The Panther Press
Official Newsletter of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School
Welcome!
January 6, 2019 - Volume 1 - ISSUE 15
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
January 10 - College Admissions Seminar
January 16-22 - Mid-Year Exams/Finals
January 17 - Delayed Opening
January 21 - No School – Martin Luther King Day
January 22 - Quarter 2/Semester 1 Ends
January 23 - Semester 2/Quarter 3 Begins
January 24 - Combined Honor Society Induction 6:30PM in PAC
January 25 - Early Release – Grading Day
January 30 - Parent Portal Open for Quarter 2/Semester 1 Grades
January 31 - NAEP Test for Selected Students
January 31 - “All Band Night” 7:00PM in PAC
February 8 - Early Release – Professional Development
February 13 - Grade 8 Parent High School Curriculum Night 6:30PM in PAC
February 14 - Delayed Opening
February 18-22 - Winter Recess
March 14 - Delayed Opening
March 21 - Naviance Night Grades 10 & 11 Parents 6:30PM in Computer Labs
March 26-27 - MCAS ELA Grade 10
March 28 - Delayed Opening
March 29 - Early Release – Professional Development
Save the Date for this Upcoming Program!
Open Mic Night!
Get Involved and Make a Difference!
The Panther Education Trust (PET) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), community-based organization committed to enriching the quality of public education at the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School (WHRHS). We do this through sponsoring community-based events and by raising money that is used to fund programs that enrich the educational experiences for all of the students at WHRHS.
Funds for the PET's programs are generated through fundraising activities, individual contributions, grants, and in-kind donations from local and national businesses.
SAVE THE DATES!
PET 2019 Monthly Meeting Dates:
Jan 14
Feb 4
March 4
April 1
May 6
June 3
Like and follow the Panther Ed Trust Facebook Page or @PantherEdTrust on twitter
for upcoming news and events.
Dr. Christopher Jones
Just Right
The video below was filmed as we approached the holiday, but was not released at that point.
Our Story...
Take a look and feel free to comment...this is our story...and everyone is part of it.
Mr. David Floeck
NAEP Testing
NAEP Testing will be held on January 31, 2019. A meeting with all selected students was held on Wednesday December 19, 2018 to inform them of their selection. Parents of selected students should have also received a letter (via email) notifying them that their child has been selected. We are excited for these students to participate in the process and contributing to the Nations Report Card. The video links below provide more information about NAEP and the Nations Report Card.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8drjkhe0iQU&feature=youtu.be
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RurH739zdN0&feature=youtu.be
Morning Traffic
We have received some inquiries asking if something has changed at the school that is causing more traffic then what existed in the fall. Nothing has changed in our procedures in the morning but we have noticed that people have been arriving later to the school. The best we can surmise is that people are getting up and having to warm vehicles up, scrape windows, etc and therefore are now arriving to the school later in the morning. In the fall we saw a number of vehicles arriving at the school between 6:30 – 6:40 and now that number has reduced significantly. Now these vehicles are arriving between 6:45-6:55 and it is causing slower traffic flows. We are asking everyone to leave a few extra minutes, during this cold season, to scrape windows and warm vehicles up so you can arrive to school on time. All it takes is for a small number of vehicles to change the traffic flow in the morning. We appreciate all your efforts.
Counseling - Mrs. Ruth Carrigan
College Admissions Seminar
Please join us for Whitman-Hanson’s annual College Admissions Seminar that will be held on Thursday, January 10th at 6:30 p.m. This program will be an informative and interesting evening with presentations by college admissions professionals. Representatives from Harvard University, Boston College, The University of Massachusetts - Boston, and Massasoit Community College are expected to participate. Topics to be covered include Opportunities at Two-Year Colleges, The College Search Process, The College Application Process, Selective College Admissions, and The College Essay. The program is open to all students, however we especially encourage sophomore and junior students and parents to attend the WHRHS College Admissions Seminar.
FAFSA Help
Any seniors/senior parents needing help completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) are encouraged to get help from one of the following resources:
1. ASA (American Student Assistance), 231 Main Street, Suite R, Brockton. Call 508-586-3111 or email domartin@asa.org to make an appointment. Walk-in services are also available.
2. Bridgewater State University is hosting a FAFSA Filing Day on Sunday, January 13, 2019 at 1:00 PM. Follow this link to register: Register Here
Project Contemporary Competitiveness – PCC
PCC is a residential summer enrichment program (4 or 6 week program sessions are available) 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 17, 2019 and should include a $25 deposit, scholarship application, and essay. For more information about PCC, please check out their website at https://pccasp.org.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s school counselor.
