Boothbay Region High School

From the Principal’s Desk: We have had another excellent school opening. We have so many things going on in our school that are great for kids. We encourage you to take every opportunity to come into the building and participate in those activities that showcase our students: drama activities, art shows, athletic events, class suppers, family cookouts, and open houses. One way to know what is going on is to get onto our daily email list. If you are not receiving my “daily notes”, I invite you to send an email to the above address and let me know you would like to do so; I’ll gladly add you to my regular mailing list.

One way you can stay in touch with your students’ progress is by checking in on our website, through PowerSchool. We have sent home an ‘id’ for each of you with a personal password. If you haven’t checked in, and are unsure how to do so, please give us a call, or email David Landry at the High School: dlandry@brhs.boothbay.k12.me.us. He will make sure you have what you need.

Thanks. Jack

Library News

There are two new faces in the Library this year: Sharon Babbitt is the new Librarian and Emily Brunell is the new Library Assistant. Both staff members are enjoying helping students and teachers with their research and library media needs.

During the week of October 14-20, we celebrated Teen Read Week, an annual event sponsored by the American Library Association to encourage teenagers to read for enjoyment. Mrs. Hammond’s freshman English classes paired up with Boothbay Region Elementary School students for “buddy reading”. All participants found this to be a rewarding experience. The library also sponsored an anime/manga (Japanese illustration) drawing contest. Many thanks to Ryan Colby, Stephanie Earle, Aum Santikunaporn, and Preston Tsang for displaying their artwork in the library during Teen Read Week.

ART NEWS !!

Many of the art classes took an interesting field trip on Wednesday, October 3rd to see the "Portraits of Guantanamo" (sponsored by Amnesty International) at the Lincoln Street Center for the Arts and Education, and The Farnsworth Museum (both in Rockland, Maine). Five wonderful parent volunteers (Debra Ramsey, Susan Hodder, Trish Monroe, Linda Yarmosh, Connie Colby) and I chaperoned the close to sixty students who attended. We viewed a multitude of interesting images, many by well-known artists. I feel that we were most touched, though, by the "heart wrenching" images and poetry at the Guantanamo exhibit. ----Star Struck!!!--- Students (and chaperons!) will probably most remember seeing, meeting and getting Andrew Wyeth's autograph at the Farnsworth. The ninety-year-old Wyeth, who is usually quite a recluse, just happened to be at the museum checking out the hanging of a painting that he has just completed. We also saw his infamous model "Helga", who accompanied him. We definitely had a memorable time and learned so much!----

On Saturday, October 20th, Haley White attended the BSA (Boston Society of Architects) Architecture and Design College and Career Day held at Wentworth Institute of Technology. She was able to meet with representatives of various architecture and design schools. Also available to her were workshops on portfolio requirements, career options, a day in the life of an architect, sustainable/green design and computer-aided design (CAD).

On Sunday, November 4th, four students (Erinn Chipman, Drew Schmid, Jessica Wilkey, Cody Barry) and Mrs. Lewis are taking a bus, provided by Maine College of Art, to Massachusetts College of Art to attend the 2007 National Portfolio Day. (This opportunity was offered to all art students!) Students will be able to visit booths and meet with representatives (to get general information and portfolio requirements) from many colleges that have excellent art and design departments.

From Frau Baade:

German American Partnership Program Bad Harzburg and Boothbay Harbor 2007-08

On Friday the 12th of October the Gapp students with their teacher and chaperone arrived with a three-hour delay at the Portland Airport. They were greeted with a banner and flowers welcoming them to our country and a new experience. They were weary after their long trip; we were excited to meet them. Once everyone had found their partner and greeted each other halting conversations began. Peter Kerlin, their English teacher, had prepared his students well. There were actually some lively conversations on the bus as we drove home to Boothbay Harbor.

Once we arrived there it was amazing, as always, how quickly everyone disappeared except for two lonely suitcases whose owner had left them in the excitement. To alleviate the anxiety his owner would have experienced once he wanted to brush his teeth, Mark Keegan called the home of the hosts and graciously agreed to wait until the suitcases were retrieved. Mark and Louise are hosting Peter and Anne Kerlin while Emily Brunell, our library assistant, is hosting Britta Osterheld, the young German chaperone. This is Britta's second trip. On Saturday we all met again at the Home of Peter Panagore and Michelle Miclette. Thank you for your hospitality. The food was wonderful. Thank you to all the mothers who baked and prepared salads, and a big thank you also to Chris Brandt and Woden Vanderlaan, who flipped the burgers and turned the hotdogs. Thanks to Lara Brandt, we had a fun with a getting to know each other game. It was a true icebreaker and I was delighted by the enthusiasm of the students as they milled around trying to find out information about each other. The weather was a beautiful Maine fall day and a perfect backdrop for the festivities.

