The Panther Press
Official Newsletter of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School
Welcome!
November 26, 2019 - Volume 2 - ISSUE 13
Welcome to the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Newsletter! It is designed to keep everyone (parents, students, staff, and community members) informed of the many events that are happening in and around the school. It contains links, pictures, and videos so that you have a more interactive experience and the ability to learn more about various topics.
Communication is incredibly important to understanding so we ask that you share our news as much as possible. We also welcome feedback! It is the only way to continuously improve. So, please interact, get involved, and let us know what you think by contacting us and sharing our news!
Important Dates to Plan
November 27-29 – Thanksgiving Break
December 2 – Winter Sports Start
December 5 - NHS Induction 6:30PM in Performing Arts Center
December 10 - WHRHS Holiday Concert 7:00PM in Performing Arts Center
December 6 – Early Release – District Professional Development
December 12 – Delayed Opening
December 20 – Alumni Day
December 23-January 1 – Holiday Recess
January 2 – Students Return from Holiday Recess
January 15-21 - Semester 1 Mid-Year/Final Exams
January 20 - No School – Martin Luther King Day
January 21 - Quarter 2/Semester 1 Ends
January 22 - Quarter 3/Semester 2 Begins
January 23 - Combined Honor Society Induction 6:30PM in Performing Arts Center
January 24 - Early Release – District Grading Day
January 29 - Semester 1 Report Cards available n Parent Portal
February 5-6 - MCAS Biology Retest
February 7 - Early Release – District Professional Development
February 13 - HS Delayed Opening
February 13 - Panther Praise 8:15AM in Performing Arts Center
February 17-21 - No School - Winter Break
March 2 & 4-5 - MCAS ELA Retest
March 3 - No School for Students – Presidential Primary Election
March 5 - HS Delayed Opening
March 6 & 9 - MCAS Math Retest
March 17 - Shakespeare & Company Grade 12 students
March 18 - Naviance Night 6:30PM in Room 159 & 161
March 19 - HS Delayed Opening
March 23 - Spellman Contest 6:30PM in Performing Arts Center
March 24-25 - MCAS ELA Grade 10 Students
March 27 - District Early Release – Professional Development
March 27 - Junior Prom – Canoe Club 7-10PM
3 Whitman-Hanson Clubs Join to Make a Greater Impact!
The Key Club, National Honor Society, and Student Council are partnering with My Brother's Keeper to deliver presents to children from struggling families in the area. My Brother's Keeper is a non-profit organization located in Easton and Dartmouth. If you would like to donate a gift, please take a child's ornament from the tree, sign up on the list, and return unwrapped gifts with the ornaments attached to Ms. Edkin's room (227) by Friday, December 6. If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Edkin, Mr. Szkutak, Mr. Moriarty, Mrs. Scott, or Ms. Tanis.
DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS TAKING ORDERS FOR GIFT CARDS
Whitman & Hanson Dollars for Scholars will be processing orders for gift cards this holiday season as part of its fall fundraising drive. Interested individuals will be able to order gift cards from over 300 nationwide merchants. DFS will receive a commission for selling the cards while the recipient will receive the full face value of the gift card.
A Dollars for Scholars representative will be in the Community Room of the Whitman Public Library on Saturday, December 7, from 10AM to 12 Noon and in Training Room of the Hanson Police Station on Sunday, December 8, from 10AM to 12 Noon to answer any questions. Orders may be placed at those times. All gift cards ordered are expected to be delivered by December 14. Payments should be in the form of a check or cash.
Currently, DFS places gift card orders every other month for its board members. Members use the gift cards as gifts for family or friends or toward everyday purchases such as groceries, gas, prescriptions, and restaurants.
2019-2020 SEPAC meetings
All meetings held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 6-8pm
in the Whitman Hanson Regional High School library
Please check out our website for more information
January 14th –Anxiety Presentation Part 1 - Students (7-8pm Middle & High School)
February 11th – Anxiety Presentation Part 2 - Parents (7-8pm Middle & High School)
March 10th – BCBA Presentation (focus topic TBD) (7-8pm Middle & High School)
April 14th – Occupational Therapy Presentation
May 12th – Speech and Language Presentations on Language Pragmatics (meeting will be held in WHRHS Courtyard Café due to Arts in Bloom being held in the WHRHS library) (7-8pm Middle & High School)
Liam Keane Achieves Eagle Scout!
True to the Scout Oath, his one request for gifts at his ceremony was that people assist him in his pursuit to end childhood hunger by bringing non-perishable food for him to donate to the Hanson Food Pantry. Make sure you congratulate Liam on this fantastic accomplishment when you see him!
Dr. Christopher Jones
Practice 3, 2, 1 and Give Thanks!
What are you doing this Thanksgiving to make others, but more importantly yourself thankful?
Thanksgiving is meant to be a time of gratitude and an appreciation of what and who you have in your life. Sometimes this is difficult for certain people because they may not be in what many of us would call an ideal situation. This should encourage us to not only be thankful for what we have, but practice bringing that feeling to others by performing acts that show your gratitude for their presence in your life.
