Scituate Public Schools

Scituate Public Schools
July 2016
Volume 4, Issue 4
Special Interest
Articles:
• SHS SAIL
1
• SPS Progress
Report
2- 5
• Testing schedule
6
SHS students
participate in the
end of year SAIL
Recognition
ceremony.
• PD Calendar
7-9
Individual
Highlights:
Schools
10-18
Departments
19-52
Pictured left to right – Richard Hebert, Ryan Lynch, Dianna Mullen, John
McCarthy, Heidi Lemmel and Paul Donlan serve ice cream to students.
SPS Progress Report
May
Department chairs and
coordinators participated in a
WebEx with Rubicon Atlas to
explore curriculum mapping
features. In particular,
Rubicon recommended that
the team will first “complete”
100% of their units. Then the
team will make Stage I public.
Once a grade or department
has a complete set of units,
then SPS may want to move
toward individual teacher
maps to help inform revisions
since curriculum is never
complete.
Each fiscal year the
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary
Education (ESE) issues final
Title II, Part A allocations that
incorporate all required
adjustments to initial
allocations. The Title II A grant
was amended and approved.
Scituate will receive an
additional $403.00 to defray
the cost of professional
development. This brings the
total amount of the grant to
$43,909.00.
Teachers have been invited to
participate in the Buck
Institute’s PBL 101 course this
summer. Scituate Public
Schools may train up to 35
educators. PBL 101 is
scheduled for August 23-25,
2016. The training will take
place from 8:30 am -3:30 pm
at the Scituate Maritime
Center.
The support team reviewed
the Assessment of Lagging
Skills and Unsolved Problems
(ALSUP) information from Dr.
Green’s work on Collaborative
& Proactive Solutions. The
Support Team was asked to
consider using this process as
a means for determining the
root cause of a particular
problem as a part of the
support team process for
students.
research, theory, and practice
for lasting connections between
youth development, school
reform, and mental health.
PEAR creates and fosters
evidence-based innovations so
that increasingly "young people
can learn, dream, and thrive."
PEAR was founded in 1999 by
Gil. G. Noam, Ph.D., Ed.D.
(Habil), a nationally recognized
developmental psychologist.
PEAR is a joint initiative of
Harvard University and McLean
Hospital. Its programs and
projects are a part of a number
The Evaluation Advisory Team of Boston schools and
reviewed potential student
replicated in other parts of the
surveys for counselors. T.
country. For additional
Rundle solicited feedback
information please visit:
from the team. She will add
http://pearweb.org/
some items related to
teaching for counselors. She The Center for Educator
will make the changes and
Effectiveness's fourth annual
Spring Convening took place on
send to the team.
May 17, 2016. It focused on the
Thank you to Greg Ranieri for theme of Expanding
scheduling a meeting with the Opportunities for Every Child,
wellness goal committee and Every Educator and Every
PEAR. The purpose of the
School. Topics included
meeting was to investigate
integrating social-emotional
this organization as a viable
skills with instructional
resource and a possible next
strategies, partnering with
step for our Socialcommunities and families, and
Emotional/Mental Health
science learning for all.
efforts. “PEAR's mission is to
create and foster school and
 The kindergarten
afterschool settings in which
Social Emotional
all young people can be
Learning and
successful. Dedicated to "the
Approaches to Play
whole child; the whole day;
and Learning
the whole year," PEAR
(SEL/APL) standards
continuously integrates
can be used to inform
SPS Progress Report - Continued
the development of safe
and supportive learning
environments in
kindergarten and are
also being adapted for
use in grades 1-12.
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Effective communication,
engagement, and
partnerships are key
components of a
sustainable commitment to
equity in our schools and in
our communities.
The goal of 2016
Massachusetts Science
Technology/Engineering
(STE) Standards is to
provide opportunities for
students to broaden their
participation in
STE. Science and
engineering practices have
been embedded in the
2016 standards that are
engaging and connected to
students’ interests.
The key note focused on
using students’ stories to
guide and improve
classrooms and schools.
With regards to
understanding the impact
of poverty on student
outcomes, the Department
announced the creation of
an online interactive
training module guided by
ongoing work with Lowincome Education Access
Project (LEAP) districts and
collaboratives. The Lowincome Education Access

Project is a collaboration
between the Department,
participating districts,
collaboratives, and agencies
to assess why low-income
students are being
disproportionally identified
for special education and/or
substantially separate
placements. The training
module is intended to
provide a fundamental
understanding of the impact
poverty can have on student
outcomes and is intended
for school and district use
with groups or individuals.
The module could be used as
part of a back-to-school
orientation for staff and/or
during the school year for
new hires. It is designed to
be modified by the
presenter to meet local
needs and to promote
discussion, and the module
can be presented in sections
or in its entirety.
Next-Generation MCAS
Update: The Statewide
Assessment Calendar for the
2016–2017 School Year is
posted online and includes
dates for the nextgeneration MCAS.
Traditionally, spring MCAS
testing has been separated
into two administration
periods: an early window for
English language arts and a
later window for
mathematics and science
and technology/engineering.
Beginning in 2017, grades
3-8 tests in English
language arts,
mathematics, and science
and
technology/engineering
will be administered
during one extended
window for all subject
area tests. This minimizes
the number of
interruptions during the
school year and allows
more time for schools
doing computer-based
testing. Over the coming
months, the Department
will provide additional
guidance on
administering grades 3-8
tests, such as the number
and length of test
sessions, whether
sessions will be
generously timed, and
whether there will be a
prescribed order for
testing. Please see page 6
for the statewide testing
schedule.
Thank you to Tammy Rundle and
the Counseling Department for
coordinating the Gates Career
Day. All Gates students rotated
through their team classes on
Career Day, and had the
opportunity to hear from four
different presenters from the
community as they discussed their
careers.
SPS Progress Report
Kate Ciulla has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to extend
the no-cost RETELL training into SY2016-17 for a select group of teachers who were left out of RETELL this year. Scituate
will be able to host a Teacher Full course in the Spring 2017 for these teachers.
The Spring Title I and Title IIA Statewide Conference provided the following information with regards to FY 17
allocations:
“We currently anticipate no substantial increase or decrease to our statewide Title I, Part A allocation for FY17 as
compared to FY16. Note, however, that changes to allocations will vary at the individual district level, and individual
district allocations may decrease even if there is an increase to our overall statewide allocation. We expect to receive
final allocations from the U.S. Department of Education in late June or early July.”
Scituate’s Title I data collection has been submitted to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education ((DESE). In accordance with federal Title I reporting requirements, Scituate is required to collect data from
districts receiving Title I funds each year.
Nurse Leader Liz O’Reilly is partnering with the McLean's Hospital Nurse Liaison Project (MSNLP). The program is free
and provides additional resources for our students. In an effort to promote pediatric mental health in schools, the
program recognized school nurses as key players in the health and well-being of school children. MSNLP offers them
educational and consultation services, at no cost to the districts served.
The Professional Development Council reviewed and finalized the 2016-2017 Professional Development Schedule as
well as the August/Sept back to school agenda. Please see page 7-9.
Scituate Public Schools are participating in a culture and climate survey which started on June 1, 2016. Faculty, students
and parents have been given the opportunity to participate.
The Comprehensive School Climate Inventory (CSCI) measures school climate in two important ways. First, it evaluates
virtually all of the dimensions that scholars and researchers believe color and shape school climate. Second, it recognizes
the perspective of K-12 students, their parents/guardians and school personnel. The CSCI will take students and adults
only 15 to 20 minutes to complete and it evaluates four major dimensions of school climate: safety, teaching and
learning, relationships, and environment. The CSCI findings will be utilized by the schools to build community, promote
student participation, develop school-home-community partnerships, and inform the ongoing development of a
collaborative plan for school improvement.
Template letters were sent out from each school building to explain the purpose. The leadership team will review the
data this summer. The data will be used to inform the Scituate Educational Experience Plan.
More information regarding the survey – including sample questions can be found @
http://www.schoolclimate.org/programs/csci.php
SPS Progress Report -Continued
On June 28, 2016, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved the 2016 Digital Literacy and Computer
Science Standards, updating digital literacy expectations and giving Massachusetts students their first statewide
computer science curriculum framework.
Jessi Finnie from the Scituate Library met with the Curriculum Team to help with student assignments. Faculty has been
asked to let the library know 1-2 weeks in advance of projects and topics when possible to help facilitate the research
process for students. Knowing teacher expectations will help the library to help students. The library will have a summer
reading program geared toward elementary students. She noted that the communication regarding the summer reading
process has been helpful.
Thank you to Jenkins Elementary for hosting our final “District Instructional Rounds.” Instructional rounds require a four
step process:
 Identifying a focus area
 Observing
 Debriefing
 Focusing on next level of work
It is a disciplined way for educators to work together to improve instruction. The technique is influenced by medical
rounds, the way physicians and teaching hospitals teach and share knowledge. The elementary school chose the focus
area of growth mindset and effective feedback. This is a high leverage strategy closely tied to the school and district
improvement plans.
Professional Development Schedule 2016-2017
PD/Training
Time Frame
UbD /Curriculum
Development
/Alignment
Summer 2016
ADMN Retreat
Aug 16-18
8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Who?
Department Teams
Notes:
UBD and Mapping
(Schedule dates between
6-27 and 7/1)
Location: Scituate
Maritime Center
Unit B, District
Leadership Team
and Assistant
Principals
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Tech Offerings
Google Boot Camp
nd
August 22 .
Review SEE Plan and set goals
Instructional Practices determine focus
Instructional Rounds
expectations/plan
Evaluation Assignments
Cultural Proficiency - Book
Climate data
Scituate Educational
Foundation (SEF)
Highly Effective Teaching
Evaluation calibration and
strategies
Protocols bullying and 504s
DLT meeting
Technology policy
SPS
Technology Integration Specialists
Gates Priority
Faculty may
volunteer
PBL 101
Buck Institute
Two sessions: 8-10 am
and 10:30-12:30
pm. The boot camp will
cover Google Drive,
Google Classroom, apps
and extensions.
PBL
Aug. 23-25
8:30 am -3:30 pm
Location: The Scituate
Maritime Center
2016-2017 TBD
Sustained Support Visits with teachers
who have been trained
Professional Development Schedule 2016-2017 – Continued
PD/Training
Induction Program
Time Frame
Who?
Notes:
Orientation – Aug. 29
New Teachers
J. Proulx, Coordinator, Mentors
Year Two –
Course HET
(Year 2 - teachers)
Research for Better Teaching
Year 3
New regulations for new teachers
SPS
Principals share building goals and
overview
Supervisory evaluators provide
overview and related dept. goals. Time
provided for team goal development.
