Westbrook Public Schools is now offering voluntary student accident insurance. For more information, review the attached documents or visit http://www.k12studentinsurance.com/.
Westbrook Public Schools is pleased to announce that Westbrook Middle School was ranked #1 in Middlesex County by Niche. The primary indicator in the Niche school rankings data is student performance in mathematics and English language arts as measured by the Connecticut Smarter Balanced Assessment. These are assessments that are administered annually each spring and a snapshot measure of student progress in grade level standards. The spring assessment results from 2022 and 2023 revealed strong student growth and achievement in both reading and math. Westbrook Middle School was acknowledged by the CT Department of Education as a CT School of Distinction for both high performance and high growth for all students in mathematics for the 2022-2023 school year. CSDE School of Distinction designations have not been announced for 2023-2024 (expected November 2024).
Not yet factored into the recent ranking is the continued improvement in reading and math for all students evident in the most recent state assessment data from the 2023-2024 school year. Of particular note is the growth and high achievement in grades 7 and 8.
In Spring 2024, 83.8% of Westbrook students in grade 8 and 74.5% of Westbrook students in grade 7 met or exceeded state benchmarks in English language arts. In comparison, 49.1% of Connecticut students in grade 8 and 49.5% of Connecticut students in grade 7 met or exceeded state benchmarks. In mathematics, 81.1% of Westbrook students in grade 8 and 80.4% of Westbrook students in grade 7 met or exceeded state benchmarks. In comparison, 38.2% of Connecticut students in grade 8 and 41.5% of Connecticut students in grade 7 met or exceeded state benchmarks in mathematics.
Westbrook Middle School Principal Matthew Talmadge shared, “Over the past 4 years, Westbrook has doubled down on fidelity of curriculum implementation, utilization of best instructional practices, authentic literacy in all subject areas and targeted intervention for struggling learners. Teachers understand that student growth is the big picture, and that moving the achievement needle forward requires all hands on deck and an intense focus on all of the little student pictures that create the mosaic. Teachers are making informed educational decisions with consistency and the result for Westbrook Middle School’s students has been steady growth.”
Dear Westbrook Families,
Welcome back! Today was an amazing and positive start to the new school year! This morning, we welcomed 576 students PK-12 to the start of the new 2024-2025 school year. District-wide, we also welcomed 35 new families to our community and 60 new students to our schools.
Press Release from Dr. Kristina J. Martineau, Westbrook Superintendent of Schools
Westbrook Public Schools is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Westbrook High School (WHS) Hall of Fame Award to honor WHS graduates who have excelled in their careers and serve as role models for the children of Westbrook and future generations of graduates.
This year, the new WHS Hall of Fame Committee reviewed more than 30 nominations from its school and alumni community. After careful consideration, the committee selected two distinguished graduates who are both role models through their success in their chosen careers: Ms. Bernadette Carver (Class of 1977) and Ms. Heather Vogell (Class of 1992). Carver was also selected for her extensive and ongoing commitment to community service in Westbrook.
The 2024 WHS Hall of Fame honorees were recognized by the Westbrook superintendent of schools, Dr. Kristina Martineau, at the WHS Class of 2024 graduation ceremony on June 14.
Bernadette A. (Pagano) Carver—WHS Class of 1977
Ms. Carver began her career with Essex Savings Bank as a high school junior through an internship program. After high school, Carver attended The Stone School of Business in New Haven and completed the accounting program, graduating early with honors. In 1978, she accepted a job with Essex Saving Bank as a teller and has been with the bank for 45 years, holding many positions, including high level leadership and management positions. Currently, she holds the position of vice president, corporate secretary & compliance officer. She was instrumental in implementing the Operations and Lending departments at the bank. While working at the bank, Carver also attended the Connecticut School of Finance and Management and The National School of Banking.
Carver has always been very loyal and involved in her community. Her current involvements include the Bankers Compliance Association of Connecticut, Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, Exchange Club of Old Saybrook/Westbrook, Westbrook Daisy Dash, Beach Jam for Cancer Patient Care, Shoreline Soup Kitchen, and Connecticut River Museum. Carver has been an active volunteer in the community of Westbrook in many ways, with the Westbrook tree lighting, Westbrook Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and Vista Life Innovations to name just a few. As a result of her loyalty and service to her small town and surrounding areas, she is a pillar in these communities, earning an award from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County as a “Behind the Scenes Unsung Hero.”
Heather Vogell—WHS Class of 1992
Ms. Vogell is an investigative reporter at Pro Publica, an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest. Vogell has had a highly successful and award-winning career in journalism. She has exposed abuse at group homes for the developmentally disabled and high schools which push out low achievers to raise their graduation rates. A series she co-authored, “Cheating Our Children,” which examined suspicious test scores in public schools across the nation, was a 2013 finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. She has also received several other prizes.
After attending WHS, Vogell attended Georgetown University, where she received a BA in English. Vogell continued her education and earned two graduate degrees from prestigious programs in her field: an MS degree in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a second MS degree in public administration from the CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Inspector General program.
Nominations for the 2025 Westbrook Hall of Fame Award will open in the fall of 2024. Honorees will be selected in the spring of 2025 and then be recognized at the WHS Class of 2025 graduation ceremony in June.
