SKHS Quarterly Newsletter
February, 2019
From the desk of Mr. Mezzanotte...
The Addams Family
SKHS Students on Capitol Hill
Students at Capitol Building
Lucas Serafin
Students with Rep. Langevin
SKHS Music
Our High School Music Program presented its annual Winter Holiday concert to a packed house on Wednesday, December 19th, 2018. One of th largest crowds assembled in recent years enjoyed festive performances from the Jazz band, Chorus, eSKape, Concert Band, String Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra. Kudos to our students and parents who came together to help share some great music that night!
The High School Jazz Band recently received the highest award given, the SUPERIOR plaque for outstanding performance at the the RIMEA High School Jazz Festival on Saturday, January 19th at URI.
Mr. Benz and Mr. Muir took eSKape and the Jazz Band to perform at the 51st annual Berklee Jazz Festival in Boston on Saturday January 26th. This is the largest and oldest National Jazz Festival in the country, with over 3000 students representing states from around the country and Puerto Rico. Congratulations to the Jazz Band who earned a 2nd Place Award out of 16 bands in their Division, tying their best ever finish at the event! Congrats also to our eSKape Jazz Choir for one of their best performances, with a 6th place finish out of 16 in the very competitive V1 Vocal Jazz Division!
Freshman Ethan Utterback and Senior Luca Simeone were both awarded the "Judges Choice" award for outstanding performance with Luca Simeone being awarded the prestigious "Outstanding Musicianship" Award for being one of the four best soloists in the Division (of approximately 300 students!)
We are pleased to announce that the following hard-working, dedicated student musicians were selected to this year's All-State Music Ensembles. Once again SKHS is well-represented with 24 students selected this year.
Congrats to Emily Redmond, Gianna Rodgers , Cailin Fairbrother and Leah Robinson who represented SKHS at the URI Southern New England Honor Band Fri-Sat 2/1-2/1/19. They were selected from among the best High School band musicians from Connecticut, Massachusetts and RI to rehearse and perform an amazing concert at URI..congratulations!
Mark your calendars! The High School music department will present its annual Spring Concert on Thursday, March 20th at 7pm! See you there!
SKHS Holiday Concert
SKHS Jazz Band
eSKape at Berklee Festival
SKHS Artistic Talent
- Gavin Nikitas was awarded with a Gold Key for his Pen & Ink Drawing
- Jacqueline Pratt won a Gold Key for her Colored Pencil Drawing
- Willow Johnson-Gabrielle won the Hera Gallery's Young Adult Exhibit Post-Card Contest with her mixed media artwork, Sweet Dreams
- Other Hera winners included: Maggie Rogers (first place in Colored Drawing), Amber Hunley (second place in Black and White Drawing and second place in Post-Card Contest), Julia Bolletin (third place in Post-Card Contest), Abigail Rebello (first place in Photography), Anna Mason (honorable mention in Painting)
- Amber Hunley was honored by the South County Art Association with an art supplies gift card and a display of her Still Life artwork at the SCAA Member Show. Amber also was allowed to sell her artwork at the event.
- Fashion Design students created Valentine's for Veterans, to support local veterans. Students practiced design skills with fabrics, while also working on hand sewing skills. It was a fun introduction to Semester 2!
Amber Hunley
Valentine's for Veterans
Valentine's for Veterans
Rebel Athletics
School Counseling Corner
During quarter two, the school counselors introduced Naviance to freshmen and sophomores. Naviance is an online platform which students will use to explore and plan for the future, saving all this information in the Naviance Individual Learning Plan. During quarter three, Seniors will receive information on Naviance to research Local Scholarships in Naviance and Juniors will learn how to use the Naviance to explore post-secondary options.
Course selection for the 2019-2020 school year has begun! The 2019-2020 Program of Studies can be found under "Students" on the SKHS website and families are encouraged to review the many course offerings described in this online book. School counselors will be meeting one on one with freshmen in Social Studies classes and sophomores in Engish classes during February to review teacher recommendations and choose electives. Juniors need to schedule an appointment with the school counselors. The Guidance Office will also be open on Wednesday, February 27 from 2-6:30pm for families to drop in with scheduling questions.
