Announcements December 21 - 23, 2015

Morning Announcements
End your year-end junk food run the right way!  Go to Buffalo Wild Wings on December 30th and support Nipmuc Model UN.  Copies of fundraiser forms can be obtained in room 333 or from any Model UN member.

Need hours?  Sign up to help at Youth Baseball for fundraising at the snack table.  Where?  BVT  When?  January 2, 9, 16 & 23 from 6:30 - 9 p.m.  Sign up in room 217 ASAP!

Attention AP Students:  Payments for AP exams are now being accepted.  The cost is $92 per exam.  Please bring payment to Mrs. Grady in the School Counseling Center.  If you need to make payment arrangements, please see Ms. Larracey or Mrs. Grady.  Final payment is due on Friday, January 22nd.

After seeing Star Wards for the 8th time, stop by Buffalo Wild Wings on December 30th! Nipmuc Model UN is hosting a fundraiser at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Stop by Mr. Moloney's room 333 or ask a member of Model UN for a copy of the coupon.

Want to win an Amazon gift card?  Stop by the media center and check out a new book.  Read it and put your name in for the gift card.  See Mrs. V. for more information.

Applications for the January Driver Education class are available in the office and on the school website.  The evening class will be held Tuesday & Thursday nights for 5 weeks from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. starting January 12th.  Return your completed application and check to the office by January 11th.

Giving Opportunities:

• Help support our furry friends this holiday season by donating pet essentials for cats and dogs.  A box is in the lobby and at Westboro Pet.  Contact Natalie Rodman with any questions.
• Coat drive - new and gently-used, clean adult and children's coats being collected.
• Dnate to the Mendon Food Pantry.  The Mendon Senior Center is looking for dry goods.  Donate peanut butter, crackers, cereals, fruit cups, granola bars, apple sauce, and gummies.  Contact Emily Gay with any questions.

Student Feature Friday - Light for Loved Ones

Seniors Samantha Taddei and Ashley Sewell

On December 5 Nipmuc seniors Samantha Taddei and Ashley Sewell succeeded not only in raising funds to fight cancer, but also in lifting the hearts and spirits of our community. Samantha and Ashley organized the "Light for Loved Ones" event in which community members purchased floating lanterns to honor the memory of loved ones who were lost to cancer. In designing the event, the girls were inspired to create an opportunity for people to gain support from each other, reminisce about those who were lost, and take steps to fight cancer. Through their efforts they raised a total of $2,322 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and provided a chance for our community to join together in support of our loved ones. In this week's Feature Friday post, I had the chance to hear from Ashley and Samantha about their work on this impactful project.

Ashley Sewell 
Q. How did you get the idea for your DECA project?
A. We got this idea sitting on the beach one day over the summer. We thought of so many ideas that day. We had one general idea that we wanted to give to the Dana Farber institute. We knew this because we both lost our grandmothers to lung cancer and they both went there. After endless conversations we thought about the lanterns we saw over the summer and it hit us. Why don't we light them off in honor of a loved one?


Q. What impact did the event have on those who attended and the community?
A. It had a great impact. Everyone was so supportive and happy about the event. I personally talked to as many people as I could and they were all so happy about the entire thing. They felt it was a great idea and were so happy we put it on.

Q. What impact did the event have on you?
A. The event to me was so successful. I had recently lost my grandmother whom I lived with my entire life. It was hard on my family and this event helped me feel better. The event also showed me a possible major. I always wanted to go into journalism but I'm leaning towards event management because it was such an amazing experience. I enjoyed the entire thing. Being able to give back to a community and learning in general was great.

Samantha Taddei

Q. What were some of the greatest challenges you faced in organizing the event?
A. I'd say one of the greatest challenges in planning our event was not knowing what to expect. Ashley and I had no prior experience in planning an event this large and this sentimental on our own. However, Mr. Perras was very helpful in assisting us with whatever we needed. We also reached out to my cousin who is the executive event coordinator for UMass Lowell, and she gave us great advice. Another challenge was getting the event perfect. We were both in love with the idea we had come up with and wanted to make the event as perfect as possible, especially because it was such a sensitive subject. Trying to make the event as perfect as possible, we gave it 110% of our effort, sometimes this stress was hard to overcome.

Q. What impact did the event have on those who attended and the community?
A. On the night of the ceremony, Ashley and I gave speeches before we gave the cue for everyone to light off their lanterns. During my speech, the crowd was completely silent. I could tell that what I was saying moved them even though I couldn't see their faces. As soon as everyone began to light off their lanterns, they would watch them rise up to the sky. Families were hugging each other, some were crying, and some just watched in awe. The night was truly amazing and I could tell we made an impact.


Q. What impact did the event have on you?
A. Leading up to the event I was anxious about giving my speech in front of 50 people. Talking about how my grandmother’s death had affected me has always been a hard thing to do, especially in front of a crowd. After giving my speech, I felt proud. I knew that what I said touched the crowd before me. As I walked around the beach assisting families with their lanterns, I could tell how moved they were by the night my best friend and I had created. This truly inspired me. I loved how two high school students could make such an impact on their community. I learned that you can accomplish almost anything if you put your mind to it. This night impacted me and I hope Ashley and I can hold future events to help raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

You can get more information about the event by checking their Facebook page here.

Teaching and Learning: 5 Reminders to Build Assessment Capacity

One of the most impactful results of our ongoing work with curriculum design, review, and revision is the development of a shared understanding of what exemplary curriculum looks like at Nipmuc Regional. We began by collaboratively crafting essential questions and enduring understandings, by discussing and deciding upon skills and content, and by carefully aligning learning experiences to standards.

