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

Doherty Memorial High School Boys Basketball Advance to Round of 8 in MIAA Playoffs 🏀 Doherty continued its postseason run on Tuesday, March 4, as the Highlanders defeated #11 Norwood, 77-55, to advance to the Round of 8 in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Boys Basketball Division 2 Playoffs. Junior Ryan Dennis had a double-double with 29 points and 15 rebounds to lead the #9 Highlanders. Seniors Jamel Walker and Josh Romeo scored 18 and 13 points respectively while senior Ezekiel Wilson logged 11 points. Doherty will travel to top-seeded Malden Catholic on Friday, March 7, for a 7:00 PM matchup, with a spot in the MIAA Division 2 Semifinals on the line.

🎓High School Graduation Dates for the Class of 2025! The time is almost here! Check out the graduation dates for Worcester Public Schools’ Class of 2025: Tuesday, May 27: Doherty Memorial High School Wednesday, May 28: Worcester Technical High School Thursday, May 29: University Park Campus School Monday, June 2: Gerald Creamer Center Tuesday, June 3: Worcester Alternative School Tuesday, June 3: Burncoat High School Wednesday, June 4: South High Community School Friday, June 6: North High School Monday, June 9: Claremont Academy Celebrate the hard work and dedication of our graduates as they move on to their next chapter! 🎓🌟 For full details on graduation dates, visit: https://buff.ly/frXUZaR

South High Community School Girls Basketball Advance to Round of 8 in MIAA Playoffs 🏀 South High advanced to the Round of 8 in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Girls Basketball Division 2 Playoffs with a 47-28 win against #11 Pembroke on Wednesday, March 5. Freshman Stefania Kyriazis led the scoring for South with 14 points while senior Bryan Bascones tallied 13 points. Sophomore Lydia Charlonne knocked down a pair of three-pointers to help boost the offense. The sixth-seeded Colonels will now host #14 Walpole on Saturday, March 8 at 3 PM with a chance to advance to the Division 2 Semifinals. Purchase your tickets here: https://buff.ly/vhdxUda

🥣 National School Breakfast Week is here! 🥑🍎 A healthy, tasty breakfast sets students up for success—and the best part? It’s completely FREE for all students! 🎉 Come grab a breakfast and fuel up to kickstart a day of learning and achievement! 🍽️🌟 This week, we’re celebrating with delicious and healthy options, including a new recipe in the works! Introducing waffle sticks with blueberry compote—made with real blueberries, a splash of lemon juice, and a touch of honey. 🍯🫐 The perfect balance of sweet and tangy, this tasty new breakfast could be your next favorite! Would you give it a try? Let us know! 👇

📚✨ Attendance Matters! 🏫 March has 20 school days — let’s make each one count! 🙌 Consistent attendance helps students stay on track, succeed academically, and build great habits. 📝💪 Let’s show up, learn, and thrive together! 🎓🌟

✨ Staff Development Day in Action! ✨ Today, Worcester Public Schools educators came together for a day of collaboration, growth, and skill-building—all with the goal of better supporting our students! 📚🎶🍎 Some highlights from the day: 🎼 Music Educators – Mapped scope & sequence, reviewed, and developed curriculum maps to enhance middle and high school music instruction. 🛡️ Risk Mitigation Training – School Adjustment Counselors and Behavior Specialists engaged in professional development on proactive strategies to identify and address student needs, ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment. 🥗 Nutrition Team Trainings – Participated in Manager/Cook training and a chemicals presentation, reinforcing best practices in food safety and kitchen operations. 👏 A huge thank you to all WPS staff for your commitment to excellence and student success!

No School on Tuesday, March 4 Teachers and school staff will have a professional development day on Tuesday, March 4, so there will be no school for students. District offices will remain open. 🏫

🌟 Friendly Faces of Tatnuck Magnet School 🌟 We recently had the opportunity to visit Tatnuck Magnet School and see our incredible students in action! 👋 Meet the inspiring scholars of Tatnuck Magnet School! From building robots in the VEX Robotics Program to exploring new ideas in the classroom, our students are motivated, curious, and ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow. Their passion for STEM, creativity, and problem-solving shines through in everything they do. With 389 students from PreK-6, Tatnuck Magnet School, with its new building addition since 1954, is committed to providing a hands-on learning experience that helps students develop leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Whether they’re designing robots, collaborating on projects, or presenting research, our students are building the foundation for future success. Tatnuck Magnet School celebrates the diversity and unique strengths of every student, creating a supportive environment where all learners are encouraged to grow and thrive. Here’s to the dedication, creativity, and curiosity that make Tatnuck Magnet School such a special place for students to excel! 🌍✨

⭐ Angela Pallotta, Special Education Teacher at City View Discovery School ⭐ “Angela goes above and beyond for her students. She takes the time to get to know each and every student and needs to create an extremely successful classroom. The second she enters the classroom students are engaged and listening to her. Angela has such a positive impact on her students that will last a lifetime. She is the teacher every student needs.” ⭐ 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

Quarter Two Honor Roll Listings 📝 Congratulations to the many scholars who are being acknowledged for their academic achievements during quarter two! Please note: If a parent or guardian has opted out of media consent for their child, their child's name will not be included in the honor roll publication. Find your scholar here 👉 https://buff.ly/3Xhc3fW

Judge Margaret Guzman Visits Students at Dr. Arthur F. Sullivan Middle School 👩‍⚖️ Judge Margaret Guzman recently visited Sullivan Middle School to speak with 7th and 8th grade scholars. During the visit, Judge Guzman shared her journey to the judge's bench and insights into the legal profession with students. Judge Guzman, who was raised in Worcester, currently serves on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. She is an active participant in the Mock Trial Program, working directly with Sullivan Middle School students. Students enjoyed the visit from Judge Guzman, and even had the chance to try on a judicial robe!

