Westford Academy is the public high school for the town of Westford , Massachusetts , United States. It was incorporated in 1792 and is one of the oldest public high schools in the United States .
60-452: Westford Academy (WA) was founded as a private school in 1792, "for children 'of any nation, age, or sex.'" As long as students could read the Bible and pay the required 9 shillings a term, both boys and girls were allowed to attend. WA became a public school in 1928 after a town meeting vote on April 30, 1928, when "[t]he residents of Westford agreed to purchase the “Westford Academy” from
120-1071: A US federal court to seven counts of making threatening communications in interstate commerce. Appearing in the Sunday paper almost every week is The Boston Globe Magazine . As of 2018 , Veronica Chao is the editor, and contributors include Neil Swidey and Meredith Goldstein . Since 2004, the December issue features a Bostonian of the Year . Past winners include Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein (2004), retired judge and Big Dig whistleblower Edward Ginsburg (2005), governor Deval Patrick (2006), Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America founder and CEO Bruce Marks (2007), NBA champion Paul Pierce (2008), professor Elizabeth Warren (2009), Republican politician Scott Brown (2010), U.S. attorney Carmen Ortiz and ArtsEmerson executive director Robert Orchard (2011), Olympic gold medalists Aly Raisman and Kayla Harrison (2012), three people who were near
180-519: A blog made up of posts from the paper's opinion writers. In September 2011, The Boston Globe launched a dedicated, subscription-based website at bostonglobe.com. Starting in 2012, the Globe provided a printing and circulating service for the Boston Herald , and by 2013, was handling its rival's entire press run. This arrangement remained in place until 2018, ending after the acquisition of
240-549: A coordinated campaign for newspapers nationwide to respond to President Donald Trump's "enemy of the people" attacks and " fake news " rants against the media by publishing locally produced editorial responses on Thursday, August 16. Within a couple of days, an estimated 100+ newspapers had pledged to join the campaign, jumping to roughly 200 a few days later. On August 13, the Radio Television Digital News Association and its Voice of
300-589: A group of WA students attending a varsity women’s basketball game allegedly made racist, insensitive and disparaging remarks to a black student on the Wayland High School team. 42°34′37.3″N 71°27′49.6″W / 42.577028°N 71.463778°W / 42.577028; -71.463778 Advanced Placement Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
360-486: A practice ended by editor Thomas Winship in 1966. In March 1980, the Globe published an editorial about a speech by President Jimmy Carter , which included the accidental headline " Mush from the Wimp " during part of the press run, drawing national attention. Since 1981, the editorial pages of the Globe have been separate from the news operation, as is frequently customary in the news industry . Editorials represent
420-717: A prominent former Boston ad executive, to be CEO. As of January 2017 , Doug Franklin replaced Mike Sheehan as CEO, then Franklin resigned after six months in the position, in July 2017, as a result of strategic conflicts with owner Henry. In July 2016, the 815,000-square-foot headquarters in Dorchester was sold to an unknown buyer for an undisclosed price. The Globe moved its printing operations in June 2017 to Myles Standish Industrial Park in Taunton, Massachusetts . Also in June 2017,
480-514: A score of 175 to Andover's 625. In 2021 the WA team lost in the Qualifying Round with a score of 800 to AMSA 's 940. In 2004, Westford Academy math teacher Rosemarie Pumo pled guilty to distributing heroin to her students and was incarcerated at MCI-Framingham . Two years later, "Stony Brook middle school teacher... Jessica Palkes faced charges of heroin possession. She pleaded not guilty at
540-520: A statement explaining, "While there may be a lack of clarity around the true origin of the mascot, there is no ambiguity that Westford Public Schools must be a welcoming place for all students and families... And if our mascot is preventing students from feeling like this is their school district or their community, then we obviously have more work to do." On November 22, 2021, the Westford School Committee unanimously voted to change
600-586: A story about two cancer patients, and Barnicle was forced to resign. Columnist Jeff Jacoby was suspended by the Globe in 2000 for failing to credit non-original content used in his column. In 2004, the Globe apologized for printing graphic photographs that the article represented as showing U.S. soldiers raping Iraqi women during the Iraq War from a city councilor's presentation before they were verified. The photos had already been found by other news organizations to be from an internet pornography site. In