Social Media policy
information session
J. Proulx, Technology Integration
Specialists
Workshops
Location - Jenkins
New - Year Three:
building mentors and
meetings
Evaluation
Orientation
August 30
September 1
Technology Day
August 31
Keynote speaker – Alan
November
Classroom
Showcase
DCF training
September 1
Curriculum Mapping
On- going
PMT
TBD
Open Circle – antibullying
elementary
curriculum
Must complete the
training within their first
year.
Orientation to DCF
and 51A filing and
new DCF
procedures.
Linda Nathan and DCF intern Marie
Flynn
Department leaders
coordinate with
Technology
Integration
Specialists
Rubicon Atlas – full faculty
participation allowable
2 voluntary
members of each
crisis team. Every
teacher from selfcontained
classrooms.
Principals notify
staff.
All School Counseling Staff, School
Psychologists, Principals and or Asst.
Principals, nurses
D. Mullen will schedule
Open Circle - Wellesley College Club
Professional Development Schedule 2016-2017 – Continued
PD/Training
District delayed
starts
Time Frame
2016-2017
Who?
SPS
Notes:
The curriculum team will work with J.
Proulx to set the agenda for these
dates
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High Expectations
Teaching
3 days TBD during
school year (Fall
recommended)
3 days online
PBL Coaching
2.0 days Train the
Trainers Workshop.
October 2016
2 hours Skype coaching
per coach. 20 hours.
2016 – 2017
Professional
Development Day
November 8
Up to 35 educators
may be trained.
Fall/Winter
recommended
3 days - TBD
Research for Better Teaching
Required year 2
teachers
Up to 10 educators
interested in
becoming a PBL
coach
Thom Markham -PBL global
PD council
recommends
principal’s selection
for participants
SPS
Dedicated to SEE plan
Wellness Goal
Mentor training
DDMs
UBD
Atlas – mapping
Location: Jenkins
• Cultural Proficiency - Keynote
• Department processing time to
consider Cultural proficiency
implications
• Lunch on site
• Wellness – graduate gratitude
• Afternoon workshops
30 educators
On- site (currently not funded)
Cushing “End-of-the-Year” Celebrations!
Submitted by Principal Mary Ohrenberger
As the summer months approached, Cushing School students and staff celebrated the learning that took place during the past
school year in a variety of ways.
 Kindergarteners invited their parents to join them at school for a performance of Patriot Songs and then the opportunity
to share some of their achievements during the year as they proudly walked family members through a sampling of their
work.
 Grade 1 students chose to highlight their writing skills, inviting parents into school for an Author Share where each
student read one of their published books to their classmates and family members. The “I AM Special” performance also
highlighted our first grade students’ skills in art, as they created a self-portrait, writing, as they wrote a summary
paragraph about their favorite things and Grade 1 memories, and music, as they performed their favorite song for family
members.
 Grade 2 students highlighted their start at research skills and writing by participating in Biography Day as they dressed as
the person they had researched and orally reported on that famous person during the Biography Day presentation. Grade
2 students also participated in a choral performance under the direction of Mr. Peter Mundt.
 Grade 3 students celebrated their work focused on our community by cultivating our school garden and also enjoying a
recent field trip to historical sites in our community such as Scituate Lighthouse. Their music skills came shining through
during their Recorder Performance and choral presentation for family members.
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Grade 4 students applied their recent learning about environment and weather by visiting Blue Hills Observatory where
they made real world connections to the learning that took place in our classrooms. They returned home with kites made
during their trip to fly in the breezes around Cushing School, observing air flow patterns.
Grade 5 students invited other members of our school community to visit their classrooms to learn more about some of
the famous individuals they had studied throughout the year in Social Studies class combining historical learning with
writing and research skills. They also shared their learning in Science through a sharing of science projects as they headed
off to summer break.
Grade 6 students took the “end-of-the-year” celebration to a different level as they celebrated their seven years at
Cushing School culminating with Grade Six Recognition Night. Our Grade 6 Parents worked diligently to gather favorite
memories of Cushing for the yearbook and photos of our graduates during their time at Cushing that were displayed on
each student’s “Sail Away” Posters and highlighted in a video that was presented during the Recognition Ceremony.
Graduates also participated in special Grade 6 events such as Mr. Sawyer’s Handball Tournament and Gates Step-Up Day.
Congratulations to the Cushing School Class of 2016!
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Pulling all members of our school community (parents, students, and staff) together, Mr. Sawyer’s 12 Annual Cushing School
Field Day took place on June 17, 2016. With over 200 parent volunteers, our students systematically moved through 27 physical
education stations, which emphasized wellness and activity.
The 2015-2016 school year quickly flew by. The dedication and talents of our entire staff - from office support, to cafeteria staff, to
custodial staff, to paraprofessionals, to teachers - combined to support our students in reaching their goals throughout the year. As
sad as it is to see our students walk out our doors for summer vacation symbolizing and end to the current school year, we are
already looking forward to the 2016-2017 school year and the endless possibilities just waiting for all.
Hatherly Happenings
Submitted by Principal Mari-An Fitzmaurice
A true example of community collaboration in Scituate is seen in the Grade three ELA and Social
Studies Curriculum. It begins in the fall studying the Mayflower and Pilgrim settlement. Students
experience a living history interactive unit planning and building the Pilgrim village. They work in
groups adjusting their simulated life to the hardships our forefathers endured. Our PTO then brings
in a Pilgrim interpreter from the plantation to meet individually with each homeroom. This is
culminated with a day long trip to Plimouth Plantation in November! Our third graders are a wealth
of new found knowledge at their family’s Thanksgiving tables every year.
This study builds a strong foundation for students to build on as they learn about the settling and
history of Scituate. Tim and Carol Neville, Scituate Residents, also known as the Bay Colony
Educators meet with our second and third graders and share the colonial life of a child in Scituate.
Later in the year in preparation for a visit to the Mann House and Gardens, a representative comes
from the Scituate Garden Club to demonstrate the science behind their gardening.
In the spring our third graders are very busy visiting sites all around town. Their first field trip day
takes them to the Cudworth House and the Mann House and Gardens. They then climb up Lawson
Tower and then walk back to Hatherly! There were some tired feet at the end of that day! Their
second field trip day has them tour the Lighthouse, the Town Library, the Maritime & Mossing
Museum and the Grist Mill. Students ate lunch at the picnic tables an Eagle Scout had made for the
museum. Students returned with a new found appreciation for their town and its rich history.
This rich educational experience cannot happen without significant support from many people and
organizations throughout the town. Thank you to the Scituate Historical Society and Dave Ball, the
Scituate Garden Club and Eileen Lagotteria and Ann Lattinvile-Hale at the Town Library and the
Scituate Police who assisted us with the walk, Gail McGrath grade 3 teacher coordinating with
assistance from Elizabeth Cramer and Tracy Leet and MANY parent chaperones. The Hatherly PTO
Enrichment budget funds the Plimouth Plantation Pilgrim school visit and the field trip admissions
and bus to the Plantation and the bus trips around Scituate. Our third graders have a dynamic
learning experience due to this collaboration and support from our school and town community. It
takes a village to learn about our village!
Jenkins Elementary
Submitted by Principal Jen Arnold
We had a very busy Second Quarter of 2016 here at Jenkins Elementary
School.
Literacy Night
During April, Jenkins families spent an evening of fun and reading at our
annual Literacy Night. Students read to dogs, made journals to take home and
write in, and took great pictures on the Read-a-coaster! Families read books
together with flashlights in tents, participated in math literacy activities,
played games, made puppets to act out readers’ theater, and tried out
Accelerated Reader and Lexia on the computers. Thanks to everyone who
came out and spent a great night at Jenkins!
Talent Show
The talent show was also held in April and once again the gym was overflowing with our talented students. There were 37
acts in total with a wide range of talent. We had magic acts and tumbling routines as well as comedy skits and dance
numbers. The gym was decorated to the nines with a fun beach theme.
Luna’s Pet Food Can Drive
Luna challenges all Gates and Jenkins students to donate cans of dog or cat food for the Scituate Animal
Shelter from May 9th to May 27th. Cans were collected in each classroom. At the end of the challenge,
the classroom that collects the most cans will receive a Nona’s ice cream gift card for each student. The
school that collects the most cans will receive $100 for the student council. Jenkins Elementary School
beat out Gates and Mrs. DeMatteo’s class earned the Nona’s gift cards. Congratulations to all!
Camp Bournedale
Camp Bournedale has been one of the most amazing
things we have ever experienced. It seems to be
impossible to have as much fun as we did, in such a
short amount of time, and yet we still learned so
much. The classes taught us different aspects of life
that we would never have the privilege to learn about
in an average day of school. From dissecting a shark
and 7 AM dodgeball to line dancing and camp fires we
were always having a great time. Our first steps on
camp ground seemed like walking into a dream, but
our final step onto the bus seemed to be a
nightmare. We met new people and formed new
bonds; my friends and I often talk of the smiles and
tears we shared on our first and last adventure at
camp. We think we are not just speaking for ourselves
but for any child that has ever been to Bournedale
when we say that this is really a once in a lifetime
opportunity that shouldn't be overlooked.
-Lissette Adorney
- Kristina Provost
Holly Hill Farm
The third graders had a fabulous field trip to
Holly Hill Farm. The students rotated through
the farm and were able to visit with the goats,
chickens, and horses while exploring all of the
different areas that make up Holly Hill. They
were shown how to make compost from
clippings and plant materials to help enrich the
soil for the best crops. They walked through the
woods and stopped to smell the birch trees
where they learned that these trees were used
to make Root Beer. They also had the
opportunity to plant tomatoes, herbs, peppers,
and several other vegetables in preparation for
their plant sale.
On Tuesday, the third graders of Jenkins visited the historic Mann House and the
Scituate Wildflower Garden. Students learned about the Mann family and what is was
like to be a farmer in our town long ago. They also strolled through the garden
discovering native wildflowers and some wildlife. Next Tuesday, third graders will visit
the Maritime Museum and the gristmill. We are enjoying learning about our town's rich
history.
The second graders at Jenkins Elementary
traveled to the New England Aquarium. We
had a wonderful time learning about all the
different sea life that lives in or near the ocean.
The students really enjoyed the new sting ray
and shark touch tank. The Sea Lions put on a
great show and the penguins were very
entertaining!
We learned about endangered species and how
the Aquarium helps injured sea turtles and
other animals.
