November 16, 2007

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide the parents and community with information about programs and events at the high school. If you are no longer interested in receiving this or you have any questions, please email mcgovernm@seekonk.k12.ma.us.

SHS Mission StatementAll students will achieve their maximum potential by becoming

responsible, productive citizens and life-long learners.

Important dates for 2007-2008• Spirit Week – November 19-21 • Early dismissal on 11/21 at 11:30 AM• Thanksgiving Football Game at home – November 22nd at 10:00 AM• Teacher Professional Days – November 26 and 27 – No school for students• Parent Conferences – Thursday, November 29th from 7-9 PM• Holiday Concert – December 12, 2007, at 7:00 PM

From the Principal• Due to the holiday next week, there will not be a newsletter. • I hope that all of you will start your Thanksgiving Day by watching our football

team play Dighton-Rehoboth HS at our field at 10:00 AM. GO WARRIOR FOOTBALL!!

• On Wednesday, November 14, 2007, I attended a seminar along with the co-chairs of the NEASC steering committee, Mrs. Linda Horton, teacher of mathematics, and Mr. Frederick Crippen, teacher of English, to prepare for our upcoming accreditation visit in April 2008. Sponsored by the Commission on Public Secondary Schools of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the program at the Barton Academy in Colchester, CT, was offered for principals and self-study steering committee members of the schools scheduled to be evaluated this year. The seminar provided information to help schools finalize their plans for the evaluation visit and to learn more about the evaluation report and its review by the Commission on Public Secondary Schools. Participants shared their reactions to the self-study process with members of the Commission staff.

• Hand sanitizer is available in the cafeteria and the gym.

From the Athletic DirectorCongratulations to the Boys' Cross Country Team and Amanda Sweet who qualified at last weekends MIAA Divisional Meet to compete at the MIAA State Cross Country Championship Meet this weekend.

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Congratulations to the Girls' Swim Team who has qualified to compete at this weekend's MIAA State Championship Meet.Championship dates:

• Saturday, November 17, 2007 - Cross Country - MIAA Division II State Championship - Gardner Municipal Golf Course @ 11:30 AM

• Sunday, November 18, 2007 - Girls Swimming - MIAA Division II State Championship - Wellsley College @ 9:00 AM

Football • Thanksgiving day Football game – Thursday, November 22, 2007, - 10:00am at

Seekonk High School - Admission $5.00. Come out and support your school and team!

• Tickets to the Thanksgiving Day game will be sold next week during all 3 lunches on Monday and Tuesday. Tickets will also be available at the gate on the day of the game.

• The Football semi-final playoff game will be held on Tuesday November 27th. Location and time of the game will be announced on Friday November 23, 2007. Once the location and the time are announced, the information will be posted on the web at www.highschoolsports.net

• The High School Super Bowl will be held at Gillette Stadium on Saturday December 1st. Teams who win their semi-final playoff game will participate in the Super Bowl.

• All sports schedules can be found at www.highschoolsports.net • In the event of inclement weather, postponements and cancellations will be posted

as soon as a decision has been made. Location of athletic facilities and directions may be found on the MIAA website www.miaa.net Go to member school lookup, select the opposing school and then click on the link for directions to sport facilities

From the English DepartmentTwo outstanding writers -Kim Ferreira and Kristen Nolan - have been selected to represent S.H.S. at the New England Young Writers' Conference. Each year juniors and sophomores may compete with other N.E. writers to attend this prestigious four-day event (both students are 10th graders.) Any student selected as a winner of the Breadloaf Writer's Award is automatically published in the annual Middlebury College award book. Robert Frost wrote many poems in a cabin in the woods located on this Vermont campus. Students have the option of visiting the cabin during their stay.

From the LibraryMs. Lawrence brought one of her classes to the library to play Jeopardy to review Of Mice and Men, using the Smart Board for interactive play.

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Mrs. Fitzgerald’s ninth grade students have visited the library to check out nonfiction books for independent reading. Her sophomore students have checked out historical novels for independent reading. This is in preparation for creating research resources called pathfinders, on the historical time periods in which their novels are set.Mr. Rubin’s health students have been to the library to complete career interest surveys.Mr. Hoogerzeil’s U. S. History I students have been to the library to play the stock market game.Mrs. McAloon will be signing up all students for e-cards for Boston Public Library. These cards will allow the students to access all of the databases of the Boston Public Library. If they visit the library in Boston with their e-card numbers, they can receive actual cards, which would allow them to place holds and check out books from Boston Public as well. Books would have to be picked up in Boston. This resource is available to all residents and employees in the state of Massachusetts.

