I hope this newsletter finds you well. Please take some time to read it and learn about all the great things happening at the MSHS and the community. I hope it can provide you with some important information and give you a glimpse into what we are doing throughout the school year.

As always please feel free to reach out to us at anytime with any questions or concerns.

Have a great weekend.

Mrs. Page

High School Dates

Grade 10

March 26, 2024 - ELA Session I

March 27, 2024 - ELA Session II

May 21, 2024 - Math Session I

Mary 22, 2024 - Math Session II

Grade 9

June 4, 2024 - STE Session I

June 5, 2024 - STE Session II

Middle School Dates

March 27, 2024 - Grade 7 & 8 ELA Session I

March 28, 2024 - Grade 7 & 8 ELA Session II

May 1, 2024 - Grade 7 & 8 Math Session I

May 2, 2024 - Grade 7 & 8 Math Session II

May 15, 2024 - Grade 8 Science

In partnership with the West Bridgewater Fire Department , West Bridgewater Public Schools and the West Bridgewater PTO, we are having a Toy Drive to gather toys and gift cards for local West Bridgewater families in need. (Ages of the children range from 5 to 17.) Last year, we assisted approximately 50 West Bridgewater families.

If you would like to donate, please drop an unwrapped toy or gift card to the police or fire station lobby. Or if you have a school aged child, please have them bring the item to their school. There will be collection bins at each location. If you schedule a Santa visit in December through the West Bridgewater Police Department, please consider donating an item for Santa to bring back to the police department that night.

Any questions, please contact our School Resource Officer, Officer Pope at tpope@wbpd.com or 508-586-2525 ext 5119.

The Guidance Counselors have started calling down Freshmen for conversations as a follow up to their in-class presentation that took place in October. Now that the Freshmen have an official transcript, they’ll discuss how it works and the importance of having good grades and attendance.

As noted above, under important dates, the guidance department is offering a Financial Aid 101 Night. It is scheduled for Wednesday, December 6th at 5:00 p.m. in our auditorium. This is a great opportunity to become familiar with the financial process and have any questions answered.

Class of 2024 Yearbook Personal Ads- Starting Monday, 12/4/2023, Family and Friends can purchase yearbook ads for the Class of 2024 online using the following link: https://yearbookforever.com/schools/west_bridgewater_juniorsenior_high_school_buy_yearbook_2740/PRSR6aloTFvrkFYYUL7d87g2 The cost to purchase an ad is $185 for a full page, $135 for ½ of a page, $85 for ¼ of a page and $50 for ⅛ (business card size) of a page. Please contact sdelorenzo@wbridgewater.com or edesimone@wbridgewater.com with any questions.

Business Ads Class of 2024 Yearbook- Starting Monday, 12/4/2023, business ads will be for sale using the following link: https://yearbookforever.com/schools/west_bridgewater_juniorsenior_high_school_buy_yearbook_2740/PRSR6aloTFvrkFYYUL7d87g2 . The cost to purchase business ads are $225 for a full page, $165 for a ½ page, $100 for ¼ page and $60 for ⅛ of a page. Please contact sdelorenzo@wbridgewater.com or edesimone@wbridgewater.com with any questions.

Students grades 7-11 can order yearbooks online at: https://yearbookforever.com/schools/west_bridgewater_juniorsenior_high_school_buy_yearbook_2740/PRSR6aloTFvrkFYYUL7d87g2 . The cost is $65/book. Yearbooks can be picked up in the Main Office starting on June 3, 2024. SENIORS DO NOT NEED TO ORDER A YEARBOOK. All Senior yearbooks are pre-ordered by the yearbook advisors at the start of each school year. Please contact sdelorenzo@wbridgewater.com or edesimone@wbridgewater.com with any questions.

The local Veterans of Foreign Wars and the West Bridgewater Middle/Senior High School students in Ms. Silva's British Literature class met up at the Council On Aging on November 7th. During this meet and greet students asked relevant questions learning from the veterans about public service, vocations, and the comradery associated through their experiences. All left with a deeper appreciation for their dedication to our nation and with a broader perspective on the issues near and far from home. We wish to thank Marilyn Mather, the director at the Council of Aging for coordinating these annual meetings. We thank each of the Veterans for their time and their service to our country!