As Nipmuc completes Stage 1 of its curriculum work, we have added a layer of assessment goals on top of the curriculum. Departments are working together to build common assessments, making decisions about the tools we use, what we measure, and how we use the results. To support this work, we spent some time with our department chairs developing some key reminders to build assessment capacity.

Included below are 5 reminders to build assessment capacity. 

1. Different assessments, different purposes. As we work together to build common assessments, our first task is to solidify a shared understanding of the different types of assessments and when to use them. Included below is set of definitions of some of the essential tools in our teachers' tool-kit.

Types of Assessment (created w/ Post-It Plus & Notability)

2. Formative assessment = Assessment FOR student learning. During the past two years we have increased the use of formative assessment as a critical part of teaching and learning. We’ve made progress through two main developments. First, we used the NEASC process as a way to evaluate our practice and reflect on progress. The Standards for Accreditation provided us with a solid starting point to develop a shared understanding of formative assessment and how it is used. 

The standard for instruction (not assessment) asks that teachers adjust their instruction to meet the needs of every student by using formative assessment. It also asks that they improve their instruction by reviewing formative assessment results. Our conversations through the self-study process and use of Google Docs to create a catalogue of formative assessment strategies highlighted the many ways that we captured data about student learning in order to change teaching. 

As highlighted in the chart above, formative assessment isn’t about grades or report cards. Formative assessment isn’t for the student; it’s for the teacher.

3. Get your feedback fast...go digital. The second way our school has expanded its use and understanding of formative assessment is by going 1:1. Putting iPads in everyone’s hands not only made formative assessment easier but also helped us to gain a common understanding of how it can be used. As I visit classrooms I see a diverse range of tools being put to use including Kahoot!, Google Forms, Socrative, PollEverywhere, Plickers and VersoApp among others. Each tool has different reasons why it works. Kahoot! gamifies formative assessment making it fun and a little suspenseful for the students. Socrative gets used a bit more formally, with teachers benefiting from the real time view of individual student and whole class success with a question. Google Forms allow access to powerful data by exporting to Google Sheets or compiling stats, answers, and comments in the summary page.

While all of the tools have different strengths, there is a great deal of commonality in the information they present. What makes these tools valuable for formative assessment, though, isn’t the information provided but how the teacher uses that information. Effective use of these digital tools means responding on the fly. Teach the concept, check the learning, adjust the instruction. Great teaching is still a human capacity… the technology simply allows great teachers to respond faster.

4. Performance assessment leads to higher-order thinking. Throughout last year we worked with Quality Performance Assessment to develop ways to measure achievement of our 21st century learning expectations. What we learned from that process - beyond the impact of protocols and calibration on our professional work - was that making learning authentic leads to higher-order thinking.

Performance assessment asks students to show their learning by completing a task. Our assessments ask them to analyze or examine; to critique or defend; to design or construct. You can't develop a performance assessment task without using these verbs. In order to perform well they must not only remember or understand but also analyze, evaluate, and create.

5. Make common assessments a common occurrence.  Common assessments are periodic assessments that are collaboratively designed by all teachers of the same course.  The assessments are aligned to the Stage 1 of curriculum and represent the power standards of the unit.  Common assessment results are analyzed collaboratively to guide instructional planning in the future.

Creating a digital catalog of our skills, content, essential questions, and enduring understanding gives us the potential to have a rigorous, aligned, shared set of learning experiences for our students. Without this work completed, we would not be able to establish common assessments. 

As we expand common assessments, we must first agree upon what makes an assessment "common". The first answer to this question is that the assessment includes the same questions that are asked of students across all sections and teachers of a course. Different teachers, same assessment. Second, the assessment should be given at the similar point on the curriculum map. It's important that students are taking the assessment after reaching the same point in the curriculum. Third, the data gathered from the assessment is put to use in a purposeful way.

By aligning content standards with assessments and deliberate instruction, teachers develop a depth of knowledge about their content standards, improve their ability to design assessments, learn to better link assessments with instruction, and plan for intervention for students who continue to struggle

In order to be able to build common assessments you need a few key ingredients including:

• a written curriculum in a common format ...Check
• regular common planning time embedded in the school day for teacher collaboration… Check
• a tool like the “Assessment Validation Protocol” to evaluate assessment quality… Check
• collaborative faculty members who support their colleagues' professional growth… Check

We’re ready to make common assessments a common practice!

Resources for Assessment 
Maureen Cohen's "Assessment FOR Learning"
Maureen Cohen's Assessment Literacy Video Tutorial Series

Edudemic's "Every Teacher's Guide to Assessment"


Follow me on Twitter @JohnKClements or @NipmucNews

Announcements December 14 - 18, 2015

Morning Announcements
Environmental Club will be meeting during both breaks in room 123 today.

Need hours?  Sign up to help at Youth Baseball for fundraising at the snack table.  Where?  BVT  When?  January 2, 9, 16 & 23 from 6:30 - 9 p.m.  Sign up in room 217 ASAP!

Good luck to Boys & Girls Indoor Track on their first DVC meet at Northbridge High School at 5:30 p.m. today.

Opening night for girls hoop this Friday (12/18) at 6:30 p.m. vs. Douglas.  All students admitted free with a canned good or nonperishable item.

Attention AP Students:  Payments for AP exams are now being accepted.  The cost is $92 per exam.  Please bring payment to Mrs. Grady in the School Counseling Center.  If you need to make payment arrangements, please see Ms. Larracey or Mrs. Grady.  Final payment is due on Friday, January 22nd.

Model UN meeting after school on Tuesday, 12/15 in room 333 to talk about a fundraiser.

