MHS STUDENT & FAMILY NEWSLETTER

RSU 57 & Massabesic High School

"Preparing students for success in an ever-changing world."

Hello Mustang Nation,

Congratulations to our student population who enjoyed a celebratory Homecoming Week over the past 6 days. Themed days of dress up, hallway decorating competitions (won by the Seniors), performances and games at the pep rally, and a strong showing of community support throughout the week at various athletic competitions. A special thank-you to our NJROTC unit for providing the Color Guard at our homecoming football and for Nevaeh Grunhuvd in her performance of the national anthem. It was a full and busy week, but it was a great week for Mustang Nation!

This week features a slower pace and a return to our focus on academic classes as we reach the milestone of our first Progress Report. A notification will be sent to students and families when this process is complete.

Wednesday, October 8 is an Early Release Day (the bell schedule is below in this newsletter). Friday, October 10 there will be no school for students as staff will be involved in important professional development work. As a reminder, Monday, October 13 is Indigenous Peoples Day and the district will be closed. We will resume classes on Tuesday, October 14.

As a reminder, our Green/White day rotation for this week is below:

Monday, 10.06.25 - GREEN

Tuesday, 10.07.25 - WHITE

Wednesday, 10.08.25 - GREEN (Early Release Day)

Thursday, 10.09.25 - WHITE

Friday, 10.10.25 - No School for Students (Staff In-Service)

Take care,

-Mr. Thurlow

Are you interested in playing video games, card games, or board games? Do you want to compete in chess tournaments? Game and Chess Club meets every Monday from 2 - 4 PM in the Library. All students are welcome to attend!

SENIORS! EMBARK still has openings! What is it? Keep reading!

EMBARK is a mentoring program associated with the Maine Community College System. It offers...

· Personalized advising during senior year of high school college

· Guidance through the college application and financial aid process

· For scholarship recipients (MHS is guaranteed 5 scholarship recipients!) after high school:

o Continued support and guidance as while attending a Maine community college

o A scholarship to a Maine community college (up to $2,000 over 2 years) that can go toward room & board, books, supplies, tools, or other items that the free tuition and fees program does not cover!

An EMBARK Regional Director visits MHS during the school day every 6-8 weeks throughout senior year. For more information, please check out the EMBARK website. Spaces could be limited. If interested, please email deborahcurtis@rsu57.org ASAP!

Congratulations to Ella Ridley who recently won the Intermediate Market Lamb Showmanship class at the Fryeburg Fair. She also won the Heavy Medium Weight Class with her market lamb (commended market lamb overall). Way to go, Ella!

Cell Phone & Personal Electronic Devices: Students are continuing to place their focus on their academic work and social interactions with one another. As a reminder to students and families regarding cell phones and personal electronic devices - district policy prohibits the use of these devices during the school day, therefore school rules dictate that these devices are not to be found in a student's possession. School sanctioned options for storage as listed below - any deviation from those options will result in immediate and progressive consequences. (Of course, we want to avoid consequences if possible)

1. Leave the cell phone/personal electronic device at home.

2. Leave the cell phone/personal electronic devices in your vehicle or the vehicle of a friend/classmate.

3. Leave the cell phone/personal electronic device in your homeroom.

MHS is starting a new club aimed at promoting Mental Health Awareness at the School. This club will be called the Resiliency Project and will meet every Wednesday in Room 38.

It will be a student-run organization that raises awareness about mental health, reduces stigma, provides a safe space for discussion, and promotes mental well-being and access to resources within the school

Key Goals of the Resiliency Project

• Raise Awareness: Educate the school community about mental health issues and disorders.

• Reduce Stigma: Challenge negative stereotypes and foster acceptance of mental health conditions.

• Create Safe Spaces: Provide a non-judgmental environment for students to share their experiences and support one another.

• Promote Well-being: Encourage healthy emotional practices and help-seeking behaviors.

• Connect to Resources: Act as a bridge between students and available mental health services and resources.

If you have any questions, please see Meagan Desjardins in Room 38. Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, October 1st, in room 38, right after school.

School pictures are ready! To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number. All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card. More about the Smilesafe program here.

PICTURE RETAKE DAY - TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2025

The MHS Culture Club is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience various cultures around the world. One large component of the Culture Club's offerings are overseas international trips. There are currently two trips slated for the Spring of 2026. If you are interested in joining an upcoming trip please contact Mrs. Katherine Carroll at katherinecarroll@rsu57.org.

