MESSAGE FROM THE PTSO PRESIDENTS

Good Morning.  We hope you had a great weekend.  We wanted to highlight the upcoming Course Selection meetings.  (Please see below for detailed information.)  We hope you will join us for these informative conversations.  As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please let us know.

Connie Burton & Andra Jensen
WHS PTSO Co-Presidents 2019-2020
[email protected]
COURSE SELECTION FOR 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR
  
It will soon be time to figure out which courses your student(s) will take next year.  Attend the two meetings the PTSO will be hosting and hear first hand from Principal Chisum, Assistant Principals, Department Heads, Guidance, and teachers about course offerings and levels in a variety of departments.  We encourage and invite all parents to attend.  
  • Course Selection Session #1 -  January 31st -- overview by Dr. Chisum, Director of Guidance Dana Plunkett, and Assistant Principals Marc Bender and Sarah Matloff; at this meeting, we will hear from representatives of the Art, the Mathematics, and the Science and Technology departments.  
  • Course Selection Session #2 - February 12th -- at this meeting, we will hear from representatives of the Classical and Modern Language department, the Social Studies department, and the Evolutions Program. 
(Both meeting will be at 9am in the Faculty Dining Room.)

To prepare for these meetings, we invite parents to review the Program of Studies and two videos on course selection discussions held in prior years that might be informative -- video one (covering Math, Computer Science and History) and video two (covering Science, Business and Technology).  

I f you have any specific questions or topics you would like to have addressed at these sessions, please email us at [email protected].
 
UPCOMING EVENTS/DATES

January 2020
  • 21st - 2020 All Night Party Committee Meeting @ 7pm in Faculty Dining Room
  • 22nd - Evolutions Expo (see below for details)
  • 23rd - Mother's Group Meeting  @ 9:45am in Room 259
  • 28th - Band Step Up Concert @ 7pm in Auditorium
  • 30th - Orchestra Step Up Concert @ 7pm in Auditorium
  • 31st - PTSO Meeting / Principal's Coffee @ 9am - Course Selection 
The following is just a sample of all the events on the calendar. Click  here to see the whole calendar.  
From the WHS Nurse's Office ... 

Here is a link to the January 2020 News from the Nurse's Office.  

EVOLUTIONS MIDYEAR EXPO is coming and you are invited....  

The WHS Evolutions Midyear Expo is coming up on Wednesday, January 22nd from 7pm - 8:30pm in the WHS Cafe.  

Evo Gen 5 students will share their midyear passion projects (Midstone projects) and talk about the process they went through to practice self-directed learning.  There will be interactive exhibits, research projects, build-projects, artistic creations, videos, etc.  The Expo is a great place to spark curiosity about what is happening with project-based learning in education and the Evolutions program.  The event is open to the public. Welcoming remarks begin promptly at 7pm, then the Expo is set up in a gallery format. For more information, please check out   https://whsevolutions.wixsite.com/evolutionswhs.  

GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS 

For those who missed the GAP year presentation, here is a link to it.

Here is a link to the Guidance Department's January notes.  Please take a few minutes to review as it quite informative and helpful. 
UPCOMING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING ...

The venue for the January 21, 2020 School Committee Meeting has changed to  Great Hall, Town Hall (from Police Station).   Two important topics will be addressed at this meeting:  

-Public hearing on the FY21 budget; and
-Redistricting Presentation.

REDISTRICTING PUBLIC FORUMS ... 
   
Please join us to review and provide feedback on the draft redistricting plans.   Forums are scheduled on the following dates:

Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at 7 pm
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at 9 am

Both forums will be held in the Wellesley Middle School Auditorium.
 
COMMUNITY EVENTS --
   
Wellesley POPS is looking for auction item donations and sponsorships for POPS Cabaret 2020 -- the Wellesley Parents of Performing Students annual benefit gala -- set for February 7 at 6:30PM at TCAN. Becoming a Cabaret 2020 sponsor or donor will help POPS further its mission to foster and enrich performing arts education at all grade levels throughout the Wellesley Public Schools - from chorus, to orchestra, to drama, to dance, to stage tech and beyond. Your support will make a meaningful impact to over 1,000 young performing artists! Learn more by clicking here for the POPS e-newsletter.   

Kindergarten Roundup -  Dates have been scheduled for the Town of Wellesley's Kindergarten Roundup.  Please see flyer for specific information on dates, times and locations.  

League of Women Voters - Register to Vote  
The League of Women Voters of Wellesley will be back on the WHS campus to register student voters on February 4, before the registration deadline of February 12, to vote in the presidential primary on March 3.   To register, students must provide either the number of a valid MA driver's license or the last 4 digits of the social security number.  18-year-olds may register to vote and 16- and 17-year-olds may preregister.  Pre-registration will automatically convert to voter registration on the 18th birthday.  To vote in an election, citizens must be registered and 18 years of age on or before the date of the election.  If you have a valid driver's license or signature on file through a state agency, you may register online here.  

Friends of Wellesley Library will be holding is Winter book sale February 6th through February 9th.  Please see flyer for more information.  

Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club is  accepting scholarship applications for 2020-2021 through  March 1, 2020 .   In the 2019, the Club awarded a record $72,700 in scholarships and awards to 21 Wellesley students. Scholarships were given to graduating high school seniors and undergraduate college students in amounts ranging from $1,000 - $4,000.     Applications are evaluated based on demonstrated financial need, academic achievement, and involvement in community service. Applicants must be high school seniors graduating from Wellesley High School, Wellesley residents graduating from high school in or outside of Wellesley, or Wellesley residents currently attending undergraduate institutions on a full-time basis.   For more information, please click here.   

Wellesley Historical Society is having The Wellesley Historical Society is having a Trivia night that WHS families might be interested in on Thursday, February 6th.  Please see flyer for more information.

Junior Class Parents -- Save the Date --   Junior Parents, please come to our Junior Class Parent Party on May 15th, 2020, the same evening as the Junior Class Boat Cruise!  The Junior Class Parent Party is being held at the Wellesley Country Club, from 6 - 10 pm.  Just drop your Junior off at the Wellesley High School and head on over!  A large thank you to our many Wellesley Country Club members who kindly offered to host this party for us.  We will have appetizers, dinner, drinks, and dessert, all while looking out onto the sunset over the golf greens. Isn't this is a great opportunity, to meet and laugh with other parents of our Junior student's friends?