FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Important notes for fall and winter athletes and their parents –
ATTENTION FALL ATHLETES - On the last day of the fall season, you are to turn in your sports lock to your coach, along with your home and away uniforms, and any other equipment issued by the Minnechaug athletic department. Your cooperation with this important task will be greatly appreciated. Any student-athlete who does not comply with this procedure within three days of the end of his/her respective season will be billed for all outstanding equipment and will not be allowed to participate in another season.
ATTENTION WINTER ATHLETES AND PARENTS
REGISTRATION: Winter athletics registration is now open and online! Please log onto www.familyid.com and search Minnechaug. Click on Winter Registration and the rest is easy. Lastly, please every athlete must satisfy the following PRIOR to November 15th deadline:
PHYSICAL EXAMS A current physical (within 13 months) must be on file PRIOR to trying out for any sport. If a student athlete's physical is to expire during a sports season, then he/she MUST provide the Nurse with an updated physical. That student athlete is ineligible until the new physical is on file. If a student wishes to check his/her physical status, he/she may do that at the nurse.
CONCUSSION BASELINE TEST: Any freshman or junior who has not played a fall sport must take the assessment. If you already took it this fall season, then you are all set.
COMPLETE ONLINE CONCUSSION COURSE: The state law requires that student/athletes along with their parent(s)/guardian(s) complete the concussion course OR view the printed materials available in the athletic office and online in the athletics section of edline. During registration you will be asked to sign off that you have completed one of these conditions.
http://www.nfhslearn.com/electiveDetail.aspx?courseID=15000
ONCE AGAIN, WINTER REGISTRATION AND ELIGIBILITY MUST BE COMPLETED BY NOVEMBER 15, 2019 IN ORDER TO TRY-OUT FOR A WINTER 2019-2020 SPORT.
All this information is also available on the athletics section of our website.
https://mrhs.hwrsd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1189213&type=d&pREC_ID=1432633
Tryout schedules will be posted by Mid November.
FROM STUDENT ACTIVITIES
The Student Council will host a Dress-Down Day on Friday, November 1st to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. Donations may be made in the morning upon entering the school and in the main office. Students are encouraged to wear their New England sports apparel.
The next Student Council General Assembly is open to all members of the Minnechaug community and will be held on Tuesday, November 19th at 2:15 in the auditorium.
The annual Student Activities Basketball Tournament will run from November 12-November 15 from 2:20-4 in the gym. Listen and watch for announcements.
Student Council will be holding its annual Toy for Joy drive beginning on Monday, November 25th and ending Friday, December 6th. Donations can be made in the Student Activities office with checks made out to HWRSD.
The Student Council is holding its annual semiformal dance on December 6th from 7-10 PM in the Gym. Ticket prices are to be determined and will be on sale from Monday, December 2-December 6 at all three lunches in the cafeteria. No tickets will be sold at the door. As per policy, this dance is open to current Minnechaug students only.
FROM THE COUNSELING CENTER
For comprehensive information on College and Career Readiness visit the Minnechaug Guidance and Counseling Center home page at the “Counseling Center” tab on the Minnechaug website.
November 2019 – Counselors’ Corner
COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID FORMS:
Information on the FAFSA is on the “Counseling Center” tab on the Minnechaug website. FAFSA forms can be filed at www.fafsa.ed.gov after October 1. The FAFSA website is free! Make sure you are on the .gov site when completing your FAFSA. (See information below for locations and dates for free assistance.)
COLLEGE APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Seniors are responsible for meeting their college application deadlines. Transcripts must be requested in person in the Counseling Center. The Counseling Center sends the official transcript, school profile and counselor letter of recommendation on Naviance after you complete the appropriate form in the Counseling Center and pay the two dollar fee for each requested transcript. Please allow two weeks for transcripts to be processed to meet your deadlines.
The Counseling Center will be closed from December 23, 2019 through January 1, 2020. If you need to have transcripts sent out before the December break, all requests must be submitted NO LATER THAN MONDAY, DECEMBER 6. Please see your counselor if you have any questions.
PSAT SCORES:
If a student took the PSAT on October 19 they should receive an email from Collegeboard with a link to their website. Upon establishing an account with the code provided by Collegeboard, students will have access to their scores. Students are encouraged to connect to Khan Academy via collegeboard to receive personalized practice SAT tests.
STAT: (Student Teacher Assistance Team) is a school-based prevention and early intervention program for students. It is a cooperative process between school staff, parents and students that looks to build on strengths while meeting the needs of the student. The goal of STAT is to foster student success and healthy development. The members of STAT are Administrators, Counselors, the school nurse and a classroom teacher. STAT accepts referrals from the school community and parents about students who are exhibiting behaviors that are interfering with their education. A referral is a process to identify, support and provide solutions focused on student strengths. If you have questions about STAT, please contact your child’s Guidance Counselor.
MONTHLY TO DO LIST:
FRESHMEN – You should continue to challenge yourself academically and aim high for good grades. Stay involved in the activities you find interesting. Freshmen will be scheduled for Developmental Guidance classes in January and February. At that time, students will establish a Naviance account.
