Westfield, MA Public Schools

09/10/2026

On Sept. 8, Chef Eric Rogers, Westfield Technical Academy culinary department head, visited the transition services program at its new home at 390 Southampton Road to discuss the commercial kitchen with students and staff.

Special education teacher Carolyn Busiere said there are 24 young men and women in the program this year, and 390 Southampton Road is a great new location. “It’s quite the upgrade,” she said.

The transition program is part of the Westfield Public Schools. It gives students ages 18 to 21 who are still entitled to services the support and opportunity to achieve their goals by offering continuing education opportunities, assistance with employment and workplace readiness, and community-based opportunities and support.

390 Southampton Road is also on the bus route, and several participants said they took the bus to get there. Outside, one student was waiting for a bus to Westfield State University, where he is taking classes.

“Today, Chef Rogers from WTA has been nice enough to train our clients and staff on individual appliances,” Busiere said on Tuesday.

She said many of the students in the program are interested in cooking and have taken culinary courses in high school. Several also work or have worked in kitchens at Shaker Farms, Noble Hospital and Westfield State, and two are in the culinary program at Holyoke Community College and are ServSafe certified.

Besides the commercial kitchen, new touchscreen displays for visual learners are being installed. There is an on-site apartment for mastering life skills and budgeting. There is also a community room, a meeting room, a technology room for studying and a recreation room in development.

“We’ll be gardening; we have a large backyard,” Busiere said.

Another great new addition is a van. “We got them a van so they can go out and visit in the community. We worked with Westfield Technical Academy to work that out; it’s one of theirs that wasn’t being used. They saw the importance of the transition program and made it happen. We’re very grateful to them,” Jendrysik said.

“It’s a great facility. The kids are excited. They’re going to have a recreation room. There are so many different opportunities,” Jendrysik said.

Chef Eric Rogers, head of the culinary department at Westfield Technical Academy, trained students and staff on commercial kitchen equipment at the transition program's upgraded facility on 390 Southampton Road.

09/09/2026

Please click below for the latest newsletter from Munger Hill Elementary School. Thank you!

Munger Hill Newsletter

09/05/2026

09/05/2026

Student-athletes from various sports who will play on the new athletic complex when it opens got a first look and feel on Sept. 2. Teams will start to practice on the field next week. The grand opening and ribbon cutting for the stadium is scheduled for Oct. 2, a delay of a few weeks due to the late arrival of some materials.

Chief Procurement Officer Tammy Tefft, who oversaw the project for the city, spoke to the athletes before they walked on the field for the first time. “Welcome to the new athletic complex. This is your field,” she said, introducing Mayor Michael McCabe and Westfield G&E General Manager Thomas Flaherty, who she said continue to put the project forward.

Tefft said the stadium is not complete. “We just added a ticket booth, storage shed and sod, and we’re a little behind schedule.” She said while the stadium remains closed to the public, there will be opportunities for the teams to practice on the field beginning next week, but all other areas are still restricted. Rules for the field include no dragging things, no vehicles and no animals or pets.

After the visit, Tefft said the delay is mostly due to the late arrival of the masonry for the concession building which houses the bathrooms, which is being built by General Contracting Solutions. “The arrival of the masonry block was delayed, through no fault of theirs. That is the active construction on the site. A lot of the inability to feel comfortable opening is the lack of actual bathrooms on the site,” Tefft said. She said the contractor has been working double time to get it finished, weekends and nights.

Tefft said the overall project of the three fields, including the two fields at Boardman, one artificial and one natural grass, has gone well. “The project on the whole has gone very smoothly. The contractor Mountain View Landscapes has done a phenomenal job with the three fields. Boardman is up and running, and soccer and field hockey are practicing on it since Aug. 24,” she said.

Tefft said Mountain View added a second set of bleachers to the complex. “All of that they rolled with us and continued to move the project forward. If the masonry had been able to arrive on time, the concession stand and bathrooms would have been able to open on time,” she said.

As for the late additions of the ticket booth and storage shed, which weren’t in the original plans, Tefft said, “We were under budget, and so we found some additional things to enhance the whole complex for the students and the fans, that we weren’t sure we could afford in the beginning. The athletic director was very keen on some of those changes.” She said the whole project is still under the appropriation.