Water All Around
Grade Five students enjoyed an interactive presentation entitled “Water All Around.” The program is run by the North and
South River Watershed Authority (NSRWA). The program teaches students how to be good stewards of our local watershed
and our local water supply. Six active stations were run by parent volunteers. Students completed hands-on activities
covering what local watershed we live in, how water moves across the land, and how water is cleaned in both the ground
and in our septic systems. Students also enjoyed a taste test comparing tap water, spring water, and distilled
water. Surprisingly, tap water easily won the taste test. Students also learned how to responsibly reduce their water
consumption by properly spending their daily water allowance.
The second grade students have been having lots
of fun while learning! We visited the fire station to
learn about community helpers. We also took a
field trip to the New England Aquarium to observe
animal habitats. Last, the second graders finally
released their butterflies that they have watched
grow for the last month.
Flag Day in Grade One
Playground Project in Grade 5
The fifth graders at Jenkins were engaged in project based learning by doing the Playground Project in math.
Students work with their teams to design a playground for their town. They begin by creating surveys and asking
various age groups playground interest questions. The data collected from the surveys is used to make graphs on the
computer. Next, they use real measurements of playground equipment and catalogs to make a scale drawing of their
design. Students have to budget the cost of various items used on the playground. When the team finishes the design
and calculations, they write a persuasive letter to the town trying to convince them to hire their company and design.
Each team then presents their entire project to their classmates.
Liz Dorgan
Sixth Grade History Fair
The sixth grade students participated in the annual history fair on 6/9
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for the 18 year running. They researched an ancient civilization,
created note and bibliography cards and an essay. The three month
project also required an in-class oral presentation using Power- Point
or Google slides. On the day of the fair students brought in posters and
artifacts and dressed in costumes that represented their ancient
civilizations. The fair was open to families to view as well as the rest of
the student body. Once again the reviews were wonderful this year
from all who attended. It was evident that the students put in a lot of
effort and demonstrated some great team work. It is a great lesson to
prepare students for future project-based long term assignments and
also adds closure to the academic year. It is our hope that the fair will
inspire future students to continue the hard work necessary to
complete this challenging research project in the years to come.
Field Day
Gates Intermediate School
Submitted by Principal Ryan Lynch
Gates Engineering
Students Go to the
Olin Expo at Olin
College
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On May 9 , thirty
Gates students from
grades 7 and 8
attended the Olin
Expo at Olin College
as part of Ms.
Heather Hughes’s
Engineering class.
The Olin Spring Expo
is an end-of-thesemester event
where Olin students
present the
engineering projects
they have been
working on all
semester. The field
trip provided an
opportunity for
Gates students to
see college-level
engineering work
and also inspired
learners to see how
engineering
connects to art and
design, computing,
the humanities,
biology, and many
more. Here is a link
to the projects that
were presented at
this spring’s Olin
Expo:
http://www.olin.ed
u/sites/default/files
/spring_expo_2016_
-_program__final1.pdf
“Can People Really Change the World?” Team B Students
Have Some Answers
This spring, Team B teachers worked together to create a
problem-solving citizens project to reinforce to students that
people really can make an impact on the world and drive
change.
Teachers designed lessons centered around the driving
question: Can your actions have a significant impact on
others: your school, your community, your country, or the
world? Once a week during May, students met in their project
teams to create action plans connected to a community or
global problem that they wanted to improve. Working
cooperatively, students gained real world insight into how a
single person can make a change regardless of their age.
Students devised action plans and solutions for homelessness,
ocean pollution, child labor, and other areas of need.
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On Wednesday, June 8 , students exhibited their finished
projects and welcomed in parents and other Gates students to
see their work. This project was a solid example of teachers
working together to help students make critical connections
among ELA, math, science, and social studies.
Peer Training Model at Gates
in 2016-2017
Through the generous support
of the Gates PTO, Gates is
working this summer to launch
our Peer Training Program in
the fall. The Peer Training
Program is a model developed
by the Anti-Defamation League
(ADL) for use in schools that
empowers students to build a
stronger school community. In
the fall, Gates staff and a group
of Gates students will
participate in the ADLfacilitated training to develop
Advisory lessons focused on
seeing difference as a strength
and on reducing bias-related
issues. We are excited about
the model because it
empowers students and will
help to keep Gates a safe and
positive community!
May 20th Presentation by Adam Foss regarding Juvenile Justice Reform
As part of an ELA unit connected to Walter Dean Myers’s Monster, all grade 8 students participated
in a presentation by Adam Foss, a prosecutor working in Suffolk County in Boston. Mr. Foss described
the needs for reform with the justice system, particularly related to how youths are rehabilitated and
sentenced. This was a great connection to the Closing Argument Task at the end of the unit, where
students wrote, rehearsed, and delivered a closing argument in defense of the main character from
Monster. Mr. Foss also embedded some helpful advice about the permanence of what people post
through social media. Thanks to Ms. Shana Lentini for reaching out to Mr. Foss and bringing him to
Gates to share his message!
[Mr. Adam Foss with Gates students following the presentation]
Fine and Performing Arts –Submitted by Jim Thomas
Department Chairperson of Fine and Performing Arts, K-12
Around Town…
Thank you!
 Sally Tucker, music educator, will be retiring this year. Thank you Sally for sharing your love of music with Scituate
students for 30 plus years. We will miss you!

Best of luck to Chad Gosselin, guitar teacher at SHS, as he moves on to a new opportunity. We will miss you!
th
District: “Spring for the Arts”: On Thursday, May 12 , The Scituate Fine Arts Department opened the doors of Scituate High
School to celebrate with the community of Scituate an afternoon of art and music! Amazing student art work was displayed in
the small gym (elementary and Gates) and we featured an impressive range of high school student artwork in our new SHS art
wing!
In addition to the wonderful art work, musicians were featured in performance throughout the festival. Choruses, bands and jazz
bands, elementary through high school, performed in the gym to large enthusiastic crowds! A special “thank you” to the
Elementary
Schools:
Scituate Friends
of Music for providing the finishing touch by selling food to hungry community members. Thank you to the

Spring
Concerts:
Scituate
Musicfor
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each of our
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amazing teachers in the FineThe
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making thewas
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“Spring
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We look
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Audiences
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nice
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band
year!
repertoire. All students showed great progress throughout the year! Thank you to all involved for your time and talent.
Gates Intermediate:


Great East Festival: Grade 7 and 8 chorus, band and jazz bands had successful performances and received valuable
feedback from adjudicators at the Great East Music Festival. Following the performances, students experienced a fun
afternoon at Canobie Lake Park in New Hampshire.
Spring Concert: Audience members were treated to a wonderful evening of music as students performed in choruses,
band and jazz bands in the Gates school gymnasium. It is amazing the progress these students continue to make!
Scituate High School:

Community Partnership: Michael Coyne, part owner and gallery manager at Lucky Finn Cafe in the harbor has
collaborated with the SHS art department to establish an ongoing relationship with our emerging young artists. Anna
Maguire and Evan Flaherty (both class of 2016) will be hosting the first student exhibit at Lucky Finn from June 17 - 26,
2016 and their opening reception will be June 17th from 6:30 -8pm. All are welcome. Look for the next student
exhibition this coming fall!
Lydia Silva
Andrea Doherty
Anna Maguire
The Memory Project is a nonprofit organization that encourages and invites art teachers and their student to illustrate portraits
of neglected, abused, orphaned, and/or extremely impoverished children. This helps those children feel important and valued.
For some of those children it is the only picture they will have of themselves. The Memory Project collects photos of children
around the world and sends them to art teachers who hand them out to their students. After they are finished the teacher ships
them to the Memory Project's staff members and they hand-deliver them to the children. This year our children were from Peru,
they consisted of preteens and teens. To pay for the expenses, we had bronce, plata, oro and platino sponsors from the SHS
community (please see list of our generous sponsors.) Each contributed an influential amount of money to support this
th
wonderful project. 35 SHS artists participated this year and the portraits were shipped off June 15 .
Memory Project Sponsors:
Bronce ($0-24)
GSA Club, Sheryl Pace Advisor
Theresa Raymond, SHS faculty
Stacey Hendrickson, SHS faculty
Jim Thomas, Fine Arts Dept. Chair
Scituate METCO, Heidi Lemmel Advisor
Cathy Hall, SHS faculty
Kerri Hallihan, SHS faculty
SHS Main Office, Kathleen Ward Coordinator
Sally Tucker, SHS faculty
Deb Anstead, SHS faculty
School Counseling, Marlene Hoffman Coordinator
Plata ($25-49)
Allies Not Bystanders Club, Julie Hickey Advisor
SHS English Department, Ryan Beattie Dept. Chair
Jen Lopes, School Adjustment Counselor
Oro ($50-99)
Kathy Elich, SHS faculty
Kim Mitchell, SHS Counselor
Platino ($100)
International Club, Noreen Hebert Advisor
Memory Project Artists: Kaelin Logue, Ali Stanley, Courtney Loring, Anna Maguire, Katie Ellis, Maggie Tobin, Ellen Foley,
Lydia Silva, Alyssa Stone, Eila McCulloch, Molly Gould, Ava Capodanno, Maeve Dunn, Ashley Smalley, Charlotte McNeilly
Isabelle DeSmet, Andrea Doherty, Rachel Babb Amanda Shea, Halle Dowling, Milena Adorney, Kai Sowers, Ava Young
Maddy MacCormack, Lily Werner, Emma Chae-Dwyer, Meg Karol, Lexi Land, Cassandra Logg, Kristen MacDonald, Gina Collari
Taylor Latwas, Ms. Julie Hickey, Abby Murray, Kirsty Haley
Elementary
Spring Concert
The SHS Music Department treated audience members to a wonderful spring
concert! The performance included our choral groups, symphonic band and the SHS
jazz band! This concert was particularly special as it marked the final spring concert
for Sally Tucker as she prepares for retirement. Throughout the evening, the concert
paused to recognize Sally’s amazing accomplishments throughout her career in
Scituate, culminating with students singing a farewell song. A huge thank you to the
Hingham Public Schools and more specifically the Hingham Music Department for
allowing us to use their middle school auditorium in lieu of construction!
Fine Arts Resources…
Art websitesVisit the Scituate High School visual arts webpage: www.scituatehighart.com
National Art Education Association: http://www.arteducators.org/
Massachusetts Art Education Association: http://www.massarted.com/
Scituate Art Association: http://www.scituateart.com/
South Shore Art Center: http://www.ssac.org/
Music websitesSEMSBA:http://www.semsbama.org/
Southeast District MMEA: http://www.semmea.org/
Massachusetts Music Educators All State: http://massmea.org/
Scituate Friends of Music: http://www.scituatemusic.org/
South Shore Conservatory: http://www.sscmusic.org/
Plymouth Philharmonic: http://www.plymouthphil.org/
http://www.mtna.org/parent-and-student-resources/websites-for-kids/Article
the parents of music students
for
Gates
SHS
SHS Business Department Year In Review
Submitted by Gregory Ranieri and Ross Maki
The Business Education Department had another successful academic year with participation in many different studentdriven initiatives that continue to help enrich and mold our students into future business leaders.
