The Navigator - November 2023

In the wake of the tragedy that occurred in Lewiston, we continue to reflect on those who were lost in this senseless act of violence, assure that we are providing students and staff with the emotional support that they need, and examine our own emergency procedures to make sure that we are doing everything that we can to stay safe. The Morse students and staff created a thoughtful display for Lewiston High School and are planning a fundraiser to support the families of the victims as they recover from the tragedy.

Spirit Week at Morse is in the rear-view mirror for us, this year we extended the week out with almost two weeks of events, all of which we take very seriously at Morse! We had stiff competition between classes (and faculty) with the daily theme days, float decoration, many games to attend, and pep rally events. The week culminated with many athletic events, including the homecoming football game, and the homecoming dance on Saturday night. These events were well-attended and really fun. Ultimately, the class of 2024, the Seniors, took home the crown!

Although I know that school ratings provided by outside agencies are not the end-all to the work that we do at Morse, and the measurements that go into these ratings can be debated; however, it is worth noting that the US News and World Report High School ratings placed Morse at 15th in the state this year. It is a good statistic to celebrate and provides room for future goals as well!

Perhaps a clearer data point that we can reference is our progress on our graduation rate. With the help of some specific programs in recent years, we have been making good progress; Morse’s graduation rate has climbed to 95.48% in the past year. This is certainly something to celebrate and provides for some future goals. There are many efforts and contributing factors that have helped more of our students find success at Morse and we continue to look at our programs and find ways to help students.

Morse’s AP program continues to garner great success. The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program® provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous, college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for excellent performance on the AP Exams. Morse offers fourteen AP courses and Morse’s class averages in ALL of these courses were above the state and global averages! Ninety-five Morse students took 1 or more of 14 AP tests for a total of 174 AP exams taken last school year. Thirty-one Morse High School students have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams last year. Additionally, eight Morse students earned their AP Capstone Diploma with top scores in their AP classes as well as the AP Seminar and AP Research classes. These courses provide fantastic opportunities for our students and I applaud the students and staff that take on the extra work that makes this all possible.

I really do think that there is something for everyone at Morse and there is no better example of that then the breadth and activity of our clubs:

Parents and guardians should have received an email from each of their teachers explaining how to sign up for parent-teacher conferences on November 20th and 21st. Teachers’ emails were sent at noon on 11/3. If you did not receive the email, please check your spam folder and/or reach out to teachers directly. Parents/guardians are welcome to sign up to see teachers in-person or remotely via Google Meets or by phone. All of the information is in your email.

The 94th annual MoHiBa is just around the corner! The theme is MoHiBa Mystery and the show will be November 17th and 18th in the Montgomery Theater. We had an overwhelming number of students audition and they are now hard at work rehearsing daily. Traditionally, many community members attend MoHiBa annually and we hope to see a full house on both nights again this year!

The holiday season is almost upon us, which is a very busy time of the year. Although this time brings joy to so many, it can also be challenging for some students. Please reach out to your student’s School Counselor if your student is experiencing any increased stress in the months to come.

Sincerely,

Eric Varney

evarney@rsu1.org

Visit us online: http://bit.ly/MHSstudentservices

Hello from the Athletic Department at Morse High School!

As we close the Fall Athletic season at Morse High School, it brings me a lot of joy to see all of the success that our athletes, coaches and community has seen on and off of the fields. Over the past 4 months, our teams have worked incredibly hard to improve on what they were able to accomplish last season.

Nearly every Morse Fall Varsity program qualified for the MPA playoffs this season. Our Cross Country programs had a very successful Fall in which the girls placed 8th overall in the Class B State Championships (out of more than 30 Class B Schools) and our boys program placed 3rd in the KVAC Championships! The Varsity Football program finished their regular season with a 5-2 record and finished as Regional Semi-Finalists. Our Varsity Girls Soccer team won its preliminary round playoff game vs Lincoln Academy 3-0. In their Class B South Quarterfinal game they lost valiantly to #1 ranked Yarmouth High School, 2-0. Our Varsity Field Hockey team had a successful season on and off the field! They were selected as the Class B South recipient of the MPA Sportsmanship Award! The Varsity Boys Soccer team won its preliminary round playoff game vs Oak Hill 4-1. They then traveled to #2 ranked Cape Elizabeth and fell to the Capers. Finally, the Shipbuilders Golf team finished the season 10-1! They won the KVAC Class B South Regional championship.

To say that the Shipbuilders had a successful season on the fields is an understatement. We are proud of them all and their efforts. We also want to thank all of the community for their tireless support of our athletes. McMann Field was filled for much of the Fall!

As we close our Fall season, we are excited to get the Winter sports season started on November 20th. Girls Hockey will start on November 6th and Unified Basketball will begin in late January! We will host a Winter Sports information night on Monday, November 20th from 5-6pm in Montgomery Theatre. Please click here to sign up for a Winter Sport!

