Dear WPS Community,
As we welcome the month of June and the close of another incredible school year, I want to take a moment to celebrate the accomplishments, growth, and resilience of our students, staff, and families across the Waltham Public Schools.
This time of year is filled with celebrations and milestones, none more significant than graduation. Congratulations to the graduating classes of Waltham High School and Valor High School! We are incredibly proud of all that our graduates have achieved and look forward to the many ways they will continue to make a positive impact on the Waltham community. Their hard work, perseverance, and dedication have brought them to this important moment, and we celebrate alongside their families, teachers, and supporters.
June also provides an opportunity to reflect on a successful school year filled with academic achievement, artistic performances, athletic accomplishments, and meaningful learning experiences. Every school in our district has contributed to creating vibrant and supportive environments where students can learn, grow, and thrive.
To our students, thank you for your enthusiasm, curiosity, and commitment throughout the year. To our educators and staff, thank you for the care, professionalism, and dedication you bring to our schools each and every day. And to our families and community partners, thank you for your continued support and partnership.
As the school year comes to a close, I wish everyone a safe, restful, and enjoyable summer. I hope the months ahead provide opportunities to relax, recharge, and spend time with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming our students and staff back in the fall for another exciting year in the Waltham Public Schools.
Have a wonderful summer!
Dr. Mendonsa
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June 3rd - School Committee Meeting (617 Lexington Street) @ 7pm
June 7th - WHS Graduation @ Leary Field* at 12pm (*weather pending)
June 17th - School Committee Meeting (617 Lexington Street) @ 7pm
June 19th - No School - Juneteenth Day
June 22nd - LAST day of school for WPS
LOOKING AHEAD -->
*The 1st day of school for the '26-'27 school year is Wednesday, Sept. 2nd for students in grades 1-12.
**The 1st day of school for PreK and Kindergarten students is Thursday, Sept. 10th.
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The Waltham Public Schools District calendar for the upcoming 2026 - 2027 school year and can be found here. |
ACCESS Parent score reports will be distributed in early June. ACCESS is an assessment for EL’s progress in the four domains of language: listening, speaking, reading and writing. WPS aligns with DESE guidance for placement and exit of English Learners. |
We are incredibly proud of our students and teachers who represented Waltham Public Schools at the 2026 One8 Applied Learning Student Showcase at the TRACK at New Balance in Boston! This year, Waltham brought more than 70 students and 6 teachers across grades 7–12 to the statewide showcase, where students presented projects and received feedback from hundreds of industry professionals. |
McDevitt Middle School students Kiley Cunningham, Jezreel Kafureeka, and Valentina Tutiven earned the Winning Project award in the PLTW Gateway category for “Haley’s Tea Party Spin Game,” showcasing their learning from Scott Smith’s PLTW Design & Modeling class. As part of their recognition, the team will participate in an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience at Vecna Robotics headquarters. |
Waltham High School students Grace Colao and Nathan Dalliare also earned statewide recognition with a Project of Distinction award for “Smash Brothers Analysis,” a project from Thomas Wester’s PLTW Computer Science A class.
These recognitions reflect the creativity, collaboration, and innovation happening in our PLTW programs across the district.
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We are so proud of our students and grateful to the teachers who continue to create engaging, authentic learning experiences for them every day. We are also excited to continue expanding PLTW opportunities at both the middle and high school levels beginning next year, creating even more pathways for students to explore engineering, computer science, biomedical science, and other applied learning experiences connected to the real world. |
Now that we’ve been using our new communication system, ParentSquare, for a few months, we encourage all families to take a moment to review their notification settings. Customizing your preferences ensures you receive messages in the way that works best for you.
Choose your preferred notification settings:
- General Announcements & Messages by Email, Text or App and frequency for posts (Off, Instant or Digest) - Digest - You will receive one email and/or one text and/or one app notification providing access to all ParentSquare information at the end of the day
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If you plan to volunteer for any end-of-year events at your child's school or chaperone a field trip , please make sure you have been CORI'd and fingerprinted (if needed). If unsure, you can reach out to your child's school secretary to check. CORIs are only valid for 3 school years so if you have not had a CORI check since prior to the '23-'24 school year, you will need to visit your child's school to fill out a new CORI form.
*Please do not wait until the week of your event or the end of the school year to complete these requirements. Delays in receiving results from the state's systems could impact your ability to participate in a school field trip / event.
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SUN Bucks, the federal food benefit program once known as Summer EBT, is returning for summer 2026. SUN Bucks provides a $120 lump-sum summer benefit per school-aged child for income-eligible families. The program is administered by the state Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in partnership with DESE and with assistance from schools.
SUN Bucks income eligibility standards are the same as those for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). As such, all enrolled students identified as meeting the income eligibility standards for free or reduced-price lunch during school year 2025-26, either through an NSLP household paper application or direct certification, are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks. Students identified as homeless, migrant, runaway or participating in Head Start are also automatically eligible. Students who do not meet the aforementioned criteria can apply for SUN Bucks benefits through DTA by visiting www.DTAConnect.com.
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Waltham School Nutrition continues to feed our hungry students so they are ready to ready to learn every day. Click here to see what delicious meals will be served in our kitchens in June. |
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Mark your calendars for the fall season -
8/24/26 - **Note that this is a week later than in previous years.
