The Souhegan Scoop
OCTOBER 5, 2023
This summer I shared an email with our school community expressing the honor I feel to have been chosen as the principal of Souhegan High School. It is truly an amazing school, and I am humbled by the fact that I join a long and storied group of outstanding educators and students who have made this school so special.
As I continue the process of acclimating to my new role, I want to invite you to help me learn as much as possible about our school, its strengths, and the challenges that lie ahead of all of us. Since the summer I have been meeting with faculty and staff, students, and parents and community members to have structured, confidential learning opportunities with the goal of actively involving the entire school community in shaping our shared vision for Souhegan High School, we will build a solid foundation for future growth and success. In addition to these individual meetings I have created an online survey that should take parents/caregivers 15-20 minutes to complete. This survey can be found at https://forms.gle/C4ygCT6VQvqy1mM19. Please access it at any point before November 6 to provide your answers to the entry questions.
Below you can read more about the Coffee with the Principal opportunities that the PTA is graciously hosting over the next month. I would encourage you to attend one of these opportunities listed below to share your thoughts and hear from others. Actually, I hope you will both fill out the questionnaire and come in so I can meet everyone of you face-to-face.
Finally, if you’d like to schedule an individual entry meeting, please reach out to my Administrative Assistant, Kelli Bailey Lazarte at kbaileylazarte@sau39.org.
Thank you so much for your continued support of our school!
Best,
Dana Curran
Principal
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
HONORS CHALLENGE ENROLLMENT
Enrollment deadline for this year’s Honors Challenge will be extended from 10/13 to 10/15. Per Elizabeth’s email on 9/28, to access the Honors Form in PowerSchool, log into the student/parent portal and click on “student forms”. The Honors Challenge form is in the 2023-2024 SHS section. Students and parents/guardians will both need to log into their accounts to sign the form. Please submit a response for each class in which you wish to pursue Honors. Teachers will email students and families by October 25th to acknowledge Honors Challenge enrollment. If you believe you have enrolled in the Honors Challenge but have not received an email by October 25th, please contact the teacher directly in order to ensure successful enrollment. It is important that students, teachers, and families are aware of Honors Challenge enrollment status as there will be no enrollments after November 1st.
COFFEE WITH THE PRINCIPAL, HOSTED BY THE PTA
Please join us at Souhegan for a structured conversation with Principal Dana Curran to provide your input and thoughts on her entry plan. This series will begin with two in-person dates with an online option over Zoom TBA. For the date you would like to attend, kindly RSVP below.
October's Coffee with the Principal (Entry Plan)
Friday, Oct 27, 2023, 08:00 AM
Souhegan High School, Boston Post Road, Amherst, NH, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
November's Coffee with the Principal (Entry Plan)
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023, 06:00 PM
Souhegan High School, Boston Post Road, Amherst, NH, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
School Highlights
2024 GALAPAGOS CONVERVATION EXPEDITION
Would you like to visit the islands that famously inspired Charles Darwin? Only on the Galapagos can you swim with sea lions, walk with giant tortoises and marvel at marine iguanas. This June, Souhegan will be traveling to the Galapagos Islands for 11 days of adventure and service learning. Join Kim Theriault and Katie Herdlein for an informational meeting after school on October 23rd in room A215.
The next Saber Spotlight will be held on Monday, October 16.
Click here to view slides from the latest Saber Spotlight that was held on Monday, September 25.
Student Services
NASHUA REGIONAL COLLEGE FAIR
Nashua Regional College Fair will take place on Monday, October 30th from 6-7:30 PM at Nashua High School South. The event is open to any junior or senior students in Southern New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts. This is a wonderful opportunity for area students and their parents to get firsthand information about institutions of higher learning and to have their questions answered. More than 100 colleges will be represented at this event, ready to discuss college options to any student. Click here for a list of attending colleges.
Date: Monday October 30th
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: Nashua High School South
36 Riverside St
Nashua, NH 03062
Student Services is publishing newsletters on a monthly basis for 2023-2024. Highlights for October include Financial Aid and College Night Recaps; Construction Career Day Recap; Facilitated Referral Process to Greater Nashua Mental Health; Early Application Info for Seniors; PSAT Info; Upcoming College Admissions Visits, and more!
For the October Newsletter please click here.
Senior Year Notes
SENIOR PROJECT
Senior Project is picking up steam! All seniors and mentors have been matched, and seniors should have reached out to their mentors to establish a weekly meeting time and place. Our first checkpoint focuses on the Project Proposal Letter, in which seniors should include their EQ, sub-EQs, preliminary research, potential applied piece, and evidence of having reached out to a potential outside expert. Letters to the panel are due on Monday, October 30, and panels will take place after school on Thursday, November 2nd. More detailed information can be found in the Senior Project Packet.
Help Wanted!
We are currently seeking volunteers from the community to join this important Souhegan rite of passage, and to serve as panel members for Senior Project. No prior knowledge is required, and we will offer an afternoon training session for community members to meet with Senior Project Coordinators Ryan Lemieux and Kathy Maddock and learn the ins and outs of serving on a panel. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Ryan and Kathy at rlemieux@sau39.org and kmaddock@sau39.org.
