West Bridgewater Wildcat PRIDE

Hello WB Students, Staff, and Families,

We are in the final stretch of the year! There is a lot going on at each of the 4 schools so please be on the lookout for information from each of the schools with details. Just a reminder that the last day of school is on Wednesday, June 17th and it is a half day of school for students.

Mark Bodwell
Superintendent

I wanted to share some very good news with you from the May 11th Town Meeting.

The FY27 school budget was unanimously approved by the Town. It was previously recommended unanimously by the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee. Thank you to Kathy Grant, our Admin Team and School Committee for their work on the budget as well as the residents of West Bridgewater who approved the budget. The increase in our budget over FY26 was 4.54%. The total operating budget is $22,493,868. The amount that was approved at town meeting was $19,454,393. The school contribution (Grants, Circuit Breaker, Revolving Accounts and School Choice) is $3,039,475.

Also our 3 Capital Budget items were also approved unanimously at Town Meeting. We have created a 5 year capital budget and improvement plan that has been shared with the School Committee. As part of the plan each year we present potential projects to the towns capital budget committee and then it goes through the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee and finally to town meeting vote. Thank you to the Safe Schools Committee who supported all 3 projects.

We will begin the process of planning to complete the following projects:

1. Feasibility Study Secure Entry/Sallyport Systems - Rose L MacDonald School and Spring Street School
2. Intercom Systems - Rose L MacDonald and Spring Street School
3. Fire Alarm Panel - Howard School

Thank you again to the residents who supported our Budget and Capital Budget items.

Come out to see Shrek The Musical by the WB Drama Club!

• May 15th at 7:00 pm
• May 16th at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
• May 17th at 2:00 pm

Location: MSHS Auditorium

Our students and staff have done an amazing job preparing for the shows!

For tickets use the QR code on the flyer

We are so excited for our seniors as they near graduation. Weather permitting the graduation ceremony will be at War Memorial Park (Town Park). Here are some important events and dates:

• Senior Awards and Scholarship Night - May 26th 5:30 pm refreshments and 6:00 pm start
• Senior Reception - May 27th at 6:30 pm
• Graduation - May 29th at 5:00 pm
• Athletic Award Night - June 1st at 6:00 pm

If you have any questions please contact the MSHS main office at 508-894-1220

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our educators for everything they do for our students and families. Our families and community appreciates the care, commitment, and effort they bring to your work each and every day. As someone who has been in WB for many years, I feel fortunate to work alongside such a dedicated group of professionals. Thank you for continually going above and beyond to support ALL students.

Also a HUGE thank you to the families and organizations such as the PTO who provided food and other items for our staff last week. We appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness!

Summer Surround Care 2026 – Registration Now Open!
Come join the fun this summer!

Our Summer Surround Care program will run from June 22 through August 13, 2025, at the Middle Senior High School. The program is open to students entering grades 1–5 and operates Monday through Thursday, from 7:30-5:00, with daily and weekly rate options to suit your schedule.

Kids will enjoy a variety of activities and theme weeks including:
Arts & Crafts
Music
Sports & Games
Water Play
Indoor & Outdoor Free Play
Walking trips to Friendship Park, Town Park, and more!

See the Summer Calendars for theme week activities.

Don’t miss out on a summer of creativity, play, and adventure!
Learn more and register at: Summer Surround Care Registration

The WB staff played hard and did an outstanding job vs the world famous Harlem Wizards. Great job by the WBPTO organizing this event. The gym was packed and everyone had a great time. A HUGE thank you to all the players and the volunteers. It was a fun community event

Congratulations to the top five of the senior class who were invited to the South Coast Conference Academic All-Star Banquet! Your hard work and dedication afforded you this opportunity!

The banquet was held at the Century House in Acushnet. It was great to hear about our WB students and plans for next year as well as the top 5 from each of the other conference schools. This is a wonderful event that we are proud to be part of in the SCC!

Congratulations to the student crew who ran the Howard School PRIDE assembly this month. It was another great show put on by the students. They do an incredible job!

FREE School Meals- All students in the West Bridgewater School District have access to free breakfast and lunch each school day through Massachusetts’ Universal School Meals Program. These meals help ensure that all students are ready to learn. Click on WB Food Services to find lunch and breakfast menus.

