The Panther Press

September 8, 2019 - Volume 2 - ISSUE 3

Welcome to the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Newsletter! It is designed to keep everyone (parents, students, staff, and community members) informed of the many events that are happening in and around the school. It contains links, pictures, and videos so that you have a more interactive experience and the ability to learn more about various topics.

Communication is incredibly important to understanding so we ask that you share our news as much as possible. We also welcome feedback! It is the only way to continuously improve. So, please interact, get involved, and let us know what you think by contacting us and sharing our news!

September 11 - New WHRHS Student Gathering 8:45 Courtyard Café

September 12 - Delayed Opening

September 14 - Habitat For Humanity Bike Ride, Hingham

September 20 - Senior Parent Breakfast 7:15 Student Dining & PAC

September 26 - Delayed Opening

September 27 - Coffee with Counselors – Grade 9 Parents 7:30 Courtyard Café

September 28 - Miles for Meals

October 5 - SAT at WHRHS

October 10 - Delayed Opening

October 14 - No School – Columbus Day

October 15 - Lifetouch Picture Retakes – Grade 9-11 PAC

October 16 - Credit for Life – Grade 12, PSAT – Grades 10 & 11, Freshman Elections & Presentation – Grade 9

October 18 - Early Release – District Professional Development

Dollars for Scholars is a local chapter of Scholarship America which raises and awards scholarship funds annually to graduating high school seniors furthering their education. Both public and private school students are eligible to apply.

Dollars for Scholars has many adult and student volunteer opportunities available. Assistance is always needed on fundraising activities, mailings, scholarship award selection, and supervising student volunteers. Attendance at monthly meetings is not needed. For more information, please contact Michael Ganshirt at 781-252-9683 or visit www.WhitmanAndHanson.dollarsforscholars.org.

We have created a new space for students to be dropped off in the morning. You will notice a special section that is painted from the first to the last crosswalk in the inner loop. Please help us have a smoother morning (with less traffic) drop off by adhering to the following three items.

1. Make sure you do not drive or park in the painted section.
2. Drop your students off once you have reached the marked section and traffic is stopped. Please do not wait until you are at the end. This allows up to four cars to drop students off simultaneously.
3. Do not stop at the first crosswalk to drop your student (unless they are reporting to the main office) or park in the inner loop.

Thank you for your attention to this. It will help keep traffic moving and shorten the wait time for everyone driving to school.

I am currently in need of both student and parent volunteers to serve on this year's School Council. We meet once a month for an hour to discuss the state of the school, policies, and budget. Please email me if you are interested!

It may not be fair or right, but we are often judged by how we look.

Does this mean we should dress to look a certain part or imitate a preconceived notion of what makes someone good at who they are or what they do?

I address the idea of being the best version of ourselves in the face of scrutiny over how we look. We shouldn't be looking to fit a mold, but instead carrying the attitude as if we were. Confidence in ourselves and constant improvement becomes easier when we are living for that about which we are passionate.

Be confident, continually strive to be a better version of ourselves and most importantly be who you are because that is what you are best at. Check out some more thoughts in the video!

Not everyone outside the walls of our awesome school get to see the fantastic things going on each day. This short video is meant to showcase some of the great things occurring at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School during the week!

Take a look and feel free to comment...this is our story...and everyone is part of it.

Construction Career Day Field Trip - The School Counseling Office will be running a field trip to the 3rd Annual Brockton Area Construction Career Day on Wednesday, October 2nd for juniors and seniors. Students will explore careers in Building/Remodeling, Engineering, Paving/Sealcoating, Electrical, Plumbing/HVAC, Architecture, Welding, Mechanical, Solar & Energy, Smart Technologies, Landscaping, Utilities Management and MORE! See your counselor for more information and permissions slips.

After School Enrichment - Afterschool Enrichment will begin on Monday, September 9th. Join us in the Courtyard Cafe, at 1:40pm, for a snack and sign up for enrichment classes and homework support. Late bus is available Monday through Thursday @ 4:00pm. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Leonard (Maureen.Leonard@whrsd.org) in room 271.

Senior Parent Breakfast – On Friday, September 20th, parents of seniors are invited to our annual Senior Parent Breakfast. We invite you to use this opportunity to meet your child's school counselor and to find out more about the college search process, the college application process, financial aid, and how to help your teen during the last year of high school. The program starts at 7:30 AM.

Financial Aid/College Financing Workshop – Please join us in the PAC from 6:30 – 8:30 PM on Wednesday, September 25 to learn more about the financial aid process. A representative from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) will be presenting.

Freshmen Parent Coffee with the Counselors - Grade 9 parents/guardians are invited to attend our "Freshmen Parent Coffee with Counselors" on the morning of Friday, September 27, from 7:30 am – 8:30 am. In an informal setting, we will be discussing the transition to high school and will share tips for keeping your child on track for a successful high school experience. Please follow this link to register for the program: https://forms.gle/C1DieY7ai6nTxft38

College Fair – Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 1 for a regional college fair from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. This year the fair will be held at Silver Lake Regional HS, Route 27, Kingston, MA. Approximately 100 admissions officers representing colleges, universities, post-secondary schools, and military branches will be in attendance. Bring a bag to take home college admissions materials.

PSAT Administration – The PSAT will be administered to all students in grade 10 and 11 during the school day on Wednesday, October 16th. The PSAT/NMSQT assesses the critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills students need for college and beyond. The PSAT is a great practice for the SAT and will help determine college and career readiness of students.

