Sheehan Elementary

Dear Sheehan Families,

We are well underway with our learning at Sheehan! It has been wonderful joining classes to see the dynamic teaching and learning in action and getting to know our students through their conversations, questions, and ideas.

The photo featured here captures Mrs. Lazazzero’s third graders during their daily morning meeting. I had the privilege of joining them on Friday, and it was such a lovely way to begin the day together. Morning meeting is an intentional part of building our classroom communities. Through greetings, sharing, and collaborative activities, this is a time when our students practice listening, expressing their ideas, and considering others’ perspectives. These daily opportunities help children build relationships and feel known and valued within their class.

This is one way we bring Westwood's shared vision of Excellence Through Equity into everyday classroom life. We want every child to have a voice, feel a sense of belonging, and have the support they need to participate fully in learning. Morning meeting creates regular opportunities for students to make those connections and learn from the different experiences and perspectives of their classmates. I look forward to sharing more glimpses of our classrooms in the weeks ahead!

I hope you’re enjoying the weekend. And, as always, thank you for taking a few moments to read our weekly newsletter.

Stacy Mahoney and the Sheehan Team

Monday, October 12: NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, October 14: Early Release (12:00 p.m. Dismissal)

Friday, October 16 : School-wide PJ Day!

Friday, October 16 : PTA Parent Social, 7:00-10:00

Friday, October 23 : PTA Monster Mash, 5:30- 7:30 pm

Wednesday, October 28: Early Release (12:00 p.m. Dismissal)- Afternoon Conferences

Wednesday, October 28: Evening Conferences

Wednesday, November 4: Early Release (12:00 p.m. Dismissal) Afternoon Conferences

Wednesday, November 11: NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, November 25: Early Release (12:00 p.m. Dismissal)

Thursday, November 26: NO SCHOOL

Friday, November 27: NO SCHOOL

Monday, November 30: Full PD Day for Staff- NO SCHOOL for students

The Westwood Department of Public Works announced that a recycling audit will begin Monday, October 5. The audit is expected to last about two weeks, through October 26.

The recycling audit will help the Town determine the current residue (contamination) rate in its curbside recycling. During this time period, it is critical that residents do not place any contaminants in recycling barrels.

As part of the audit, Westwood’s recycling processing facility will collect samples from inbound recycling loads from the Town. The samples will be hand-sorted and analyzed to determine what percentage of the loads contain items that do not belong in the recycling stream.

The Town’s recycling processing facility has established a contamination threshold of 10%; as of October 2023, Westwood’s contamination rate was 17.6%. Contamination levels above the 10% threshold are subject to a financial penalty, which could result in additional costs to the Town. Additionally, the results of the audit will provide the Town with important information about its current recycling practices, including where additional education and outreach may be needed.

Every household plays an important role in keeping Westwood’s recycling stream clean. You can find information about whether an item belongs in recycling or trash at https://www.townhall.westwood.ma.us/departments/public-works/recycling-waste-management/recyclopedia.

Please take an extra few moments before placing something in your recycling barrel to determine if it is an accepted recyclable material. By keeping non-recyclable items out of the recycling stream, you will help protect the quality of our recycling, reduce contamination, and help Westwood to avoid unnecessary costs.