Academic

Academic Integrity 

All students are expected to read and know the school’s Academic Integrity Standards, and to use those standards as a guide when determining whether their work has been submitted with integrity.  

Violations of our Academic Integrity Standards will be judged by the classroom teacher in terms of what the teacher has taught and what the teacher expects the students to know. The teacher will report all instances of cheating to the appropriate counselor and assistant principal. Potential consequences include a "zero" for the submitted work and/or disciplinary actions. Parents/guardians will also be contacted by the classroom teacher.

Academic Questions 

Students with any questions related to their academic courses and schedule can reach out to the Counseling Office by stopping in or by visiting the counseling web page.

Students with questions related to the class itself or class grades should speak with the teacher about those concerns first. Students who still have questions or concerns after this conversation are encouraged to contact the department supervisor.

- English Language Arts: Elizabeth Reilly 

- Health/Physical Education: Sandra Mamary

- Mathematics: Elizabeth Delasandro

- Science: Thomas Paterson 

- Social Studies: Andrea Brennan 

- Special Services: Alex Linden

- Visual & Performing Arts: Shawna Longo

- World Language: Enrique Pincay 

 After this step, if any concerns remain then students are encouraged to contact the principal. 

Course Schedules

Student course options are listed and detailed in the school’s Program of Studies, which is updated each year. Hard copies are available in the Counseling Office.

Midterms & Final Exams

Midterm examinations will be held in late January/early February according to a published schedule. Midterm makeups will take place during the week after midterm exams. Final examinations will be held in mid-to-late June according to a published schedule. Final exam makeups will take place during the week after final exams. 

Some students require exam periods to be shuffled during midterms or finals week due to a “one exam per day” requirement in their IEP, 504 or I&RS plan, and that is coordinated by case managers and counselors. A final exam may be rescheduled during exam week due to a college orientation conflict. Others who have final exam conflicts must take their exams during makeups. Finals cannot be rescheduled for other times during exam week due to events such as summer programs, camps, or jobs. If a student has a conflict during final exam makeup week, the student will take the final at a time during the summer, scheduled by an administrator. 

Seniors may be exempted from the final exam in a given full-year course subject to the conditions listed below: 

● Average grade of A for the year; 

● No grade lower than a B, including the midterm exam; 

● No in-school or out-of-school suspensions; 

● No cuts in the class for which the exemption is requested; 

● No pending central detention or Saturday detention hours; 

● English department senior projects do NOT fall under this policy. 

In senior final-exam exemption cases, the final grade shall be calculated by: 

● Doubling each marking period grade;

● Adding the doubled grades to the midterm exam grade;

● Dividing the total by nine. 

Example: MP1 MP2 Exam MP3 MP4 

94 89 91 95 95 

94 89 --- 95 95 

188 178 91 190 190 = 837 (837 ÷ 9 = 93) 

Graduation Requirements

The Superintendent shall establish administrative regulations and procedures for certifying that all students who graduate from Westfield Public Schools, or who are otherwise eligible for a state-endorsed diploma, have met the minimum graduation requirements of the State of New Jersey. Please see the WHS Program of Studies for specific graduation requirements. In addition, students are required to meet the attendance requirements and procedures approved for the secondary schools. Only students who have earned their diplomas by graduation day are eligible for participation in commencement exercises. 

When a student or his/her parents/guardians experiences financial hardship and are unable to pay the costs of participation in graduation ceremonies, the Board will assume the cost for the cap and gown, yearbook and other expenses determined by the Board.  Financial hardship shall be defined by the eligibility standards for free and reduced price meals under the state school lunch program.  

Interim Reports and Report Cards

Interim reports are issued electronically, midway through each marking period. Report cards are issued electronically at the end of each marking period. The schedule of dates on which report cards are issued is published on the school calendar each year. 

Report Cards are issued to all students four times a year and are available through the Parent Portal.

1st Marking Period

September 7, 2023 through November 15, 2023

Interim Progress Reports issued: October 18, 2023

Report cards issued: November 29, 2023

2nd Marking Period 

November 16, 2023 through January 30, 2024

Interim Progress Reports issued: December 14, 2023

Midterm Exams: January 24-30, 2024

Report cards issued: February 14, 2024

3rd Marking Period 

January 31, 2024 through April 16, 2024

Interim Progress Reports issued: March 5, 2024

Report cards issued: April 26, 2024

4th Marking Period 

April 17, 2024 through June 20, 2024

Interim Progress Reports issued: May 20, 2024

Secondary Final Exams: June 12 - 18, 2024

Report cards issued: June 28, 2024

National Honor Society 

The National Honor Society, a faculty-sponsored honor society, is designed to recognize students who have distinguished themselves in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. NHS candidates are nominated by members of the high school faculty, and students selected for membership are inducted into the NHS each year during the spring semester.

Continued NHS membership is dependent on NHS members maintaining the scholarship requirement as well as the high standards of leadership, service, and character. The following criteria are currently used for the NHS nomination and selection process. 

Selection Procedure for National Honor Society 

1.  Students will be considered for membership in the spring of their junior and senior year. 

2. A student must have been in the Westfield Public School system for at least three semesters. 

3.  A student must have a 3.75 or higher cumulative grade point average (GPA) on the academic weighted ranking system. 

4. Every faculty member, (teachers, administrators, and counselors) will receive a list containing the names of those students who have satisfied the scholarship requirement. 

5. Using a scale of 1-5, (1-poor, 2-below average, 3-average, 4-above average, 5-superior), the faculty members will evaluate the students they know by placing a number in the appropriate column for each category of leadership, service, and character. 

6.  All faculty members are asked to sign and return the lists to the National Honor Society advisor for tallying. 

7.  Each student must receive at least 5 votes that average to 3.50 or more for each of the three categories. 

8.  A faculty council will review the results and give its approval. 

9.  All students who satisfy the above requirements will be notified in writing regarding their nominations for membership. 

10.  Each student nominated must accept membership in writing by the date requested.

11. All students who are not accepted into the society will be given reasons if so requested by the student and/or their parents. 

Project ’79 

Project ’79 is an alternative education program for students who find themselves at the margins of the Westfield High School community. Project seeks to meet these students where they are, and to reclaim them as learners and citizens. The program uses a team approach focusing on differentiated instruction, communication, ongoing support and compassionate understanding of students. The Project ’79 process creates a holistic learning environment that enables students and their parents to reconnect to school. Project ’79 combines a strong academic program with an equally strong humanistic approach in a setting where impediments to learning can be addressed. 

Admission to Project ’79 can be initiated in several ways. Counselors, case managers, or students may make a referral. Parents also may request Project ’79 for their child. Once a student is referred to the program, the request is reviewed for the appropriateness of the placement. 

Summer School 

Westfield High School does not offer summer school. Students may enroll in summer school programs for remediation of a course or as a means of replacing a course. Counselors can provide specific information about where summer-school courses are offered, what the time requirements are, and how students can gain pre-approval of courses. 

Testing at End of Marking Period 

The staff has agreed to handle major tests during the last two (2) weeks of a marking period according to the following schedule:  

Wednesday and Friday: English and Math 

Tuesday and Thursday: Social Studies and World Language 

Science has been exempted from the testing schedule because of the unique situation of labs.

Due dates for projects, papers and class quizzes are not affected by this schedule.