WHS eNotes

Dear students, staff, and parents/guardians:

Apparently, there is snow in the forecast for this weekend. Did you know that snow forms when temperatures are at or below freezing, and each snowflake can be made up of as many as 200 ice crystals? While snowflakes are often described as completely unique, there is no scientific proof that no two are alike - though they almost always form with six sides or points.

On a more practical note, our second semester began yesterday (Day 1), and we hope students are settling into their new schedules. Please remember that if there is a snow day on Monday and school is canceled, you will receive a robo-call from the Superintendent - no call means no snow day.

Also, in the event of a snow day, we simply skip that day in the rotation. For example, if Monday (Day 3) is canceled due to snow, Tuesday will be a Day 4.

Thank you, as always, for your continued flexibility and support. Stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy the weekend.

Sincerely,

Stephen Imbusch

Principal

Walpole High School is seeking a dedicated and experienced Girls Varsity Tennis Coach to lead its high school tennis program. The coach will be responsible for fostering a competitive and positive team culture, developing student-athletes' skills and character, and ensuring alignment with the school’s values and academic mission.

Job Start Date: March 16, 2026

Job Requirements

• Prior playing/coaching experience at the high school or collegiate level preferred.
• Strong knowledge of tennis rules, techniques, and strategies.
• Ability to serve as a positive role model and mentor.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Must pass all background checks and required school/district certifications.

Three letters of recommendation required.

Salary per WTA Contract.

If interested, please reach out to Coach St. Martin at dstmartin@walpole.k12.ma.us

Please see the attachment below for information about our College Admissions Panel scheduled for Thursday, February 5th at 6:30pm.

This is to inform you about a mandatory health screening for Grade 10 students that will be taking place soon. The screening program is known as SBIRT- Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment. The screening meets the requirements of MGL Ch 71 Section 96. Our goal is to let students know that we are available to reinforce healthy decisions and to assist them in obtaining support if needed for substance use related problems.

The SBIRT program screening process will be completed on Tuesday, January 27th, Wednesday, January 28th and Thursday, January 29th. The screenings will be conducted by the school counseling and nursing staff in private one-on-one sessions. We will use the CRAFFT screening tool, the most commonly used substance use screening tool for adolescents in Massachusetts.

As with any school screening, you have the right to opt your child out of this screening. In addition, screening is voluntary and students may also elect to opt out of this screening.

Attention Seniors: The following scholarships are now available. Please check the scholarship list found on your SCOIR drive.

James Lavoie Essay Contest

The Larry Rooney Jr. Memorial Scholarship

AFL-CIO Scholarship

Big Y Foods Inc. Scholarship

The Stephen Philips Memorial Scholarship Fund

The 2026 Walpole Scholarship Foundation application is now available. WHS seniors who are applying to a post high school institution may apply. Please see the Foundation's website- www.walpolescholarshipfoundation.org - for links to the electronic application and more information.

Please join us for another fun night of trivia! All proceeds from this even go directly to scholarships for Walpole students! Tickets available online at: https://tinyurl.com/WSFTrivia26

Private Lessons through the WPS Music Department

The Walpole Public Schools Music Department is pleased to announce the spring session for our Private Lesson Program for students in grades 4 - 12. If your child is interested in taking private instrument or voice lessons, here is your chance. Lessons are offered in flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, guitar and voice. All lessons are taught by accomplished performers on their respective instruments. Some lessons are currently being taught virtually.

Session 2 will run February 2 to June 12. Registration is open Friday, January 9th through Monday, January 26th.

For more information, visit:

Lesson Program Information Page

To register, visit:

Lesson Registration Link

For questions, email:

Tim Fleming (K-12 Music Coordinator) at tfleming@walpole.k12.ma.us

The iCARE program, from the creators of iDECIDE, is a comprehensive curriculum for parents and

caregivers focused on understanding substance use and building resilience in children. It covers topics such as the effects of various substances, the role of industry influences, and identifying risk and protective factors. A key component is fostering effective communication strategies to discuss sensitive topics and encourage positive behavior changes. The program aims to equip parents with factual knowledge and practical skills to guide their children.

Teachers in the World Language Department are now registering their students for the National Spanish Exam and the National French Contest. The registration deadline for the National Spanish Exam is approaching in January. Any student who is interested in participating in either language contest should speak to their teacher about signing up. See below for information about each exam and the benefits of participating.

The National French Contest

The National French Contest is an annual competition where students of French in grades 1-12, in all 50 states and abroad, take a written test and compete against students with similar educational backgrounds for prizes.