660-660: Is historically one of the most successful athletic teams at WA. In 2017, the Westford Academy Girls Soccer team made it to the Division 1 state championship game, losing in double overtime to Wachusett , 2–1. In 2020, the team defeated rival Concord-Carlisle to advance to the DCL championship, but lost in the final against Newton South 2–0. Both the girls and boys swimming and diving teams are highly competitive programs, with particular dominance attained by
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#1732783616382720-603: Is the largest in the state, with over 400 members. The club is open to all WA students, grades 9–12, who are enrolled in at least one business class for each school year of their participation. As the WA Ghostwriter reported in 2020, "For over ten years, WA DECA has had significant successes at both district, state and international level conventions. They competed in 30 events and have 39 qualifiers for ICDC, DECA’s international conference (USA and Canada), where competitors who achieved top 5 in their events at states compete on
780-587: Is the oldest and largest daily newspaper in Boston and tenth-largest newspaper by print circulation in the nation as of 2023. Founded in 1872, the paper was mainly controlled by Irish Catholic interests before being sold to Charles H. Taylor and his family. After being privately held until 1973, it was sold to The New York Times in 1993 for $ 1.1 billion, making it one of the most expensive print purchases in United States history . The newspaper
840-542: The 2020 presidential election , but has sometimes endorsed Republicans in state and local elections, such as Charlie Baker for governor. Describing the political position of The Boston Globe editorial page in 2001, former editorial page editor Renée Loth told the Boston University alumni magazine: The Globe has a long tradition of being a progressive institution, and especially on social issues. We support woman's rights; We are pro-choice; we're against
900-641: The Advanced Placement , Honors, College Prep, and Foundations level. Westford Academy is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). On October 9, 2008, Westford Academy was honored as a Blue Ribbon School . "The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program is an award that honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior, or that have demonstrated dramatic gains in student achievement... satisfying
960-511: The Boston Marathon bombing , Dan Marshall, Natalie Stavas, and Larry Hittinger (2013), Market Basket employees (2014), and neuropathologist Ann McKee (2017). On October 23, 2006, The Boston Globe announced the publication of Design New England: The Magazine of Splendid Homes and Gardens . The glossy oversized magazine was published six times per year. The magazine ceased publication in 2018. The Globe uses "editor" as
1020-959: The DCL (Dual County League) which is part of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and offers a number of athletic opportunities for students. Westford Academy Girls Varsity Ice Hockey team also allows girls from the Littleton High School to join the team. Westford also teams up with Littleton for their Crew Team. Sports teams include cheerleading , soccer , golf , field hockey , football , swimming & diving , basketball , ice hockey , gymnastics , alpine skiing , indoor track , wrestling , Nordic skiing , women's ice hockey , track and field , lacrosse , tennis , softball , baseball , fencing , crew , and volleyball . Westford Academy Girls Soccer (WAGS)
1080-474: The Dorchester neighborhood. In 1965, Thomas Winship succeeded his father as editor. The younger Winship transformed the Globe from a mediocre local paper into a regional paper of national distinction. He served as editor until 1984, during which time the paper won a dozen Pulitzer Prizes , the first in the paper's history. The Boston Globe was a private company until 1973 when it went public under
1140-626: The Globe in January 1884, hired by Charles H. Taylor. Source: In 1998, columnist Patricia Smith was forced to resign after it was discovered that she had fabricated people and quotations in several of her columns. In August of that year, columnist Mike Barnicle was discovered to have copied material for a column from a George Carlin book, Brain Droppings . He was suspended for this offense, and his past columns were reviewed. The Boston Globe editors found that Barnicle had fabricated
