Doherty Family Update 9.15.2024
From the desk of Mrs. Perry
Coffee with the Principal
Dear Parents and Families,
As the season changes and the leaves begin to show their vibrant colors, I would like to invite you to join me for "Coffee with the Principal" on Tuesday, September 24th at 9:15 a.m. in our media center. This is a great opportunity for us to connect, for me to answer any questions you may have, and to address any concerns. All questions and families are welcome, but the primary focus of this coffee session will be the transition to Middle School and what makes it special. Our school counselor, Ms. Creamer, and other staff members will be present to provide support and answer any questions you may have about this transition and the expectations of Middle School. This will be an informal meeting and we kindly ask that you RSVP so that we can ensure there is enough coffee for everyone. If you are unable to attend, don't worry! There will be more "Coffee with the Principal" sessions throughout the year. Looking forward to getting to know you better and addressing any questions or concerns you may have. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time.
Best regards,
Mrs. Perry
Ms. Creamer our Middle School Guidance Counselor
Hello Doherty Community! It has been a great first week getting to know the fantastic Doherty Community. I was blown away by the WEB Program and WEB Leaders on the first couple days of school – what an awesome program to welcome our 6th graders. I spent most of my first week learning the routines of the school, much like our 6th graders and new students! I had fun visiting lunches, team meetings, and different classrooms. I also had the opportunity to meet our new students by hosting new student lunch groups, and I was heartened to see current Doherty students joining them for lunch. It can be hard being new to a school, and I saw and heard lots of stories of kids welcoming our new students. This past week I have had the opportunity to join some of the ITT (Integrated Team Time) classrooms to introduce myself to the students and share the role of a school counselor. As the year progresses, I will be joining ITT's to run guidance lessons and look forward to keeping you updated on what we are learning. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or if I can be helpful to your student(s) or family. My email is marymargaret.creamer@andoverma.us.
Sincerely,
Molly/Ms. Creamer
School Counselor
Bullying and Social Media Education and Prevention Dr. Elizabeth Englander For Parents and Caregivers of Students in Grades 4-12
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
The Firehouse Center for the Arts upcoming auditions for Beetlejuice Jr. for students age 13-17
It's our show now, kid. The ghost-with-the-most comes to the stage in Beetlejuice JR., the frightfully funny musical based on the beloved motion picture turned Broadway phenomenon. Lydia Deetz is a strange and unusual teenager, still grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with the whole “being dead thing.” Lucky for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium.
With music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Eddie Perfect and a book by Tony Award-nominated pair Anthony King and Scott Brown, Beetlejuice was nominated for eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best New Musical. A viral "sucks-yes" on social media, this musical struck a chord with young theatre lovers who adored its unabashed humor and emotional honesty.
Created for the generation that made it a hit, Beetlejuice JR. is a wacky theatrical party for all!
Auditions: Wednesday, September 18th from 5:00-8:00 PM
Please prepare one 16 bar cut from a song of your choosing!
Callbacks: Wednesday, September 25th from 5:00-8:00 PM
Please come ready to dance, sing, and read from the show!
Rehearsals begin on September 29th and will be on Monday & Wednesday from 5pm - 8pm and Sunday from 1pm - 4pm
Tech Week:
Monday, November 11th from 5:00-8:00 PM
Tuesday, November 12th from 5:00-8:00 PM
Wednesday, November 13th from 5:00-8:00 PM
Performance Schedule:
Thursday, November 14th at 7:00 PM
Friday, November 15th at 7:00 PM
Saturday, November 16th at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM
Sunday, November 17th at 2:00 PM
Please note that there is no fee to audition. When we send the cast list., we will include a link to register in order to accept the role. The fee to participate is $225. Please feel free to reach out to me with any additional questions!
Middle School Show Choir and A Cappella
"Do you like to sing? Do you like to dance? Want to be part of an award-winning team? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re in luck because auditions for Middle School Show Choir and A Cappella are right around the corner! Auditions will occur at Doherty on Tuesday, September 24 from 3:00-4:30 PM in the library.
For more information, see our flyer here.
To sign up for auditions, fill out the form here.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Lambros, Middle School Choir Director, at sabrina.lambros@andoverma.us. We can’t wait to make music with you!"
2024-2025 MATHCOUNTS Competitions Series registration is now open!
MATHCOUNTS is a national math program that provides students in grades 6-8 the opportunity to compete against and alongside their peers. It builds problem-solving skills and positive attitudes towards math, so students embrace challenges and expand their academic and career opportunities in the future. Our team secured first place in the MATHCOUNTS Northeast MA Chapter Competition the past two years. If you are interested in registering your child for the 2024--2025 MATHCOUNTS Competitions, please contact Ying Liu (yingtracy@gmail.com) by September 18, 2024. Ying Liu is a parent of a Doherty 8th Grader.
Please include the following in your email:
SUBJECT OF EMAIL: MATHCOUNTS Registration
STUDENT NAME, GRADE, PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME, EMAIL, PHONE NUMBER
- We will host a school-level tryout if there are more than 12 students registering for the MATHCOUNTS. Otherwise, you will receive an email about registration confirmation and detailed instructions about the MATHCOUNTS competition.
