high school

Kearsarge Students Discuss Middle to High School Transition at Combined Girl’s Soccer Practice

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Kearsarge Regional School District
Superintendent Winfried Feneberg
114 Cougar Court
New London, NH 03257

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019

Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Kearsarge Students Discuss Middle to High School Transition at Combined Girl’s Soccer Practice

The Kearsarge High School Varsity Girl’s Soccer team practiced various drills and shared advice about the transition from middle to high school with members of the Kearsarge Middle School girl’s soccer program earlier this month. (Courtesy Photo Kearsarge Regional School District)

NEW LONDON– Superintendent Winfried Feneberg is pleased to share that members of the middle school girl’s soccer team had the chance to practice with, bond and hear advice from members of the high school varsity team at a combined practice earlier this month.

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, a total of 14 members of the Kearsarge Regional High School varsity girl’s soccer team joined the Kearsarge Regional Middle School girl’s soccer program for their practice. The high school students led the younger players in groups by position, and practiced various drills before holding a series of scrimmages.

“It was an awesome practice,” said Reese Lacombe, an eighth-grade student and member of the middle school soccer program. “Working with and hearing from the varsity girls inspired me to be the best me both on and off the pitch.”

“Being able to scrimmage with the high school team was a lot of fun!” said Kylie LaBelle, an eighth-grade student and member of the middle school soccer program.

At the end of the practice, the older players imparted advice and words of encouragement to the younger students, including suggestions that they foster a “soccer family” and build close friendships with their teammates, continue training over the summer to prepare for the fall season, and to value their friendships on and off the playing field.

“Working with the middle school girls was a great opportunity to combine the current and upcoming players,” said Jordan Busch, a 12th-grade student and member of the high school varsity girl’s soccer team. “It is crucial to create strong bonds between teammates and working with the younger girls gave everyone the ability to get to know each other and have fun together.”

“I thought that this was an amazing opportunity for everyone there,” said Mary Meagher, a 12th-grade student and member of the high school varsity girl’s soccer team. “It was awesome that the younger girls were so excited to have us there. They are crucial to bettering our program in the future and I have great confidence that they will have great seasons ahead.”

Kearsarge Regional High girl’s varsity soccer team Head Coach Emily Wagman partnered with Kearsarge Athletic Director Scott Fitzgerald, middle school Athletic Coordinator Nathan Camp, middle school Athletic Coordinator John Geary and middle school girl’s soccer Coach Dave Smith to organize the practice. 

“It is extremely important for young athletes to build connections,” Coach Wagman said. “The inter-squad practice is a great opportunity for the high school players to give back to the program and to build connections with the middle school players, many of whom will soon be their teammates. It is also important for the younger players to build a connection with the older players to bridge the gap between middle school and high school, to ease the upcoming transition and continue to build the girl’s soccer program.”

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Medway High School Student-Athletes Participate in Leadership Development Event

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Medway Public Schools
Armand Pires, Superintendent
45 Holliston St.
Medway, MA 02053

 

For Immediate Release

Monday, Aug. 12, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Medway High School Student-Athletes Participate in Leadership Development Event

MEDWAY — Superintendent Armand Pires is pleased to announce that student leaders from Medway High School’s athletic teams participated in a day of leadership training on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Students who were invited to participate included team captains and other team leaders from all of the athletic teams at Medway High School. Thirty-five students in grades 10 to 12 attended the full-day event.

Throughout the day, student-athletes worked on different team-building activities which challenged them to work together to complete tasks and overcome challenges.

In one activity, students were put into groups and given scenarios that may happen over the course of an athletic season. The groups discussed different ways to handle their scenario and any challenges they may face in how they chose to respond.

Student-athletes also took part in an activity where a statement was read and students stood in groups based on whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement. They discussed why they agreed or disagreed with the statement, teaching them that there are many leadership styles and many ways to handle a situation.

In the afternoon, students listened to educational speaker Alan Lazaros of Alan Lazaros LLC who discussed self-discipline, personal development, standards of excellence and conscious leadership.

The event was organized by Medway Athletic Director Jeff Parcells who hoped it would teach student-athletes about the true qualities of leadership as they prepare to lead their teams through the coming school year. This includes exploring how to be better role models for their respective teams and in the classroom and community.

“I want them to understand that being a leader or captain of the team is not just about telling people what to do, but rather being someone who truly leads by example and is there for everyone,” Parcells said. “I hope for these leaders to go back to their teams with what they learned and develop a mission for their team that incorporates the core values they all live by. If our teams and leaders are able to demonstrate these values on a consistent basis then our athletic program is heading in the right direction.”

The students who participated in the event are part of Medway High School’s Athletic Leadership Council. The council represents team captains and team leaders from all athletic teams at the high school. It currently has 46 members ranging from grades 10 to 12 and the council hopes to add ninth graders once the school year begins.

“Student-athletes today are focused on winning, but also need to understand the importance of leadership and sportsmanship and what it truly means to be a team captain,” Parcells said. “By including all grades in the Athletic Leadership Council and its activities, we hope to start the learning process of leadership at a younger age which will allow us to continue to produce great leaders for our teams and school community.”