As always, please visit Morse Shipbuilders Athletics on social media. This is a quick and easy way to get updates regarding Morse Athletics.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShipbuildersAD/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morseshipbuilders/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShipbuildersAD

I look forward to seeing you all during the Winter. The upcoming months are long, a lot of late nights but the tradition of our Morse Winter Athletics is important to embrace. I am excited to get the practice started on the 20th and seeing you all in the blue and white soon!

Best Regards,

Andrew Pelletier

apelletier@rsu1.org

Coming up quick! You don’t want to miss out - it’s not too late to get in on the action! There are a lot of really amazing items this year donated from really amazing people and businesses. Come support your @morseshipbuildersathletics | November 11 from 5-9 pm at the Bath Golf Club.

Additional Health Services are available at Morse High School through a partnership with RSU 1 and LincolnHealth.

RSU 1 has partnered with LincolnHealth to begin offering expanded school-based health services at Morse. These services may include:

• Treatment of acute, chronic, and injury-related health conditions

• Well-child checks

• Immunizations

• Behavioral health treatment

• Reproductive health

• Oral health

Services are provided by an onsite Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) employed through LincolnHealth. Services are provided in an effort to improve access to health care for youth and staff in schools in a safe, supportive, and confidential way. All major insurances and MaineCare are accepted and sliding fee scales and other payment support are available. Students and staff do not need to be regular patients of LincolnHealth/Maine Health to be seen at the Morse School-Based Health Center. LincolnHealth will work with your primary care office for referrals as needed.

You will need to be registered with LincolnHealth to be seen at Morse School-Based Health Center. You can register online and request appointments by clicking here. If you have questions about the services being provided you can contact Tasha in the Morse Health Center by emailing nsuttmeier@rsu1.org or by calling 207-443-8250 option 2.

MoHiBa Mystery!

Friday, November 17th at 7:00pm

Saturday, November 18th at 7:00pm

Montgomery Theater, Morse High School

Tickets only at the door: $10 adults, $5 students

Cash or check ONLY.

Ticket sales will begin at 6pm. Doors to the theater will open at 6:20pm.

Come join us for an evening of fun. As tradition has it - student groups present skits, music, and dance acts. The evening is hosted by student emcees. We can't wait to see you in the audience!

The Morse High School Interact Club in partnership with Sunrise Rotary are taking order now for the 29th Annual Holiday Wreath Sale (2023) Order online at: https://bit.ly/MIwreath23

What has CPP been up to? Check out their most recent newsletter for more info!

Last Chance for Personalization: 10/28-1/26

• $50 for Yearbook
• $10 personalization
• Additional icons are available if orders are placed online

Final Chance for guaranteed Yearbook and online orders (we sold out last year!): 1/27-2/28

• $50 for Yearbook
• No personalization or icons offered

After 2/28

• $50 for Yearbook
• No online orders (see Mrs. Barter in Room 140)
• Yearbooks only available until sold out

Yearbooks can be ordered online at jostensyearbooks.com or students may bring a check or cash to Mrs. Barter in Room 140.

WHAT? The first annual SHIPBUILDER PRIDE ARTISAN MARKET! This is a holiday craft fair. Expect art, crafts, food, and raffle items. Please come shop local the day after Black Friday.

WHEN? SATURDAY, 11/25 from 9am-3pm (snow date: Sun., 11/26)

WHERE? The MORSE HS/BATH TECH Commons @ 826 Shipbuilder Dr., BATH

WHY? The Morse INTERACT CLUB (thank you Leslie!) is co-sponsoring with Jen Jones, MHS Ed Tech, to bring this event to life. We want to showcase the fantastic talents of our school community and beyond. In turn, students, alum, staff and the greater community have the opportunity to generate their own revenue. The NET PROCEEDS from vendor space rental fees will be divided between INTERACT and towards a Community Little Free Art Gallery spearheaded by Jen Jones.

Yes, this event is getting a late start, we've had a few hiccups, but interest from vendors is still streaming in. We hope for a total of 30-40. The event will be well advertised in the community so we anticipate steady traffic. We would love to see more STUDENT participation from Morse and Bath Tech students alike so PLEASE spread the word by making announcements in your classes, seeking out individuals you know who create their own goods, or simply posting this flyer in or just outside your classroom.

WHO? We have ~20 vendors signed up to date and are still looking for more from high school amateurs to hobbyists to professional artisans.

Students ages 14-17 can participate with parental consent (see application & contract on the Google site by scanning the QR code on the flip side). It is up to you as a coach, class advisor or program/club mentor whether or not your students can run their space on their own, handling money, setting up and breaking down and what-not.