1200-423: The Globe moved its headquarters to Exchange Place in Boston's Financial District . In July 2022, James Dao, a senior editor with 30 years of experience at The New York Times, was named the editorial page editor, succeeding Bina Venkataraman. In November 2022, The Boston Globe announced that NPR news chief Nancy Barnes would replace Brian McGrory as editor. From September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023,
1260-588: The Globe tied for sixth in a national survey of top editors who chose "America's Best Newspapers" in the Columbia Journalism Review in 1999. Under two editors, Martin Baron and then Brian McGrory , the Globe shifted away from coverage of international news in favor of Boston-area news. Globe reporters Michael Rezendes , Matt Carroll, Sacha Pfeiffer and Walter Robinson , and editor Ben Bradlee Jr. were instrumental in uncovering
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#17327836163821320-606: The Herald by Digital First Media . In February 2013, The New York Times Company announced that it would sell its New England Media Group , which encompasses the Globe ; bids were received by six parties, including John Gormally, then-owner of WGGB-TV in Springfield, Massachusetts , another group included members of former Globe publishers, the Taylor family, and Boston Red Sox principal owner John W. Henry , who bid for
1380-537: The Jordan Marsh department store, and Cyrus Wakefield of the Wakefield Rattan Company and namesake of the town of Wakefield, Massachusetts . The first issue was published on March 4, 1872, and sold for four cents (equivalent to $ 1.02 in 2023). In August 1873, Jordan hired Charles H. Taylor as temporary business manager; in December, Taylor signed a contract to be general manager of
1440-653: The Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild 's annual play festival. Since 2009, WATA has entered the Theater at the Mount Youth Awards at Mount Wachusett Community College , which celebrate excellence and achievement in high school musical theatre. In 2013 WATA's production of Evita won for "Best Overall Production" and in 2017 WATA's production of Spring Awakening won Best Musical. The Westford Academy chapter of DECA
1500-503: The Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting . On April 2, 2009, The New York Times Company threatened to close the paper if its unions did not agree to $ 20 million of cost savings. Some of the cost savings include reducing union employees' pay by 5%, ending pension contributions, ending certain employees' tenures. The Boston Globe eliminated the equivalent of 50 full-time jobs; among buy-outs and layoffs, it swept out most of
1560-512: The Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal in 2001–2003, especially in relation to Massachusetts churches. The Boston Globe was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their work and the work of other staff, one of several the paper has received for its investigative journalism, and their work was dramatized in the 2015 Academy Award-winning film Spotlight , named after the paper's in-depth investigative division. The Boston Globe
1620-618: The Verizon Innovative App Challenge... [the] app... helps children learn chemistry using a 3D simulator... [and] creates 3D simulations of equipment, different chemicals and reactions that occur in chemistry experiments, such as simulating flame tests and adding together chemicals in a beaker... Westford Academy received a $ 20,000 grant accumulated from winnings of both the regional and national competition to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs in school.." Westford Academy participates in
1680-610: The 1890s, The Boston Globe had become a stronghold, with an editorial staff dominated by Irish American Catholics . In 1912, the Globe was one of a cooperative of four newspapers, including the Chicago Daily News , The New York Globe , and the Philadelphia Bulletin , to form the Associated Newspapers syndicate. In the early 1900's Charles H. Taylor was responsible for making
1740-580: The First Amendment Task Force encouraged its 1,200 member organizations to join the campaign, while other media organizations also helped spread the call to action. Even as some right-leaning outlets portrayed the Globe ' s campaign as an attack on the president, rather than his rhetorical attacks on the Fourth Estate , some newspapers got a head start, releasing content on August 15, while 350 newspapers participated in
1800-679: The Ghosts, the run came to an end in the state semifinal, with eventual state champ Springfield Central downing Westford by the final of 61-45." The following year the Girls Basketball team once again made it to the Division 1 Central finals, losing to Wachusett 54–47. On January 27, 2018, both the Girls and Boys basketball teams were invited to play at the Good Sports TD Garden Invitational. "Each member of
