Somersworth HS & CTC
WELCOME BACK! September 2017
We always wonder and are amazed how quickly summer passes. Time marches on and another school year is upon us. As a faculty and staff we have just finished a couple of workshop days and we are ready for opening day on August 30, 2017. The building has been cleaned from top to bottom by a very dedicated group of custodians. The grounds are ready for our sports teams who have already begun their seasons. My faculty has received my annual Principal Message. This year my theme is “relevance.” More specifically, relevance in the classroom. I am challenging my staff to ensure their students know why it is important to learn what they are teaching. I want our competencies clear, compelling and relevant. I want students to know what skills, strategies and other resources they need to be successful. I want learning measured in more than one way. I know this will be a great year! I hope parents will get involved in their student’s learning. I hope our students are “Fearless in their pursuit of what sets their hearts on fire!”
Vic Sokul
Principal
New Faces to SHS/CTC
Math Teachers: Gregory Balsam
Science Teachers: Dennis Nadeau & Alison Buchbaum
Wellness Teacher: Bridget Hart
Librarian: Megan Farley
Guidance: Meaghan Varrell
Medical Assisting: Melissa Gagnon
Automotive Technology: Steve Wedick
Resource Officer: Colton Deschenes
Paraprofessionals:
Kursla Robinson
Robin Moore
Bethanie Perro
Nicole Turcotte
Patrick Mitchell
SHS Open House
Come tour the building, meet the teachers, and enjoy a sweet treat at the end!
Childcare will be provided by members of the Interact and Youth-to-Youth Clubs!
***FRESHMAN CONVOCATION BEGINS AT 5;45PM IN THE CAFETERIA***
Can't wait to see you there!
Thursday, Sep 14, 2017, 06:00 PM
Somersworth High School, Memorial Drive, Somersworth, NH, United States
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
September:
The start of a new school year brings a strong sense of rejuvenation and fresh starts – a chance to reengage in the opportunities in front of us. At Somersworth CTC we want to engage students in the opportunities that each of our programs can provide. We believe each of our seats provide students the chance to gain the knowledge and skills needed to secure high wage, high demand jobs, be adaptable to the needs of the labor market and prepares them for success in their post-secondary education pathway. More and more families are recognizing the opportunities CTE can provide their student, including high graduation rates, college cost savings and marketable career certifications. We were excited to see an almost 20% increase in Career Technical Education (CTE) program applications for the 2017-2018 school year!
An exciting change in state policy has opened the door to allow even more students eligibility for a CTE program. NH officially approved allowing the admittance of 10th grade students into our programs. While it may not seem like a major piece of legislation, it does remove some of the barriers students face in entering a CTE program: added flexibility of fitting it in their schedule! It will also allow students to have more enriching experiences in work based learning, Extended Learning Opportunities and internships when they are Seniors. To maximize the opportunities kids could experience, our goal is to increase the Career Planning work we do with our students and we hope to better engage parents in this process. We have some exciting events coming up this year to do just that – keep an eye out for announcements to come and how you can be involved!
I’m continually impressed with the level of commitment our students show to their program work. Our students returned to us, many having completed summer work connected to the CTE program they participate in. Our teachers are excited for the school year, many having also participated in experiences keeping them current with industry standards and other professional development. If you’re interested in discussing how to engage in career discussion with your student – please contact the CTC Office at CareerTech@sau56.org.
Katelyn Carrington
Dean of School Operations & CTC
We are so excited to be back to school! We have a new face in our office this year that we want to introduce to you to- Mrs. Varrell is the school counselor for members of the Class of 2021 and 2019! Please join us in welcoming her!
Below are the counselor assignments for students. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns!
Mr. Pelletier- Class of 2018 & 2020 dpelletier@sau56.org 692-2431x1309
Mrs. Varrell- Class of 2019 & 2021 mvarrell@sau56.org 692-2431x1308
Mrs. Lontine- all students enrolled in CTC Programs klontine@sau56.org 692-2242x1219
College Visits @ SHS!