The DECA program at SHS had a very exciting year with inclusion of our Life Skills students participating this year as well as an
increase in our overall membership size. The membership at SHS saw its enrollment and student participation reach the highest
levels since the start of the program eight years ago. Total DECA members reached 106 students which was a 35% enrollment
increase over last year. DECA, which represents the organization of the Distributive Educational Clubs of America, is a business
education outreach club that is offered to students who are enrolled in a business course at SHS allowing students to gain
experience in skills such as effective job interviewing, strategic problem-solving, improved public speaking, and networking and
teambuilding, all of which are vital to students entering into the college or career environment.
SHS DECA Club students ready to put their business skills to the test at the District DECA Competition.
Students within the DECA program have the opportunity to showcase their skills and talents at the District DECA
Competition against twelve high schools within our respective district. At this year’s district competition there were over 800
students competing in various career- oriented categories ranging from Finance, Automotive Marketing, Hospitality, Sports
Marketing, and Apparel and Accessories Marketing just to name a few. In this competition, students were tested in both their
knowledge and ability to problem-solve various case studies in front of a DECA-endorsed volunteer judge. SHS was represented
with 79 students who competed, which was a 25% increase over last year’s number of participants. The vast majority of the
students who attended scored well above the national averages in their category events. There were several students who
qualified for the MA State Competition: Madison Ryan, Charlotte Falvey, Lucy Smith, Cole DeFreitas, Grace Strong, Jack Falvey,
Garrett Mullen, Devin Gantt, Sean Cronin, Ben Sandham, David Murray, David Juliano, Chris Oliveri, Mike Skeiber, Joe Kellerhals,
and Jack Bernier all qualified for the Massachusetts State Competition in Boston.
DECA State Qualifiers from SHS
This year was also the first year in which the Life Skills students participated in the event. Several months leading up to the event
Mr. Maki had met with Mrs. Meredith and Ms. Varrasso on how to prepare the students for the competition and what skills they
would need in order to be successful. The DECA Life Skills Competition is a one day event where students are asked to create a
real workplace environment scenario and perform those functions at the competition, such as a restaurant or grocery store
setting. Each student then plays a role within that specific work place and demonstrates the skills needed for their respective role.
Our Life Skills students did an outstanding job and were recognized in front of the entire DECA district where they received
participation medals.
The Entertainment and Event Marketing class took on a project-based learning initiative in the spring by helping to
organize and promote the 2nd Annual Scituate Pizza-Palooza Event. Lynda Ferguson, President of the Scituate Chamber of
Commerce met with the students to discuss the logistics of the event. After meeting with Mrs. Ferguson the class conducted
S.W.O.T. analysis to identify the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats/obstacles of such an event and decided to take a
‘divide and conquer approach’ by breaking down the event into varied group tasks. Social Media Marketing, Vendor Marketing,
Scituate Public Schools Marketing, External Marketing, and Administration were the organized groups the students created and
took leadership for. The students applied many elements of what they were learning in class to promote the event through such
activities as creating a Twitter page, Web Site, Public Service Announcement aired on local television, and billboard advertising.
Several groups within the class collaborated with other faculty/departments in the building to come up with solutions, such as Mr.
Wargo, Ms. Hunter, and Mr. Sullivan to help with the logistics of the event. Students also sent out surveys to the school
community to solicit their input and feedback as well with regards to pricing and overall interest in the event. The Vendor Group
was responsible for meeting with each of the pizza vendors to solicit their participation and collaborate with them in the days
leading up to the event. The event was a great success. Attendance doubled in size from the previous year going from 303 last
year to 617 this year. The event not only provided the students an opportunity gain real experience of facilitating and promoting
and event through project-based learning, but their success helped to provide three $1,000 scholarships for seniors going onto
college.
The Sports Marketing classes for both semesters this year had the unique opportunity of traveling to Gillette Stadium to
present various business plans to a marketing manager at Gillette through a project-based learning approach. In addition, the fall
semester classes were also part of the taping of the television show “Totally Patriots” where students were exposed to the process
of how a television show is produced. SHS students served as the audience that was given the opportunity to ask questions and be
a part of the interview three of the Patriots players, Jonathan Bostic, Brandon King, and Geneo Grissom.
New England Patriot Jonathan Bostic being interviewed by SHS Students
Several weeks prior to their trip to Gillette Stadium, students worked on their promotional plans for one of five project-based
learning initiatives to either help increase sales at Patriot Place, improve fan attendance to New England Revolution Games,
grow membership at the Patriots Hall, increase attendance for the third show of a concert at Gillette, or create a new theme
campaign for Patriots merchandising. Students then presented their plan to a representative from the Marketing Department at
Gillette where they received real feedback on both their business plan and their ability to ‘sell’ their idea. This was a great
opportunity for the students to showcase what they are learning in the classroom. The feedback from the marketing manager
was very positive. She complimented that many of the presentations and several plans are being reviewed further with her
staff. At the November 2015 School Committee Meeting to Celebrate Student Success, two of the groups that received high
praise from the Marketing Manager at Gillette presented their plan and experiences. Those students were Ben Sandham,
Maddie Ryan, Lucy Smith, and Caroline Young.
The Advertising/Marketing and School Store Operations class participated in a unique opportunity as a focus group for
the Reticare Company. Laurie Clark, local business consultant and supporter of the School to Career Internship Class, facilitated
the focus group session in an effort to record data and feedback from the students in the class on a new product for handheld
device that helps to protect your retina from the harmful LED blue light and what the most effective way to promote the
product would be. This experienced allowed students to gain firsthand knowledge of how companies solicit consumer feedback
through the concept of a focus group to help make their product a success. Students were all given samples of the product to
test on their devices.
Members of the Investing and Personal Finance class participating in a workshop at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston
this year. Students were provided the opportunity to meet with two Securities Analysts and a Fund Manager from Fidelity
Investments to learn more about what their career field entails and learn more about investing practices. Student also
participated in an Asset Allocation Investment Simulation against eight other high schools in attendance where they needed to
utilize their investing experiences they have learned in the classroom to allocate financial resources to maximize earnings over a
twelve month period. One of the groups from SHS finished second overall out of over 100 students.
The Leadership in Action Workshop sponsored by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce Women’s Business
rd
Connection held its 3 annual workshop where 20 of our female business students attended from all grade levels. The purpose
of the workshop is to introduce female high school students to career and leadership opportunities through the shared
experiences of both the Women’s Business Connection members and other South Shore women business leaders. The students
participated in activities and discussion on various types of leadership skills such as setting priorities, time management
strategies, job interviewing best practices, ways to manage stress, and creating an online persona with social media. The
keynote speaker for the event was women’s motivational speaker Julie Kelly. Ms. Kelly spoke to the students about her stressful
life experiences and how she was able to find her own voice and confidence. The workshop concluded with a question and
answer session with a panel of several business women from different careers such as a bank manager, interim police chief,
sales manager, recent business graduate, and office manager. SHS girls really enjoyed the opportunity as it open their eyes to
the challenges that women can encounter in the business world and skillsets needed to help make them a success.
SHS School to Career Internship students gained valuable real-world work experience and explored possible career
choices through this year’s internship placements. The program is almost always a win-win for both the student intern and
organization sponsor. SHS would like to thank the following organizations for their support by graciously mentoring SHS interns:
Bay State Physical Therapy, Fitts Mill, Hingham Federal Credit Union, Holly Hill Farm, Inn at Scituate Harbor, Jack Conway Real
Estate, Kutstis Woodcarving, Live Fit, Marilexei Salon, Scituate Police Department, Satuit Business Consulting, Sport Specific
Fitness, SPS Facilities Department, Wampatuck Elementary School and the Welch Company. In some cases, student placements
have worked out so well that they have led to paid employment opportunities after the internship period. The program is
projected to have increased student enrollment for 2016-2017! So, if you own or work for a local area business and would like to
discuss the possibility of having an SHS intern at your workplace, please contact Greg Ranieri, the SHS School To Career
Coordinator, at [email protected].
Submitted by the Scituate FACTS Coalition and SPS Health & Wellness Department
Student Volunteers Needed for Summer Video Project – FACTS is planning a fun
community service project for high school students! Help us create cool videos and posters
for the next Social Norming campaign - sharing the facts about what most teenagers are
doing. Team up with friends, earn Community Service hours, gain photography and
marketing skills - all while helping our coalition. Check out past student projects here:
https://www.facebook.com/ScituateFactsSocialNormingContest
All students entering grades 9-12 attending school in Scituate or residing in Scituate are
invited to volunteer with FACTS this summer. In addition to the video project, we have
administrative work in the office; and prevention projects in the community.
Please contact Barbara Quinlan at [email protected] to get involved!
Please save the date
for September 28, 2016
for the 6th Annual
Youth Health
Connection Conference
on the Prevention of
Underage Drinking and
Substance Use.
Students, Staff, Parents,
Police and other
stakeholders are invited
to collaborate at a
regional conference at
Lombardo's in
Randolph. Please email
Annmarie Galvin if you
are interested in
attending:
[email protected]
om
Best wishes to graduating
seniors Taylor McCormack
(pictured on left), Casey
Kelleher (center) and Lindsey
Marshalka (not pictured).
Scituate FACTS is very grateful
for their many contributions to
our coalition!
Counseling – Submitted by T. Rundle, Department Head
Student Support Groups
Career Day at Gates - On Tuesday, May 24, 2016, Gates
Intermediate School held its first and highly successful
Career Day. This event was coordinated by Gates
School Counselors, Amy Mahoney and Nancy Driscoll,
who invited working professionals from the Scituate
community to come and speak to the students about
their experiences and the skills they need to be
successful in today’s workforce. “What do I need to be
successful in a changing society?” was the Essential
Question that guided the day’s activities. The goal for
students was to increase their vision of careers and to
identify technical and personal skills needed in today’s
workforce. Our expectation for the day was for
students to self-reflect on how they could develop
these skills in and out of the classroom.
Class of 2021
Ms. Driscoll will be the school counselor for
students entering 7th grade next fall. She will
work with students to create a well-balanced
schedule and to assist them in making a
successful transition to Gates. If you have any
questions about your student, she may be
reached at [email protected] or (781) 5458760. She looks forward to welcoming the
Class of 2021!
