“New West Boylston Middle/High School Administrative Team Has Arrived!”
“We’re Here...for you!” New School Principal, Chris Fournier and Assistant Principal David Lizotte have arrived at West Boylston Middle/High School and are excited to meet with parents and students throughout the summer. The new administrative team officially began the new school year on July 1, 2015 and have been eager to get to work. Tasks such as ordering school supplies, planning professional development for staff, hiring several new teachers and working to build student schedules have been a part of their everyday life. It has been a busy and exciting first couple of weeks.
West Boylston Middle/High School hosts a summer school program where several teachers and other support staff are here daily to work with summer school students. Some of the students work inside the school and out on the town fields as part of their work with the Summer Recreation Program. It has been nice for the new administrative team to get a chance to talk with some of the staff and students as they begin to build relationships and make plans for the opening of school. At this moment, the building is bustling with many summer maintenance projects that include mopping, stripping and waxing floors, adding connections for wireless internet, updating some of the office spaces and receiving orders of books and classroom supplies needed to start the school year.
An important aspect of the new administrative team’s “entry plan” has been to take the time to interview and hire several highly qualified professionals to work with our students. We are proud to welcome aboard new teachers for high school mathematics, high school physics, high school art, middle and high school French, and special education. We have also hired several new sports coaches and two new special education classroom paraprofessionals. We are fortunate to have hired some very dedicated and talented people to join our incredibly strong, professional staff. These new hires will have the opportunity to join a strong team in a school district known for its caring and supportive academic environment.
An important project that Principal Fournier and Assistant Principal Lizotte have teamed up to complete involved upgrading the student agenda books for this year. A new section of the student agenda book (actually the first 40 pages) will be called “Students Rights and Responsibilities”. This new addition to the agenda book (or student academic planner) will serve as an overview of important student handbook policies and procedures. This handy reference will provide students with information and overviews of many important aspects of school life, expectations and school programs. Of course, the complete student handbook (that is currently over 180 pages) is still available on the school webpage for students, families and staff to reference. Mr. Fournier hopes that having this student version of the document in the agenda book (which students carry to and from school every day) will help students to find and access information when they need it. He and Assistant Principal Lizotte will encourage all students to become familiar with their rights and responsibilities as members of West Boylston Middle High School to assure a great experience from grades 6-12
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Another exciting project has been the renovation of the locker rooms, initiated by our student athletes, who volunteered to paint the locker rooms in school colors to give them a fresh look. Some walls were patched (thanks to the handy work of Assistant Principal Lizotte who has experience renovating houses from his years in the Jesuit International Volunteers and as Director of Matthew: 25 Project in Worcester). A huge thanks goes out to new head football coach Mike Ross and to our student athletes from the football program who donated an entire Saturday over the summer to clean and paint the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms. What a great way to begin the year in a spirit of cooperation, team unity and service.
Many student athletes have been in to use the weight room and gymnasium over the past several weeks. It has been exciting to see students running the track, lifting weights and learning about conditioning and agility training. The fall will be an exciting time for high school soccer, football, field hockey as well as our middle school intramural sports (such as football, floor hockey and basketball). The new administration encourages all students to get involved by joining a team or school activity and making new friends here at school. A complete list of school sports, activities and intramurals is available in our main office so please stop in.
As the new administrative team, Principal Fournier and Assistant Principal Lizotte hope to be role models of service and hard work for students and staff. A focus of this year’s work as a school community, in and outside of the classroom, will be focused on “Community Service”. The new leadership team hopes to engage as many middle and high school students as possible in ways to “give back” to their school, community and neighborhood through service projects. Service projects may include yardwork, cleaning up, recycling, tutoring and homework help. Students across various athletic teams, National Honor Society, Lions Scholar Academy, Student Council and other school clubs will seek ways to help others. The goal is to embrace this philosophy of service to others and to honor our students who choose to participate. Ways that students may be recognized for their hard work include being mentioned in the Principal’s blog, celebrating at school assemblies and recognition at graduation ceremonies. The middle/high school hopes to have a school booth at this year’s Fall Festival where students can connect with members of the community to generate ideas for projects where students to donate their time and talents.
Finally, Principal Fournier and Assistant Principal Lizotte wish to welcome parents and students to drop in to meet with the new administrative team. The middle/high school will host “Open Door Days” on Friday August 21, 2015 from 10AM-12PM and again on Monday August 24, 2015 from 1PM-3PM. Parents and students can come to the school to meet the administration, to ask questions about the coming school year, to inquire about school sports or activities or just to say “Hi”. Principal Fournier and Assistant Principal Lizotte are both honored and excited to work with the West Boylston students and families and to continue to build upon the strong tradition of academic excellence and school pride.
Respectfully,
Christopher Fournier, Principal
David Lizotte, Assistant Principal
