12/6

Good Afternoon Families:

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving break! It was fantastic to see so much energy during Spirit Week before the holiday. Color Day was especially fun—so much enthusiasm and school pride!

A big shout-out to our Panthers Football team for their awesome Thanksgiving Day win! And yes, the friendly wager with the Triton principal worked out perfectly (check out the picture above for a little extra bragging rights - thanks for being a good sport Mr. Kelley!).

PLEASE HELP!

I would like to remind everyone about the school rule regarding outside drinks. To ensure a clean and focused learning environment, we ask that all drinks brought into school be limited to water bottles or Yeti type bottles.

Outside beverages such as coffee, sodas, energy drinks, and drinks in containers that are not spill-proof have been causing disruptions in classrooms. These drinks often create unnecessary messes, distract from learning, and require additional time to clean up. Additionally, handling these drinks can result in students being late to class, further interrupting the school day.

I would also like to address the issue of parent drop-offs of beverages from places like Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. These drinks disrupt the office staff, cause interruptions in classrooms, and result in students being pulled from class to retrieve their orders. This not only disrupts the learning process but also takes away valuable time from students' education.

Going forward, teachers will no longer be allowing outside drinks in the classroom, and any outside beverages dropped off by parents will not be delivered to students during the school day. We ask for your cooperation in ensuring that students only bring water bottles or Yeti cups to school.

I appreciate your understanding and support as we work to maintain a productive, clean and focused learning environment for all students.

There is a buzz in the building as student prepare for concerts, a new sports season, community service events and general hard work. As we head into December, things can get pretty busy, so remember to take a moment, breathe, and enjoy the season.

Sincerely,

Brenda Erhardt

Pentucket Middle-High School Principal

Pentucket Regional School District will introduce a Hall of Fame, which will honor alumni, athletes, educators, and community members who have made a significant contribution to the district.

The Hall of Fame is soliciting nominations beginning Jan. 1, 2025, in three categories:

• Legacy Employees. These employees – for example, teachers, coaches, custodians, administrators, etc. – must have worked for the Pentucket district for at least five years. Nominees should have made a lasting impact through leadership, innovation, mentorship, or service to the school, leaving a positive influence on students, staff, and the broader Pentucket community.
• Alumni. Nominees should embody excellence, leadership, and commitment to Pentucket's core values, whether through achievements on the field, stage, in the classroom, or in their service to the community. They should have made a lasting impact through their talents and contributions, exemplifying the qualities of integrity and dedication. To be eligible, alumni must have graduated from or attended Pentucket for at least half of their school years, ensuring a deep connection to the district. Their accomplishments should reflect a legacy of positive influence within the Pentucket community and beyond.
• Benefactors. Nominees may be alumni or community members. They should have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to advancing the Pentucket district's mission, helping to improve facilities, programs, or opportunities for students. Their generosity and dedication should have left a meaningful and lasting impact on the school community.

Nominations can be submitted through the District Hall of Fame web page and will be accepted through April 1.

A Nomination Committee will review all applications and select the inaugural Hall of Fame class, which will be announced in September 2025. Honorees will be recognized at a ceremony later that fall.

Community members interested in serving on the Nomination Committee are asked to contact Principal Brenda Erhardt at berhardt@prsd.org.

As a reminder, there is a new process in place for students signing in when arriving late to school and it requires them to use their Student ID. Students should have their ID readily available when entering the building.

The Health Office will be conducting the state-mandated annual postural screenings (7th, 8th, and 9th grades only) during the month of January. If you DO NOT wish your child to participate in postural screening, please complete this opt-out form (otherwise, your child will be screened).

Spread holiday cheer and earn community service hours by volunteering!

The Port Gingerbread Festival is looking for volunteers December 13-15. There are two-hour shifts available Friday through Sunday. Details and sign-up at www.portgingerbreadfestival.org

Brunch with Santa is looking for volunteers on December 15th (10 am - 12 noon) at Salvatores @ 354 Merrimack Street, Lawrence, MA. The contact person is: Lenard Zohn Lzohn90@comcast.net 617-680-0593

The First Congregational Church, is presenting A Christmas Carol. is looking for volunteers to help with the production. The contact person is: Rich Broch at rsbrock88@gmail.com

Senior Celebration Bake Sale

Volunteers are needed, December 14th at Long Hill Orchards, West Newbury, MA. The contact person is Nancy Parenteau at nancy.parenteau@verisonwireless.com

If your child is applying to a private high school, please send all transcript requests directly to his/her school counselor. Counselors kindly ask that all requests be shared at least two weeks before the application deadline. This will ensure that all necessary information can be gathered and shared with schools accordingly. Contact information for the middle school counselors can be found below:

Samantha Mastone (Last Names A-K) - smastone@prsd.org

Lisa Sanford (Last Names L-Z) - lsanford@prsd.org

Please help support the class of 2025!

Signup genius for Volunteers Bake Sale Volunteers

Signup genius for Bakers Bake Sale Bakers

Please click here to register!

Celebrate the holidays with Santa! Click here for details.

PRMS:

Please join us at the PRMS Winter Concert and Visual Arts Reception Tuesday, December 17th in the PRMHS dining commons and auditorium. This event features work from our visual art and video students on display from 6-7pm, followed by performances from all of our PRMS ensembles at 7pm, and a grand finale in which the entire program leads the audience in a sing-along of holiday classics! No tickets required. Thanks and we hope to see you there! (snow date 12/19)

PRHS:

Please join us at the PRHS Winter Concert and Visual Arts Reception Wednesday, December 18th in the PRMHS dining commons and auditorium. This event features work from our visual art and video students on display from 6-7pm, followed by performances from all of our PRHS ensembles at 7pm and a grand finale in which the entire program leads the audience in a sing-along of holiday classics! No tickets required. Thanks and we hope to see you there! (snow date 12/19)

Join us on Saturday, December 7th from 9:30 AM-3:00 PM at Veasey Memorial Park in Groveland for the 5th Annual MAKERS MARKET, Pentucket Arts Foundation's very own all-local, all-handmade holiday arts and crafts fair! You won't want to miss the 35+ vendors, small business owners, and artisans in a charming holiday location.Featuring live music performed by Pentucket High School students and homemade food in our cafe! Free Kids Maker Table- make some special gifts to take home! Scavenger hunt! Shop local and support the arts this holiday season!

Upcoming School Committee Meetings:

December 17th

January 14th

February 4th

February 25th

March 4th

March 18th

April 15th

May 6th

June 3rd

*****All meetings begin at 6:00pm and are held in the middle/high school building

**A complete list of School Committee Meeting is available on the PRSD website**

Meeting Time 6:45am-7:15am

The School Council Meets the second Thursday of each month. Please see the PRMHS website for agendas