Worcester Public Schools - From Here, Anywhere... Together

Standard Response Protocol and Reunification Training with The I Love U Guys Foundation 🦺 Worcester Public Schools administrators recently participated in intensive safety training led by The I Love U Guys Foundation. It was the second large-scale staff training since the summer. The two-day session, held at Worcester State University, focused on ensuring our staff are fully prepared to reunite students with their families in the case of a school evacuation. WPS takes a proactive approach to ensuring safety and positive school climates. The district operates from the I Love U Guys safety framework with clear protocols, procedures, and a common language to ensure a systematic and organized response to any situation. Special thanks to Jim French of The I Love U Guys Foundation for leading this hands-on training with our staff! 🔗 Learn more about WPS’s safety protocols: https://www.worcesterschools.org/page/safety

🌟 Friendly Faces of Lincoln Elementary School 🌟 We recently visited Lincoln Elementary in the Burncoat Quadrant of Worcester Public Schools and were inspired by the incredible scholars and their passion for learning! From exploring new ideas in the classroom to hands-on STEM adventures in the VEX Robotics Program and creative expression in the OpporTUNEity music program, these K-6 students are building skills, fostering creativity, and embracing challenges with confidence. Home to 180 diverse and remarkable scholars, Lincoln Street is a vibrant community where curiosity thrives, kindness flourishes, and every day brings exciting opportunities to grow and shine. Here’s to the unstoppable spirit of Lincoln Elementary—a place where creativity soars, and possibilities are endless! 🌍✨🎉

⭐ Justine Gould, Cafeteria Manager at Forest Grove Middle School ⭐ “Justine is an amazing kitchen manager who brings both skill and heart to everything she does, keeping the kitchen running smoothly and efficiently. She’s great at creating a supportive and motivated team atmosphere, encouraging everyone to do their best. Justine has a sharp eye for detail. She makes sure the food is always top-notch, safety standards are met, and waste is kept to a minimum. Justine’s friendly nature and strong organizational skills make her a true asset, keeping things running like clockwork and making everyone’s day better.” ⭐ Do you know a WooStar? We are looking for students and staff who have gone above and beyond to feature on our social media channels. 👉 Nominate a student at https://buff.ly/4g5M2aW 👉 Nominate a staff member at https://buff.ly/3Mlru0N

🔥 Get Ready to Savor the Flavor! 🔥 Have you tried the new Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich yet? Served with crispy Sweet Potato Fries, it’s bold, fresh, and bursting with flavor! 🥪🍟 🌟 Exciting New Items Coming Next Week: 🥖 Chicken Philly Sandwich with crispy Baked Fries – a satisfying, savory delight! 🥗 Taco Salad Bowl – choose between Beef or Plant-Based Meat, packed with all the taco goodness you love in one tasty bowl! Check out what’s on the menu and try something new today! View the full menu at https://buff.ly/47lkI4R Let us know which dish you’re most excited to try! 👇

❄️ Worcester Announces Winning Names in “Name A Snowplow” Contest ❄️ The City of Worcester has officially announced the four winning snowplow names that will keep our streets clear this winter! These names were selected after a fun and creative naming contest with our own Worcester Public Schools students. A huge shoutout to all participating students and classes for the clever submissions! The winning names and classes are: 1️⃣ Scoop Dogg - Mrs. Stephanie Trainor’s Grade 6 Class, Francis J. McGrath Elementary School (pictured in this post) 2️⃣ Sleetwood Mac - Ms. Victoria Alexander’s Grades K-2 SAIL Class, Norrback Avenue School 3️⃣ William Scrapespeare - Ms. Aimee Kewley’s Grades 9-12 Theater Magnet Class, Burncoat High School 4️⃣ Snow More Mr. Ice Guy - Ms. Sydney Lamothe's Grades 9-10 Advisory Class, University Park Campus School

📚✨ Attendance Matters! 🏫 January has 19 school days — let’s make every day count! 🙌 Consistent attendance keeps students on track, boosts academic success, and builds lifelong habits. 📝💪 Together, we can show up, learn, and thrive! 🎓🌟 For more tips on maintaining good attendance, visit: https://buff.ly/4h75OTc

🌟 Friendly Faces of Quinsigamond Elementary School 🌟 We recently had the opportunity to visit Quinsigamond Elementary School in the South Quadrant of Worcester Public Schools to see our incredible students in action! 👋 Meet the inspiring scholars of Quinsigamond Elementary! From bright smiles to big dreams, our students represent the heart of our school community. Whether they’re diving into books, creating music or art, or exploring new ideas in the classroom, their enthusiasm and joy inspire us every day. With 748 students from PreK-6, Quinsigamond celebrates the vibrant diversity of its student body, where every student’s unique background and experiences contribute to making our school a rich and dynamic community. 🌍✨ Here’s to the energy, kindness, and curiosity that make Quinsigamond Elementary such a special place!

