Greetings Wilbur Cross Families,

We hope everyone is having a good weekend, staying safe, warm and dry.  

This Tuesday we will have our first School Planning and Management Team (SPMT) Meeting of the year from 2:30-4:00 on zoom. These meetings are open to all and are a place for a range of school community members to gather, look carefully at school data and plan for the school’s consistent improvement. Please consider logging on - the link can be found here and will be posted on the school website.

Wednesday marks the midpoint of the first marking period. This is a critical time for students and their families to look carefully at their powerschool and to ensure that they are making progress in all classes, caught up on all assignments, engaging fully in school life with strong attendance. Families please take this opportunity to check in with your students about their progress in this critical first marking period as it is much easier to establish and maintain good habits than play catch up later in the year.

Our PTSA has started a new program called the Cross PTSA Leadership Award. These awards will recognize an exceptional teacher, family member or mentor who makes a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and the school community at Wilbur Cross. Please visit the PTSA section of the Cross website to learn more and nominate a deserving candidate!

Cross remains committed to the district cell phone policy. Personal devices—phones, AirPods, and wearable tech—must be stored in Yondr pouches all day or risk confiscation. Pouches should only have one phone stored at a time. Please ensure your student brings their pouch daily or purchases a replacement at school if lost.  

If you need assistance or have questions -  Check the school website or call the main office at 475-220-7400.

Sincerely,

Matt Brown
Principal

Tuesday, September 29th: SMPT @ 2:30pm on Zoom
Thursday, October 1st: Marking Period 1 Progress Reports Released on PowerSchool; SCSU/UCONN/CT State Applications Due for Concurrent Enrollment Classes at Cross
Friday, October 2nd: AP Google Classroom Sign Ups Due
Thursday, October 15th: PSAT for Grade 10 students
Friday, October 16th: PSAT for Grade 11 students
Thursday, October 22nd: PSAT for ML students & students with IEPs/504s

The School Planning and Management Team (SPMT) meetings take place once a month and are open to all in the Wilbur Cross community. The meetings are a place for a range of school community members to gather, look carefully at school data and plan for the school’s consistent improvement. 

SPMT Meetings are on Zoom. The link for the Zoom meeting can be found here. Please check the School Website under Family & Students for more information and future dates!

Advanced Placement (AP) Classes

Students in AP Classes must register into the AP Classrooms by Friday of this week. Should you need help registering into the AP Classroom or help with new student account registration, you can see Dianna Carter in the College & Career Center Tuesday through Friday.

Concurrent Enrollment/Dual Credit Classes

All students enrolled in SCSU, UCONN and/or CT State classes will need to submit their application to the respective college by this Thursday, October 1st if they are enrolled in a full year or fall semester class. Students who do not submit their applications by the deadline will not be able to receive college credit for the class and will automatically be withdrawn from the college class. Students who have questions about concurrent enrollment and/or dual credit classes both on and off campus should reach out to Dianna Carter, Dual Credit Specialist at Wilbur Cross.

All students who are new to New Haven Public Schools or are in Grade 10 must have physicals and immunization records dated on or after September 1, 2025 on file with the school nurses. Per CT State Law, students who do not have up to date physicals and immunizations will not be allowed to come to school until the requirements are satisfied. For more information and for the portal to upload documents, please click here.

Students in Grades 10 and 11 will be taking the PSAT in October. Students in Grade 10 will take the exam on Thursday, October 15th. Students in Grade 11 will take the exam on Friday, October 16th. Students with IEPs, 504s or Multilingual Learners will take the exam on Thursday, October 22nd.

It is critical that students use their original College Board account if they have already made one. If a student cannot get into their original College Board account and need help getting in touch with College Board, please go to the College & Career Center and see Ms. Thomas, Ms. Sneed or Ms. Carter. Do not create another account as this will impact how information is connected from the district to College Board and vice versa.

During the Digital Readiness Check, the PSAT does ask some specific questions that are all optional. The questions will help the College Board update you on scores and reach out to you with different academic opportunities based on the answers you provide. If you want College Board to be able to get in touch with you regarding your scores or academic opportunities, please ensure you have either memorized the following or have it written down on paper:

Phone Number: If you would like to receive scores on your phone, please have the phone number written down or memorized

Email: This should be your personal email and not the @nhps.net email address

Mailing Address: Your up-to-date mailing address (where you receive your mail)

If you provide your mobile number during exam setup, you can use the free BigFuture School mobile app to get your test scores easily and explore customized college and career guidance right on your phone. You can opt in to Connections™ to discover nonprofit colleges, scholarship providers, and government agencies offering educational programs.

