Doherty Family Update 1.25.2026

Here are some timely 8th Grade Art projects. GO PATS!

Typical beginning and ending of the day

School opens at 7:50 for breakfast in the cafeteria- 🌟Only the Front Door is open at 7:50

8:05 all doors including the back and side of the build are open

8:05 Bell rings - students can access their lockers

Our school day starts promptly at 8:15

Doherty Website- Has all the Information

• Wednesday 1/28 - Early Release Day- 11:30 AM dismissal
• Thursday 1/29 - 7th Grade Field Trip - Merrimack College - 10:30 - 2:15
• Thursday 2/5 - Orchestra Field Trip - Boston Symphony
• Monday - Friday 2/16 - 2/20 - Winter Recess

8th Grade Parent Curriculum Night on February 11th from 6:30–8:00 PM starting in the Collins Center at Andover High School

Just a friendly reminder regarding our district's policy on schoolwork during planned unexcused absences, such as family vacations, competitive activities like sports tournaments, or arts performances. Please understand that teachers are not required to provide work before an unexcused absence, though they are often willing to help if they are able to and appreciate advance notice. Students should utilize Schoology as it provides a helpful guide and overview of class activities and assignments, and the student should plan to check it while they are out. Upon return, the student is responsible for checking in with teachers to create a plan for making up missed work, which is key to ensuring their smooth transition back to class. We appreciate your partnership in supporting your student's learning!

March 31 ELA- Tuesday

April 1 ELA- Wednesday

8th Grade Only: April 30 Science- Thursday

8th Grade Only: May 4 Science- Monday

May 11 Math- Monday

May 12 Math- Tuesday

8th Grade Only: May 18 Civics- Monday

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Doherty was honored to host Chris Romulo, a retired professional Muay Thai champion and renowned resilience expert, for two impactful assemblies tailored to our 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students. Drawing from nearly thirty years of experience—including his recovery from a life-threatening health scare and rebuilding after a devastating hurricane—Mr. Romulo shared his powerful philosophy that resilience is built, not born. Through his engaging storytelling, he provided students with practical tools to navigate self-doubt and peer pressure, emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself while maintaining kindness and respect for others. The event was a resounding success, leaving our community inspired to lead with grit, focus, and heart; we extend a sincere thank you to the Doherty Parent Advisory Council (PAC) for making this empowering experience possible.

Doherty Middle School is thrilled to welcome six visiting students from Korea, who will be joining us to immerse themselves in the authentic American middle school experience. To ensure they feel right at home, our visitors have been paired with a group of dedicated 8th-grade student volunteers who will serve as their guides and peers throughout their stay.

We are incredibly excited to showcase our vibrant community and share the many things that make our school such a wonderful place to learn and grow.

This event is organized to celebrate and honor Korean War veterans. The program fosters meaningful intergenerational connections with young American and Korean students. Our students have prepared a mini performance on Korean culture and history. Please join us to deliver our deep appreciation for the ‘forgotten war’ heroes. We also appreciate our friends, parents, teachers at Andover Public Schools who supported this program.

Program brought to you by

Educational Divide Reform (EDR)

Korea War Veterans Association (KWVA)

Andover Public Schools (APS)

The Academy at Harvard Square (TAHS)

See the attached information sheet

On Tuesday, January 27th parents and guardians will receive a MAP Growth Family Report that summarize your child’s middle-of-the-year assessments. These reports will be sent home with your child. MAP Growth is an adaptive assessment in reading and math that shows your child’s current learning level and growth over time.

For more information:

• MAP Growth: NWEA Family Toolkit or Andover Public Schools MAP Assessment

These middle-of-the-year results help teachers inform instruction, personalize learning, and monitor the growth of individual students. Administrators use the data to assess performance and progress at each grade level, school, and district. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher or principal.

Curriculum Night for 8th Grade Parents/Caregivers

Join us for Curriculum Night, a special event for 8th-grade parents and caregivers!

We are excited to invite you to an informative evening where Program Coordinators will share an overview of the courses and academic opportunities available at Andover High School. This event will provide valuable insights to help you and your student prepare for the course selection process, which will take place in March with Andover High School counselors.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain important information and support a smooth transition to high school!

Event Information:

"Curriculum Night" for 8th Grade Parents/Caregivers

When? Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 6:30-8:15 pm

Where? Collins Center, Andover High School, Shawsheen Road, Andover, MA

Kindly RSVP by February 6th here

The amazing show will characters such as King Triton, Prince Eric, Ursula the sea witch, her evil sidekicks Flotsam and Jetsam, Sebastian the crab, Flounder the fish, and Scuttle the seagull, not to mention dancing jellyfish, fabulous mersisters and singing sailors!

