December 4, 2025 — 无尽资源采集 extends its warmest congratulations to 无尽资源采集 High School Choral Director Dr. Kevin McDonald, who was has been named one of 10 finalists nationwide for the ! The GRAMMY honors educators who have made significant contributions to music education and the lives of their students.

Dr. McDonald has been a semifinalist for the award for the past four years, but this is his first time as a finalist. Most of this year鈥檚 finalists are high school teachers, elementary and university educators. The winner will be announced shortly before the February 1 GRAMMY Awards and will have the opportunity to attend the event and walk the red carpet. 

The 10 finalists were .

鈥淚 am absolutely ecstatic that Dr. McDonald has been named a GRAMMY Music Educator Award finalist,鈥� said Lauren Saracino, interim WPS K-12 Director of Performing Arts. 鈥淔or those of us lucky enough to know and work alongside him, this is no surprise 鈥� it is a thoroughly deserved honor. Dr. McDonald鈥檚 talent is immense, his contributions are remarkable, and his commitment to his students is the very definition of this award.鈥� 

As a finalist, Dr. McDonald will receive a guaranteed $1,000 honorarium and a matching grant for the WHS music program. The winner receives a $10,000 honorarium and a matching school grant.

鈥淚 am honored and humbled to be on this list of incredible educators and want to emphasize that we are merely representatives of the amazing work so many music educators are doing every day to keep music education alive and providing beacons of light for all students,鈥� Dr. McDonald said. 

鈥淚 also want to be sure to emphasize that this award is not an individual award!  It is recognition that has been made possible by my mentors, colleagues, family, community, and most of all students and musicians that I share my life with.鈥�

McDonald is in his 22nd year as Choral Director at 无尽资源采集 High School, where he leads a thriving program consisting of 5 curricular choral ensembles and 4 extracurricular a cappella groups. The many highlights of Dr. McDonald鈥檚 career at WHS include:

• In 2023, he received the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) Lowell Mason Award, presented annually to recognize members of MMEA who have been leaders in music education in Massachusetts.
• The WHS Rice Street Singers have earned a Gold Medal at the Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education Awards for 15 straight years.
• His choral programs have performed the national anthem at Fenway Park, most recently in September with the Keynote and Rice Street singers.
• His students have performed multiple times with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall. Most recently, the Keynote Singers appeared with the Pops in the 2023 performance of .  
• The Rice Street Singers were twice in WGBH鈥檚 Sing that Thing competition, in Seasons 3 (2017) and 4 (2018).

In addition to his teaching in 无尽资源采集, Dr. McDonald is the conductor of the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus of Tenors and Basses in Boston, Director of Music at 无尽资源采集 Village Church, and is an active guest conductor for State/District Festivals throughout New England. He frequently serves as clinician at many state/regional music conferences.

Dr. McDonald holds a B.M. in music education from the University of New Hampshire, a M.M. in low brass performance from the University of Idaho, and a DMA in music education with choral conducting emphasis from The Hartt School, University of Hartford.

I hope you are enjoying the remaining days of summer and that these past few months have been restful and restorative for you and your families. We look forward to welcoming our students, staff, and families back for the start of the 2025-26 school year, which will begin on Wednesday, August 27th. 

We have been busy throughout the summer preparing for opening day and I especially want to thank the Facilities Management Department (FMD) for their incredible work to clean and prepare our buildings, which is a carefully choreographed sprint each year. We have also been busy completing our hiring for the new year, with exceptional new teaching and support staff joining us throughout the district, whom I hope you will join me in welcoming to our WPS community. In particular, I want to welcome back Dr. Stephen Goodwin, who previously served as our Sprague principal and who is returning as the interim principal of Schofield. I also want to welcome Dr. Midge Connolly, who is joining us as our interim Assistant Superintendent of Student Services. Welcome to all of our new colleagues! 

