New Milford High School News Blast
August/September 2019
Dear Parents and Students:
Welcome Back! A new school year has started and I’m happy to report that we have had an exceptionally smooth opening. Students and staff have acclimated well and seem to have gotten back to the routine of school.
Congratulations to Mr. Stephen Donahue! Mr. Donahue has been named New Milford’s Teacher of the Year! This is a well-deserved honor to a wonderfully dedicated teacher.
With any new school year comes change. Please join us in welcoming Kevin Best to the position of Assistant Principal for students A-G. Mr. Best has been the Mathematics Department Chair at NMHS for the past three year and has served as the Evaluator for the Adult Education program for the past two years. Prior to coming to New Milford, Mr. Best worked in the Danbury Public Schools for 18 years. Mr. Best’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from UConn; a Master of Science degree in Secondary Education from the University of Bridgeport; and a 6th year certification from UConn.
Please also welcome the following new faculty and assignments:
Darcy Campbell - Special Ed Department Chair
Lori Cerra - Library Media Specialist
Ryan Fitzsimmons - Math Department Chair
Mason Flynn - Health
Nick Groccia - Math
Matt Hirsch - Special Education
Ashlee Honiker - Math
Beth-Ann Kiernan - Special Ed
Cody Madden - Special Education
Agnes Quaintance - French
I truly believe that New Milford High School is a great school that offers tremendous opportunities for our students in and out of the classroom. I hope to see you all out and about at the many exciting events to come this year.
Here’s to a happy and successful school year!
Greg P. Shugrue, Principal
NMHS Hosts Band Fall Show 9/21
PRESS RELEASE: The New Milford High School Marching Band and Color Guard will host its annual USBands home competition on Saturday, September 21st. The event starts at 6 p.m. at the New Milford High School football stadium. The competition will feature performances from our award winning New Milford High School Marching Band and Color Guard as well as other schools from the surrounding area in Connecticut and New York.
This year's theme for our show is The Twilight Zone....You are about to enter another dimension. A dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind. Come to the show and follow our journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!
Spirit Week & Homecoming Festivities Begin 9/21
Sat., 9/21: Band Home Show - 6:00 p.m.
Mon., 9/23: V Girls Soccer vs. Bunnell - 6:00 p.m.
Tue., 9/24: V Boys Cross Country vs. Bunnell, Immaculate, New Fairfield - 4:30 p.m.
Tue., 9/24: V Girls Cross Country vs. Bunnell, Immaculate, New Fairfield - 5:00 p.m.
Tue., 9/24: V Field Hockey vs. Pomperaug - 6:30 p.m.
Tue., 9/24: V Girls Swimming and Diving vs. Pomperaug - 7:00 p.m.
Wed., 9/25: V Girls Volleyball vs. Stratford - 6:30 p.m.
Thu., 9/26: V Field Hockey vs. Immaculate - 5:30 p.m.
Thu., 9/26: V Girls Soccer vs. Weston - 6:00 p.m.
Thu., 9/26: Open House - 7:00 p.m.
Fri., 9/27: V Football Homecoming Game vs. Hamden - 7:00 p.m.
Sat., 9/28: Homecoming Dance- 7:00 p.m.
Save the Date: NMHS Open House is 9/26
Attention 2019-2020 AP Students
Are you signed up to take an AP course for the 2019-2020 school year? The AP Contract must be signed and returned to your AP teacher no later than August 30th. You must also join your AP class online and register for the May exams. Follow the steps below to get started:
- To begin, click on the first button below to access the contract, then print, sign and return it to your teacher by 8/30.
- Next, click the second button to join your online AP Group using the class-specific code you received from your teacher on the first day of your AP class. You'll use your existing CollegeBoard username and password. Do not create a duplicate account. (If you have created multiple College Board accounts, you must contact CollegeBoard's customer service at 866-315-6068. School Counselors do not have access to your account.)
- Finally, click on the last button to register for May 2020 AP Exams and pay your $95 exam fee by 10/10.
* See your School Counselor should AP Testing Fees present a financial hardship for your family.
Attention SENIOR Parents! - Save the Dates
Senior Planning Night - Wednesday, October 2nd @ 7:00 p.m. in the Theater
Senior year is an exciting year but can also be stressful for students and parents balancing schoolwork, extracurricular activities and the college application process. You are invited to join the counselors as they present information on helping you and your student navigate your way through the process.
Financial Aid Night - Thursday, October 10th @ 7:00 p.m. in the Theater
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can be filed beginning October 1st for any student entering their freshman year of college next fall. A university Financial Aid officer will present information to help you and your student navigate your way through the Financial Aid process. Both students and parents are encouraged to attend.
Attention all FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORES, and JUNIORS!!