On Sunday we enjoyed a two-hour boat ride on the Harbor Princess with Woden Vanderlaan at the wheel. We saw plenty of seals and porpoises and enjoyed the ride and the sunshine. For me it was a particular wonderful experience since I love to be on the water. Thank you to the Vanderlaans for their generosity. On Monday Mr. Tourtillotte welcomed the Gapp students in the cafeteria, there were refreshments and afterwards the American students toured the school with their partners.

Wednesday, which was a testing day for all sophomores and juniors, and a college fair for seniors, the German students only went to visit the State Museum and the State House in Augusta. We had excellent guides both at the museum and at the State House. As a special treat we were invited into the governor's office. Unfortunately the governor was not there but it was still a privilege. Our field trip included a trip to one of America's finest eateries "Macdonalds".

Thursday we went to Reid State Park. I chose Reid State Park because it is very different from German beaches with its spectacular rock formations. We played frisbee, football and soccer and got our feet wet walking along the water's edge. Playing games and having fun together cements the bonds of friendship as does food and so we ended the afternoon with ice cream at "Friendly's".

Friday night the Gapp students went to the football game and cheered for the right team. The football game under the lights was a unique experience for our guests whose national sport, which everyone plays from the time they are three, is soccer.

For Saturday Chris Brandt had arranged a tour of BIW for us. It was interesting to be inside the shipyard of which for the past 40 years I only got a glimpse from the bridge. I think most of us found the tour fascinating. Did you know that a destroyer costs two billion dollars from birth to retirement? Thank you Chris for arranging and giving the tour. Andy Benedict, whose daughter Katelyn was part of the Gapp exchange a number of years ago, also gave up his afternoon to tour the yard with us. Thank you. And thank you to Wolf Schumann who lends me his shoes so I could participate in the tour of the yard. I felt like Walt Disney's cartoon creation " Daisy".

On Wednesday the 24th we are off to Boston. As always I anticipate it will be an exciting if long day. We will be going to the Museum of Science, the Freedom Trail and Quincy Market.

Thursday we will indulge in Pizza at the "House of Pizza”. Compliments of the Rigas family. Thank you .You make the finest pizza. Friday will find us on the water again. This time on the "Novelty”. Thank you to Kathy Reed. Finally we will have our" Farewell-German -American Evening" on Sunday at 5:00pm.We provide the food, the German students under the direction of their teacher and chaperones will delight us with entertainment. Monday morning at 7:00am our German guests will leave for New York where they stay for three days before returning to their hometown Bad Harzburg. We already look forward to our visit to Germany in April 2008 and meeting our friends in Bad Harzburg. Auf Wiedersehen in Bad Harzburg

NWEA Results

As a consequence of some technical difficulty, testing began later than usual. All schools should be completed testing and make-ups by November 3, which will allow the district to then send out the NWEA report card to parents. In the meantime, parents can access their student’s results by contacting any building principal. The information contained within can be a good conversation starter with the student’s teacher.

This year teachers in homerooms or advisor/advisee groups will be reviewing individual student data with each student. Inherent in the review is the expectation that the student will identify areas of need and a goal to help fill the need. This individual goal will be something periodically reviewed with the student to see if additional support is needed. Parents and students are encouraged to review the data and establish ways to further enhance the student’s skills.

Core content classroom teachers will also establish a common goal for each of their classes, directed specifically at strengthening use of informational texts and other printed material. This course of action was made based upon data review from the NWEA, MEA, and SAT results.

Mr. L'Heureux will be taking his two student teachers; Devin Mellor and Elizabeth McIlwain, to Washington D. C. to meet with various Supreme Court Justices on November 4-7. This trip has been made available and is completely funded by the Annenberg Foundation at Sunnylands in Pennsylvania. Devin and Liz will be representing the state of Maine, with two other student representatives from each of the fifty states also in attendance. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that Boothbay Region High School is able to offer two of its finest students.

Mrs. McKenna's junior advisor-advisee group will be "trick or treating" at St. Andrews village on Halloween. Students will be wearing the costumes but giving out the goodies to residents. Students are helping provide the treats by purchasing items or making them. Last year, this same group of students made several visits to the village at Christmas, Valentine's Day and May Day. The residents love seeing the students and our students are eager to make visits again this year.

Boothbay’s Outing Club spent the weekend of 12 October sailing on board the Alamar in Penobscot Bay. After spending the night in Bucksport, the 8 members sailed early on Saturday morning from Castine. While members of the club cooked breakfast in the galley of the 50-foot schooner, the rest of the club carried out the duties of the crew on deck. The day was spectacular as the Alamar sailed through Eggemoggin Reach and around Stonington, spending the night on the backside of Vinalhaven Island. Charles Benton, who volunteered his time, providing these students with an opportunity to spend 2 days sailing a traditional wooden vessel, captained the boat. The students spent the night on board and returned to Castine, cold and weary, on Sunday.

