MRHS FRIDAY FOCUS Weekly Newsletter
MRHS VOICE: Vision of Innovation, Creativity & Excellence
Building Connections Through Communication!
Shark "Shout Outs" MRHS's way of Appreciating the Great People That Make Our School "A Home Away From Home" Please share any good news with us!
Student Trip to the Museum had some issues yesterday- the bus broke down on the highway, but our students were great through all this, the buddies kept everyone calm which was a great help! The staff was exceptional too! Shark Shout out and issue a big 620 card to all the staff and students on the trip to Boston Museum of science!
Ms. Robinson
Animal Welfare Club visits Wild Care!
On Tuesday, May 1, members of the MRHS Animal Welfare Club were very fortunate to visit Wild Care in Eastham, Massachusetts. Wild Care’s mission is in keeping with the philosophy of our club in that they help sick, injured and orphaned animals through rehabilitation followed by release or adoption if the animal cannot be released.
The number and type of wildlife they care for is dependent on the season, weather changes and changes in human population on our fragile ecosystem of Cape Cod. *Last year Wild Care saved and released well over 2,000 animals! We were able to see eight different turtles, mostly Common/Eastern Box Turtles and learn why they were rehabbing and planning for their release. We also saw a full size Swan, an injured female Mallard Duck, the feeding of several juvenile and adolescent Grey Squirrels, and a juvenile Flying Squirrel.
This day we were able to see and learn about a rare migratory bird called a Razorbill. Razorbills only come to shore on rocky coasts to lay one egg per year! (In 1918 they became protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.) This particular bird was blown in to a person’s yard during one of the strong nor’easters that we experienced this spring! Wild Care is taking good care of this now healthy bird in a state-of-the-art seabird therapy pool, with the guidance of some expert advice from wildlife veterinarians at the New England Aquarium. (Boston) We were even able to see this bird eat two fish!
If you find any wildlife that you feel is in need of care, please call the HELP LINE @ 508-240-2255 for further instructions! Also, please see the Wild Care website: wildcarecapecod.org
We are sending a special thank you to Jennifer Taylor, Animal Care Coordinator and Stephanie Ellis, Executive Director for making this visit possible for our students!
MRHS Guidance Counselor Sharing MRHS's Great News in our Guidance & Counseling Program at the MA School Counselors Association Conference
Monomoy RHS Athletics Weekly Schedule Week of May 7 - 12
MON 5/7, JV Baseball vs Sandwich 4:00
Freshman Baseball vs Falmouth 4:00
Varsity Softball vs Sandwich 4:00
JV Softball @ Barnstable 4:15
Varsity Boys Tennis vs SJP 4:00
Varsity Girls Tennis @ SJP 4:30
Varsity Boys and Girls Track vs Sturgis
Varsity Girls Golf vs Barnstable 4:00
Sailing vs Old Rochester 4:00
TUES 5/8, Varsity Baseball vs Rising Tide 4:00
Varsity Softball @ Rising Tide 4:00
Varsity Boys Tennis vs Sturgis 4:00
Varsity Girls Tennis @ Sturgis West 4:00
Varsity Boys Lacrosse @ Falmouth Academy 4:00
Varsity Girls Lacrosse vs Falmouth Academy 4:00
Varsity Girls Golf vs Nauset and CS 4:00
Sailing vs SJP 4:00
WEDS, 5/9: JV Boys Baseball vs Sturgis East 4:00
Freshman Boys Baseball @ Barnstable 4:00
JV Girls Softball @ Sturgis West 4:00
Varsity Girls Golf @ DY (Blue Rock)
Thurs, 5/10: Varsity Boys Baseball @ Sturgis East 4:00
Varsity Girls Softball vs Sturgis East 4:00
Varsity Boys Tennis vs Rising Tide 4:00
Varsity Boys Lacrosse vs Sturgis West 6:00
Varsity Girls Lacrosse @ Sturgis West 4:00
JV Girls Lacrosse @ Sturgis West 5:30
Sailing vs Sturgis 4:00
Fri, 5/11: Varsity Girls Softball @ Sturgis West 4:00
Varsity Girls Tennis vs Sturgis East 4:00
Sat, 5/12: Varsity Boys Baseball @ Sandwich 10:00
JV Boys Baseball @ Sandwich 10:00
Freshman Boys Baseball vs Sandwich 10:00Connor's (Santoni) Corner: Athletic Department Update
Students in Ms. Simmons' class investigated the origin of mask making in Puerto Rico and created their personal mask for a cultural speaking presentation
STEM Day at Fenway!
On Wednesday May 2 the Baseball & Society class, thanks to a generous grant, attended Fenway Park's STEM Day. At STEM Day students can take advantage of a wide variety of activities (see below). In addition, the class got a guided tour of the "America's Most Beloved Ballpark" which opened in 1912. The attached photos give you sense of the wonderful day we had and...the Red Sox won thanks to Mookie Betts' THREE Home Runs!!!
- STEM Fair with demonstrations & experiments from the Museum of Science, Chandra X-Rays Observatories & many more local STEM organizations!
