Principal's Newsletter

From the Desk of Russ Booth

September 24, 2022


Good morning MHS families,


There are many things that need to get done each week in a school, but one thing I try to do is get around to classrooms as much as possible. This past week I was invited to see some of the work that Ms. Kenny's ELA classes were working on. In class, students are reading Lord of the Flies, and they were working on models of the island to help them visualize where essential parts of the book take place as they continue to read. Please see a couple of pictures posted below. I am grateful to Ms. Kenny for not only inviting me in but for the work she puts into her classes each day.


I have been fortunate to have traveled through many classes at MHS and I will continue to do so, but I have certainly noticed that our staff puts in a great effort for our students each day. Staff is working to connect and build relationships with their students in order to best support them throughout the year. We will continue to look for ways in which we can improve at MHS, but our students are in good hands with our staff.


As always, there are several pieces of information below for students and families to be aware of in the upcoming weeks so take a look, and enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

Early Release Reminder

This Wednesday, September 28th will be an early release day (1/2 Day) for the district. Students will end their day at 11:00am on Wednesday. Lunch will be served at all schools this year on early release days.

Freshmen Class of 2026 Signs of Suicide (SOS) Curriculum

The School Counseling staff will continue the implementation of the Signs of Suicide curriculum through 9th grade English classes this week and will conclude on Friday, October 7th.


A letter was mailed home in August to parents/guardians about the initiative and provided families an opportunity to opt out if they have concerns. The presentation includes an overview of the the connection between mental health issues, depression and suicide, a video presentation, discussion and the screening. Students will be introduced to the ACT acronym (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) and know that the staff are also familiar with the program and available to help.


This is an important part of our curriculum and helps to provide students with a common language and avenues for support for themselves or to help a friend in need.

Safety Drill Update

This week we conducted a safety drill on Friday, September 23rd. At 10:30am we conducted the drill and administrators walked the building to ensure the drill was running smoothly. Teachers and students all ran through the procedure as they were instructed, and each teacher discussed the 4L's with their classes during this time. Although it is unfortunate we need to conduct these drills, staff and students all participated appropriately and were attentive to the information.


There will be a parent information night this week regarding school safety. Please see below for more details.

Boston Magazine Top Schools

We are proud to announce that MHS has been ranked 47th on the recent list of top high schools by Boston Magazine. We are proud of this accomplishment and look to the future to find ways to climb this list!


For a link to the article, click here.

Parent Conferences Update

While parent conferences are not scheduled until December, we want to update all families on the format this year for planning purposes. Parent conferences this year will be in person. More information on scheduling conferences will be in future newsletters, but we wanted all families to have the in-person information in advance.

Yearbook Update

The 2023 Yearbook is now on sale! Order now and save! Books are on sale for $65 until Halloween, October 31. Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com (school number 5468)


Senior portraits and blurbs are due by October 31st. Please go to the yearbook tab on the MHS website for more information and links for submitting.


We have several old yearbooks available for sale! If you're interested contact us at yearbook@mansfieldschools.com

Leaders in Youth Mental Health Series: Parent Options

As part of our partnership with McLean hospital, MPS is able to offer several parent webinars for anyone interested in signing up. All information for the parent webinars, including dates/times, Zoom links, presenter information and learning objectives can be found here on this website: https://healthcare.partners.org/streaming/Live/McLean/McLean_SCS.html



Please use the link above to access information on future webinars.

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Picture Ordering Information

Use the link provided to access the flier for picture ordering information

About Us

Russ Booth - Principal

Abigail Barlas - Assistant Principal, Student Support Services

Matthew McGuire - Assistant Principal, Grades 10 & 12

Ellen Noto - Assistant Principal, Grades 9 & 11

Timothy Tichacek - Assistant Director, Special Education

Tim Selmon - Athletic Director