The Panther Press
Official Newsletter of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School
Welcome!
May 12, 2019 - Volume 1 - ISSUE 31
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
May 14-16 - Art in Bloom
May 20-23 - Senior Finals
May 21-22 - Math MCAS
May 21-23 - Early Release for Seniors Only
May 23 - Senior Prom at Venezia, Dorchester
May 27 - No School – Memorial Day
May 28 - Senior Banquet
May 28 - Biology MCAS Field Test
May 29 - Scholarship Night
May 30 - Community Evening School Graduation 6:00PM in Performing Arts Center
May 31 - WHRHS Graduation 6:00PM in Gymnasium
Whitman-Hanson 3D Printer Camp!
Attention Parents of the Class of 2019 Graduates!
PET has partnered with Flowers Forever in Whitman to offer Graduation Flower Bouquets for only $20! CLICK HERE to order online at our website
Order online by May 18th and your bouquet will be ready for you to pick up at the door entering the Graduation Ceremony on May 31st. All proceeds go directly to Panther Ed Trust to fund future enrichment programs!
Be Part of the Solution!
If you would you like to get involved with PET, join us at an upcoming meeting:
May 6th and June 3rd at 7:00pm in the High School Library
Thank you for your support!
Follow us on Twitter @PantherEdTrust
Like us on Facebook Panther Ed Trust
DiMascio-Donahue and Trongone Receive Top Honors!
Dr. Christopher Jones
Review the Tape
This week's message is about not only reflecting on our actions and behaviors, but involving others in the process for a more objective perspective.
Coaches who review game tape with their teams and athletes find that the road to improvement comes at a much quicker pace. While this is because it is often easier to understand and correct what we see, it is also an objective, guided journey concerning our actions, behaviors, and outcomes. We are not objective about ourselves. This stems from the fact that we often judge others by their actions or outcomes while judging ourselves by our intent. This allows us the ability to explain away less than ideal behaviors and outcomes by focusing on our good intentions. That is why its important to have the opinion of another person even when we are "reviewing our tape."
I never cared for the phrase; "I feel", but upon further reflection I find it incredibly important when trying to improve my outcomes. My intent doesn't always come through and as a result, people are made to feel a certain way. The disconnect may have been born from a misconception or mistake, but that doesn't negate the fact that a gap (based on a persons feelings) exists; and it usually is not a positive one. Therefore, to improve my objectivity, I need to listen rather than justify the "softer" feedback that usually starts with "I feel."
Take this challenge: Find and ask a mentor, colleague, friend, parent, teacher, or student and ask them to review some of your "tape" with you. I guarantee that if you listen instead of justify you will have the opportunity to grow in ways you never have before.
I talk more about all this in the video below. Check it out...
Our Story...
Take a look and feel free to comment...this is our story...and everyone is part of it.
Counseling - Mrs. Ruth Carrigan
ASVAB- ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) testing will be offered at Whitman-Hanson on Tuesday, May 14th from 1:45 – 4:30 PM. Students in grades 10 - 12 interested in exploring opportunities in the military are encouraged to check in with Mr. Amado to find out more and to sign up for the test. He can be reached at Domingo.Amado@whrsd.org.
Dual Enrollment - Massasoit Community College – Summer and Fall 2019
Information is now available for Spring 2019 Dual Enrollment classes at Massasoit Community College. Dual Enrollment gives high school students (primarily grades 11 and 12) an opportunity to take college classes and receive both high school and college credit. Massasoit Dual enrollment is available to students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Instructions and application materials were sent to grade 10 and 11 student email accounts this week. After reading these documents, interested students should contact their counselors with any questions.
SAT Registration – Registration for the 2019/2020 school year is currently available. Any juniors planning to take the August 2019 are encouraged to register now. Spaces go very quickly for this test date. To register, go to www.collegeboard.org.
If you have questions regarding any of the programs mentioned, please feel free to check in with your child’s school counselor. They are assigned by student's last names:
A-B Mrs. Carrigan
C-F Mrs. Garrett
G-L Mrs. Selig
M-P Mrs. Cunha (Covering for Mrs. Bianco)
Q-Z Mr. Amado
Administrative Assistant Mrs. Getchell
#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!
