Superintendent Brian E. Allen visited Burncoat High School and Burncoat Middle School to congratulate our October WooStars!
Pictured here with Burncoat High School 10th grader Julianna Cohen and Burncoat Middle School culture and climate specialist Yelitza Agosto, Superintendent Allen recognized their outstanding contributions to their school communities and presented each with a small gift bag.
Our November WooStars will be announced on December 1—stay tuned!
A Heartwarming Thanksgiving at Thorndyke Road School! 🍁🦃
St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral generously prepared and served a delicious Thanksgiving meal for our students at Thorndyke Road School today, Monday, November 24. From savory turkey and sides to sweet treats, the feast brought everyone together to celebrate gratitude and community.
A special thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this event possible. Your support and dedication made the day truly memorable for everyone! 💛
Take a look at some photos from the celebration! 📸
Our School Nutrition team brought the spirit of Thanksgiving to lunch tables across the district on Thursday, and the whole community helped make it happen!
Students enjoyed a cozy, scratch-made feast featuring fresh roasted turkey with gravy, fresh stuffing, a whole grain roll, steamed corn, and creamy mashed potatoes made with nearly half locally grown potatoes from Jekanowski Farm right here in Massachusetts.
A big shout-out to Matthew Dalbec and Sheyenne Dennis, our lead chef trainers, and their amazing team. Thank you to all our nutrition team members for making sure every student enjoyed today’s meal 🍽️. Your extra work truly paid off! 🧡🦃
Take a look at some photos from Jacob Hiatt School, Goddard School of Science & Technology, and Forest Grove Middle School enjoying their Thanksgiving-style lunches! 📸
Staff came together for homemade dishes, good company, and holiday spirit at our potluck gathering in the Dr. Helen A. Friel Auditorium.
Thank you to everyone who contributed and made it such a warm and memorable celebration!
The Worcester School Committee recently recognized Maria Gardner, a paraprofessional at Worcester Arts Magnet School (WAMS), for her dedication to beautifying school grounds across the district.
Since 2008, Maria has shared her love of gardening with students, planting sunflowers and other greenery that bring joy and learning opportunities to our schools. Her recent “Beautify WPS” project included planting 45 mums at 15 schools, inspiring principals and students to start garden clubs and engage in hands-on gardening activities.
Thank you, Maria, for your creativity, generosity, and for making our schools more welcoming and vibrant! 🌿💛
We visited Mill Swan Head Start and saw some of our youngest learners enjoying music lessons, arts and crafts, outdoor play, and plenty of engaged learning.
Head Start has served thousands of Worcester children over the years and remains an essential early learning program for families. It helps children build strong academic, social, and emotional foundations while ensuring families have access to important support services.
We are proud of Worcester Head Start students, staff, and families, the program’s mission, and the continued positive impact on our community.
Students at Doherty participated in the school's annual Career Day, an event that brings community professionals into the school to share their career journeys, education paths, and day-to-day work.
A wide range of professions participated, including firefighters, police officers, engineers, social workers, educators, and more. Each student heard from three speakers, asked questions, and learned about careers to help explore their options for life after high school.
This annual Doherty event took place in the new school building for the first time, continuing a tradition of inspiring students through real-world examples and conversations with industry professionals.
Rice Square School Celebrates Day of Gratitude 🧡
Rice Square School enjoyed a meaningful Day of Gratitude this week on Wednesday, where students and staff took part in activities focused on reflection and appreciation for their school and community. It was a joyful day centered on thankfulness. ✨🧡
We were honored to welcome volunteers and community members from the Montserrat Program at the College of the Holy Cross, UMass Medical School, and the Knights of Columbus/Lady of Loretto Church. Their support and participation helped make the celebration truly special. 🤝🦃
The day ended with a Thanksgiving Feast for all students and staff, supported by Simply Delicious Catering and Peppercorns Grill & Tavern. 🍽️🧡 Thank you to everyone who contributed and shared messages of gratitude with our students. We are grateful for the kindness and generosity of our Worcester community. 🧡
Students at Grafton Street School were honored for their Quarter 1 Perfect Attendance with a special Pancake Breakfast! 🥞
They beamed with pride, and having parents join made the morning even more meaningful. Full of smiles, energy, and community, it was a wonderful way to celebrate students who show up every day. ✨
We can’t wait to celebrate even more students at the Quarter 2 event! 🎉
Honoring Our Veterans at Goddard School of Science & Technology!
This week, students at Goddard School of Science & Technology celebrated Veterans Day with a schoolwide assembly featuring inspiring student writing ✍️, including contributions from several 6th-grade students, and a spirited sing-along 🎶 led by our music teacher, Mr. Matt.
Paula Rodriguez-Linares, Grade 6 (shown in the photo) 📸, shared how we can honor veterans: “We can honor veterans by reaching out to them and letting them know how courageous they are for serving our country. You can also tell them you’re grateful for all their hard work and even send them letters of thanks ✉️.”
The Veterans Day Sock Drive 🧦 ends today, November 14th! The school is just 83 pairs away from its goal of 300 brand-new socks to benefit Veterans Inc. in Worcester.
WEDF (Worcester Education Development Foundation) is excited to host Coats for Kids on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 5:30 PM at Worcester Fitness, 440 Grove St, Worcester. ❄️ Let’s help kids in our community stay warm this winter!
🌟 For more information and ways to donate, visit: https://wedfwps.org/coats-for-kids/
Gates Lane Honors Community Veterans at Annual Veterans Day Breakfast
Gates Lane School of International Studies proudly recognized and celebrated the veterans in its community during the annual Veterans Day Breakfast. The event was a heartfelt tribute to those who have served our country and a reminder of the enduring importance of service and sacrifice.