From the School NurseThank you to Diane Chapman, mother of Corey '05, who donated 2 sets of pads for the ZOLL AED. This donation benefits the school and Seekonk community in providing up-to-date equipment in the event of an emergency. Thank you Mrs. Chapman!

Athletic Boosters’ ClubThe group met on November 6, 2007. New Sports Certificates have been ordered. The foundation has been poured for the concession stand and the project is proceeding on schedule. Bob McKenna and the other people involved in planning the golf tournament were commended for their successful effort. New officers were elected:President: Bob McKennaVice President: Joe DeMeloSecretary: Janie KinsellaTreasurer: Russ NobleThe next meeting is December 3rd at 7:00 PM.

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World Language Department• Carlos Isidoro attended a Portuguese Studies Conference at Rhode Island College

on October 19, 2007. He attended seminars on The Portuguese Language in Africa, as well as workshops on technology and portfolio lessons for high school classrooms. Mr. Isidoro was impressed by the keynote speaker, former President of Cape Verde, Dr. Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro. He spoke about Angola, Mozambique and Guine-Bissau, Cape Verde and the progress they have made since the revolution ended.

• Spanish teacher Mrs. DiBiase introduced her Spanish classes to "El Dia de los Muertos,” a holiday which is celebrated in Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala and other areas in Central and South America. It is a time when family members who have died are remembered. Students in these classes decorated mini sugar skulls and skeletons and made a traditional altar to display these projects.

• Mrs. Armour's French classes will celebrate National French Week from November 9-12. All classes will participate in trivia contests, international music lessons and contests which are designed to encourage communication in French. Please stop by room 324 at Seekonk High School to share in the fun!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Previous announcements From the Principal

• Go Warriors Football! Last Friday, the members of the Boys Football Team defeated Old Rochester Regional High School by a score of 26-0. The win means that we have secured a berth in the MIAA playoffs as the SCC representative. This is a first time accomplishment for Seekonk. Thank you to the coaches and the players for all of your hard work.

• Congratulations to our SHS Fall Cheerleaders. Through much work and dedication, the girls placed third at the SCC Competition held at Case High School on Sunday. This is the first time in over five years our cheerleaders have placed among the top three. A special thanks to all the fans that came to support the girls. It was much appreciated and helped the girls take the trophy home! Great job girls! SHS is proud of you!

• Next week’s newsletter will include information regarding Spirit Week events (November 19-21).

Guidance NewsReminder - The Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving, November 26 and 27 are non-school days for students. Teachers will be involved with in-service training on these days. This would be a good time to plan college visits with your son/daughter. The college process for seniors is in full swing. Encourage your senior to work on the applications, essays, senior activity sheets and recommendation requests.

From the Athletic Director• Congratulations to Seekonk High School's Football team. The team clinched at

least a share of the SCC title with a 26-0 win over Old Rochester High School and

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will be the South Coast Conference representative to the MIAA playoffs for the first time in the schools history.

• Congratulations to the Girls' Field Hockey and Boys' Soccer teams on their successful seasons and participation in the MIAA Tournament.

• Congratulations to the Fall Cheerleading team. The team placed 3rd at the SCC Championship competition.

• Championship dates: o Saturday, November 10, 2007 - Girls Swimming & Diving - MIAA South

Sectional Championship - MIT @ 9:00amo Saturday, November 10, 2007 - Girls & Boys Cross Country - MIAA East

Division IV Championship - Franklin Park @ 9:55amo Sunday, November 18, 2007 - Girls Swimming - MIAA Division II State

Championship - Wellesley College @ 8:45amo The Football semi-final playoff game will be held on Tuesday, November

27th. We anticipate that the game will be played at Greater New Bedford Vocational Tech School. Once the location is verified and the time is announced, the information will be posted on the web at www.highschoolsports.net .

o The High School Super Bowl will be held at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, December 1st. Teams who win their semi-final playoff game will participate in the Super Bowl.

• All sports schedules can be found at www.highschoolsports.net. In the event of inclement weather, postponements and cancellations will be posted as soon as a decision has been made.