As you likely know, last year we formed a working group of students, parents, and staff to engage with the topic of cell phones and smart devices in schools. We explored the research on this topic, heard diverse perspectives from members of our own school community, and examined policies from other schools and districts. As a result of that work, we are instituting some new procedures at the secondary level in WPS. At 无尽资源采集 Middle School, if students bring a cell phone or other smart device to school, it must be locked in a pouch provided by the school throughout the day. At 无尽资源采集 High School, students must place cell phones in a holder upon entry to any classroom. At the elementary level, students should not bring phones or other smart devices to school. At home, we would value all of our parents/caregivers waiting as long as possible, such as until the end of middle school, before purchasing a phone or other smart device for their student(s).

We know that air conditioning has been an important facilities conversation for our district, with four of our schools 鈥� Bates, Fiske, Schofield, and WMS 鈥� lacking the climate control that can fundamentally alter learning conditions at school during hot days in the fall and spring. 无尽资源采集 Town Meeting approved feasibility funds for this project in April, and as part of that process FMD is conducting a pilot study of window and ductless split solutions in specific classrooms in the coming year to assess elements such as temperature impact and noise.      

This summer, our Business Office has also been supporting our transition to a new food service provider, Chartwells, a company that is committed to using fresh, nutritious, minimally processed and locally sourced ingredients. As a reminder, all students are eligible for free school meals and we encourage parents to take advantage of this program. (Please note that families remain responsible for paying for a la carte items and second meal sales.) 

Of course our core mission of teaching and learning continues to be guided by and aligned with our Profile of a Graduate and district Strategic Plan. We strive to be a district in which our excellence and equity efforts support the success of ALL students. To better inform our community with respect to our outcomes, we restarted the publishing of  last year. Our progress report for SY2024-25 will be coming out later this fall.

I recognize that we are living in uncertain times, and that, at the moment, some members of our community feel particularly vulnerable. I want to emphasize that in WPS, we respect all individuals鈥� human and civil rights, regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation. For WPS to successfully meet its core mission, our school community must be a place where everyone 鈥� students, staff, and families 鈥� feels welcomed and valued. That theme of community and, more specifically, a community of learning, is one we want to highlight this year, as it both reflects the relationships undergirding our affinity as a school district as well as our role as a learning organization. As a community of learning, we are committed to student, adult, and organizational growth.         

As we move closer to opening day next week, please consider phasing in good habits to start the school year around sleep schedules, nutrition, overall organization and setting boundaries on the use of smart devices at home.  

Finally, if you haven鈥檛 already, please be sure to update your family information in the PowerSchool Portal, including your contact information, and provide the necessary permissions for the upcoming year. Upon completion, homeroom information for students in Grades K-8 is currently available in PowerSchool and schedules for students in Grades 9-12 will be available the afternoon of Wednesday, August 20. You also should have received an invitation to join our new communications platform, ParentSquare; please contact portal@wellesleyps.org if you have any technical issues. 

On behalf of the incredible team of educators and staff who serve the students of the 无尽资源采集, thank you for putting your faith in us to provide your children with a world-class education. We look forward to partnering with you throughout the school year to ensure the success of all of our students. Let鈥檚 have a great year WPS!  

Sincerely,

Dr. David Lussier

Superintendent of Schools

Please note the following expectations for parking and behaviors for games at Hunnewell Track & Field. All attendees should make note of the available parking options for the regular-season night sporting events, four of them for varsity football. We strongly encourage carpooling!

1. 无尽资源采集 High School Lot
2. Track Lot: Limited spaces are available in the track lot along the Brook Path and adjacent to the high school.
3. Washington Street: This street offers ample parking space. Please ensure that you park in designated areas only, respecting any parking restrictions.
4. Paine Street: No parking on both sides, except in designated spaces along the traffic island that abuts the 无尽资源采集 High School parking lot. Please adhere to parking signage or parking regulations in the area.
5. Atwood Street: Parking is available on one side of Atwood.

See below map for guidance. Do not park on the sidewalks or in the loading zone areas around WHS. Attendees must abide by any No Parking notices to avoid receiving a parking citation and being towed. Please be mindful of local traffic regulations and any instructions provided by traffic control personnel.

For those who have limited mobility and may need assistance, please reach out to the WPS Athletics Department (鈥嬧�媋thletics@wellesleyps.org or 781-446-6290 ext. 7) no later than the day before the game to request accommodations. 