Throughout the year, the School Counselors facilitated
a number of group counseling opportunities for
students. Support groups are a wonderful way to be
with others who are in a similar situation. This year,
Ms. Nathan and Ms. Riley, Jenkins School Counselors,
along with Ms. Lopes, SHS School Adjustment
Counselor, facilitated a parent and student support
group, entitled “Loved Ones Raising Loved Ones,”
which targeted grandparents or relatives who are
raising loved ones when the biological parents are not
able to. The preface of the group stemmed from the
many children in Scituate who are being raised by
family members other than their biological
parents. This support group was designed to address
the issues that are common for family members
raising other family member's children and for
children being raised by loved ones other than their
parents. The “Single Parent Support Group” was led
by Paulette Marino, School Adjustment Counselor,
Wampatuck/Gates and Debra Edgren, School
Psychologist, Wampatuck, for single parents to
gather, share, learn from and support one another
through the unique experiences of raising children on
your own.
At the high school, Ms. Lopes ran a stress less group
for students in the Life Skills program and coordinated
the two groups in partnership with the Caron
Treatment Facility groups for students at risk of
substance abuse and students who have substance
abusing loved ones. Ms. Mohr initiated a grief
support group for students who experienced the loss
of an immediate family member. The Gates School
Counselors offered an executive functioning support
group this year.
Stress Less & Laugh More - The week of March 28th was Scituate High School’s first Stress Less, Laugh More week!
The Stress Less, Laugh More campaign was a week-long initiative that engaged students in stress-relieving activities
during the school day. The goals of the Stress Less, Laugh More campaign were to raise awareness of mental
wellness and to encourage students to find coping skills to help them de-stress. The campaign was student-driven
from a leadership perspective. It was designed to create a sustainable lifestyle and understanding of the impact of
stress and ways to reduce it not just during the campaign but after. The campaign was a collaborative pilot
initiative supported by the Youth Health Connection/South Shore Hospital and the Josh Anderson Foundation.
Other schools on the South Shore participated in the initiative including: Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham and
Whitman Hanson High Schools.
The Josh Anderson Foundation (JAF), which was founded in 2012 and currently operates out of Vienna, Virginia,
works to provide needed mental health education, resources and support to adolescents so they never turn to
suicide. JAF is named after Josh Anderson, who died by suicide at the age of 17 in 2009. JAF's work has been
focused primarily in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the 10th largest public school system in the nation. To
date, JAF-programs have impacted over 35 schools and approximately 60,000 students with the message that
it's okay to struggle emotionally and mentally, it's okay to reach out for help, and recovery is possible.
The Youth Health Connection (YHC) founded in 1994, is a community benefit program of South Shore Hospital,
Weymouth, MA. YHC brings together community resources that influence the lives of children and families.
Through teamwork, relationships, communication, and coalition building, YHC works to collectively make a
positive difference in the mental health and physical well-being of children, teens, and parents to reduce risk
and increase resiliency in South Shore community members.
Ms. Lopes, School Adjustment Counselor and Ms. Mohr, School Counselor, along with 16 SHS students lead the
charge to make the first Stress Less…Laugh More campaign a smashing success. We look forward to the
continuation of this important work in the upcoming school year.
High School Counselor Caseloads
Counselor caseloads for the class of 2020 have been assigned. Students are assigned alphabetically by last name as
follows:
Counselor/Student Assignments - 2016-2017
Counselor
YOG 2020
YOG 2019
YOG 2018
YOG 2017
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
[email protected] (781)
545-8750 x373
A-E
A – Dw
A – CO
A – De
[email protected](781)
545-8750 x372
F, H-McC
Fon – May
Cr – Hene
Di - Dw, Ga - Go, H
-L
Ms. Rundle
[email protected]
(781) 545-8750 x370
G
E – Fol
------------------
Gr – Gu
Mr. Cooney
[email protected]
(781) 545-8750 x371
McD-R
McC – R
Hens – M
M–Q
Ms. Mitchell
[email protected]
(781) 545-8750 x378
S-Z
S–Z
N–Z
E, F, R – Z
Ms. Mohr
Ms. Hoffman
Contact information
*Some exceptions apply, refer to Aspen
College Admissions Stats
The School Counseling Department processed over 1,800 college application materials for the Class of 2016 this year.
This number represents over 331 different colleges and universities! 33% of Scituate High School students who have
submitted applications have applied under an early admission or rolling admission program.
# of
Class Year colleges
2008
337
2009
308
2010
277
2011
281
2012
325
2013
295
2014
285
2015
311
2016
331
# of early
applications
183
232
238
340
556
615
608
683
608
# of total
applications
1612
1196
1126
1848
1933
1853
1388
1765
1806
% of *early
applications
11%
19%
21%
18%
28%
33%
44%
38%
33%
# of students
applying
total # of
early
12th graders
69
239
75
195
77
188
75
191
112
232
182
217
117
189
145
208
147
214
% of students
applying early
29%
38%
41%
39%
48%
83%
61%
69%
69%
SHS Class of 2016 – College/University Matriculation List
Members of the Class of 2016 will be attending the following colleges/universities in the fall. The School Counseling
Department would like to recognize all of the graduates as we wish them much success in the years to come!
American University
Assumption College
Babson College
Baylor University
Bentley University
Boston College
Boston University
Bridgewater State University
Brown University
Bryant University
Bunker Hill Community College
California Institute of Technology
Clemson University
Colby College
Colorado State University
Community College of Rhode Island
Concordia University - Montreal
Curry College
Dean College
Elon University
Emmanuel College
Fairfield University
Fordham University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Husson University
Ithaca College
Johnson & Wales University (Providence)
Lesley University
Loyola University Maryland
Manhattan College
Marian University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Massasoit Community College
MCPHS – Mass. College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Merrimack College
Montana State University, Bozeman
New York University
Northeastern University
Nova Southeastern University
Plymouth State University
Providence College
Purdue University
Quincy College
Quinnipiac University
Rhode Island College
Saint Anselm College
Providence College
Purdue University
Quincy College
Quinnipiac University
Rhode Island College
Saint Anselm College
Saint Michael's College
Salem State University
Salve Regina University
San Diego State University
Seattle University
Simmons College
Southern New Hampshire University
Stonehill College
Suffolk University
Syracuse University
The American University of Paris
The Catholic University of America
The George Washington University
The Ohio State University
Tulane University
United States Air Force Academy
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Delaware
University of Maine
University of Maine at Farmington
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Massachusetts, Boston
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of New England
University of New Hampshire at Durham
University of Rhode Island
University of South Carolina
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Western New England University
Westfield State University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Stress Less…Laugh More week at SHS!
Friendship Chain Created by Students
Ms. Lopes, Ms. Mohr, and Mr. Wargo at the
Faculty Breakfast
Positve Messages throughout the building
Pet Therapy Dogs
Ms. Mitchell at the Faculty Breakfast
Pet Therapy Dogs
English Language Arts (7-12)
Submitted by Ryan Beattie, Department Head
Simpson Featured in Newsworthy
Colleen Simpson, former SHS English teacher and current Gates Library Media Specialist, was recently featured in the book
Newsworthy: Cultivating Critical Thinkers, Readers, and Writers in Language Arts Classrooms by Ed Madison, assistant
professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. Simpson developed the AP English
Language course at Scituate High School in 2009 based not only on the College Board parameters, but also on training from
the Intensive Journalistic Writing Institute. In Newsworthy, Madison focuses on Simpson’s use in the English classroom in
both reading and writing longform journalism, observation pieces, and other journalistic writing to understand the
foundations and strategies of rhetoric.
Grade 8 Justice and Persuasion Unit
In the spring trimester, eighth grade students in Ms. Capasso, Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Lentini, Ms. Madden, and Ms. Townsell’s
ELA classes explored the role of the justice system in our society. Students read Monster by Walter Dean Myers to develop
answers to the unit essential questions how do we use writing to persuade others? How does public persona influence
credibility? and Why is it important to confront the truth? To launch the unit, students attended a presentation given by
Judge Frank Gaziano in which they learned the process of a trial, the roles of prosecuting and defense attorneys, and basic
judicial rhetoric. To better understand the concept of joint venture as seen in Monster, students participated in a role
playing scenario.
As students continued to build an understanding of the complexities of the criminal justice system, they viewed and
analyzed a Ted Talk with Adam Foss, a prosecuting attorney from Boston who specializes in rehabilitating young offenders.
The Ted Talk can be found by visiting the following link: TED Talk: Adam Foss. Students were so enthused by the Ted Talk
that teachers invited him to speak to all eighth graders. On May 20th, Foss presented an inspiring presentation to students.
He spoke about his views, insights, and provided anecdotes about the need for rehabilitation with young people in the
prison system. Students asked insightful questions to reveal their understanding of the content and engaged in thoughtful
conversation focused on the concept of justice.
Grade 8 Justice and Persuasion Unit – Continued
As the culminating performance task of the unit, students considered what they learned from their daily lessons and presentations
by Judge Gaziano and Adam Foss to develop and deliver a closing argument for the trial of Steve Harmon, the protagonist in
Monster. As they read the text, they gathered evidence for their assigned role of either prosecuting or defense attorney and used it
to drive their persuasive argument. They participated in an extensive peer editing process, and used feedback from their peers to
improve their oral presentations.
Grades 7-12 Summer Reading Program
At a recent presentation given to U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton, United States Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, said, “We
don’t want everybody to think exactly the same way. We don’t want everybody to come from the same background. We don’t
want everybody to have the same experiences. That makes us weaker. What makes us stronger is more diversity of thought, more
diversity of experience, and more diversity of how we get the job done” (https://news.usni.org).
Students attending the Scituate Public Schools bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to our schools each day. It’s important
for students to acknowledge that we are not all the same and that we do not all share the same backgrounds and identities. Our
experiences shape us into who we are as people, and who we are as people shape who we are as a community.
The purpose of the 2016 Grade 7-12 Summer Reading Program is to build literacy skills through an exploration of personal and
cultural differences. This year, we are challenging students and faculty to select a book that explores an identity different from
their own in order to open a window to the world and read a great book while they’re at it.
The titles this year have been recommended by students, staff, and community members. They represent a variety of personal and
cultural identities, as well as a variety of reading levels. Books can be purchased at local bookstores or through online booksellers.
Local libraries are also great resources. Audiobooks or eBooks are an excellent supplement to reading a book, and most titles are
available for reading on Kindle, Nook, iPad, or smartphone apps like Overdrive through the public library.
