Dear WHS Families,
As we fall back this morning we have entered into our 2nd quarter of the year. We have a lot going on in November and the 2nd quarter always seems to fly by with Thanksgiving and our December break in there. Please take the time to sit down with your student(s) and review their PowerSchool and build a plan to check in periodically to lend support, if needed. 
Halloween proved to be a ton of fun for students and staff. Our student government sponsored this year’s Staff Costume Competition and boy did the staff at WHS show up! Congratulations to the Counseling Department on their win for their Trader Joe’s replica and costuming and to Mr. Ungar who was an awesome Ken coming in second! The social studies department dressed up as Tacky Tourists, the math department were Teacher’s in a Mid-life Crisis, We had some Home Depot workers in the Special Education department and many others. It was such a fun day!
Taking a Stance Against Anti-Semitism
The members of our Jewish Student Union have been working hard to plan for our November 15th assembly. They are working with members of our faith community, the ADL and other community members to present a comprehensive assembly to help students understand the history of Anti-Semitism and the dangers of symbols and language of hate. While this assembly focuses on anti-semitism as a result of the hate-based vandalism and the use of the swastika, it is only the beginning of more work to be done to combat hate and create a school centered on belonging for all.
Healthier Approach to College Admissions
To our seniors and families, the November deadline has come and gone and we know that the process continues throughout the school year. On November 19th Challenge Success is hosting a webinar: A Healthier Approach to College Admissions. I encourage you to watch together to help frame your conversations over the next couple of months. This is also helpful for our 9th-11th grade families as well!
When registering for the event, please use the passcode WESTON2024. This will waive the $29 fee to sign up. I also encourage families to check out the Challenge Success website for more useful information.
We’ve Been Sneaking into Your Brains
On November 21st Weston Public Schools will be hosting Max Stossel, an award winning artist, the Founder of Social Awakening, and Youth & Education Advisor for the Center for Humane Technology. “We’ve Been Sneaking Into Your Brains” Is a presentation for students sponsored by the WPS PTOs. We will be hosting two assemblies on November 21st, 7th-9th graders during their Period 3 class at WHS, and 10th-12th graders during their Period 6 class. Max illustrates specific ways technology is designed to be addictive & distracting. He provides tools to help combat these designs, and leads a much-needed discussion among peers about the impact of phones & social media. Max does distinct versions of this talk for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and for college students.
"Social Media and Your Kids" Is a similar keynote designed for educators and parents. This presentation includes an overview of how students are using social media and gives recommendations on how to improve focus and diminish distraction in learning environments. This session concludes with time to discuss what’s working and not working in our classrooms and households. This will be held at the WHS Auditorium in the evening after students have received their presentation during the school day. We welcome families to attend for this important discussion.
Senior Connections
Our Senior Connections Club at WHS joined our Seniors for a Halloween lunch. Both students and senior citizens enjoyed their time together. Thank you to Billy Bigin, Wesley Arees and Emmet Capola for coordinating this. A special shoutout to Ann Bigin for welcoming our students to this event. They are looking forward to more!
Science Olympiad
I had the pleasure of stopping by Sacred Heart University to see a group of our students competing in various areas of the science world yesterday. Described as an academic track meet, at a Science Olympiad Tournament, students work together in teams of up to 15 to compete in 23 events. The events change from year to year, covering fields and topics including: anatomy and biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, geology, mechanical and structural engineering, and technology. Some events entail taking a test, while others involve doing hands-on labs, or even building and bringing a device to the tournament. 
Sailing Team Tryouts
The Weston Sailing Team, now in its third year, is pleased to announce that tryouts will be held on Saturday, November 9 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm at the Team’s training facility at Sail Black Rock, 1 Bostwick Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06605. Athletes potentially interested in sailing for the Team should reach out to co-captains Will Walker (williamwalker@students.westonps.org) and Hannah Austin (hannahaustin@students.westonps.org) with any questions and to make arrangements to attend.
WST trains and races against other Fairfield County teams in weekly league competition, and intermittently against other teams throughout the Northeast at regional regattas.
The season starts in mid-March and continues to the end of May. Weekday commitments are expected to be Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, though with some variation week to week, from approximately 3:30 to 6:30 PM at Sail Black Rock. Weekend commitments will consist of occasional Saturday - Sunday regattas elsewhere in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
The core of the team consists of experienced racers, but WST welcomes sailors at the tryout with no prior racing experience.
They hope to see you on the 9th!
Daffodil Legacy Trail
PARENTS OF SENIORS!! LEAVE A GIFT FOR YOUR GRADUATE!!
Want to leave your graduating senior a beautiful parting gift that will last for years to come? Weston High School’s Sustainable Living course is once again selling flower bulbs to continue the daffodil legacy trail for the class of 2025! The flower trail started at the high school in 2023 and is expanding through our entire district campus with each graduating class. Your son or daughter can return each Spring for years and visit their dedicated section of the trail. What better way to leave a legacy for your child while both beautifying our schools and supporting sustainability. It’s a win, win, win! Bulbs can be purchased in either sets of 3 for $15 or 6 for $25 but feel free to purchase any number of bulbs you may desire. (larger sets look more visually striking)
Payment can be made in one of 2 ways:
Through Venmo @WestonSustainability24-25 (please include the graduate’s name, number of desired bulbs, and a contact email in the event of any issues)
Via cash or check (made out to Weston High School) and mailed to: Michael Aitkenhead, 115 School Rd., Weston, CT 06883. Include a note with your student’s name, number of desired bulbs, and a contact email.
