MAYNARD HIGH SCHOOL

Dr. Tommie Mabry, a nationally known storyteller and motivational speaker, will appear here at MHS at 7 PM on Tuesday, January 9 in the Auditorium. As part of a college and career preparation grant, the Fowler School will have Dr. Mabry in during the day to speak to students. His evening presentation is for parents, guardians, and caregivers. He'll discuss the different factors that block students from achieving their potential -- and he'll have ideas on how to get students motivated!

The Maynard High School Student Council is proud to present the 2024 edition of Cocoa and Cramming on January 11th and January 16th from 2:30-4:30 PM.

What is Cocoa and Cramming? It's a study party! Get together with other students and teachers to prepare for Midyear Exams, to finish projects, and to drink cocoa. There is a scientific link between chocolate and the learning brain -- come see if it works for you!

Who is Invited? Every MHS student and staff member is invited!

How Will I Get Home? On January 16th, a free Late Bus is available to take students home at 4:30 PM. Here is the link to sign up for the Late Bus.

Are you a student who struggles with screen/life balance? Are you a parent who is concerned about screen time and the influence of social media in your student's life? We have partnered with Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services to start two workshops -- one for students, and one for caregivers. Each group will meet once a week for four weeks, and will examine the issue from many different vantage points. The goal is for students to have the tools to make educated decisions about how they spend their time -- online and in real life! Please email Ms. Doktorov at odoktorov@maynard.k12.ma.us to sign up, or for more information.

Our MHS Quiz Show team has qualified for the High School Quiz Show! If you would like to support them in person, taping of their match against St. John's will be at 9:00 AM on Saturday, January 20 at the GBH Calderwood Studio, 1 Guest Street, Boston. You can reserve a free ticket by clicking here. If our team wins at 9:00 AM, they will play again at 1:45 PM!

Yearbooks are still available. The cost is $80 until January 26th. After that the price will increase to $85 for the remainder of the year. You can order at the website linked here.

Get yours before the price increases!

On December 13, School Counselors and teachers led a field trip to UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College (Lowell Campus). Students were able to meet college students and staff -- some of whom are multilingual, and are still learning English as they take college classes. The colleges provided a closer look at the services they provide for students with many different needs, as well as the programs they offer that lead to high paying careers in health care, biotechnology, engineering, computers, and more. It was a fun and interesting trip for the MHS students, who enjoyed seeing themselves as college students for the day!

Maynard High School's Parent Teacher Organization had a great first semester, with their successful Psychic Fundraiser, and lots of delicious treats served to our hardworking staff. Our next PTO meeting will be on Wednesday, January 17, at the 110 Grill at 7:00 PM. All MHS caregivers are members; feel free to come join us and to lend a hand as we plan our spring activities!

GENERAL INFORMATION

WAVM is our student-run radio and television station. Student radio shows are up and running for 2023-2024 -- tune in on 91.7 FM, or at wavm.org -- every school day from 2 PM - 9 PM.

Students in grades 6-12 who want to get involved are encouraged to stop by the station or come to a staff meeting, meet Mr. Valenti, Mrs. Newey, and the student CEO's, and sign up for a job!

The mission of the Maynard Music Association (MMA) is to promote, support, and advocate for exceptional music education for all Maynard High School and Fowler Middle School students.

Get more information and get involved!

Interested in news about the Town of Maynard? Want to get to know some of your neighbors, and to check out businesses and restaurants? Check out the Maynard Advantage, and subscribe to their monthly newsletter at https://maynardadvantage.org/

The mission of the Maynard Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is to work for the understanding of, respect for, and support of all children with special needs in the community.

Maynard SEPAC works in collaboration with MPS community members to:

· Promote a network of parents and forums to share information

· Advise the school district on special education programs, training needs, and policy

· Promote communication between PAC members; local, state and national organizations, councils and groups

· Promote understanding, acceptance, and inclusion within the community

· Provide informational forums for parents, students, educators, and professionals

Joining is easy - any community member who attends a SEPAC meeting or event during the year is considered a voting member. There are many ways to contribute and we will work with you to identify something that works with your schedule and responsibilities.

Please reach out to our Public Outreach Coordinator Kim Baldasaro, sepacoutreach@maynard.k12.ma.us with any questions or for more information about joining.

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Look out for our Calendar of Events in upcoming newsletters!

In addition to all students getting free breakfast and lunch at school this year, Maynard High School offers a food pantry for any student who needs it. The pantry is located in the nurse’s office. This can be accessed by a student asking the nurse or their school counselor. Students may also take enough food and supplies for their families, if needed. If your student wants access to the pantry, please complete this Google Form.

Although all students can get one free breakfast and one free lunch at school, we still encourage any family who may qualify for free or reduced lunch to fill out the free/reduced lunch application. Qualifying for free/reduced lunch can also qualify students for:

- Fee waivers for college applications

- Standardized testing (SAT and/or) ACT fee waivers

- Fee waivers for the bus

- Fee waivers for the athletics/student activities fee

As we head towards the end of the year and "holiday season," stress increases for many of us. We know our teens are stressed and we know the importance of self-care for them. But parents and caregivers, are you caring for yourselves? It's important that you take the time to care for yourself, both to ensure you're not giving from an empty cup, but also to model self-care for our teens. And we don't need to wait until things get even more hectic than they are to start. Here are some tips to think about now: https://parentandteen.com/parents-who-care-for-themselves-prepare-teens-to-thrive/

More resources for when you need them:

Did you know that we have compiled a list of mental health resources, as well as a number of other community resources on our website? Check them out here: https://www.maynard.k12.ma.us/o/maynard-high-school/page/mental-health-resources

FIND HELP THROUGH EMERSON HOSPITAL

FIND HELP We are excited to partner with @EmersonHealth to launch the new Find Help website. If you or someone you know needs assistance, use the site to search for support like food pantries, financial aid, transportation, and more. Visit EmersonHealth.FindHelp.com. Please share and bookmark the site to make it easy to find when you need help

COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRIES

The Open Table Food Pantry (www.opentable.org; 33 Main St, Maynard) is open on Tuesdays, 3:30 - 6:30 PM and Thursdays, 1 - 4:30 PM and offers free bags of groceries 1x/week. Open Table also allows families to pick up frozen meals for family members weekly.

The Maynard Food Pantry (www.maynardfoodpantry.com; 82 Main St., Maynard) is open on Mondays from 10 AM - 12 noon 1-2x/month