The National Spanish Exam

The National Spanish Exam (NSE) is an online, motivational competition that recognizes, stimulates, and promotes students’ linguistic competence and proficiency in Spanish. In addition to the contest, the NSE is a standardized online assessment for grades 6-12, that measures both content standards (vocabulary and grammar) and performance standards (reading and listening comprehension). This tool provides valuable feedback on the students’ proficiency, monitoring and tracking their progress and development each year.

Students who place at or above the 75th percentile at the national level receive medals (gold, silver, bronze, honorable mention) and are eligible to apply for several types of scholarships (Global Citizen Scholarship, Junior Study Abroad Program, Senior Scholarship).

Grade Mania began on Tuesday, January 20th! As a part of a fundraiser for the Walpole Food Pantry, the National Honors Society is holding a contest to see which grade can raise the most money. Students can donate during lunch using cash or Venmo. Parents can participate by donating for their child's grade either during basketball games or via the Venmo (@Whs-Donations). To donate, write “NHS Grade [#]” (inserting 9, 10, 11, or 12 for the #) in the description. At the end of Grade Mania, whichever grade raises the most money wins! Every student in that grade will receive a gift card to a local restaurant such as Muffin House Cafe or Playa Bowls. Donate today and help those suffering from food insecurity!

The Photography Club will meet on January 29th. The theme is finally Snow! It's our first time this winter for the snow theme. With the prediction of a major winter storm we finally can pick the theme and we should get some amazing pictures of some white fluffy snow this coming weekend. So bundle up and get outside after the storm is over, before the footprints get in the snow and take those pictures. It does look pretty in the trees when it's new snow.

If you would like more information contact jdagostino@walpole.k12.ma.us

Follow our instagram to see the pictures from the club: @photography_whs123

We will be traveling to Boston to experience The View, the observatory atop the Prudential Center in February. Please see Sra. Bacon in room 1319 ASAP if you are interested in joining the group for this adventure!

Congratulations to our debaters: Team Treasurer Shaurya Panchal and Debate President Ramu Muthukaruppan who both competed at Big Lex- a tournament right in Massachusetts at Lexington High and open to the entire country!

Bravo to Shaurya Panchal who broke into the U50 semis!

The WHS Chamber Orchestra meets every Thursday from 2:15-3:15 PM in room 1101. This is a good opportunity for students who play a stringed instrument, but are unable to fit Orchestra into their school schedule. Please contact Mr. Bedrossian or Gwen Haferd for any information.

"The Walpole High School National Art Honor Society (NAHS) is looking for any requests for projects or services where our members can contribute their time, skills, and energy. NAHS is a selected group of creative, talented, and conscientious students dedicated to using their skills to support the community through art. Please fill out this form (https://forms.gle/4DpXdE3m7aaTTQE27) if you or anyone in your community is looking for help with bringing their creative projects to life!"

SENIOR Parents & Guardians: The DEADLINE to celebrate your Class of 2026 Senior with a Recognition Ad in the yearbook is coming soon - January 31st is the last day to submit an Ad. Please follow the directions in the link to design and purchase an optional ad for your Senior student. Please see the attached PDF for more details!

Please check in with our Class of 2026 Information site for ALL info regarding Senior year, including Yearbook due dates and updates!

Please check in with our Class of 2026 Information site for ALL info regarding Senior year, including Yearbook due dates and updates!

Timber Talk for the Winter Season!

Check out the latest episode right here:

https://youtu.be/7TQogxMWSAU

YouTube channel:

WHS Timber TV - YouTube

Fee Schedule:

Winter Athletic Fees- $375 for Boys/Girls Hockey and Gymnastics and $275 for the other sports.

The Athletic website is located on the High School homepage. On this page, you will find forms, registration instructions, online payments, Twitter information, coaches' contact information, and an athletic calendar with the daily game schedules.

David St. Martin

Athletic Director

Walpole Timberwolves apparel check out the link below.

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/massachusetts/walpole/walpole-high-school

For a list of upcoming events please click on the following link: https://sites.google.com/a/walpole.k12.ma.us/athletics/

Email: dstmartin@walpole.k12.ma.us

Phone: 508-660-7257
Twitter: @WalpolehighADSM

Email: simbusch@walpole.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/o/whs
Location: 275 Common Street, Walpole, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 660-7257
Twitter: @WalpoleHS

Instagram: @WalpoleHighSchool