You can accomplish this by following the 3, 2, 1 method I outline in the video.
Check it out, do the three steps, and let me know how it works by commenting on social media, via email, or in the comments.
One last thing. I would be very thankful that if you found any value in this or know someone who will, please forward it and consider subscribing to the channel.
This one is a short one (3 minutes), but I believe worth your time. Let me know!
Our Story...
Take a look and feel free to comment...this is our story...and everyone is part of it.
Mrs. Ruth Carrigan
Career Connections Fair – A huge thank you to all of the industry professionals, staff, and students who participated in our 2019 Career Connections Fair. It was a great event that offered real life career advice for our students and is an important part of our Panther Pathways initiative.
Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Exam
All graduating seniors are eligible to compete for the ALF-CIO scholarship. To qualify, students must register on-line by December 20, 2019 at: www.massaflcio.org/scholarships . The exam will be administered at Whitman-Hanson on Wednesday, February 10, 2020. In order to be eligible for a scholarship, students must take the Labor History Exam. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO publishes a Labor History Study Guide, which covers a broad range of the history of working people organizing for justice in the United States. New for 2020, an interactive study website will be available, featuring supplemental materials and quizzes to test your knowledge.
Dual Enrollment - Introduction to Aviation and Aerospace- Cape Cod Community College (Plymouth Airport Location) will be offering the Introduction to Aviation and Aerospace course for Spring semester (Jan. 24 – May 15). The course will be held on Friday afternoons (3:30 – 6:00 p.m.) at the state-of-the-art CCCC hangar facility at the Plymouth Airport. While this course is available to all students, it provides a perfect opportunity for high school juniors or seniors to take an introductory course if they think they may be interested in pursuing a career in Aviation Maintenance Technology at CCCC or a career in Aviation at any institution. Through the S-STEM Scholars Program and the National Science Foundation*, grant money may be available for students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch and who are interested in pursuing STEM career fields (including Aviation). Interested students should complete the Dual Enrollment application found on the CCCC website here. The deadline to register is January 10. Questions can be directed to Sharon Boonstra at sboonstra@capecod.edu.
Dual Enrollment - Bridgewater State University– Spring 2020
Information is now available for Spring 2020 Dual Enrollment classes at Bridgewater State University. At BSU Dual Enrollment gives high school students (grades 11 and 12) an opportunity to take college classes and receive both high school and college credit. This program is open to qualified students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with a GPA of 2.50 – 2.99 will be considered on a case by case basis. Instructions and application materials were sent to grade 11 and 12 student email accounts this week. After reading these documents, interested students should contact their counselors with any questions. The deadline to apply for the Bridgewater State Dual Enrollment Program is December 2, 2019.
Dual Enrollment at Massasoit Community College – Spring and Summer 2020
There are two programs available to students through the Office of Early College Access—the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership program (CDEP) and the Massasoit Dual Enrollment Program (MDEP). Spring semester classes begin on Tuesday, January 21, 2020. Massasoit Dual Enrollment is open to students age 16 and over. Massasoit will be accepting applications for Spring 2020 through Monday, December 23, 2019. Any student interested in Dual Enrollment studies at Massasoit for Spring 2020 must complete Accuplacer testing by December 16, 2020. Students interested in Summer 2020 Dual Enrollment at Massasoit should start the application process in March. Interested students should check their school emails for dual enrollment applications and info that was sent last week.
Project Contemporary Competitiveness – PCC
PCC is a 6 week (or students can opt for a new four week program) residential summer program held at Stonehill College. PCC applications are now available in the School Counseling Office, and any student currently in 7th, 8th, 9th or 10th grade may apply! Completed applications are due to the WH School Counseling Office on January 15, 2020 and should include a $25 deposit, completed PCC application and scholarship application. For more information about PCC, please check out their website at https://pccasp.org.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your school counselor. Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving break!
Key Club Donations!
Key Club & Food for Thought Drive!
UPCOMING DATES
December 10th - Winter Concert Ft. Concert Chorus, Concert/Jazz/Poprock Band, High Frequency Show Choir/Pit Band & Something Natural A Cappella - Performing Arts Center, 7pm
December 14th -High Frequency Holiday Pancake Breakfast - Courtyard Cafe, 9am-12pm
December 16th - Drama Club Auditions - Performing Arts Center, 2pm
Show Choir
Veterans Day weekend, High Frequency attended the 35th annual Baystates Show Choir Festival at Oliver Ames High School. High Frequency always looks forward to Baystates and having the opportunity to grow as performers through a weekend filled with singing, dancing and team bonding. Our student pit band also had the opportunity to strengthen their talents during a special workshop during the weekend. In addition to learning two songs to be performed with all the other show choirs, High Frequency was also able to perform a sneak peak of their show “With Great Power”. Featured soloists include Julianne Wheeler and Samantha Thomson in “Heroes, We Could Be” and Paul Shaughnessy and Kiley Concannon in “Kryptonite”. High Frequency is directed by Mr. Don Legge and choreographed by WH seniors, Samantha Thomson and Julianne Wheeler. Pit Band is also directed by Mr. Don Legge with captain Ethan Lenihan, also a WH senior.
