The Panther Press
Official Newsletter of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School
Welcome!
May 4, 2020 - Volume 2 - ISSUE 29
Welcome to the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Newsletter! It is designed to keep everyone (parents, students, staff, and community members) informed of the many events that are happening in and around the school. It contains links, pictures, and videos so that you have a more interactive experience and the ability to learn more about various topics.
Communication is incredibly important to understanding so we ask that you share our news as much as possible. We also welcome feedback! It is the only way to continuously improve. So, please interact, get involved, and let us know what you think by contacting us and sharing our news!
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 is Teacher Appreciation Day
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Students' Voices
New Section in the Press!
Superintendent's Council Speaking Out and Answering Questions!
They now have an Instagram page! Check it out (@whhs_updates) follow, and get any questions answered!
Dr. Christopher Jones
Message to Community
Hello Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Families,
I hope you have been able to enjoy some of this weather as it has been turning better. I just wanted to update you on a few dates and how we will be implementing the new guidance issued by Commissioner Riley. Also, as you will see below, there is new information and as always resources available to assist you in needed.
As stated before, the WHRHS teachers are well positioned to make an easy transition to the educational standards Commissioner Riley referenced in his release. While we will continue being guided by our three principals of flexibility, opportunities for growth, and holding students harmless, students will now see more new content being covered. They will still have weekly, formative assessments to determine their progress. These will be key for teachers to gauge how much more new content can be introduced the following week. We are currently creating internal crosswalk documents that show what is vital for us to cover by the end of this year. I will be sharing an overview of possible topics in the next newsletter.
Some dates are getting clearer for seniors. We will be distributing senior signs this Wednesday, May 6th. The last week of May looks very busy as we are going to schedule something for seniors on the 26th, 27th, and 29th. Final details will be released in the next newsletter. Finally, we are looking at the end of July for the possibility of a graduation ceremony.
As I always say, I am grateful to be part of this community. Thank you for your patience, effort, and willingness to set aside differences and disagreements in an effort to help our most treasured possessions; our students. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Be well, stay safe, and take a moment today to focus on the positives this negative situation has brought into your life.
Chris Jones
The best part is that you will feel better about doing it!
Also, question answered about May 6th and kind of answered about senior prom and graduation...
I have been posting multiple videos each week to Social Media. They contain various reflections and an effort to keep your mood elevated. They have been receiving a lot of positive feedback so I have begun adding them to the playlist "Facebook Messages" on my YouTube channel for ease of access. I invite you to take a look and even subscribe to take a look at any of the videos I post.
Special "Our Story" Message
That has changed with all the physical distancing restrictions.
This short video was created by the faculty at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School! Special thanks goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey for putting it all together!
Take a look and feel free to comment...this is our story...and we miss you!
Mrs. Ruth Carrigan
Deadline Approaching -- Scholarship for Seniors
The deadline for Local and Community Scholarships is Friday, May 8, 2020. Completed scholarship applications, placed in one large envelope, can be brought to a drop box located at the front entrance of the high school on May 5, 6, and 8 from 9 am - 12 pm. Any seniors with scholarship questions should contact their school counselors.
Panther Pathways Virtual Visits for Students
Please join us for exciting Virtual Visits with Westfield State Univerity and Coastal Carolina this week. If you'd like to sign up, please click on the links below:
Tuesday, May 5
3:30 PM
Westfield State University – Westfield State is an very popular in-state option for WH students. Website is www.westfield.ma.edu
Thursday, May 7
2:30 PM
Coastal Carolina University – Very popular school located in Conway, SC. Website is Coastal.edu
Tuesday, May 12
2:30 PM
University of New Hampshire – Large comprehensive state university in Durham, NH. Very popular for WH students. Website is unh.edu.
AP Students
Please check the AP Updates for the most up to date information, including test dates, content, and weekly review sessions. It is very important that you to be ready for at home tests. To prepare, check out What Students Need on Exam Day and What To Expect on Exam Day. Any students with difficulty receiving College Board emails should click here. If you have questions or have decided not to take your exams, please contact your school counselor.
Juniors and Parents
We are still booking post-secondary planning sessions. Please follow this Junior Planning Meeting Request link to set up a planning session with your counselor. In an effort to support students whose testing dates were cancelled, WHRHS will be a test center for the August 29 SAT. Students can start to register for summer and fall SAT dates at www.collegeboard.org starting the week of May 26th.
