Blue Devil Bulletin
A Bi-Weekly Newsletter - March 24, 2024
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
On behalf of our entire school community, We would like to extend our profound gratitude and appreciation to all who participated in and supported our Music In Our Schools Month Concert and Unified Arts Showcase. Your dedication, enthusiasm, and contributions have left an indelible mark on our school community, enriching the lives of our students and reaffirming the significance of arts education as it pertains to a well rounded educational experience. These amazing events were fine examples of how we continue to move Epping schools forward in a highly effective manner which highlights the talents and contributions of our students, educators, and families.
In no particular order…
To our esteemed music educators, Allison Edge, Erin Wentworth, and Emily Ciccarello, your unwavering commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a love for music among our students is truly commendable. Your expertise, passion, and tireless efforts in preparing our students for their performances have not gone unnoticed. Thank you for serving as mentors, inspirations, and advocates for our students, guiding them toward excellence and helping them realize their full potential. Many folks who attended went out of their way to provide very positive feedback about the experience.
We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our facilities department, led by Joe Parzych and with assistance from Justin Fogg, Ronnie Eldredge, and Dave Judkins who helped transform the O’Day Gymnasium into a proper concert hall. Those responsible for quickly making sure this space was ready for school the next day are Shawn Beachard, Ephrem Bolduc, Jay Darcy, and Sean Thornton. These fine employees accomplished all of this on top of all of their other daily responsibilities for keeping our school safe and clean. Your support and assistance behind the scenes were instrumental in ensuring the smooth execution of these events. From setting up the venue to handling technical aspects, your hard work and attention to detail were invaluable. We could not have accomplished this without you all.
Heartfelt appreciation to our IT Department is also in order. Under the direction of Maria Hendrickson, we thank Alec Bruce (who was working behind the scenes all day and throughout the evening), Tyler Lamontagne, and Josh Calcia for your efforts in ensuring the success of the event. Your dedication and expertise in the realm of technology and audiovisual support were instrumental in delivering a flawless and professional-grade experience for our community.
The role of our district IT department in providing seamless lighting, sound, and recording cannot be overstated. Your commitment to excellence and your meticulous attention to detail played a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of the event and creating an unforgettable experience for all involved.
Clark Terry Jazz Festival
Epping High School Jazz Ensemble performed for judges at the UNH Clark Terry Jazz Festival on March 16th.. The group had a wonderful performance with Sam Dyer being awarded the Outstanding Musician award. Congratulations to all the members of the Jazz Band for their performance.
Upcoming Academic News and Highlights
On Wednesday, April 3rd all students in grade 10 will take the PSAT-10. The PSAT-10 assesses reading, writing, and math skills in a 2.5 hour (with breaks included) multiple choice test. Students will be taking this test digitally on their school Chromebooks. The PSAT-10 is not a high-stakes test. Scores are not shared with any external organizations unless the student chooses to share their scores. Colleges do not ask for PSAT-10 scores. For this reason, it's not necessary to spend a lot of time preparing for the PSAT-10, it is truly a practice test. You can find more detailed information about the PSAT-10 here: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-10. For those who want to continue their practice, there will be another opportunity to take an optional PSAT in the fall of junior year.
Why Take the PSAT 10?
The SAT is the mandatory statewide assessment all students take in their junior year. The PSAT students take in 10th grade is a practice test for that SAT, it can also be used to measure growth in the areas of reading, writing skills, and math. In recent years, many colleges have moved away from requiring the SAT for admission. However, if you choose to share your SAT scores with colleges, a high score can increase your chances for both admission and scholarships. Students will often pay to take the SAT a second or even third time to achieve their highest score for these purposes. Using your PSAT score results as a study guide is an effective way to increase your SAT score and reduce the number of times you may need to take the SAT.
