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

🌅 Senior Sunrise at Doherty Memorial High School 🌅 Take a look at some of the sights from the recent Doherty Memorial High School senior sunrise! Despite the light drizzle and overcast skies, Doherty seniors made the most of the moment, enjoying coffee, hot chocolate, and donuts on the school's terrace courtesy of the dedicated staff ☕🍩 It was a memorable way to kick off a year filled with laughter, fun, and exciting adventures ahead. We're sending our best wishes to Doherty High School's Class of 2025! May this year hold many more memories like this one! 🎉

Doherty Memorial High School Field Hockey Wins at the Buzzer 🏑 Doherty field hockey earned an impressive win on September 20 as a last minute goal propelled the Highlanders to a 3-2 victory against Wachusett.  With only 12 seconds left to play in regulation, junior Ava White scored the game-winning goal, sneaking the ball past the goalie on a one-on-one following an assist from junior Sarah DeFusco. Sophomore Riley Cormier and senior Casey Cole each scored for the Highlanders in the win. Doherty field hockey improved its season record to 7-1 with the victory. Doherty field hockey is back in action today at 4 PM when they travel to Tantasqua. Check out a few images from Friday's clutch win! 👏

⭐Aimee Poland, Kindergarten Educator at Vernon Hill School ⭐ Miss Aimee is wholly invested in the success of her students and Vernon Hill School. She has a knack for connecting with younger students and helping them reach new benchmarks in their education. Take a look at what is being said about Miss Aimee! “My son was struggling at his first school, then we moved and he transferred into Miss Aimee's class and he flourished in school,” said a parent nominator. “She then ended up having my other son for kindergarten the next year and he also excelled in learning!” “Miss Aimee loves Vernon Hill, her students, their families, and her colleagues,” said Vernon Hill Principal Tammy Boyle. “She is a fierce advocate for early childhood education and what her students need! She is kind, creative, fun, energetic, and dedicated - the kind of kindergarten teacher I would want for my own children.” ⭐ 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

🌟 Worcester Public Schools at MassHire Job Fair! 🌟 On Friday, September 13, our District Recruiting Team, along with the 🍽️ Nutrition and 🚌 Transportation teams, joined 90+ employers at Polar Park for the MassHire Central Job Fair! It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with job seekers and share exciting career opportunities within our district. Interested in joining our team? Apply now at worcesterschools.org/jobs and become part of Worcester Public Schools! Thank you to all who visited our table! 🙌🎉

📚🏫 Know Your School Night at West Tatnuck School 🏫📚 The West Tatnuck School recently hosted its Know Your School Night and it was a great time with parents! Know Your School Night is an opportunity to visit your child's school to learn about everything happening there! Childcare was provided at West Tatnuck so caregivers could ask their questions and focus on learning about the school. Know Your School Nights run until October 17 at all of our Worcester Public Schools.

🎒💻 Happy IT Professionals Day! 🎉 IT pros are the tech wizards of our schools, tackling the tech puzzles 🧩 that leave the rest of us scratching our heads! Whether it’s managing Chromebooks 💻, desktops 🖥️, networks 🌐, or even fixing cafeteria registers 🍔, you keep everything running smoothly. From keeping our Wi-Fi strong 📶 to safeguarding our cybersecurity 🔐, you handle the complexities of modern tech with superhero skills 🦸‍♂️💥. Thank you for being the ultimate tech champions that power our classrooms! 🙌✨

🌅 Senior Sunrise at Burncoat High School 🌅 Take a look at some of the sights from the recent Burncoat High School senior sunrise! The annual senior sunrise has become fun way to bring in senior year with friends and look ahead on the final year of high school and beyond. Burncoat seniors came together to enjoy games, music, fun signs and baked goods while watching the sunrise from the hill behind the school. Staff even brought donuts and breakfast for students. We're sending our best wishes to Burncoat High School's Class of 2025! May this year hold many more memories like this one!

⭐Ahmarhiyana Dennison, Sixth Grade at Nelson Place School ⭐ Ahmarhiyana, also known as Mari, is being recognized for her Excellence in Kindness! Mari is always eager to meet new friends and lift those around her with her positive attitude. Take a look at what is being said about Mari. “Mari is one of the sweetest little ladies you will ever meet. She will say hello to you everyday with a smile. She loves to make sure people are treated like she wants to be treated. She will share and ask to be a friend if she is not already.” ⭐ 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

🌿🛠️ Volunteers from Hanover Insurance Clean Up Wawecus Road School 🌿🛠️ The Wawecus Road School recently had its campus cleaned and beautified by over 50 volunteers from The Hanover Insurance Group. Volunteers worked tirelessly to lay down fresh mulch for the playgrounds, repaint picnic tables and clean up landscaping around the school. They also put together new metal picnic tables and replaced the rims on the basketball courts. The volunteer effort was part of the United Way's Day of Caring which brings together local companies and community members for projects such as this one. Sending a big thank you to all of the volunteers for all of your hard work! 👏

