MHS News and Notes

Good afternoon everyone

We have arrived at the Indigenous People’s Day long weekend marking the end of the first stretch of the school year and a transition in our learning model as we begin the process of moving from fully remote learning to a hybrid model.

Next Tuesday October 13th we are very excited to welcome back our freshmen students in Cohort A for in person learning at Maynard High School from 7:45 to 11:00am. While students in Cohort A attend their morning classes, students in Cohort in Cohort B and fully Remote students will continue to join their classes remotely from home. After a remote, asynchronous day for all students on Wednesday October 14th our freshmen students in Cohort B will join us in person on Thursday October 15th from 7:45 to 11:00am with their classmates in Cohort A and Fully Remote students joining them from home.

Of note for freshmen students and their families ahead of their return next week:

• A separate email message will be coming from Maynard High School with a full set of reminders around expectations for students under the hybrid model. It is very important that students and their parents and guardians review this information.

Although this is specific to freshman, this is the general model we will follow when the other grades return. If all goes as planned, and if the COVID 19 data continues to support a hybrid learning model in Maynard, all upperclassmen will join into hybrid learning based on current COVID numbers either on October 26th or November 5th. We will keep you updated as time goes on.

We’re pleased to report that we held two parent meetings this past Tuesday and Thursday and collectively approximately 85 parents and guardians were able to attend along with 20 staff members. These question and answer sessions led to discussions of our learning models, health and safety protocols in place for dealing with COVID 19 and plans for the future depending on what contingencies we encounter. We want to thank all who attended for their thoughtful questions, insights and helpful suggestions that led to enriching conversations. If you missed the meetings and you have specific questions, please contact Mr. Caragianes or Mr. Caruso.

On a different note, our Student Government continues to plan activities to help our students connect socially even while in a Remote Learning environment. Upcoming events have been planned and cleared by the district’s Safety Committee and include:

• A virtual cooking night next Friday October 16th at 6:00pm. The recipe will be sent out by Tuesday so that participants can get the ingredients.

• A Drive-In movie is tentatively scheduled for October 30th. It would be with a Halloween theme.

• A Cohort specific pair of Zumba classes led by staff member Jenny Falkoff during the 3rd week of October at Alumni Field with full social distancing. (More information to come.)

• An Art Night in November is in the final planning stages. (More information to come.)

• A Spirit week will also be held in November. (More information to come.)

Many thanks go out to our Student Government leaders and their Faculty Advisor Jean LaBelle for their work on these events. A huge part of the high school experience should include fun and connection with peers and our Student Government continues to lead the way in these areas.

It's time to order your yearbook!

Yearbook orders will be done online this year through Jostens. The current cost is $70 but the price will increase on November 1st and then continue to increase as the year goes on.

The website address is: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1065748/Maynard-High-School/

Make sure the page says Maynard High School, Maynard, MA.

Choose 2021 Yearbook and then you can follow the prompts.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact rmurphy@maynard.k12.ma.us

As our offices continue to be closed due to COVID-19, we encourage applicants to email their applications and letters to beacon-santa@wickedlocal.com. An application is attached below. We will also have them available in the high school main office. Applications may be mailed to Beacon Santa c/o Wicked Local, 150 Baker Ave. Ext. Suite 201, Concord, MA 01742.

Applications missing information from the co-signer, an accompanying letter, or other information, will not be considered.Letters accompanying applications may be used in stories published in print and online soliciting Beacon Santa donations. Neither names or applicants’ identities are revealed.There is no guarantee that every application received will be approved.

Approved applicants will receive Target gift cards in the mail. Gift cards will be mailed no later than Tuesday, Dec. 1. Target gift cards can only be used at Target stores and on Target.com.

Beacon Santa is not responsible for undeliverable cards. The applicant’s name and mailing address must be legible. The information will be used to address the envelopes containing the gift cards.Beacon Santa will not replace lost, stolen or compromised cards. To avoid fraud, do not check Target gift card balances on online marketplaces other than Target.com.

Students who were eligible last year must have paperwork submitted to keep eligibility by 10/26/2020. Here is the link: https://www.nlappscloud.com/

Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch are eligible for standardized test fee waivers and reductions, college application fee waivers, and other reduced fees.