The next overseas international trip is being discussed to potentially take place in 2028 (pending RSU 57 School Board approval). This is a shift in past practice in that as we move forward we are planning to organize overseas international trips every two years (2028, 2030, 2032, etc...pending RSU 57 School Board approval). On the years between international travel (2027, 2029, 2031...) we are planning to organize regional opportunities for students to experience culture, in addition to potentially inviting cultural figures to MHS to share their experiences with students.

CALLING ALL WINTER ENTHUSIASTS!

Do you ski/snowboard or are you interested in learning how? Come join us for SKI CLUB this winter season! Fill out the Google Form below if you are interested in participating. Information will be sent to parent/guardian emails and official registrations through Gunstock will go LIVE on September 29th!

Feel free to reach out to Kayla Pazmany-Kinney (School Nurse) or Benjamin Durham with questions!

Google Form Link:

MHS Ski Club 2026 Form

SENIORS & Families - please see the important message from our Yearbook Advisor, Mrs. Fryzlewicz:

Hello Seniors!

Senior pictures and quotes/bequeathments will be due by/before the Holidays, by December 21. They need to be emailed to yearbook1@rsu57.org. and MUST have your name in the subject field- if it is not there it will not be able to be found again.

When we leave for Christmas break I should have them. Our MHS team and I can get them started and see who's missing, etc..

The Rubric for these pictures are:

** Vertical shots

** Just you in the shot

** Must be able to see your face/eyes

** Must be appropriate- by school standards: dress/apparel, items in picture, etc.

** Cell phone pictures have been able to be used in the past, we can try it...

** Can have pets, favorite car, etc. in the shot.

** min 175 kb

** If no photo is received by this date we will use the Lifetouch school picture taken for school.

** Your photo does not have to be a professional shot. Yearbook can make arrangements with you to take your senior picture as well.

If you have any questions about an item or scene, etc. please do not hesitate to connect with me and we can discuss it, no problem.

**December 21st - to yearbook1@rsu57.org and MUST have your name as the subject

* YOUR NAME ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF ANY EMAIL!

**Finding your picture and labeling it as YOU in the book depends on this happening!

This cannot be stressed enough!

*Our email site will have been sent submissions from many different sources: several photographers, individual parents, step parents, grandparents, quardians, students, etc.. to list a few.

*Please let your families and photographers know to use your name on the subject line in the email with your photos.

Senior Write-up:

Leave your personal mark on the 2025-2026 yearbook. It can be a favorite memory, quote, poem, song verse, or words of wisdom that you like.

*What you choose needs to be accompanied by who said it or where it was pulled from. For example:

"You just try saying 'no' to these salty parabolas!"

-Jillian Holtzman, Ghostbusters

"...of all the things these hands have held, the best by far was you."

- Cecilia and the Satellite, Andrew McMahon

Otherwise, not necessary if the writer is you:

" To all my friends that remain at Massabesic High, I leave all my unused passes, the locker I would've been assigned and never was able to use, and my favorite pencil- that I swear had enough lead to last through my whole senior year. "

** Yearbook staff and Advisor reserve the right to refuse, or redirect back to the student for re-write, any submission that does not reflect respectfully on the staff, students, and seniors of Massabesic High school or RSU57.

Oh!! and don't forget that yearbooks are at their least expensive right now, on jostens.com, for $80!!

Any questions? Please come by, find me, or email me at heidifryzlewicz@rsu57.org.

Mrs Fryzlewicz

MHS Yearbook Advisor

2025-2026 Book!

MHS is proud to expand our partnership with Josten's (think letterman jackets, graduation gear, etc.) to offer an MHS Mascot Shop for lots of great MHS Gear. Please check out the shop using the link below. This site will be available all year long.

Wednesday, October 8 - Early Release Day

Wednesday, October 8 - MHS College Kickoff Night

Friday, October 10 - No School for Students

Monday, October 13 - School Closed for Indigenous Peoples Day

Tuesday, October 14 - Picture Retake Day

Thursday & Friday, October 23 & 24: PSAT's

You are always welcome to call our Main Office at (207) 247-3141, schedule a meeting, or email members of our administrative team members directly (emails listed below):