Memorial Ceremony: January 4, 2013

Good afternoon, 

I hope that you are doing well and that you have enjoyed the chance to spend time with friends and family over the course of the past week. While I know that we are all looking forward to the start of the new year, I recognize that our thoughts are also focused on the approaching anniversary of the passing of Jack Street.

While we all often think of Jack and the impact he had on our lives, it is particularly at this time of year that we think of him and his family. With that in mind, I wanted to let the Nipmuc community know that we will hold a memorial ceremony at Nipmuc on the first anniversary of Jack’s passing – January 4, 2013.

At this time members of the Nipmuc community will come together for a formal ceremony in which we will honor his life, dedicate the bench that was presented as a gift from the Class of 2012, and participate in a moment of shared remembrance of our classmate and friend.

The ceremony will take place in the courtyard at Nipmuc Regional High School, where the bench that is dedicated in Jack’s name will be placed. The memorial will begin at 3:00pm and will be followed by a brief reception in the cafeteria.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions about this memorial ceremony.  Parents and students are welcome to join us. No RSVP is required.

Sincerely, 

John Clements

Winter Semi-Formal Dance

Good afternoon,

I hope all is well for you and your family as we approach the holidays and a well-deserved vacation for our students.

I wanted to get in touch with you prior to the start of the new year so that you can mark your calendar for our annual winter semi-formal dance.  This dance is organized each year by our student council, and it is always one of the most anticipated student events of the winter. This year the dance will be held at the Myriad Ballroom in Mendon on January 26th from 7pm – 10pm.

Knowing that many of our students will use the vacation to shop for the dance, I wanted to offer a clear reminder prior to the event about the school’s dress code at these dances. Specifically, I wanted to clarify the guidelines of the dress code concerning dresses. Please be aware that:

• At a minimum, dresses need to be long enough to reach the tips of the fingers when resting at one’s sides. (As a guideline, dresses should be at least mid-thigh in length.)
• Dresses with plunging necklines or that inappropriately expose the body will not be acceptable. 

I am providing this reminder following increased concern about not only dress code at our dances, but also the way students are dancing at these events. I want to be sure that parents and students are aware of the guidelines prior to the event, as these concerns will be addressed on the evening of the dance.

As we approach the dance, I will offer additional reminders about the dress and dancing guidelines at the semi-formal. Mrs. Moran and I appreciate the efforts of parents in discussing these concerns with their children.

I am thankful for the input I have received from our student advisory council, parents, and school council in determining the guidelines for the dance and proactively supporting good decision-making at this event.

Please be aware that tickets will be on sale from Wednesday, January 16^th through Wednesday, January 23^rd. Cost is $20.00. Ticket sales are contingent upon student data sheets being turned in to the nurse. Tickets will not be sold to any student has not turned in their data sheet. These sheets are available in the main office.

Thank you,
John Clements 

Update to DECA Lock-in

As an update to the post about the overnight DECA lock-in,  I'd like to offer our sincere thanks to the Upton Police Department and Officer Carl Ambrosino for being with us this evening at the DECA lock-in. We appreciate that they continually go above and beyond to provide a safe environment for our students.

We are especially thankful for this additional assurance today, at a time when our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut.

Thank you, Chief Bradley and Officer Ambrosino for your support.

Up All Night for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness

Stephen Pihl and Emily Ciantra: Organizers of
the DECA event to promote awareness of pancreatic cancer

Later this evening, just as many of us will be thinking about getting some sleep, Nipmuc will welcome more than 200 students back to school to participate in an all night “lock-in.” Hosted by seniors Emily Ciantra and Stephen Pihl, the lock-in event is part of a DECA project aimed at raising awareness about pancreatic cancer. Running from 10pm – 7am, the event will provide a variety of activities to keep the students having fun including great food, movies, video games, and the main event of the evening – a volleyball tournament.

While the event is intended to provide a safe, enjoyable night of activity, the lock-in is not all fun and games. Stephen and Emily will begin the event by bringing all of the students into the Nipmuc auditorium where they will share information about pancreatic cancer and how many people and families are affected by this terrible disease. While they want our students to have an enjoyable night, they also want to be sure that they use this opportunity to educate them about the far-reaching effects of this form of cancer.

Stephen and Emily have worked long and hard on this project not only because they are motivated to be successful with their DECA project, but also because this is a cause that is close to their hearts. Last year this project to generate awareness for pancreatic cancer was run by a member of the Class of 2012 whose mom was battling this disease. This year, Stephen and Emily have adopted the project in her memory.

The night begins at 10pm here at Nipmuc. The brackets are set for the volleyball tournament that will be the highlight of the evening (and early morning). We ask that no outside food or drink be brought to the event. Our parents have worked hard to put food together, and the event is also being supported by donations from local businesses. Students will be asked to leave their bags in a “bag check” room. Chaperones will help students access their bags when needed. Additionally, all students attending the event need to remain at the lock-in throughout the entire event. Parents may dismiss their children beginning at 5am (with a note). All other students will be dismissed at 7am.

Thank you to DECA Advisor, Mr. Gary Perras for chaperoning this event as well as the many parent volunteers who are attending the evening, providing food, and working hard to support Stephen and Emily in their important project. We are also thankful for the support of the Upton Police Department, in particular, Officer Carl Ambrosino for spending the majority of the evening with our students.

Welcome, Class of 2017!

Good afternoon,
On Wednesday evening Nipmuc Regional High School will provide an informational presentation for students and parents of current eighth graders. We are excited to meet our prospective students, and we are looking forward to giving our eighth graders a preview of what will come during high school.

On Wednesday morning at 9:30am, our Dean of Students, Mrs. Mary Anne Moran, and I will be travelling to Miscoe Hill to meet with the current eighth grade class. At that time we will give a brief overview of our academic programming, extracurricular activities, and the student life at Nipmuc. At 7pm on Wednesday evening, we have invited eighth graders and their parents to the Nipmuc Regional auditorium to provide additional information about our school. Our class presidents will join us for both presentations, answering student questions in the morning and providing a student's perspective on life at Nipmuc.

In addition to hearing from administrators and our class presidents, eighth graders and their parents will also have the chance to meet with more than fifty Nipmuc students as they tour our facility, explore our clubs & activities, and learn about the programs that distinguish our school.

I look forward to seeing eighth graders and their parents on Wednesday!

Included below you will find a letter from our Freshman Class President, Matthew O'Brien, inviting our students and parents to learn more about Nipmuc.

Letter to Parents:

Pride and Prejudice

Image by Rose Wiklund

When I met with the elected board from Nipmuc Drama prior to this weekend's performance of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I asked them about the highlights of their production. In sharing their thoughts about the play, they were quick to tell me about the strength of the characters. They assured me that all of the audience members could find a character that they could laugh with and be captivated by. Whether considering "sweet Jane," "stubborn Elizabeth," or "arrogant D'Arcy," the audience certainly enjoyed the chance to get caught up in the romance, comedy, and personalities that bring this story to life.

Congratulations to Director Elizabeth McCarthy and the Nipmuc Drama Guild for a production that drew the audience into the story of virtue, aspirations, social pressures, and relationships. Bravo!




Cast members from Pride and Prejudice


Crew members from Pride and Prejudice