#WHPantherPride
The #WHPantherPride section is filled with shout outs to staff and students here at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School. They are our way of recognizing hard work, creative thinking, and characteristics that make us proud to be part of this community. Please contact Dr. Jones if you wish to give a "#WHPantherPride" award to someone!
"Thank you to everyone who came to WH Red Cross Club’s first major event of the school year: Elf Movie Night. The club raised over $700 in donations! The donations will go towards California Wildfire Relief and to the club itself. I want to give a special shout out to officers: Alexis Desmond, Chloe Wilson, Marissa Connell, Maya Faich, and Samantha Perkins. These ladies went above and beyond for the club and their hard work has not gone unnoticed. Additionally, I would love to thank Ms. Bouzan , Ms. Keeman and Best Buddies for joining in on the fun; their club helped make the evening even more wonderful! The night would not have been complete without Emily Hartford and WH National Honor Society --thank you for helping us spearhead this event; joining forces was truly momentous. Lastly, thank you to all who donated to our event! We can’t wait to host even more events in the future." ~ Ms. Lauren Drosos, Red Cross Club Advisor
Michael Caponigro... "He works tirelessly with the English Language Learners at Whitman-Hanson. I was recently in the library when I overheard Michael working with a young man who was struggling in math. It was clear the student was not fully engaged in the assignment, yet Michael was exceedingly patient. I could tell the student wasn’t having a good day, and it would have been very easy to become annoyed. However, Michael remained kind, and I admired his perseverance. In addition, in talking with my students who are learning the English language, I know they like Michael very much and feel he is a very strong advocate for them." - Ms. Ellen Galambos
Mrs. Colleen Madigan: "This week we wanted to say how thankful we are to have Colleen Madigan as our Team Chair. If you have been in a meeting you know how amazing she is. One of the teacher’s commented that observing Colleen is like professional development on how to run a meeting!" - Dr. Nicole Semas-Schneeweis
English - Mrs. Amy Floeck
Poetry Out Loud!
The English department is excited to announce the upcoming Poetry Out Loud National Recitation contest. Any high school student interested in competing should sign up with Mrs. Floeck in room 305 or speak with their English teacher. The competition will be held on January 31st in the John McEwan Performing Arts Center and students will be judged according to the Poetry Out Loud evaluation criteria. For the school-wide competition, students are required to memorize two poems from the Poetry Out Loud anthology; one must be 25 lines or fewer, and one must be written before the 20th century. The winner will represent the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District in the regional competition in early March. For additional information on poetry selection and judging criteria, please visit www.poetryoutloud.org.
AP Language & Composition - Mr. Brian Dempsey
Here is one (with a timely message) that I think could legitimately be used or seen on TV today by these organizations/corporations.
Chloe Wilson and Megan Wagner
DECA - Mrs. Nina Consolini
The Mass. DPH requires the school to do the following health screenings each year:
- Height and Weight, including BMI –grade 10
- Scoliosis Screenings- grade 9
- Vision and Hearing –grade 10
Please contact the school RN if you DO NOT wish your child to participate in any of the health screenings in writing. Scoliosis screenings will begin the month of January.
Flu Information
Flu season has returned! It is not too late to receive your flu shot for yourself and /or your family! The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older. Please contact your child’s physician to schedule a flu shot.
Many pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreens, and Duval’s offer flu shots.
The vaccine is free with a copy of your child’s insurance card.
Remember- the flu can be deadly!
Medication during the School Day
Please refer to the student handbook or the Health Services website regarding medication to be administered by the school RN during the school day. All prescription medications must be in the original prescription bottle with a written MD order and signed parental consent form. These forms may be downloaded from the website. Students are NOT allowed to carry medication with them during the school day. Please call either Ms. Baker at 781-618-7452 or Mrs. Joyce at 781-618-7430 with any questions regarding medication.
Athletics - Mr. Bob Rodgers
High school sports are about so much more than just winning and losing. The values and work ethic our student athletes learn is a key component to their educational experience here at Whitman-Hanson. This was on full display on Saturday when the wrestling team hosted their annual Panther Invitational. The students, parents and coaches worked tirelessly to put on a terrific tournament. They put in long hours and really once again exceeded expectations. A special thanks to head coach Gary Rabinovitz who provides remarkable leadership for the entire program.
On the mat, the Panthers have a young team but there were several strong performances. Whitman-Hanson finished in 11th place with 55 points. Top finishers for WH included Damari Goldsmith- Greene 3rd at 138 pounds. Steve Brooks 4th at 152 pounds, Christian Schneider 6th at 195 and Freshman Rocco Ruffini 6th at 220 pounds. Up next for the Panthers is league foe Hingham in Hingham on Wednesday January 9th.