Attention ski club!  If you ordered a ski club hat, you may pick it up on Wednesday, 12/16 in Ms. Brazil's room 139 during green or blue break.

Want to win an Amazon gift card?  Stop by the media center and check out a new book.  Read it and put your name in for the gift card.  See Mrs. V. for more information.

Applications for the January Driver Education class are available in the office and on the school website.  The evening class will be held Tuesday & Thursday nights for 5 weeks from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. starting January 12th.  Return your completed application and check to the office by January 11th.

Giving Opportunities:

• Canned food items being collected and a chance to win a pizza party after school with you and 5 of your friends.  See Rachel Thibodeau with questions.
• Milford Hospital is collecting new activity books, coloring books, markers and crayons for their pediatric unit.  Donations collected in a box in the Nipmuc office until December 18th. See Cole Alibozek with questions.
• The American Red Cross Club is collecting new, packaged male and female adult socks for local veteran's hospitals.  Donations can be placed in the "Socks for Soldiers" box in the lobby until Monday, December 21st.
• Help support our furry friends this holiday season by donating pet essentials for cats and dogs.  A box is in the lobby and at Westboro Pet.  Contact Natalie Rodman with any questions.
• Coat drive - new and gently-used, clean adult and children's coats being collected.

Student Feature Friday - Nipmuc Students Earn Eagle Scout Award

On Saturday, December 5th, Nipmuc seniors Zachary Schofield and Matthew O'Brien were among four Scouts honored at Troop 1 Mendon Eagle Court of Honor. The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest honor granted by the organization. Nipmuc is thrilled to have two young men who have used their experience with the scouts to develop their skills as leaders to give back to the community.

In this week's feature, I'm happy to be able to share my conversation with our newest Eagle Scouts.

Matthew O’Brien
Q. How did you first become involved in Scouts?
A. I, along with my twin brother and fellow Eagle Scout Jon, first became involved in scouting through our dad. He, (also an Eagle Scout from Troop 689, Seaford, NY) worked for 38 years in the Boy Scouts of America Supply Division as the Territory Manager of the New England Region, operating all of the Boy Scout's retail operations in the Northeast. Through my father's job, I was exposed to the Boys Scouts at a young age, working behind a counter at scouting events as young as kindergarten. By the time I was old enough to actually join Cub Scouts I was rearing and ready to go, with my eyes affixed on one goal: attaining Eagle Scout as my father had done before me.
Q. What was your project to become an Eagle Scout?
A. My Eagle Scout project was to remove the old, rotted guardrails at the Mendon Town Beach parking lot and replace them with new ones, fashioned from telephone poles. I enlisted the help of fellow scouts, friends, and family members over the course of 104 total hours of work.

Q. What does it mean to you to be an Eagle Scout?
A. Being an Eagle Scout, one looks at the world and tackling challenges in a completely new light. Before I attained the rank, I said to myself, "I don't know if I can do it". Now I say to myself, "I can do it". Being that the journey to Eagle was a ten year process for me, I have realized that I can start things and see them through to the very end. The journey to Eagle is both long and tiresome, hence why only four percent of scouts attain the rank. Yet, when peering down from the top of Eagle Summit, the journey up does not look so daunting. Yes, being an Eagle Scout opens up doors in the line of careers, scholarships, and other opportunities, but I feel the most important aspect of being an Eagle Scout is the amount of self-worth it gives an individual. Knowing that you belong to a fraternity of the likes of President Gerald R. Ford, Robert McNamara, Neil Armstrong, and Steven Spielberg certainly places a great amount of pride on a young mind.

Zachary Schofield
Q. How did you first become involved in Scouts?
A. I first became involved in scouting by my personal interest, but also most importantly because of my mother. She first introduced the program to me which I loved, being with friends and having a good time while doing outdoor activities was extremely fun, and that was only Cub Scouts! When getting into Boy Scouts a lot of our fellow scouts dropped out of the program and we were left with only a fraction of the people who started with us, but we persevered through this change and were inducted into Boy Scouts.

Q. What was your project to become an Eagle Scout?
A. My Eagle project was to construct and install settings for Outdoor Stations of the Cross for the St. Gabriel's Parish in Upton. This project actually took about a year and a half to complete in full. The plaques for the stations were funded by Father Mahoney (at a cost of $10,000), who proposed the project to me because the project is dedicated to his family. We had to research all different types of settings to build for the plaques. Eventually I worked with the grounds committee to come up with the design you see there today. The first setting took 8 hours to build and to figure out the measurements, then the other 13 settings took 8 hours total because we already had the measurements and the angles. Installing the settings took a total of approximately three hours to install all 14 stations. There were also other processes and service hours in between but these were the major ones. In order to fundraise for these stations, we asked for donations from the parish community and as a gift for donating, they received a dedication on the station they donated, "This station donated..." was the wording on the plaques, and the rest was chosen by the donors.

Q. What does it mean to you to be an Eagle Scout?
A. That's really a loaded question! The biggest part of my answer is that it's an extreme honor. To be involved and counted among the highest ranking members of the scouting program and in a few cases the world (for example Neil Armstrong) is absolutely unreal. To even think a person like me could be identified as an Eagle Scout among some of the world's greatest leaders and pioneers, I can't even describe how it feels. I'm incredibly proud of my achievement and at the same time incredibly humbled to be counted with all these great people at the rank of Eagle Scout. And forever we will be a part of a family that is millions strong in the world today, with connections all around the world with people we don't even know yet. The Eagle rank, and the involvement in scouting, binds us all as family, all the way down to the scout who just crossed over and is dreaming of attaining Eagle. What it means to be an Eagle Scout to me, is being bound together with millions of other people with a mutual love of togetherness, achievement, duty to God, duty to Country, and the upholding of the Scout Law and Oath. We will forever be a part of an undying family that is millions strong, and worldwide, making a difference by living the Scout oath and being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Announcements December 7 - 11, 2014

Morning Announcements
Attention Juniors and Seniors:  The deadline for STEM and Humanities Scholar applications is this Friday, December 11th.  See Mrs. Hennessey in room 230 with any questions.

