Highlander Times

Hello. Welcome to the March 6, 2024 edition of the Highlander Times. You can access past editions on our website. Here are some updates.

• We have just finished a successful Winter Sports Season. Thank you to Athletic Director Stan Vieira, Assistant Athletic Director Indira Evora, and Athletic Trainers Michelle Kelly and Gabby Vieira for all their hard work, and congratulations to all the athletes. See the "Winter Sports Round Up" in the section below.

• Juniors with a GPA of 3.7 or above have been invited to apply for the SHS National Honor Society. Applications are due March 22. Late applications will not be accepted. Click here for more information on our National Honor Society and the application process. There will be another round of applications for seniors in the fall.

• We are moving the Sophomore/Junior Semi Formal Dance to Friday, April 26 (It had originally been scheduled for March 22). More details coming soon.

• Bus Passes. As you may recall, at the beginning of the year students all received an "M7" pass which allows them to travel on the bus and train at no cost to the student. We are reaching the limit of the number of M7 passes the city/MBTA has given us for the year. If a student has lost their pass, please have them come to the main office to put their name on a wait list for a replacement. We will get them another M7 pass if one becomes available. We also have "S" passes available. "S" passes allow students to travel for 1/2 price (the student rate) on the bus and train, but students must go to a kiosk and put their own money on the pass. S passes are only available at schools, and students can pick up an S pass at the main office. Please click here for more information about student passes.

• In case you missed it, here is a link to a report on Safety and Security at Somerville High School. This was presented to the Superintendent and School Committee last month.
• Safety and Security Memo (English)
• Seguridad y protección (Espanol)
  
• Segurança e proteção na Somerville High School (Portugues)
  
• Sekirite ak Sekirite nan Somerville High School (Kreyol)
  

SHS Athletes in the Post-Season

• Will Parkes, Ford Christie, Marcus Odilon, and Attikos Kaye, qualified for the 1600-meter Sprint Medley (200m-200m-400m-800m at the New Balance National Invitational Indoor Track Championship. The event will take place Friday, March 8, 2024 at 3:50pm on the McIntrye Indoor Track at the Reggie Lewis Center.

• The SHS Cheer Team came in second place in the Greater Boston League Cheer Competition on February 25, 2024. The team qualified for regionals, which took take place on Sunday, March 3.

• The SHS Boys Ice Hockey Team qualified for the MIAA Tournament for a second consecutive year and played Hopedale High School in the first round.

Greater Boston League All-Stars and Team Records for the Winter Season

• Boys Basketball: (Record 7-13) The Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team made some great strides this year and incorporated many underclassmen on the varsity team. They were a few wins shy of the MIAA Tournament. GBL All-Stars: Ian Born and Makai Curtis

• Girls Basketball (Record 6-14) The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team finished with six wins this year. This was significant in building the foundation of the girls’ basketball program. The JV Girls’ Basketball Team finished the season undefeated with an 18-0 record. The future is very bright for the Girls Basketball Program. GBL All-Star: Ava Martin

• Swim (Record 5-4) Charlotte Johnson, broke the Somerville High School record for the girls' 100m butterfly event vs Malden on January 9, 2024. Lola Andrew-Blondin broke the SHS 200 individual medley. GBL All-Stars: Salvatore Casparriello, Lola Andrew-Blondin, Charlotte Johnson, Coco Brown, Lillis Ekbladh, Odin Evenhus

• Ice Hockey (Record 10-8-2) The team had another stellar season and qualified for the MIAA State Tournament for a second consecutive year. GBL All-Stars: Robert Larkin, Chris Cassesso, Matthew DeAngelis

• Boys Indoor Track (Record 7-0) The Boys Indoor Track Team finished the season undefeated and were crowned GBL Champions. Ford Christie, Donju Felix, Attikos Kaye, Marcus Odilon, Kerby Luxama, & Will Parkes were champions in at least one event in the Greater Boston League meet. GBL All-Stars: Ford Christie, Donju Felix, Attikos Kaye, Marcus Odilon, Kerby Luxama, Will Parkes, Jackson Love, Henry Omura, Henry Parkes & Robert Leoni

• Girls Indoor Track (Record 3-4) For our Girls- Greta (Margaret) O'Sullivan, Bea Calvert, Nora Melhus & Ava Posiko were champions in the 2-Mile relay in the Greater Boston League meet .GBL All-Stars: Greta (Margaret) O'Sullivan, Bea Calvert, Nora Melhus, Ava Posiko, Delia Richardson and Annika Bok.