The girls swim team, WHAM, took their first loss of the season this week with Hanover recording a 94-88 win. The boys also lost 87-85. Sabrina O’Connor had another stunning performance in diving.Madison Navicky had a personal best time in the 200 Free with a 2:13:12. Niki Kamperides also had a personal best time in 100 Back with 1:22:16. Abigail Bonney and Lillian Graham put on a great performance in the 200 yard relay. Mariella Crowley did awesome in the 400 yard relay.
The girls basketball team is on quite a run with a series of thrilling wins. The team came back a 15 point deficit in the 3rd quarter to take down undefeated Hoosac Valley 51-46 in OT in the opening round of the Hoosac Valley Christmas Tournament. Sr Kathryn Dunn (15 points, 8 rebounds) nailed a 3 to force OT. Jr Liv Martin (15 points) hit 4 3’s in 4th and OT. Jr Brittany Gacicia chipped in with 9 pts and 10 rebounds and Reese Codero hit 2 clutch 3’s in 4th qtr and OT. The Panthers went on to win the tournament championship defeating Greenfield HS 42-38 in the championship game. Kathryn Dunn sparked the offense with 18 points and took home tournament MVP honors. Brittany Gacicia (all-tournament team) finished with 10 points and Sr Megan Henaghan scored 8. The lady Panthers returned from the break with another nail biter beating Duxbury, 44-42. Anna O’Neill (8 points) was the difference off the bench nailing a go-ahead 3 pointer with a minute to go. Jr Brittany Gacicia posted a double double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Sr Kathryn Dunn added 10. Jr Hannah Damon quarterbacked the offense a ton of hustle plays and composure down the stretch. Whitman-Hanson is now 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the Patriot League. They return to play Tuesday at home against Pembroke.
The boys basketball team had a successful trip to Florida winning 2 of 3 in the Haines City Tournament. In particular the “gas team” stepped up for WH playing tenacious defense. Liam Keane, Cole Lewis,Tajh Hunter, Ryan Bosse and Joey Depina were the difference the second round win. The team returned to league play Friday night and Junior Ben Rice scored 24 points while sophomore Cole Levangieadded 14 to lead Whitman Hanson (6-2,3-1) over Duxbury, 63-55. Junior Stevie Kelly chipped in with 13 for the Panthers.
The boys hockey team won the Cashman tournament over Christmas break. In the title game, freshman John Ward scored the game winner to the lift the Panthers to a 3-2 win over Southeastern. Chris Stoddard and Owen Manning also scored while Bobby Siders had 25 saves in net. The Panthers went on to beat Cohasset on January 2nd, 6-3. John Ward had 2 goals, while Kevin Willis, Chris Stoddard, Ed Scriven and Adam Solari all added one. The team suffered a 5-2 setback last night at Quincy to fall to 4-4-1 on the season. Adam Solari and Calvin Cooper both scored for the Whitman Hanson.
The girls hockey team is showing improvement every day. They had a great game against Pembroke Saturday but lost, 5-3. Alyssa Murphy netted the hat trick. This afternoon the girls played another good game but came up short 3-2 against Mansfield. Goals came from Sophomore Emily McDonald and Freshman Lily Ulvila. Back in action against Duxbury on 1/12 3pm.
The Whitman-Hanson Girls Track team (0-3) lost its meet with Pembroke Friday night at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center 55-41. Senior Captain Ally Bartlett won the 55H (9.64) and took second place in both the Long Jump (14' 11.5") and the Shot Put (23' 7") for the Panthers. Other winners were Sophomores Anna Sullivan in the Mile (5:58) and Isabelle Amado in the 1000 (3:14) and Junior Tori Carleton in the 2 Mile (13:40.)
The Whitman-Hanson boys Track team (2-1) beat Pembroke, 51-48 Friday night at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center.The 4x200 team of Sean Kukauskas, Billy Martell, Nic Fernandes and Pat Bui clinched the meet for the Panthers!
Other winners for WH Brandon Hager in the mile, Billy Martell shot put, Kyle O’Brien 600, Theo Kamperides 2 mile, Sean Kukauskas and Jake Caterer tied for first in the high jump.
The WHAM Gymnastics Team had a great meet against Plymouth finishing with a score with Plymouth recording the win, 124.45-114. Sarah Bombardier tying for first on vault and finished with an all around of 30.1. The girls will be facing Plymouth at their home gym, Tumble time, in Pocasset on Tuesday. 7:00pm warm-up 8:00 meet.
Sports Short Wrap Up
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