Career Spotlight
Check out our new Career Spotlight section of our website. We've put together information regarding entry into this profession for various levels of post-secondary training (technical school to 4 year degree).
Social/Emotional Support for Students and Families
We know this time away from school is stressful. We hope you are in a schedule, eating healthy, keeping in touch safely with friends and family, and getting outside. WHRHS is part of the BRYT network and Mrs. Robichaud has shared information on family supports. Follow this link to find out more.
Please reach out to your school counselor if you have any questions!
Mrs. Carrigan - Ruth.Carrigan@whrsd.org
Mrs. Selig - Courtney.Selig@whrsd.org
Mrs. Cunha - MaggieCate.Cunha@whrsd.org
Mr. Amado - Domingo.Amado@whrsd.org
Resources and Opportunities for Learning to Students
Additional Resource Series
Being a Parent in College - https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/being-a-parent-in-college
Financial Aid Resources - https://www.bestcolleges.com/financial-aid/
Private Student Loan Guide - https://www.bestcolleges.com/financial-aid/private-student-loans/
Community Resource Guide
Crisis Services for Students Experiencing Mental Health Emergency
CALL 911 or go to your local hospital emergency room
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
The National Suicide prevention Lifeline is a 24 hour, toll-free suicide prevention hotline. You will be routed to the closest possible crisis center in your area. Call for yourself or someone you care about. Your call is free and confidential.
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Crisis Text Line is a free, 24/7, confidential text message service for people in crisis.Local Food Insecurity, Financial, Fuel, and Rent Resources
- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE. Food stamps and income for families with dependent children meeting income eligibility. 61 Industrial Park Rd., Plymouth, 508-732-3100, Fax: 617-887-8765
- Good Neighbor Energy Fund in Massachusetts
- Interfaith Social Services | Serving the South Shore Since 1947
- Project Bread | Home
- South Shore Community Action Council | Welcome
- WELLSPRING, Hull, MA Offering a Hand Up – Not a Hand Out
- XFINITY INTERNET ACCESS. Comcast is providing 60 days of free access for people who are not current Comcast subscribers. Please go to for more information.
Communicating With Students About COVID-19
- How to Talk to Children About the Coronavirus
- Talking to Tweens/Teens About the Coronavirus
- NASP: Talking to Children about COVID-19: A Parent Resource
- 5 Ways to Help Teens Manage Anxiety Around Coronavirus
- Spreadsheet of Education Companies Providing Free Resources during COVID-19 period
- Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19 | CDC
- A Comic created from NPR based on interviews with experts
- What Kids Want To Know About Coronavirus: An Original Comic : Goats and Soda
- A Brain Hack to Break the Coronavirus Anxiety Cycle The New York Times
- www.wholechildcounseling.com
Mental Health/Coping With COVID-19 and Social Distancing
- How to Prevent Loneliness In a Time of Social Distancing
- SAMHSA: Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health: Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation During An Infectious Disease Outbreak
- SAMHSA: Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
- CDC: Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19
- ABC Please (DBT)
- Healthy Mind Platter
- https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors/professional-development/learn-more/coronavirus-resources
Each spring, two students are selected to represent Whitman Hanson as our school’s Patriot League Scholar Athletes. We are proud to announce that Samantha Perkins and Brian Fox are this year’s recipients. Samantha and Brian combined academic excellence with outstanding athletic accomplishments to demonstrate the characteristics we value in a student athlete. In addition, both Samantha and Brian excelled in leadership and school service. In a normal year, both of these incredible student athletes would be honored at a league wide dinner but obviously this year that is not possible. However, they both will be receiving a nice plaque to commemorate this incredible accomplishment.
Every sport at Whitman Hanson also recognizes a scholar athlete and we post all of these in our end of the year athletic summary. Congratulations to all of our scholar athletes.
The new normal for all of us is wearing face coverings as we go out in public. We were able to secure a WH Panthers mask that you may order online the deadline to order is Sunday 5/10. A small portion of each order will go into a fund for an end of the year athletic celebration.
Contact Us
Email: christopher.jones@whrsd.org
Website: https://www.whrsd.org/our-schools/whrhs
Location: 600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA, USA
Phone: (781) 618-7020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCSJones
Twitter: @DrCSJones