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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 23rd, 2012. 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:
"Reputation is for time; character is for eternity."
J.B. Gough
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District News and information for all k-12 teachers, administrators, and parents from the Elementary Library Media Specialists. Are you familiar with this wonderful resources for k-12 educators?
Factmonster.com (from Information Please) provides access to an Almanac, Atlas, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, and much more. Fact Monster is a free reference site for students, teachers, and parents. Get homework help and find facts on thousands of subjects.
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Plymouth Students Recognized at Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast
The Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast sponsored by the Plymouth No Place for Hate Committee and the Interfaith Clergy Council was held at Plymouth South High School on Monday, January 16, 2012. Students were recognized for their winning posters and essays and two high school seniors were named as Martin Luther King Jr. Scholars. Students nominated for the Scholar Award by their schools are students who have participated in activities in or out of school that demonstrate the qualities of respect, compassion and equality associated with Dr. King.
Santiago Nario from Plymouth South was recognized for his many activities both in and out of school. He serves as senior class president and president of the International Club. Through his initiative and leadership, a collection of winter clothing to donate to local shelters was held and a child in Ecuador was sponsored by the International Club. In addition, he initiated many other projects that assisted those in need in rural Mexico, Costa Rica, and raised funds for tsunami victims in Plymouth's sister city in Japan. Outside of school, Santiago volunteers as a translator at an AIDS clinic.
Santiago was described by his school as being a compassionate, intelligent young man with a deep-rooted commitment to improving the world around him. Santiago is the type of student and leader who makes everyone around him better.
Connor O'Dwyer from Plymouth North serves on the Student Council, Best Buddies, Math Team and DECA. He has served as a student intern in school working with teachers in the social studies department and also out of school for Rep. Vinny DeMacedo. Connor serves as a cadet with the Air Civil Patrol and is a member of the National Honor Society, Model UN, Tennis Team and he was named Prom King.
Connor's teachers describe him as a personable and reliable student who is driven in his personal goals. He exhibits the qualities of being reliable, trustworthy, kind, caring and supportive. Connor demonstrates excellent leadership qualities in all the activities he is part of both in and out of school.
Student winners of the essay contest were: Taylor Sferruzza (Grade 6, PCIS), Sophie Gorton (Grade 9, PNHS), Kelsie Gagner (Grade 10, PSHS) Madison O'Connor (Gr. 11, PNHS) and Erin Murnaghan, (Gr. 12 PSHS).
Poster winners were: Hannah Panicci (Grade 1 Hedge), Infiniti Pleasant (Grade 2 Hedge) Bella Getz (Grade 3 Hedge) Caragen Gascoyne (Grade 4 South Elementary), Marykate Bochman (Grade 5 PSMS) and Maia Gonye (Grade 6 PSMS).
The Plymouth South High School Brass Ensemble: Sean Walkama, Nate Rogers, Eddie Geller, Nate Stowe, Nate Fuller, Tommy Gleason and Adam Ferguson performed at the event and the food was prepared and served by the Plymouth South High School Culinry Arts Department.
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West Elementary School News
Plymouth's Finest and Furriest Visit West's Second Graders
Last Friday, West School second grade students had a special visit from officers Captain Foran and his K-9 partner Bella and Officer Higgins and his K-9 partner Shirley. Students were thrilled to be able to make a real-life connection to one of their favorite stories "Officer Buckle and Gloria" by Peggy Rathmann. During this story students learned about teamwork, partnership, and the bond between an Officer and his K-9 partner. They learned that together they do a much better job than they would if they did the job alone.
Captain Foran and Officer Higgins showed the students the special relationship they share and what they are able to accomplish together. Just like Officer Buckle, Captain Foran and Officer Higgins reinforced how to be safe and they demonstrated that they share some of the same safety rules.
K-9 Bella and K-9 Shirley had some tricks of their own, just like Gloria, that the students were able to see for themselves. It was obvious to all of the students that Bella and Captain Foran have a special relationship as he discussed some of the safety rules we should be sure to follow. Just like Gloria, Bella captivated all second graders as Captain Foran discussed what to do if we should get lost and some important tips to remember. Officer Higgins and Shirley demonstrated how strong Shirley's super sense of smell was when he asked for teacher "volunteers" Mrs. Routhier and Mrs. Haynes. Shirley was able to discover who had an illegal substance in their pocket. Thankfully it was Captain Foran and she wasted no time letting her partner know she had found what she was looking for!
