MESSAGE FROM THE PTSO PRESIDENTS

Just a reminder that this evening, Tuesday, January 14th, WHS PTSO and WMS PTO will be sponsoring a meeting in Boston at 6pm at the Shelburne, 2730 Washington Street, Roxbury, MA 02119.  We encourage all to attend as this is a wonderful opportunity to hear from Superintendent David Lussier, Dr. Chisum, and WMS Principal Mark Ito.  In addition, this meeting is a great chance for Wellesley parents and Boston parents to connect and discuss our shared interests and concerns.  Attached is the agenda for this meeting.   

Connie Burton & Andra Jensen
WHS PTSO Co-Presidents 2019-2020
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 whsptsopres@gmail.com.
 
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 

Here is a link to the Guidance Department's January notes.  Please take a few minutes to review as it quite informative and helpful. 
HARDY/UPHAM FEASIBILITY STUDY, Community Forum No. 2

The School Building Committee invites you to come hear about the progress of the Hardy/Upham feasibility study, learn more about the process and next steps, and engage with the Committee and project consultants on Wednesday, January 15th at 7pm in the Wellesley Middle School Auditorium.

Topics will include: The approved educational plan; standards for modern elementary school facilities; the requirements and process for building with the Massachusetts School Building Authority; the criteria for determining whether to build at Hardy or Upham with the MSBA; aspects of each site; and preliminary concepts under consideration.

View SBC meetings and forums on demand at  wellesleymedia.org/SBC

Visit SBC website:  wellesleyHHU.org

Subscribe to SBC News:  https://wellesleyma.gov/list.aspx

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 --
   
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.  

World of Wellesley is hosting a number of events in January --
  • RACE: The Power of an IllusionCommunity viewing and conversation of the three-part PBS documentary on Thursday, January 16, 23, 30 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm.  Check out the preview or readIt is a must see! (Offered in partnership with the Wellesley Community Center.)
  • MLK Community Breakfast 2020, Monday, January 20, 2020, 8:00 am - 10:00 am at 
    Alumnae Hall, Wellesley College.
  • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Family Event!, Monday, January 20, 2020, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
    at the Bates Elementary School.   For more information on these and other events, please go to the World of Wellesley website
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.   

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?