SOPHOMORES – Start thinking about what you want to do when you graduate. Use Naviance to explore careers you may find interesting. Think about what courses you want to take your remaining two years of high school. The Career Readiness Program for sophomore PE students will be held in December for first semester PE students and in April for second semester PE students.
JUNIORS – Start creating a list of colleges you may be interested in applying to. Use Naviance to get information on colleges. Start visiting colleges. Sign up for visits from College Representatives to Minnechaug. Plan to take the SAT in March or May.
SENIORS – Complete your college applications. All applications should be added to the student’s list on Naviance. Have your SAT and ACT scores sent directly to the colleges where you have applied. SAT and ACT scores must be sent to colleges from their respective websites. Minnechaug and Naviance do not send SAT and ACT scores. Apply for scholarships! The list of scholarships and a handout are available in the Counseling Center.
GUIDANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
The Guidance Advisory Committee (GAC) is looking for a few more student representatives. The GAC meets five times each year to get feedback and to respond to students’ needs. Students interested in being on the Guidance Advisory Committee should send an email expressing your interest to Mr. Poulin, Director of Guidance, at kpoulin@hwrsd.org.
Free Assistance with completing the FAFSA
If you need assistance in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, go to: https://www.masfaa.org/fafsa-day/ to register to attend one of the sessions.
See the locations and dates below.
Also see the brief video “FAFSA Assistance Tutorial” on MRHS Edline, under “Counseling Center” on the left, under “Links”
FAFSA DAY MASSACHUSETTS
For assistance in completing your FAFSA register at www.MASFAA.org (or Google FAFSA Day Massachusetts) the nearest location is West Springfield High School, Monday, November 18, 2019 from 6 – 8 p.m.
CAREER CENTER NEWS
On Thursday, November 21, from 2:15 – 4:00 the Counseling Center will host a Careers and Majors Fair in the gymnasium at Minnechaug.
The Careers and Majors to be featured are:
Trade Unions
Business/Finance/Marketing
Engineering
Healthcare
Criminal Justice
Theater and Visual Arts
If you are interested in being a presenter in the featured careers and majors there are still spaces available. Interested presenters should contact Renee Considine at rconsidine@hwrsd.org. The deadline to register is November 13.
The program is sponsored by River East, School to Career and funded by a grant from the Osterman Fund.
FROM THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
On November 22, all 9th grade students will see a live performance of Romeo and Juliet on the Minnechaug stage, funded through the PAVAS club and the Classic Drama class. The English department would like to thank Margaret Reidy, PAVAS advisor, for supporting arts integration with English curriculum, wherein, students show their understanding of a reading through performance. After the play, the traveling theater group will work with a select group of freshmen on speeches from Romeo and Juliet.
According to Sara Morrisette, of Classic Repertory (CRC), the New Repertory Theatre is the “flagship educational outreach program, bringing theatrical experiences to schools, senior centers, universities, summer camps, and presenting organizations throughout the Northeast. CRC produces streamlined, inventive, original adaptations of Shakespeare and classic novels. We seek not only to entertain, but to create a space for critical thinking, risk-taking, conversation, and shared experience.
This classic tale of love and hate, Romeo and Juliet follows the young heroes as they fall in love despite the feud between their families. Using only the original text, this zany and youthful 90-minute adaptation breathes new life into one of the Bard’s most well-loved plays.”
Dear Minnechaug Parents and Guardians,
The HWP4Y Website is full of information about the Coalition, and our partnerships, events, programs, activities, and resources that help support youth, families, and adults working with Hampden and Wilbraham youth. The quick links found below will bring you to the Coalition website, where you can read or download information provided by a wide variety of evidence-based organizations on the national, state, and local level about some important topics.
We hope you find these resources beneficial.
Please feel free to share these resources with others.
Please check the website periodically for new updates.
7 Ways to Protect your Teen from Alcohol and other Drugs: A Parent’s Guide
Vaping
Marijuana
Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know
Preventing Marijuana Use among Youth & Youth Adults
Marijuana Talk Kit: What you Need to Know to Talk with Your Teen about Marijuana
Addiction
Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
9 facts about Addiction People Usually get Wrong
Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask
Prescription Drugs
Prescription for Disaster: How Teens Abuse Medicine
Youth Resources - For You and Your Teen
Tips for Teens: The Truth about Marijuana
Massachusetts Law
Social Host Responsibility Law in Massachusetts
A Parent’s Guide to Marijuana in Massachusetts
Local Resources
Hampden County Help Resource Booklet
Youth Mental Health Awareness Training
Share your Parenting Perspectives
HWRSD Parenting Perspective Survey
Visit the HWP4Y website for a complete list of available resources.
United for Safe, Healthy, and Drug-free Communities
Dear HWRSD Community,
Minnechaug’s Class of 2021 is excited to announce that we will be having a present-wrapping event on Saturday, December 7th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Minnechaug. Families may bring their presents to be wrapped by our class council for a donation. Parents are more than welcome to bring their kids, as childcare and a craft center will be provided and baked goods and beverages will be available for sale. We hope to brighten everyone’s spirits this holiday season by wrapping presents for families and doing crafts with the children.