Just as the students in Napville Elementary School, our second graders were enthralled with our special visitors and thankful for the time these officers spent at our school. Each student made connections, learned some safety tips and became honorary Junior Deputies! Thank you Captain Foran, Bella, Officer Higgins, and Shirley!
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South Elementary School News
Miss Rumphius Inspires Students to Give Back
Mrs. Trombly's third grade class teamed up with Mrs. Kneller, technology integration specialist, to videotape students sharing their reading thoughts about the story Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. The book was inspired by the true story of a woman who traveled the world collecting flower seeds and came home at last to make something beautiful.
The goal of the project was focused on the importance of the idea: "There is nothing more important during reading than your THINKING!"
After reading the book, many students reported that they were inspired by the main character's kind, giving nature, and they liked learning "how to make the world a better place."
According to Mrs. Trombly, "The children enjoyed viewing themselves reading and responding to specific questions about the story or sharing general reading thoughts, which could be in the way of a connection, opinion, reaction or a question that they still had about the story."
To view the video, please visit http://vimeo.com/35094586
Students Design Geocities of the Future
Fourth graders in Ms. Almeida's class have put their geometry knowledge to the test. Students were challenged to design a community of the future using various geometrical concepts based on a logical plan with creativity, including several buildings, a city name and dynamic colors. Among the geometry terms demonstrated throughout their geocities: "intersecting lines," "circumference," "line of symmetry" and "pentagon."
"Each week the students were assigned several words to practice, and we also practiced these words during our math time," Ms. Almeida notes. "They have done a great job this year!"
The math project was also integrated with English Language Arts; students were required to write a paragraph with a topic sentence, details, concluding sentence and transitional words giving direction from one point in their project to another. It was based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for Mathematics and English Language Arts.
The project culminated with a presentation where students were asked to accurately define the geometry terms used throughout their city. The impressive collection of geocities is on display in the school library.
Mrs. Sherman Joins SES, Holds Open House for Parents
New fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Jessica Sherman, held an open house on January 19 to meet parents and guardians. Mrs. Sherman joined South Elementary School to take over for Mrs. Porter, who retired in late December.
"I am an advocate of strong home and school communication, and enjoyed sharing our classroom and answering parent questions," Mrs. Sherman says of the meet-and-greet. "The students shared poems they wrote and the scrapbooks we are making of our classroom 'Southeast Region Tour'."
Amanda Russo
Dylan Ingemi
Before Mrs. Porter's retirement, the two teachers worked together to help ensure a smooth transition. Mrs. Sherman previously taught first, second, and fourth grades at Nathaniel Morton, and she has also taught pre-kindergarten. She most recently worked as a Title 1 teacher at Manomet Elementary School, providing support in English Language Arts and Math for students in grades K-5.
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PSMS News
CAREER DAY FOR GRADES 7 & 8
The 4th Annual PSMS Career Day will take place on Wednesday, February 8th. Students in grades 7 & 8 will select three different sessions based on career goals and/or interests. Students will be able to choose guest speakers from our community in some of the following fields: business, finance, medical, legal & law enforcement, media, the arts, education, technology, politics, military and the trades. Last year's Career Day was very successful and we anticipate another exciting program for our students. This program aligns with our efforts to emphasize the importance of early college and career planning for students and parents.