Congratulations to Senior XC captain, Ella Dunbury who made history on Saturday at the MIAA State XC Championships by finishing 2nd overall in the Division 3 race with a time of 18:59. This is the highest place ever recorded by a Wildcat Cross Country runner at the state meet!

Congratulations to Alexandra Edgerly for being chosen as the West Bridgewater Representative for Project 351.

Ed McMenimon proudly represented West Bridgewater at SEMMEA District Auditions for the band on November 18, 2023

Congratulations to the eighth and ninth grade students who were recently inducted into the West Bridgewater Middle-Senior High School chapter of the National Junior Honor Society! All of the members fulfilled the NJHS Pillars of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Character, and Citizenship. Job well done by all!

Video production students participated in the Four-Hour Frenzy competition in Quincy. Teams from area schools received a prompt and had four hours to research, interview, shoot, and edit a news segment. The prompt was “Steeped in History” (fitting for Quincy). This was the first time that WB represented in this competition and they received a bronze recognition! We’re proud of the team of Zac Lefferts, Aidan Maier, Lucy Pimental, Dharalynn Soto, and Thomas Stapleton.

Students had the opportunity to attend the sportsmanship summit at Gillette Stadium on November 9, 2023 with athletes from across Massachusetts.

Failure Is Not An Option (FINAO) is a tutoring program specifically designed to assist freshmen students who have failed one or more courses during the first term. National Honor Society students dedicate their homeroom time to meet with these freshmen students and offer academic support in key subject areas such as World Language, Algebra, Biology, English, and Modern World History. The program will be in session from Monday through Thursday in the Learning Commons, running from 10:30 to 10:55 a.m. For additional information, please feel free to contact Mr. Hanna at jhanna@wbridgewater.com.

Mr. Finley's Art III students have been challenged with finding a past decade that speaks to them on some level and illustrating a social norm from that decade. They can pull on music, fashion, gender roles, sports, careers, cars, design, etc. Materials will be chosen based on its connection to the decade and that decade's style.

Ms. Massa's students created illustrations based on their favorite game. Students used visual imagery or illustration to allow the viewer to identify the game and the story of their art.

Two former students, Olivia Church and Conor Duffy, who are know our now West Bridgewater First Responders came to Mrs. Pankowski's LIfe 101 class to discuss their high school and college careers in sports along with their career paths.

Ms. Kotsovolos' class wrote letters to our veteran's to thank them for their service.

As an interpretive listening activity, Ms. Fougere’s Spanish III classes demonstrated their comprehension of the material by acting out scenes from the story “Oktapodi” that they read in class.

Students in TV3 took a visit Thursday to the Old Bridgewater Historical Society to begin production on an "Antiques Roadshow" style special about the great artifacts in the collection including a Civil War Drum, a painting by a Titanic victim, and shoes worn by circus performer Lavinia Warren, known on stage as "Mrs. Tom Thumb." Look for the episode in the coming weeks!

Students in grade 7 have been diligently working on their National History Day (NHD) projects. They are currently continuing to work on their written portion of the project and are beginning to work on their respective categories. We are planning on the competition to be held on the half day in January, January 10th!

Students in Mrs. Eddlem’s French IV/V Honors class are working on a unit about self-identity this month. They have been reading French articles and watching short videos about various styles or “looks” in learning how to communicate about specific fashion choices with regard to hairstyles, accessories, clothing, make-up, shoes, and other aspects of personal appearance. As part of this unit, they recently created and presented one pagers, which described and illustrated a unique “look” of their choice. As part of their presentation, they were asked to describe aspects of their look as well as to discuss the sources of inspiration. Students had to talk about the interests and personality traits of the person wearing the look. They also fielded several questions from their classmates throughout their presentations and tried their best to communicate only in French. Bon travail!

Ms. DeLuca’s seventh grade students practiced what they had learned about discounts and tax. Students pretended to go Black Friday shopping with coupons to use and they got to choose items from Target, Best Buy and Walmart!

Eighth graders in Ms. Martin’s civics classes are beginning to start their Civics Action Projects!! It is a great time to think of ideas! They should have Module 1 & 2 done by next week and their project topics need to be approved by winter break! We have been getting inspiration from CNN 10 and class discussions but we would love your input too! Now is a great time to have family and friends help their 8th grader to make change within the school, community, state or even country! We can be the change makers we want to see in this world because you’re never too young to make a positive difference!