New summer program at C.N. Smith!

C.N. Smith Kid's Garden Club A hands-on summer program at C.N. Smith Farm — West Bridgewater Market

Each child gets their own 8' x 8' plot and a Kids Garden Club Kit, then chooses their own plants (sold separately) and comes back all summer to plant, tend, and harvest. Stop by anytime we're open, daily 9 am–5 pm. Recommended for ages 4–15.

Food Assistance/Resources

We wish to remind families that support is available for anyone experiencing food insecurity and we encourage families to take advantage of local programs and school resources that provide nutritious meals and food assistance throughout the year.

Families seeking additional support can connect with the following other programs that provide groceries, meals, and nutritional assistance. The following is a list of resources including summer programs:

Summer Eats is a federal nutrition program designed to ensure that all youth (18 and under) have access to healthy meals and snacks during the summer, when school is not in session! Free meals are available to all kids and teens at hundreds of sites across the state.

SUN Bucks is a federal food benefit that helps low-income families with school-aged children buy groceries when schools are closed for the summer.

West Bridgewater Food Pantry. 457 Rear, South Main Street, Unit #1. Offers curbside pick-up on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month. You must be a West Bridgewater resident. Register at wbfoodpantry.com or call (508)510-5274.

Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline- Call or text 1-800-645-8333. This multilingual hotline is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Project Bread staff can connect families to nearby food pantries, school meal programs, and SNAP application support. Project Bread FoodSource Hotline.

The Greater Boston Food Bank- Visit http://www.gbfb.org and hit the “Request Help with SNAP” button to fill out an application for assistance, or use it to search for local food assistance by ZIP code.

Healthy Incentives Program (HIP)- This program helps SNAP clients buy more fruits and vegetables for their household. Vineyard Farms in West Bridgewater participates. No registration required, just bring your SNAP card with you! Learn more at http://mass.gov/hip

Cafeteria Position available Fall 2026!

We will have an opening for a 35 hours/week position at the MSHS starting in late August. Food service experience is helpful but not necessary but applicants must be able to lift 40 pounds and have a valid driver's license. Please call Ann Marie Grinder, Food Service Director, at (508)894-1220 ext. 1320 or email agrinder@wbridgewater.com for more information.

There was another great turn out of family, friends and community members at the Grand March in the MSHS gym for the Junior Prom. All of the students looked great! The fun continued at the prom which was held at the Canoe Club in WB.

✨ Our kindergarten students were so excited to receive their very own books through the Reading Is Fundamental program!

This wonderful program helps encourage a love of reading by putting books directly into the hands of children. We are so grateful for the opportunity to help our youngest Wildcats build their home libraries and continue growing as readers! ❤️📖

Massachusetts state regulations require physical examinations for all students who are new to the district, as well as students entering Grades 1, 4, 7, and 10. If your child is entering one of these grades and has had a recent physical exam, please be sure to provide a copy to the school nurse. If your child has not yet had a physical exam, we encourage families to schedule appointments over the summer so forms can be submitted before the start of the new school year.

As we approach the final month of the school year, now is a great time to connect with your child’s school nurse to prepare for a smooth transition into summer and the next school year. Please remember to pick up any student medications from the health office before the last day of school, as medications cannot be sent home on the bus or stored over the summer. Families are also encouraged to review health requirements for next year and submit any needed medical documentation as early as possible.

Spring also means tick season in MA, and the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases is through prevention of tick bites. Always check for ticks after outdoor activities to keep everyone safe and healthy!

More specific information can be found in the following resources:

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/

https://www.mass.gov/tick-prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/media/pdfs/lyme-disease-prophylaxis-after-tick-bite-poster.pdf

WBMSHS Athletics:

To access Hudl Livestream, Schedules, Go Fan Tickets, Sports Registration, Boosters or Gridiron information use the QR Code located below. Or go to the WB Athletics Website at the following link.