Our first meeting of the 2020-2021 year will be (virtual) on Monday 10/26 at 7:00 pm via Zoom. We're currently involved in several interesting activities to help teachers and students! If you'd like to learn more, please email maynardhighpto@gmail.com to get on the PTO mailing list and let us know if you'd like to attend.

Hope to see you there!

Cindy Langlois

MHN SPORTS: Girls Varsity Field Hockey Update

MHN SPORTS: Boys Varsity Soccer Update

Shout out to Diego and Amani, our local sports reporters!

Sports competitions are underway. For the latest up-to-date schedule information bookmark this site. https://www.mwlma.org/public/genie/382/school/38/

You can sign -up for automatic notifications to follow your favorite team.

Here are a few links to assist you with any questions you may have regarding the state of Massachusetts mandate that will be requiring all children 6 months of age or older who are attending Massachusetts child care, pre-school, kindergarten, K-12, and colleges and universities. The new vaccine requirement is an important step to reduce flu-related illness and the overall impact of respiratory illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please ensure this is done by Dec. 23rd which is the day before we leave for winter recess.

https://www.mass.gov/flu-facts FLU INFO

https://www.mass.gov/topics/immunization IMMUNIZATION INFO

If you know your student will not be able to attend school either remotely or in person, the parent/guardian must call the main office in the morning so they can be marked absent in our system by the front office. Students emailing teachers is insufficient.

Also, it is expected that students "attend" all their classes for the day. Partial attendance without an excuse(doctors appointment, bereavement, court, etc) will be considered a cut class and will be logged into the discipline system if it is determined the student did not have a valid reason for not attending class.

We will be holding Back to School Night on October 21st, starting at 6:30pm with a general welcome. We will offer a "live", "virtual", "synchronous" (or whatever else we are calling them these days) event in which parents will be attending their students' classes via their google meet links. Teachers will be given ten minutes per class to give a brief summary of the class. This is a quick meeting so parents can "see" their students' teachers and to get a basic understanding of curriculum and methods. This time is not meant to discuss individual student questions. At this point, if you have questions about your student, you can reach out to the teacher directly. A formal agenda will be shared closer to the event.

New website design! This summer Maynard Music Association's website experienced an overhaul thanks to two former MHS music students, Patrick O'Neil and Hazelyn Aroian. Patrick and Hazelyn recently launched their very own business, A&O Web Design. For up to date information about MMA, please visit our site, same address: www.maynardmusic.org

Back to School: Please check your email at the end of the week for our back to school update. Officer updates, meeting dates, and fundraiser updates are included! If your student is new to MHS Band or Chorus, please email maynard.music.assoc@gmail.com to get added to our class communications.

Casino Game Night Fundraiser: Our one and only annual fundraising event, Casino Gaming Night, has a new look this year due to the state-wide restrictions on gatherings. Our in-person event, originally scheduled for November 7th, has shifted to an online appeal. Donation letters will be mailed out in October to our generous business supporters from prior years. We are committed to continuing with our Casino Game Night Fundraiser in support of Music Education in Maynard and will be back in November 2021!

Online Giving feels good! From mid-October to our original Casino Game Night date, we will kick-off our NEW online donation option for music families and community members. Ongoing giving to MMA is possible by clicking this link Give Butter MMA.

How you can help keep the music playing: Financial contributions to MMA support not only large needs such as scholarships, instrument replacement, Great East competitions, and enrichment, but they also support smaller needs such as instrument repairs, and the purchase of new music. Most recently, MMA purchased an amplifier for the music teachers that will enhance outdoor performances. Soon, MMA will be supporting our music students and educators with enrichment programs such as Masterclasses, Yoga for Musicians, and Days with the Pros. Please consider making a donation through MMA before November 7th!

Renee Lilley: Chair Fowler

Bill Freeman: Treasurer Fowler

Marc Cryan: Secretary Fowler

Bonnie Wilson: Chair MHS

Stephanie Gavin: Treasurer MHS

Annemarie Caloggero: Secretary MHS

www.maynardmusic.org

Like us on Facebook: Maynard Music Association

Email: kcaruso@maynard.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.maynard.k12.ma.us/o/maynard-high-school
Location: 1 Tiger Drive, Maynard, MA, USA
Phone: 978-897-8891
Facebook: facebook.com/mhstigers1