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Dear Families,?

I¡¯m going to start by reposting a letter from Adam Steiner, the WPS Director of Technology, and me about the Nationwide Canvas hack:

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Dear Members of the WHS Community,

Based on advice this morning from the attorneys of the , the district has made the decision to disable the Canvas learning management system until the platform’s security can be confirmed and our student data is secure. As you know, Canvas has been hit with a significant cyber attack, and the SDPA is still in the process of evaluating the security of the platform.?

At this time, we do not know when Canvas will be safe to reactivate for WHS. We know this is extremely disruptive to our students and teachers and WHS is working now to develop alternate ways to share content and collect work from students. Solutions will be specific to each class. For AP classes, we are looking for ways to help teachers move test prep materials to another platform to share with students.

The WPS technology department will continue to monitor the situation and keep our WHS community up to date. We apologize for this disruption and will work to support our students and teachers until it can be resolved.

Sincerely,

Dr. Adam Steiner, Director of Educational Technology

Dr. Jamie Chisum, WHS Principal

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I have no additional update for you all this evening, but we will surely be in touch with you all as soon as possible when we have relevant information.?

We¡¯re a week into May and the testing season is off and running.? We had a full week of AP exams and we have several more before we hold our Math MCAS tests. ? Next Thursday also marks the midterm of Q4 for the underclass students (senior midterm for Q4 was LAST Thursday, April 30th). ? Please check in with your kids to see how they are doing with all this and the many other school events that go on this month. Let us know if we can partner with you on anything.?

The WHS 2026?Senior Prom?will be held on?June 1st?from 6:00-9:00PM at the?,?60 State Street in Boston. There will be a DJ, photographer, food, and much more.

Secure your spot today! Early ticket sales directly fund our venue deposit and help us get an accurate guest count. Tickets can be purchased on RecTrac through?.?Ticket sales end Friday May 15th at 11:59pm.

To receive financial aid for your ticket purchase, please contact your house office or Mr. Shattuck at?shattuckc@wellesleyps.org.

If you would like to invite a guest to the senior prom who is not a WHS student, please pick up a Guest Application from the Perrin House on the third floor. The form needs to be completed by an administrator from the school that your guest attends. All forms must be returned to Mr. Shattuck in Perrin House by Friday, May 15th. If you have not submitted your form by then, your guest will not be permitted to attend the event.

If you have any questions, please contact one of the class officers listed below. We can¡¯t wait to see you all there!

Sincerely,

Sophia Pavano (26pavanos@wpsraiders.org), Mimi Vella (26vellan@wpsraiders.org), Sami Juma (26jumas@wpsraiders.org), and Cam Lynch (26lynchc@wpsraiders.org)

If you have guests attending the Graduation Ceremony on Friday, June 5th that require accessible seating, please email Andrea Ridge (ridgea@wellesleyps.org) no later than Friday, May 22nd, 2026.???

Please provide the following information:

Dr. Kevin McDonald, WHS Choral Director, has been awarded the CMA Foundation Music Teachers of Excellence, honoring 30 extraordinary educators across 12 states who are using the power of music to transform lives.?The program leverages the reach and influence of Country Music to elevate music education across the U.S., shining a national spotlight on the teachers building stronger, more well-rounded young people every day.?By partnering with music industry leaders and like-minded organizations, the CMA Foundation directs research-informed funding where it makes the greatest impact¡ªempowering teachers through professional development, equipping classrooms with essential resources, and creating life-changing opportunities for students who might not otherwise have them.?

This year¡¯s honorees represent 12 states and work across every corner of music education, from choir and band to orchestra, percussion, piano, and fine arts. Selected through a rigorous application process that considers instructional excellence, innovation in the classroom, and a demonstrated commitment to leadership, collaboration, and student success, each honoree receives a cash award to be used for their classroom or program. Honorees plan to direct their stipends toward new instruments, recording equipment, sheet music, guest composers, after-school clubs, and student scholarships, among other needs.

