WHS Parent Newsletter
From the desk of Shannan McKenna
September 5, 2025
Happy Friday!
It was another great week at WHS. Our students have continued to immerse themselves in learning and embracing new opportunities, which has been great to see.
Last evening, it was wonderful to see so many families at Open House. For those who may have missed the event, the introductory slides, as well as the Early College Options presentation are linked here- Open House slides.
We hope everyone has a great weekend!
ASVAB Testing – September 25: All Grade 11 students will participate in the ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP) on Wednesday, September 25, from 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. in the gymnasium.
- Why Take the ASVAB? The ASVAB CEP helps students identify their strengths, explore potential career paths, and plan for the future. Originally designed for military enlistment, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) has also been shown to assess academic abilities and predict success in a wide range of careers. Students not only complete the test but also gain access to tools that connect their skills and interests with possible career pathways.
- Benefits of Taking the ASVAB:
- Career Exploration: Discover career fields that match individual skills and interests.
- Skill Assessment: Identify strengths and areas for growth to support academic and career success.
- Learning Style Insights: Understand learning preferences to improve study habits.
- Comprehensive Testing: Explore a wide range of subjects, from math to mechanics.
- College Planning: Use results to help guide future college majors and courses.
- Real-World Applications: Explore career options beyond the classroom.
If you have any questions about ASVAB testing, please contact Dr. Maio at jmaio@windhamsd.org.
In this edition (*new information is bolded)
- Shout-outs
- Student Council Updates: Class Dues
- MyPowerHub Information
- Parent Portal Information (PowerSchool and Schoology)
- WSD Communications Guide
- Bus Tracking App
- Student Arrival and Dismissal procedures
- PickUp Patrol
- Cell Phone Policy Update
- Parent Council
- School Counseling Information: PSAT Sign-Ups; Therapy Dogs; Senior College Checklist; Upcoming College Visits; Senior College Night
- Athletics: Fall Sports; September Weight Room Schedule
- Free Tutoring Resource
- Volunteer Information
- We're Hiring!
- WHS Events: Lunch Group; TMobile Contest; Boys' Soccer Kick Out Hunger; Girls' Soccer Kick Out Hunger
- Outside Events: WMAA Mattress Sale; Craft Fair; FLOW Events; Windham Lacrosse-Fall Skills; Blackout Cancer
Important Dates
- Sept. 15: Granite EdVance Senior College Information Night, 6:30 pm
- Sept. 18: Senior Aerial Photo; Club Fair during Lunches
- Big "Shout Out" to Mr. Mike Cirelli for taking all of the Senior Pictures at the very first Media Day for all of the Fall Sports Teams. It also happened to be his Birthday! Thank you, Mr. Cirelli for spending your birthday with us!!
Class Dues
Purpose
Annually, each class collects "Class Dues" to supplement class activities during the year, allocating a majority of the funds collected to offset senior year expenses. Dues are used for class activities like hallway decorating, spirit week decor, decorations for prom, and to offset senior activities. Senior year students will be given class t-shirts, have a breakfast hosted for them by the Student Council, host a BBQ celebration during senior week, and offset the cost of attending the annual dinner cruise in Boston. Historically, each class has purchased a class gift to remember each class. Gifts have varied depending on the class. Class gifts are planned and purchased by the Student Council members of each graduating class.
Students can pay Class Dues in person or online:
Online: Dues have been assigned to each student's PowerSchool Account. Payments can be made using the "Parent Portal". They need to click on Fee Balance on the left hand side of the screen. That will bring them to the fees page, where they can select Make a Payment in the upper right hand corner. Parents should be able to pay the dues that have been assigned to their student by proceeding to the checkout process.
In Person: Dues can also be paid in person. Class advisors are collecting dues before school on September 23rd and after school on September 24th in the library. Dues can be paid using cash or check. Checks must be made payable to Windham High School. Please include your child's name in the memo line and year of graduation.
If students have any questions or concerns about dues, please reach out to class advisors or the advisor of Student Council:
>> Class of 2029: Jill Bartlett or Michael Cirelli
>> Class of 2028: Lindsay Ross or Michael Crosby
>> Class of 2027: Maura Sampson or Bethany Fleming
>> Class of 2026: Jessica Reills or Kaitlyn Cox
>> Student Council: Amber Bishop
MyPowerHub
We are proud to introduce a new parent platform, MyPowerHub. This platform enables our district to utilize a centralized platform from PowerSchool, consolidating the flow of information from schools to parents and guardians. In MyPowerHub, parents/guardians can:
See their child’s progress in one place
See school, classroom, club, and district communications in one place
Get direct messages from teachers and staff
Submit forms
View fees
Sign up for parent/teacher conferences
View transportation information
You should have received a message from the district to log in to the platform to complete your yearly registration forms and to view the updated bus routes. If you have not logged into the platform yet, please follow the instructions below to log in before the start of the school year. Instructions
Parent Portals
PowerSchool Parent Portal
- Used to view your student's
- Report cards
- Course and assignment grades
- Lunch balances and other school fees
- Attendance
- Schedules
- Need to Sign in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal for the first time? Follow these instructions to activate your account. Please complete this process on a laptop or desktop for the best results! If you encounter any difficulties, please complete the Parent PowerSchool Account Support form.