Before volunteering, please check your calendar to ensure that you are available for ALL of the following dates:
- Thursday November 2nd, 3:10 to 4:30 pm - Proposal checkpoint
- Thursday January 11th, 3:10 to 4:30 pm - Applied piece proposal checkpoint
- Thursday April 18th, 3:10 to 4:30 pm - Project completion checkpoint
- Thursday/Friday May 23rd & 24th, 8:30am - 3:00 pm - Presentations
Please fill in this google form if you are available to help out!
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Any senior who wants to get more involved in class decisions can attend senior leadership meetings during lunch every Wednesday in the Learning Commons. Everyone is welcome - no elections required.
SENIOR HIKE
The senior class hike is Wednesday, October 18th! There is no cost to seniors, and lunch is provided. Bring your own water, snacks, and appropriate-for-hiking clothing. We will leave school that day at 8:00 (so you have to get up a little earlier!) and be back around 1:30. Click here for the permission slip, which you should return to Lynda Conley, Sarah Barbato, or Matt McDonald.
SENIOR DUES
Senior dues are $50. They cover some of the class hike, class trip, class gift, graduation BBQ, and t-shirts. Checks can be made out to the SHS Activities Fund with student name and “senior dues” in the memo and handed to Lynda Conley in Student Services. Online payments can be made here.
YEARBOOK
Seniors, October is half way over, please be sure to get your SENIOR PHOTOS in!
Senior Photos: Due by November 1, 2023
Senior Sibling Photos: Can be emailed to shs-yearbook@sau39.org. These are meant to be a fun addition to the yearbook! In the past we’ve had “now and then” photos, childhood photos, current, professional and candid photos!
Senior Ads: Due December 31, 2023
Community News
COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Click here to view available community service opportunities!
AMHERST TOWN LIBRARY SAU 39 ART DISPLAY
The Friends of the Amherst Library are thrilled to welcome the work of our beloved and talented art faculty from SAU 39! Artwork by Christie Valihura (MVVS and Clark), Jessica Anderson (Wilkins), Brandie Pettus (AMS), Diana Plank (AMS), Stephanie Fritz (SHS) and Liz Gosselin (SHS) will be on display at the library throughout the month of October 2023.
There will be an artists' reception at the Amherst Library on Sunday, October 15th from 1:00-2:30pm. Visit with your favorite art teachers from the Mont Vernon Village School, Clark-Wilkins Elementary, Amherst Middle School, and Souhegan High School as they share their personal work with the community.
Get To Know SHS
Meet the wonderful and talented staff members of SHS!
Adam McAfee
What is your role at Souhegan?
School Psychologist
How long have you been with Souhegan?
Year 1!
What do you love about your job?
I love making connections with and advocating for students. Being a student's trusted adult is empowering and humbling.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I have found myself over the last two years being a full-time wedding and events related guest. I also enjoy scaling a 4,000 footer, ski season, and live sports!
If you were given one wish what would it be?
I would wish for my students to have everything they need. That and an endless supply of cereal.
Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?
No amount of time spent with students is time wasted.
Community Council
This week at Community Council, we continued discussing our first proposal, the Referendum Proposal, which seeks to create a process for allowing whole school votes on proposals brought to Community Council. We will continue discussing this proposal at our next meeting on Monday 10/16 from 3:05 to 3:45 in the Info Center.
Saber Nation
Yearbooks aren’t just for Seniors, make sure you get yours today to capture memories from your entire high school career. Yearbooks will be $85.00 until 11/17, get yours today before the price increases!
OCEAN BOWL TEAM
Athletics
NH TACKLES HUNGER GAME
This Friday, October 13, will be our NH Tackles Hunger game! Bring a non-perishable item to the football game for free admission! All donations will go to SHARE in Milford.
SOUHEGAN GOLF
Souhegan Golf goes Back to Back, winning their second state championship on 10/12/2023 at Sagamore-Hampton Golf Club by a 28 stroke margin!! Nick Nowak and Sean Zerega placed 1 and 2 on the day respectively with Ethan Gaudet, Drew Reagan, Matt Nowak, Ava Bawell and Joe Mayo rounded out the rest of the team with strong performances as well. Nick, Sean, Ethan, Drew and Matt also qualified for the individual state tournament happening this Saturday 10/14 at Beaver Meadow. Congratulations Sabers!!
(Photo credit Stephen O’Keefe)
WINTER ATHLETICS REGISTRATION
Winter Athletic Registration is OPEN! Please log into PowerSchool, click “forms” on the left hand side, then “Athletic Registration Winter-SHS.” Start dates for Winter teams are below.
Bowling 11/13
Swimming 11/13
Wrestling 11/13
Alpine Ski 11/20
Gymnastics 11/20
Boys & Girls Basketball 11/27
Girls and Boys Ice Hockey 11/27
Indoor Track 11/27
Nordic Ski 12/4
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