October 18, 2024
In The Loop
Greetings Westbrook Families,
Welcome to the next edition of In The Loop. If you have not lately, visit the Westbrook Public Schools News and Announcements page to read all about what is happening in the district. Did you know that WPS offers voluntary student accident insurance, that WMS is way ahead of the state averages when it comes to state math and science scores, or that WHS has been named to the Advanced Placement Honor Roll for a second consecutive year? Click here to learn more about what is happening districtwide. Stay here, and I’ll Loop you in.
School Safety
Tuesday was a big day for WPS in terms of safety. In addition to holding a non-traditional fire drill, the middle school and high school came together as a unified safety and security team to make critical decisions about how we plan to keep our students safe this school year. Regarding the former, WMS and WHS timed our fire drill last Tuesday to coincide with a passing period at WHS. Alarms can be triggered at any time, so it is important for everyone in the building to be prepared to evacuate regardless of when the alarm sounds. Although it was not WMS’ turn to evacuate during a non-class time, we were able to discuss what we would do if the alarm went off between class times. If and when it does, WMS will be ready.
Regarding decisions made by the Safety and Security team, we were able to prioritize critical safety training for the ‘24-’25 school year. Priorities included training all students and staff about proper lockdown procedures in each space that they occupy in the building, planning for our first lockdown drill, soliciting feedback from town police about what we can do to assist them when alarms sound, and scheduling both our combined school evacuation/relocation and shelter in place drills.
Mountain Workshop
Our friends from Mountain Workshop will be joining us next Tuesday. They will be putting the entire school through some fun, challenging team-building activities designed to develop the skills and attributes needed to make growth on the Portrait of a Graduate continuum. But, students cannot participate in Mountain Workshop if they do not deliver a permission slip! A copy is attached below in case your child has not brought his/hers in. When in doubt, print it out (then sign and send it back).
Mountain Workshop Waiver - English
Mountain Workshop Waiver - Spanish
Mountain Workshop Waiver - Portuguese
Conferences
There are only two days left to sign up for parent/teacher conferences! Conferences will be held on October 22 and October 24. Conferences are 12 minutes long, can be virtual or in-person and will be conducted during a four hour window (between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.) on both the the 22nd and the 24th. Signing up for conferences is done on a first-come, first-served basis and must be completed through the School Appointments website. Please see this important memo for further details about signing up and participating in parent/teacher conferences.
Unified Sports
Our Unified Sports team is one of the most active, inclusive and energetic organizations on campus. Recently, they combined forces with our field hockey team and some members of our girls’ soccer team for a Unified soccer event. Coach Jennings said, “Our middle school and high school Unified programs have joined forces for several events this school year to provide more opportunities for all players on our Unified Sports teams. On Wednesday, the WMS Unified Sports team was joined by the WMS Field Hockey team & the WHS Unified Sports for an inclusive soccer event! It is truly amazing to watch our school community continue to find new ways to provide a sense of belonging through acceptance and inclusion. PoG attributes start in the classroom, but continue on the sports fields. Students on three different sports teams and from two different schools demonstrated social awareness and effective communication on Wednesday afternoon!” Unified Sports continues to set the bar for belonging very high in the Westbrook Public Schools.
More Athletics
As we approach the final two weeks of fall sports, our athletes are still putting in tremendous effort and showcasing their skills. The girls soccer team played their last home game of the season yesterday, leaving everything on the field. Looking ahead, the boys soccer team will play their final home game on October 29th and the field hockey team will take the field for their last home game on November 1st.
It’s been an incredible season, and we can’t wait to celebrate the hard work and dedication of all our teams in the near future! Early next week, the athletic department will announce the date of the end-of season pizza party.
You are invited to stay connected with all the thrilling action by following the Westbrook Athletics Facebook Page and Instagram Page (@wpsknights). There, you can view photos capturing the excitement! Don’t miss out on any of the fun—let's rally behind our teams as they strive for success in these final two weeks of the season!
Reminder to Sign Up- Fall Sports Photos
Important reminders for all fall athletes:
Up-to-date schedules
Important Links
Contact Information
upDates
October 22 - Mountain Workshop
October 22 & 24 - Parent Teacher Conferences (12:15 p.m. early dismissals for students)
October 30 - Coast Guard Band Field Trip for Sixth Graders
November 1 - End of Quarter 1
November 5 - No School for Students
That just about does it for the October 14 - October 18 Loop. Before I sign off, Halloween is just a few weeks off. I know that a few of my children are beginning to hatch a costume plan for the big day at school and for trick-or-treating that evening. Halloween is on a Thursday this year, and students will be allowed to dress up at school. Reminders for the kids: Students are encouraged to have fun dressing up, but they need to keep it appropriate. The biggest things for students to remember are that they should always be identifiable and dressed respectfully. Full masks, face paint that obscures identity or wearing anything that marginalizes or offends an individual or a group is not acceptable. In the coming days, I will hop on the daily video announcements and let students know that we want to have fun when choosing costumes, but we need to be safe and respectful at all times.
This week’s pictures feature our Unified Sports athletes, girls’ soccer and some of the fabulous artwork that is starting to go up on the building. The students have been working hard to fill up our art gallery with quality student art. Click here to see this week’s photos. Students only get one chance at a middle school education. At Westbrook Middle School, we aim to make it the best education possible. Consider yourself Looped in.
Sincerely,
Matt Talmadge
Principal
Westbrook Middle School
