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Tag Archives: Westwood Public Schools

Talking to kids about COVID-19

Talking to kids about COVID-19

Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t easy – but it can be especially difficult for children and teens who rely on structure and friends for a sense of normalcy and security.

Erin Kuehn is a licensed social worker and the Coordinator of Social and Emotional Learning for children in...

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Downey Elementary named Blue Ribbon School

Downey Elementary named Blue Ribbon School
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The U.S. Department of Education has named Westwood’s Downey Elementary School a National Blue Ribbon School for 2019, joining 362 other schools from around the nation. Schools are awarded a National Blue Ribbon based on overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. “It is an honor to be named...
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Westwood students are responsible Digital Citizens

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Give children a computer and the world is at their fingertips, but with that access comes a host of potential pitfalls. How do they learn to manage their time? How do they identify fact from fiction when searching Google for information? When Westwood Public Schools gave each of its high school students a...
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Westwood reworks social studies curriculum

Westwood reworks social studies curriculum
They say you can’t rewrite history, but in Westwood the school department is reworking its entire social studies curriculum to comply with new state education standards. Teachers at every grade level worked over the summer to ensure the material they present this school year meets the new requirements. “The greatest change is in the 8th grade,”...
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District announces new preschool director

Lisa Freedman started her career at the Westwood Public Schools 20 years ago. This fall, she takes over as director of the Integrated Preschool, replacing longtime director Aprile Albertelli, who retired at the end of the last school year. Freedman came to Westwood High School in 1999, and for the past two years, has been...
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WestwoodWinds begins season, invites new members

WestwoodWinds begins season, invites new members
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WestwoodWinds Community Band is inviting all Westwood-area musicians to participate in its 10th concert season. Rehearsals are scheduled on seven consecutive Mondays from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in the Westwood High School band room starting June 10. Interested residents can sign up at https://westwoodwinds.org/join-us or attend the first “open house” rehearsal on June...
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Stern Math jumpstarts early learning

Stern Math jumpstarts early learning
Math can be hard at any age, but for Kindergarten and first grade students, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed learning new mathematical concepts for the first time. For many, this is their first foray into abstract thinking. Tools that can transform those lofty concepts into concrete processes can make all the difference. That’s exactly what...
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Westwood High showcases musical talent

Westwood High showcases musical talent
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By Laura Drinan Hometown Weekly Reporter Westwood Public Schools’ Performing Arts department always manages to impress the community. From the elementary string concert to the middle school band concert to the high school musical, the town has made it clear that its students are bursting with talent. Westwood High School once again seized the opportunity to...
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Westwood’s Philbin is town’s energy man

Westwood’s Philbin is town’s energy man
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By Linda Thomas Hometown Weekly Correspondent There was a time not too long ago when there were lights at the library that didn’t work. Streets weren’t always as bright as they are now. The town was burning money on outdated technology and inefficient energy systems. Then, Tom Philbin came along. Philbin, a New York City native with...
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Westwood clears first snowstorm

Westwood clears first snowstorm
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By Laura Drinan Hometown Weekly Reporter In Australia, the sweltering heat is so intense that it has caused some asphalt roads to partially melt, and locals are wishing for relief from the triple-digit temperatures with cooler weather. However, here in Massachusetts, the cold weather is not welcome as temperatures hover around zero, dipping into the negatives...
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Kids brave cold for spelling bee

Kids brave cold for spelling bee
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On Friday, January 5, more than 270 Westwood 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, plus families and friends, braved arctic temperatures to make their way to Westwood High School for an afternoon of tense excitement at the Foundation for Westwood Education’s 22nd annual spelling bee. All three- and four-person teams had picked distinctive names...
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BST marks 30th anniversary performance

BST marks 30th anniversary performance
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This May marked the 30th annual performance of Westwood Youth & Family Services’ Body Safety Theater (BST) program. Each year, Westwood Youth & Family Services (WY&FS) collaborates with Westwood Public Schools to put on Body Safety Theater for all third grade students in Westwood. BST is a sexual abuse prevention program that teaches...
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In Westwood, snow must go on

In Westwood, snow must go on
By Katrina Margolis Hometown Weekly Reporter New Englanders love to brag about how tough they are due to the nature of their harrowing winters. This past winter found many Westwood residents unable to brag about their super-human ability to shovel or withstand freezing temperatures, instead offering up unusually mild days, including a few inconceivably balmy days in...
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Baby Sign Language at the Westwood Library

Baby Sign Language at the Westwood Library
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By James Ensor Hometown Weekly Reporter Young parents and their recently-born children sat in a circle around Sheryl White, founder and owner of Baby Kneads, on the morning of Thursday, September 8. For over an hour, the children’s room of the Westwood Library was home to Sheryl’s lessons on American Sign Language for babies. Signs...
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