Local animal shelter DECA project will be held at the Rose Garden in Upton on Saturday, 12/12 from 6-9.  It's free to enter, there will be a raffle and pizza too! Questions? Contact Mackenzie Callahan, Paige Murphy or Katie Sauer.

Reminder to all girls interested in trying out for spring softball.  There will be a meeting on Tuesday, 12/8 in the media center.  Any questions, please see Mrs. Curtis.

Applications for the January Driver Education class are available in the office and on the school website.  The evening class will be held Tuesday & Thursday nights for 5 weeks from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. starting January 12th.  Return your completed application and check to the office by January 11th.

Want to win an Amazon gift card?  Stop by the media center and check out a new book.  Read it and put your name in for the gift card.  See Mrs. V. for more information.

Giving Opportunities:

• Canned food items being collected and a chance to win a pizza party after school with you and 5 of your friends.  See Rachel Thibodeau with questions.
• Milford Hospital is collecting new activity books, coloring books, markers and crayons for their pediatric unit.  Donations collected in a box in the Nipmuc office until December 18th. See Cole Alibozek with questions.
• Pajama drive for Abby's House.  New women's pajamas collected for the women's shelter until December 11th.
• The American Red Cross Club is collecting new, packaged male and female adult socks for local veteran's hospitals.  Donations can be placed in the "Socks for Soldiers" box in the lobby until Monday, December 21st.
• Help support our furry friends this holiday season by donating pet essentials for cats and dogs.  A box is in the lobby and at Westboro Pet.  Contact Natalie Rodman with any questions.
• Coat drive - new and gently-used, clean adult and children's coats being collected.

Student Feature Friday - Fall Sports All Stars

As we return to school from the Thanksgiving holiday, we mark not only the start of the holiday season but also the beginning of a new athletic season. We begin our winter athletics bolstered by the fantastic parent support, school spirit, and accomplishments that defined our fall season. In this week's feature, I am excited to share the accomplishments of our student-athletes who were recognized as Dual Valley Conference (DVC) all-stars. 

The following two questions were asked of the all-stars.   What was the most memorable part of the past season? What does it mean to you to be selected as a DVC All Star? 

Field Hockey

Sam Capalucci - DVC All Star
Being a DVC All-Star this season meant a lot to me because I was chosen among many players with a lot of skill. Our DVC was very competitive this season so it was a great feeling to come in second place as a team and also be named a first team All Star. My favorite part of the season would definitely have to be playoffs.  We were the fourteenth seed and ended up in semifinals, which no one really expected. Our team this season had a lot of young talent and we relied a lot on our hardworking juniors and sophomores so it was fun to watch everyone grow as players and as a team throughout the season. 

Jill Carey - DVC All Star
This season, my most memorable moment wasn't an amazing win or a crushing loss; it was a tie. We played Holliston on turf under the lights. They were having almost a perfect season and we had no chance. We stepped on the field and played our hearts out. I have never seen such a motivated and positive group of athletes. We walked away 0-0 with a team that was supposed to crush us. For me, that's when the season got serious, that's when I realized how far we could go into post season.  Being a DVC All Star is such a compliment.  It means that, not only is my coach seeing the work I put in on and off the field, but also the hard work is paying off during games and others are taking note. As a junior on the first team, I am more determined than ever to keep improving to make my senior year as successful as possible. 

Bailey Lynch - DVC All Star

My most memorable part of the past season had to be the BVT game during post season. It was a great game played by two very skilled teams. We went into double overtime and there where so many classmates there to support our team. Being a DVC All Star means the world to me. It's a true honor being selected as a sophomore to be an All Star! It has opened up new opportunities for me, and I can't wait to keep playing in the future at a collegiate level. 

Lea Peterson - DVC All Star
The most memorable part of this past season was making it so far in playoffs with my team.  We were the underdogs and we gained a lot of respect from other teams this year. It's a great honor to be a DVC All Star, and I definitely would not be where I am as a field hockey player today if it were not for my team mates.  I don't know what I would do without them.

Rebecca Rausch – DVC All Star

This past season, I decided to play field hockey for the first time.  I was very nervous to try something new so late in my high school career.  Despite my hesitation, I set out to play the position protecting the net; the goalie.  I spent a lot of sweaty and smelly hours during preseason practices trying to get the hang of it, and earn my place on the team.  I had no idea what I was in for.   My coaches were very encouraging and experienced, they helped me get comfortable and learn the position quickly.  My teammates were by my side through thick and thin, fun and pain, always giving me advice, but more importantly being my friend.  Picking just one of the memories this season would be unjust, but overall, the enjoyable atmosphere was my favorite. Along with the atmosphere, the inside jokes I spent hours laughing about, the bus rides, the singing, the embarrassing each other, the tears, and the friendships are all what made this season unforgettable.  The sport has exceeded my expectations in every way.  I am honored to be chosen as a DVC All Star.  This recognition has showed me that hard work and dedication can, and will pay off. This motivates me even more to do my absolute best, not only in field hockey, but in everything I do. 

