Doherty Family Update 10.20.2024

The EMK Senate Institute helps students learn how bills are created by simulating the actions of real U.S. Senators. Over the course of the day, students become Senators who interview, debate and collaborate to write a bill that they take a final vote on in a full-scale model of the U.S. Senate chamber.

Book Fair: The PAC is excited to announce a fall book fair with Best Book Fairs. The fair will be held in the school library from Tuesday, October 22nd through Thursday, October 24th, 8:05 am - 3:00 pm daily. Students will be able to shop before school, during lunch period and at the discretion of the ELA teachers.

Dates/Times

Tuesday 10/22 - Thursday 10/24 from 8:05 a.m. - 3:00 p.m daily

• Students will be able to shop before school, during lunch period and at the discretion of the ELA teachers.

• Acceptable forms of payment:

• Cash

• Check payable to DMS PAC

• Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Discover

• Apple Pay

• Greenlight debit card

• Please note that Venmo is NOT accepted

Support the Library

The book fair is a fundraiser for the PAC and it will receive a percentage of the profits from the fair to be used for the purchase of new books for the DMS library.

Middle School Fun Run will be held October 22nd at Andover High School @ 3:45 PM. Attached is the parent letter and link to the sign up. We hope to see as many runners as possible.

Fun Run Parent Letter and Sign Up See this Link

Go DOHERTY! 👟

🚑Flu Clinic October 22

Doherty Middle 9:15-10:15 am

Sign Up Deadline October 18, 2024 at 12 p.m.

We are pleased to offer the flu vaccination to both students (grades 4 through 12) and staff in each school building.

This opportunity is being provided by Remedium Pharmacy and their staff. All insurance paperwork and vaccine administration is provided by Remedium.

If you would like to participate in this opportunity – please follow the link below to fill out the information for each child or staff member receiving the vaccine. Insurance information must be completed as requested and this information will be used by Remedium pharmacy for insurance billing.

Students must be signed up at the school where they attend classes and they must be present in school on the day of the clinic. We are not able to let your child come to another location to receive a vaccine.

1. Click on the web link to sign up - one registration per person. https://www.signupgenius.com/tabs/13574DB0FA1CEE9C0A90-andover4
2. Enter the Access code: ANDOVER (all caps)
3. Complete the registration information – please enter the name of the person receiving the vaccination

Northern Lights over Doherty

Solar Cycle 25 is predicted to peak between November and March 2026, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center, an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Solar maximum is the period of peak solar activity during the sun's 11-year solar cycle. The next cycle could peak within the coming months.

Photo credit: Stephanie Barry current Doherty parent

Please see this Flyer from The Andover Village Improvement Society- Give Us Your Best Shot use this link for more information.

For 130 years, generations of AVIS volunteers have worked to preserve land, protect native habitat, and provide opportunities for the public to experience and enjoy nature. Andover is fortunate to have such a treasure of open space, and we are seeking digital photographs that capture the essence of our AVIS properties, iconic sites, and landscapes. In order to qualify, photographs must be taken within an AVIS reservation. https://avisandover.org/

What is RULER?

RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

We will begin our rollout of the RULER Middle School Morning Slides this week.

Purpose of Morning Check In:

• Create a unified low-stakes rollout for all three APS Middle Schools
• Begin a student focus on the emotion matters mindset and discussion
• Build student relationships and community

RULER VIDEO and Website

Thank you to all who attended our first principal's coffee. As mentioned in previous communications, another coffee will be held, with each session having a specific topic of conversation. During our last coffee, we discussed the transition to middle school and what makes it special. The next coffee will take place on Monday, November 4th at 9:15 AM, and the topic will be the transition to high school. We are excited to announce that our special guest for this coffee will be our Andover High School Principal, James D'Andrea. Principal D'Andrea and I have held administrative positions at middle and high schools, and we look forward to sharing some talking points with you. However, there will also be time for questions and open conversation. All are welcome to attend. Please RSVP here.

On October 22nd Greater Lawrence Technical School (GLTS) will be visiting and presenting to 8th graders at Doherty Middle School. GLTS is a regional technical high school serving the four communities of Andover, Lawrence, Methuen and North Andover. We are excited for our 8th graders to learn more about the programs they offer. Please click here to learn more about GLTS including helpful Admissions and Open House Information.

YEARBOOK

Simply scan this QR code and follow the prompts. Yearbooks will be delivered to homerooms the last week of school

You may also call 866-287-3096 or go to www.YearbookOrderCenter.com and use order number 13395

To be completed if your student will participate in after school Extracurricular clubs. Click here for the form. The form is also available on our website.

Completed form can be dropped off at the Main Office.

List of Clubs and Activities can be found on our website under INFORMATION and RESOURCES

Last month, students attended the Handbook Presentation with our administration team to learn Doherty's school specific policy on bullying and cyberbullying. This month we are beginning to work with students in their ITT classes on how to recognize bullying behaviors and how to be upstanders against bullying. On Tuesday, October 22, 2024 parents and caregivers are invited to a workshop on Bullying and Social Media Education with Dr. Elizabeth Englander at the Collins Center from 6:30 - 8:00pm. For more information please visit this link and/or see below.

October 22, 2024

6:30pm-8:00pm

Collins Center

100 Shawsheen Road, Andover

Before the pandemic, screen use, anxiety, and social problems (like bullying and fighting) were top concerns for parents. The last few years have made some of these issues even more challenging. This talk will examine challenges in school, like bullying, friendship skills, and mental health, and how the ways kids use screens, gaming, and social media can impact these. Research will be summarized, and practical approaches to family life that can help children develop emotional resilience, healthy social skills and friendships, and sensible screen and social media habits will be discussed during this presentation. We will discuss how to move forward, how to partner with your child's school, and how to help parents be most productive in guiding their children towards optimal social and emotional health.

Dr. Elizabeth Englander is an award-winning author and the founder and Executive Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University, a Center which delivers programs, resources, and research for the state of Massachusetts and nationwide. She is also a Founding Member of the Social and Emotional Research Consortium (SERC). As a researcher and a professor of Psychology for almost 30 years, she is a nationally recognized expert in the area of bullying and cyberbullying, childhood causes of aggression and abuse, and children’s use of technology. She was named Most Valuable Educator by the Boston Red Sox and in 2018, was appointed to the Massachusetts Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Council. Dr. Englander has served as a Special Editor for the Cyberbullying issues of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry-CONNECT and the Journal of Social Sciences, and has authored more than a hundred articles in academic journals and books. During the global Coronavirus Pandemic, Dr. Englander conducted research with children and educators that has helped to shape the nation’s pandemic response.

For more information: http://www.MARCcenter.org http://www.elizabethenglander.com

📱If your student is absent please call our attendance line.

If you need to dismiss your student, please send them in with a note including the student name, date, time. The note should be given to the main office.

Has your student lost or misplaced something? Ask your student to check the lost and found. Here is a current photo of our lost and found.