For students entering grades 7 and 8, this year’s summer reading assignment asks students to select one text from the list of
suggested titles and write a response based on their reading. For details on the Gates summer reading assignment, including the
rubric, please visit http://scituate.k12.ma.us/gates
For students entering grades 9-12, students have signed up for their official book and have reviewed the requirements for the
written assignment. At SHS, faculty and students form book groups in September to discuss books they read over the summer. The
program works well because students are empowered to read books that appeal to them, and students and teachers connect
around a text of common interest. Student leaders also work with teachers to lead book groups, which provides upperclassmen an
opportunity to take on a leadership role in working with students who are newer to the high school. For details on the SHS summer
reading choices and assignments, please visit: https://sites.google.com/a/scit.org/shs-summer-reading/
English Language Arts and Literacy K-6
Curriculum Coordinator-Stacey Pattou-Hammond
What is the Summer Slide?
Did you know that students can lose momentum in their literacy skills gained this year? Be sure to avoid this
loss of learning by reading a great book! Whether you read with your child or your child reads
independently, reading for enjoyment is essential to promoting the life-long joy that can come from reading
a great book.
Students make great strides in reading and writing during the school year, and we encourage all students to
read over the summer to keep their academic skills sharp. Summer is a great time for students to explore
individual interests and pursue reading for their personal enjoyment.
The schools have partnered with the Scituate Town Library to offer a rich variety of summer reading books.
During the summer, the library has a special section for Scituate Public Schools’ summer reading. Also, be
sure to ask about how you can become a Scituate Champion Reader this summer!!
Date to remember: July 5th Library Summer Kick-off Party at 5pm
Ann Lattinville, Head of Youth Services is a great resource to help students find engaging books.
[email protected]
Summer Reading
Philosophy
Students become
stronger readers by
reading over the
summer while building
comprehension and
fluency skills. Research
shows that self-selected
independent reading
builds fluency and
increases vocabulary.
Students read more
when they choose books
at their reading level
that interest them.
Active Reading Bookmarks
This year, incoming students in grades 1-3 are encouraged to complete
two Active Reading Bookmarks. Completing these will help students to
think about, write about and discuss with a family member what they
read which supports improvements in comprehension skills.
Scituate Summer Reading Assignment
All students should read at least two books of their choice.
Reading Assignment-Students entering Pre-K, K, 1, 2 and 3: Students
will benefit greatly when parents and students read together to develop
early literacy skills. Students entering Grade 1, 2 and 3 can choose to
complete an Active Reader's Bookmark. (Found at the library or an
online link)
Reading Assignment-Students entering Grades 4-6: Share with your
fellow students through submitting two book reviews on the grade level
Google page. Students are required to read two books of their choice
over the summer (fiction and/or nonfiction) and complete either an
online book review or submit a hardcopy. (Directions are available at
the library or online link.)
Accelerated Reader
Students are welcome to continue their work on Accelerated Reader (AR) over the summer by choosing books that are included in
the AR program.
Students will be permitted to take quizzes at the Scituate Town Library and continue to accumulate points over the summer. Books
with available quizzes can be found on the AR web site at: www.arbookfind.com
Lexia: Students entering Grades 1-6 have access through Launchpad or directly through www.lexiacore5.com
RAZ Kids: Students entering Grades 1 and 2 have access to Launchpad or directly through www.raz-kids.com
Suggested Reading Titles
This is a list of recommended titles and authors. Students may choose from the list OR choose any other book appropriate to their
Summer
Reading!!
reading level. Please visit the Scituate Town Library orHappy
Buttonwood
Books
for additional suggested titles.
PreK—Grade 3
Grades 4—6
Greetings From Somewhere Series by Harper Paris
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, Kelly Jones
(fiction)
Judy Moody and Stink Series by Megan McDonald
Clementine Series by Sara Pennypacker
Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne
The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
Sadie & Ratz by Sonia Hartnett
Mercy Watson Series & Leroy Ninker Series by Kate DiCamillo
White Fur Flying Patricia MacLachlan
Fly Guy Series by Tedd Arnold
Horrible Harry Series by Suzy Kline
Ivy and Bean Series by Annie Barrows
Toon Books Series (leveled comic readers)
Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon
Chicken Squad Series by Doreen Cronin
How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills
Winter Sky by Patricia Reilly Giff (fiction)
Capture the Flag, by Kate Messner (adventure)
The War that Saved My Life, by Kimberly Bradley
(historical fiction)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis
(historical fiction)
Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass (fiction)
The Lightning Thief Series by Rick Riordan (fantasy)
A Snicker of Magic Natalie Lloyd (magical realism)
Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson (adventure/mystery)
Fantasy League by Mike Lupica (sports fiction)
A Black Hole is Not a Hole, Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano
(nonfiction)
The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
Fighting Fire! : Ten of the Deadliest Fires in American History
and How we Fought Them by Michael L. Cooper (nonfiction)
Mouse and Mole Series by Herbert Wong Yee
The Great Molasses Flood by Deborah Kops (nonfiction)
The Who Was/What Was Series (Biographies & Nonfiction)
Bomb : The Race to Build-- and Steal-- The World's Most
Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (nonfiction)
Let’s Read and Find Out Series (Science)
Blastoff Readers Series (Science)
Downloadable e-Books and audio books from the
Scituate Town Library!
Mathstart Series (Math)
Pebble Plus Series (Science)
You Choose Series (History)
With your library card, you can download e-Books and
audio books to any Internet-enabled device. Visit the
Scituate Town Library website to learn more:
http://www.scituatetownlibrary.org/reference_digital
media.html
For hands-on help, visit the staff at Scituate Town
Library. The temporary location is 44 Jericho Road.
Mathematics 7-12 - Submitted by E. Grindle, Department Head
Calculators!
While the school year winds down many people are looking forward to relaxing with their children not thinking about back
to school shopping, right? Please check out our Calculator use policy so you can plan ahead to best support your student.
Mathematics Department 7 - 12 Calculator Use Policies
The following policies were developed in accordance with guidelines dictated by the Massachusetts State Curriculum
Frameworks and recommendations provided by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Center
for Education Statistics.
The Scituate Secondary Mathematics Department Recommends:
(1) Students in grades 7 and 8 should be familiar with a four function and scientific calculator to enhance their
understanding of previously learned concepts and to support the validity of answers in a problem solving situation.
Students should learn to perform basic arithmetic operations without a calculator. Each classroom intermediate school
math classroom is supplied with a set of TI-30X IIS Scientific Calculator. Families should consider purchasing one of these
calculators so their student can be as familiar as possible with the technology.
Grades 9-12
(2) It is suggested that all students enrolled in an Algebra I and Geometry own a graphing calculator. We recommend the
TI-84 Plus CE *
(3) It is required all students enrolled in an Algebra II, PreCalculus, Calculus, Statistics, Probability and Advanced Algebra and
Trigonometry have a graphing calculator. We recommend the TI-84 Plus CE *
* TI - 83 or 84 will still be useful to your student, so you are not required to replace your older model.
●
All high school students will be assessed both with and without a graphing calculator.
● Some midyear and final exams as well as most standardized assessments, will include
graphing calculator and non-calculator sections.
When Does My Student Need To Have Their Calculator?
Ideally, all students should have their calculator on the first day of school. It is necessary for students and families to ensure their
student has their own calculator, as defined above, with the first two weeks of school to maximize their opportunity to engage
with the material.
What About Financial Need?
There are some school owned calculators for loan for families with financial need. Please reach out to department chair, Liz
Grindle [email protected], 781-545-8750 x 394 or have your student see her in the math office at Scituate High School, to discuss
this option.
Opportunities Beyond the Classroom
Liberty Mutual - Lauren Fishman, Kirsty Haley and Calista Fondoulis, students at Scituate High School spent the day with
employees of Liberty Mutual in Boston during a June Outreach Day. The students began their day with a commute to Boston,
followed by an essay writing opportunity which included a scenario about risk analysis for potential clients. By the end of their
day each of our representatives shadowed actuaries, interacted with several employees at Liberty Mutual and walked away with
a better understanding of what types of job are available to math majors. Here is some of the feedback from the trip.
Junior Kirsty Haley shared, “The Liberty Mutual trip was a great experience! We got to see both the daily life of an
actuary and how an actuary's career plays out through the multiple exams we take. We even got to try a few of the
questions on actuary exams. That was really cool to see the type of math problems they deal with, and it made me
interested in a career in actuarial science. All in all it was a great day.”
“I knew a lot about being an actuary, but nothing was ever put into perspective me before Monday. I got to see what
actuaries actually do and the type of situations they deal with. All of the activities were so beneficial for me and winning
the essay contest was a great experience. Everyone there was great and knew exactly how to explain everything. This
trip made me want to become an actuary even more than before.” Freshman, Lauren Fishman
After such a great opportunity we will certainly take advantage of engaging again with Liberty Mutual and hope to work
with other companies through their outreach programs. If you or someone you know has a trade or profession that
promotes the use of math and problems solving and is interested in sharing their career experience with students at SHS
please contact me, Liz Grindle at [email protected], so we can help to engage as many students as possible in their post
secondary plans!
Chandra X-ray Observatory - This year, the AP Programming class had a unique opportunity to travel to Cambridge for a
tour of the NASA facility in charge of maintaining the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The team at the facility pleasantly
welcomed the students along with their chaperones Ms. Hallihan and Mr. Mingels. The staff explained Chandra’s history
and their responsibilities in maintaining it over the last 16 years. The tour provided a fascinating glimpse into the world
of space. Jackie Thornton, a student on the field trip, had these words to share:
“Over my 13 years of schooling, I've been on many field trips but this has easily, topped all of them easily. Going
to the Chandra X-ray Observatory was an eye-opening experience in a multitude of ways. The work being done
in the lab is crucial to furthering our knowledge of space and physics - in the last 16 years of its orbit, Chandra
has brought back fantastic photos of new galaxies and remnants of supernovas. For me, though, the best part
of the trip was not in the thrilling scientific discoveries (though they were pretty awesome!), but in the back
end engineering and computer science that went into the Chandra satellite. Sabine, the female flight engineer
and team leader, walked us through the code that controlled the satellite. Because Chandra is an older satellite,
the only way problems can be addressed is through software and programming, the career I plan to pursue.
Seeing my dream in real time, with real applications, was mind-blowing. I understood the platforms, and could
ask questions about the algorithms and code used. The best though, was that the leader of the observatory was
a woman - like me. As one of five girls on the field trip and one of three in my programming class, it's no
surprise to me that the world of code and engineering is male dominated. But to see someone like me in a
position of leadership, was not only a comfort but a message - that I, as a woman in STEM, can make a
difference, and a big one. I loved this field trip!!”
Celebrating Our Students!