ATTENTION JUNIORS & SENIORS
Helpful tips when meeting with an admissions rep:
Pay attention and don’t be doing anything else
Be sure to put your phone and homework away and make eye contact with the presenter. It doesn’t matter if you’re listening unless they feel like you’re listening, so make good eye contact and don’t chat with friends.
Share your info
If the school has a sign in form, then be sure to list yourself on it. This will add you to the college’s mailing list and put you on their radar. The fact that you signed in goes in your file and acts in your favor.
Take any materials they offer
Brochures and pamphlets are great ways to learn about programs the school offers and facts that can help you decide whether or not to add the school to your list. These materials can also come in handy when you are writing your application!
Ask questions but not too many
Be sure to seem and look interested, and do ask a couple of questions, but let the other students ask questions, too. if you are super interested, stay after. Colleges love to talk to kids who feel like the school is the best fit for them, so if you are really excited, it’s great to show that!
Smile and be very polite
Be sure to put your best foot forward, so no clowning around at all, and don’t be sassy or sarcastic. You don’t know that person’s sense of humor and they don’t know you at all, so be totally professional, polite, and positive. Only say positive things.
Say thank you afterward and shake the rep’s hand
On your way out, whether the school was right for you or not, be sure to say thank you and give a nice firm handshake to the representative. They traveled a long way to meet with you, so show them your gratitude. Thanks means a lot!
This is a great opportunity for you to learn about a new college and get the chance to ask questions firsthand from an admissions representative. The people in these admissions jobs choose to be in this role because they love meeting students and talking about their college, so don’t be shy about going to these meetings and staying afterward to ask some questions. Who knows, the next meeting you attend could lead you to your dream school!
Upcoming Admissions Visits
Upcoming Test Registration Dates
SAT
ACT
No Cost Flu Clinic Coming to Somersworth High School
On September 27, 2017 from 800am to 930am in the High School Library.
Forms were sent out on the first day of school please have your child turn it in to the nurse by Monday September 25, 2017.
Why sign your child up for this year’s flu clinic?
It is provided at NO COST to your family
Your child will be less likely to come down with the flu
You won’t have to miss work from your child being sick with the flu
You won’t have to make a separate appointment or trip to your medical provider
The best way to protect against the flu and it severe complications is to get a flu vaccine each year.
Anyone can catch the flu, but rates of infection are highest among children. Some children may suffer from complications if they have a long-term health condition like asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NH Department of Health and Human Services recommends that everyone six months of age and older should get a flu vaccine.
If you have any questions please contact the High School Nurse Mrs. Soule at 639-2431 ext 1315
Culinary Arts
Chef Allen- CTC/Culinary Arts
This summer I attended the ProStart Level 4 Summer Institute held at Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis. Our focus was the operation of a school-based enterprise. In my group, I worked with instructors from Alaska, Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, California and Virginia. The college operated a fine-dining restaurant, which was located on the top floor of the building surrounded by windows overlooking the city. We worked lunch and dinner shifts (both back and front of house) and prepped food for restaurant service during the week. I tied strips of leek around bundles of blanched green beans to make a cold salad dish, helped prepare various types of sous vide dishes and worked in the bake shop to prepare the desserts for the week. The big surprise of the week was the dessert sauce I prepared with my partner - Chef instructed us that Parsley (yes...parsley) was within the flavor profile for citrus desserts and he asked us to create a dessert sauce using it. I thought he was crazy…but we did it - it was excellent - Parsley, Pink Peppercorn and Champagne Vinegar were the secret ingredients for the sauce we used on the Almond Pithiviers. We also made blood orange and lemon sauce - you can see from the photo.
In addition, we covered topics of service, marketing, social media, food photography, catering and best practices in the kitchen. It was a very busy week and I did discover that the Patriots logo was not welcome there!
Marketing
Desi Brown- CTC/Marketing
Science Department
Heather Smith- Science/Chemistry
Currently in Express Physical Science students are working on performance assessments for the first competency, which includes lab safety, measurement, and experimental design and procedures. Honors Chemistry students have started the semester motivated and ready. Thursday's class worked on the first lab for competency 1 and is off to a great start. We have discussed being safe and responsible in a laboratory setting. Raymond Mills has also taken the responsibility of ensuring we have a Chemistry pun of the day.
