sawin, Recreation Director,

Wilmington Town Hall, 121 Glen Rd., Wilmington, MA 01887, or electronically as a PDF to

bsawin@wilmingtonma.gov. Please note “Lifeguard Application” in the subject line.

The Food Services Department is seeking substitute staff to fill part-time hours at the high school, middle school, Woburn Street School, and West Intermediate School.

For questions or to apply, email: Mary Palen, Food Services Director, mary.palen@wpsk12.com

To apply: https://www.schoolspring.com/jobdetail?jobId=4787445

For questions, email: andrea.armstrong@wpsk12.com

• Thursday, 3/6/2025- Rescheduled WMS Parent Teacher Conferences, Early Release at WMS Only
• Sunday, 3/9/2025- Daylight Saving Time begins (spring forward one hour)
• Wednesday, 3/12/2025- Curriculum Improvement Time (CIT), Early Release District-Wide
• Thursday, 3/20/2025- Grade K-5 Parent Teacher Conferences, Early Release at Elementary Schools Only

Email: glenn.brand@wpsk12.com
Website: www.wpsk12.com
Location: 161 Church Street, Wilmington, MA 01887, USA
Phone: 978-694-6000