Underclass Awards
The math department is also pleased to recognize the following underclassmen for their hard work and achievement in
mathematics:
High Achievement: Anders Johnson, Nathaniel Lawson, Stone Damon, Emma Golden
Hard Working: Peter Sunnerberg, Becca Hutchinson, Katrina Reidy
Undergraduate Programming: Liam Burns
Senior Awards
On June 6th the Math Department joined together with other school representatives and many generous donors to
recognize the class of 2016 for their achievements. The math department recognized the following members of the class
for their excellence in the subject:
Overall Achievement in Mathematics: Skye Fenton, Delaney Burns and Adrianna Crowell
STEM K-6
Submitted by Donna Moffat, Coordinator
Great Reads With Math? Really?
Yes, Really!
Authors Cindy Neuschwandu and Wayne Greehan have written many wonderful math adventures featuring some fearless
characters. Set during the time of King Arthur, Neuschwandu and Greehan tell the tales of Sir Cumference, his beautiful wife,
Lady Di of Ameter, and their son Radius. This series of books explains the various domains of math in a fun and humorous way.
While sitting on the beach this summer, or traveling to a new vacation destination, take time to read and enjoy some of the
books in this wonderful series: Sir Cumference and the First Round Table, Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone, Sir
Cumference and the Dragon of Pi, Sir Cumference and All The King’s Tens, and Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter to name a
few.
If solving mysteries is more to your liking, The Math Inspectors Series, written by Daniel Kenney and Emily Boever, join characters
Stanley, Charlotte, Gertie, and Felix as they establish their own detective series to solve a variety of mysteries. During their
adventures, the Math Inspectors uncover dark secrets, butt heads with the police chief, and drink lots of milkshakes at their
favorite diner. When they are struggling to find clues, they rely on the one thing they know best: numbers. Because numbers
never lie. A few of the titles to these entertaining books include The Math Inspectors and The Case of the Claymore Diamond,
The Math Inspectors and The Case of the Mysterious Mr. Jekyl, and The Math Inspectors and The Case of the Christmas Caper.
One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve With Math! written by Eric and Natalie Yoder, sharpens the readers logic
and reasoning skills. These literature-based math mysteries take just one minute to read. The brainteasers are entertaining, but
even better, their real-world connections help the reader see math concepts and quandaries as approachable, learnable and
solvable. A fun way to develop deductive reasoning skills and discover the joys of math!
Let The Games Begin!
Family game nights are a great way to reinforce and support the math skills children acquired throughout the school year. Playing
games reinforces children’s social and emotional skills, as well as supports the math-to-real-life connections that children have
made. There are many games and activities that children and families can experience this summer that have tremendous math
benefits and are technology-free. Games that involve strategy and mathematics, and require children to be actively involved as
problem solvers, helps to develop a mathematical mind. Here are a few examples:
Monopoly
Checkers
Heximoes
Mancala
Dominos
Risk
Yahtzee
Battleship
Othello
Connect Four
24 Game
Rat-a-tat-Cat
Solitaire
Three on a Crime
Top It (War) – game can also be used to support math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
So set a night aside, turn off the technology and play some cards or get together to play a favorite board game. Everyone will
benefit while having fun!
Summer Science!
Summer is an excellent time to explore science, and the internet offers so many ideas and
resources that you can use with your children. Some quick, easy ideas can be found on
the PBSParents website, such as “Fun Summer Science Projects for Kids”, by Courtney
Corda and Amy Cowen. This is an informative article offering many suggestions of how
children can explore science through fun and engaging experiments and activities. The
article and links to science ideas can be found at
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/science/tips/summer-science-projects/
If you’re a Pinterest fan, check out https://www.pinterest.com/explore/summer-science/
where you can find hundreds of ideas for Summer Science. From incredible, edible
science experiments to building robots and bridges with materials found in your
household, there are many ideas to fill boredom on a rainy day or alleviate the anxiety of
long drives in the car.
Science 7-12 - Submitted By K. Elich, Department Head
GATES:
Students in Grade 7 are finishing out the year learning about the Environment. All students participated in a field trip to
the New England Aquarium where they learned about the importance of preservation of the marine ecosystems.
Students on Team D expanded on learning experience by creating an awareness campaign about an issue of their choice.
Students presented their information in a variety of ways: rap songs, dances, videos, and posters. Students presented
their final product to their peers.
In Grade 8 students have just finished demonstrating their knowledge of animal adaptations through the GATES Museum
of Natural History. Students researched an animal of their choice and created an infograph, as well as a 3-D display that
was part of the museum. Students were required to present their findings to the museum “visitors” and were graded on
their knowledge of the topic. Students designed some pretty amazing displays.
Students in Ornithology class finished the year with morning labs. Student
Chris Sharry took this picture on one of their field outings. Students from
Scituate High also participated in the Bird-A-Thon. Ten students travelled
with Mr. Maguire to various sites across the state to see how many birds
they could observe in a 24 hour period.
Students in Astronomy conducted
morning and night labs. Greg Hunnefeld
took this picture of star trails.
At the beginning of the month twenty-five
students from the AP and Honors Chemistry
classes participated in a job shadow at
Foundation One Medicine in Cambridge, MA.
Students learned first- hand how
bioinformatics are changing the way cancer is
being diagnosed and treated.
Engineering Capstone Class:
Seniors in the Engineering Capstone class did
Scituate High School proud with their innovative
projects. Projects ranged from a sail glider that
could move on land to the “Town Crier”. The
“Town Crier” provides the high school with a
mechanism for displaying announcements
throughout the building. Students had to design
the program and write the code.
An article in the Scituate Mariner details their
experience.
Social Studies (7-12) – Submitted by Steve Swett, Department Head
Senior Awards
The Michael Clancy Award is given annually to the outstanding historian in the senior class. This year, Gerrit Self was
chosen for his curiosity and accomplishments in Advanced Placement United States History, Psychology and Government
and Politics. Each of his teachers will long remember his love of debate and his commitment to developing better answers
to all kind of questions.
The Scituate High School Citizenship Award is given to the student in the senior class who through actions demonstrates a
commitment to contributing to the larger community. Co-recipients Sara Moskowitz and Grace Strong have consistently
been leaders in their classrooms and in activities based in the history hallway. Sara was the head delegate for Scituate’s
Model UN Club. Grace was the President of Amnesty International, and led the planning and implementation of Human
Rights Day events at the high school. Working together, Sara and Grace were also Co-Presidents of the Debate Club and
winners of the Southeast Massachusetts Debate League Championship!
History Honor Society
The Robert Corbin Chapter of the History Honor Society welcomed 15 new members in late May. The following students
were recognized for their love of history and their commitment to using the past to understand and solve problems in the
present.
Sabine Adorney
Octavia Alvarez
Matt DiPesa
Isabel Garber
Joshua Hirsh
John Martin
Courtney McCarthy
Natalie Meyerson
Alex Moon
Mary Cate Morris
Leanne Morse
Meghan Pender
Matthew Spinella
Paul Sullivan
Dani Tyrcha
AP Government Reunion
AP Government graduates from the classes of 2012-2015 returned to SHS this
May to visit the current class to discuss how they have been politically active
since high school. Many of these graduates have chosen to major in government,
public policy, and international relations. They shared their experiences with
choosing a major, and what they learned as interns with Senator Elizabeth
Warren, Governor Charlie Baker, and Attorney General Maura Healey, and State
Representative Jim Cantwell. The seniors of the class of 2016 commented on
how they were inspired by the graduates, and were looking to blazing their own
trails in the coming months and years.
There’s No Place Like Home
On June 21st 7th grade geography
students went on a walking tour of
historical sites around Gates. Students
explored the Cudworth House and Barn,
climbed Lawson Tower, got a guided tour
of the Little Red School House and the
GAR Hall, then completed a scavenger
hunt on the Common. After a year of
studying people and places around the
globe, it was great to end the year right
close to home!
Celebration of Community Service
Learning
Community Service Learning
students have been hard at work
this spring on a variety of
projects. One group has made a
video entitled “We Are Scituate”
that focuses on the diversity in life
experiences of many Scituate
students. They hope that this video
can help to build a greater
understanding, acceptance, and
respect of our differences. A
second group has been working
with Lisa Thornton at the Scituate
Council on Aging to interview local
senior citizens about their lives to
help build intergenerational
connections. These interviews will
be printed and shared with the
community in the Scituate Mariner
and will be archived through NPR’s
Story Corps Project at the National
Archives. A third group has chosen
to bring awareness to gender roles,
focusing on the pressure boys feel
to “be tough” and “be a man” and
the impact that this can have on
them. They worked with
elementary students in an after
school program to screen a Netflix
video “The Mask You Live In” by the
Representation Project.
Special Education
Submitted by
Dianna Mullen, Director of Special Education
Wow, is it really the end of the school year? It always goes by so quickly and there is still so much to do. I am excited for our
new school year, and also for our summer programming. I hope everyone takes time this summer to rejuvenate and
replenish their minds, body and spirits. It is important to remember to take a break and breathe.
News from the Vocational Life Skills Program
The Vocational Life Skills students will be participating in this summer’s reading assignment from the ELA Department. They
will be reading One Step at a Time, A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. In September they will
participate in a book club with student leaders and 7-12 English Department Chair, Ryan Beattie. Student-leaders facilitating
the book group have an interest in pursuing a career in education. Mr. Beattie will be talking to the Vocational Life Skills
th
students on Monday the 20 about the book.
As the year closes and we gear up for Summer School at the Jenkins School, we are mindful of the many stakeholders who
make our program so successful. We would like to say farewell to Noreen Hebert who has taught our students invaluable
culinary and safety skills that they will take on forever. We will greatly miss her enthusiasm and dedication to our
students. The Scituate Rod and Gun Club hosted our annual fishing trip. We would like to thank them for their overwhelming
generosity and dedication to the students in the Vocational Life Skills Program, the firefighters and policemen have joined us
in making students comfortable with their helpers in our community and even hosted a party for us at the fire station. Our
business community members have also opened their doors to us by providing training sites for our students. Four students
in the Voc/Life program had a memorable time on their Senior Disney Trip April 11-15th. We had two students walk at
graduation June 10th to resounding applause and enjoyed participation in all senior activities. This spring we took a field trip
to Boston Symphony Hall for a performance and traveled into the historic North End of Boston. Finally, we want to share with
the district that our program is growing by over 20% next year and we look forward to another great year.
SEPAC:
Our SEPAC is always looking for more parent involvement. Next year they have planned monthly parent support discussion
groups along with every other month evening presentations. Please contact Jennifer Novak at
[email protected] or Amy Pischel at [email protected] if you are interested in joining the SEPAC.