• Location of athletic facilities and directions may be found on the MIAA website www.miaa.net. Go to member school lookup, select the opposing school and then click on the link for directions to sport facilities

From the English DepartmentOn November 1st, 50 seniors battled the early rush hour traffic to attend a performance of Hamlet in Boston. The performance was excellent, but the best part of the day for Mrs. Krauss and Mrs. Whately, the chaperones, were the compliments the group received. At the theatre, the staff noted the courtesy and decorum of our students. The bus driver remarked that our kids were exceptional – many offering a thank you and picking up any litter. The group stopped at a restaurant, Vinny T’s in Dedham, for lunch and all 50 students were seated in a room with other diners. A gentleman approached Mrs. Krauss to offer his compliments to the seniors, indicating his concern when they were seated near his lunch party and his reappraisal of kids when he noted their geniality and good manners. As this gentleman was offering his praises, the manager of the restaurant offered her pleasure at serving our students.As the parents of our youngsters, you are the ones responsible for their excellent behavior and the praise they won. Thank you for a job well done!!

From the Music Department

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• Both Concert Band and Jazz Band are busy preparing for their annual Winter Concert which will be held on Wednesday, December 12th at 7 PM in the SHS Auditorium. Meanwhile the Warrior Marching Band will conclude its season at the Thanksgiving Day game at 10 AM here. If the football team makes it to the Superbowl Game, the band will travel to Gillette Stadium on Saturday, December 1st.

• Several of our band students will be auditioning for the Southeastern MA All-District Band on Saturday, November 17th at King Philip Jr. High School in Wrentham, MA. They are: freshman Allison Cote on flute; sophomores Kim Ferreira on bassoon and Dylan Marshall on horn; Ryan Turner on Snare Drum; juniors Alex Self and Kyle Brousseau on trumpet; and senior Jessica St. Germain on bassoon. Any students who are accepted will perform with the group at the Barnstable Arts Center on January 11th and 12th of 2008. Good luck to everyone at the district competition!

• Meanwhile, the Band’s fall fundraiser raffle will continue through December 12th. The prize for this year’s raffle is a Hitachi 42” plasma HD television and Panasonic Upconverter DVD Player. Tickets are $5 each or 6 for $25 and are available from any band student. The raffle is sponsored by the Seekonk Music Parents’ Association which is also raising funds for the band by working at their concession stand at the New England Patriot’s home games at Gillette Stadium during the football season. Anyone who would like to donate their time to this cause should contact Mr. Smialek at the Band Office at (508) 336-7272 x227 for a list of remaining Patriot’s home games.

• On Thursday, November 1st, the Marching Band was the recipient of a Community Donation by the McDonald's Restaurant Corporation. The ensemble also performed for the grand opening ceremonies of the newest Seekonk McDonald’s where John Smialek accepted the donation for the band. See the pictures below of the band and the ribbon cutting ceremony!

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Guidance News• All sophomores are eligible to apply for the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership

Seminar, HOBY. One student and an alternate will be selected to represent Seekonk High School June 6-8 at Bentley College. Students that are interested to apply should sign up with their guidance counselor. The selection process will include students responding in a 100 word or less essay describing the most rewarding and challenging aspects of being a leader in their school and community. For more information visit the website at www.hoby.org. Please encourage your son or daughter to apply.

• Community Service opportunities are posted in the Guidance Office. Remember to submit pre and post service forms to your Guidance Counselor.

NOV11/29 8:50 Lasell College

DECEDATE TIME COLLEGE 12-Dec 12:30 UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD

From the School Nurse

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• MRSA is a staph-like bacteria that is resistant to some antibiotics. The MDPH states that staph can cause an infection, especially pimples, boils and other problems with the skin. It is spread by direct skin-to-skin contact, such as shaking hands or other direct contact with the skin of another person. It can spread from sharing towels or athletic equipment.

o Symptoms of MRSA are high fever, swelling, heat and pain around a wound, headache, fatigue and others.

o Treatment of MRSA is good wound and skin care: keeping the area clean and dry, washing your hands after caring for the area, carefully disposing of any bandages, and allowing the body to heal. Sometimes, treatment requires the use of antibiotics.

o Prevention of MRSA is good hand washing; covering cuts and scrapes with a bandage; not sharing personal items such as towels, washcloths, toothbrush and razors; and keeping your skin healthy.

o More information may be found on MDPH website at www.mass.gov/dph.

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