DRAMA CLUB The PSMS drama club began on January 3rd. Our musical this year is called "Honk Jr.," and it is a musical retelling of the Ugly Duckling story. With its themes of open-hearted acceptance and finding a sense of self, it is a story about discovering who you want to be in the world, and connecting with the people out there who will love you for exactly who you are. This cast will host performances at PSMS, bringing this show and its message to some of the Plymouth elementary schools. Mrs. Browne and Mr. Joyce are the Co-Directors and Ms. Canevazzi and Mrs. Tyler are assisting with the choreography and music. The Drama Club welcomes all interested students to participate in this unique and exciting production. Performance dates are Thursday-Friday, May 17-18. Please feel free to email Kelly Browne with any questions at: kbrowne@plymoutht.k12.ma.us PEER LEADERSHIP The PSMS Peer leadership Program is being resurrected under the leadership of Ms. Zittel, Mrs. Durkee and Mr. Lyons. This group of seventh graders has been recommended based on their behavior in school and leadership potential. The students will be expected to promote civility and a positive school climate by being proactive and setting a good example. Ten students from this group will visit Bridgewater State University along with seventeen Plymouth South High School students on January 23rd. They will be trained to present bullying prevention lessons to grade 5-8 classes at PSMS in the spring. Next year, this group will form the core of the program along with another group of seventh graders enabling overlap and consistency as the program expands. STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS The Student Council has been busy planning their next set of activities. Plans are in place for a 7th & 8th grade Valentine's Day Dance on February 3rd and "Candy Grams" on Valentine's Day, the 14th. The 3rd Annual Council on Aging Dinner will take place in March, as well as March Madness and Pennies for Pasta in support of the fight against Leukemia. A Spring Extravaganza for grades 5 & 6 is also in the works. There are 74 active students representing each homeroom from grades 5 through 8. The Council meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month and works to fulfill the purpose of promoting school spirit, sponsoring social functions, organizing and implementing community service projects and setting an example of good citizenship within the student body. PSMS PATRIOT PEN WINNERS Congratulations to the following individuals as this year's Patriot Pen Winners. - 1st Place: Christopher Mallozzi
- 2nd Place: Meghan Gallerani
- 3rd Place: Molly Brennan
The Patriot Pen Essay Contest is sponsored by the VFW and is open to all schools in the district. This year, all three Grade 6 winners are from Mrs. Debbie Lybarger's class. Congratulations on a job well done.  BOY'S & GIRL'S BASKETBALL Both the boy's and girl's basketball teams dropped their second games of the season this past Tuesday against PCIS. Both teams are now 1-2 on the season with both losses coming at the hands of PCIS. The teams resumed action Thursday, January 19th at home against Falmouth looking to get to the .500 mark. Best of luck!
GEOGRAPHY BEE
Congratulations to Keane Buchman, Grade 7, as the recent 2012 Geography Bee winner at PSMS. Thirty-one contestants from grades 5-8 were asked several questions from a variety of geography topics. Students with two incorrect answers were eliminated and Keane was the last student remaining in the competition. Nicole Newman, grade 8, was the runner-up. Keane will now take a test issued through the National Geographic Society. If he scores in the top 100 in the state, he will be invited to compete at the State geography bee at Clark University in Worcester, MA. Well done!
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PCIS News
Doers, Dollars and Dimes
Mrs. Andrade's sixth grade math students at PCIS completed a community service learning project. Students discussed and voted on an organization to support. They decided on Plymouth's Friends of the Pound. Through participation in the "Great Race", students and teachers answered math questions, along with questions from other subject areas, and made donations of change which added up to dollars! Representatives from the Friends of the Pound visited students on Wednesday, December 21st and explained more to the students about the organization and some of the success stories of animals that found permanent, loving homes. One of the rescued dogs visited as well. Students prepared questions for the visitors and presented the check to the organization for $200 which will go towards the care of the animals. |
Plymouth North High School News
Study Abroad
Erica Burke will be studying abroad in Israel this spring. This opportunity became available to Erica through the NFTY program. (Erica explains in her own words.)
"The NFTY stands for the National Federation of Temple Youth, or in other words, the organization that changed my life. Being involved with NFTY has been the most amazing experience, making me feel closer to my own religion and with myself as a person. One of NFTY's many programs is EIE (Eisendrath International Exchange) which is a study abroad program. There is the 6 week summer program, and there are the fall and spring 4 month, full-semester programs. I chose to participate in the 2012 spring semester for several reasons. I thought to myself, if I am going to travel overseas to a foreign country, why not try to get the most out of it? So instead of going for the summer semester, I branched out and applied for the full 4 month session. Yes, I am scared and yes, I am excited. I will be taking all of my general courses such as AP Bio, English Honors, and U. S. History Honors, but in addition to my normal classes, I will be taking Jewish History and Hebrew. The work load is rough, but I am willing to put forth all my effort to have the experience of a lifetime. Thankfully, there were several scholarships available through a few different organizations, because the program is costly. All of the money, fundraising, hard work, and homesickness will be worth it. I cannot wait to embark on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I wish and hope everyone gets the chance to go out on a limb and experience something as amazing as I am about to."
Congratulations Erica!
Erica Burke
Grades for Students closed Friday, January 20th. Report cards will go home on Friday, January 27th.
Second semester begins on Monday, January 23rd. Advisory periods drop to 1 day during Semester 2. The bell schedule will change to reflect the dropped advisory day. Monday, Wednesday, Friday will be same bell schedule, Tuesday is advisory bell schedule, and Thursday will be PNN bell schedule.