If you would like to do practice for both the PSAT and SAT, please go to the College Board's website or Khan Academy.

There is a lot happening at Wilbur Cross! While we do try to announce everything in homeroom, it can be a lot of information. Stay up to date by checking the Daily Announcements located on our Wilbur Cross Website under Family & Students or click here!

Every grade level (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior) has key information that will be shared as the school year progresses. We will share the information for each grade level as it is released and keep it posted on the school website under Students & Families. Check out the information that has been posted so far here!

Cross News is back for Season 2!

In the season premiere, Kendra, Kalani, Alberto, Asheli, and Ryan highlight what’s happening around Cross, including upcoming events, ways for students to get involved, Crimson Thunder Drumline and Cross Band, and Fall Sports. Check out the new season here!

Also new this week, Student Voices features Dani, our NHPS student representative, talking with senior Marlowe about life at Cross, getting involved, and why student voices matter. Check out the episode here!

Catch both new episodes this week!

Wilbur Cross doors open at 7:00am. Breakfast is served in the cafeteria up until 7:25am and classes begin right at 7:30am. Students should be in the building and in their class no later than 7:30am and follow their schedules on PowerSchool, ensuring they are on time to each of their classes.

Please either call the Main Office (475-220-7400) or fill out this Attendance Form to let us know that your child will be absent. Students can bring in the excuse note when they return to school at the Main Office. All absences are considered unexcused until proper documentation is received and reviewed. Students may be excused for a maximum of 10 days throughout the school year.

Please be sure you speak to and support your child with coming to school and class on time as it will impact their grades and future scholarship opportunities!

All students K-12 in New Haven Public Schools must lock up their cellphones and other devices (airpods, smart watches, etc.) at the beginning of each day. Students are required to have a working Yondr Pouch. iPads and laptops must be either kept at home or stored in the student's backpack and only used in a classroom if a a teacher gives permission.

Students who have damaged or lost their Yondr Pouch will need to pay $40 for a replacement. If students do not pay for a new pouch it will become an obligation. Students new to Wilbur Cross will be assigned a Yondr pouch on their first day.

Students who are caught with their phones out of their Yondr pouches and/or using iPads or computers without teacher permission will have the device confiscated and parents/guardians will need to pick up the devices in the Main Office.

Accessing PowerSchool: PowerSchool is critical for all students and families. PowerSchool can be accessed by the app or on the website. The district code for New Haven on the PowerSchool App is FKBS. Click here for information on how to create a parent account. 

Attendance: This Online Attendance Form is for parents/guardians to submit a formal notification of a student absence to the Wilbur Cross High School Attendance Office. Please complete this form by 11:59 PM on the day the student is absent. Note: Absences are considered unexcused until proper documentation is reviewed and accepted by the Attendance Office.

Withdraw/Transfer: This online Withdraw/Transfer Form is for parents/guardians to officially submit a Student Withdrawal/Transfer Request from Wilbur Cross High School. Completing this form will notify the school of the student's departure and provide the necessary details for records transfer. A staff member will contact you within 2-3 business days to confirm and finalize the withdrawal process. Please have your student's information and details about their new school (if transferring) ready.

Records Request Form: This online Records Request Form is to officially request an Official Transcript or Records from Wilbur Cross High School. This online form replaces all previous email requests to expedite the process and limit entry into the building. Examples of reasons for request are College Applications, Employment/Background Check, Scholarship Application, Personal Records. You will need to provide your photo ID/consent form and the Name and Full Mailing Address/Email Address of the recipient. Requests are typically processed within 3 business days.

Be sure to check the Student Daily News for updates on student activities, events for the upcoming week, clubs, ways to get involved, athletics and more!

Follow Wilbur Cross on Instagram to see everything Cross and get updates!

CrossTalk Media is our student-led media network at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut. Grounded in mobile journalism, or MoJo, we create podcasts, videos, interviews, and digital stories that amplify authentic voices and strengthen our community. Student Voices. Real Stories. Global Connections.

Check out our channel on YouTube or Spotify!

For the most up to date information or announcements, please see the News section on our homepage of our website at wilburcross.nhps.net.

Need more help or need to update your contact information to stay connected? Please call the Main Office at 475-220-7400.