ALL GRADES: Upcoming SAT & ACT Test Dates
National Guard Career Day 10/1
Do you want to serve not only your country but also your community? Come to the NMHS Career Center on Tuesday, 10/1, have lunch, and find out what makes the National Guard so unique compared to other military branches. Learn about the National Guard's exclusive educational benefits through tuition waiver at any of the Connecticut state universities and community colleges (in addition to using and qualifying for a G.I. Bill!) Hear about their specialized training skillsets for careers in healthcare, IT, culinary, engineering, military police, aviation, cyber warfare, firefighting, and many, many, more. Discover how you can start earning money as early as your junior year of high school. Sign up in Naviance or the Career Center for the 11:45 a.m. visit with I.T. Specialist SGT Stone and other National Guard occupational specialists to explore the opportunities available to you. Check out the video below to see the National Guard in action!
SENIORS: Workshops for College Planning
- College Applications
- Naviance
- College/Career Search
- Requesting Letters of Recommendation
Sign up in Naviance (click HERE).
From your Home Page: Go to the "Colleges" tab, then scroll down under "Visits".
SENIORS: College Essay Assistance
Spotlight on Naviance: Signing up for College Rep Visits
SENIORS & Parents: Sign Up for REMIND Updates
SENIORS: College Application Tips!
- Do send your SAT and ACT scores to your colleges as soon as possible, up to 2 weeks before you apply.
- Speak to your teachers in person, before you request a Letter of Recommendation in Naviance.
- Do not request transcripts until you have applied to your colleges.
- Seniors can now access transcripts in the portal. Click on elocker, eportfolio, and there it is!
- Do clean up your social media accounts (you never know who might be looking!)
ALL GRADES: Fall College Fairs
It's never too early to start exploring college options. If you're thinking of attending a school in New England, you might consider attending the New England Association of College Admission Counseling (NEACAC) Fall College Fair on Tuesday, 10/15 at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. Held in the William Pitt Recreation Center, the fair runs from 9:00-11:30 a.m. Click on the link and scroll down to 10/15 to see the List of Attending Colleges. If staying in New England for college isn't a priority, you might consider a jaunt over to the Danbury College Fair held at the mall on Monday, 10/21, from 5:00-8:30 p.m. The list of attending colleges will be posted three weeks before the fair. Click on the link for more information about the Danbury College Fair.
JUNIORS & SENIORS: Competitive College Info Seminar
Students: are you considering applying to Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn or Stanford? If the answer is yes, you might want to check out an Exploring College Options Student/Parent Information Session, offered in Hartford, Connecticut on 9/12. Click on the link for more info.
Attention PARENTS: The 2020 Grad Party Needs Your Help!
The 2020 Grad Party Committee invites you to join them. Planning meetings are usually held on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm in the teacher’s lounge at NMHS. Volunteers are always welcome!!! For more information about the schedule of meetings for the 2019-2020 school year, upcoming events, fundraising, and ways you can help, please visit their website at nmhsgradparty.org.
2019 - 2020 Clubs & Activities at NMHS
Dress Code Reminder
Returning to school in August means that the air temperatures can sometimes still be on the warmer side of comfortable. However, all students are expected to follow the NMHS dress code:
- No head wear of any kind (nor hooded sweatshirts)
- All shirts must have a sleeve
- Midriff must be covered
- Shorts must be an appropriate length
- Attire that displays indecent language, pictures/symbols that contain a sexual reference, or that advertises/encourages drug, alcohol, tobacco products are not permitted
The full dress code can be found on page 25 & 25 of the student handbook.
Parking Lot Safety
ALL GRADES: National Center for Women & Information Technology -- 2020 Aspirations in Computing Awards
PRESS RELEASE: Beginning September 1, 2019, applications will be accepted for the 2020 Aspirations in Computing awards. The awards are sponsored by the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) which is an organization of more than 1100 universities, corporations, non-profits and government organizations that works to increase women’s participation in computing and technology.
The Award for Aspirations in Computing honors young women at the high-school level for their computing-related achievements and interests. Any US high school woman in grades 9 through 12 is eligible to apply. Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude and interest in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education. Applications can be submitted anytime between 9/1 and 11/5. To apply, students must go to Student Application.
What's Happening at NMHS in September?
Thu., 9/12 - Varsity Field Hockey vs. Wamogo - 5:30 p.m.
Thu., 9/12 - Varsity Girls Soccer vs Brookfield - 6:00 p.m.
Thu., 9/12 - Varsity Girls Volleyball vs. Wilton - 6:00 p.m.
Fri., 9/13 - Varsity Girls Swimming & Diving vs. Bunnell - 7:00 p.m.
Sat., 9/14 - Varsity Field Hockey vs. Northwestern - 11:00 a.m.
Tue., 9/17 - Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Newtown - 6:00 p.m.
Wed., 9/18 - Varsity Field Hockey vs. Joel Barlow - 5:30 p.m.
Thu., 9/19 - Varsity Girls Volleyball vs. Brookfield - 6:15 p.m.