As we say goodbye to this year, let’s celebrate the memories made and the possibilities ahead. Wishing everyone a bright start to the new year! 🎆 To learn why we celebrate this worldwide tradition: https://buff.ly/2Lx2PFc

🏫 School Enrollment Begins Soon! 🎒If you are enrolling your child in the Worcester Public Schools for the 2025-26 school year, registration opens on January 2, 2025. The Parent Information Center will begin scheduling appointments on January 6, 2025. Visit the WPS Enrollment website for details: worcesterschools.org/enrollment

🕯️Heri za Kwanzaa! (Happy Kwanzaa!) 🕯️ Kwanzaa is a seven-day celebration honoring African-American culture, family, and community. Let’s celebrate unity, history, and shared values together! ❤️💚🖤 To learn more about this celebration: https://buff.ly/3Rmi8nv

🎄Merry Christmas from Worcester Public Schools! 🎄 Wishing all our students, families, and staff a joyful holiday season filled with love, laughter, and togetherness. Here's to a bright and successful new year ahead! To learn more: https://buff.ly/2Q9l5Lg

🕎 Wishing you a bright and joyful Hanukkah from Worcester Public Schools! 🕎 May your holiday be filled with light, love, and meaningful moments with family and friends. Wishing everyone a joyful celebration and a season of warmth and blessings! To learn more about this bright holiday, check out this article: https://buff.ly/2BxokTO

☃️ Winter Wonderland at Chandler Elementary Community School ☃️ Students, families, and staff celebrated the holiday season at Chandler Elementary on the last day before winter break! The day kicked off with a holiday concert in the cafeteria, where students performed classic songs like Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Feliz Navidad, and many more. There was also a special visit from Mr. and Mrs Claus who stopped into each classroom to hand out winter gloves and other small gifts to students! Throughout the school, holiday door decorations lined the halls, including an impressive Charlie Brown Christmas display in the main hallway. Check out a few images from a fun day at Chandler Elementary 📸

⭐ Jolayssa Calcano Puig, Ninth Grade Scholar at North High School ⭐ "Jolayssa is a great student who has demonstrated incredible dedication and hard work, graduating with all A's. Her academic success is a reflection of her passion for learning and commitment to excellence. Beyond her achievements in the classroom, Jolyassa is known for her kindness and genuine care for others. She is always willing to lend a helping hand, support her friends, and create a positive environment wherever she goes. Her combination of academic brilliance and a kind heart makes her truly remarkable and an inspiration to everyone around her.” ⭐ Do you know a WooStar? We are looking for students and staff who have gone above and beyond to feature on our social media channels. 👉 Nominate a student at https://buff.ly/4g5M2aW 👉 Nominate a staff member at https://buff.ly/3Mlru0N

Gifts for Giving at University Park Campus School 🎁 Students at University Park recently had the opportunity to select a gift for a loved one during the school's Gifts for Giving event. What started a few years back as a raffle with a small number of gifts available has grown significantly thanks to community donations and staff fundraising efforts. Now, every student at the school is able to choose a gift to give to someone special in their life. A variety of gifts were available, including toys, jewelry, and clothing. Students had their gifts wrapped on the spot, along with a heartfelt note to make the gift even more personal.

Elm Park Community School 2024 Holiday Concert 🎁 Elm Park hosted a spectacular holiday concert as part of a school-wide collaboration from Pre-K to 6th grade, drawing over 100 families in attendance. The event featured performances by the school band, festive carols sung by students, with a benefit organized by students afterwards, making it a truly memorable celebration!

Doherty Memorial High School's 'Decorate Your Door Competition' Doherty shows their holiday spirit with a school-wide decoration contest! 🎄

🎶 Rice Square Elementary School held a Winter Cafe Holiday Show 🎶 Rice Square held a successful holiday show attended by over 400 family members. Big thanks to the staff and family members for making this possible!

🎄✨ Holiday Open House at the Dr. John E. Durkin Administration Building! ✨🎄 Worcester Public Schools recently hosted a Holiday Open House for district staff and members of the community in the Dr. Helen A. Friel Auditorium! The event was filled with festive fun as the Worcester Arts Magnet Special Chorus Crescendo and the Burncoat Jazz Band took the stage to perform some holiday favorites! Guests also enjoyed a delicious spread of treats and festive goodies, courtesy of the talented students from the Culinary Chapter 74 Career and Technical Program at Worcester Technical High School. 🍪🍰

Friendly Faces of Norrback Avenue School! 🤗 We recently stopped by Norrback Avenue School to see our learners in action! Norrback is a "HUB" school within the Burncoat Quadrant, hosting several district programs, including SAIL, Life Skills, and LAB. It is also piloting a modified CKLA curriculum in SAIL K-2 classrooms, focusing on strategies for teaching beginning reading skills. To support students in the Life Skills program and help them practice functional skills, Norrback has developed two programs: Life Skills Lends a Hand and Norrback Buddies. The Life Skills Lends a Hand program provides leadership opportunities, such as delivering announcements, mail, and special requests around the school. The Norrback Buddies program pairs 3-6 grade students with peers in the Life Skills program for activities like literacy, crafts, and cooking. The LAB (Language Achievement and Beyond) program supports students with language-based learning disabilities, helping them become confident, self-advocating learners. LAB serves PreK-6 students, fostering creativity and critical thinking to ensure students can apply learned strategies across various settings. Norrback Avenue School served 490 students in the 2023-24 school year and hosts Pre-K through Grade 6. It opened in 1999 and is the elementary school of two-time U.S. Olympic bronze medalist Stephen Nedoroscik!