WHS Parent Newsletter
From the desk of Shannan McKenna
Windham High School is an educational community that provides diverse learning opportunities to create lifelong learners through hard work, high standards, personal responsibility and service to their community.
December 12, 2025
Happy Friday!
It was another busy week at WHS as our winter athletic teams opened competition and our winter concert series continued with the Band and Jazz band performance. We are looking forward to next week's winter spirit week and celebrating all that the season has to offer!
We hope you are enjoying the rollout of MyPowerHub. MyPowerHub now enables our district to utilize a centralized platform from PowerSchool, consolidating school communication, grades, assignments, forms, meal balances, and direct messaging capabilities all within a single login. Starting in January, all school newsletters will only be posted to the Newsfeed section of MyPowerHub. This will help streamline parent communication into one central location. You will receive an email notification once it is posted to your newsfeed. If you do not receive these notifications, please check your notification settings. Also, if you have not logged into MyPowerHub yet, please follow these instructions.
Have a great weekend!
In this edition (*new information is bolded)
- Shout Outs
- Senior Information: Cap & Gown Orders
- ELOs: HCA ELO at Parkland
- Community Service Opportunities
- Technology: School Messenger Text Opt-In; MyPowerHub Notifications; Parent Portal Information (PowerSchool and Schoology)
- General School: Free and Reduced Meal Options; Student Arrival and Dismissal procedures; Reporting Absences/Tardies/Dismissals; Bus Tracking App
- School Counseling Information: Standardized Test Info; Therapy Dogs; MCC HVAC courses
- Athletics: Winter Sports; December Weight Room Schedule
- Free Tutoring Resource- SAT and CTE offerings
- Volunteer Information
- We're Hiring!
- WHS Events: Grinch Movie; Lunch Group
- Outside Events: Nesmith Library Events; Windham Helping Hands; Gingerbread Decorating; PTA Reflections Contest; Join the PTA; WMAA Fundraisers
Important Dates
- Dec. 15-23- Winter Spirit Week (see below)
- Dec. 17- Choir & JAGapella Concert at 6:30 pm
- Dec. 24-Jan. 2- Winter Break
Shout Outs
- The WHS Band and Jazz Band, under the direction of Ms. Becky Pierce, continued our winter concert series with a wonderful performance on Thursday evening.
Information for Seniors
Cap and Gown Orders
We have moved the ordering for cap and gowns online this year. There is no cost for the cap and gown, but we want to make sure we get you the accurate size, so please visit the site to fill out your information. Orders should be completed by Winter break to ensure a timely delivery. Gowns will be handed out the week prior to graduation at senior check out day. If you have any questions about this process, please see Janessa Murphy in school counseling.
ELOs
HCA ELO at Parkland
The HCA Extended Learning Opportunities program at Parkland Medical Center is a formalized program including professional development, shadow experiences, reflections and a research project.
However, students may choose to participate to earn community service hours instead of course credit.
It is a wonderful growth opportunity for students and an extremely unique opportunity to gain experience in a hospital setting! Interns must be 16+ at time of internship.
See the attached flyer for the link/QR Code to apply - APPLICATION DEADLINE 12/15!!
Please email or stop by in C238 (School to Career Office) if you plan to apply - internships must be registered and approved with this office prior to your start date in order to be eligible for credit.
If you have any interest in learning more about career opportunities, please contact Kimber Leuteritz, School to Career Coordinator at kleuteritz@windhamsd.org.
If you would like to share your business with Windham High School Students, please complete this survey link https://bit.ly/WHSCompanyContacts
Community Service
Community Service Opportunities for WHS Students
WHS students have access to a wide variety of community service opportunities in our community. These experiences help students give back, explore interests, and build skills that will benefit them beyond high school.
We have some exciting new opportunities now:
2025-12-12/13 Gingerbread House Decorating
2025-12-13 Face Painting for Windham Mom's
2025-12-14 Breakfast with Santa, Castleton Banquet Center
Opportunities are updated regularly and can be found here:
👉Current WHS Community Service Opportunities Folder
Please remind your student that volunteer hours should be logged in x2VOL through Clever within 30 days of completion.An accurate email address is required for hour verification. Hours are verified & approved before they can count toward graduation requirements.
Encourage your student to get involved—volunteering is a wonderful way to grow, connect, and contribute!
Any questions or want some assistance, please email us!
Kimber Leuteritz & Laura Boyd
School to Career Office
Technology Information
School Messenger- Text Messaging Service
Instructions for how to opt-in for text messages
MyPowerHub
Instructions for adjusting parent notifications in MyPowerHub are available here.
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
If you have not logged into the platform yet, please follow the instructions below to log in:
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.
General School
Free and Reduced Meal Options
We understand that some families may be affected by the upcoming changes to assistance programs beginning November 1, 2025. In the event of a prolonged shutdown, November’s SNAP food benefits may not be issued until federal funding is restored. Families participating in the SNAP program are considered Directly Certified and are unaffected by the shutdown through NSLP. Federal workers who are not being paid or have been laid off and need assistance should complete an application.
We want to remind families that applications for free or reduced price meals are available for any family who wishes to apply. Applications are sent to each household at the beginning of the school year and are available throughout the year at each school cafeteria, at the SAU office, and online.
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.
Reporting Absences, Dismissals, and Tardies
We will continue to utilize PickUp Patrol as the preferred method for reporting student tardies, absences, and early dismissals.
Changes can be entered into the system from a smartphone or computer days, weeks, or months in advance, and at any time up until 1:20pm on the day of the change. After 1:50 pm, changes will not be accepted except in the case of an emergency. Such changes can be made via phone directly to the main office. The end of the school day is a busy time, so to ensure the safety of all students, please plan accordingly and limit these exceptions to emergencies only.
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).
Bus Tracking App
School Counseling
Standardized Test Planning
As you plan ahead for standardized testing, here is some important information about the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, and ACT.
Every student’s goals and timelines look a little different, so use this resource to help determine the testing schedule that’s right for your family.
The Standardized Test Information Document breaks down each of the three major standardized tests, compares the SAT and ACT, outlines a sample testing timeline, and offers test prep recommendations.
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!
MCC- HVAC courses
Please see below for more information
Athletics
Winter Sports
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
Weight Room Schedule
The Weight Room will be open in December on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-3:30 pm
Free Tutoring Offerings
Tutor.com
Volunteer Information
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.
We Need Your Help...Hiring Paraprofessionals
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a part of our school staff, we have paraprofessional job opportunities at each school. Paraprofessionals are instrumental in the foundation and success of our students. Some additional benefits to working with us include:
· Steady schedules and summers off: Your schedule during the school year will be 5 days a week, following the school calendar.
· Convenient parenting hours
· Bonus pay for classroom teacher coverage: Paraprofessionals working as coverage shall receive an additional five dollars ($5.00) per hour, rounded to the nearest half-hour, up to a maximum of thirty dollars ($30.00) per day.
· Longevity incentives: The District has a tiered longevity system in place to honor years of service.
If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Kate Hennigar at hrdirector@windhamsd.org.
WHS Events
Grinch Movie
Lunch Group
Outside Events
The following events are sponsored by organizations outside our school community
Nesmith Library Events
Windham Helping Hands
PTA Reflections Contest
Gingerbread House Decorating Party
Join the PTA
WMAA Fundraising
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