Link: https://www.wbridgewaterschools.org/o/athletics

WB Athletics Apparel Store:

If you’d like to show your Wildcat pride, personalized West Bridgewater gear is available through our official Sideline Store.
WEST BRIDGEWATER, Massachusetts - Sideline Store

Winter Athletic Highlights:

The Winter Athletic Season was a tremendous success across the board, highlighted by team achievements, postseason appearances, and outstanding individual honors.

Our Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Boys Ice Hockey, Boys and Girls Winter Track, and BR/WB gymnastics co-op teams all qualified for the MIAA State Tournament, reflecting the dedication, hard work, and competitive drive of our student-athletes and coaches.

Leading the way was our Boys Basketball team, who put together an exceptional season and advanced all the way to the Final Four. Their postseason run showcased resilience, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence, making the entire school community proud.

In addition to team success, several student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding performances with All-Scholastic honors:

Boys Basketball:

• Jag Garces: Boston Herald All Scholastic; First Team Patriot Ledger All Scholastic

• Lamar Valentina: Second Team Patriot Ledger All Scholastic

• Jason MacLean: Patriot Ledger All Scholastic Honorable Mention

• Benjamin Stapleton: Patriot Ledger All Scholastic Honorable Mention

Girls Basketball:

• Sami O'Neil: Second Team Patriot Ledger All Scholastic

• Alyssa Caldeira: Second Team Patriot Ledger All Scholastic

• Brooke Ryan: Patriot Ledger All Scholastic Honorable Mention

Girls Winter Track:

• Kate Austrino: 2nd Team Enterprise All Scholastic

Boys Winter Track:

• Alexander Kelley: 2nd Team Patriot Ledger All Scholastic

These recognitions reflect not only athletic excellence but also the character and dedication these students bring both on and off the field.

Congratulations to all of our winter athletes and coaches on an outstanding season!

Spring Highlights:

Our student-athletes have delivered outstanding performances this spring. At the Freshman/Sophomore Track & Field Meet, our athletes competed at a high level, and that momentum carried into the Warrior Invitational at the end of April vacation.

Several teams are also making strong marks in the Division 4 power rankings. Our Wildcats continue to battle hard this spring season! Here are the current standings going into the last few weeks of the regular season.

Softball – #9

Boys Lacrosse – #12

Girls Tennis – #25

Boys Tennis – #29

Baseball – #36

In addition, our Unified Cornhole teams season is underway and they are practicing with great enthusiasm. Overall, it has been an exciting and successful spring season so far—keep up the great work, Wildcats!

Athletic Awards Night:

Athletic Awards Night on Monday June 1st! We look forward to celebrating all of our student athletes!

As we look ahead to summer programming, cheerleading tryouts will take place June 8–12 from 2:30–4:30 PM in the WBMSHS Gym, this includes incoming 7th-12th grades

Fall Sign-Ups/Information:

All Fall 2026 athletic programs are scheduled to begin on August 24, 2026. These sports include Boys and Girls Soccer, Boys and Girls Cross Country, Football, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Golf and Fall Cheer. Information will be sent out at the beginning of the school year in regards to our Unified Sports Programs. The Arbiter Sports registration will be open by the end of May and the link to register and tryout information will be sent at that time as well.

The Mandatory Athletic Parent Information night will be held on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026 at 5pm in the Auditorium.

Summer Events:

Signature Health, along with our Athletic Trainer, Cass Cave, will once offer a summer strength and conditioning program. The goal is to support our student-athletes’ preparation for the upcoming seasons. For more information on any summer opportunities, please reach out to Jenn Hammel in the Athletic Department.

Please join the Jump Aboard Foundation in honoring the life, spirit, and memory of Jase Russell at the Jumping Bean Jamboree on May 30th!💙💛
This event aims to build a vacation home in New Hampshire’s White Mountains for families affected by pediatric cancer, providing a sanctuary for those who visit. Whether you are participating in the 5K, the Kids Fun Run, or joining us for the food, live music, and lawn games, your support helps make this retreat possible.
Register today! Let’s make a difference together! 🎗️
https://raceroster.com/events/2026/118100/jumping-bean-jamboree

Email: mbodwell@wbridgewater.com
Website: www.wbridgewaterschools.org
Location: 2 Spring Street, West Bridgewater, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 894-1230
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wbridgewaterschools