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.
October 17, 2025
Happy Friday!
Despite it being a shortened week, the students and staff have stayed very busy as we look ahead to our first Spirit Week and Pep Rally next week, as well as prepare for our decennial NEASC visit.
We are looking ahead to our fall Parent Teacher Conferences, which will be held on Wednesday, November 5th from 2:30-5:30PM and Thursday, November 6th from 2:30-6:30PM. This year we will be using a program that is accessible through PowerHub right within your student’s PowerSchool account. Sign-ups will open on October 24th at 3:00 PM and close on November 2nd at 11:30PM. Here is a link to the directions for the program
Finally, we continue to headi in the right direction in the TMobile Friday Night 5G Lights Contest!! So, please Keep Voting!!!!
I hope you all have a great weekend!
In this edition (*new information is bolded)
- Shout Outs
- Senior Information: Cap & Gown Orders
- Community Service Opportunities
- Student Council Updates: Homecoming Dance
- Technology: School Messenger Text Opt-In; MyPowerHub Notifications; Parent Portal Information (PowerSchool and Schoology)
- General School: Student Arrival and Dismissal procedures; Reporting Absences/Tardies/Dismissals; Bus Tracking App
- School Counseling Information: Red Ribbon Week; Standardized Testing Overview; Therapy Dogs; Senior College Checklist; Upcoming College Visits; Rivier On-the-Spot Decision Day; MCC HVAC courses
- Athletics: Fall Sports; October Weight Room Schedule
- Free Tutoring Resource
- Volunteer Information
- We're Hiring!
- WHS Events: Lunch Group; TMobile Contest
- Outside Events: Join the PTA; WMAA Fundraisers; Craft Fair; Southern NH Chamber Expo; Golf Ball Drop; Windham Basketball; Turkey Trot
Important Dates
- October 20-24 Spirit Week
- Monday: Monochrome
- Tuesday: PJ Day
- Wednesday: Jagwear
- Thursday: USA (red, white, and blue) day
- Friday: Class Color Day
- October 22: Early Release Day
- October 25: Homecoming Dance from 6-9 pm
Shout Outs
- Two WHS Juniors, Elyse Walden & Sam Laws have created a book display showcasing a few titles about women friendships & empowerment for their Girl Scout troop #22200. They also included a poster that lists additional titles that were not available at the time they created the display. If you are around the library, be sure to stop in and take a peek. The display can be found in the Library Media Center on the back bookcase in the fiction area. Thank you Elyse & Sam, it looks great!
- Engineering Students Explore Cutting-Edge Careers in Regenerative Medicine and Manufacturing. Students in Gavin Kearns’s Principles of Engineering class recently had the opportunity to visit regenerative and medical manufacturing facilities at The Mills in Manchester, NH. The field trip — organized by Kimber Leuteritz, Windham High School’s School to Career Coordinator, in conjunction with the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) — was held in celebration of New Hampshire Manufacturing Month.
During the visit, students toured the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), where they learned about groundbreaking work in bioengineering and tissue regeneration. They also visited Merrimack Manufacturing, observing the production lines where medical devices are assembled — including systems that deliver customized medicines to treat diseases and the development of the advanced iBOT® mobility device, a next-generation wheelchair designed to enhance independence and accessibility. This in-person experience connected classroom learning to real-world innovation and gave students valuable insight into career opportunities in engineering, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing. If you or your company would be interested in talking with students about your career, hosting a student tour event, or supporting a student shadow day or semester intern, please contact Kimber Leuteritz, WHS School to Career Coordinator at kleuteritz@windhamsd.org Shout out to the Counseling Department and Janessa Murphy for making the ApplyNH day such a tremendous success. We had about 50 kids apply to college throughout the day!
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.
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.
Opportunities are updated regularly and can be found here:
👉Current WHS Community Service Opportunities Folder
Here are the links to upcoming October Community Service Opportunities:
- 2025-10-04 Carnival Volunteer Flyer
- 2025-10-17 Windham CoOp Fall Fair
- 2025-10-18 Central NH Alzheimer's Walk
- 2025-10-18 WBSL Concessions @ Harvest Festival
- 2025-10-18 WMAA Craft Fair
- FALL SPORTS WHS Boosters Concessions
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
Student Council Updates
Homecoming Dance
Student Council is excited to host our annual Homecoming Dance on Saturday, October 25th from 6:00pm - 9:00PM in the WHS Gym! Tickets are $20 per person online or in person. The cost of the ticket includes snacks and drinks!
Guests are welcome at the Homecoming Dance:
- Guests must be under 20 years old
- WHS Homecoming Guest Form is completed and turned in by Monday, October 20th, 2025
- If students and guests are purchasing a ticket at the door, Guest Form must be turned in to the WHS Main office by Monday, October 20th, 2025
Guest Form:
The guest form was sent to students. This form needs to be printed, and the guest's school needs to fill out the form. Please turn this form in to the main office by Monday, October 20th. If the guest form is not completed - the ticket may be cancelled.
Homecoming tickets are being sold:
Online: From Monday, October 13th at 6:00AM - Wednesday, October 22nd at 11:59PM.
In Person: at the door at 6:00PM
Class Dues:
Class dues must be paid to attend the Homecoming Dance. Class dues can be paid online! They are assigned to your PowerSchool Account!
We are looking forward to celebrating Homecoming with you! Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns!
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
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
Red Ribbon Week
Students are getting ready for Red Ribbon Week® 2025. We're thrilled to reveal the 2025 Red Ribbon Campaign theme, "Life Is A Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free." This powerful theme symbolizes how every
choice we make fits into the bigger picture just like a puzzle coming together. Living drug-free helps build a stronger, brighter future, one piece at a time. At school, students will engage in activities that promote a drug free and healthy lifestyle.
The Red Ribbon Campaign® is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week (www.redribbon.org).
What is Red Ribbon Week?
The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign® is to present a unified and visible commitment
towards the creation of a drug-free America. It is an ideal way for people and communities to
unite and take a visible stand against drugs. Show your personal commitment to a drug-free
lifestyle through the symbol of the Red Ribbon, October 27th - October 31st.
DID YOU KNOW?
Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs
than those who don't; yet, only a quarter of teens report having these conversations. Red
Ribbon Week®, the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the nation, is your
opportunity to get the ongoing conversation started. Visit www.redribbon.org to learn more about
Red Ribbon Week® and get tips for talking to kids about a drug free lifestyle.
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!
Attention Seniors:
College Application Checklist
Upcoming College Visits
Visits will be hosted in the School Counseling office. Please be sure to register in Naviance.
Rivier- On the Spot Admission Day
This event will be held on-site on 11/14, but appointments should be made ahead of time using this form.
MCC- HVAC courses
Please see below for more information
Athletics
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 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 WHS Weight Room is staffed for student use on the following dates:
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
Lunch Group
T Mobile Friday Night 5G Light Contest
Outside Events
The following events are sponsored by organizations outside our school community
Join the PTA
WMAA Fundraising
Craft Fair
Boosters Golf Ball Drop
Southern NH Chamber of Commerce Expo
Windham Basketball
Turkey Trot
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