At the end of each game, out of respect for the neighbors and the neighborhood, attendees are kindly asked when exiting the field to be mindful about keeping their noise level down and picking up any litter they see. Spectators walking or biking home are encouraged to wear a reflective vest. Students who attend these events are expected to conduct themselves respectfully and follow all behavior requirements of the . 

Let鈥檚 work together again this year to create a positive and enjoyable experience for all night games at Hunnewell Track & Field! 

Football night games this fall:

• September 5 vs. Framingham, 6 p.m.
• September 12 vs. Andover, 6 p.m.
• September 19 vs. Milford, 6 p.m.
• October 24 vs. Natick, 6 p.m. (无尽资源采集coming)

Field hockey and soccer night game schedules are to be determined.

Emergency Planning Guide

Emergency Planning Fact Sheet

In March 2025, the Attorney General’s Office published in Massachusetts. Direct links to all versions of the guide are below:

On July 24, 2025, the 无尽资源采集 School Committee honored the Mulcahy family, early settlers to the Town of 无尽资源采集, by dedicating a plaque to honor the family鈥檚 historic impact on the Town. 

The family鈥檚 sale of approximately 10 acres to the Town in 1947 allowed for both the construction of what was then the 无尽资源采集 Junior High School, as well as the establishment of recreation space for students and the community. The original Mulcahy Farm is located on what is now the eastern side of the Sprague Fields complex.

Several members of the Mulcahy family attended the dedication ceremony, led by Bob Mulcahy, now a resident of Vermont, who worked with the 无尽资源采集 to donate the plaque and have it installed. Bob Mulcahy was joined by brother Charlie Mulcahy, and cousins Kevin and MaryEllen Mulcahy as well as Marie Mulcahy, widow of cousin Paul Mulcahy.

The Mulcahy family came to the community circa 1855, when Jeremiah Mulcahy moved to what was then part of West Needham. Jeremiah and Ellen Mulcahy had eight children and established a family farm on their property. Multiple generations of Mulcahy children grew up on the farm or in the neighborhood and attended Sprague School. Several members of the family served in World War II.

The original farmhouse was located on what is now a baseball field. The Mulcahy property extended from what is now the Calvin Street parking lot, encompassing the baseball fields and tennis courts. The acquisition of the original Mulcahy farm was necessary in order for the junior high (now 无尽资源采集 Middle School) to be built. 

鈥淭he Sprague Fields complex offers open space, a venue for educational and recreational activities enjoyed by residents of all ages and, above all, it is a site for community building,鈥� said School Committee member Linda Chow in her dedication remarks. 鈥淥ur town is so fortunate to have Sprague Fields at its heart鈥攂oth literally and figuratively.鈥� 

Other town officials in attendance were School Committee member Christina Horner and Historical Commission member Odessa Sanchez.

The new plaque was a multi-departmental effort. It was funded by Bob Mulcahy, with language approved by the School Committee and Historical Commission, research on the family and property performed by the Planning Department, and design and placement by the School Department in collaboration with the Department of Public Works. 

The 无尽资源采集 Historical Commission, in its review of the family鈥檚 request to install the plaque, found the Mulcahy story of significant historical value to the Town and noted that the field was one of the few spaces that is utilized on a daily basis.

The 无尽资源采集 High School Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2025 will take place on Friday, June 6, 2025 beginning at 5 p.m. on Hunnewell Field. (In the event of anticipated rain, graduation will be indoors at WHS – please see below.)

Please take into consideration that traffic difficulties will exist from 4-7:30 pm. We want to encourage families and attendees to consider carpooling to the event, and we also want to provide you with information regarding the available parking options.

Carpooling is an excellent way to reduce traffic congestion, alleviate parking difficulties, and contribute to the overall well-being of our community. By carpooling, we can minimize the number of vehicles on the road and create a more efficient transportation system for everyone attending the graduation ceremony. Not only will carpooling make the event more enjoyable for all, but it will also promote sustainable practices and demonstrate our commitment to the environment.