1860-457: The Globe ' s combined print and digital circulation for weekdays increased by 2.7%, to 346,944, and for Sundays it rose by 1.3%, to 408,974. There are more than 245,000 digital-only subscriptions, an increase of about 10,000 since February 2022. Starting with the Sunday edition in 1891, and expanded to weekday editions in 1913, each lead editorial in the Globe was signed "Uncle Dudley",
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1920-589: The Globe the most used Newspaper in New England. He went into greater details regarding social movements such as the Women's Suffrage Movement . While other competitors such as The Boston Post did not shine as much light on these social movements. In the 1940 Massachusetts gubernatorial election , the Globe correctly projected the re-election of Republican incumbent Leverett Saltonstall , using methods first established by Taylor; rival The Boston Post called
1980-488: The Grey Ghost mascot that received over 500 signatures. In September 2021, as a response to the aforementioned petition receiving substantial attention, a WA student started another Change.org petition to Save the Grey Ghost mascot that received over 1,000 signatures. The Westford community remains divided over the issue of whether or not to change the mascot. In September 2021, Superintendent Dr. Christopher Chew released
2040-646: The Trustees of the academy." A group of trustees has been retained to this day, and they bestow scholarships upon graduating seniors at an annual ceremony in May. There have been four Westford Academy buildings: In October 2019, Westford celebrated the 225th anniversary of Westford Academy. Students at Westford Academy are required to take courses in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, and Foreign Language in order to graduate. Courses are offered at
2100-774: The U.S. Department of Education’s criteria for being 'in the top 10 percent of all schools on state assessment scores in both reading (language arts or English) and mathematics, regardless of their demographics.'" In their 2021 rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked WA as #27 in Boston Metro Area High Schools, #30 in Massachusetts High Schools, and #754 in their National Rankings. In 2021, Boston Magazine ranked WA as #13 on their list of "Best Public High Schools in Boston". In 2014 four WA students won "the title 'Best in Nation' in
2160-758: The Westford Academy boys and girls basketball teams dealt with the excitement of playing in the home of the Boston Celtics... The boys fell to Algonquin, 71-53, while the WA girls lost a heartbreaker to Wachusett, 45-41." Each year, the Westford Academy Booster Club organizes a charity basketball game against members of the New England Patriots including famous players such a Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski . The WA Nordic ski team "perennially finishes in
2220-418: The death penalty; we're for gay rights. But if people read us carefully, they will find that on a whole series of other issues, we are not knee-jerk. We're for charter schools ; we're for any number of business-backed tax breaks. We are a lot more nuanced and subtle than that liberal stereotype does justice to. James Dao became the editorial page editor in 2022. In August 2018, the editorial board launched
2280-482: The details below. Request from 172.68.168.132 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 950936110 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:46:56 GMT The Boston Globe The Boston Globe, also known locally as the Globe , is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts . The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes . The Boston Globe
2340-454: The event on August 16. From August 10 to 22, approximately 14 threatening phone calls were made to Boston Globe offices. The caller stated that the Globe was the "enemy of the people" and threatened to kill newspaper employees. On August 30, California resident Robert Chain was arrested by an FBI SWAT team and charged with a single count of making a threatening communication in interstate commerce. In May 2019, Chain pleaded guilty in
2400-612: The final to Methuen. In 2019, the WA Baseball team lost on a walkoff in the Division 1 North quarterfinal to rival Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School with a final score of 9–8. Between 1956 and 1958, Westford Academy's mascot was the Black Knights. "The 1959 yearbook specifically stated that WA teams would no longer use the symbol after the 1958 season... The familiar Grey Ghost — and associated maroon and gray colors — were adopted and applied starting in 1959... This change
