Messages from the superintendent

Dear Westfield Public Schools Community,

I am writing to provide a quick update on two items following last night’s Board of Education meeting.

School Calendars and List of Observances

The Board approved the school calendars for 2024-2025, 2025-2026, and 2026-2027, which are posted on the district website. These calendars are being provided in advance in order to assist you with your planning. Additionally, the accompanying Observances Resource Lists for these three academic years are posted on the district website to promote awareness of religious and cultural observances, along with federal and state holidays.

Please take note of the following with regards to the calendars:

• The sole modifications to the 2024-2025 School Calendar, which originally was approved last June, pertains to the two half days for elementary parent-teacher conferences in November 2024 and the two half days at the conclusion of the school year in June 2025. There have been no other adjustments to district and school closures for 2024-2025.
  
  

• In recognition of the rich cultural diversity within our school district, we are pleased to announce the addition of Diwali, Lunar New Year, and Eid al-Fitr as official days off during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school calendars, where they fall during the school week. This decision reflects our commitment to inclusivity and respect for the traditions and beliefs of all students and staff. 

  • During the 2025-2026 school year, schools will be closed on October 20, 2025 for Diwali, on February 17, 2026 for Lunar New Year, and on March 20, 2026 for Eid al-Fitr.  

  • During the 2026-2027 school year, schools will be closed on March 9, 2027 in observance of Eid al-Fitr.  As noted on our Observances Resource List for 2026-2027, Diwali and Lunar New Year occur during a weekend.
    
    

• The 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 School Calendars also reflect days off for other cultural and religious observances that historically have been observed in the Westfield Public Schools.

District Leadership

It is my pleasure to announce two exciting changes to our administrative leadership team.  At its regular public meeting last night, the Board of Education approved the appointment of James DeSarno as Director of Athletics / K-12 Physical Education and Health Supervisor and Jacqueline Spring as Westfield High School Assistant Principal, effective July 1. 

Currently one of three assistant principals at WHS, Mr. DeSarno will succeed Sandra Mamary, who is retiring after 37 years in the Westfield Public School District, 14 of them as Athletic Director. Ms. Spring - an assistant principal at Edison Intermediate School - will succeed WHS Assistant Principal Dr. Warren Hynes, who has accepted a position in a neighboring school district.

As noted in this article, Mr. DeSarno and Ms. Spring bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to their new positions and we are thrilled to have their continued leadership.  Their dedication and vision will be instrumental in fostering an environment where students and staff can thrive.

We wish Ms. Mamary and Dr. Hynes well as they move on to new chapters in their lives.  And we look forward to conducting a thorough and productive search to fill the open assistant principal positions at Edison and WHS..

Sincerely,

Dr. González 

Raymond A. González, Ed. D.

Superintendent of Schools

Westfield Public Schools 

Dear Westfield Public Schools Community,

I hope this email finds you rested, refreshed and well in the final days of spring break.  As we prepare to welcome back students and staff on Monday, April 8, we wanted to touch base on a few important items.

EARTHQUAKE
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), parts of the tri-state area, including Westfield, experienced a 4.8 magnitude earthquake this morning.  Our maintenance and custodial teams have conducted careful visual inspections of our buildings and grounds to ensure that all of our facilities remain safe.

All is in order and we look forward to seeing everyone on Monday.  As aftershocks may still occur, we will continue to monitor the situation carefully for the safety of our students and staff.  

ECLIPSE
Also on Monday, while Westfield isn’t in the path of totality, residents may be able to view a partial solar eclipse, weather permitting. It is important that you do so safely. This rare astronomical phenomenon will begin at approximately 2:10 p.m., reach its peak around 3:25 p.m., and conclude by 4:30 p.m.  

Please review the attached infographic provided by the Westfield Regional Health Department on how to safely watch a solar eclipse and talk to your children about these important safety precautions. Our educators also will be reviewing the safety precautions with students, as the partial eclipse is expected to be visible during dismissal times.

For additional information, please visit our Solar Eclipse website portal and view the district's Eclipse PSA.

COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY SURVEY

Additionally, thank you to all who have completed our School Community Technology Survey. Your participation will help us to understand student access to technology at home.  If you haven't had a chance yet, there's still a bit of time left – the deadline is Friday, April 19.

Enjoy these last few days of your spring break!

Sincerely,

Dr. González 

Raymond A. González, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Westfield Public Schools

Dear Westfield Public Schools Community,

Thank you for your patience and understanding today as we worked with our partners in law enforcement to ensure the safety of our school community during the developing security situation. I am writing to share more information to help you understand how today’s events unfolded.

• During lunch/recess periods, the district received notice from the Westfield Police Department (WPD) of a security matter involving another high school in the area.

  • In consultation with the WPD, the district enacted a modified shelter-in-place at all schools to keep all students and staff inside to allow local law enforcement to gather more information about the external matter.

  • In an abundance of caution, students and staff who were at recess or otherwise engaged in outside activities moved indoors. Schools resumed regular classroom activities and were able to move about the building.

  • Entry and exit from all schools was restricted.

  • Text, voice calls, and email alerts were sent to parents and staff.