Ordering deadline is Friday, November 15th so that the Sustainable Solutions students have time to plant the bulbs this fall… so please don’t delay! Don’t have a senior but you still want to support sustainability projects in our schools? Additional donations are always welcome. A special thanks to the Weston High School class of 1974 for their generous donation to this cause. For more information about this fundraiser or the work being done in the Sustainable Living course, please contact the instructor Michael Aitkenhead at michaelaitkenhead@westonps.org.
Filament submissions
We are pleased to announce that Filament, the WHS Literary Magazine, is accepting submissions for the Fall/Winter Edition. The deadline is December 2nd. Please ask your students to use this opportunity to showcase their creativity and self-expression through poetry, short stories, digital artwork, drawing and illustration, essays, and more.
Mrs. Holmes will be available after school from 2:50 to 3:15 in the library on the following dates to assist students with brainstorming ideas, drafting pieces, and preparing formal submissions for contests or Filament Magazine:
November 6th
November 11th
These are informal drop-in sessions, offering space and support to help students start writing, refine their drafts, or figure out the submission process. Students do not need to sign up in advance—they should just bring ideas, questions, and enthusiasm, and I'll be there to help! For more information about Filament and the submission process find more information here.
WHS Company
Tech rehearsals for the fall production of Unexpected Developments are underway! Get ready for a night of laughter as students take on classic tales with chaotic and comedic twists! Unexpected Developments is a series of three One-act plays. The Actor's Nightmare by Christopher Durang tackles every actor's worst fear of showing up for a production completely unprepared. For George, he not only does not know his lines, but he doesn't even know what show he is in! The other two acts are by playwright Laura Neill Juliet Wakes Up, and The Revenge of Gertrude. Both plays are a dark comedic take on classic Shakespearian tales. What happens if Juliet did not die at the end of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet's mother took the throne of Denmark? Be sure to keep checking back for ticket information so you can find out! This will absolutely be a must-see production!
HRRA Annual Recycling Billboard Contest
Get ready to showcase your creativity in the HRRA Annual Recycling Billboard Contest 2025! This contest encourages participants to design billboards that promote recycling and sustainability, raising awareness in our communities about the importance of environmental responsibility.
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Artwork must be submitted on the provided template and created in landscape orientation 10” x 4”. Artwork must be in color, in any medium of the student’s choosing. The ORIGINAL ARTWORK MUST BE submitted and completed by the student. One student per entry and only one entry per student allowed.
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The student’s name, address, school, and grade must be printed on the space provided.
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The 2025 Billboard theme is: “Batteries Can Cause Fires.” Students’ artwork should teach residents that batteries don’t belong in the trash or household recycling. Artwork should promote how to dispose of batteries properly. HERE are some examples from previous years.
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Cash prizes are awarded to regional winners.
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HERE is the official website with educational videos and more resources for this year’s contest and theme
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Artwork should be submitted to Mr. Aitkenhead or the main office drop box by November 12, 2024.
School Climate Committee
We hosted our first School Climate Committee meeting on October 8th. If you would like to be a parent/guardian on the committee, please let me know so I can put you on the visitor calendar for the next meeting. We hope to have another great year of progress and great conversations to support student well-being, engagement, and belonging! Part of the work of this team will be to take a closer look at our fall survey results and chart a course forward. Our next meeting will take place on November 7th at 7:45 am during our Period 2 classes.
Pickup & Dropoff
A reminder to please continue to use the access road for picking up and dropping off students. We also must keep the fire lanes clear on each side of the crosswalk, especially at the end of the day, with so many students pouring out of the building. We want to make sure we aren’t inhibiting anyone’s line of sight, especially our security guards, as they man the crosswalk. I have received positive feedback that pickup can take less time when we all follow the flow of traffic and the guidelines. Thank you to all who support our students' safe entrance and exit.
Communication Protocol
Please remember we have a Communication Protocol to help you navigate the common occurrences in the daily lives of students, families and staff. For many of your concerns this protocol will let you know how to proceed.
Previous Letters:
October 27, 2024
October 20, 2024
October 13, 2024
October 6, 2024
September 29th Week Ahead
Upcoming Events:
November 5: Election Day No School for Students, PD for Staff
November 7: School Climate Committee Meeting 7:45am
November 11: Veteran’s Day Panel Discussion - WHS Learning Commons
November 15: Take a Stance Against Anti-Semitism- Presented by The Jewish Student Union
November 21: Max Stossel “We’ve Been Sneaking Into Your Brains”
November 21: Mohegan Tribe Lunch and Learn (WHS Library)
December 9: 9th Grade Assembly - Poetry Out Loud (Period 7)
December 3: Junior College Kickoff
As always should you have any questions or concerns please call the main office and we can provide you with support to find the information or person you need to speak with.
Kindly,
Meghan
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