SKPP Important Information
The South Kingsown Partnership for Prevention (SKPP) will be holding a fundraiser at Matunuck Oyster Bar on Monday, March 25th at 6 PM. Click HERE for more information including how to purchase tickets for the event.
SKPP has recently started a monthly newsletter (click HERE) that includes important information and updates from the group. You are encouraged to sign up to receive it in your email inbox. A Facebook group has also been created as a way to stay connected and share information.
Thank you to all of the great people at SKPP for all that you do to support our community. We are very grateful for your partnership!
Senior Project Update
Since September, Mrs. Fogarty and Mrs. Mohan, under the guidance and support of Dr. Pelopida, have been working to develop South Kingstown High School’s Senior Project PBGR requirement. Over the past few weeks, Mrs. Fogarty and Mrs. Mohan have been presenting to Junior Advisories about next year’s outstanding opportunity to be a part of the Senior Project. Juniors were apprised of the numerous benefits to being a part of this program including an opportunity to explore their interests and gain networking and future employment possibilities. Moreover, students will not only be working on their projects in these classes, they will receive support in writing college essays, cover letters, resumes, and acquiring more knowledge in the understanding of Civics and current public issues. Those who might be interested in being a part of this exciting new endeavor, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. Fogarty, Mrs. Mohan, or Dr. Pelopida. They would love to add to the over 20 students who are already planning to enroll in these courses!
SKHS Happenings
- On January 25th, twenty-four SKHS students in the Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse (VAASA) group traveled to Curtis Corner Middle School and led presentations to 8th grade classes on life at the high school, peer pressure, and facts about substance use. The students answered questions from the 8th graders and had a very productive afternoon.
- The Rebels Inspiring Positive Lifestyles (RIPL) group has been very busy! Recently, they organized an effort to hand out stress relief materials to students in advance of our exam week. These materials included a stress ball, a bookmark with stress relief tips, and a note of encouragement from a peer. These students also attended PrevCon, a Rhode Island prevention conference, and presented on the effects of stress on the brain and the use of mindfulness strategies to prevent substance use.
- Our English learner students who speak languages other than English supported Ms. Murphy's Choose Love Movement program by assisting with translations for her monthly calendars from English to Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic. These calendars are distributed across the District to all schools to promote daily positive messages to all students.
- Sorboni Banerjee, an SKHS graduate from the class of 1998, has been a news reporter in Boston, Providence and currently in Tampa. Using the experiences she has had as a journalist, she has pursued her dream and "her bold claim" to be a writer publishing the young adult novel Hide with Me. Although she currently has had numerous speaking engagements around the country, she expressed to Mr. Alper, her beloved English teacher, that she "really wanted to come 'home' to meet with our students...[to discuss] what [she had thought] seemed possible and impossible in high school." After Thanksgiving Break, Sorboni inspired our students with her words and challenge “to make their bold claims". Our current students were so impressed with her presentation that some in the audience purchased her novel the next day! Check out our copy of Hide with Me in our Library Learning Commons.
- Every year, the American Chemical Society holds an illustrated poem contest. This year's winner of the state of RI competition is from SKHS - junior Clark Swanson. He received a certificate and a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card, and his entry was sent on to the national competition.
- Congratulations to three of our internship students, Jonah Cutting, Elissa Axelrod and Cole Podeworny. Jonah turned his internship at DiStefano Brothers Construction Company into a part-time job, Elissa was able to publish her own article in the Narragansett Times, and Cole was offered a position at South County Orthopedics at the conclusion of his internship. Congratulations to all!
RIPL Students
Exam Week Encouragement
Choose Love Translators
Sorboni Banerjee Presentation
Clark Swanson Poem
Jonah Cutting
Final Note- Cell Phones at SKHS
While we recognize that cell phones are a part of our lifestyle and that most teens have their own cell phone, students are still not permitted to use them at school unless they are given permission by an adult. Teachers are permitted to allow students to use cell phones in class, if necessary and beneficial to the learning process. Some teachers may strictly prohibit any cell phone use in class at all times, and if so students are expected to comply. Our student handbook includes language and potential consequences for cell phone violations. Students are expected to comply with adult directives as they pertain to cell phone use.
If you have any further questions I would encourage you to consult the handbook or email me directly. Thank you!