• Parents and staff were notified by the district once the WPD confirmed that it was safe for schools to follow normal dismissal procedures. As an additional precaution, Chief Battiloro ensured that there was a visible police presence.
  
  

We are grateful for our close partnership with the WPD. All students and staff were safe at all times. Throughout the day, our school safety and security specialist and I were in frequent contact with Chief Battiloro.

The safety of our students remains our top priority.  Thoughtful and deliberate planning has been devoted to the district’s security protocols in recent years, which we regularly review to ensure that we are following the most up-to-date guidance and best practices. We also encourage you to review our Crisis Communication Plan and Important Safety Tips with your children.

Together, we will continue to prioritize the well-being and security of our school community.Please feel free to reach out to your school’s principal with any questions or concerns. 

Sincerely,

Dr. González 

Raymond A. González, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Westfield Public Schools

Dear Westfield Public Schools Community, 

I am writing today to extend my heartfelt condolences, thoughts, and prayers to those affected in our community and beyond by the ongoing events in the Middle East. The devastation is heartbreaking and distressing. Over the past few days, many community members have reached out to share their concerns, frustrations, and questions about the steps we are taking to support our students. As a school district, I want to reiterate our steadfast commitment to creating a secure and welcoming environment where every student feels valued and protected.  

To that end, our team of administrators and counselors have worked to ensure that appropriate support and resources are in place for our students and staff.

• Our counseling team is available to provide support to any student, staff member, or family who may be struggling.  Please do not hesitate to reach out if you or your child requires assistance.

• Online resources to aid in challenging conversations at home are available at www.westfieldnjk12.org under “Mental Health and Wellness.”

• The Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment has provided our schools with age-appropriate resources and guidance to help with the difficult topics of violence, conflict, hatred, and war.

These times are challenging for our community and humanity as a whole. Thank you for your continued partnership on behalf of our students.

Sincerely,

Dr. González 

Raymond A. González. Ed.D.
Superintendent
Westfield Public Schools

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope you are well and enjoying these last few weeks of summer. I am writing to let you know that this Friday, August 18, you can expect an email with the Back-to-School (B-T-S) packet for the 2023-2024 academic year. Please keep an eye out for it.

The B-T-S packet is shared annually in August and, for those unfamiliar with it, additional instructions will be provided on Friday.  New to the process this year is that parents/guardians must complete these electronic forms before gaining access to their child(ren)'s class assignment/schedule in the Genesis Parent Portal. Finalized class assignments/schedules will become available in late August.

We are excited for the new school year and look forward to welcoming back our students on Thursday, September 7.

Warm regards,
Dr. González

Raymond A. González, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Westfield Public Schools

Dear Westfield Public Schools Community,

I hope this email finds you well and enjoying your summer.  While it is quieter without our students (and frankly, we miss them), we remain busy running summer programs, hiring staff, and working on facilities projects, some of which I will outline here in this mid-summer update:

NEW ADMINISTRATORS

• K-12 Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts: I am pleased to report that, following a comprehensive review and interview process, we have selected Shawna Longo as K-12 Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts.  Mrs. Longo has extensive experience as a music educator, supervisor, and arts integration specialist. She is the co-author of "Integrating STEM with Music" and is chairperson of K-12 Educational Technology and Innovation through Music for the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA).  Mrs. Longo, who will join the Westfield Public Schools in mid-August, succeeds Thomas Weber, who retired in June.

• Franklin Elementary School Assistant Principal: We also welcome Kristina Morano as Franklin's new assistant principal. Ms. Morano, a longtime special education teacher, most recently served as assistant principal at Park Middle School in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools and as Supervisor of Special Services in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District. She joins Franklin School at the end of this month, succeeding Mary McCabe, who is settling in as McKinley's new principal.

• To learn more about these experienced administrators, click here. 

SUMMER LEARNING

• Our popular summer STEM Camp is underway with three weeklong sessions for students in grades 6-8 and 3-5, offering hands-on, problem-based learning that includes rocketry, stop motion animation, robotics, forensic science, DNA coding, and more.

• Our English Language Learners enjoyed the ELL Summer Experience, a two-week enrichment program to help campers make meaningful connections between language and everyday life experiences.  We had 19 campers in grades K-5, whose native languages include Spanish, Chinese, Tamil, Russian, Ukrainian, Portuguese, and Turkish.

• In its 21st year, the Extended School Year (ESY) Program assists students in preventing skill regression for special education students as they prepare for a new school year.

FACILITIES PROJECTS

• Every summer, the Westfield Public School District has a list of projects to ensure that our buildings and grounds are properly and safely maintained.  Capital projects and other work to address specific issues also are underway. Here are a few:

  • Restoration of the masonry facade at Roosevelt Intermediate School.

  • Installation of new water bottle filling stations to supplement those installed previously.

  • Striping for fire lanes and parking lots, as needed.

  • Routine maintenance and repair involving painting, plumbing, lighting, and floor refinishing.

I will be back in touch as the new school year approaches. In the meantime, relax, rest, and rejuvenate!

Warm regards,

Dr. González

Raymond A. González, Ed.D.
Superintendent

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