Details about rehearsals, performances, stage crew and auditions are available at the Doherty Drama Club webpage:

https://sites.google.com/a/k12.andoverma.us/dms-drama

Questions can be directed Ms. Kennedy (elizabeth.kennedy@andoverma.us)

Please remind your student(s)

Now that we’ve settled into the school year, we want to share a friendly reminder about student devices.

Students are expected to bring their fully charged computers to school every day. You can really help us with this by reminding your student to charge their computer every night. This simple routine makes a big difference in ensuring they are prepared for class each day.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your student's education.

Did you know you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams simply by writing them down and sharing them? People who wrote down their goals, made an action plan, and shared weekly updates with a friend had a 76% success rate in achieving those goals. Some advisories have been working on goal-setting this January; feel free to ask your student if they have a goal for 2026, or perhaps you can make one together at home. Here is a 2-minute video on goals that we shared in 7th grade advisories. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0QfCZjASX8

Supporting a middle schooler through stress requires a delicate balance of being a "safe harbor" while giving them the independence they crave. Start by validating their feelings rather than trying to fix them immediately; simply acknowledging that "it makes sense to feel overwhelmed right now" can lower their defenses more than a lecture ever could. Create a home environment that prioritizes low-pressure connection, such as going for a walk or driving in the car—activities where eye contact isn't forced often make it easier for teens to open up. Encourage them to find "flow" through tactile hobbies like drawing or sports, and help them break down massive projects into manageable chunks to prevent paralysis. Most importantly, model healthy stress management yourself; when they see you take a deep breath or step away from a screen after a long day, you're giving them a silent, powerful blueprint for their own resilience.

Homework Help with AHS Students

Andover High School’s Junior Board assist Doherty Middle Schoolers with their homework. If you're interested in attending next week’s session, please RSVP. We'll have food available since the club starts at 3:15 PM. Note any allergies or restrictions on the sign-up sheet. Kindly RSVP to plan the number of HS volunteers.

If you are interested in your student joining, please fill out this form. Please note: It does not need to be a weekly commitment, students can come when it works best for their family’s schedule.

Reminder about School Visits

If your student is missing school because of a school visit, we kindly ask that you notify Doherty and indicate this is the reason they are missing school. This helps us ensure your student’s attendance is recorded accurately. Thank you for your help!

If you have any questions or need additional information about the high school transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our school counselor Ms. Creamer at marymargaret.creamer@andoverma.us. Thank you for your continued support!

We’re excited to offer a wide variety of after-school programs and clubs here at Doherty Middle School! These activities provide students with opportunities to explore new interests, develop skills, and connect with peers in a fun and supportive environment that promotes community.

Please note: A completed permission slip is required for students to participate in any after-school club or program. Be sure to submit the form to ensure your child can join in on the fun!

Dylan Birch Clubs Organizer

Mondays:

Anime Club Ms. Physic – Room 221

Board Games Ms. Hudak – Media Center

Dateline Doherty Ms. Angis – Room 222

Tuesdays:

Arts and Crafts Club Ms. Abernathy and Ms. Leyne - Room 123

Make it or Bake It Club Ms. Bergin – Staff Lounge/Kitchen

Thursdays:

Homework Hang Ms. Creamer - Room 138

Math Team Ms. Tyrell - Room 207: Meet #2 November 20 @Wynn Middle School Tewksbury, Parent Pick up at Doherty 5:30 Meet #3 January 15 TBD Meet #4 Feb 26 TBD Meet #5 March 26 TBD Math Team advisor- Elizabeth Tyrell Room 207

Robotics Club Mr. Schack – Room 135 (starts 3rd Quarter)

Student Council Ms. Heintzelman – Room 122

Yearbook Ms. Bakshi – Room 211

Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, the Teaching and Learning office has conducted a deep analysis of the uses and impacts of AI on teaching and learning that has included:

• An examination of existing AI policies and guidelines from other districts in Massachusetts, other states, educational organizations, colleges and universities

• APS secondary faculty focus groups

• APS secondary student surveys

• APS superuser team review

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to this year-long process. While this work will continue to evolve, just as technology evolves, we would like to share the Andover Public Schools Teaching and Learning Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence for the 2025-2026 school year.

Communication with our families is essential to the success and wellness of our students. To assist our families and help them connect with the appropriate staff who is best suited to answer questions, we have updated our “Who We Are” page on our website. The information will guide families to resources on how to reach staff with concerns and how to stay connected to news and events across the district.