Westwood Sends Connect-CTY Message to Residents with Hurricane Sandy Safety Information

The Town of Westwood sent out a Connect-CTY message a short while ago to residents, giving them important safety and contact information to use during Hurricane Sandy.

  The following is the text from the Connect-CTY message that was sent out earlier this evening. In addition, please note that Westwood Public Schools and Town Offices will be closed tomorrow. The Town will have staff available to answer phones if people have non-emergency questions and/or concerns. Hello, this is Mike Jaillet , Town Administrator,  calling with some important information for you to consider as you make your final preparation for Hurricane Sandy. MEMA and the National Weather Bureau have advised us that Westwood is predicted to have sustained and gusting winds at times exceeding 50 miles per hour over a twelve to eighteen hour period starting early Monday morning. The storm will likely bring down large limbs and trees, …

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Patch Facts

5 Things Westwood: Don't Forget it's a Long Weekend for Students

Here are some things you might be interested in knowing right here in Westwood.

1. A reminder to parents as we head to the weekend- there will be no school for Westwood Public School students on Monday in celebration of Columbus Day. 2. If you're child attends the Hanlon School, don't forget that Picture Day is on Tuesday October 9. 3. The Planning Board will meet on Tuesday, October 9. Prior to the meeting they will interview two candidates for peer review consulting services for the University Station project. The meeting will then begin with discussions related to University Station. 4. The only varsity game on the schedule today for Westwood High is the volleyball team, who will host Dedham at 6 p.m. 5. If you haven't done so yet, why don't you like us on Facebook?

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5 Things: Zoning Law at University Station to be Discussed by Planning Board

Westwood High sports in action, school dismissed early tomorrow, local Zumba classes and some students received academic honors.

1. The Planning Board will meet tonight to discuss zoning bylaws and how they relate to the University Station project. Remember, changes in zoning will be something that is voted on at Town Meeting. 2. Wolverines in action at the varsity level today include boys and girls soccer, field hockey and girls volleyball. Boys soccer and field hockey (under the lights) are being played at home. Check out the Wolverines calendar for more information. 3. Tomorrow Westwood Public Schools will have early dismissal for professional development. Visit the School Department's website to find out what time your child's school will dismiss the students for the day. 4. Looking to get in shape? Have a high school reunion coming up and want to get down to …

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5 Things: 1st Day of School Edition

September 4 in Westwood.

1. Today is the first day of school for students in Westwood Public Schools. 2. Make sure you know your children's bus routes. 3. Kindergarten doesn't start until tomorrow. Most of the elementary schools are doing something, though, for Kindergarten students or their parents today. For example, the Martha Jones Elementary School is having a Kindergarten Open House this morning from 9-11. This is a good way for your kindegartener to meet his/her teacher and classmates. 4. Westwood Patch is still looking for people to contribute information and photos about their sports teams. 5. Good luck to all the students in Westwood today!

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Westwood Public Schools 2012-13 Bus Routes

With school just six days away, here are this year's bus routes.

The Westwood Public Schools have announced this year's bus routes. They are attached as PDFs by school. Note that the Middle School and the High School each have two separate pages.

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Westwood Back-to-School Information: Calendars, Start Dates

Find out when students head back to the classroom in Westwood this year.

Believe it or not, there is less than one month to go before students in Canton head back to the classroom.  Students of Westwood Public Schools in Grades 1-12 begin the 2012-2013 school year on Tuesday, September 4. For the full Canton Public School calendar, visit the Westwood Public Schools website, or download the .pdf attached to this article. Xaverian Brothers High School will start classes on Friday, September 7. Freshmen will have orientation on September 5, while Freshmen Awareness Day will be on September 6.

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New Deerfield Roof Work to Culminate in August

The project was approved at Town Meeting and entails an entire roof replacement

Students may now officially have the summer off in Westwood, but that doesn't mean all is quiet at Westwood's schools. Especially at Deerfield Elementary.  Work is underway to repair the roof at the school this summer, a project that officials said needs to be completed before the start of the 2012-2013 school year. "We have a small window of time to get this done," said Heath Petracca, Director of Business and Finance for Westwood Public Schools. "The project has to be completed by the third week in August. After that point, we will get into the building and finish cleaning just prior to the teachers and students returning. The building is basically closed this summer and we have temporarily moved the office up to the high school for the …

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School Officials Look to Boost Foreign Language Program

Students could be looking at a new language option in the coming years.

In their first review of Westwood's foreign language program since 2003, Westwood school officials this week discussed ways the changing world is affecting the manner in which students should be taught various languages.  Administrators recently conducted a review of student assessment results and conducted research on trends and best practices by visiting area schools that were identified as exemplary in foreign language education.  "We want to make sure our foreign language program here is engaging, challenging and is relevant," Assistant Superintendent Emily Parks said at Wednesday night's meeting of the Westwood School Committee, the last of the 2011-2012 school year.  According to a recent survey conducted by administrators, students …

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School Committee to Consider Fuel Efficiency Standards for School Vehicles

Meeting minimum standards would help town earn Green Communities Designation from state.

  The Westwood School Committee heard for the first time about a fuel efficient vehicle policy it is being asked to adopt in order to help the town earn a Green Community Designation -- and the grant money that comes with it -- from the State. Plans to meet fuel efficiency standards for town vehicles comprise one element required to gain the designation, which if attained would earn Westwood around $150,000 in grants to be reinvested in green programs, according to Westwood Environmental Action Committee chairman Peter Kane. If the committee were to adopt the policy, the town at large would be one step closer to earning the distinction and grant money. The Board of Selectmen, which has already adopted the policy for vehicles under its …

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