Doherty Family Update 9.1.2024

On our first day of school, the weather was absolutely perfect and set the stage for an ideal start to middle school! The 6th graders began their day by heading to the Andover Youth Center for a series of team-building activities, all organized and led by our 8th-grade student WEB Leaders as part of the Doherty WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) program. It was a great success as our new sixth-grade students became familiar with DMS. I can't help but express my immense pride in our 8th-grade Web Leaders for doing such an outstanding job! They certainly made the most of the opportunity to leave a great first impression. A big thank you goes out to all our 8th-grade WEB Leaders, who dedicated two days of their summer vacation to training last week, all to ensure the warmest welcome for the class of 2031! I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you and a big shout-out to our wonderful WEB teachers, Kate Carlton and Shannon Murphy! Their dedication and excellent work as WEB Teachers over the years is truly admirable. Thank you!

Our 8th graders WEB leaders with our 6th graders

I am incredibly grateful and excited to join the Doherty school community as your new school counselor. I moved with my family from NJ to MA in 2022 and had the joy of working at Andover High School last year as both a history teacher and high school counselor.

Previously, I received my masters in school counseling from Hunter College in New York City. After graduating, I spent 4 years in the New York City Department of Education’s Single Shepherd program, which placed counselors in the city’s most underserved communities, to help students and families thrive from middle school to high school graduation. Prior to becoming a school counselor, I helped cofound a nonprofit organization teaching students different ways to promote kindness and inclusion in their schools and communities. Fun fact: After college, I played professional basketball for six years throughout Europe and love to stay connected to the game by coaching, and playing in student/staff pick up games.

It’s a true privilege to serve students, families, and staff, and I look forward to joining the wonderful team at Doherty and being a source of support for your family. marymargaret.creamer@andoverma.us

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 October 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.

• Please mark your calendars for Thursday, September 12 for our Back-to-School Night. This event is a great opportunity to experience your child’s schedule and meet teachers. The event starts promptly at 5:30 PM.
• Another important date is, September 18 we will be taking our annual school photos.