WHS eNotes

Dear students and parents/guardians:

I hope you are all enjoying the summer vacation.

Next Tuesday, August 29th, we invite all our incoming freshmen to their Freshmen Orientation. New chromebooks will be distributed at this time. See below for details regarding optional insurance. We are excited to welcome all members of the Class of 2027!!

All students are due to return to school on Wednesday, August 30th. We will have an adjusted schedule on that day. All students are expected to report to their homeroom by 7:25 that morning.

Thursday, August 31st will be a ‘Day 1’. The regular daily schedule will be the same as last year.

There is no school on Friday, September 1st or Monday, September 4th (Labor Day)

Starting on Tuesday, September 5th (Day 2), any student scheduled into a study hall on the first block of the day has the option to arrive at school by the beginning of block B. Only seniors in good academic standing can leave early if they have a study hall the last block of the day.

Our annual Back to School Night will take place on Thursday, September 21st at 6:30 p.m. for all our parents/guardians.

We are very excited to welcome all students back to school on Wednesday!

Sincerely,

Stephen Imbusch

Principal

Cell Phones have become an integral part of our lives these days, and the benefits that these little devices have to offer are numerous; from communication to organization to the many social benefits. However, there is mounting evidence that cell phones, and specifically social media, can have adverse effects on one’s mental health and learning.

In May of this year, the U.S. surgeon general warned that social media can present a real risk to the mental health of children and teenagers because of the ways their brains are affected by the amount of time they spend using it.

Studies have shown that when your phone is physically close to you – when it’s within easy reach – your cognitive performance can be negatively impacted, even if you’re not actually using it.

State officials across the country are beginning to recognize the negative effects that social media can potentially have on young people, and education officials in Massachusetts are actively trying to figure out how to deal with the issue.

At Walpole High School, we have a cell phone policy whereby all cell phones are kept in a cell phone holder while class is in session - this includes times when a student is out of class to use the bathroom, for example. This policy was developed a few years ago as a step towards improving student learning by limiting the distractions caused by cell phones.

We are asking our students and parents to partner with us in adhering to this policy for the benefit of all our students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being.

We currently have a job opening at Walpole High for an Education Support Specialist (ESP). Please see the posting below in the attachments.

Registration is still open! Don’t miss this historic event! Sign-up now for the 5K race/walk, the 10K race, or the super popular Youth Mile. All proceeds support the 200+ athletes in the Walpole High School Cross Country and Track & Field Program. Each race participant will receive a finisher’s medal.

Can’t join us live? No problem. We have virtual editions for both the 5K and 10K races. For additional information and to register online, please visit www.walpoleroadrace.org.

Not up for racing? We still need your support. Check out our Race Day volunteer opportunities on the “Volunteer” tab on our website. https://runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/MA/Walpole/WalpoleRoadRace

Thank you for your support. See you at the starting line!

Students are expected to read one book from the Summer Reading List. They will meet in the fall in book groups to discuss their summer reading book. Students should use this form to enter their selected book.

Walpole Public Schools offers optional Chromebook Insurance for families of students in grades 6-12. This insurance ($30 for 8/31/23-8/31/24) will cover accidental damage to the devices.

• Insurance details (and sample costs for uninsured repairs) are on the 1:1 Website Insurance and Repair Info page.

• Payments are available online via MySchoolBucks.

The Fall season is off to a great start. Please remember that once teams have been picked, user fees are due before uniforms can be distributed.. All payment information can be found on the Athletic website.