Mrs. Theresa Scott, Mr. Dan Moriarty, Student Council, and Best Buddies
Marine Biology Club - Ms. Courtney Jones
A Second Whale Watch!
Business Law & Financial Literacy - Mrs. Lydia Nelson
A Judge Comes to WH!
Brockton Superior Court Judge Angel Kelley spoke to students about the judicial system, local police departments, community policing, and legal careers. The financial literacy students were included because in the past they have used the information and connections for internships, guidance, and employment.
Post Graduate Program - Mrs. Catherine Bouzan
Self Determination is Key!
The self-determination skills of the WH Post-Grads continue to make their teachers proud!. They have started their Vocation (How to Get a Job/How to Keep a Job) Unit; learning that the first step is knowing your strengths, interests, preferences, needs. Picture above are samples of their self-reflections that will be placed in their portfolios. They (staff and students) often say in the Post-Grad Program “Love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life!” Mrs: Bouzan added: "How blessed am I that I truly get to live this because of my students, co-workers and leaders!!!"
Spanish - Mrs. D'Annunzio
Practicing Circumlocution...
Students practiced using circumlocution to define words (environment and nature unit) in their Spanish Classes. The students wrote their own definitions on posters and hung them up around the room. Students had to walk around and identify the word that matched the definitions to gain a better understanding.
Red Cross Club - Mrs. Lauren Drosos
Successful Blodd Drive!
The WH Red Cross Club held our second annual blood drive on May 2. The blood drive was a superb success! A special thank you goes out to our officers Marissa Connell, Chloe Wilson, Maya Faich, Samantha Perkins, and all of our volunteers. They truly made the event lively, positive, and special!
Thank you to all of the staff and students who donated! Your blood will make a difference in someone’s life. We had about 40 donations—this could save over 100 lives! We can’t wait until our next blood drive!
~Ms. Lauren Drosos, WH Red Cross Club Advisor
Help Those in Need!
The National Honor Society is collecting new school supplies for SOWMA (Schools on Wheels of Massachusetts). It's an organization that helps provide homeless children in MA with necessary school supplies. Over the summer, SOWMA works to fill backpacks with these donations, which will be handed out to children in need. The collection will run until June 7. Collection boxes will be located in the main office, the library, the school counseling office, and room 272.
Nurse - Mrs. Margaret Baker
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
- SBIRT Screenings- grades 9 and 10
Please contact the school RN if you DO NOT wish your child to participate in any of the health screenings in writing. Vision and hearing screenings are currently in progress!
Flu Information
Flu season is waning but still active! Please Note: There were approximately 80,000 deaths during the 2017-2018 flu season- 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!
We all love the coming of spring! However, spring allergies soon appear with increased pollen counts and the blooming of leaves and plants. How can you tell the difference between a common cold and seasonal allergies? Here is a very helpful article to reference which will help you decide: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2014/10/cold-flu-or-allergy
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 Ms. Baker at 781-618-7452 for any questions regarding medication.
Please do not hesitate to call the clinic at any time with any questions/concerns concerning your child’s health- we are here to keep your child healthy!
Athletics - Coach Bob Rodgers
One of our most sacred pillars of WH Athletics is that academics always come first. Our school is extremely proud of our student athletes who balance their busy schedules and achieve at a high level in both the classroom and athletic fields. Each sport recognizes a scholar athlete who best exemplifies those values. These students are recognized at their respective banquets and in our year end athletic summary. Two students however are chosen as the scholar athletes for our entire school. Dorothy DiMascio Donahue and Ryan Trongone were honored at the Patriot League dinner on Tuesday. Dr. Jones and I enjoyed having dinner with Dorothy, Ryan and their parents. Please join us in congratulating them.
On the fields this week, the baseball team clinched their 4th straight tournament berth. The highlight of the week was a dominating pitching performance from Rian Schwede In a 1-0 win over Duxbury. Rian went 6 2/3 of shutout baseball.
For the rest of this weeks action please check out www.whathletics.com . As a reminder all varsity games also have a recap posted on the MIAA App.
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