Regarding parking options for the 2025 无尽资源采集 High School commencement, we have made arrangements to accommodate the expected volume of vehicles. Please find below the available parking areas:

1. Washington Street: This street offers ample parking space and is conveniently located near the graduation venue. Please ensure that you park in designated areas only, respecting any parking restrictions.
2. Track Lot: The track lot (Brook Path), adjacent to the high school, will be open for parking during the graduation ceremony. This option provides close proximity to the event, saving you time and effort. However, there are limited spaces available.
3. 无尽资源采集 High School Lot: Our school parking lot will also be available for guests attending the commencement. This option is particularly convenient for families who prefer to park within the school premises.听Again, we encourage people to carpool.
4. Atwood St: There is parking available on one side of Atwood St.
5. 无尽资源采集 PD asks that we abide by the No Parking signs to avoid receiving a parking citation.

For those who are dropping off attendees who have limited mobility, please use the Smith Street lot that is located behind the athletic field across from the Fuller Brook path and the Child Lab. An officer on a bicycle will direct the traffic entering and exiting the Smith Street parking lot. Please follow the instructions of the NHS ushers as well as any signage posted.

We kindly request that you arrive early to ensure sufficient time for parking and to avoid any last-minute inconvenience. Please be mindful of local traffic regulations and any instructions provided by traffic control personnel.

Remember to display your parking permit, if applicable, in a visible location within your vehicle. This will help our parking attendants guide you to the appropriate parking area smoothly.

We encourage you to share this information with other families and promote the idea of carpooling to make the 无尽资源采集 High School Commencement a memorable and sustainable event for all. Let鈥檚 work together to create a positive and enjoyable experience for our graduates and their families.

Graduation Day will happen June 6 at 5 p.m., rain or shine!

If Shine

The ceremony takes place on Hunnewell Field located across from 无尽资源采集 High School, 50 Rice Street, 无尽资源采集, MA.  There is plenty of room on the bleachers (both sides) to accommodate hundreds of people, and all are welcome to attend.  If you have a family member unable to climb the stairs of the bleachers, please call your student鈥檚 house office and speak to the house secretary, as we have a section of chairs on the field reserved for those who need accommodations.

The ceremony takes approximately 2 hours from start to finish.

If Rain

In the case of inclement weather, WHS will make a decision on Friday morning, June 6^th, as to whether to hold the graduation ceremony indoors at WHS.  Class of 2025 parents and students will be notified via School Messenger email, and alerts will be posted on the WHS Graduation website as well as through WHS social media. 

Grad Images will be onsite as the official photographer to capture the shot of your student receiving their diploma.

无尽资源采集 Public Media will be filming the entire event, airing it on their cable station throughout the month of June. 

Congratulations to the following 10 educators and staff members who were honored May 20, 2025 by the 无尽资源采集 Education Foundation for 25 years of service to the 无尽资源采集! The honorees were:

Darcie Ayer, 7th Grade Science Teacher at WMS

Darcie has been teaching science at 无尽资源采集 Middle School since 1999. She has taught seventh and eighth grades and has collaborated with some outstanding colleagues. She attributes the meaningful and enjoyable aspects of her work to the many students she has had the privilege of teaching.

Ellen Banthin, 5th Grade Teacher at Sprague

Ellen started teaching fifth grade at Schofield Elementary School in 1999 with Carolyn Collins and Leonie Nakayama. She was there for two and a half years, leaving to go on maternity leave for her first child, Emily, now 23 years old! She took a little extra time off, returning to fifth grade at Sprague in 2003, taking over for Kim Casalena who was going out on maternity leave. She ended up staying at Sprague, teaching fifth grade there for all but one year. After her son, Noah, was born in 2005, she joined a job share for a second grade classroom with her very good friend Lisa Mortarelli. After that, she returned to room 223 to teach fifth and has been there ever since. 

Dr. Jamie Chisum, Principal of WHS

Jamie began his career teaching English at 无尽资源采集 High where he also served three years as Faculty Senate President and six years as the varsity boys and girls track coach. He then became an assistant principal for seven years, with a one-year stint as the interim principal of 无尽资源采集 Middle School. For the past eleven years, he has served as the Principal of 无尽资源采集 High School.