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*Media Advisory* Pentucket High School Building Committee to Hold Meeting Tuesday

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Pentucket Regional School District
Superintendent Justin Bartholomew
22 Main Street
West Newbury, MA 01985

For Immediate Release

Friday, March 8, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

*Media Advisory* 

Pentucket Building Committee to Hold Meeting Tuesday

WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew wishes to remind residents that the Pentucket Building Committee is having a meeting next week.

WHEN:

Tuesday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Pentucket Regional High School Cafeteria, 24 Main St., West Newbury

WHAT:

The Pentucket Building Committee is holding a meeting Tuesday, March 12, at Pentucket Regional High School to review updated design renderings for the combined high school/middle school building project, the next steps in the Massachusetts School Board Authority (MSBA) process and a schedule of upcoming community meetings.

“It is important that voters attend the public meetings we have scheduled about this project, familiarize themselves with the information available on the project’s website, and ask myself or another member of the committee any questions they may have,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “We want voters to fully understand what they are voting on this spring, and what this project would offer students in the future.”

Since the committee’s Feb. 13 meeting, the district submitted a schematic design of the building project to the MSBA on Feb. 20. The district will meet with the MSBA in the coming weeks to review the submitted schematic design.

About the Pentucket Building Project

Pentucket Regional School District and the Building Committee have been working with the MSBA since 2015 to develop a building project to meet the needs of the district. The proposed building would solve critical infrastructure concerns facing both the middle and high school buildings, including the HVAC, water and electrical systems at the high school.

A 2015 report found that the high school’s HVAC and electrical systems are in  “imminent danger of possible failure.”

The high school building was built in 1956, and the middle school building was built in 1967. Both buildings are well worn and in need of replacement. Combining the middle and high schools into one new building presents a more cost-effective option than building separate middle and high school buildings. The proposed project would create a three-story facility that aligns with modern academic standards and best practices and would serve several decades of students to come.

Residents in Groveland, Merrimac and West Newbury will vote on Monday, April 29 whether to approve the funding request for the project and again in a ballot vote on May 6.

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Pentucket Launches Middle and High School Building Project Website

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Pentucket Regional School District
Superintendent Justin Bartholomew
22 Main Street
West Newbury, MA 01985

For Immediate Release

Monday, March 4, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Pentucket Launches Middle and High School Building Project Website

WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew is pleased to announce that Pentucket Regional School District has launched an official website about the proposed middle and high school building project.

The website PentucketProject.com will act as an official source of information for residents in Groveland, Merrimac, and West Newbury as they prepare to vote on Monday, April 29 whether to approve the funding request for the project and again in a ballot vote on May 6.

The project needs to be approved by all three towns, in both votes, to move forward. The votes represent the final step in the process.

“We’re excited to share this website as an official resource for residents looking to learn more about the project,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “It’s important going into town meetings and ballot votes that residents know all the facts about the project, the concerns facing the current middle and high school buildings, and how the details of this project came to be.”

A news blog on the website will be regularly updated with the latest information about the project. The website also includes video recordings of past presentations on the project, which can be seen by clicking here.

The proposed Pentucket Regional School District (PRSD) grades seven through 12 building would replace the current middle and high schools, which were respectively built in 1967 and 1954.

Both buildings are significantly worn and approaching the end of their useful life spans. The high school building faces several infrastructure issues, including an old, corroded plumbing system that is insulated with asbestos and frequently causes flooding and an outdated heating system that a district assessment of its condition revealed is in imminent danger of failing. To learn more about the state of the current buildings, click here. 

The project would build a three story, modern facility combining the middle and high schools into one building on a unified campus. This is a more cost effective option than building separate, new middle and high school buildings that exist now.

To examine renderings of the proposed building and learn more about its design, click here.

The total estimated cost of the project is $146.3 million. After ineligible costs are calculated and deducted from the total cost, the district estimates the Massachusetts School Board Authority (MSBA) will fund approximately 40 percent of the project.

The MSBA will announce an official reimbursement amount in April.

At the project reimbursement rate and interest rates, based on the average assessed home value in each town in the district, it is estimated that, should the project move forward, the average Groveland homeowner’s taxes would increase $745, the average Merrimac homeowner’s taxes would increase $734, and the average West Newbury homeowner’s taxes would increase $755.

Four years ago, PRSD was accepted into the MSBA process for the first time since a proposed new high school building was voted down in the late 1990s. Since PRSD was re-accepted by the MSBA, the district has been working with the MSBA to develop the most cost effective plan to meet the needs of the middle and high schools.

“The proposed building would solve the infrastructure concerns in both buildings, and would create a facility that will enhance and support student learning for decades to come,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “We encourage residents to visit the website, learn about the project being proposed, and consider what the project will mean for future generations of Pentucket students.”

A School Building Committee formed in fall 2016 to oversee the MSBA process, and includes administrators, town officials, selectmen, school committee members, and residents. To learn more about the committee, click here.

To access the website, visit pentucketproject.com.

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