Golf

Cole Alibozek- DVC All Star
My most memorable part of the past season was winning districts and going to states.  I feel awesome about being a DVC All Star and I want to keep up the good work so I can get DVC All Star for the next two years. 

Justin DiAntonio - DVC All Star

The most memorable part of my last Nipmuc golf season was leading our team to the best golf record in the school’s history and taking home both the DVC and District trophies. I felt as though we grew from a team into more of a family as the season progressed. We knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses and helped one another to improve our game all the way up until the very last match.   Personally, I am honored to be named a DVC All Star; however, I believe the whole team deserves recognition for our accomplishments.  There was never a time during this season that we relied on only one golfer. Everyone stepped up when the team needed it and that is what drove our determination to our 1st place finishes.

John Kossuth - DVC All Star
This past golf season was filled with many great memories and achievements.  As a team we finished 13-2-1 overall which was the best record in Nipmuc Golf history.  We were able to clinch the Dual Valley Conference in the regular season and were able to win the DVC Championship in our first postseason event.  After winning DVC's we moved onto the Division 2 Central Massachusetts Championship where we were able to win by an astounding 24 shots.  This win helped boost our confidence enough to help capture 8th place in the Division 2 State Championship at Crumpin Fox in Bernardston, MA.  In my sophomore and junior year I received honorable mention for all stars which was my primary motivation for doing well in my final season.  So, being selected as a DVC all star is something that I am very grateful and thankful for as it helps to showcase my overall improvement as a player and person over my 4 years on the team.  Not many people can say that they went out on top however, I am very appreciative to say that I did.

Girls Soccer

Leah Fitzgerald - DVC All Star
Remembering back to the soccer season, I always find myself thinking of my teammates. Our chemistry and love for each other only managed to grow throughout our time together.  I remember our wins and losses and everything in between. To be selected as a DVC All Star is kind of rewarding.  I give a lot of credit to my teammates because without them I wouldn't be motivated to work on my weaknesses.

Sophia Hegarty - DVC All Star

The most memorable part of the season cannot be summed up in one moment, but instead by a season's worth of bonding that made my team into my family. The season started with new players and a different feel to the team than the previous year. However, after bus rides, blasting music, and practices and games the team truly came together and created a family that I will never forget.  Being selected as a DVC All Star is such an amazing honor, especially considering the group of talented players that I encountered throughout the season. Being considered one of them means so much to me, I love soccer and have always given everything towards my team and the sport. My team, coach, and school have always been supportive and the award represents not only who I am as a player but where I come from and everyone who has helped me achieve this goal. I am very grateful for this recognition and appreciate it greatly.

Kiley Larocque - DVC All Star, All CMASS and All State

The most memorable part of the past season was building different relationships with my teammates. People who I am not usually close with become my best friends during soccer season. We all create an inseparable bond and enjoy every moment we get to practice and play together. This season was even more so special to me because by being named one of three captains, I had the opportunity to lead and be a good role model for each member on our team. Being named a DVC All Star while being part of a team with a whole lot of talent is a tremendous accomplishment. It only reiterates why I felt this season was so special because it shows that the hard work my teammates and I put in paid off. To be named a DVC All Star is the best way I would have wanted to finish my senior season, and I am proud to have impacted my team positively.

Tori McGrath - DVC All Star, All CMass

It's hard to pick a specific event that stands out this season, because they are all memorable. If I had to pick though, I would have to say our final push to make it into playoffs stands out the most. We had to win our final six games to get in, and we worked our hardest to accomplish this. Even now, months later, I am so proud of my team for the effort that we put in those final games, even though the outcome was not what we had hoped.  When I found out I was a DVC and Central Mass All Star, I was very surprised. This year was the first year that I played center back. It is humbling that I was recognized for all of the time and effort I put in. If it wasn't for the encouragement from the captains, coaches, and my teammates, I wouldn't have had the confidence to go out on the field every game and be successful at this position. I'm thankful for the opportunities that have been giving to me and very grateful for being selected as an All Star.

Angelica Puchovsky - DVC All Star
The most memorable part of this past season was being able to play on the same team with my sister for the first and last time. We are three years apart and even though we both share the same love for the game we were never able to play for the same team. Being able to share my last high school soccer season with her is truly something I will never forget. I will miss so much about high school soccer; not only the competition but creating memories with some of my best friends, and teammates that will last forever. Being recognized as a DVC All Star is such an honor, and a great way to end my high school soccer career. 

Boys Soccer

Bernard Broni - DVC All Star, All CMass
The most memorable part of the season for me was our senior game. I thought that was one of the best games as a team we've played and also as an individual I had played. It was a very close game I remember scoring the first goal and that was the momentum changer. After that they tied it. As a team we knew that we couldn't let all the fans who came to watch us down. In my head I was telling myself that I can't let my senior game be a loss. So I took it into my hands to get the team pumped up. At half time in the huddle I told the team "We've worked all season for a spot in playoffs so we can't be down on ourselves, we need to pick up the momentum and go out and win our senior game.   This is the last time we're ever going to play on this field so let's make it count".  After that we came out strong and I assisted Austin Franzosa for our second goal but Hopedale equalized. So for our third goal I took the ball down the wing saw Austin open so I crossed it in and he scored a header. Winning our senior game and helping our team make playoffs was a big accomplishment for me and making it to the CMass final two years straight was big also. To be selected as a DVC All Star means a lot to me.  I know that all the offseason work I put in paid off and helping my teammate Austin make it also means a lot to me. 