Fri., 9/20 - Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Stratford - 6:00 p.m.
Sat., 9/21 - Band Home Show - 6:00 p.m.
Mon., 9/23 - Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Bunnell - 6:00 p.m.
Tue., 9/24 - Varsity Boys Cross Country vs. Bunnell, Immaculate, New Fairfield - 4:30 p.m.
Tue., 9/24 - Varsity Girls Cross Countryvs. Bunnell, Immaculate, New Fairfield - 5:00 p.m.
Tue., 9/24 - Varsity Field Hockey vs. Pomperaug - 6:30 p.m.
Tue., 9/24 - Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Pomperaug - 6:00 p.m.
Tue., 9/24 - Varsity Girls Swimming & Diving vs. Pomperaug - 7:00 p.m.
Wed., 9/25 - Varsity Girls Volleyball vs. Stratford - 6:30 p.m.
Thu., 9/26 - Varsity Field Hockey vs. Immaculate - 5:30 p.m.
Thu., 9/26 - Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Weston - 6:00 p.m.
Thu., 9/26 - Open House - 6:00 p.m.
Fri., 9/27 - Varsity Football Homecoming Game vs. Hamden - 7:00 p.m.
Sat., 9/28 - Homecoming Dance - 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Important Dates to Remember
No School
9/2 - Labor Day
9/30 - Rosh Hashanah
Underclassmen Picture Days
9/3 - 9/6 (taken during Math class)
Re-take Senior Picture Days
9/3 - 9/7
Activity Day
9/19
Spirit Week
9/23-9/27
Open House
9/26 - 6:15 p.m.
Homecoming Game
9/27 - 7:00 p.m.
Homecoming Dance
9/28 - 7:00 p.m.
College Visits for SENIORS and JUNIORS
Tue. 9/3: Savannah College of Art and Design -10:00 a.m.
Mon. 9/9: Endicott College - 8:00 a.m.
Mon. 9/9: Assumption College - 9:00 a.m.
Mon. 9/9: Albertus Magnus College - 11:00 a.m.
Mon. 9/9: University of Massachusetts, Lowell - 12:00 p.m.
Tue. 9/10: Iona College - 11:30 a.m.
Wed. 9/11: Sacred Heart University - 8:00 a.m.
Thu. 9/12: Trinity College - 9:00 a.m.
Thu. 9/12: Ringling College of Art and Design - 9:30 a.m.
Thu. 9/12: Suffolk University - 10:00 a.m.
Thu. 9/12: Fairfield University - 10:30 a.m.
Thu. 9/12: Wagner College - 11:00 a.m.
Thu. 9/12: Elms College -11:30 a.m.
Thu. 9/12: Plymouth State University -12:00 p.m.
Mon. 9/16: University of Massachusetts - Boston - 8:00 a.m.
Mon. 9/16: The University of Scranton - 11:30 a.m.
Mon. 9/16: Dartmouth College - 12:00 p.m.
Wed. 9/18: Drew University - 8:30 a.m.
Wed. 9/18: Saint Joseph's College of Maine - 9:00 a.m.
Wed. 9/18: Salem State University - 9:30 a.m.
Thu. 9/19: University of Massachusetts, Amherst - 9:30 a.m.
Thu. 9/19: Rochester Institute of Technology - 12:00 p.m.
Fri. 9/20: University of Tennessee (Knoxville) - 11:00 a.m.
Fri. 9/20: New England Institute of Technology - 11:30 a.m.
Mon. 9/23: University of Rhode Island - 9:00 a.m.
Mon. 9/23: Emmanuel College - 11:00 a.m.
Mon. 9/23: Purchase College, SUNY - 12:00 p.m.
Tue. 9/24: Mitchell College - 9:30 a.m.
Tue. 9/24: Wheaton College MA - 10:30 a.m.
Tue. 9/24: Castleton University - 11:00 a.m.
Tue. 9/24: Saint Michael's College - 11:30 a.m.
Tue. 9/24: Nichols College - 12:00 p.m.
Wed. 9/25: Stonehill College - 8:00 a.m.
Wed. 9/25: University of New England - 12:00 p.m.
Thu. 9/26: University of Rhode Island -11:30 a.m.
Thu. 9/26: Lesley University - 12:00 p.m.
Fri. 9/27: Roger Williams University - 8:00 a.m.
Fri. 9/27: Binghamton University - 12:00 p.m.
SENIORS: National Scholarship Links
The NMHS Career Center just activated its first national scholarship in Naviance, and will continue to add scholarships throughout the Fall and Winter. While the vast majority of local scholarships won't be available until late January, there are many national scholarships becoming available in the mean time. Check out these national scholarship sites online:
You can also use the national scholarship feature in Naviance - under the 'Colleges' tab, select 'Scholarships and Money', then select 'National Scholarship Search'.