Students in Intro to Engineering worked hard bringing their brainstorming ideas to life while they built their bridges.

Eighth grade students just finished reading Kwame Alexander's The Crossover. They are examining the various poetic structures used throughout and how they contribute to the understanding of the protagonist's sense of self and sense of his world. They are moving to writing a five paragraph essay, dissecting how a chosen poem's content and form both contribute to understanding his sense of self.

Members of the WB Garden Club have been working hard on restoring some patio furniture for our new conservatory and the courtyard. We are currently winterizing some plants and will be planting some seedlings soon in preparation for the spring!

Mrs. Theriault’s grade 7 reading class will begin reading Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” While listening to the play version of the story, we will discuss how the characters evolve as well as the important themes of the play such as giving and kindness.

During the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Global Citizens Club ran a fundraiser selling bracelets to raise money for the World Cancer Research Fund.

According to their website “World Cancer Research Fund International examines how diet, weight and physical activity affect your risk of developing and surviving cancer.

As part of an international network of charities, we have been funding life-saving research, influencing global public health policy and educating the public since 1982.”

Club members sold bracelets at Powerblock as well as at the Homecoming game and raised $350, all of which will be donated directly to the WCRF. Thank you to everyone who bought a bracelet and supported this global cause.

We have crowned a champion for the powerblock 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament! Congratulations to team, Rod Wave Elite! Team members, Thomas Stapleton, Collin Baker, Mia Harrington, Aidan Maher and Jamie Sheedy took down a strong freshman team! It was great to see so many high school students compete throughout the days leading up to the championship. Great job to those who took part, and thank you to all who helped with the tournament!

The holiday season is a busy time of year and can bring stress to many families. Here are a few tips that can help you this holiday season:

• Plan ahead and be realistic. There’s only so much you can do!

• It's ok to say no.

• Respect family differences.

• Maintain healthy habits.

• Find your calm and time to slow down.

Get ready for an unforgettable journey! This summer, our high school students are heading to Athens, Greece, and the stunning Greek Islands. After the last final exam has been submitted and we’ve crossed all of the items off of our to-do lists, we will be switching into vacation mode. An adventurous group of students in grades 10-12 will head to Logan airport and jet off to Greece. We’ll spend 4 days in Athens before embarking on a custom four day cruise of the islands: Mykonos, Santorini, and Rhodes. We’ll walk in the footsteps of ancient history visiting the Temples of Poseidon and Apollo, the ancient Olympic Stadium and more. We will take part in a cooking class where we’ll sample the best olives and feta cheese we’ve ever tasted.

Congratulations to all of our Fall Teams! As an Athletic Department we have a lot to celebrate. Check out the scores, highlights and post season awards that have been posted below from the end of the Fall Season! As more Fall awards are posted we will recognize those athletes as well! With the Winter sports season kicking off, make sure that you follow @WBMSHSAthletics for updates on the schedule and highlights from games and matches.

Fall Wrap Up:

G and B XC

Congratulations to Senior Cross Country Captain, Ella Dunbury who made history on Saturday at the MIAA State Cross Country Championships. She finished second overall in the Division 3 race with a time of 18:59. This is the highest place ever recorded by a Wildcat Cross Country runner at the state meet!

Ella Dunbury was named SCC MVP, SCC All Star and was given the Sportsmanship Award. Viviana Morales-Wakin and Emma Pope were given Honorable Mention honors.

Congratulations to Alex Kelley and Ryan Genuich for being named SCC All Stars. Kenly Laime was named an honorable mention All Star and the Sportsmanship Award. The Boy’s Cross Country team was recognized with the Team Sportsmanship Award.

Field Hockey

The Varsity Field Hockey team lost in the first round of the State Tournament 2-0 to Hopedale. They trailed by a goal going into halftime and surrendered the final goal with four minutes left in the game. The team fought hard until the finish and is looking to build on all they accomplished this season. They finished the season with eight wins, ten losses and one tie.