Teaching Multiple Levels
Gigi Klipa- CTC/Teaching Multiple Levels
We are off to a great start with enthusiastic students who are eager to hone their skills in working with students. Currently, we are exploring 2 essential questions:
1. What are the skills, knowledge and attributes of a “great” teacher
2. Why is it important to take time to build a “classroom community of learners?”
Each student was given a bag of supplies that made metaphors for the climate of our class. Can you figure out the themes????
Building Trades
Shane Chick- CTC/Building Trades
Woodworking 1
Building Trades 1
Building Trades 2
English Department
Mr. Carrington: “You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you’re always re-reading the last one” -Michael McMillan- Looking forward to reading the next chapter with all of you! Have a great start to the semester everyone!
Ms. White:Greetings from Room 219! There is something about the start to a school year that feels exciting. It might be the clean desks waiting for students, the late nights trying to get everything printed, or seeing my colleagues after a summer break. I am always looking forward to see what the students can do this year! Welcome back- it’s wonderful to have you all here!-Ms. White
Ms. Izard: It’s wonderful to be back at Somersworth High School with students who keep me on my toes and who constantly inspire me to keep trying, to keep learning and to be the best teacher I can possibly be. I am truly looking forward to having a great year with them. I am continuing to teach Survey of Literature to freshmen but I also have the opportunity to teach Mythology. It will be a year full of surprises and I hope that my students find their language arts class a stimulating and engaging place to be.
Mr. McKenzie: Mr. MacKenzie’s classes have left the starting line at full sprint. His Foundations of Literacy students will start off with some in-depth work on basic grammar and vocabulary development while his Survey of Lit and Comp students will begin their first unit of study—The Short Story—on the second day of classes. As of this moment the first day of classes is done, the first homework assignment has been given, and all three blocks appear ready to make it a worthy race to January!
Mr. Lampron has an intern named Devin Stanley, a UNH students from Milton, MA, who is completing an accelerated master’s degree for teachers. Although Mr. Stanley comes from a family with a tradition of law enforcement he sees the role of a teacher as one who tries to make life better and safer for students.
“Like a police officer I see myself as a person who may be able to intervene for a student who is having trouble choosing the right path and making the right decisions,” said Mr. Stanley.
We welcome Mr. Stanley, students and staff to SHS for a great year!
National Honor Society
ATTENTION NHS APPLICANTS
The National Honor Society will be holding a mandatory meeting next Wednesday, September 6th, for those interested in applying. The meeting will be held in the lecture hall after school, from 2:30pm to 3:00pm. It will cover the application process, and provide information and tips to give students a better chance at success. The application forms will be distributed at this time. (If you cannot attend the meeting due to pressing matters, see Mr. Seeley in room 112 at some point in advance. Application forms will be available online if needed)
Goals
This year, our National Honor Society chapter aims to attend the annual Leadership Experience and Development (LEAD) conference in Washington D.C. Somersworth High School will be represented in D.C this January from the 25th-28th. Participants will gain valuable insight as to how to sharpen their leadership skills, learn how to improve their school culture and community, and connect with their peers from around the country.
Fundraising
In late October or early November, NHS plans to sell Krispy Kreme donuts, in order to raise funds for some of our core charitable donations. The raised funds will be used to provide baskets containing full Thanksgiving meals to those who are less fortunate. Additionally we put together Christmas stockings containing various toys and items for both children and families in need. Lastly we hope to make a monthly donation of food to the 68 Hours of Hunger program.
National Outreach
While service to our immediate community is important, we jump at the opportunity for national service projects. Recently in our nation, it has been impossible to ignore the crisis occurring in Texas. Thousands are in need, and thousands are giving a helping hand. Our NHS chapter wants to be one of those helping hands. Many things are desperately needed such as food, water, and dry clothing. Although, we are open to any service ideas that anyone may have. If you have an idea as to how to provide aid to those in Texas, or have things you wish to donate, please see Mr. Seeley in room 112 as soon as possible.