The ceremony featured Chief Butman, Chief Tyson, and the South High Jr. ROTC Color Guard 🎗️, whose participation added distinction and meaning. Mr. Stemple, the music teacher, led Ms. Cherry’s fourth-grade class 🎵 in a patriotic song, and the Student Council 👏 helped facilitate all activities, ensuring the event ran smoothly. Families and community members joined in to honor the veterans and share in the celebration.
📸 Check out some photos from the event!
Veterans Day honors military veterans for their service and sacrifice. It’s a day to show appreciation for those who have served to protect our country.
Click here to learn more about the significance of Veterans Day and ways you can honor those who served: https://buff.ly/3IOnULk
A huge congratulations to our Grade 4 class at Francis J. McGrath Elementary for achieving an impressive 98.6% attendance rate in Quarter 1! 🎉 Their hard work earned them a pizza party.🍕
Students had a blast tracking the race all quarter long and watching their class move in real time on the race car bulletin board. 🏎️
Quarter 2 is here! Who will be our next pizza party champions for most improved attendance?
Students in Ms. Kristen Sleight’s 6th period class at Dr. Arthur F. Sullivan Middle School put their civics lessons into action by organizing a school-wide clothing drive!
From October 14–24, students promoted the drive through morning announcements and the weekly caregiver newsletter, encouraging donations from classmates and staff. Their efforts paid off — they collected 10 large bags of clothing!
Donations were sorted and shared with the Hope Garden at Sullivan Middle, providing items for students in need, with the remaining clothes donated to Andy’s Attic.
This project highlights these students as Engaged Community Members, a disposition of the Vision of a Learner. They identified a need in their community, articulated and communicated solutions, and developed an action plan (ECM 2).
Students and families at Flagg Street School recently joined the Walk for Wellness event with the American Heart Association and UMASS Memorial Ambulance. Our young learners had a blast exploring the EMT vehicle and even got to try out the equipment that first responders use every day! 💚
It was a fantastic example of community outreach and a meaningful learning experience for Flagg Street students, families, and staff. A big thank you to our local community partners for spending the afternoon with us! 👏
📸 Check out the photos to see the excitement!
Worcester Public Schools students and educators traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit innovative schools serving multilingual learners.
The trip, hosted by Next Generation Learning Challenges and funded by the Barr Foundation, offered valuable insights into new ways to support students.
The Worcester team included Jessica Mandes, Director of Multilingual Education; Jennie Caplan, Assistant Principal at North High School; Lindsay Pagano, ESL Department Head at South High School; Elizabeth Brown, Family Involvement Coordinator at Woodland and Claremont; Pamela Henriquez, Multilingual Coach for the North Quadrant; Ashley McPartland, Multilingual Coach for the South Quadrant; and WPS students Yazmin Tiguila Calvac of Claremont Academy and Victor Cruz of South High School.
Victor shared one of the trip’s key takeaways: “I used to think teachers knew everything, but now I know that they keep learning with us at the same time.”
The group returned to Worcester inspired to bring new ideas and strategies back to classrooms in WPS!
Columbus Park Preparatory Academy Grade 1 students wrapped up a five-week martial arts program with Master Parks, learning leadership, teamwork, and always doing their best. 💪
Families joined the celebration as students proudly demonstrated their skills, focus, and confidence (yes, even board breaking!). 👏
This program supports our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) goals, helping students grow through encouragement, respect, and responsibility, and connects beautifully with our Vision of a Learner in Action. 💚
📸 Check out some photos from the event!
A big shoutout to students Jenny Manxhari and Paola Renxa (Doherty Memorial High School), Uche Mba (South High Community School), Madeline Torto (North High School), and Juleyanah Ruiz (Worcester Technical High School) for volunteering as poll workers across Worcester, including Congregation Beth Israel and the Worcester Senior Center. They spent Election Day helping voters, learning how elections run behind the scenes, and experiencing civic engagement in action. 🙌
By volunteering at the polls, these students showed that they are Engaged Community Members, a key disposition of the Vision of a Learner 📘. They identified a community need, articulated and communicated solutions, developed an action plan, and advocated for change (ECM 2).
What the students had to say:
Jenny Manxhari (Doherty): "I decided to volunteer because I care about my community. I’m proud to serve Worcester and make a difference!" 💛
Uche Mba (South High): "Being newly eighteen, I wanted to experience the process up close and understand the impact voting has." 🌟
Madeline Torto (North High): "I wanted to use my time doing something meaningful." 🤝
Juleyanah Ruiz (Worcester Tech): "I enjoy helping others and giving back to my community." ❤️
Paola Renxa (Doherty): "It was a great experience to see the process behind the scenes and help my community." ✨
📸 See the highlights of our student poll volunteers!
Students at West Tatnuck School participated in sixth grade elections that included voters from fourth, fifth, and sixth grades!
Now in its fourth year, this year's sixth grade elections marked the first time fourth and fifth graders were invited to take part in the voting process.
Throughout the project, candidates and their classmates learned about the civic process by creating campaign commercials to share their platforms, designing posters, writing campaign speeches, and casting their votes.
Elected sixth grade student leaders will meet with Principal Elia-Renaud to bring their campaign promises to life, represent their peers at district events as school leaders, and take part in school culture and climate meetings.
This in-depth project demonstrates all five dispositions of the Vision of a Learner, showcasing West Tatnuck students as Engaged Community Members, Curious Learners, Empowered Individuals, Problem Solvers and Effective Communicators.
Take a look at some of the sights from sixth grade election day at West Tatnuck!