Freshman Academy

World Cultures classes are exploring Africa. They have been practicing note taking and mapping. Reading and analyzing articles about African countries will lead to individual reports on modern countries and a student produced news program in the next few weeks.

Psychology Class

Psychology students are studying human development, the theories of Eric Erickson, Jean Piaget and Laurence Kholberg. They have been observing pre-schoolers at Headstart and the YMCA Day Care centers. Further observations will be done at Boothbay Elementary School in classrooms and on the playground as they look at cognitive and social development and reflect on their own experiences.

1) Yearbook update -

Seniors - we have less than half of the pictures needed from the senior class. To review what is needed - 1 color photo (portrait), a second photo (which will appear in yearbook in black and white but can be submitted either color or b/w) and a baby photo. To make sure we can make our deadline, we will need those no later than November 9th. If you need more time than this, please email Eric Chamberlin at echamberlin@brhs.boothbay.k12.me.us to let us know your timeline.

Yearbook sales - Very soon we anticipate having the order forms to order the 07-08 yearbooks. These will be due by November 16th if you want the early sale price ($38 versus $48 after the 16th). A quick note about the cost of the yearbook, our yearbook costs roughly $15,000 to create. Each year, we sell 160+ copies, which bring the cost per book at nearly $90/book. The difference between the cost and the sale price is made up with ads. We have traditionally sold our yearbooks at a very low price and that is catching up with us as we have more and more competition for ad revenue. This year's price increase was made to try to bridge the gap between our costs and the price of the book. It is our goal to not have another price increase in near future. We are exploring other ways to bring in revenue for the yearbook account (see the story below about sports photos and year in review DVD's) to make sure that the cost of the book stays as low as possible.

Year in review DVD - This will be a compilation of the sights and sounds of the 07-08 year, along with pictures, and music. This is being sold with the yearbook for $10 or by itself for $15.

2) Sports Photos - The yearbook class is very excited to offer this year's sports photos, which are being done in house. We have taken nearly all the team and individual photos, edited them and have them online for your review. There are a few package choices that you can choose from and orders will be taken through the yearbook sports photos team.

For all this information and more - please visit our website at www.schoolunion49.org/sportsphotos. You will find all the proofs of the pictures and an order form you can download with instructions how to complete your order.

IMPORTANT - We will be making 2 orders for pictures to keep our costs down for shipping. If you plan to order your sports photos, the early order date will be November 2 and the second order date will be November 16th. Any orders in before the 2nd will go out that afternoon and will be delivered the following week. Any orders in before the 16th will not be returned to students until after the Thanksgiving holiday. Again, all this information is on the website - www.schoolunion49.org/sportsphotos.

Guidance News - October 2007

Financial Aid Night: (12^th grade) Just a reminder that Financial Aid Night will be November 8th, at 6:30 PM in the high school theatre. Steve Joyce, Director of Student Aid at Bowdoin College, provides an informative and interesting presentation. Every parent whose son or daughter will be going to college next year should attend this meeting. Please put this on your calendars.

College Admissions Testing: (12^th grade) The next opportunity to take the SATs is for the December 1^sttest date- the deadline to register is October 30th. For those students who took the SATs October 6^th your test results will be available online October 25^th. If your son or daughter is interested in taking the ACTs, the next available test date is December 8^th and you must register by November 2^nd. Most colleges require an official score report be sent from the testing agency, check individual college applications for specific requirements. Score reports can be sent through www.collegeboard.com to the colleges your child is applying to.

College Day at BRHS (12^th grade): Last week BRHS had its first “College Day” for seniors. Students attended 4 sessions in the first half of the day: 2 sessions geared specifically towards college and 2 sessions focused on entering the world of work. Students heard practical advice to move forward from here: writing your college essay, managing your college selection and applications, choosing a career that suits you, and interviewing for a job. The event was a success and presenters were thrilled with our seniors’ attentiveness throughout the morning.

Senior Checklist

Take your SAT I & II in December, if you need another round.

Read college materials with a critical eye for what you are seeking.

Final college visits. Plan overnight stays and interviews with your top choices.

Attend college information sessions in the Guidance Office (listed on our website)

Begin writing your college essays.

Complete your college applications, sooner rather than later!

Give your transcript request/school report to Mrs. Paradis and recommendation forms to your teachers and peers (where requested.) with a 3-week notice. Details, an important part of the game!