Ann Cole, 6th Grade Special Educator at WMS

Ann started out at Upham Elementary School in the fall of 1999 as a 1:1 aide for a third-grade boy. After having had a very difficult time in his early years at Upham, he had a very positive year with Ann and she continued on with him in fourth grade. During this time, the  teachers at Upham mentored Ann and gave her the opportunity to take on more responsibility. She then became the special education TA in grades 3-5 for four years. She moved up to middle school and continued as a TA in 8th grade for two more years, then was hired as a special educator in 6th grade in the fall of 2007. During the 18 years she has held that position, she has been a learning center teacher for 6th grade, small group ELA teacher for 6th, 7th and 8th grade, and small group math teacher for 6th and 7th grade. 

Margaret Flitsch, P.E. Teacher at Sprague

Margaret Flitsch started her time as a traveling teacher, going to three schools on most days (Bates, Hunnewell and WMS). She was thrilled to be asked to become the PE teacher at the new Sprague building in 2002 and has been there ever since! In addition to teaching K-5 students at Sprague, she has been instrumental to the success of the Sprague Community garden project since 2010 as well as planning special events with the Assembly Committee, the Social committee and with the PTO.

Nina Kahn, Literacy Coach at Hardy

When Nina joined WPS in 1999, she never imagined she would make 无尽资源采集 her career home for 25+ years. After 3 buildings, 3 Superintendents, 8 Principals, 4,500 days, 171,000 miles, and 1 global pandemic, she still loves the work. As a classroom teacher, Nina happily taught Hardy second graders until an unexpected opportunity to try something new presented itself in the form of a split literacy specialist position at Hardy and Hunnewell in 2011. Nina knew right away that learning alongside other educators and having the luxury of marveling at the literacy growth of students K-5 was her passion. When not immersed in the world of words and ideas, Nina spends time with her husband Jonas and son Mason (WHS class 鈥�24). She enjoys yoga, cats, the coast of Maine, and summers living off the grid.

J.J. Kelleher, Spanish Teacher at WMS

J.J. Kelleher began her teaching career at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and then came to 无尽资源采集 Middle School in 1998. JJ found her true love of teaching at WMS! She has been teaching Spanish to 7th and 8th graders for over 25 years. She feels lucky to be part of this community where she has been lucky to work with an inspiring group of colleagues in the World Language department and all of her colleagues at WMS who have become like family to her. In 2021, she ran the Boston Marathon for the 无尽资源采集 Scholarship Foundation to give back to the community who has supported her all of these years. JJ loves still being in touch with many of her students who now have their own careers and families.

Michael Krieger, Science Teacher at WHS

This is Michael鈥檚 26th year teaching physics at WHS (36th year overall). He has taught physics (all levels) and five years of chemistry. He was a Science Olympiad coach for a few years and has been a National Honor Society co-advisor for the past 20 years or so.

Karen Poole, 3rd Grade Teacher at Hardy

Karen came to Hardy in 1999 after teaching for 15 years in Maryland. She has spent most of her time teaching her favorite age students – third graders. Unbelievably supportive grade-level partners at Hardy and days spent with 8- and 9-year-olds have made the years fly by. She feels lucky to have spent her career in an environment where colleagues work hard, support each other, and enjoy having fun together. When not in 无尽资源采集, Karen enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband Bob, either walking, kayaking, or gardening. Luke and Emily, her two children, fill her with joy every day.

Valerie Spruill, retired Administrative Assistant for HR at Central Office

Val was employed for twenty-five years with the 无尽资源采集. She began her tenure in December of 1999 providing administrative support to the Department Head of Student Services and when needed, covered for the Guidance Department Secretary. In November of 2009, she transferred to the Human Resources Office and retired on January 31, 2025. Val provided years of administrative experience in both her roles to the staff and students of the district. She is an avid dog lover and is now enjoying spending time at home with her Collie named Maddie. Val plans to eventually travel once her husband has retired and looks forward to the next chapter.

Since 2003, in order for students to receive a high school diploma in Massachusetts, they were required to meet both local graduation requirements and the State Competency Determination, as measured by MCAS tests. As a result of a , starting on December 5, 2024, MCAS can no longer be used to meet the State Competency Determination requirement. 