• We are accepting paper good donations (napkins, small paper plates, spoons, forks) for our upcoming Multicultural Fair scheduled for Friday, April 12th. Donations may be dropped off in the Main Office. Please contact Kelly Albrecht (kalbrecht@k12.somerville.ma.us) or ext. 614111 with any questions.

• Seniors - Hopefully everyone has ordered their cap and gown for graduation. If you haven't yet, it's not too late! Order your Cap and Gown for graduation You can choose between blue and white. Caps and gowns are $32 (choose "The Essential Package). Community staff will be reaching out if you haven't yet completed your order. Financial assistance is available.

Call for parent volunteers to help with SHS Friends and Family Facebook page

• Based on feedback at our February 1st meeting, the PTSA would like to establish an easy way for parents in each grade to communicate with each other about issues affecting their students. We'd like to use the SHS Friends and Family Facebook page to establish four ongoing discussion rooms on the page that will be organized by grade. We need volunteers to help moderate each discussion room--one per grade. A parent volunteered for (current) grade nine, so we're looking for a 10th, 11th, and 12th grade parent. Please reach out to the Board if you are interested in helping with this: PTSA: shsptsa1@yahoo.com.or President: Caroline Rosas Shea: caroline_shea@yahoo.com, Co-Vice President, Laura Beretsky: beretsky@yahoo.com, C-Vice President, Lisa Tatterson, lisa_tatterson@yahoo.com

• May 5th-10th is Teacher Appreciation Week. The PTSA will be organizing an event for Friday, May 10th, and putting out a call for edible contributions to recognize our hard working, fabulous teachers. Details about where/when to bring the food will be forthcoming. Reach out to the PTSA if you have questions: shsptsa1@yahoo.com

• Mar 4 Close of grades for Third Quarter Progress Reports

• Mar 11-14 Spring Sports Medical Clearance
• Mar 13 SHS School Improvement Council 6:30-800pm
• Mar 14-16 Highlander Theater Company Spring Play Performances
• Mar 18 Spring Sports Begin
• Sophomore/Junior Semi 7:00-10:00 pm MOVED TO APRIL 26
• Mar 26-27 10th Grade English MCAS (late start for grades 9,11, 12)
• Mar 28 Student/Faculty Basketball Game (1:00-2:30)
• Mar 29 No school - Good Friday

Congratulations to the Senior Class (Class of 2024) for winning the first ever SHS Class Cup Challenge. Though the Junior Class (Class of 2023) had a solid lead going into the Class Cup Olympics, the seniors' performance in Red Light Green Light, SHS Family Feud, and the Volley Ball games helped them eke out a win. We are incredibly proud of our of student leaders who helped make this event happen, and of all of our students who stepped up and showed their SHS pride. The senior class will be getting a lunch party in the near future.

Last week, high school theatre students travelled to schools throughout the district to provide pre-performance workshops to classes ahead of our performances of Digging Up Dessa. The student-led theatre education team have been collaborating for the past few weeks to create a study guide (attached below), to design workshops, and to provide those workshops to students in every K-8 school in the district!

In two weeks, the classes will come to the high school to enjoy a student matinee of Digging Up Dessa. The education team will greet the students and facilitate a Q&A session with cast and crew members after the show.

Bosch Power Tools and the Boston Bruins recently announced a new partnership that will directly benefit students in Somerville High School’s Center for Career and Technical Education. Through the partnership, which solidifies Bosch’s position as the Official Power Tools, Power Tool Accessories and Measuring Tools Partner of the Boston Bruins, Bosch Power Tools will donate tools and directly enhance career readiness opportunities for student’s in the SHS Carpentry Program. On Wednesday, February 6th, representatives from Bosch Power Tools visited the Carpentry Program to formally launch the partnership at SHS. Bob Sweeney, President of the Bruins Foundation and former Bruin, visited the school and spent some time with the SHS hockey team.

Bosch Power Tools and the Bruins are joining forces to help empower careers in the skilled trades, and selected Somerville High School as a partner for the program. Through the partnership, Bosch Power Tools will donate tools for students in the school’s Carpentry Program. With support from Bosch Power Tools, students will repurpose broken hockey sticks from the Boston Bruins, developing original builds using creativity, know-how and the right tools for the job. Once reimagined, The Boston Bruins Foundation will auction the creations online, raising funds to benefit the school and empower careers in the trades.