All Around APS
News from the Andover Public Schools - April 29, 2022
APS PRIDE
APS Music Education Program Receives National Recognition
Andover Public Schools has been honored with the “Best Communities for Music Education” designation for its outstanding commitment to music education from the NAMM Foundation. The foundation advances active participation in music making by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs.
The “Best Communities for Music Education” designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. APS is one of 738 districts across the country to receive the honor. We are grateful to our music educators for their dedication, commitment to excellence, and focus on providing quality education to our kids.
AHS SeaPerch Team Wins 2022 SeaPerch Seacoast Challenge
Congratulations to Andover High School’s SeaPerch Team, the Orcas, who won first place at this year's SeaPerch Seacoast Challenge held at the University of New Hampshire in Durham earlier this month. SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Students build the ROV from low-cost, easily accessible materials, following a curriculum that teaches basic engineering and science concepts with a marine engineering theme.
AHS Orcas team members are Aadarsh Arasu, Raven Diaz, Sasha Dicovitsky, Shashwat Ghevde, Vismay Ravikumar, Alex Tong, Alex You, and Sarah Zhang. AHS Science teacher Dan Donovan advises the team.
AHS Senior Aadarsh Arasu is the only returning member to the team, all the other students are new this year. Aadarsh has been an exceptional Team Leader, reforming the club after a two-year pause due to COVID-19. He mentored his teammates this year teaching them how to design and build underwater vehicles. Despite limited opportunity to practice, Aadarsh expertly piloted the underwater ROV in the SeaCoast Challenge for the win. Way to go, Aadarsh!
Their first-place overall finish earned the Orcas a berth at the SeaPerch International Challenge to be held at the University of Maryland on Saturday, June 4, 2022.
AHS students mentor APS elementary schools’ students through Warrior Way program
Prior to April vacation, over 250 high school students travelled to each of our elementary schools to mentor younger students as part of the Warrior Way program. Unique to APS, the Warrior Way program is a student-led program which fosters leadership in AHS students.
AHS students reach semifinals on WGBH Quiz Show!
The Andover High School Quiz Team Club students had an amazing comeback in their quarterfinal matchup with Belmont High School winning the contest by ten points! Their win came down to the last question! The team moves on to the semifinals which will air on WGBH on May 7th at 6 p.m. Episodes can also be viewed on the High School Quiz Show YouTube page or by following this link.
From the Desk of Dr. Parvey
Next week, we will celebrate our teachers for their dedication to our students, staff and families within the Andover community.
National Teachers’ Appreciation Week, celebrated from May 2 – 6, 2022, is a time for us to honor our teachers who do so much more than teach academics. They motivate, coach, support, guide and inspire our students in multiple ways. Whenever I visit our schools and sit in our classrooms Pre-K-12, I am always genuinely grateful for the engaging way in which our educators interact with our students.
It has been said that teaching is a calling. A teacher’s day is always more than what takes place in a school building. The pandemic raised the stakes for our teachers, and their commitment to our students required grit and perseverance. APS is fortunate to have teachers who are dedicated and care deeply about our students, community and families. I appreciate the hard work of our teachers and wish them all the best as we celebrate their work next week.
Magda Parvey, Ed. D.
Superintendent
APS Happenings
High-Five Friday with Andover Police Department
As part of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association’s “High-Five Friday,” members of the Andover Police Department greeted APS elementary school students as they arrived at school Friday morning in an effort to highlight positive relationships between their department and APS students.
How to Build a Community at High Plain Elementary
Students in Heather Hart’s first grade class at High Plain Elementary have been working all year long with Jennifer Sands, Digital Learning and Innovation Coach, on a student-led project to learn about communities in general, and Andover in particular. They have been building a 3D model of a town in their classroom and engaged several of Andover's experts including Andover’s Town Planner, Business, Arts and Culture Director, and Conservation Agent.
As part of their lessons, students decided that they needed to add roads to connect all of the areas. Members of Andover’s Department of Public Works recently spoke with the children about what the DPW does for Andover, as well as how roads are built, and what to consider when making their own roads. After the lesson, students were invited outside where they found many town trucks and DPW employees waiting for them! This project has been a wonderful collaboration between the incredible people who help make Andover a terrific place to live and the first graders who have learned so much about community this year!
Clothing Drive for Cradles to Crayons – Project 351
Congratulations to Nicole Flanagan, 8th grade student at Wood Hill Middle School, who serves as APS’s representative to Project 351. Project 351 is an organization that builds a movement of youth-led service by engaging students in leadership within their communities.
As part of her service, Nicole recently organized a clothing drive for Cradles to Crayons, which focuses on providing clothing and school supplies to children 12 and younger. Nicole collected over 43 bags of clothing in total, with 32 bags going to Cradles to Crayons and 11 to the Lazarus House!
Andover High School Arts Show at the Robb Center
Upcoming District Dates
School Calendar
- The last day of school will be an Early Release Day on Thursday, June 16, 2022!
- Early Release Day – May 6, 2022
Grade 10 Math MCAS - May 17 and 18, 2022
Holidays and Observances
- Eid al-Fitr* - Tuesday, May 3, 2022
- Vesak Day – Monday, May 16, 2022
- Teacher Appreciation Week – May 2 - May 6, 2022
- Nurses Appreciation Week – May 6- May 12, 2022
School Committee
The School Committee will hold its next regular meeting on May 5th. The agenda will be posted up to 48 hours in advance on our website.
Community Updates
- The Town of Andover's DPW is holding a “Name the Plow” contest. The contest is open for all ages to participate. The deadline to submit is May 1st. More information can be located here.
From the Robb Center: Walk Mass Challenge
- This year, the challenge is open to everyone in Massachusetts ages 5 and up. Walk with your family or friends, or on your own! The Robb Center is hoping that participants under age 60 “sponsor” an older adult – just enter the name of a parent, grandparent, neighbor, or friend (no fundraising is involved). This program is a great way to get kids walking and engaged with their grandparents or elderly neighbor. Seniors will be entered into a drawing for prizes as well as the Robb Center could earn funding for programming. We will be encouraging our folks to get walking and enter the program. Link to sign up: https://mcoaonline.com/programs/keep-moving-walking-clubs/walk-massachusetts/
From the Town of Andover
- The Town of Andover is embarking on an update to the Town’s 2012 Master Plan. We need Andover residents to share their priorities for future policy and decision making that will affect the future of the Town of Andover by our Boards, Committees, and Commissions. This is an important task, and we hope that you will participate. The survey is anonymous, unless you fill in your name and email at the end of the survey. It will only take approximately 12-15 minutes in total. Survey link to participate is here.
Andover Public Schools
Email: APScommunications@andoverma.us
Website: www.aps1.net
Location: 30 Whittier Court, Andover, MA, USA
Twitter: @AndoverPS