Volleyball

Kylie Gallagher – DVC All Star
The most memorable part of the season was definitely the homecoming game against Hopedale.  The game was so exciting because there was so much energy in the gym. Even though we didn't win the game, I was so glad to see so many students go to the game and to see how volleyball is played in an official setting.  We needed the win if we wanted to make the playoffs, but even without winning the game we ended up going to five games with Hopedale and fought an entertaining game.  Hopefully this event will cause more students to go to more games next year.  Each year as a varsity program we have improved, this year it was to get to 8 games and the next year the goal is to make the playoffs.  To be selected as a DVC All-Star means a lot to me.  It is really cool to be recognized among many other fantastic athletes in the area.  The whole volleyball team works really hard, and I think it shows. It is a great honor to be selected and also have my teammate and classmate, Grace selected.  We look forward to a great senior season next year.

Grace Caughey – DVC All Star
The most memorable part of the past season definitely had to have been our Dig Pink/Homecoming game. Throughout my three years on Varsity I have never seen that many Nipmuc boys and girls come to support our team. Playing against Hopedale  who is such a great rival and we have never played so well against, the fans really helped by cheering us on. It was for such a great cause and everyone had a great time.   The team as a whole played their best that night. Being selected as a DVC All Star means a player who expresses hard work during the season - a player who puts each teammate before themselves and shows true characteristics of being a leader. 

Football

Chris Bechara – DVC All Star
This season, I have made endless memories with the Nipmuc football team. The coaches have been the best mentors a player could ever ask for, not just on the field but off the field. Every single day there would be something to laugh about at practice. It's hard to think of a favorite memory but kissing the Thanksgiving trophy after beating BVT was my best football and high school memory.  I'll never forget the feeling of winning that game for as long as I live. Being a DVC All Star means that all the hard work I've put in this offseason has paid off. I love this team and I hope that we have paved a road for teams below us to follow. 

Zach Hunter - DVC All Star
The most memorable part of the season was definitely the Thanksgiving game. The energy we had to beat BVT was unlike anything else. The crowd was huge and gave us so much motivation to win. Standing out there on the field as the clock expired and just the feeling of beating BVT for the first time in eight years was so incredible. And I will never forget it. As a first year player, I was just hoping to get some playing time. I had no idea that I would become an All Star. I am proud of my accomplishments, I worked very hard to get where I am now. And I also want to thank Coach Hill and my entire team for always believing in me.

Mike Manning - DVC All Star

My favorite memory from football this year is when we beat BVT on Thanksgiving and seeing how excited my team was. It felt good having a winning season and sending my seniors off on a good note.

Ryan Nelson - DVC All Star

Easily the most memorable part of my high school season was beating BVT in the Thanksgiving Day game. Not only was this moment the most memorable of my senior season, but it was the most memorable game of my entire high school career. This win highlighted all of the work we put in as a team throughout the summer and the entire season. Knowing that this was the first time we had beaten BVT in eight years makes this even more memorable. Being a DVC All-Star is truly an honor. All the work I have put in throughout the season has paid off. It was one of my goals from the beginning of the season to end my high school career on a high note and I feel like I accomplished all of my goals, and couldn't be happier about that.

Pete Schiloski - DVC All Star, All CMass

The most memorable part of this football season for me was beating our rival, BVT, for the first time in 8 years on Thanksgiving. This was so special to our whole team because we stated at the beginning of our season that our one definite goal was to beat BVT. Accomplishing this goal made all of our offseason work and early mornings worth it. Being selected as a DVC All-Star means a great deal to me because at the beginning of every season I set personal goals and that was on the top of my list. 

Announcements November 30 - December 4, 2015

Morning Announcements
Please donate any canned food items to the bin in the office for a chance to win a pizza party after school with you and 5 of your friends!  Any questions?  See Rachel Thibodeau.

Do you want to help sick children in the hospital this holiday season?  Milford Hospital is in need of new activity books, coloring books, markers and crayons for their pediatric unit.  Donations will be collected through December 18th in the candy cane box in the office.  If you have any questions, please ask Cole Alibozek.

Attention Class of 2017:  Please stop by Sra. Soto's room 242 if you ordered Yankee candles.  They are in!

Attention all girls interested in trying out for spring softball: There will be a meeting next Tuesday, 12/8 starting at 2 p.m. in the media center.  Any questions, please see Mrs. Curtis.

Attention Freshmen:  Please remember to bring in your pizza order to Sra. Soto's room 242 by Friday, 12/4.

Attention all High Honors Scholars attending the dinner on Friday night:  There will be a meeting in the cafeteria on Thursday, 12/3 at 1:45 p.m.

Attention NHS Members:  There is a meeting this Thursday, 12/3 at 7 a.m. in the auditorium.  Members must attend!

Want to win an Amazon gift card?  Stop by the media center for more details.

A pajama drive will be held at Nipmuc December 1 - 11.  Please consider donating a new set of women's pajamas for Abby's House Women's Shelter.  Collection boxes are in the front and office and school counseling center.

Light for Loved Ones will take place Saturday, 12/5 at Kiwanis Beach.  Ashley Sewell and Samantha Taddei are hosting this event dedicated to those who have been affected by cancer.  All proceeds go to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  Visit "Light for Loved Ones" Facebook page for more information.

Applications for the January Driver Education class are available in the office and on the school website.  The evening class will be held Tuesday and Thursday nights for 5 weeks from 6:30 - 9 p.. starting January 12th.  Return your completed application and check to the office by January 11th.

Student Feature Friday - Nipmuc announces Forty-Five John and Abigail Adams Scholars

Class of 2016 John and Abigail Adams Scholars

Nipmuc Regional High School is pleased to announce that forty-five students in the class of 2016 have qualified to receive the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship based on their performance on grade 10 MCAS English Language Arts and Mathematics tests. This scholarship entitles students to four years of free tuition (not including fees) upon their acceptance to a participating Massachusetts public institution of higher education, including a University of Massachusetts campus, a Massachusetts state university, or a community college.