Extended School Year Services (ESY):
As a reminder, the Special Education Summer Programming will be held at Jenkins with the exception of the Early Childhood
th
Program, which will remain at Wampatuck. The dates of all summer programs are July 11-August 18 . All parents should
have already received a letter at this point as to the details of your child’s summer programming. Always remember that
summer is also a time to relax and enjoy ourselves; to replenish and be ready for a new school year.
Technology
Submitted by Darlene Foley and Jacqui Frongello
We are pleased to see that more students in Grades 5 – 12 are using their own technology throughout the school day to work on
assignments. The school-owned laptops and Chromebooks are currently in high demand and the demand is expected to increase
as more teachers implement project-based learning and leverage online resources for researching, curating content,
collaboration, and production. We highly encourage students in Grades 5 through 12 to bring a laptop or tablet to school daily in
order to have consistent access to technology as needed. Devices can be used in class with teacher permission.
The allocation of school-owned devices will be changing for the 2016-2017 school year at Gates and Scituate High School. Over
the summer we will be re-distributing the school-owned Chromebooks in these buildings so that each classroom will have a set of
6. Up to now, school-owned Chromebooks have been stored on carts as a class set and managed through a reservation process.
Moving forward, if a lesson requires access to technology, students are encouraged to use their own laptop or tablet or they can
borrow one from the classroom set of 6 to use during that period. Smartphones are great for lots of things but they are not
considered an efficient tool for completing assignments; a laptop or tablet is preferred. Students who participate in the Free and
Reduced Lunch Program and do not have access to a laptop or tablet should contact the building principal to learn about Scituate
Public Schools device loaner program.
A Chromebook is a great cost-effective option if you’re looking to purchase a device. Some of the key benefits of a Chromebook
include:
 the cost of an 11” Chromebook is approximately $160
 ChromeOS includes built-in security against viruses, malware and other cyber-infections, and automatic updates
 impressive performance
 fully compatible with SPS curriculum

A few limitations to consider:
 Chromebooks have full functionality with Internet connection and limited offline functionality
 local disk space is minimal and most file storage is cloud-based but note that all student.scit.org accounts include
unlimited storage in Google Drive
 only ‘apps’ from the Google Play store can be installed
1
If interested in obtaining a Chromebook for home use or if you’re considering Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for your student,
SPS has collaborated with Unified Networking Solutions to offer Scituate families an 11” Chromebook at a discounted price of
$160.00. This is the same Chromebook that is used throughout the district and it makes an ideal choice since much of our
curriculum integrates online resources and Google Apps for Education (Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Classroom, etc.). This
offer is provided to make acquiring a quality device easier for families. If you choose to purchase a device with Unified/HP, the
purchase is between you and the vendor, and is considered a private transaction. The District does not receive any compensation
if a purchase is made. Click this link to go to the secure online site to purchase: https://scituate.hpsmartstores.com. The 11”
Chromebook is also available through other retailers.
HP Chromebook 11 G4 11.6"
 Intel Celeron N2840 - Dual-core (2 Core) 2.16
 GHz - Black - 2 GB DDR3L SDRAM RAM - 16 GB
 SSD - Intel HD Graphics DDR3L SDRAM
 Chrome OS English - 1366 x 768 16:9 Display
 Bluetooth - English Keyboard - IEEE 802.11a/b

For more information, please see the attached pdf. If you have any questions regarding the purchasing process, please contact
Rich Long, SPS Technology Coordinator, [email protected].
World Languages
Submitted by
Kate Ciulla, Department Head
World Languages National Award Winners and Honor Society Inductions
nd
On June 2 the World Language Department celebrated student success on the National French, Latin and
Spanish exams at the Departmental Awards evening. Students from grades 7 through 12 opted to take the National
Exam for the respective languages. In Latin, 27 students received National recognition for their outstanding
performance on the exam. 62 students of French also received National recognition and in Spanish 95 students
were commended for excellent performance on the National Spanish Exam. Please see our award recipients below.
National French Exam Winners
High School
Julia Babb, Sarah Bast, Molly Beaty, Taylor Belval, Cameron Blanks, Conor Borek,
Peyton Brown, Annabel Christenson, Claire Crichfield, Sophia Ferrera, Mia Filardi,
Calista Fondoulis, Sean Francis, Abigail Hilditch, Ava Huggins, Caroline James, Abigail
LaBreck, Brenna Lambert, Carly Longman, Megan Kelly, Emma Killion, Natalie
Meyerson, Abigail Murray, Kara Murray, Alexander Moon, Michael O’Keefe, Julia
Pasini, Alicia Pedini, Liam Peterson, Jessica Presutti, Ashley Sommers, Emily Sommers,
Anne Sullivan, Hannah Sullivan, Evelyn Tobin, Maggie Tobin, Kelly Trayers, Sarah
Tyrcha, Taylor Varnum, Meghan Whalen, Sarah Whalen
Gates
Aurora Avallone, Pia Bertola, Brigid Bonner, Grace Coyne, Sasha Daraskevich, Caroline
DiPesa, Eleanor Foley, Eva Goldthwaite, Alexander Knight, Addison Loverin, Bridget
Lumnah, Emma McClellan, Daniel McDonough, Darcy Milligan, Aidan Morley, Meaghan
Murray, Emma Perry, Madeleine Porter, Julianna Saccone, Catharine Smith, Mia Snow
National Latin Exam Winners
High School
Milena Adorney, Sabine Adorney, Scott Arnold, Maxwell Borek, Shay Doherty, Isabel
Garber, Emma Golden, Callie Herschfield, Abigail LaBrack, Maddyn McDonald, Leanne
Morse, Catherine Montgomery, Alec Mulkern, Declan O'Neill, Sebastien RamirezEtienne, David Sullivan, Joseph Thornton
Gates
Shannon Burgess, Sadie Hofford, Emily McKerrow, Anna O’Connor, Emily O’Connor,
Finn O’Halloran, Jack Paganetti, Cairde Pedini, Hayden Startzell, Jack Thompson
National Spanish Exam Winners
High School
Connor Ahern, Chase Allard, Benjamin Askew, Jakob Barrett, Brendan Barry, Mackenna
Berkely, Casey Boynton, Peyton Brown, Caitlin Burke, Avery Carrioulo, Noelle Casali,
Maeve Chapman, Christopher Clancy, Alyssa Connolly, Erin Crowell, Julia Cuneo,
Kendall Damon, Stone Damon, Emily Damrell, Gracie Dell, Matthew Dipesa, Cecily
Fasanella, Lauren Fishman, Matthew Fishman, Grace Foley, Sofie Forde, Corey
Kelleher, Leah Kelly, Kaelin Logue, Carly Longman, Mary Maier, Thea Malerbi, Lucy
Masuret, Morgan McCluskey, Elizabeth McGrath, Andrew Mingels, Nathan Moore,
Megan Nally, Katherine Norton, Thomas O’Brien, Grace Olivieri, Meghan Pender,
Katrina Reidy, Xadia Rodrigues, Alaina Roman, Jill Ross, Julianne Ryan, Samia Sabir,
Jackson Schwartz, Tristan Smith, Grace Sullivan, Molly Sullivan, Natalie Talbot, Maria
Trifiro, Sophie Vickers, Avery Ward, Caroline Young
Gates
Charles Blacker, Jeffrey Blake, Maggie Blake, Gerard Burke, Kathleen Carroll, Adriana
Cawley, Alyssa Clougherty, Anna Conroy, Abby Cooney, Michaela DiPaola, Brooke
Dubois, Megan Forsythe, Jennifer Galvin, Hannah Gilmore, Willow Golden, Andrew
Gosnell, Ella Greene, Tyler Holley, Cassidy Krause, Sarah Lincoln, Shannon Logan,
Alexandra Loyot, Nicholas Muha, Kate Nally, Jack Nelson, Jason Robinson, Grace Ryan,
Jack Sanchez, Aron Sheinis, William Shesky, Katelyn Short, Annika Sjostedt, Elizabeth
Slein, Bonnie Stewart, Jillian Sullivan, Tatum Swanson, John Woodland
nd
Students were also inducted into the National French, Latin and Spanish Honor Societies on June 2 . Students were
chosen based on term 3 averages and overall averages. They were eligible if they were in their second year of high
school language study. Students were required to have a straight A in term 3 and an overall A- in their language of
study. Congratulations to Robin Angland, Peyton Brown, Annabel Christenson, Anna Coelho, Michaela Dini, Sophia
Ferrera, Sean Francis, Maria Finaldi, Marisa Flaherty, Abigail Hilditch, Nora Hoffman, Carly Longman, Colleen Lumnah,
Amy Martin, Morgan McCluskey, Alexander Moon, Alexis Moore, Kara Murray, Heather Paradis, Liam Peterson,
Danielle Ray, Shawn Stiles, Hannah Sullivan, Sarah Tyrcha, Abigail Walo, Sarah Whalen for their induction into the
Societe Honoraire de Francais. And congratulations to Wells Culkins, Shay Doherty, Sebastian Etienne-Ramirez, Callie
Herschfield, Evan McCormack, Olivia McNamara, Lauren Montgomery, Leann Morse, Alec Mulkern, Melinda Sweeney,
Alexandra Zilonisfor induction into the National Latin Honor Society. Last but not least, congratulations to Jakob
Barrett, Grace Benson, Emily Blanchard, Casey Boynton, Ashley Brown, Devin Brown, Cailtin Burke, Noelle Casali,
Abigail Chipman, Peter Churchill, Christopher Clancy, Chet Conlin, Alexandra Conroy, Stone Damon, Lauren Dell, Julie
DiSalvio, Sophia Donnelly, Matthew Fishman, Maria Filardi, Grace Foley, Megan Galvin, Cameron Gee, Maeve Glancy,
Natalie Greenbaum, Genevieve Goodman, Elizabeth Gotaas, Katherine Henegan, Matthew Hermance, Lauren Hodges,
Gillian Horan, Conor Hughes, Marie Kate James, Abbey Johnston, Corey Kelleher, Leah Kelly, Matthew Kinahan, Kelly
Leary, Heidi Martin, Patrick McCarthy, Charles McDonald, Kaitlyn Milligan, Elizabeth Monger, Nathan Moore, Jacob
Nelson, Katherine Norton, Thomas O’Brien, Alex Oritz, Maryann Quattrucci, Caroline Quinn, Nadine Reidy, Xadia
Rodrigues, Skylar Rojik, Alaina Roman, Julianne Ryan, Parker Ryan, Patrick Santorella, Birch Swart, Marley Schwartz,
Maria Trifiro, Sophie Vickers, Avery Ward, Gretchen Wasner, Emily Whelan, Khadijah White, Margaret Yonce for their
induction into La Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica. The World Language teachers are very proud of their students’ work!