Career Day (7^th-12^th grade) A committee has formed to plan this year’s Career Day being held on March 26,2008. We welcome all parents to join our planning committee and/or join the school’s career directory. We are in need of individuals willing to visit our classrooms and speak about their jobs, specifically on March 26^th. If you are willing to share your expertise, please visit the school website and click on the “career directory” link or contact Shaye Paradis. (633-2421 or sparadis@brhs.boothbay.k12.me.us)

Accommodations for PSATs, SATs, and ACTs (All grades): Students may qualify to have his or her active IEP or 504 accommodations extended to tests given by outside agencies such as the College Board. Please contact Shaye Paradis, if your student or you are interested in applying for such accommodations. I recommend beginning the eligibility process at least a few months before the student plans on sitting for the exam to ensure our request is approved.

Freshman Academy

English 9: As part of our Teen Read Week (Oct. 14 - 20) activities, English 9 students read with BRES students. Our freshmen chose appropriate books, learned tips and techniques for reading with younger students, and practiced in preparation for the real deal. I'm not sure who enjoyed it the most, the little ones, the big ones, or the teachers! We thank Mrs. Crocker, Ms. Miller, Mrs. Sceviour, and Mrs. Spaulding for inviting us into their classrooms. Given all the positive feedback, we anticipate repeat visits.

Reminder: please return the permission slip for A Christmas Carol with $10 as soon as possible. We need to collect payment by Nov. 9 to pay for our reserved tickets.

Community Service: On October 17, our freshmen worked in both Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor doing roadside cleanup. The students did an excellent job and were surprised by how much litter they retrieved from the ditches. We celebrated their hard work later that day with an ice cream social.

Field Trip: The freshman class is going to the Museum of Science in Boston on Friday, Nov. 2. If you are a parent interested in chaperoning this trip, please note that on the permission slip, which needs to be in by Wed., Oct. 31.

Model United Nations Club

Ms. Hammond, Mrs. Sirois and Mrs. Carter will be advising the Model UN Club this year. Our initial meeting will be on Monday, Oct. 29, to discuss the schedule, activities, and expectations. Students who successfully complete the program requirements will earn an elective social studies credit. We are beginning earlier this year to get a head start on this rigorous endeavor. Upperclassmen have open invitations; freshmen are selected for invitation. Parents who are interested in learning more about this club are encouraged to contact Ms. Hammond for more information.

The School Health Center is busy again with visits from students and staff. Lori Grinnell, the School Nurse, is available most mornings at the Health Center from 8-9 a.m. Anne Barker, Nurse Practitioner is available for office visits on Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoons. We have logged 38 billable office visits since school started. The most common visits have been around upper respiratory illnesses such as coughs, bronchitis, ear infections and strep. One of the best ways to prevent the spread of these kinds of illnesses is to keep your student home when there is a fever, significant sore throat, wet or productive cough, or vomiting in the last 24 hours. School is important, but if a student is ill, he or she can't concentrate, and usually ends up calling parents to come home....after exposing the classroom to whatever it is they have.

Please remind students to "cover their cough" by coughing into their shirt sleeve, using tissues, not their clothing to wipe their noses, and practicing good hand hygiene. Remember, those viruses can live on surfaces for up to 6 hours, so washing hands after sneezes or coughs reduces transmission to commonly shared surfaces like door handles and desks.

Viruses cause most of these upper respiratory illnesses, so requesting an antibiotic to treat a cold, cough, or bronchitis is inappropriate, as antibiotics work against bacteria, but not viruses. Inappropriate use of antibiotics has lead to the increase of resistant bacteria that we are seeing. That means that when you do have an infection that is caused by bacteria, the antibiotic won't work to kill it, because it has been exposed unnecessarily to an antibiotic in the past, and has built up defenses (has become resistant) against the medicine. You may remember a recent school in Virginia that was closed down because of a particularly severe case of a resistant bacterial infection.

The Student Health Center Advisory Board students have met a few times this year (Fridays after school for 15 minutes), and we have a chosen a health-related focus for each month. This month is Drug and Alcohol Awareness and Prevention, in conjunction with the national Drug Prevention Week (October 23 -31). We have a Webzine (a web-based magazine) on the www.boothbayschools.org website. Check it out! You can read the articles students have written about health-related issues, comment on them or on other activities, such as the Harvest Luch we organized, and follow links to resources about our focus for the month. Here are some tips related to keeping families safe and healthy: http://www.family.samhsa.gov/main/facts.aspx;

http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/RedRibbonWeek/index.htm

http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/

November's focus will be on self-esteem and bullying prevention.

Immunizations for influenza will be available at the School Health Center. Please contact Lori Grinnell, School Nurse, for an appointment, or stop by Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 12, or Fridays from 1:00 to 3:30 to see Anne Barker. The School Health Center is available for all students and staff, and takes most insurance plans. We also have a program for parents and students with no insurance that covers all visits for the school year for only $60. If you would like to sign up for these services, please contact Lori Grinnell at 633-5097, or Anne Barker at 633-7820. Let's make this school year the healthiest yet! Anne Barker

Newsletter

Guidance News - October 2007

Senior Checklist