¡°Music Teachers of Excellence was built on the belief that our industry has a responsibility to invest in the people building the pipeline of music lovers, artists, and fans for generations to come. This milestone year isn¡¯t just a celebration of these remarkable educators. It¡¯s a celebration of the legacy we have built together, and a reminder of how much more we can do when the music industry unites around a shared cause.¡± CMA Foundation Director

Congratulations Kevin for being recognized as a transformative educator shaping the next generation through music.

You¡¯re warmly invited to our final exhibition of the year, featuring work from all of our WHS Ceramics Intensive students.

All are welcome, and we hope you can join us. Additional details can be found on the postcard below.

WHS Rock Band will be providing the entertainment for an amazing fundraiser right here in town.??

This is an incredible organization, and Rock Band is truly honored to have been invited to play.

Please purchase your tickets to attend at the

And don’t miss the WHS Rock Band In The Little Theatre tonight!

AP Exams will take place from?Monday, May 4th through Friday, May 15th:

Registered AP exam students:?

Thank You,

Jennifer Culver | Testing & SSD Coordinator | culverj@wellesleyps.org

ÎÞ¾¡×ÊÔ´²É¼¯ High School students are invited to attend the upcoming Massachusetts Association of Student Representatives?Spring Leadership Forum¡ªa great opportunity to connect with student leaders from across the state, build leadership skills, and make your voice heard.

We hope to see you on?Saturday May 16th, 2026 from 8:30 to 3:30?at?The Atrium at Mass Bay Community College?located on?50 Oakland St. ÎÞ¾¡×ÊÔ´²É¼¯ Hills, MA. This event will feature engaging discussions, interactive workshops, and the chance to collaborate with other motivated students who are passionate about making a difference in their schools and communities.?

Spots are limited, so be sure to register as soon as possible to secure your place.?Register?!

The MASR brings unparalleled benefits to Student Representatives on School Committees all across Massachusetts, includng:

The Office of Congressman Auchincloss is hosting a?Virtual?Service?Academy?Night?on?Tuesday, May 12th?from?6:15-7:30pm. This is an opportunity for high school students in grades 9-11 to learn more about the application process for five United States?Service?Academies: West Point, Navy, Air Force, Merchant Marines, and Coast Guard.

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During the?Academy?Night, students will get to hear?from?Congressman?Auchincloss¡¯ staff about the Congressional nomination process required for four of the five service?academies (Coast Guard?Academy?does not require a Congressional nomination). We will also be joined by representatives?from?each of the?service?academies to hear about the individual schools¡¯ application processes.

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Pre-registration for the webinar is required. Students and parents may register for the webinar at this?.

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If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Outreach Director directly at Catarina.Pereira@mail.house.gov?or by phone at (617) 332-3333.

We have noticed a significant increase in students ordering food and beverages to the campus from outside food delivery services (UberEats, DoorDash, etc.) during the school day, which has created a few safety and instructional concerns.

To ensure our school remains a secure environment, please review the following points:

We appreciate your partnership in helping our students make choices that prioritize their safety and education.

Ever wonder about the?books?teens are?reading?

Ever read a popular YA book and wished you had someone to discuss it with?

The librarians at ÎÞ¾¡×ÊÔ´²É¼¯ High School host a monthly?Book Club?for?parents?where we read YA?books?and discuss. If you are interested in participating please email us at?whslibrary-group@wellesleyps.org

June 9 –??by Angie Thomas (realistic fiction)

Summer read – TBD

Any question can be emailed to?whslibrary-group@wellesleyps.org

Please see the recently updated??for Spring events and information.

Our list of clubs and enrichment programs for 2025-2026 has recently been updated.

To print your own copy or access the list, see??on the WHS website.?

I¡¯m glad we have some nice weather for our 10th graders at Elm Bank¡¯s Carriage House tonight for their end of year semi-formal.?It is such a beautiful venue.?If you are picking up please remember to be on time as the staff has to stay until all the kids are gone.?I¡¯m looking forward to a good night with them.?

A happy mother¡¯s day to all the mothers out there!?For all you students out there reading this newsletter, please consider doing something nice to honor yours.?

?A huge thank you to all of you who sent cards and notes to our teachers during Teacher Appreciation week this week.?If you didn¡¯t get the chance, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d happily hear from you in the coming weeks as well.?

Have a great weekend.?

Best,?

Jamie