Congratulations to: 

William Applegate
Jake Barefoot
Brooke Bukunt
Charlotte Burlingame
Samantha Capalucci
Abigail Colombo
Samuel Crocker
Isabel DesRoches
Marla DiPoto
Shannon Dowd
Kristina Dubois
Elizabeth Faubert
William Gavin
Alison Goddard
Elizabeth Hilton
Lauren Jordan
Aaron Kearnan
John Kossuth, Jr.
Ciara Larence
Kiley Larocque
Madison Lynnworth
Hannah Martel
Megan Mathieson
Meghan Mercier
Mary Morcos
Jake Osgood
Jillian Penfield
Karin Plante
Jared Plumb
Sarah Plutnicki
Maxwell Polay
Stephanie Poly
James Rogan
Somaiya Rowland
Madison Sauter
Peter Schiloski
Bryan Seserman
Amanda St. Germain
Carly Thibodeau
Joria Todd
Sarah Tong
Sequoia Tracy Stone
Daniel Whitcomb
William Whitcomb
Steven Wickstrom

Announcements - November 23 - 25, 2015

Morning Announcements
Who wants to hear Ms. Leja sing?  Here's your chance!  The Nipmuc Music Department is holding the first-ever Nipmuc Idol on Tuesday, 11/24 at 7 p.m.  The events will be judged by Mr. Messick, Mr. LaPete, and Senora Soto, with performance by Ms. Leja, the Nipmuc A Capella groups and many more talented musicians.  Tickets will be sold at all lunches for $5 and &7 at the door.  Come support Nipmuc's musical talent!

Freshmen - Please pick up your FAST t-shirts in room 142 during breaks today.

Reminder to all Swim Team members:  There is a meeting at 2:30 after school today (Tues., 11/24).  Let Carly Thibodeau know if you cannot attend.

" Light for Loved Ones",  December 5th at Kiwanis Beach in Upton.  Join Ashley Sewell and Samantha Taddei who are hosting this event dedicated to those who have been affected by cancer.  All proceeds go to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  Visit their Facebook page "Light for Loved Ones" for more information.

Attention Sophomores:  You can pick up your FAST t-shirt beginning today in Mr. Moloney's room 333.

Want to win an Amazon gift card?  Stop by the media center for more details.

Now through November 24th there will be a box in the main office collecting personal care and hygiene items for the Mendon-Upton communities.  Any donations are greatly appreciated.

Applications for the January Driver Education class are available in the office and on the school website.  The evening class will be held Tuesday and Thursday nights for 5 weeks from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. beginning on January 12th.  Return your completed application and check to the office by January 11th.

Win an authentic autographed Rob Gronkowski jersey!  Tickets: 1 for $10 - 3 for $20.  See Mr. Allen or Mr. Della Rovere for tickets.  All proceeds benefit the Nipmuc weight room.

Announcements - November 16 - 20, 2015

Morning Announcements
Nipmuc Drama Guild presents "Harvey"!  Friday 11/20, 7 p.m., Saturday, 11/21, 2p.m. & 7 p.m., and Sunday 11/22, 2 p.m. Tickets are available at www.ticketstage.com/NRHSDG $10 adults and $7 students and seniors.  Don't miss it!

January Driver Education class applications are available in the office and on the school website.  The evening class will be held Tuesday and Thursday nights for 5 weeks from 6:30 - 9 p.m. starting January 12th.  Return your completed application and check to the office by January 11th.

World Challenge will have a meeting today - Weds., 11/18 - from 2 - 3 p.m. in room 310.  Bring your iPads!

There will be a Model UN meeting on Thursday, 11/19, after school in Mr. Moloney's room 333.

The Nipmuc Music Department is holding the first-ever Nipmuc Idol on Tuesday, November 24th at 7 p.m.  The events will be judged by Mr. Messick, Mr. LaPete, and Senora Soto, with performances by Ms. Leja, the Nipmuc A Capella Groups and many talented musicians.  Tickets will be sold at all lunches for $5 and $7 at the door.  Come support Nipmuc's musical talent!

For those students attending the Mike Smith Field Trip - There will be a brief meeting on Tuesday, 11/17, in room 333 after school.

The Nipmuc Book Club will meet on Thursday, 11/19, after school until 3 p.m.  Please bring your book with you to the meeting.

Want to win an Amazon gift card?  Stop by the media center for more details.

Winter sport paperwork is due by this Friday, 11/20.  Please turn paperwork in to Mr. Schmidt in the office.

Reminder to all Swim Team members - fill out all sides of both athletic forms found in the main office.  Questions?  See Carly Thibodeau.

Penny Wars against the classes have begun for FAST!  You can find your class jar in the front office.  Every penny counts!  Also, student sign-ups for pep rally games during FAST can be found on the bulletin board in the cafeteria.  Sign-ups must be completed by Monday the 23rd.  All students must sign up!

Please join us for "Light for Loved Ones" on December 5th at Kiwanis Beach.  Ashley Sewell and Samantha Taddei are hosting this event dedicated to those who have been affected by cancer.  All proceeds go to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  Visit Facebook page "Light for Loved Ones" for more information.

Sign up for winter sports today during all lunches.  Student-athletes should bring all forms and athletic fee of $175.  Forms are available in the main office.  No one can participate in tryouts unless forms are turned in prior to start of practice on Monday, 11/29.

