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Friday notes is a weekly update from Superintendent Gary E. Maestas on the happenings within the Plymouth Public Schools.
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Plymouth Public Schools School Committee Meetings:
The next regular meeting of the Plymouth School Committee will be Monday, January 24, 2011.
School Committee meetings are held at Plymouth Community Intermediate School in the Little Theatre. Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m.
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Weekly Quote:
"One can succeed at almost anything for which he has enthusiasm."
Charles Schwab
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PSHS WINNERS BECOME PART OF TRAVELING ART EXHIBIT
The annual Marine Art Contest, sponsored by Massachusetts Marine Educators and co-sponsored by Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, New England Aquarium, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, and Stellwagen Alive, Friends of the National Marine Sanctuary, was held last spring. The contest's theme was "Amazing Ocean Creatures of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the Gulf of Maine."
Out of approximately 400 entries in the 2010 competition, winners from Plymouth South High School included: Haley Creed,David Neri, Marissa Arponen, Nick Conetta, Kathryn Hoar, Joseph Collins, Alexandra Barbeau, Michaela Fornaciari, Shannon Paul, Troy McMahon, Melissa Prew, Lucas Cantwell, Shannon Delancey, Steve Anderson, and Kirsten Cote.
The students' art work is now part of a Traveling Exhibit previously shown at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies Exhibit. It is currently on display at the JFK Federal Building in Boston's Government Center and will be moving to the Salem National Historic Site Visitor Center for Coastal Studies for the month of February.
Students' work can be viewed on the sanctuary website (http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/pgallery/contest2010si.hmtl) and is currently included in the Massachusetts Marine Educators' materials.
Congratulations to the winners!
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Super Teach!
The superintendent of Plymouth Schools, Gary Maestas, is going back to school! A new program has been instituted called "Super Teach." Dr. Maestas travels to different schools within Plymouth and the students become his teachers! The philosophy of this program is that "if students can teach it, then they know it." The lessons being taught come from the students' curriculum throughout the year. Dr. Maestas is very excited to empower students to educate him as well as others.
If you would like to view a lesson as it is taught please go to www.plymouthschools.com and click on the EdTV link. This will take you to the Plymouth Public Schools' television page where you can click on the Super Teach link. This will allow you to view Show #1, Mrs. Ring's 7th grade Math class, at Plymouth South Middle School.
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Plymouth North High School News
Plymouth - Shichigahama Summer Exchange Program During the summer of 2011 in early August, the Plymouth-Shichigahama Sister Town Committee will offer a chaperoned cultural enrichment 10-day trip to Shichigahama, Japan. Approximately 8 high school students have been invited to be ambassadors from Plymouth and will be guests in the homes of Shichigahama families. The cost of the trip is expected to be about $1600 to $1900 for both travel and personal expense. If you have any questions concerning the program, please contact Margie Burgess at 508-746-2811. Applications can be found in the Main Office and Guidance. The application must be turned into a Plymouth North High School guidance counselor, and the deadline is January, 10th 2011. Congratulations to PNHS wrestler John Dee. John placed second at the Marshfield Holiday Wrestling Tournament by defeating the #2 ranked 215 pound wrestler in Massachusetts. Click on the following link for the full story:
Click here!
The National Honor Society and the Student Council have spent many hours fundraising for different charities. This holiday season, through their combined effort, they were able to sponsor two children through DCF program for Christmas. They bought gifts, wrapped the gifts and delivered them. The North Mathematics Team won its most recent competition, claiming the number one spot over competitors from Carver, Plymouth South, Middleboro, Silver-Lake and Pembroke. The North Hockey Team ran a Coat Drive for the homeless men and women at Saint Francis House in Boston before the holidays. Through this effort and the generous donations from the PNHS community the team was able to donate an abundance of gently-used coats, jackets, hats, gloves and scarves. The North Hockey Team also recognized Veteran Alumni from previous North Hockey teams at a pre-game ceremony.
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Plymouth School Committee Approves Out of State Field Trips for students from both local high schools.
The School Committee unanimously approved two upcoming trips for Plymouth High School students on Monday night.
Engineering students from Plymouth North High School's Combat Robot Team will travel to Pennsylvania in February to compete in the North East Combat Robotics Tournament. Science and engineering teacher Michael Bastoni will accompany the team from February 18th through the 20th.
Members of Plymouth South High School's winter track team will travel to New Hampshire this coming weekend for the Dartmouth Relays. Student athletes will travel from school with Coach Jeffrey Tracey after classes Friday and compete in individual races at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., Friday night. They will also run relays Saturday morning, before college athletes take the track.
We wish these students the best!
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Plymouth North High School's English Language Learner Program
Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac recently honored students in Plymouth North High School's English Language Learner program as Driven Students of the Month for November.
Maria daSilva teaches the program at Plymouth North High School, which includes 15 students whose native languages include Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese and Portuguese. The English program is an additional course of study on top of a full course load.