“We are still continuing to work to have everything checklisted and done. We’re excited to see the kids being able to practice on Tuesday,” Tefft said. “A couple of weeks to have this complex where it should be is to me phenomenal.”

Through a partnership with Westfield Gas & Electric/Whip City Fiber, the City of Westfield and Westfield Public Schools, the new facilities include a lighted track, a stadium with an all-sport turf field and refurbished girls athletic and Boardman fields at Westfield High School. Funding is being provided from the Whip City Fiber division of WG&E, which pledged to give $1 million annually, for a total of $11 million, in addition to its annual payment in lieu of taxes to the city.

Westfield student athletes got an early look at the city's new $12M athletic complex on Sept. 2, ahead of its Oct. 2 grand opening.

09/04/2026

Please click here for the latest newsletter from Westfield Technical Academy. Thank you!

Tiger Tales

09/03/2026

In response to a question on how the first day of school went, Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski asked the principals. By all accounts, the school year was off to a great start.

“Westfield Public Schools had an outstanding opening day, with students and staff across the district bringing tremendous energy, enthusiasm and a strong sense of community to the start of the 2026–2027 school year,” Czaporowski said. “There is nothing better than seeing our schools filled with students again, and I am incredibly grateful to our dedicated staff and families for making their first day back such a welcoming, exciting and positive experience.”

Czaporowski said there were some transportation issues during the opening days of school, but the district’s transportation department has been working diligently to address them under new manager Laurie Peterson. “The team has put in significant extra time to resolve the issues quickly and ensure reliable service for our students and families,” he said.

Over at Westfield High School, Principal Charles Jendrysik said it felt great to welcome back the students.

“Students from the class of 2027 were excited to arrive early for their Senior Sunrise and paint the rock with handprints at the front of the school. They also wore their class shirts. Great energy to the day,” Jendrysik said, adding that the school also welcomed four exchange students from the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea and Japan.

At Westfield Technical Academy, Principal Daniel Paquette welcomed his first class in his new role. Paquette, who previously served as assistant principal, was hired following the retirement of Bruce Hastings at the end of June.

“The first day was great. Every student I checked in with had nothing but positives to say about their day,” Paquette said, adding that School Resource Officer Bryan Turgeon had the opportunity to kick off the year with a plane ride with Kenneth Dromgold, aviation tech advisory board chair.

Westfield Middle School Principal Jesse McMillan also said the first day went extremely well. “Students and staff settled into the new school year with great energy, and our first fire drill was a success, with students and staff responding quickly and calmly. We also had a smooth transition to our new arrival and dismissal procedures in the newly redesigned parking lot. Overall, it was a very positive start to the school year, and we are excited for what’s ahead,” McMillan said.

Westfield Intermediate School Principal Mary Claire St. James was excited to start the year in her new role, replacing former principal Gregory Miller, now an assistant principal at WTA.

“Our first day at Westfield Intermediate School was a great start to the 2026-2027 school year! Students settled into their new routines, connected with teachers and classmates, and began learning what it means to be part of the WIS community. Students practiced our schoolwide ASK expectations — Accountable, Safe, and Kind — throughout the day and successfully completed our first fire drill, responding calmly and responsibly,” said St. James.

“We also enjoyed seeing students take advantage of our newly paved blacktop during recess, which added another exciting element to the first day. It was wonderful to see the energy, excitement, and sense of community throughout the building as our fifth and sixth graders began a new year together,” she added.

Elementary school principals also weighed in.

“Paper Mill Elementary School welcomed back grades 1-4 on Monday, Aug. 31. Students and families were greeted with smiling staff, beautification projects throughout the grounds, a shiny building, new playscape equipment, and photo opportunities. Having the school full of our wonderful students again makes a heart happy. We thank all the staff, our PTO, the maintenance department, and central office for their efforts to kick off the 26-27 school year in such a positive way,” said Principal Michael Atkins, who took the opportunity to announce that Paper Mill’s open house will be on Thursday, Sept. 17, from 6-7:30 p.m. “Welcome back Paper Mill Pandas!” he said.