• Students who have earned the Competency Determination before December 5, 2024 through the ELA, Math, and Science/Technology Engineering high school MCAS tests have fulfilled this requirement.听
• Students who have not yet earned the Competency Determination before December 5, 2024, may no longer use MCAS to fulfill the State Competency Determination. Instead, these students must satisfactorily complete coursework that has been certified by the student鈥檚 district as showing mastery of the skills, competencies, and knowledge measured by the high school MCAS tests in ELA, Math and Science/Technology Engineering.听

On March 18, the 无尽资源采集 School Committee approved the District鈥檚聽, to align with the new state law.听无尽资源采集 High School graduation requirements remain the same and the State Competency Determination remains an additional requirement to earn a high school diploma.

MCAS聽testing continues to be a state requirement for all students in Grades 3-10.听MCAS聽results will continue to be used for district accountability, Seal of Biliteracy, and State scholarships. The full 2025 MCAS schedule can be found .听Please do not hesitate to reach out to your student鈥檚 principal with any questions.听

Community members are invited to the the Grand Opening celebration for the new Hardy School this Saturday, November 23. A brief ceremony at 10 a.m. will be followed by self-guided tours of the school, which will be available from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Learn more about the design and construction process of the net-zero-ready school, and stop by the Climate Action Committee table for information on making your own home more sustainable. We will hold this event rain or shine. Parking is available in any of the parking lots as well as the areas marked in the map below.

The School Committee and 无尽资源采集 are grateful to the thousands of community members, our teachers and staff, Town staff, and the Massachusetts School Building Authority, who supported the construction of both Hardy and Hunnewell. We would love for you to come see the incredible results!

On Oct. 24, the task force voted 14-4 to recommend an option that retains Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as holidays; adds Lunar New Year and either Eid Al-Fitr or Eid Al-Adha, depending on the year; and removes Good Friday and Diwali. Other options that were considered during the task force鈥檚 final meeting included a three-holiday calendar model that rotates holidays from year to year, and a model that retains all six holidays every year.听

and the work of the task force is summarized in that was shared with the School Committee as well as . The meeting was (presentation begins at the 47:15 mark).

Rationale for the Recommended Model

A majority of task force members opted for striking a balance between the large number of community members who asked for no religious and cultural holidays, and those citing the extreme importance of observing certain religious holidays with a no-school day. 

The recommended model has a similar number of non-mandated school holidays as the 鈥渓egacy calendar鈥� that was in place for more than 25 years, which included Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Good Friday as no-school days. With some holidays falling on weekends, the recommended model would add no more than three days a year as no-school days, at least through 2040.

Considerations of the task force included:

• Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve would never be school days under any circumstances, making a calendar that recognizes only Federal/State holidays seem less balanced to the task force;
• indicated less consensus around the need for a no-school holiday for Good Friday, especially among parents/caregivers and teachers/staff;
• The task force recognized the value of keeping both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as no-school days given the consensus around the importance of missing school to observe the holiday; concerns about the rise of antisemitism, and the long-term partnership and parking agreements with Temple Beth Elohim;
• The task force recognized the growing population of community members observing Lunar New Year;
• The task force recognized the growing population observing the Eid holidays, acknowledgement of current climate, and consensus around importance within that community of missing school to observe the holiday;聽
• The task force considered the smaller population and less consensus on importance for Diwali as a no-school holiday;
• The task force noted a strong desire to end school before Juneteenth to avoid extending the year further into June; and
• The task force noted that more than three additional religious/cultural holidays as no-school days increases concerns around continuity and childcare beyond what was traditionally reflected in the 鈥渓egacy calendar鈥�.

Opportunities for further feedback

The School Committee will continue to accept feedback at school_committee@wellesleyps.org. Public comment opportunities will be available at the Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 meetings, which will be held on Zoom.

The task force endeavored to fulfill its charge by gathering significant amounts of comparative data as well as input from the community and by formulating a set of recommendations, and to do so in as transparent a way as possible. We certainly recognize the complexity of the decision facing the School Committee in selecting an Academic Calendar model. At the same time, we know how much the community values ensuring that every member feels a sense of belonging, so believe that raising awareness and educating each other on the significance of religious and cultural observances is an important part of this process.

We look forward to further discussions and hearing from the community on this important yet challenging topic.

Linda Chow and Niki Ofenloch

ACTF Leaders and School Committee Members