- Speaking panel with STEM experts and professionals
- Egg drop off of Fenway Park's historic Green Monster
- Coding Challenge for students!
- Workbook provided to students that satisfy the Next Generation Common Core Standards
- A ticket to enjoy the 1:05pm Red Sox game!
Bird Watching!
English Teachers Love Gettysburg too!
Important YMCA Community Discussion Groups
From the School Adjustment counselor: May is Mental Heath Awareness Month.
Mental Health and Teens: Watch for Danger Signs
Adolescence isn’t an easy time for parents, either. As children move through the various tumultuous transitions that accompany adolescence — physical, emotional, hormonal, sexual, social, intellectual — the pressures and problems they encounter can all too easily seem overwhelming. For many teenagers, these and other pressures can lead to one or more of a variety of mental health disorders; all are matters of concern, and some are life-threatening.
Key Tips for Parents:
Keep communication constant, open, and honest: Your children should not only know that they can talk to you about anything, you have to be committed to broaching topics of concern and do so openly. Talk about your own experiences and fears when you were an adolescent. Let them know that they are not alone; nor are their anxieties unique.
Understand that mental health disorders are treatable: Arm yourself with information about the most common mental health disorders among adolescents; speak with your child’s pediatrician, your local health department, your religious leader, and your child’s school representatives about what sorts of information are available from them.
Be attentive to your teen’s behavior: Adolescence is, indeed, a time of transition and change, but severe, dramatic, or abrupt changes in behavior can be strong indicators of serious mental health issues.
Mental Health “Red Flags” Parents Should Be Alert For:
Excessive sleeping, beyond usual teenage fatigue, which could indicate depression or substance abuse; difficulty in sleeping, insomnia, and other sleep disorders
Loss of self-esteem
Abandonment or loss of interest in favorite pastimes
Unexpected and dramatic decline in academic performance
Weight loss and loss of appetite, which could indicate an eating disorder
Personality shifts and changes, such as aggressiveness and excess anger that are sharply out of character and could indicate psychological, drug, or sexual problems
Key Mental Health Issues:
Depression
While all of us are subject to “the blues,” clinical depression is a serious medical condition requiring immediate treatment. Watch for:
Changes in sleep patterns
Unexpected weeping or excessive moodiness
Eating habits that result in noticeable weight loss or gain
Expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness
Paranoia and excessive secrecy
Self-mutilation, or mention of hurting himself or herself
Obsessive body-image concerns
Excessive isolation
Abandonment of friends and social groups
Eating disorders
Body image concerns can become obsessions, resulting in startling weight loss, severely affecting the adolescent’s health:
Anorexia: Avoidance of food and noticeable changes in eating habits should trigger concern.
Bulimia: Purging (forced vomiting) after eating — be alert for both dramatic weight loss without changes in eating habits (which could, of course, indicate other health issues that require a doctor’s attention) and also for immediate trips to the bathroom or other private spot after a meal.
Drug abuse
In addition to peer pressure, mental health issues can lead adolescents not just to experiment with alcohol and drugs, but also to use substances for “self-medication.” And in addition to being aware of the behavioral and physical signs of alcohol and drug abuse — drug and alcohol paraphernalia or evidence, hangovers, slurred speech, etc. — parents should also:
Be alert for prescription drug misuse and abuse: According to the AAP, prescription drug misuse by adolescents is second only to marijuana and alcohol misuse. The most commonly abused prescription drugs include Vicodin and Xanax.
Know that over-the-counter-medications can be abused as well: Teenagers also frequently abuse OTC cough and cold medications.
Concern about your adolescent’s mental health should first be addressed with your child — fostering open communication goes a long way toward fostering sound adolescent mental health habits.
If your concerns are serious, discuss them with your pediatrician. Because so many mental health issues display physical manifestations — weight loss being the most dramatic but not the only one — your pediatrician can offer both initial medical assessment and also refer you to appropriate mental health organizations and professionals for counseling and treatment if called for.
Additional Information from HealthyChildren.org:
Inheriting Mental Disorders
Is Your Child Vulnerable to Substance Abuse?
Help Stop Teen Suicide
Childhood Depression: What Parents Can Do To Help
ADHD and Substance Abuse: The Link Parents Need to Know
The Great thing about being a principal is you get to go to Prom EVERY year!
Prom Court 2018
The junior prom was a success! Thank you for casting your votes for the prom court (see attached photo of the winners). Congratulations to Veronica Simundson, Samantha Barr, Hannah Marty, Tommye Wall, Sam Yuskatis, Ted Clifford, Jason Masiello and Spencer Drake. The prom king and queen were decided by the staff at the prom based on who they thought was having the most fun and also the most polite Congratulations to Veronica and Sam!
Also, we have a BUNCH of formal gowns and tuxedos that were donated by Peter Moynagh (Family Pantry). Thank you Peter! If anyone needs something dressy for a friend or family member, please pick up by Friday. I will be bringing them to Goodwill.
Ms. Casey
Best Buddies Dance 2018!
Congratulations MRHS Adjustment Counselor Susan Whitcomb - "Excellence in Field Instruction Award"
Best regards,
Trudy Zimmerman
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