"A good portion of the students who started out in this program prior to high school did not speak or understand English at all," daSilva said. "It's a tribute to their character and determination that they not only have picked up the language but how they can then use that knowledge and do well in their classes."
Of the 15 class members, six made the honor roll for the first quarter. Those students are Wilson Parra, Carla Cardozo, Sharlene Vallecillo, Mi Mi Xiong, Ludmilla Magalhaes, and Kim Khuu. Other members of the class include Gustavo Alves, Vinicius Braga, Kamila Cordeiro, Ana Paula Da Silva, Smerling De los Santos, Mohamed Amine Mena, Fatima Mena, Alexandre Rodrigues, and Leticia Magalhaes.
Congratulations to these deserving students!
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Plymouth South High School News:
HOW WOULD YOU SCORE ON THE SAT???
Take a free practice test and find out! SAT Practice Test February 5, 2011 9:30am - 2:30pm. Practice test will be held at Plymouth South High School, 490 Long Pond Road, Plymouth. Scores and Analysis Seminar for both Parents and Students on Weds. Feb. 16th at 6:00pm at PSHS. Register today for the free practice test at kaptest.com/practicetest (use Registration Code: SKBS10007).
The United States Dept. of Commerce Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (NOAA) held a 2010 Marine Art Contest. The theme for the contest was "Amazing Ocean Creatures of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the Gulf of Maine" with divisions for high school, middle school, elementary school, scientific illustration and computer graphics. There were close to 400 entries in the 2010 competition. Winning entries from PSHS are now part of a traveling exhibit. The artwork will be on display at the JFK Federal Building in Boston's Government Center until the end of January and then move to the Salem National Historic Site Visitor Center for the month of February. The show's first venue was at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies' exhibit space this past summer. The following student's artwork was selected to be part of the traveling exhibit (grade was last school year): 2010 Scientific Illustration Winners: 1st - Lucas Cantwell, Gr. 11 / Atlantic Octopus; 3rd - Shannon Delancey, Gr. 11 / North Atlantic Right Whale; Honorable Mention - Steven Anderson, Gr. 12 / Flounder and Kristen Cote, Gr. 11 / Black Sea Bass. The following students won in the 2010 Award Winners: 1st - Hailey Creed, Gr. 12 / Lobster; 2nd - David Neri, Gr. 12 / Sea Nettle Jelly Fish, 3rd - Marissa Arponen, Gr. 12 / Blue Shark and Honorable Mention - Nick Conetta, Gr. 10 / Blue Fin Tuna and Kathryn Hoar, Gr. 10 / Atlantic White Side Dolphin.
1st place winner Lucas Cantwell's artwork
Grade 11
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An Act of Patriotism by PNHS students
The Plymouth North High School Varsity basketball team recently played Nauset High School's varsity team. Before the game began there was a malfunction with the National Anthem recording. When the score keeper announced that the National Anthem was unable to be played a group of Plymouth North students stood up and sang the National Anthem! The crowd joined the students in song. It was a wonderful tribute to our country.
Thank you to these PNHS students for making Plymouth proud!
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PCIS News
Ryan's Story Presentation - PCIS Stands Against Bullying
Plymouth Community Intermediate School has implemented a comprehensive bullying-prevention program and is taking serious, proactive steps to curb the problem of bullying and cyber-bullying. On Thursday, December 23, 2010, the students at PCIS attended the presentation of Ryan's Story. This moving presentation by Mr. John Halligan, chronicled the days, months, and years leading up to the tragic suicide of his son Ryan. Mr. Halligan began the presentation with a video clip introducing his son through pictures and home videos. He then explained the factors, including bullying and cyberbullying, which led to his son's untimely death. The presentation was riveting and powerful and reminded all students that there is a face, a person, a heart, on the other end of a computer screen. Mr. Halligan also gave insight into the long term effects of bullying on all those connected to the victim, including family, friends and classmates.
The gymnasium was silent, with all eyes focused, as Mr. Halligan spoke. After the presentation, John opened the floor for questions from the students. The questions asked were both thought provoking and respectful. As students were dismissed, many lined up to speak personally with, or to embrace, Mr. Halligan.
Teachers, guidance counselors and school psychologists were available for the remainder of the day to debrief with students and address any unresolved thoughts or questions. The school's hope is that students will gain awareness not only of the immediate effects of bullying, but also how it can affect everyone's life long-term, including the bully. Both students and staff were deeply moved by Mr. Halligan's presentation as he shared from his heart the pain of losing a child.
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Unified Arts News
January 7-8th
Senior District Festival @Duxbury
PNHS/PSHS
January 8th
Senior Festival Concert 2:00PM @Duxbury
PNHS/PSHS
January 14th
PCIS to Providence Bruins Performance
January 18th
PNHS Guitar Recital 10:15am
at PNHS
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Gary E. Maestas, Ed.D Superintendent
Plymouth Public Schools
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