Highlander Times

Hello, all.

We hope to see many parents and guardians on Thursday, January 30 from 3-5 for conferences. You can sign up for a conference by logging into your student's Aspen account. Please email your student's community if you need assistance. For families with seniors, you can stop by Ms. Kessler's table in the cafteria to get help filling out college financial aid applications. Please see information below.

Many of you have been asking for details about the ECHO project, which will start in spring of 2026 for seniors. While our School Committee presentation has been postponed to February 3, you can preview the slide deck we have prepared. We envision ECHO as a culimating experience where students have the support and time to pursue their passions more deeply, and more freedom to explore those passions beyond the walls of the classroom. While we aspire to have this be a part of every senior's experience, we have thoughtfully considered valuable community feedback and are launching this as a pilot in the 2025-2026 school year, with a goal of having it required for all seniors by the 2028-2029 school year. Next year, all seniors will complete a capstone project in their senior English classes (every level) and can choose to apply to for an ECHO project. All seniors will share their work at an end-of-year exhibition. Current juniors will be getting more information about the ECHO project in their English classes before February break. If you still have questions after the February 3 presentation, please reach out to one of us listed in the slides.

A few other updates and reminders:

• Third quarter started on January 27. Report cards from Quarter 2 should be mailed home next week, and you can check your student's grades in Aspen.
• Last week 270 SHS Multi-lingual students completed the reading, writing, speaking and listening sections of the required ACCESS test. Congratulations to our students on their progress!
• Course selection is underway! All course requests are due February 10. Please see the Course Selection Page and our Program of Studies for more information. You can reach out to your student's counselor with any questions about scheduling.
• We are just over 1/2 through the Class Cup Challenge and the 9th grade class is in the lead, followed by the 12th graders. Students - make sure you scan in to self-report attendance at games and events! The final points can be earned on February 14 at the Class Cup Olympics.

Thank you,

Principal Kersten

Our Somerville High School Community and Athletics Scholarship application is now LIVE! The application deadline is February 14th at 11:59 p.m. View the scholarship book here. Last year our students were awarded almost $400,000 in scholarships, so please encourage seniors to apply!

• The College & Career Team will hold a FAFSA Fill-In event on January 30th from 3pm-5pm in the SHS cafeteria during Parent/Guardian Conferences. Financial aid advisors from uAspire will be present to help students and families complete the forms. We can also help with the CSS Profile if needed! Please note: President Trump has announced that the Office of Management and Budget will freeze federal grants and loans. However, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Education, the freeze does not apply to federal student loans or Pell grants because they are “assistance received directly by individuals.” Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA financial aid application, as usual. Seniors and their families can also make an appointment with a uAspire financial aid counselor at SHS on Wednesdays and Fridays. We will update students and families if we receive any significant new information regarding federal aid and the FAFSA

We are happy to announce that the city is in the process of on-boarding a crossing guard for the intersection at Highland and Vinal who will work on Thursdays and Fridays. We are still looking for folks who can work Mondays, Tuesdays, and/or Wednesdays. Please email akersten@k12.somerville.ma.us if you are interested!

Please mark your calendar for a PTSA Spring Fundraising Social event at Dante's in Somerville Saturday, March 22nd, 7:00-11:00PM. We will have light snacks, music, and gift basket raffles. Details, including ticket purchasing access coming soon.

Meantime, consider joining the PTSA Event Planning Committee to help flesh out details for the Dante event, and plan a second social event to be held Thursday, June 12th at SHS.

Next meeting via Zoom, Monday, Jan 27, 2025 08:00 PM: https://mit.zoom.us/j/93246919742 If can’t make the meeting but want to help with planning, email Laura Beretsky at beretsky@yahoo.com.

• January 27 - 31: 8th Graders Visit Somerville High School
• January 30: Parent/Guardian Conferences 3:00-5:00pm
• January 30: FAFSA Event (see information above)
• February 1: Spring Sports Registration Opens
• February 2: MCAS Science Tests - Biology/Physics Session 1
• February 3: MCAS Science Tests - Biology/Physics Session 1
• February 7: Somerville Choral Festival
• February 8: Massachusetts Thespian 2025 Festival
• February 10: Final deadline for students to enter course requests in Aspen
• February 10-11: SomerStars Audition Days
• February 10-14: On the Spot Admission for State Colleges
• February 12: SHS School Improvement Council
• February 12: Open House for Prospective Families 8:15am - 10:00am (Snow date: 2/25)
• February 13: Open House for Prospective Families 8:15am - 10:00am and 12:45pm - 2:15pm (Snow date: 2/25)
• February 17-21: February Break
• March 1: PTA Gala
• March 2: Region IV Science Fair
• March 3: Close of grades for Q3 IPR's
• March 6: MCAS Retest ELA Session 1
• March 7: MCAS Retest ELA Session 2

Students in Mr. Timmins’ and Teacher Rivero’s AP Psychology classes did a “sock baby” project where they had to treat their “baby” as if it were their own child. Besides choosing a name, students answered questions such as “How do you think the structure of your life affected your ability to care for your child?” and “[How] do you think the differences between your experiences with the baby and your classmates’ experiences reflect differences in real life?” The teachers reported that many students said they were surprised by how much their teachers cared about their treatment of the “babies” and how much support they received. Some built cribs and set up day cares to keep babies safe during dangerous or messy work. All in all, the project was a great learning experience.

Reserve your tickets to see the Somerville High School Trivia Team in the Semifinals of WGBH's High School Quiz Show! Somerville will take on Buckingham Browne & Nichols School on Sunday, February 2 at 11:45am. The winner will move on the championship game later that day!

Season 16 of High School Quiz Show will begin broadcasting on GBH and YouTube on February 8. Somerville’s first match will appear on the February 22 episode.

Please remember that all results of this competition cannot be shared in public until after the matches premiere on WGBH and YouTube.

Use this link to reserve your free tickets.

The four seniors on the Somerville High School hockey team honored teachers by inviting one teacher each to last Wednesday’s game against Melrose. Captain Matt DeAngelis invited Ms. Brewster, assistant captain Chris Cassesso invited Ms. Murray, assistant captain Tim Jones invited Mr. Rischall, and Seamus Foley invited Mr. Corbett. Each faculty member wore their player’s jersey for the day, was treated to pizza, and received a gift on the ice before the game. Players also wrote heartfelt thank yous which were read aloud; the handwritten notes were also included in the gift bags. The invited guests were honored and a wonderful time was had by all.

The Highlander girls’ and boys’ basketball teams took part in the annual Tufts Classic at Cousens Gym on 1/19. Both were hard-fought, spirited battles against Medford, with the girls coming up just a little bit short and the boys reclaiming the trophy.