🎉 Attendance Matters at Lincoln Street School! 🥞 40 students with perfect attendance for Q2 were treated to a special pancake breakfast! 🏆👏 Their hard work and dedication paid off, and families joined in to make the morning extra special. Great job, Lincoln Street School community—let’s keep the momentum going and show up strong all year long! 💪🔥

Accelerated Learning Academy at Elm Park Community School 📝 Scholars at Elm Park participated in the Accelerated Learning Academy over winter break, collaborating with educators to enhance their learning skills. Throughout the week, scholars engaged in learning sessions with educators, focusing on open response assignments, test-taking strategies, and creative projects. Fun activities included physical exercise in the school gym, cooperative board games, and quality time with friends. The Accelerated Learning Academy was hosted across various WPS sites, including Burncoat Preparatory School, Burncoat High School, Forest Grove Middle School, North High School, and Worcester East Middle School.

Woodland Academy's Staff Dodgeball Tournament 🏐 Woodland Academy came together just before winter break for a staff dodgeball tournament! Students had a blast cheering on their teachers, even wearing team colors and making signs to show support. Big shoutout to the Red Team – Mr. Axford, Ms. Dorant, Ms. King, Mr. Swan, Ms. Tighe, and Ms. Yau – for taking home the win! 💪

🌟 Celebrating Black Excellence at Vernon Hill School! 🌟 Vernon Hill has been honoring the incredible contributions of Black leaders and trailblazers who have shaped our world. From researching icons like Marcus Garvey, Alma Thomas, Simone Biles, and Barack Obama, to hosting Spirit Week, door decorating, inviting community storytellers, and exploring African-American influences on modern music—students are learning, creating, and celebrating legacies that inspire us all!

Butterfly Project Mural at Woodland Academy 🦋 A mural was recently unveiled at Woodland Academy, featuring colorful ceramic butterflies painted by the school’s former sixth-grade students. The mural showcases over 60 hand-painted butterflies created during the 2023-24 school year. These butterflies are part of The Butterfly Project, an arts and education initiative that memorializes the 1.5 million children killed during the Holocaust. During the unveiling ceremony, students from last year's sixth-grade class returned to Woodland Academy to see the completed mural. The mural was created in partnership with Veronica Parretti, a local artist and daughter of Woodland Academy assistant principal Sherilynne Parretti. The words within the butterflies’ wings are inspired by WPS' Vision of a Learner and Woodland Academy's kindness values. After the ceremony, students, along with families and caregivers, enjoyed a fun evening of math games, pizza, and community.

🎉 Doherty Memorial High School's MCAC Day! 🎉 Doherty's Class of 2025 came together to celebrate their high school journey during Massachusetts College Application Celebration (MCAC) Day! 🙌 Hosted in collaboration with the school's guidance department, the event featured tasty donuts, hot coffee and music in the cafeteria. From there, students took to the gymnasium for fun games and activities, including Spike Ball, Jenga, Connect Four, Cornhole, and plenty more! 🏐🎯 Shoutout to the Class of 2025 for all your hard work to this point! 💪🎓

⭐ Aerla Kodra, 8th Grade Scholar at Forest Grove Middle School ⭐ “Aerla participated in a Lions Club Peace Poster Contest back in November. Since then her artwork won at both the district and state levels in competition with hundreds of other student's artwork. Her painting is now moving on to the International level of judging. There will be approximately 200 posters competing at the International level and a final Peace Poster winner will be chosen in April. We are wishing her the best in this exciting endeavor! Aerla’s talent, integrity, and determination is an inspiration to others! She exemplifies the qualities of a WPS scholar that we all should be proud of.” This work demonstrates that Aerla is a Curious Learner. Aerla discovered and explored their strengths, interests and talent while further connecting with their passion for art. (CL. 3) ⭐ 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

Columbus Park Preparatory Elementary School's Peace Wall Students at Columbus Park Elementary collaborated to create a 'Peace Wall,' honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream. Through colorful drawings and messages, they shared their own hopes for kindness, equality, and a better world.

The Black Student Unions of each WPS high school recently came together to celebrate Black History Month at Worcester Technical High School. The event drew over 200 students from Burncoat High School, Doherty Memorial High School, North High School, South High Community School and Worcester Tech. Students from Abby Kelley Foster School also participated, highlighting the spirit of unity among Black students across Worcester. Throughout the evening, students came together to enjoy the camaraderie of friends, play fun games with peers, and share a delicious buffet-style dinner, creating a vibrant atmosphere of celebration for Black History Month.