Notes from the Head of School

Happy Thursday!

*Check out the new artwork in the cafeteria! We have some really talented, creative students on campus!

*The Student Council helped pull off an April Fool's Day prank - imagine if these green jumpsuits were the new school uniforms? Students and staff alike were stunned for a quick second before I announced "April's Fools"!

*On Wednesday, a group of 10th & 11th graders ventured to Westfield State University for a career fair. Over 55 local businesses were there to speak to students about their jobs. Students had Bingo cards with questions to ask at each table to prompt conversation. Then, they got to eat in the dining hall! It was a great event!

*Last Friday was another successful Acts of Hesed leadership lesson! Look at these happy faces with the animals in such a wonderful, supportive environment.

*Mrs. Luongo's class took data on what the teachers were wearing last Friday on secret Pirates and Princesses Day. They graphed the data. Mrs. Mercier's class has been doing some wonderful research in environmental science!

*Mrs. Lynch arranged a following directions scavenger hunt for her OE class this week. Each student was given a set of directions that they had to follow to get them to a specific location. When they found an egg, there was a magic ticket in there for prizes! Each student was required to do one silly thing in their directions - like skip down the hallway, wave to teachers in a classroom and even dance in the hallway! These students did a great job following their directions around the school.

*Our Senior Lauren B. was interviewed about her Gold Award Girl Scout project for The Westfield Evening News and MassLive!

*On April 15th, the DA's office will be here to present: "Just Once" to Grades 9-12:

This is a presentation that addresses the dangers of experimenting with drugs and the risk of taking prescription medications, that includes:

• A 24-minute documentary that tells the story of drug addiction and recovery through former students that attended local high schools, their parents, and experts in the field.
• A guest speaker who shares their personal story of their battle with addiction.

Although this is a heavy topic, it is an important conversation. You may opt your high school student out of this presentation by emailing me before April 15th.

*We have many great events coming up:

-Spring Spirit Week - April 13th - 17th - fun new themes- see flyer below

-Willy Wonka Jr. on May 1st & 2nd - get your golden tickets!!

-Prom - May 9th - tickets are on sale now!

-Science Fair - May 15th - see flyer for details - this is always an amazing event!

-Graduation - Monday, June 1st at 1PM

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Jody

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Happy Friday!

*Well, the staff had some fun this week with a Secret Spirit Week! Some students questioned the boring outfits we wore on "Monochrome Monday", but weren't quite sure... "Tacky Tourist Tuesday" getups really made them question what was happening, as staff simply said, "I need sunshine" or "I'm just dreaming of my favorite vacation spot"...They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, and our staff proved that by dressing like the students on Wednesday. Thursday appeared to be a normal day, but teachers had a secret phrase! Did students hear teachers say the word, "locenually"? And we ended the week with Princesses and Pirates Day. If the students were unsure before... it was very clear that the teachers were having a fantastic time with their own secret spirit week!

*Two of our seniors started an internship at the Whip City Animal Sanctuary this week! They will be responsible for feeding and watering the animals, general clean up and giving the animals attention. The animal sanctuary is open to the public on weekends - check their site for days and times.

*Play participants and the set design crew have started meeting after school. You know what that means! Our spring production of Wonka Jr. is creeping up! Make sure to mark your calendar for Friday, May 1st!

*Mrs. Mercier's 7th grade science class made bird feeders from materials they recycled!

*As I see job opportunities posted for the spring and summer, I will share them in my Friday emails for students and families seeking summer employment.

*The Parent Advisory Group met Wednesday morning to hear Tara Armstrong present recent research on the changing landscapes of technology and health for the neurodivergent community. Thank you to the parents who participated in this important conversation.

*On Thursday, the 7th and 8th grade classes went to the Holyoke Mall for a few rounds of bowling and lunch! This was a great opportunity for class bonding and to practice sportsmanship. And Mrs. Lynch and Josie met the Easter Bunny!

*Prom tickets will be on sale next Wednesday, April 1st at morning break and lunch. Tickets are $75 each. Prom is open to students in Grades 9-12. Students are allowed to bring a guest from outside of school in grades 9-12 with a signed permission slip. Dinner, dancing and a photo booth will make the "Once Upon A Time" Prom an evening to remember!

