Massaponax High School

I want to thank everyone for a terrific start to the year. We have seen a steady improvement in student behavior and engagement in our classes. I have been here now for six months and I'm humbled by the warm welcome I have received. I am looking forward to our second semester together and moving towards graduation. In January members of our administration team and counseling office will be meeting with all of our seniors, checking in with them to be sure that they are on track to graduate. We will also be starting the registration process for students in grades 9 through 11. More information about this process will be forthcoming in January.

I want to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.

Joe Gabalski

McMaken's Humanities class is ending the semester with an introduction to service. From Thanksgiving until Winter break, the class will be giving back to the community and setting up the groundwork for our major 3rd nine weeks service project. At this time, we are making blankets for Treasure House, cleaning up the community through litter pickups, making food for homeless shelters, and more! Students have also been participating individual service projects, going above and beyond Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, and exploring that service can happen anywhere with anyone at anytime.

On Friday, December 13 Massaponax DECA held their Annual Charity Gingerbread House Contest. Students have an hour and 30 minutes to make their own unique creation. The cost is $30.00 to register and all proceeds go to the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank.

Attached are winners from this event-

1st Place MHS DECA team 1 – Krusty Kristmas

2nd Place MHS DECA team 2 – Life’s a Beach

3rd Place Spanish Club—El Pueblo

Students had a great time- listening to holiday music, sipping hot chocolate, making memories…all while giving back to their community.

Students enrolled in Fashion Marketing Classes were given the challenge to design a dress for a black-tie holiday event. Students could choose to create an all paper holiday dress or an avant-garde look which could include other materials. Students were put in teams of up to three students and given three class blocks to create their design.

All 5 Spotsylvania County high schools, Chancellor, Courtland, Massaponax, Riverbend, and Spotsylvania participated in the 2019 Holiday Chic Couture Contest. Each high school brought their top 6 dresses to the district contest at Salem Church Library. A panel of three judges then judged and determined the top three overall. They are judged if the design is stylish and appropriate for a holiday event, the quality of construction, and if the garment has the “Wow” factor.

DECA the Halls by Grace Pietro, Carson Pugh and Taryn Saunders finished 3rd Overall in the District. Blue Snowflake by Mark Asimocopoulos and Tess Humphreys was voted judges favorite. Here are the top 6 from Massaponax and all of them are on display at the Salem Church Library for the month of December.

Blue Snowflake - Mark Asimocopoulos/Tess Humphreys

Snowflake of David - Gabe Eckenrode/Briana Roche/David Tyler

Rossa Classica - Ravan Weinhold/Raquel Zelaya

Jack Frosting Out - Kiara Briones-Hernandez/Alanjai Jackson

DECA The Halls - Grace Pietro/Carson Pugh/Taryn Saunders

Gold Christmas - Godfrey Abel/Ellie Butler

MHS celebrating the end of the semester with a spirit week next week!

Monday was Ugly Sweater Day, Tuesday was Long Winter's Nap - Wear your Holiday PJs!, Wednesday was Winter Whiteout, Thursday was Holiday Head to toe - wear festive holiday hats and socks, and Friday was Flannel Friday. Everyone had fun getting into the spirit, and having a bit of fun to take the stress out of exams.

It was a grueling competition and lots of amazing participants but yet there can be only ONE (or 3) winner(s)! Below are the winners for students:

Most Festive - Nathaniel Quance

Best Homemade - Aniya Fordham

Best overall - Emily Peterson

and for the staff winners....

Best Homemade - Ms Davenport

Most Festive - Ms Lane

Best overall - Ms Peterson

Thanks for all the amazing participants!

Interact Club has kept busy this month. Volunteering their time with several community based events, such as but not limited to-FAM's Kris Kringle Market, Salvation Army Bell Ringing, and Lee Hill's Holiday Shop. In School, they were able to craft signs for PBIS's BEE Positive as well as Staff Birthday Treats. Looking forward to Serving Above Self in 2020!!

Massaponax Holiday Hope, and The Treasurer house benefited from numerous donations this holiday season. Lifepoint Church donated 100 boxes of food to the Treasure House, and 8 boxes to Massaponax Holiday Hope. MHS Holiday Hope helped make the holidays a bit brighter with donated gifts from different clubs who donated clothing & toys for children in need. Rock the Socks! Hat, scarves, gloves, small toys, and candy were donated to the Treasure House to help out families in need by 1kindword. Such generous donations at the holiday season helped in making the season a bit brighter.

Forty-four Massaponax DECA students competed in the District 18 competition on Tuesday, December 10 at Spotsy Towne Center. This annual event showcases the skills of our students in categories from Interviewing, Selling, and Social Media to Apparel/Accessories, Entrepreneurship, and Personal Financial Literacy. This experience allows our students to engage in role plays that emphasize the soft skills business and industry have indicated as priorities when hiring.