Test Day
Students should bring a snack and water to testing. A calculator is built into the digital testing program but some students may prefer to bring a handheld calculator. We ask that all tenth grade students please try to avoid being absent or tardy to school on Wednesday, April 3rd. If you must be absent, we may be able to offer a make-up test later that week. There are no regular classes that day and SST attendance is excused. Testing will begin first thing in the morning. After the test, students will have a lunch break and activities with the 10th grade team. Later in the afternoon, students will attend a course selection fair. Students will be dismissed from school at the normal time.
On Wednesday, April 3rd all 11th grade students will participate in state-required SAT testing for juniors. The SAT that students will take on this day is free and students don't have to do anything to register for testing. Make-up testing will be available for anyone absent on test day.
Students will need to have their school issued Chromebooks fully charged on test day and they should also be sure to have their chargers with them. Students should bring some snacks and water, the test has a built in calculator but some students may prefer to bring a handheld calculator.
There are no regular classes on April 3rd. SST attendance is excused for juniors. Testing will begin first thing in the morning and will finish before noon. Students will have an extended lunch break and will then attend the Course Selection Fair at 1:00. There are no lunch privileges this day, however, juniors may be dismissed at 1:30 following the fair. The dismissal permission slip is attached, this should be returned to Mrs. Snyder in the main office by Wednesday, March 27th.
Students will receive an email from College Board when SAT scores are ready, approximately 3-5 weeks after the test date. They can access their scores through their College Board accounts. I will update parents and students when I hear that scores are available.
Senior Year Class Selections
This week, juniors were presented with information about selecting their classes for next year. They all received a packet that includes the available courses, a course planning worksheet, and a reminder of graduation requirements (that packet is also included as an attachment to this message). Included below are links to the Program of Studies and the Elective Website where you can find course descriptions. Students were encouraged to talk with their parents and teachers about their options.. Students were also encouraged to strongly consider their future plans when making their class selections. It is important to think about what types of classes will help them reach their post-secondary goals (college, trade school, employment...). I will be meeting with all juniors individually throughout the spring to talk about their future plans and their course selections as they relate to their goals.
Students will need to input their classes using the Class Registration function in PowerSchool, they have until the end of the day on April 5th to accomplish this.
2024-2025 Program of Studies
EMHS Electives Website: https://sites.google.com/eppingsd.org/ehselectives
Personnel / Hiring
There are three positions currently being advertised at EMHS. Applications are being accepted for High School French, Middle School English, and Middle School Science positions. Interviews will take place in the next 7 - 10 days.
EMHS HAPPENINGS
INTRODUCING CAMP ATLAS!
SUMMER BOOKMOBILE!
We are starting to plan the 2024 Summer Bookmobile and we want your input! The ESD Summer Bookmobile plans to stop at EMHS during summer school, the SAU summer preschool program, and at the summer Rec program at Watson. The top FIVE locations from our survey will be added to our Bookmobile route.
CLICK THIS LINK TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY!
Responses will be collected until April 9.
Potential Bookmobile Stops 2024
Thank you!
DO YOU NEED VOLUNTEER HOURS? HERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!
Dear EMHS High School Students,
Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back to the community and make a positive impact on the lives of middle school students? Here's an excellent opportunity for you! We are excited to offer you the chance to volunteer as a tutor for middle school students during our Homework Club.
Homework Club takes place every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 2:30 - 3:30pm. As a volunteer tutor, you will have the opportunity to help middle school students with their homework and serve as a positive mentor for these younger students.
This is a fantastic opportunity to earn community service hours, gain valuable tutoring experience, and make a difference in the academic success of middle school students.
If you're interested in becoming a volunteer tutor for Homework Club, please contact Mrs. Mora at cmora@eppingsd.org for more information and to sign up for this rewarding experience.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference in our community!
TEAM NEWSLETTERS
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th/12th Grade
LEARN MORE ABOUT EMHS!
LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER
Epping School Food & Nutrition Services
About us
Website: sau14.org
Location: 33 Prescott Road, Epping, NH, USA
Phone: (603) 679-2544
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eppingmiddlehighschool/