FALL SPORTS INFORMATION NIGHT - TENTATIVE 8/11/2026
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The Waltham Public Library Teen Room has many great events taking place in June: Crafternoons, Comedy Night, Summer Kick-off Party, Summer STEM, Cozy Book Cafe, Find Your Path Talk, and much, much more! |
The Waltham Public Schools Fine & Performing Arts Department (FAPA) has a dedicated page where families and community members can stay connected to our vibrant arts programs. Visit: walthampublicschools.org/page/fine-arts and also check our full calendar at |
Congratulations to Brian Crowley, Isabella Quinones, Connor Aulenbach, Clara Laughman, Era Sadiku on being selected for the High School Student Art Show at Framingham State University!
The exhibition will take place from June 1 – July 16, 2026. There will be a reception for the show on Wednesday June 3, from 5-7pm. Students, teachers, parents, and friends are welcome to attend.
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We understand some people may have had some issues viewing our last few newsletters. Feel free to click on the links below to check them out.
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The Waltham Police Dept. is offering some summer programs for our youth. Students going into 3rd and 4th grades can participate in the Elementary G.R.E.A.T. SUMMER Program:
Students going into 5th, 6th or 7th grades can participate in the Waltham Youth Police Academy and / or the G.R.E.A.T. Summer Program:
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The Waltham Police Dept. will be holding it's PAL League this summer. See below for the available programs. Click here for an application. |
617 Lexington Street
Office Hours 8:00am - 4:00pm
Vacation / Summer Hours 8:30am-3:30pm
Phone: 781-314-5524 or 781-314-5568 (Spanish)
Planning a move this summer?
Change of Address ~
If you have moved within Waltham or need to update the address Waltham Public Schools has on file, you must provide the new address to your child(ren)’s school(s). To complete the update, you will need to provide the school with the following:
Proof of Residency ~
City of Waltham quarterly tax bill -OR-
Copy of Purchase & Sales or Deed for a new home purchase
Current Lease Agreement - Signed & dated within one year -OR-
*Please be aware that changes to your address may result in:
Your child(ren)’s school will provide you with this information and assistance.
If you are experiencing housing instability:
Please contact our McKinney-Vento office by email mkvliaison@walthampublicschools.org or 781-314-5425 to update your address and receive additional assistance. Families identified as McKinney-Vento are not required to change their child's school if they move as under this policy, your child is eligible to remain in their school of origin.
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Children whose parent/legal guardian(s) are living in Waltham may enroll in Kindergarten with the Waltham Public Schools if they have reached 5 years of age on or before September 1, of the new school year. The communication for our 2026-27 Kindergarten Registration was initially mailed out in January to families on our list of expected kindergarten students. Families are encouraged to contact our office to be sure your child is on our list of expected students and to obtain the registration information. We look forward to welcoming your child and working with your family throughout the registration process. More information and future updates can be found on the Kindergarten Registration page: https://www.walthampublicschools.org/page/kindergarten-registration-information
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Children whose parents or legal guardians reside in Waltham and will turn 3 or 4 years old on or before September 1st of the new school year are eligible to apply.
Parents are encouraged to apply as there are a limited number of spots still available in both the morning and afternoon programs.
Rolling admission to the morning session of the integrated pre-K program for children turning 3 after September 1st will be offered if space allows.
The Pre-K Application for the 2027-28 school year will be posted October 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027.
More information including the online applications for all Integrated Pre-K Programs can be found on the Pre-K Programs page:
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The Waltham High School Preschool will be opening September 2026! This preschool program is a new full-day program located at Waltham High School, offering play-based learning in a warm, inclusive environment that supports kindergarten readiness, creativity, collaboration, and social-emotional growth. The program runs from 9:00am-2:30pm and offers 2-day, 3-day, and 5-day programming options for Waltham families with children ages 3 and 4. Through its connection to Waltham High School and Career & Technology Education pathways, students benefit from a unique community-centered learning experience. Families interested in integrated preschool services are encouraged to apply to the district’s Integrated Pre-K Programs.
For more information, including an Interest Form, can be found here:
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Student Work Permit Applications and complete instructions can be found here:
All students residing in Waltham may submit an electronic copy of their completed Massachusetts Employment Permit Application to the Parent Information Center at PIC@walthampublicschools.org. A scanned document or a picture of the completed and signed forms are acceptable. **During the school year, Waltham High School students should turn in their completed application to their house office at the High School.**
All other students, and during the summer, permit applications should be turned into the Parent Information Center at 617 Lexington St.
The completed application forms may also be brought to the main office, or dropped in the gray mailbox by the flagpole, located at the main entrance of 617 Lexington Street.
Please note:
- Applications for students aged 14 or 15 MUST have a doctor's signature.
- Waltham residents who do not attend Waltham Public Schools MUST also provide their Birth Certificate with the completed application.
- The student must be present for the permit to be issued.
- The employer must sign the permit application PRIOR to Waltham Public Schools issuing the permit.
- A NEW permit application is required for each NEW employer.
- Please include your contact information in order for the completed permit to be returned to you, or to be notified that your permit is ready to be picked up.
Application forms are available at the Waltham High School Main Office or can be downloaded using the link below.
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Welcome to Waltham Public Schools! We serve more than 5,600 students from diverse backgrounds with courses and activities designed to prepare them for success in the 21st Century. Our vision is to provide a world-class education to ALL students by developing their heads, hearts, hands, and voices, and to inspire them to become critical thinkers, problem-solvers, designers, builders, innovators and social entrepreneurs who make contributions to our diverse communities, nation, and global world. We strive to be the first choice of all families in the wonderful #OneWaltham community! |
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