2460-554: The first major paper in the U.S. to oppose the Vietnam War . The paper's 2002 coverage of the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal received international media attention and served as the basis for the 2015 American drama film Spotlight . Since February 2023, the editor has been Nancy Barnes . The Boston Globe was founded in 1872 by six Boston businessmen who jointly invested $ 150,000 (equivalent to $ 3,815,000 in 2023). The founders included Eben Dyer Jordan of
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2520-599: The girls program in recent years. As the Boston Globe reported, "the Grey Ghosts [girls team has] strung together six consecutive undefeated seasons, winning eight of the last nine MIAA Division 1 titles... [the Boys] hoisted the Division 1 trophy in 2015 and have finished in the top six every year since 2011." In 2017, the WA girls basketball team won both DCL title and the Division 1 Central title, "unfortunately for
2580-431: The government 60 days' notice that it intended to close the paper. Despite the cuts helping to "significantly [improve]" its financial performance by October of that year, the Globe 's parent company indicated that it was considering strategic alternatives for the paper, but did not plan to sell it. As of 2010, the Globe hosted 28 blogs covering a variety of topics, including Boston sports , local politics, and
2640-467: The highest title; other newspapers may call this role editor-in-chief . The role of editor was held by three people in the earliest years of the paper, then from 1880 to 1955 by the publishers. The extended period of a publisher-editor ended in 1955, when Laurence L. Winship was named editor by publisher William Davis Taylor. Winship became the paper's top editor following the death of James Morgan, longtime de facto executive editor. Morgan had joined
2700-569: The international level." Westford Academy has a FIRST Tech Challenge team called "Ghost Robotics". Ghost Robotics is a school-sponsored team open to all WA students. In 2022, the team won the Massachusetts State Championship at Natick High School . The WA High School Quiz Team competed in WGBH 's High School Quiz Show in 2014, 2019, and 2021. In 2019 WA lost in the Qualifying Round to multi-year champion Andover with
2760-1147: The mascot from the Grey Ghosts to the Ghosts. Westford Academy offers a number of clubs and extracurriculars including: A World of Difference ( ADL program), Anime Club, Asian Culture Club, Beyond Words (literary magazine), Book Club, Chess Club, Cirrus Outdoor Adventure Club, Colorguard, Dance Club, Entrepreneurship Club, Equestrian Club, French Club, German Club, Ghostwriter (Student Newspaper), Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA), HOSA , Human Rights Club, International Club, Investment Club, Jazz Band, Jewish Student Union (JSU), Junior State of America (JSA) , Latin Club, Marching Band , Math Team, Mock Trial, Model UN , Museum Club, Outing Club, Programming Club, SADD & Herren Project, Science Team, Ski Club, Smash Club, Spanish Club, Speech and Debate Team, Troubadors, WA Acapella, WA Friends/Best Buddies, and Women in STEM. Westford Academy Theater Arts (WATA) puts on four main stage and four black box productions each year. WATA has won eight state championships (2008, 2010–2015, 2019) at
2820-461: The name Affiliated Publications . It continued to be managed by the descendants of Charles Taylor. In 1993, The New York Times Company purchased Affiliated Publications for US$ 1.1 billion, making The Boston Globe a wholly owned subsidiary of The New York Times ' parent. The Jordan and Taylor families received substantial The New York Times Company stock, but by 1999 the last Taylor family members had left management. Boston.com ,
2880-462: The official view of The Boston Globe as a community institution. The publisher reserves the right to veto an editorial and usually determines political endorsements for high office. The Globe made its first political endorsement in 1967, supporting Kevin White in that year's Boston mayoral election . The Globe has consistently endorsed Democratic presidential candidates, such as Joe Biden in
2940-561: The online edition of The Boston Globe , was launched on the World Wide Web in 1995. Consistently ranked among the top ten newspaper websites in America, it has won numerous national awards and took two regional Emmy Awards in 2009 for its video work. The Boston Globe has consistently been ranked in the forefront of American journalism. Time magazine listed it as one of the ten best US daily newspapers in 1974 and 1984, and
