SPS Weekly Newsletter
In This Edition of the SPS Weekly Newsletter...
This week's header photo features the seniors on the SHS boys basketball team, girls basketball team, and cheerleading team. A senior night ceremony took place on Wednesday in between the girls and boys varsity basketball home games against Randolph.
From the Desk of the Superintendent
As we close today for the start of February vacation, I am wishing all Stoughton Public Schools families, students, staff, and community members a restful and relaxing week spent with family and friends. I am looking forward to seeing you when we return to school on February 26.
Joseph F. Baeta, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Stoughton Public Schools
100th Day of School Food Drive at the Dawe
Dawe School 3rd grader Connor Isabelle used the 100th day of school as a way to make a difference in the community. He challenged his fellow students at the Dawe School to gather as many non-perishable food items to be donated to the food pantries in Stoughton! The goal was for each grade, kindergarten through grade 5, to contribute at least 100 items. The Dawe community responded and Connor far surpassed his goal, collecting well over 1,000 items for the food pantries!
The idea for the 100th day of school food drive came from Connor's older sister, Savannah, who organized this challenge when she was at the Dawe. Now that she is in middle school, Connor has taken over for the past two years.
Connor is pictured below with his mom, Erin, Dawe School Principal Rob Cancellieri, and Dawe Senior Custodian Chris Pezza, who all helped Connor deliver the donations Wednesday afternoon.
Black History Month Door Decorating Contest at OMS
Earlier this month, the O'Donnell Middle School Student Council organized a school-wide door decorating contest to celebrate Black History Month and honor the individuals, groups, and organizations who have helped pave the way for equality and diversity in America. Each homeroom was assigned an individual/group and given a brief summary of their accomplishments/achievements and then designed/decorated doors around the school. The winning doors in each grade are pictured below. Click here to see a full photo gallery from the door decorating contest.
6th grade - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
7th grade - Piri Thomas
8th grade - Muhammad Ali
Pair of SHS Seniors Sign Letters of Commitment to Play College Baseball
Stoughton High seniors Dominic Belle and Hunter Malkin are two of the top returning players this coming spring for the SHS baseball team and both recently signed celebratory letters of commitment to play baseball in college.
There was a signing ceremony for both Dom and Hunter last week in the SHS gymnasium where they were joined by family, members of the SHS administration and athletics department, coaches, as well as a group of teammates and friends.
Dom, pictured left in the photo above, will be playing baseball at Clark University in Worcester. Hunter, pictured right, will be playing baseball at Rivier University in Nashua, NH.
Congratulations to both Dom and Hunter! Click here to read more about this accomplishment and to see more photos from the signing ceremony.
SHS Hosts Sectional Wrestling Tournament
Stoughton High hosted the MIAA Division 2 South Sectional Wrestling Tournament last Saturday with dozens of wrestlers from area high schools competing. Being able to host regional events like this, or the US Bands Marching Band Festival this past fall, is now possible because of the facilities at the new high school! It also takes a lot of work from staff and parent volunteers to pull this off!
And, congrats to SHS wrestlers James Currier (left) and Jack Gallan (right) for both coming in 4th place in their respective weight classes at sectionals! Currier (150lbs) and Gallan (138lbs) both qualified for the Division 2 State Tournament this weekend at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough.
Valentine's Day Art
Remembering Joe DeVito
We are sad to hear of Joe DeVito's passing earlier this week at the age of 97. Mr. DeVito, a lifelong Stoughton resident and 1944 graduate of Stoughton High School, was a highly respected member of the Stoughton community and a proud supporter of the schools. A veteran of World War II, Mr. DeVito served in the US Navy, assigned to a PT boat squadron. He was a regular participant at the annual Veterans Day assembly for 8th grade students at the O'Donnell Middle School.
"Joe DeVito’s dedication to the Town of Stoughton, in particular the Stoughton Public Schools, was legendary. Joe was an instrumental part in the development of the Veterans Day program at the O’Donnell Middle School along with the Voice of Democracy Essay contest. Like many World War II veterans, Joe was full of humility and a sense of pride for his country," said David Guglia, Gibbons School Principal and former OMS Assistant Principal.
"On a personal level, Joe was a great friend and inspiration to myself and many educators within the Stoughton Public School System. We are committed to making sure Joe’s legacy lives on in Stoughton," Mr. Guglia added.
"Mr. DeVito was an amazing man and outstanding citizen who proudly loved his family, his country, and his forever hometown of Stoughton. I am honored to have known Joe, and am incredibly thankful to have called him a friend," said Caitlin Valair, OMS 8th grade social studies teacher and organizer of the annual OMS Veterans Day Assembly.
The O'Donnell Middle School honored Mr. DeVito at the 2016 Veterans Day Assembly by purchasing a commemorative brick dedicated to him at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans as part of the museum's Road to Victory brick program. It was a way for the OMS to give a "lasting tribute" and show Mr. DeVito he was "forever appreciated and honored by his hometown," Mrs. Valair explained back in 2016.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mr. DeVito's wife, Jeanne, and the DeVito family.
Joe DeVito with OMS 8th grade social studies teacher Caitlin Valair.
SHS Theatre Program Presents She Kills Monsters on March 1
Save the date! The Stoughton High School Theatre Program will be presenting She Kills Monsters on Friday, March 1, 2024 at 7pm in the SHS Auditorium.
Students in the Advanced Acting Studio class at SHS will be performing this show in the preliminary round of the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild's High School Drama Festival at Wayland High School on Saturday, March 2, and you will have a chance to see a preview of this performance the day before their competition!
Tickets for the March 1 performance at SHS are $10 general admission and $5 for students and will be sold at the door. Please keep in mind that this play is suited for those 13 and older.
She Kills Monsters tells the story of high schooler Agnes Evans as she deals with the death of her younger sister, Tilly. When Agnes stumbles upon Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with tiamats, nasty ogres, and ’90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers homage to the geek and warrior within us all.
New Elementary School Building Project Community Forum
Save the date! There will be a community forum to learn more about the new elementary school building project on Monday, March 4, 2024 at 7pm at the Great Hall at Stoughton Town Hall (10 Pearl St.). More details will be shared after February vacation. In the meantime, you can visit the project's website by clicking here.
The photo above is a rendering of what the front entrance of the new elementary school building would look like at night.
February SEPAC Meeting
Hansen School PTO Candyland Spring Carnival
The Hansen Elementary School PTO will be hosting its Candyland Spring Carnival on Saturday, March 16 from 10am-2pm at the Hansen (1800 Central St.). The Hansen PTO is looking for volunteers to help make this event a success. Click here to find out how you can help.
Important Links
Make Sure Your Student's Emergency Contact Info & Health Info is Up to Date
Another friendly reminder that with the school year underway, we want to make sure we have accurate and updated emergency contact information and health information for your child. Please log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal account, click on the forms link in the left navigation menu and update any information that is not accurate in the two forms - Current Student Information/Emergency Form and Current Student Health Information. When you have updated the information, please click on submit at the bottom of each of the forms. If your child's information is accurate, please click on submit at the bottom of each form to indicate that you have reviewed the data and it is accurate.
Follow Us on Social Media!
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