Personal Care/Hygiene Collection - Now through 11/24 there will be a box in the office to collect personal care and hygiene items for the Mendon-Upton community.  Any donations are greatly appreciated.

Win an authentic autographed Rob Gronkowski jersey!  Tickets: 1 - $10, 3 - $20.  See Mr. Allen or Mr. Della Rovere for tickets.  All proceeds benefit the Nipmuc weight room.

Student Feature Friday - Latin American Experience Project

Alexa Mirageas, Pat DeVries of Chevre, Joria Todd, Arianna Aniello

One of this year's most exciting additions to Nipmuc's program of studies is the Latin American Experience. This senior course exposes students to the cultural, social, and political aspects of the Spanish speaking world. One of the key units of the class asks students to build connections with community members who have cultural roots in Latin America. Using their knowledge of Spanish, students are asked to develop relationships with local business owners and professionals in order to develop a more personal and meaningful understanding of Latin American culture.

Students are excited about the course because it gives them a practical way to apply their learning. In speaking about the class with World Language Chairperson, Mrs Tricia Moloney, she mentioned that the class is a great fit for seniors because it "gets them out into the community to interact with real people in real situations. The class helps to get students out of their comfort zone in order to interact with community members as they will in their life beyond high school."

After visiting the class, I knew I wanted to feature the impressive projects being completed in the course.  This week I am excited to share the work of Alexa Mirages, Joria Todd, and Arianna Aniello. Through their project these students connected with Patricia DeVries, owner of Chevere, a jewelry store and gift shop in Uxbridge.  Ms. DeVries met with the students to share the story of her journey to America from Latin America and the challenges she overcame to become a small business owner. Included below you will find our students' thoughts about what they took away from this awesome experience.

Arianna Aniello
Q. Tell me about the Latin American Experience course and what you enjoy most about the class?
A. I decided to take the Latin American Experience class for a different type of Spanish class rather than grammar and spelling. This class was a lot different than what I expected and is for sure an experience in itself. The class focuses mainly on Latin America - learning new things about the culture along with finding people in the real world and talking to them about their experiences. This class is a new style of learning to learn and explore outside of the classroom. A project-based class, that teaches you a lot of skills you'll need to know for the future, including how to be self-reliant and mange your time wisely. I most enjoy being able to find people around me who have Latin backgrounds and learning about their experiences there and coming to America. It's a great thing when school and fun combine, being able to talk to real people one-on-one while learning at the same time. I especially love working with my friends on these projects getting to experience the same things with them as well. I do think this class is a good start for allowing students to have trust with their teachers and learn outside of the classroom. I am very happy to have taken the Latin America Experience class this year and I encourage students to take it in the future.

Q. What are some of the skills you used in order to complete this project?
A. Throughout this project I have learned a lot of new learning skills. This project was mostly something we had to complete ourselves with some guidance from Mrs. Moloney. We had a due date and we had a list of things we needed to get done by that time on our own. We had to find a business owner, set up multiple times to meet and discuss with her, complete a trifold poster on the business, and set up a filmed interview. This project taught me how to be more self reliant which is a skill I used. You need to be able to handle things in and outside of the classroom on your own without a teacher telling you when do to them. Also time management skills, being able to find time to get everything done. A new style of learning and having trust with your teacher to be able to leave the classroom to get work done. I feel like this class will help us in the future for college when we have to do everything on our own, this is a good starting point for that.

Alexa Mirageas
Q. What was the most interesting/rewarding part of your project?
A. The most interesting part of my project was getting a personal perspective from someone whose story we were researching. I was able to see a different point of view and learn about an unique experience in a different way. The most rewarding part of the project was being able to use my Spanish education in a useful way. I contributed by translating and interviewing in Spanish. It was rewarding to know how beneficial my education in Spanish had become.

Q. Tell me about the Latin American Experience course and what you enjoy most about the class?
A.The Latin American Experience course is a course that gives you a different classroom experience. Students were able to leave class and given the responsibility to complete their class work and term project on their own schedule. I enjoyed the freedom and different experiences this course offered.

Joria Todd
Q. What was the most interesting/rewarding part of your project?
A. The most rewarding part of this project was seeing how happy Pat was to talk about Chevere and to hear her story of coming to America. It was so eye opening listening to a first-hand account of someone telling their own story instead of reading it or hearing it from someone else. It also felt so good to know that we could complete a project this extensive and do a good job on it as high school student.

Q. Tell me about the Latin American Experience course and what you enjoy most about the class?
A. I love the freedom Mrs. Moloney gives us. She really trusted us enough to go off during class time to interview Pat and buy poster supplies. It was nice that a teacher recognized that we can handle a challenge and use our time wisely and effectively even if we're not under their watchful eye.

Mrs. Moloney also has so many group and hands-on activities that keeps all types of learners involved and engaged. I'm never bored in her class and I actually learn well from her teaching style. The Latin American Experience class is structured so as to give us a lot of freedom and really let us learn how to be time efficient. It is also nice to learn more about the Latin culture because I haven't been exposed to it before.

Q. What are some of the skills you used in order to complete this project?
A. The skills we used every class were time management, creativity, effective collaboration, technology skills (updating our blog from our iPads, creating our movie, editing our interview), and soft skills, like good interview practices and how to act in a professional setting.

Overall, this project was so educational and was one of the highlights of my year and one of the most effective and worthwhile projects I have done at Nipmuc. Pat was awesome to work with and Mrs. Moloney's project taught the three of us so much about ourselves, group projects, and the Latin American culture.

Thank you Arianna, Alexa, Joria, and Mrs. Moloney! You can access the students' blog which captures some of their work in the project here.