No one has signed up for CONCESSIONS yet so that would be an easy sweet & savory bake sale venue. Offer fresh coffee and tea and you might very well have a goldmine! Ask parents to volunteer to supervise. Other groups could also rent tables to sell baked goods to make some ready cash. Who will be first to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity?!

Space Rentals

• $15 MHS/Bath Tech current students (students can split a table, so just $7.50 ea), clubs, programs, classes of, sports teams, etc.

• $25 MHS/Bath Tech alumni

• $30 RSU1 employees, current or retired

• $40 Arrowsic, Bath, Georgetown, Phippsburg, West Bath, & Woolwich residents

• $50 Everyone else

Interested in applying to be a VENDOR? Email Jen Jones at jennifer.jones@rsu1.org.

Teen Library Council
November 2 @ 3:30 pm

Let your voice be heard and help shape the future of Teen Library Programs! Open to anyone in grades 6-12. Meets every first Thursday at 3:30 p.m..

Questions? Email Hannah.

Bath Climate Conversations: Thinking About Climate Change – An Introduction to the Science

November 8 @ 5:30 pm

Do you feel well informed about global warming? Would you like to understand more about the science of climate change? Did you know that greenhouse gases have been talked about since 1856? Do you know what a greenhouse gas is? We’ll talk the roots of climate science, how we understand that climate change is happening, and how we understand its causes. You will leave this session with a better understanding of the science that motivates the hard policy decisions that we all face today.

This program part of a continuing series of Bath Climate Conversations focused on learning, discussing, and connecting around ways to sustain and support our vibrant town as climate change occurs. Hosted by Bath Climate Action Commission in partnership with KELT and the Patten Free Library and presented in person and on Zoom. Registration is required for Zoom only: https://bit.ly/pflclimatechange

Tiny Art Show and Submissions

The Patten Free Library is looking for artists for their 2023 Tiny Art Show. Participants will each receive a 3x3 mini canvas to complete in whatever medium they choose using the theme of Starry Night. This theme aligns with the Patten Free Libraries’ annual Starry Night Luminary Walk in December.

“Our Tiny Art Show in 2022 was such a success that we wanted to do it again,” says Programs and Outreach Manager Hannah Lackoff, “It’s a wonderful way to showcase artists in our community; of all ages, mediums, and abilities! In 2022 we had nearly 100 submissions on our ocean theme. We can’t wait to see what creative ways the artists choose to interpret this year’s theme!”

Canvases will be on display all winter beginning December 16 at A Night at the Patten, and auctioned off to raise money for the Library. Grab and Go Kits containing a canvas, paint, paintbrush, and submission instructions will be available throughout the month of November while supplies last.

10th Annual Writing Contest

1st prize and 2nd prizes will be named in each of six categories:

Grades 6-9: Short Fiction, Non-Fiction
Grades 10-12: Short Fiction, Non-Fiction
Adults: Short Fiction, Non-Fiction

Entries will be judged by a panel including Library staff, trustees, local teachers, community members and Teen Library Council members. First ($100) and second prize ($50) gift certificates will be awarded in each category. Winners will be honored at a reception in January 2024 and winning entries will be published on the Library website. The Writing Contest is made possible with support from the Friends of the Patten Free Library.

Entries accepted October 1 through December 1, 2023.

RSU 1 is now using an electronic Volunteer Registration process. If you are interested in volunteering at one of our schools, please complete the registration form here: RSU 1 Volunteer Registration Form, 2023-2024.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering in RSU 1 schools are asked to complete the Volunteer Registration Form. Please follow the instructions on the form carefully. These forms are completed on a yearly basis to generate a new volunteer list for the RSU 1 district for each school year. Please allow one week prior to a field trip or event for processing.

The Laureen Swanson Music for Youth Fund, reviews applications to support and enhance music education for youth under age 22 in Brunswick, RSU 1, MSAD 75, RSU 5. The Board reviews applications on the fourth Thursday of each month. Applications and more information can be found at https://www.laureenswansonmusicforyouthfoundation.org.

The Maine Maritime Museum has several free upcoming programs for families and students. More information can be found on the RSU 1 Community Programs page.

Please call 443-8250 (option 1) to speak with the Attendance Secretary, Heidi Levasseur. You may also send an email to hlevasseur@rsu1.org.

November 9: Professional Development Day, no school

November 10: Veterans Day, no school

November 17 & 18: 94th Annual MoHiBa, 7pm

November 20: P/T Conferences, 1/2 day for students

November 21: P/T Conferences, 1/2 day for students

November 22-24: Thanksgiving Break, no school

December 12: Winter Music Concert, 7pm

December 22-January 1: Winter Break, no school

Morse Website

Brightspace

Student Handbook

Daily Bell Schedule

District Calendar