Girls Soccer

The girls varsity soccer team lost to South Hadley in the state tournament round of 8. Kylie Fuller, Sophia Hulme and Mya Hebert each scored a goal. Olivia Milton, Kylie Fuller and Rachael Geniuch each picked up assists. A special thanks to our seniors Ava Xayavong, Cassidy Perrault, Mya Hebert, Aly Basset and Rachael Geniuch. You were tremendous leaders and will greatly be missed.

We would like to recognize the following athletes on their post season awards! Rachael Geniuch was the SCC League MVP, a SCC All star and an Eastern Massachusetts All Star. Kylie Fuller was a SCC All Star as well as an Eastern Massachusetts All Star. Kerri Gomes was a SCC All Star. Mya Hebert was Honorable Mention SCC All Star. Samara David was given the Sportsmanship award as well as Honorable Mention honors. Congratulations to the SCC Champion Girls Soccer Team!

Cheer

The Cheer team competed at Durfee High School on Sunday October 29th. The competition was titled “ Pink Intensity”. Great job preparing and competing as a team! Well done Wildcats!

Football

Congratulations to the Wildcats Football team that took down Southeastern in the battle of 106 versus Southeastern on Thanksgiving. They won by a score of 48 to 0. James Harris and Sam Salter had 3 Touchdowns each. While Christian Packard stepped up with a pick 6. The Wildcats wrapped up their season with an 8-3 record!

Volleyball

The Volleyball team traveled to Cohasset for the first round of the state tournament. The team put up a great fight but ended up falling 3 sets to 2 to the Skippers. The team played their hearts out. We are so proud of what you have accomplished the past few years!

The Volleyball team was recognized with the Team Sportsmanship Award in the SCC. Jenella Jacobs was also recognized with an individual award for sportsmanship. Ava Harkins and Brooke Robichaud received Honorable Mention honors in the SCC.

Boys Soccer:

Varsity boys soccer won their final game of the season 6-0 over Carver. Dylan Spadea had 3 goals and 1 assist, Aiden Mussari scored the opening goal off a great back post header, and senior captains Noah Schneeweis and Derek Cashman scored a goal each. Goalkeeper Ben Stapleton earned his 2nd consecutive shutout and 5th of the season. Dylan Spadea was an Eastern Massachusetts All Star and received Honorable Mention honors in the SCC. Noah Schneeweiss received Honorable Mention honors. . James Sheedy was given the Sportsmanship Award. And the WB Soccer team was recognized for the team sportsmanship award. Congratulations on a great season.

Golf:

Aiden Delehoy participated in the MIAA Golf Championship at Kettle Brook Golf Club in Paxton, MA representing the Wildcats! He did a great job representing the team in the individual tournament. Aiden Delehoy also received Honorable Mention honors.

Aiden Delehoy, Collin Baker, Aiden Maher, Ben LeGrice, Sean Petras and Patrick Harrington represented the Wildcats at the South Coast Conference Golf Championship. Aiden Delehoy turned in an impressive 79 to lead the Wildcats. Aidan Maher was given the sportsmanship award. And the WB Golf team was recognized with the team sportsmanship award. Great season!

Other Athletic News:

SCC Leadership Conference

The SCC hosted a Leadership Conference for athletes. This was an opportunity for athletes to get together in a setting outside the lines that would allow them to learn about what it meant to be a leader and how to show those traits on the playing field. These athletes are entrusted to bring those lessons that they learned back to share with other athletes from their schools! West Bridgewater was represented by Samara David, Colin Baker, Thomas Stapleton, James Sheedy, Mia Harrington, Neala Boyd, Ava Matta, Cassidy Perrault and Noah Schneeweis.

Ms. Hammel is selling a sports student pass on Go Fan. Pass costs $50 for the year and will get you into all basketball season home games. You will need your SASID # to purchase the pass. Ms. Hammel will be sending more information.

**WB-CAM:

A big thank you to the WB-CAM for live streaming our athletic events! They do an amazing job! Please follow them on Twitter to find out which athletic events are being live streamed. Let's Go Wildcats!

Twitter: @WBCAM0998

**Game schedule:

Please check out the WB game schedule on Arbiter Live! Link is below.

https://arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=25160

Avoid waiting in line! Please check out our online ticketing through Go Fan!

https://gofan.co/app/school/MA14770