Please join us for Coffee and Conversation with Mike Berry, Principal of Souhegan High School.
Increased family engagement through consistent communication is a priority for our school. To support this work, each month we host “Coffee and Conversation” events where families can come together and ask questions and share ideas with our Principal, Mike Berry. Each month will have a specific focus and will align to exploring the ways in which we are fulfilling our mission.
Please join us for this first event on Tuesday, September 20 at 6:30pm. This month’s time will be geared towards freshmen and their families and will focus on the transition from AMS to SHS. The following meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 22 at 9:30am with a topic TBD. Stay tuned for future dates and topic announcements!
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Although it is important to talk about mental health and wellness all year long, September is a dedicated month to bring light to an often highly stigmatized topic. Over the month, I will be sharing information on how we, as a community, can raise awareness and provide important supports to our youth. This week I would like to bring your attention to some new resources. Over the summer, many of you may have learned that there is a new 3 digit number, 988, that is available when someone is experiencing a mental health emergency. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) provides free, confidential emotional support to people in crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It has been a long time coming and is an amazing resource! What you may not have heard, is that NH has also launched a NH specific resource called NH Rapid Response, which connects callers to resources right here in NH. NH Rapid Response can be reached by calling or texting 1-833-710-6477 or chatting with nh988.com. Students are also encouraged to seek help at school by coming to Student Services or talking with another trusted adult. Together we can make a difference!
Grading and Reporting
Updates to the grading and reporting system were presented at the most recent meeting of the Souhegan Cooperative School Board on Thursday, September 8. Click here for a narrated presentation that describes the context, updates, and feedback so far. If you would like to read a complete description of this work, you can find that information linked here. We are offering two opportunities for Q&A regarding this work during the month of September. Our first session was held this past Tuesday and our next will take place on Thursday, September 29 from 5:00-5:45pm in the SHS Theatre.
Visiting Campus
The installation of our new double-security doors is a welcome addition to Souhegan High. To further enhance the security of our campus, visitors are to enter through the main entrance and check-in with the secretary in the vestibule. At that point, visitors will need to wait inside of the secure doors to be picked up by the staff member they are meeting with, and/or to be greeted by a staff member who will direct them to their destination. While in the building, visitors will need to wear visitor identification. If a visitor needs to drop off an item for their child, a staff member will also assist with the transfer of the item. The purpose of this is to further enhance a safe and secure environment for staff and students.
Attendance
If your child is arriving late to school, they must check in with Lynda in Student Services. From there they will be signed into school signifying they are not absent from the day. Parents are encouraged to call ahead letting the secretary know that their child is going to be tardy.
Off Campus
Off Campus opened up on 9/8/2022. The new procedure is for students to sign out/in using the provided QR code/form link https://bit.ly/3TTDbym that is prominently located in both buildings. Amherst community members should expect Souhegan students to represent the best of who we are. Students who do not hold themselves up to the expectations of the Souhegan Six and our Mission Statement risk losing off campus privilege.
Seniors & Parents - Save the Dates!
- Senior Parent College Night - Sept. 21 at 6:00pm in the theater
- Financial Aid Night Presentation for seniors and parents - Sept. 29 6:00pm in the theater
Senior Meetings - All seniors are required to schedule a meeting with their counselor during the month of September. Find the links to your counselor’s calendar here.
College Admissions Visits - Juniors & Seniors, make sure to check Naviance for the list of college admission visits. Many great colleges scheduled for next week!
Quinnipiac University - September 19
Boston University - September 20
St. Michael’s - September 20
Nichols College - September 21
Elizabethtown College - September 21
Union College - September 21
Regis College -September 22
Roger Williams University - September 22
Lesley University - September 22
University of Vermont September 22
UNH - Rescheduled - September 23
Register for the visits through your Naviance accounts!
Senior Project
The start of senior year is an exciting time! Next week, your child will be introduced to Senior Project in advisory by our coordinators, Kathy Maddock and Ryan Lemieux. During these 25-minute sessions seniors will learn about the project requirements and have time to ask questions. On Friday, September 23, seniors will fill in a form to identify 10 staff members who could potentially serve as a mentor. Ryan and Kathy will then use this information to help inform their assignment of mentors to students. While we endeavor to accommodate mentor preferences, these preferences are not guarantees. Here are all the important dates you need to know as a parent Senior Project Important Dates.
Senior Yearbook Pictures
High resolution, vertical JPEGs of your senior are due no later than October 21st! Click here to upload them to our private photo submission link. If for some reason the link does not work and requires a User ID (this can happen if they use safari) the User ID is:
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Senior Dues
Dues are $50 and go toward the class hike, class trip, t-shirts, a graduation BBQ, and a class gift. Cash payments should be given to Sarah Barbato or Matt McDonald. Checks should be made out to SHS Activities Fund and handed to Sarah or Matt. Online payment can be made here: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=ZZH4SNSQO2083HC_ZZ5SP2MUXKATSMD
Summer Reading
Souhegan Reads, the summer reading program, met September 12. Students gathered with others who read the same book to discuss and participate in experiences related to each text. We played basketball, baked, became detectives, examined historical newspapers, and more! Students commented that they were pleasantly surprised by “the amount of people who are interested in what I am that I didn’t previously know” and how inclusive the group experiences were. Students can provide further feedback on the summer reading experience here.
Click here for the most recent Saber Spotlight information!
The next Saber Spotlight is September 19th. The Dean of Students looks forward to putting Souhegan students and their interests at the forefront of this Spotlight.
Full season game schedules can be found here.
9/22-Media Day: A new Souhegan Athletic’s tradition. The schedule for the day is attached here. This will also be our first seasonal Media Day, where members of the local media will be invited for team, player and coach interviews and to get some action shots at practices. The Amherst Citizen, Nashua Telegraph, Union Leader, WMUR, NH-High School Sports, and Friday Night Lights NH have all been invited. In future seasons, this will be done at the end of the pre-season and uniform hand out will happen that day as well.
Club Day 9/22: Extra and Co-curricular activities fuel learning by stimulating creative thought, improving social and organizational skills, developing unique interests and talents, and offering you the chance to discover and do something you really enjoy. So, if we’ve captured your imagination, check out club day from 3-3:30pm on Sept 22nd.
