Principal's Newsletter

From the Desk of Russ Booth

December 3rd, 2023

Good afternoon MHS families,

We are excited to invite everyone to watch our annual musical, opening this weekend! This year's production is "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown." Our students have been hard at work preparing for opening night, this Friday, December 8th at 7pm. There will be four total shows over the course of the weekend and we hope everyone is able make at least one of the performances.

Please be sure to take a look at some of the information below. Our counseling department will be hosting a financial aid night in the coming weeks, we are participating in the annual Toys for Tots drive this year, and will be holding a prom fundraiser in partnership with Play It Again Sports (more info to come). We also invite families to nominate staff for the November Staff Excellence Award. The nomination form is linked below.

I hope you all enjoy the remainder of your weekend and the week to come!

Senior Corner

Senior Families: Graduation has been confirmed for Sunday, June 2nd at the Xfinity Center. More details will follow.

Financial Aid Night

Our annual Financial Aid Night will take place on Tuesday, December 12th at 6:30 in the MHS Auditorium. Our presenter, Susan Beard Director of Student Financial Services at Wheaton College, will provide an overview of the financial aid process, changes to the FAFSA and updates for the Class of 2024 and how to read and understand financial aid packages. This is always an informative night, and while geared towards students and parents of the Class of 2024 all grades are welcome to attend to learn more about the process. We hope to see you there!

Toys for Tots

Mansfield High School is participating in the Rotary Clubs annual “Toys for Tots” drive this year. A collection box is located in our Lobby where new and unwrapped toys may be donated to assist Mansfield families. Families who wish to participate may send a toy in with their student through December 11th.

Nomination for Staff Excellence Award - November

Can you think of a Mansfield High School teacher, coach or staff member that has made a difference for you or is making a difference for our community? Here is your chance to recognize them and let them know!

We invite all staff, students, parents and community members to nominate someone for the Mansfield High School Staff Excellence Award for November. This award is meant to recognize two members of the Mansfield High School staff who provide extraordinary service to the school community. It is a wonderful opportunity to communicate your appreciation for someone that you feel has gone above and beyond.

Award recipients will be announced at the December Faculty Meeting and in the Principal's Newsletter. Your kind words will be shared with all nominees. There is no limit on the number of individuals you may nominate but please submit a separate form for each nominee.

Staff Excellence Award Nomination Form - November 2023

NOMINATIONS ARE DUE BY DECEMBER 8TH

Please join the Mansfield SEPAC for its upcoming webinar on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 from 7pm - 8pm on Adaptive PE and TOPSoccer

All kids need opportunities for physical activity and recreation, but how can you make programs in and out of school accessible to neurodiverse students? Join us for two speakers who will share how their programs meet the needs of youth with various needs.

Nicole Maloney is an Adaptive PE teacher in the Bridgewater school district who will share information on what she does and how it benefits her students.

John Rainone is the Director of the King Phillip TOPSoccer program which is affiliated with US Youth Soccer. He will share about how his program provides a space for soccer players of all abilities to be part of the game. Come be part of our conversation as we share opportunities for our children and youth to be physically active and healthy as they grow!

Please register in advance for the meeting link which will be sent 48 hours in advance of the webinar.

https://forms.gle/zuFtdeJmZpQ7pvn2A

AFL-CIO Scholarship Program - Class of 2024

The Annual AFL-CIO Scholarship Program is in its 65th year. Through the

scholarship program, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is honored to continue a long

tradition of helping students continue their education as they work toward creating

bright futures.

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO scholarship program awardees receive between $500

and $16,000 towards their education. Over 40 unions, central labor councils, area

businesses and charitable trusts from across Massachusetts participate in awarding

scholarships that total nearly half a million dollars. Unions in Massachusetts have

given close to $10 million in scholarships since 2000. About 1,500 students take the

exam annually to compete for a scholarship. Students with a union affiliation are

eligible for both the Massachusetts AFL-CIO awards and those awards listed under

their specific local union/central labor council. Massachusetts students who do not

have union affiliation are eligible for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO scholarships only.

2023-2024 Scholarships

● The scholarship application is available online at www.massaflcio.org/scholarships

All applications must be submitted online; you do not register for the exam at MHS.

● Scholarship Applications are due Friday, December 22, 2023; late applications will

not be accepted.

● The study guide is available online and is updated annually with new information.

They have updated their website to make it more interactive for students to review

material. The study guide can be found at Scholarship Study Guide

● This year's Labor History Exam will be given electronically in school on Thursday,

February 8, 2024 first thing in the morning. More information to follow.

Various Vaping Resources

Vaping in high school continues to be a concern across the country. At MHS we have hired 2 hall monitors, instituted a digital pass system, and developed a vape education program in order to continue to try and support a safe and healthy environment for all our students.

In an effort to combat the ongoing challenge of vaping within our school (and others), please take a look at and utilize the various resources provided below to learn more about vaping in order to start/continue the conversation with your child. Making progress in this area is a group effort, and we want to provide support for families at home with these resources.

General Info:

What parents need to know

Quick Facts about vaping

Vaping and the impact of Covid

Vaping can't harm teens?

Information on Quitting:

How to quit

This is quitting

Nicotine withdrawal and how to cope