- App vs. Website: Here is a helpful guide comparing when to use the PowerSchool app versus when to use the website.
- Questions?
- If you need assistance in viewing a student’s information, please contact PowerSchool@windhamsd.org and include your student’s name and grade level.
- If you need assistance signing into your PowerSchool parent portal, please contact PowerSchool@windhamsd.org.
Schoology Parent Portal
- Used to view your student's
- Courses
- Upcoming, current, and overdue assignments
- Daily/weekly student agendas
- Set up weekly notifications within the platform
- In order to gain access, all parents (K-12) will need to log in and use the password Changeme1 the first time they access their Schoology Parent account this year. Please make sure to follow the instructions on how to reset your password after logging in.You will need to use the same email from your PowerSchool Parent Portal Login. Please read through the instructions carefully in order to successfully activate your account. The login link is provided within the instructions. We recommend you complete the reactivation/set-up on a laptop/desktop for the best user experience.
- Questions?
- If you need assistance in signing into your Schoology, please contact PowerSchool@windhamsd.org.
- If you need assistance in viewing a student’s information, please contact PowerSchool@windhamsd.org and include your student’s name and grade level.
- If you have questions about the classroom page content, please contact your student's teacher directly.
WSD Communications Guide
This guide is meant to help families understand the multiple communication methods employed by the district.
Student Arrival and Dismissal
The first bell rings at 7:47 a.m., and students are considered tardy after 7:52 a.m. Students are dismissed at 2:17 p.m. All parent pick-up should take place behind the school building. Please do not pick up in front of the building or in the Visitor Parking lot at the front of the school. This causes safety issues in an area where students are walking and buses are operating.
Bus Tracking App
Reporting Absences, Dismissals, and Tardies
We will continue to utilize PickUp Patrol as the preferred method for reporting student tardies, absences, and early dismissals.
Alternatively, you may use the attendance email, whsattendance@windhamsd.org, or call the main WHS line at (603) 845-1558, Option 1.
If you need any assistance with PickUp Patrol, please reach out to Mr. Keshigian (mkeshigian@windhamsd.org).
Cell Phone Policy Update
In accordance with new state legislation, students will be prohibited from utilizing personal electronic devices, such as cell phones, at all times during school hours, including during lunch, study halls, and passing periods.
At the start of the school year, all students will be expected to keep personal electronic communication devices (ie, cell phones, smart watches, tablets, personal laptops) stored away during the school day.
Please note that students who utilize electronic devices for medical needs, such as insulin pumps and glucose sensors, or to support their learning as identified by their individualized education program (IEP) or plan developed under Section 504. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s medical device accessibility, please reach out to your student’s school counselor, case coordinator, or 504 coordinator.
Parent Council
Throughout the school year, WHS hosts monthly school council meetings. The meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month, beginning on Sept. 17th, from 3:30-4:30 pm in the WHS media center.
This is a great opportunity for you to provide feedback and suggestions from a parent’s/guardian's perspective as we look to continually improve our practices.
If you are interested in volunteering your time, please reach out to Mrs. McKenna (smckenna@windhamsd.org) directly.
Therapy Dogs
As a district we will be having therapy dogs visiting the schools. At WHS these dogs visit advisories, as well as classrooms that sign-up for a visit. If you would like to opt your child out, please contact our guidance department (kkennedy@windhamsd.org). Thank you!
Fall Sports
Windham offers ten fall sports:
- Bass fishing
- Cheer
- Boys' and Girls' Cross-Country
- Field Hockey
- Football
- Golf
- Boys' and Girls' Soccer
- Girls' Volleyball
All athletic schedules can be found on the Windham BigTeams website. Coaches communicate using Sportsyou.com
Any questions can be directed to:
- Jon Hall – Athletic Director, email: jhall@windhamsd.org, phone: 603-845-1558 x 5804
- Donna DiZazzo – Athletics Admin Asst., email: jhilton@windhamsd.org, phone: 603-845-1558 x 5803
Top 10 Facts
How it works...
How it works (cont'd)...
Interested in Volunteering?
Our volunteers are a critical component of our school district's success, and we appreciate and thank them for their time and commitment! Beginning in late August, returning designated volunteers will receive notifications from the online training system. If you are interested in volunteering or are new to our district, please follow the process outlined on our website. If you have any questions about this process, please email hr@windhamsd.org.
Where to find us
Location: 64 London Bridge Road, Windham, NH 03087, USA
Phone: 603-845-1558
Email: smckenna@windhamsd.org
Website: https://whs.windhamsd.org/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/WindhamHighSchool
Twitter: @WHSJaguars