The Souhegan Scoop
November 17, 2023
A Message from the Principal
As we come to the end of this week, our hearts weigh heavy with the loss of a beloved member of our community. Tom Sawyer brought light and inspiration to our halls, leaving an indelible mark on our school. You can learn more about Tom in the Getting to Know SHS section below. At this time, our thoughts also turn to the approaching Thanksgiving season. Despite the grief we carry, this time beckons us to cherish the spirit of gratitude and the warmth of togetherness. The outpouring of support and unwavering unity within our school this week reaffirms the deep bonds that connect us. By upholding the values of gratitude, kindness, and reflection in our interactions, we foster a culture of empathy that has come to define Souhegan. My sincere appreciation goes out this week to all the members of our school community- students, staff and families alike, who make us who we are and serve as beacons of our collective strength.
Upcoming Events
Additional event information is available via this interactive Trumba calendar. Click here for the official SAU 39 school year calendar. Additional event information is available via this interactive Trumba calendar.
Community-Wide Announcements & Reminders
Progress Reports are now available to students and families via PowerSchool.
To view a student progress report from the PowerSchool portal, click on the “Student Reports” option in your navigation menu. “SHS MS1 Progress Report” will be listed in the Current Published Reports section.
Course scores for year-long and semester one courses are in-progress scores that represent a student’s current learning to date and are not a final grade. These scores will evolve over the course of the year, as students have more opportunities to show higher levels of mastery and the final course score will be included on the report card in June as well as on official transcripts. As a result, end of year scores will represent the culmination of a student’s work.
For seniors only:
- MS1 grades are included on senior transcripts; GPA is not recalculated at MS1.
- GPA is calculated at the end of Semester 1 and again at the end of the year.
School Highlights
SHS FALL PLAY
Student Services
Senior Year Notes
SENIOR PROJECT
Seniors should be working on researching their topic, meeting weekly with their mentor, and starting to develop conversation with an outside expert. Students will have their next checkpoint, on January 11th after school to review their Applied Piece Proposal's. Please check in with your seniors about their project and reach out to their mentor with any questions.
YEARBOOK
Senior Ads: Due December 1, 2023
Community News
COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Click here to view available community service opportunities!
Get To Know SHS
Meet the wonderful and talented staff members of SHS!
Each week we highlight a Souhegan staff member to build connections and recognize and appreciate their contributions to our community. This week we pay tribute to Tom Sawyer with a write up provided by his longtime friends and colleagues and current Souhegan teachers: Steve Dreher, Phil Estabrook, and Gavin Sturges. We hope learning more about Tom allows us to celebrate the many gifts he brought to Souhegan and provides comfort to our school community.
Tom Sawyer
What was Tom’s role at Souhegan?
Since 1997, Tom had been the fresh-faced, eager intern, the hard-grafting, multi-dimensional special educator, but we remember him most in his role as the American history enthusiast and social studies teacher. He was a wonderfully funny and gifted storyteller, a knowledgeable and dedicated professional, and a kind and honest human being. Tom fostered deep personalized connections with all people at every level of Souhegan. Accordingly, Tom’s relationships at Souhegan spread throughout all the Division Centers, down to the Athletics office, round the staircase to the Main Office, back down into the cafeteria and kitchen and out into the maintenance area. Most importantly, he made authentic and lasting connections with all students through his humor, compassion and personableness.
What did he love about his job?
Tom loved everything about the classroom and the school community. He loved his subjects - history and social sciences. He loved getting to know his students. He loved the fact that he had taught long enough to have entire families come through his classroom. He loved the students who enjoyed social studies because he could push them to understand history in deeper and more complex ways. He loved the students who struggled with social studies because he found joy in engaging them and pointing out aspects of history that they would find interesting. He loved going to extra-curricular activities. If you went to a game or a play, you usually found Tom there as well. He loved the culture of a school that emphasized depth over breadth and developing genuine relationships.
What did Tom like to do outside of work?
First and foremost, Tom was a devoted husband, dad, and son. Any activity that Tom did with his family was a great one. He loved hiking and kayaking. He could often be found behind a Weber grill - he loved backyard barbecues and food in general. He also loved his friends - and he had many friends from all walks of life. Tom had a gift for maintaining relationships and making everyone feel special and important. He would call and say, ‘let’s go for a hike,’ ‘let’s go grab dinner,’ ‘let’s go fishing…’ He loved sports, he was a proud alum of UNH, frequently attending games with friends and reconnecting with fellow Wildcats. Tom adored travel and adventure. He was always willing to try new things, go to new places, even –especially– places off the beaten path. He was spontaneous and enthusiastic in the best way.
If you were given one wish, what would it be?
We would wish for Tom Sawyer to walk through the front doors of Souhegan on Monday morning, like he has for 27 years. As a friend, Tom blessed our lives with warmth, generosity, and affection. As a colleague, Tom made our school a better place. As a teacher, Tom brought a deep sense of passion to the classroom. Always eager to improve as an instructor, he was never satisfied with remaining static. Each and every day, he brought energy and excitement to his craft which in turn inspired his students. He had a gift for connecting with students that was the result of professionalism coupled with heartfelt compassion. It didn’t hurt that he was, without a doubt, one of the most clever and playfully humorous instructors that students were likely to ever have.
We continue to have counselors available for any student who may need or want help or any type of assistance surrounding this loss. We encourage you, as parents, to also feel free to use our resources. If you would like additional information or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Student Services Office through our student services administrative assistant, Michelle Paul at (603) 673-9940 x5308 or you can contact your student’s school counselor directly. We have included some information below that may be useful to you in helping your child at home.
Helping Teenagers Cope with Grief
Local, National and Regional Resources for Bereaved Children and Teens
Community Council
This week at Community Council, began discussing the Permanent Bus Pass Proposal, which seeks to allow parents to give students permission to write a one time note to allow them permission to ride multiple buses. We will continue discussing this proposal at our next meeting on Monday 11/20 from 3:05 to 3:45 in the Info Center.
Saber Nation
Athletics
MEET THE COACHES NIGHT
Meet the coaches night will be held on Tuesday, November 21, at 6:00pm.
WINTER SPORTS REGISTRATION
Registration for winter sports closes the evening of Sunday, November 19.
Contact us!
Website: https://www.sau39.org/shs
Location: 412 Boston Post Road, Amherst, NH, USA
Phone: (603) 673-9940
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/souheganhs
Twitter: @SouheganHS