Region In Review

Congratulations to the Shepaug Spartan Field Hockey & Boys Soccer Teams

for winning the 2024 Class S State Championships!

Thank you for taking the Shepaug Spartan Community along

with you on this exciting and wonderful journey!

The Primary Partners program offers a unique and exciting enrichment opportunity for our fourth and fifth grade students to visit Shepaug and expand their learning. This two-year program focuses on different areas of study each year: the first year is centered around science, while the second year explores the arts.

On October 18th, our fourth and fifth graders eagerly traveled to Shepaug to dive into a variety of science-related activities. Over the course of four visits, students will explore topics such as Earth and Space in the planetarium, learning about the Earth’s place in the universe, as well as planets and stars. They will also investigate flower anatomy, soil, and hydroponics, and visit the Animal Science Department to discover the care and attributes of different animals.

In addition to deepening their science knowledge with the expertise of Shepaug’s science staff, students will have the chance to collaborate with peers from all three elementary schools, forging new friendships and social connections that will continue as they move into middle school.

We are grateful to the teachers for their thoughtful planning and dedication to nurturing young scientists, as well as supporting the development of meaningful social connections. The students are already looking forward to their next visit in January!

News anchors Gianna Massago and Mollie Leonard present news packages produced by students. Topics include:

• Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market
• FineLine Theater Arts
• FFA National Chapter Convention
• 5 Day Weather

Caleb Seamans, Robotics II student, works on designing, building and testing complex multifunctional robots. The AprilTag Follower is a chassis that can detect and move towards AprilTags in its environment using the VEX AI Vision Sensor. Tag position data from the AI Vision Sensor and distance data from the distance sensor are interpreted by an algorithm that determine whether the robot should rotate or move. The AprilTag Follower is able to reach any AprilTag that it can see via a straight path.

The robot is able to determine roughly which angle an AprilTag is to itself using the AI Vision Sensor to see. When no tags are visible, it enters a searching phase in which it rotates clockwise in search of a valid tag. When it sees a tag, it tries to align itself with the tag by rotating to face it. When the tag is roughy aligned with the tragectory of the robot, it moves forward by an amount determined by the Distance Sensor. The Distance Sensor is positioned such that when the robot is aligned with an AprilTag, the sensor can determine how far it is away. It can then use this information to get close to the AprilTag, but not too close to where it runs the tag over. There is also functionality that makes the robot back up when any object is too close. When the robot determines that it is close enough to the desired AprilTag, it stops and is then able to find another tag if desired by the user.

Students in Ms. Maher’s Precalc/Trig Honors class are using mathematical modeling to find the optimal ticket price for airlines to maximize revenue. They recently collaborated with humanities guest teacher Mark Peters on an interdisciplinary project, learning how to pair numerical analysis with visuals and clear explanations to effectively communicate real-world scenarios.

This approach, which extends to pricing strategies across industries, highlighted the power of blending quantitative and creative skills to make complex ideas accessible and impactful—a technique that previews major applications in Calculus and beyond.

This past week, Burnham School and Booth Free School held meaningful celebrations to honor Veterans Day, showcasing our students’ gratitude and respect for those who have served in the armed forces.

At Burnham School, students took part in heartfelt interviews with family and community members who have served in the military. The veterans were also given an opportunity to connect with each other at a breakfast hosted after the interviews with students. These personal conversations allowed our students to learn firsthand about the experiences and sacrifices of veterans, fostering a deep appreciation for their service.

Meanwhile, at Booth Free School, the Student Council organized a thoughtful initiative in which students created handmade cards for local veterans. These messages of thanks and admiration will be shared with veterans in our community as a token of our appreciation.

We are incredibly proud of our students for their efforts to honor and connect with our veterans. Thank you to all the families and community members who participated and helped make these activities meaningful and memorable.

The Shepaug Counseling Department and The College and Career Center continue to host representatives from various colleges and military branches, including University of Hartford and U.S. Air Force this week. Students continue to receive assistance with their college application and essay and/or work resume, and they are beginning to inquire about the many local scholarships available to them.

On October 29, many parents attended the College Funding Workshop that was presented by Barnum Center for College Planning. During that zoom meeting several topics were discussed, including FAFSA, Tax Codes, Need-based Aid and CCS Profile.

On November 21, a representative from Lincoln Tech will be giving a “Road to Success” presentation in Mr. Belinsky’s class.

Just for fun: The winner for the 2024 Staff Halloween Contest was The Shepaug Counseling Department!!

Students in seventh grade Energy and the Environment design and create games about alternative energy as they go through the engineering design process.

Their games must accomplish the task of engaging players to learn about one type of alternative energy and how it works in technical terms, along with their players developing a general understanding about alternative energy and fossil fuels. The games must also include 3-D designed and printed pieces. Students have fun working as part of a collaborative team while learning content about energy.

STEAM Enrichment students are getting hands-on experience with professional DJ equipment connected to laptops, learning the basics of mixing tracks and creating unique sounds. This exciting activity blends technology and music, showing how STEAM skills can spark creativity and fun!

November 21 - PTO Meeting, Burnham, 6pm

November 21 - 8th Grade Parent/Student Night for Prospective Shepaug HS Students, SVS, 7-9pm

November 22 - Shepaug High School Play - CLUE, SVS, 7pm

November 23 - Shepaug High School Play - CLUE, SVS, 7pm

November 24 - Shepaug High School Play - CLUE, SVS, 2pm

November 25 - Senior Luncheon, WPS, 12pm-1pm

November 27 - 30, Thanksgiving Recess

December 2 - BOE Finance & Operations Committee Meeting, SVS, 5:30 - 7pm

December 2 - Board of Education Meeting, SVS, 7:00 – 8:00pm

December 3 - PTO Meeting, WPS, 630pm

December 3 - National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, SVS, 7-8pm

December 4 - PTO Meeting, BFS, 3:30pm

December 5 - Shepaug Holiday Bazaar, SVS, 6-8:30pm

December 9 - BOE Agriscience Committee Meeting, SVS, 5pm

December 9 - BOE Policy Committee Meeting, SVS, 6-7pm

December 16 - Board of Education Meeting, SVS Library, 7pm

December 17 - Middle School Winter Concert, SVS, 7 - 8pm

The Region 12 community educates, challenges, and inspires all learners to become compassionate, creative, and courageous individuals who are empowered by the knowledge, character, and perseverance to achieve their greatest potential within the global society.

Email: rir@region-12.org
Website: www.region-12.org
Location: 11A School Street, PO Box 386 Washington Depot, CT 06794
Phone: 860-868-6100
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Region12Schools

Instagram: www.instagram.com/region12schools