Any Marketing/DECA students attending DECA STATES 2012 please be aware of the following deadlines:
Friday, Feb 3rd $200 and field trip form due.
Thursday, Feb 16th $125 due.
All checks are made payable to PNHS - SAF. Any questions see Mr. Cowgill or Ms. Schram.
Attention Seniors: Caps and gowns will be on sale Feb. 6th through Feb. 10th in Ms. Allen's room 6:50 a.m. to 7:10 a.m. and after school. Checks or money order only $25 made out to PNHS-SAF.
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Plymouth South High School News Senior Showcase PSHS hosted their first annual senior showcase on Tuesday, January 17th. Twelve seniors participated in a semester long course where they chose careers of interest, spent time with a mentor, and completed a research paper. Tuesday was the day of their oral presentation. On Tuesday they were judged by a panel of teachers, community members, retired teachers, business owners, and many more shown in the photo below going over the judging criteria. The students should be very proud as they were the first group of seniors to participate in this type of project. Their hard work throughout the semester on this project was more than evident. Great job to all!
PAR Update
On Wednesday of this week a group of evaluators visited Plymouth South: the PAR board. This group evaluated PSHS on their work in regards to personalization efforts: freshman academy, advisories, senior project, and authentic assessment. The group was very impressed by all of the activities at PSHS. Students and staff met with the group to share experiences and area schools were here to learn from the many successes that occur each and every day.
BRING YOUR JEANS!!
The PSHS Marketing class is working with the group "Teens for Jeans." The Fashion Marketing students are asking for all students to donate jeans to this campaign. The jeans should be new or gently used and they will in turn be donated to homeless teens. For the school donating the most jeans, Aeropostale will award that school $5,000.00, a new pair of jeans for every student, and a party! The collection starts on Tuesday, January 17th, so clean out your closets this weekend! Thanks for your generosity!
PSHS Website: Art & Authentic Assessment
We encourage you to check out the PSHS home page. You will find a link to authentic assessment work that has been created by our teachers and examples of student work, the senior project handbook, and a fabulous video that showcases the creative student artwork that is housed in our main lobby. We encourage you to review it to see all of this great work by our students and staff!
Mrs. Fry's Spotlight
Today at PSHS was the first annual "Poetry Café." Students in Ms. Kennett's grade 10 English class participated in a poetry reading in the main foyer during B period. Students shared original poetry that connected childhood memories to the epic poem Beowulf. The creativity and excitement from both students and staff was evident during the entire presentation. The main lobby of PSHS with the fabulous artwork, the creative readings, and the student participation truly took on a coffee shop atmosphere. Great work by students and their teacher Ms. Kennett!
Congratulations to the PSHS Wrestling team who clinched the Atlantic Coast League title in their match against Marshfield on Wednesday night. Great job to the athletes and their coaches on this wonderful accomplishment!
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Guidance Department NewsImportant Financial Aid Information for Seniors and their Parents: Need help completing the FAFSA? Free Assistance is available on FAFSA Day 2012 (formerly College Goal Sunday)! Sunday, January 29th, 2 PM, at Cape Cod Community College Monday, January 30th, 6:30PM at Massasoit Community College Families will have access to financial aid administrators and FAFSA experts to answer questions and assist families through the process.Visit www.FAFSADay.org to register for site locations, dates, and times, and get information on what to bring. High school students: Massachusetts Maritime Academy is offering a spring High School Dual Enrollment program for high school students focusing on the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. The Dual Enrollment program provides the opportunity for qualified high school students to take a transferable introductory college course at no cost (excluding books-financial assistance available). For more information and to register for the spring 2012 dual enrollment program, please click on the link below: Click here for more information and to register for the Dual Enrollment program.
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Unified Arts Department News
The Plymouth Schools Music Association is hosting a Spaghetti supper at Plymouth South High School on Friday February 10th from 6:30-8:30pm. There will be salad, pasta with or without sauce, meatballs, bread and butter, desserts, beverages and coffee. Entertainment will be provided by the Band and Chorus in small ensembles and a there will be a silent auction. All proceeds will benefit the music program and the scholarship fund. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for students and children under 5 are free. You may purchase tickets by calling Marcia at 508-746-1845 or email psma.inc@gmail.com .
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Gary E. Maestas, Ed.D Superintendent
Plymouth Public Schools
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