3000-558: The paper for two years. He would serve as the first publisher of The Boston Globe until his death in 1921, and was succeeded by four of his descendants until 1999. Originally a morning daily, the Globe began its Sunday edition in 1877. A weekly edition called The Boston Weekly Globe , catering to mail subscribers outside the city, was published from 1873 until it was absorbed by the Sunday edition in 1892. In 1878, The Boston Globe started an afternoon edition called The Boston Evening Globe , which ceased publication in 1979. By
3060-685: The paper through the New England Sports Network , which was majority owned by Fenway Sports Group and the Boston Bruins . However, after the NESN group dropped out of the running to buy the paper, Henry made his separate bid to purchase the Globe in July 2013. On October 24, 2013, he took ownership of the Globe , at a $ 70 million purchase price, and renamed the venture Boston Globe Media . On January 30, 2014, Henry named himself publisher and named Mike Sheehan,
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#17327836163823120-518: The part-time employees in the editorial sections. However, early on the morning of May 5, 2009, The New York Times Company announced it had reached a tentative deal with the Boston Newspaper Guild, which represents most of the Globe 's editorial staff, that allowed it to get the concessions it demanded. The paper's other three major unions had agreed to concessions on May 3, 2009, after The New York Times Company threatened to give
3180-429: The race incorrectly for Democrat Paul A. Dever . In 1955, Laurence L. Winship was named editor, ending a 75-year period of the role being held by the paper's publishers. In the next decade, the Globe rose from third to first in the competitive field of what was then eight Boston newspapers. In 1958, the Globe moved from its original location on Washington Street in downtown Boston to Morrissey Boulevard in
3240-417: The spring of 2005, the Globe retracted a story describing the events of a seal hunt near Halifax , Nova Scotia , that took place on April 12, 2005. Written by freelancer Barbara Stewart, a former New York Times staffer, the article described the specific number of boats involved in the hunt and graphically described the killing of seals and the protests that accompanied it. In reality, weather had delayed
3300-453: The time, but the incident prompted Westford town officials to call for drug testing of newly hired teachers -- a program that is currently in place." In January 2020, a student executing the outlet challenge, a viral internet challenge which emerged over the TikTok social media platform , led to a building evacuation after smoke was noticed leaving power outlets. On January 28, 2022,
3360-666: The top half of the Mass. Bay West League and [from 2013-2017] both the boys’ and girls’ programs have finished in the top 10 at the state team championships." In 2020, the boys Alpine ski team won the Mass Bay West League title. In 2015, the Softball team entered the North Division 1 softball tournament as the 19th seed. "Westford advanced to the final after defeating No. 5 seed Revere, 4-2," but ultimately lost in
3420-488: The war, eventually becoming the U.S. Ambassador to Hong Kong in the Ulysses S. Grant administration. His exploits were turned into a television show in the late 1950s that was apparently popular with Westford Academy students of the time, who chose Mosby's nickname as the replacement nickname during a contest to replace the school's former one: the Black Knights." In 2020, a WA alumni started a Change.org petition to Replace
3480-416: Was purchased in 2013 by Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. owner John W. Henry for $ 70 million from The New York Times Company , having lost over 90% of its value in 20 years. The chief print rival of The Boston Globe is the Boston Herald , whose circulation is smaller and is shrinking faster. The newspaper is "one of the nation's most prestigious papers". In 1967, The Boston Globe became
3540-539: Was related to new, differently colored uniforms. Research suggests the ghost was inspired by the title of a popular TV series at the time, ' The Gray Ghost' ". Beginning in 2019, there has been controversy concerning the mascot. "The original Grey Ghost was Colonel John Mosby, a Confederate officer who led a partisan cavalry unit known as Mosby's Rangers during the Civil War. Mosby was fiercely loyal to Virginia, but also disliked slavery, becoming involved in politics after
3600-577: Was the paper that allowed Peter Gammons to start his Notes section on baseball, which has become a mainstay in many major newspapers nationwide. In 2004, Gammons became the 56th recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing, given by the BBWAA ; he was honored at the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 31, 2005. In 2007, Charlie Savage , whose reports on President Bush 's use of signing statements made national news, won
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