🥗 New Menu Alert! 🍎 Fresh and tasty options are hitting the menu at all schools this year! Whether you're in elementary, middle, or high school, there’s something new for everyone to enjoy. ✨ From a game-changing breakfast to a delicious lunch, our new dishes will have you looking forward to every meal! But don’t just take our word for it - here’s what some of your fellow students are saying: 🗣️ “The new breakfast is AMAZING! This is exactly what we needed!” - 11th grade student 🗣️”Good, it’s better than last year, better food!” - 4th grade student 🗣️ “The kids like the food and kept asking if I tired the Mac and Cheese” - 5th grade teacher Check out what’s on the menu and try something new today. 😋🍎 📲 View the full menu at https://buff.ly/47lkI4R

🌍 Worcester Girl Visits All 351 MA Town Halls in Just 1 Year! 🏛️🚗✈️ Meet Ciara Barber, a 9-year-old student from Rice Square Elementary, who has achieved an incredible milestone—visiting every single city and town hall in Massachusetts! 🙌 Starting at Worcester City Hall and traveling over 7,000 miles, Ciara's journey took her from bustling cities to charming small towns, with stops including Worcester, Boston, Swansea, and Erving. Ciara’s adventure, which included day trips, camping, and even a ferry ride, has captured hearts and inspired many. Discover more about her amazing journey and the fun experiences she had along the way. 📸 Follow her journey on Instagram: @town.hall.project 📖 Read the full story here: https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/2024/09/10/city-town-hall-project-massachusetts-ciara-barber/75141595007/ 📸 Photo credits: Allan Jung / Telegram & Gazette

🍽️ Lincoln Street Receives Support to Combat Hunger ❤️ Lincoln Street School Principal Karen Allen and thanked volunteers from the Juniper Outreach Foundation who recently restocked the school's food pantry. The foundation hosts pantries in four Worcester Public Schools to prevent hunger at Lincoln Street, City View, Elm Park, and Burncoat Prep.

🕊️ Honoring September 11th 🕊️ Today, we remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and honor the heroes who risked everything in the aftermath. Let us take a moment to reflect on their courage and sacrifice.

🌟 WPS High School Students Intern with Office of Family and Community Engagement 🌟 Diana Do of Doherty Memorial High School and Mia Cano of North High School recently participated in a weeklong summer internship with the Office of Family and Community Engagement! During the internship, the duo helped create Powerpoints and informational material for the Back to School Family Academy and other upcoming events. The internship was made possible through the Bruce Wells Scholar Upward Bound Program, a four-year leadership and college access program for college-bound Worcester high school students. The program provides support to help students reach their academic and career potential. Great job to Diana and Mia! 🎉🙌

Hoops for Harris 🏀 A basketball tournament for middle and high school students is taking place September 7 at Clark University in memory of Harris Wolobah, the Doherty Memorial High School student who died one year ago. Members of Harris’ family thanked the community for their support before the youth engaged in a day of basketball skill-building exercises and activities.

Pride Worcester Festival! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 Worcester Public Schools families and staff celebrated our LGBTQIA+ community at the 2024 Pride Worcester Festival! Superintendent Rachel Monárrez greeted several families, along with women tradespeople who helped build the new Doherty High School! WPS also hosted an informational table with flyers about job listings and a new LGBTQIA+ Parent Advisory Council that is launching this fall! Our partners from the Mass. Teachers Union also hosted a table with educational information for LGBTQ families.

⚾🏫 Columbus Park Back to School Assembly 🏫⚾ Columbus Park students and staff were excited to welcome Smiley Ball and Worcester Red Sox team representatives at a recent back-to-school assembly! 🎉 The WooSox stopped by to hand out free general admission tickets to the final home game of the season on September 15! Tickets were generously donated by the CEO of Chicken Story, a restaurant based in New Bedford, with additional support coming from the US Leadership Foundation. Afterward, students and staff reviewed school procedures, reflected on last year's academic achievements, and finished the week off with a dance session.

🏆🏐 North High Boys Volleyball Honored with MIAA Team Sportsmanship Award 🏐🏆 The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) recently named the North High School boys volleyball team as recipients of the MIAA Team Sportsmanship Award for the 2024 spring athletic season. The MIAA's annual sportsmanship award is presented to high school teams that exemplify the tenets of good sportsmanship to the highest degree. Award criteria include: Teamwork, Fair play/respect for opponents, Ethics, and Citizenship. Congrats to the Polar Bears for representing our city well!

⭐WooStar Kara Knipe, Sixth Grade Educator at Belmont Street Community School ⭐ Kara’s dedication to her school and fellow teachers have earned her high-praise amongst colleagues. A selfless educator, Kara is known to put the team and students first to make a positive impact within her school community. “Kara is the type of employee that bosses and co-workers love to have around and are sad to see leave,” said a fellow staff member. “Not only is she reliable, but she goes above and beyond daily for her students and colleagues.” “Kara will do anything to make sure that a student is advocated for. She helps co-workers in their time of need even when her desk is piling up with work of her own. To know Kara Knipe is to know someone who truly puts herself behind every person 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

🔧 Become a Diesel Technology Educator! 🔧 South High Community School is looking for a skilled Diesel Technology Teacher! Join our team and inspire the next generation of diesel tech professionals. Responsibilities include: 🚗 Teaching the Massachusetts Vocational Technical Education frameworks 🚗 Collaborating across departments 🚗 Promoting equal educational opportunities for all Interested? Visit https://buff.ly/3ASHd4Q and help drive the future of education!