Principal's News

October 2009

STUDENT NEWS

Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Among those named was Tiverton High School senior, Noah Bourlett. More than 1.5 million juniors entered the 2010 NMSC by taking the 2008 Preliminary SAT/Nation Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Noah will have the opportunity to continue in the competition worth more than $36 million in the spring.

Senior Magdalena Tsiongas was named a Commended Student in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program. Approximately 34,000 commended students are being recognized for their academic promise. Magdalena placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2010 competition by taking the 2009 preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Nine members of the Class of 2009 have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams. Rachael Bonoan and Amelia Iglesias qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning as average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Tricia Akers, Lisa Dion, Laura Dzialo, Ariel Galipeau, Patrick Krystman, Elizabeth McGreavy, and Daniel Mello qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher.

Five members of Tiverton High School’s Green Team attended the 2nd Annual RI Sustainable Schools Summit in Providence with Mr. Marx. They each attended different summits.

Chantal Galipeau attended the Nutrition and the Farm to School System put on by Kids First, an organization which works to make school lunch more nutritious. The aim of this workshop was to try to incorporate local farm products into everyday lives.

Tools for Schools is a system that works to create better indoor air quality was attended by Lauren Rollings. Since both students and teachers have gotten sick from the pollutants in the air, Tools for Schools proposes that schools should seek a solution to the air problem.

Maddie McGreavy attended a workshop entitled Smaller Footprints = Big Savings. This workshop informed students about what is being done by schools and households to limit their impact on the earth while saving money in the process.

The No Child Left Inside Coalition (NCLI) was recently established to improve environmental literacy, or the understanding of the systems of the natural world in Americans. Alexandra Azevedo attended this workshop which also aims to improve student achievement through hands-on outdoor activities that contribute to healthy lifestyles.

Green Teams that Work was attended by Kelly Mello.

Mr. Marx attended Growing the Green Curriculum and hopes to start a multidisciplinary unit on the environment this year with staff members.

Tiverton High School Life Skills students are involved in visiting nursing homes, caring for animals and delivering donated clothing. One student has a volunteer vocational placement at a nearby horse farm, and one student has a job at a local pharmacy.

SCHOOL NEWS

The Library Media Center celebrated its firth annual Reading Rampage Week October 19-23. Activities featured a Readers’ Forum, reading fun in advisories, as well as prizes for the Checkout Mystery Number and students “caught” reading. The Book club has also been resurrected and
will have its first discussion meeting Tuesday, December 1st at 6:30 p.m. in the library.


The THS String Students, under the direction of Mrs. Gael Berberick, recently participated in a mentoring program with all of the 4th grade beginning string students in town. The high school students performed Bach’s Brandenberg Concerto #5 and “Eleanor Rigby”. After the performance, they taught the beginning students how to use the bow and play notes on their instruments. According to Mrs. Renee Bond, the beginning strings and elementary teacher, the high school students teach the elementary students the equivalent of 4-6 weeks of string lessons in one 45 minute mentoring session. U.S.A. (Up with School Arts) helps to sponsor the mentoring program in the Tiverton Schools.

THS MEETS ANNUAL YEARLY PROGRESS WITH NECAP TEST SCORES

Tiverton High School has been evaluated by RIDE as continuing to meet AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) with results from last October’s NECAP testing. THS Was evaluated in nine major target areas and met them all, including Index Proficiency Score, Percent of Students Tested, and Graduation Rate.

The 2009 District Report Cards are available at www.eride.gov/reportcard and will be sent home with student report cards.

NURSE’S NOTES

The R.I. Department of Health has mailed home parent consent forms for the H1N1 (Swine) Influenza Vaccine. The H1N1 (Swine) Flu Clinic will be held during the school day for grades 6 – 12. Kindergarten – 5th grade students will be vaccinated after school. The clinic dates will be announced within the next few weeks.

The SEASONAL Flu Clinic has been changed to Wednesday, December 2nd from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

NO STUDENT CAN BE VACCINATED WITHOUT PARENTAL/GUARDIAN CONSENT.

When calling in your child’s absence, please leave a reason for the absence, for example: fever, sore throat, cough etc. Thank you for your cooperation.

GRANTS

Ms. Elizabeth Farley, Guidance Chairperson, wrote and was awarded a grant from The Tiverton Prevention Coalition for our Parent Discussion Group on Adolescent Issues. The grant for $750 will help provide support, guidance, and resources to the families within our community.

The Beechwood Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Astors’ Beechwood Mansion has awarded a grant for $1000 to support the “Creating Choral Connections in Life” program for the Tiverton High School Music Department, as well as $750 to support the “Playing Strings For Life” program for the Middle School Music Department. Mrs. Gael Berberick, choral and strings instructor, wrote the grant outlining where the money would be spent and how it would help our students.

Sakonnet Arts Network has awarded our Drama Program, a grant of $5800 to enrich the ongoing program for the 2009-2010 school year under the supervision of Gloria Crist, Drama Advisor. Ms Crist wrote this grant which will support weekly after school classes in theater/technical theater workshops throughout the year along with other programs.

Rebecca Elwell, Coordinator of the Tiverton Prevention Coalition, has received a $90,000 Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Grant to support community prevention efforts. The three year grant focuses on lowering the underage drinking rate in Tiverton by enhancing the capabilities of the Coalition and the community rather than addressing the needs of individual youth. The Coalition is seeking the input of interested parents and community members as it builds its membership. Anyone interested in more information or in becoming involved with prevention efforts , please contact Rebecca at relwell@tivertonschools.org. Mrs. Elwell also serves as the THS Community Service Coordinator.

TIVERTON HIGH SCHOOL
UPCOMING EVENTS

October 22, 2009 College Fair 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

October 28, 29 Haunted House 6:30 – 9:00 Auditorium

November 2 – 6, 2009 Spirit Week

November 7, 2009 Homecoming Game 1:30

November 7, 2009 Homecoming Dance 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

November 9, 2009 National Honor Society Induction Ceremony – 6:30 p.m.

November 11, 2009 Veterans Day (No School)

November 18, 19, 2009 Parent-Teacher Conferences

November 20, 2009 No School

November 26, 27, 2009 Thanksgiving Recess

December 2, 2009 Flu Vaccine for Students

December 9, 2009 Picture Make-Up Day

December 9, 2009 Commissioner’s Team Visit – High Diploma System

December 11-13 Drama Performance (Ebenezer)

December 16, 2009 Tiverton High School Winter Concert

December 24, 2009 Winter Recess Begins

January 4, 2009 Classes Resume