WHS Parent Newsletter
From the desk of Shannan McKenna
August 22, 2025
Happy Friday!
I hope your summer has been filled with time outdoors, meaningful moments with family and friends, and a chance to recharge. I’m excited to share the very first newsletter of the 2025–2026 school year as we prepare to welcome staff and students back into the building!
Our school has been buzzing all summer with activity—Summer School, ESY, Enrichment programs, curriculum work, theater performances, athletics, and several building improvement projects. We’re proud to have offered these opportunities to our students and extend a big thank-you to the staff who made it all possible.
Yesterday, we had the joy of welcoming our newest Jags during orientation. It was wonderful to see the halls filled with energy and excitement. A special thanks goes to the staff and upperclassmen who helped make the event such a success. The evening featured helpful sessions from our technology and counseling teams—those presentations are linked here for your reference:
Have a great weekend and we will look forward to seeing all of our students on Wednesday, 8/27!
In this edition
- Introducing our new staff
- 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
- Summer Reading Reminder
- School Counseling Information: Senior College Checklist; SNHU College Fair Field Trip
- Athletics
- Free Tutoring Resource
- Volunteer Information
- We're Hiring!
- Outside Events: Blackout Cancer
Important Dates
- Aug. 27: First Day of School (JAG Day)
- Sept. 1: Labor Day-No School
- Sept. 3: Student Photos
- Sept. 4: WHS Open House, 6:00-8:00 pm
- Sept. 15: Granite EdVance Senior College Information Night, 6:30 pm
- Sept. 18: Senior Aerial Photo; Club Fair during Lunches
Introducing our New WHS Staff!
Assistant Principal: Harley Hall
Paraprofessionals:
Math Teacher: Sheli Aldridge
Reading Specialist: Brandi MacDonald
Science Teachers: Mark Amaral and Elizabeth Dumais
Speech Pathologist: Amy Aubrey
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.
Summer Reading Reminder
At Windham High School we seek to develop a lifelong love of learning. Summer reading and assignments provide opportunities for our students to extend their learning beyond the school year, while ensuring that students continue to practice and apply their skills in preparation for their upcoming classes.
Please select your year of graduation tab (2029, 2028, 2027, or 2026) or Advanced Placement to find the assignments associated with your upcoming course(s).This information is also available from the Summer Reading Unified Classroom page.
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 of the fall sports' seasons have already begun with try-outs taking place over the last two weeks.
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
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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.
New Volunteer Fingerprint Scan at SAU
The Windham SAU office is pleased to offer interested new volunteers the opportunity to schedule fingerprinting appointments at 19 Haverhill Road on Tuesday, August 26th, and Wednesday, the 27th, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. With the last appointment being at 1:30, if you would like to book an appointment, please click here. Please note, this process can take up to several weeks for the results to be returned. Additionally, if the SAU submits fingerprints and the results are rejected, you may need to use LiveScan, an efficient background check method outlined on our website and available at local DMVs. For complete background check information, visit our website.
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