Credit for Life Fair - - The Credit for Life Reality Fair will be held for members of the senior class on October 16 during the school day. The Credit for Life Fair is a nationally recognized program designed to help high school students develop personal financial management skills that they will use throughout their lives.

Prudential Spirit of Community Award - Students in grades 5 - 12 who have made a difference through volunteering over the past year may want to apply for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award program. This prestigious award program has honored nearly 100,000 middle and high school students at the local, state and national level over the past 24 years for volunteer work. Applications are available at http://spirit.prudential.com/ or http://www.nassp.org/spirit. The deadline to apply on-line is November 5, 2019.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s school counselor. We are looking forward to a great 2019/2020 school year!

Ms. Giglia was "awarded a full registration scholarship to to attend the National Jumpstart Conference on Financial Literacy in Washington D.C. this November! What a great opportunity to increase her knowledge and skills on providing financial literacy to the students of Whitman-Hanson!" - Dr. Jones

The National Honor Society is sponsoring the 10th annual Miles for Meals 5K and One Mile Walk on Saturday, September 28 at 10:00am at the high school. Use this link to register!

If you can’t join us on the day of the race, donations (via Racewire) are also greatly appreciated. All proceeds go to the Whitman and Hanson Food Pantries, to help your neighbors in need. We hope to see you there!

The Whitman-Hanson Post-Graduate Vocation Program has officially started its 10th year of internships. These offer opportunities for students to become more independent by immersing them in real situations. Here is Joseph Acorn shopping at Shaw’s for his Culinary School Service Internship!

21st CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER

AFTERSCHOOL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

September 9, 2019 – June 4, 2020

“Let’s Find Success” ~~ Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 2:00 - 4:00pm

We are here to assist you….on the road to HS success. The afterschool team offers support prioritizing your to-do list, organizational skills, Infinite Campus check-in’s, encouraging self-advocating, strategies to effectively utilize your agenda, as well as academic support. Join us as you work towards academic success!!

Mindful Makers ~~ Mrs. Robichaud/Ms. Seldomridge ~~ Monday 2:00 - 3:00pm

Incorporating ideas from Our Minds Matter, our group will work to promote a school community that encourages social connections. We will work to reduce mental health stigma and create a welcoming environment by making art and crafts, and encouraging healthy habits and coping skills.

Co-Op: Building Relationships through Video Games ~~ Mr. Casey ~~ Tuesday 2:00 - 3:00pm

Do you enjoy video games such as MarioKart, Smash, or Overcooked? Join us for some fun and meet new friends on the way! Increase communication and team cohesion by playing Cooperative Video Games and exploring Game Design. Teams have become increasingly important within an organization and can only be affective to the extent that team members work cooperatively with each other.

Healthy Cooking ~~ Mr. Ryan ~~ Tuesday/Thursday 2:00 - 3:00pm

Join us for culinary class where you will learn to cook simple healthy foods to prepare in your kitchen at home. Come with your menu ideas and we will learn together how to peel, chop, measure, dice and slice.

World Cultures Club ~~ Ms. Ferrara/Ms. Seldomridge ~~ Thursday 2:00 - 3:00pm

The cultural club aims to promote awareness, acceptance, and appreciation of the many diverse cultures at WHRHS. Students will participate in a variety of activities including language learning, cooking, music, dance, guest speakers, and community service. Learn about other cultures, have fun, and make new friends!

Afterschool Enrichment Schedule

Monday - Thursday 1:40pm - 2:00pm Snack & Check-In/Courtyard Café

Monday-Thursday 4:00pm late bus

Students who participate in two activities are eligible for 2 elective credits.

To enroll, contact Mrs. Leonard at 781-618-8020, visit room 271 or email maureen.leonard@whrsd.org

We are looking forward to a safe and healthy school year.

A few things:

• Reminders for all parents/guardians/students to please return your Student Health Update forms.

• ANY and ALL medication must be kept in the nurses office with proper documentation from students physician and parent/guardian . Emergency medication may be kept with the student after the nurse has reviewed documentation. Medication forms can be found on the website.

• EEE is on the rise in Massachusetts. Please take appropriate precautions . Avoid being outdoors at dusk, wear long sleeves/pants, use bug repellent, lemon oil, mint. Check out this EEE fact sheet for additional information.

A reminder that all game recaps, scores, schedules and standings are available on the MIAA app and at Whathletics.com . Log on to read about volleyball, girls soccer and boys soccer all starting their seasons with victories.

It’s been a terrific start to the fall with another strong turnout of students participating. While we don’t have 100% of the student body participating on a team in the fall, there is no reason why every student can’t be a Superfan. Cards are available in the main office and this entitles users to big discounts and contests.

The boys soccer team is excited about their home opener tomorrow as they will welcome Scituate to town for a 6pm start. In addition, the youth players from both towns are invited to attend the game and meet the special guest for the game, Revs goalkeeper Brad Knighton who will be on hand to meet and greet the fans.

Finally, twitter has been a great tool for us to communicate instantly with the Panther community. However, many students have pointed out to us that Instagram is used more by the kids. Therefore we have added an Instagram account with the same Whathletics name. Don’t worry, we will still be posting just as much to twitter too.

There is so much going on with all our athletic teams, but you can catch up on all of it by reading Athletic Director Bob Rodgers' update and watching this weekly round up of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Panthers' athletic teams in action!

Hit subscribe and follow to catch them all!

Email: christopher.jones@whrsd.org
Website: https://www.whrsd.org/our-schools/whrhs
Location: 600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA, USA
Phone: (781) 618-7020
Twitter: @DrCSJones