*The Stop the Swerve event is next Thursday, April 2nd. The Hampden County District Attorney's office will present their "Stop The Swerve" event at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. I have attended this event many times and it always proves to be educational and frankly a little shocking as students get to experience simulated drunk, drugged and distracted driving. There is also a presentation for parents on the liability of hosting teen parties. White Oak entered a billboard idea into their contest. I hope you will consider attending this event and supporting this really important educational source. (See attached flyer) - if you don't have parent conferences scheduled that night!

*UPCOMING MCAS DATES:

-Wednesday, April 1st- Grades 5 & 8 ELA

-Thursday, April 2nd- Grade 7 ELA

Have a great weekend!

Jody

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Happy Friday!

It was another busy week at White Oak School as winter continues to hold on despite it being the first day of spring!

*On Tuesday, Ms. Crowe and Mr. Schindel took a group of high school students to tour Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, CT. They were able to observe in each of the shops, including in Robotics, Welding, and CNC Machining. In addition to seeing the hands-on opportunities presented for training in each of these fields, they heard about all of the potential avenues for jobs in each specialty.

*We had a school full of green on St. Patrick's Day - we were feeling the luck of the Irish! Helenya showed off her shirt which featured this week's school-wide vocabulary word- shenanigans!

*Students had class meetings today - they played games, did activities, planned field trips and bonded with the others in their grade!

*Students helped a few faculty members celebrate their birthdays this week!

*Last night's Senior raffle and pasta dinner was a SMASHING SUCCESS! Thank you to everyone who came out, bought tickets, or donated money. A huge congratulations to the senior class and their advisors - Mrs. Williams, Ms. Ramsden and Ms. Capobianco on a job really well done! Stay tuned to see what adventures they plan with the money raised!

*Week 2 of the Acts of Hesed leadership group brought more time with the animals while building confidence and skills through the use of proactive language and team problem solving!

*REMINDER: - next Tuesday the 24th and Wednesday the 25th, the 10th grade students will take the ELA MCAS test. Although the MCAS tests are no longer used to determine competency towards graduation requirements, it is still very important that students take the tests seriously and try their best. A good night's sleep and a protein-filled breakfast are big contributors to help as well.

*A NOTE FROM MRS. SUTTER - our upcoming PAC meeting will take place on March 25th from 9am-10am in Building C. The meeting will be presented by our very own Tara Armstrong, M.S., CCC-SLP. Details of the presentation are as follows:

Neurodiversity in 2026: Navigating the New Landscape

If it feels like the landscape of neurodiversity is shifting under your feet, you’re not imagining it. The 2020s have brought a wave of new information that changes how we see everything from basic health to the tools our kids use daily. This talk is about making sense of the big changes, trends, and talking points. We’ll have space for discussion and resource-sharing, so you can walk away with practical tools and updates you need to navigate 2026.

We’ll start with what the scientific community is learning about how whole-body health and neurodiversity go hand-in-hand. We’ll look at why things like chronic stomach issues, hormonal shifts, sleep struggles, or even being double-jointed are often connected to ADHD and autism—and how you can help your doctor see the big picture of your child’s health. We will also look at how the world is changing for students with dyslexia, as powerful accessibility tools have become standard features on the devices that we all use every day. Finally, we’ll take a look at the conversation currently happening around the autism diagnosis. While there have been some heated debates on social media lately, it’s a topic that researchers have also been exploring for quite some time. We’ll talk through these different perspectives and what they mean for the community.

Please RSVP by March 23rd via email at asutter@whiteoakschool.org so we can plan accordingly. I look forward to seeing you all there!

*On Thursday, April 2nd,  the Hampden County District Attorney's office will present their "Stop The Swerve" event at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. I have attended this event many times and it always proves to be educational and frankly a little shocking as students get to experience simulated drunk, drugged and distracted driving. There is also a presentation for parents on the liability of hosting teen parties. White Oak entered a billboard idea into their contest. I hope you will consider attending this event and supporting this really important educational source. (See attached flyer) - if you don't have parent conferences scheduled that night!

*MORE MCAS DATES:

-Tuesday, March 31st- Grades 4 & 6 ELA

-Wednesday, April 1st- Grades 5 & 8 ELA

-Thursday, April 2nd- Grade 7 ELA

Have a great weekend! Think Spring!

Jody

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