News & Announcements

Nancy Rygiel – an Achieve math teacher for grades 1-5 at Franklin School and Achieve language arts teacher, helping 3rd and 5th grade writers at McKinley School – is the 2021 recipient of the Rotary Club of Westfield’s Philhower Fellowship in recognition of outstanding teaching at the elementary school level.

At its virtual meeting on May 4, the Westfield Board of Education unanimously appointed Dr. Raymond A. González as the new superintendent of the Westfield Public School District, effective August 1, 2021.  González – who began his career in education more than 20 years ago – currently is the Superintendent of Schools for the Westwood Regional School District, serving the Borough of Westwood and Washington Township.

At its virtual meeting on May 4, 2021, the Westfield Board of Education will vote on a successor to Dr. Margaret Dolan, who is retiring on July 1, 2021 after 14 years as superintendent of Westfield Public Schools. The virtual meeting begins at 7 p.m.

At its virtual public meeting on April 27, the Westfield Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Mary McCabe as Assistant Principal at Franklin Elementary School, effective July 1, 2021. McCabe has served as Franklin Interim Assistant Principal since last July.

As the nation celebrated Earth Day on April 22, first graders in the Westfield Public Schools are studying seeds and plants as part of a Life Sciences unit that has youngsters planting seeds and observing the germination process in the classroom before transplanting the healthy seedlings - some in school gardens.

Whether cleaning neighborhood storm drains, tending to school gardens, or collecting gently used toys and clothing to both aid those in need and reduce landfill loads, a tradition of environmental stewardship remains constant in the Westfield Public Schools community on Earth Day and year-round.

Nominations for the Optimist Club's Outstanding Intermediate Teacher Award are due by May 7.

How to talk to children about race was the topic of a special virtual gathering on April 13, with about 50 people in attendance for the session organized by the Westfield Public School District, in partnership with the Westfield Education Fund (WEF).

Child comfort and support kits for children in homeless shelters, donations of Spanish language books for an aftercare program, and collections of granola bars and other nutritional treats for service men and women and first responders were among the many creative efforts undertaken during Community Service Week in the Westfield Public School District.

As part of a Historical Fiction unit, 5th graders in Westfield Public Schools read "Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry, a historical fiction novel that follows a friendship between a Jewish girl and a Christian girl in Copenhagen and their journey to freedom during World War II. Recent virtual presentations on the Holocaust provided students with important real-life context to these classroom experiences.