Chorus
Chorus has been working hard at preparing for their upcoming Christmas concerts! We look forward to performing for everyone! This year we will be singing “Rejoice!” with concert band, “Sing We All The First Noel”, “I Want To Stare At My Phone With You” (a millennial Christmas song and Mr. Legge’s favorite), and “From Now On” (from “The Greatest Showman”). We are also looking forward to hosting the Tri County Choral Festival in January. We are also wishing good luck to all students trying out for junior and senior districts this Saturday!
Band
Band is super excited to perform in our upcoming winter concerts! We've been working hard to prepare for a fun filled night for all. In addition to concert band, the jazz ensemble and pop rock ensembles will be performing. Mr. Devin Dondero conducts band and jazz ensemble, while Mr. Don Legge conducts the pop rock bands. We look forward to performing for everyone!
“Something Natural” A Capella Group
Whitman-Hanson’s “Something Natural” is super excited to be back and practicing this year! After our performance of “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King at the Fall Concert, we’re picking things up with “Christmas Can-Can” by Straight No Chasers, and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Frank Sinatra for the Christmas Concerts! Something Natural-directed by student director Caitlin Veneto, and Mr. Don Legge- is super excited to be able to sing with such a wonderful group of kids! We can’t wait for the Christmas Concert!
Drama Club
As the new directors of the theatre program, we are excited to involve as much of the student body as possible. It’s easy to attract theatre-loving kids to a theatre program. We’d also love to introduce it to students who have maybe never participated and think theatre “isn’t their thing”.
Most people like music, most people sing the car or even the shower. Music is a uniter. In 2010 we directed a musical and invited some athletes to take part, as the musical called for pool boys and basketball players. After the first live performance, the athletes got off the stage and were high-fiving and saying how awesome they felt. At the close of the show, they said, “We wish we knew this was what theatre was like when we were freshmen. This was so fun.” So here we are! Inviting you to check it out!
What is the purpose of theatre?
1. To entertain
2. To tell stories
3. To bring attention to social issues
4. To bring community together and be a part of something that is bigger than yourself
What are the benefits of theatre?
1. Team building
2. Communication
3. Feeling connected
4. Follow through
5. Social Awareness
6. Problem solving
7. Fun!
As directors, we are excited to work with the students, parents, and faculty at Whitman Hanson to direct and produce quality productions and showcase students at their very best. We want to build an inclusive program and share our passion, knowledge and experience with our community. We have directed dozens of shows over the past 18 years, worked with Broadway performers, and prepared college bound theatre majors for a career path. We have also worked recreationally with students just for fun! Whatever your level or ability, we are thrilled to have the chance to work with you at Whitman Hanson.
If you have any interest in getting involved, please email Brookescriven@gmail.com
Meetings are Fridays 2:00-3:00 and auditions for our first production are Dec 16th at 2:00pm.
Warmly,
Brooke Scriven and Corey Hickey
Mrs. Cathy Brunelle
Mrs. Margaret Baker & Mrs. Kathleen Joyce
~Panther Health Clinic~
Absences:
Please call the sick line when your child is going to be absent. Send in any physician notes when your child is seen by his/her MD. If your child is out for 5 consecutive days, they must return with a physician note clearing them to return to school.
Assistive Devices:
In the school setting assistive devices are casts, crutches, orthopedic related boot and braces, wheelchairs, etc. Any student needing to utilize an assistive devise must have supporting physician documentation for such.
Dental:
Any student returning to school after a dentist or orthodontic appointment where a local anesthesia, numbing medication is used must have physician documentation to return to school.
Medication Administration:
Any student requiring medication to be administered at school by the school nurse must have written physician documentation and signed parent consent. Please note that students are not permitted to transport medication to/from school per the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District Policy, therefore an adult must deliver the medication to the school nurse. Please deliver the medication to the school nurse in a pharmacy or manufacturer labeled container, bottle or box. Please ask your pharmacy to provide a separate container/bottle/inhaler/epi-pen/diastat for school and home. No more than a thirty day supply of the medication should be delivered to the school.
If you are called to pick up your child because of illness, he/she must be picked up swiftly. Please be sure that Infinite Campus has the most recent up-to-date emergency contact information, so that we have someone who can act on your behalf, if we are unable to reach you. This person should live locally.
Thank you in advance for helping us ALL stay healthy!
WHRHS School Nurses:
Margaret and Kathy
Athletics - Coach Bob Rodgers
Winter Sports Are Here!
A reminder that we have many choices for winter sports. If you want to play please be sure to signup today at www.whathletics.com .
Contact Us
Email: christopher.jones@whrsd.org
Website: https://www.whrsd.org/our-schools/whrhs
Location: 600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA, USA
Phone: (781) 618-7020
Twitter: @DrCSJones