Westfield River Elementary School Principal Jill Phelan, who posed with the school mascot Rocky the Otter, called the first day a success. “We were thrilled to welcome all of our students, new and returning, to campus! The energy was high in the gym as everyone gathered with their teachers, and the day was made even brighter by a special surprise visit from Rocky the Otter! Students and staff were excited to be back! We couldn’t have asked for a better start, and we are looking forward to an incredible school year ahead,” she said.

Principal Erika Masciadrelli said laughter and excitement filled the hallways as Highland Elementary officially kicked off the new school year.

“The energy throughout the building was palpable as staff and administration warmly welcomed back all grade 1-4 students for what promises to be an exceptional year of learning, growth and community,” Masciadrelli said. She said that while the older students settled into their daily routines, Highland’s youngest learners eased into their school experiences with special playdates, family orientation and classroom exploration for pre-K and kindergarten. School begins for pre-K and kindergarten students on Sept. 8.

“From the moment the doors opened, Highland Huskies showed up ready to learn and eager to reconnect with friends and teachers. Students stepped into their classrooms with confident smiles, ready to lead by example, while staff spent the opening days building vibrant classroom communities and setting high goals,” Masciadrelli said.

“The energy during these first days sets the tone for everything we accomplish together. Seeing our Huskies return with such positive attitudes and watching our newest families get acquainted with our community makes it clear that this year is going to be truly special.”

Masciadrelli also thanked the parents, guardians, and dedicated staff who worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition back to the classroom. “Here’s to a safe, inspiring and successful year ahead — go Huskies!”

Westfield Public Schools kicked off the 2026-2027 school year with high energy across all buildings, as principals reported smooth openings, new staff, and excited students.

09/02/2026

Please click below for the latest newsletter from Westfield Intermediate School. Thank you!

WIS Polar Paw Print

09/02/2026

Please click below for the latest newsletter from Westfield Middle School. Thank you!

The Howler

09/01/2026

Images from our First Day of School, August 31, 2026.

09/01/2026

Westfield EATS, Westfield Public Schools Food Services, has announced a new partnership with My School Menus that offers interactive online menus to make it easier for families, students and staff to see what’s being served each day.

“My School Menus is a program that we’ve teamed up with to help us get all of the menus and pertinent information out to parents,” said Food Services Director Rachel Kania. She said parents can now scroll through the daily menu items and see pictures of the food, nutritional facts and ingredients, which is especially important for families of children with allergies, she added.

“Now we can have all of that information right at the fingertips of parents, who can go online and see all of the options available every day,” she said.

Kania said Westfield EATS gets its food from local farms and partnerships. For example, ground beef comes from North Elm Butcher Block, which grinds it fresh that day. Lettuce and produce come from local farms, and fruit from Mountain Orchard Farms in Granville.

Previously, Kania had to keep track of all the recipes, ingredients and nutritional information by hand on an Excel spreadsheet. She said her staff spent the summer transferring the information to My School Menus.

“To be honest with you, it was a pretty big undertaking. We had to enter every ingredient for every recipe we have here. It took us two months to enter over the summer,” she said. “Now parents can see what we can see, make their own decisions and navigate the menu safely.”

On the menu site, there is a drop-down list for allergies. For example, if an egg allergy is indicated on that list, any items containing egg will be crossed off the menu.

Kania said some medical conditions also require nutritional information. For a child with diabetes, parents can now see a carbohydrate count, so they know how much insulin is needed for their child. “This helps everybody, from nurses to parents to us; it’s a great program,” she said.

Kania said parents can either navigate menus on their own with their children or utilize a menu from a registered dietitian. Food Services has a dietitian on staff who has been with the department for 25 years. The dietitian may be reached at 413-572-6493 or by visiting the Food Services office in Suite B10 in City Hall at 59 Court St.

The new online menus for Westfield EATS may be accessed at: menus.healthepro.com/organizations/3724

“It’s really a wealth of information at the parents’ fingertips, which we’re so excited about,” Kania said.

https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2026/09/westfield-food-services-offers-new-interactive-menus-for-parents-to-safeguard-kids-choices.html

Westfield Public Schools Food Services has partnered with My School Menus to provide an interactive online platform where families can view daily menus, nutritional facts, ingredients, and allergy information for their children.