Doherty Family Update 3.23.2025

• Newsies School Play April Friday 4/4 ; Saturday 4/5 ; and Sunday 4/6: 7pm Shows on Friday & Sat ; 2pm show on Sunday.
• April 9 Early Dismissal 11:30

MCAS Dates

April 8 & 10 – ELA

May 1 – Civics (8th grade only)

May 5 & 6 – Math

May 15 & 16 – STE Science Technology Engineering (8th grade only)

YEARBOOK

Simply scan this QR code and follow the prompts. Yearbooks will be delivered to homerooms the last week of school

You may also call 866-287-3096 or go to www.YearbookOrderCenter.com and use order number 13395

The Doherty Middle School Yearbook Club is thrilled to include a special collage page celebrating our 8th graders' unique passions—whether it’s sports, hobbies, music, or quality time with a favorite pet.

We invite you to submit ONE clear, high-quality photo of your student enjoying their activity from their middle school years. The deadline for submissions is April 1st, 2025. Simply use the provided QR code to upload your photo (select “Upload Portrait” and choose “Pre-K” for the grade to help us sort the photos).

Yearbooks are $40 and available for all grades. Reserve yours today at www.YearbookOrderCenter.com (order #13395) or call 866-287-3096.

For questions or scholarship inquiries, please contact faculty advisor, Ms. Bakshi at leela.bakshi@andoverma.us. Let’s make sure every 8th grader is celebrated in this year’s book!

In March, the Andover Public Schools’ Middle School Band, Orchestra, and Choral performances brought together students from across the district for a vibrant celebration of music. Highlights included the Vocal Gala, All Band Night in the AHS Field House, and All Strings Night, showcasing the talent and dedication of young musicians and the extraordinary efforts of our Middle School Performing Arts Staff: Sabrina Lambros, Emily Silva, and Alex Duback. These events featured our MS district-wide specialty ensembles—MS A Cappella, Interlude Show Choir, Chamber Orchestra, and MS Jazz Band. All the groups delivered outstanding performances, demonstrating the depth and diversity of Andover's music program. Kudos to all the DMS students who participated.

Students are asked to wear purple to school on Thursday to show their support for Epilepsy awareness.

Doherty Values Challenge

March Madness Attendance Challenge which is all about teamwork! Each homeroom will be competing for both weekly and a grand prize based on attendance.

Weekly Matchups — How to Advance:

- Each week, our Attendance Team will calculate the percentage of students in each homeroom who attended school on time (no tardies!).

- The section with the highest attendance percentage in each matchup advances to the next round.

- Students with medical notes/excuses will not be counted against the attendance.

- Eliminated teams will continue to be eligible for a weekly prize so don’t give up! Each week is a fresh start!

📅Competition Schedule:

Week 1: March 4-7

Week 2: March 10-14

Week 3: March 17-21

Week 4: March 24-28

🏆Championship Round: March 31-April 4

For the week of 3/10-3/14 the following homerooms were recognized and were able to spin the prize wheel!

6th Grade: Mr. Debonis & Mr. Gibson’s Homeroom

7th Grade: Ms. Tyrell & Mrs. Carlton’s Homeroom

8th Grade: Ms. Nicolas & Ms. Longbook’s Homeroom

Our March Madness bracket and our new weekly winners will be announced on Monday morning.

We are also preparing for our Career Fair! This event will take place for 8th grade students from all three middle schools on April 15th from 12 PM to 2 PM at Andover High School. Thank you to all the parents and caregivers who have already signed up to volunteer. Parents/caregivers of any grade can sign up to get involved! If you are interested in volunteering, we would love to have you; please sign up here: Volunteer Sign-Up.

Molly Creamer

School Counselor

• Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - The school budget will be presented as part of the total town budget for a vote at the annual town meeting.

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.

What is RULER?

RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

Purpose of Morning Check In:

• Create a unified low-stakes rollout for all three APS Middle Schools
• Begin a student focus on the emotion matters mindset and discussion
• Build student relationships and community

RULER VIDEO and Website

To be completed if your student will participate in after school Extracurricular clubs. Click here for the form. The form is also available on our website.

Completed form can be dropped off at the Main Office.

List of Clubs and Activities can be found on our website under INFORMATION and RESOURCES