MHS STUDENT & FAMILY NEWSLETTER

RSU 57 & Massabesic High School

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

Hello Mustang Nation,

Welcome back from February Break - I hope you were all able to find time to rest and relax with family and friends. We are about to enter the longest stretch of our school year - it will be more important than ever for us to stick together, care for another, and keep our focus on continuous growth and improvement. I am confident we will find success in the weeks and months to come and before we know it the snow will be melting and green grass beginning to show!

Please note the updated color day rotation for this week due to the school cancellation for Monday, 02.23.26.

Morning Meetings this Week:

Tuesday, 02.24.26

The Resiliency Project (Mrs. Desjardins, Room 43)

Science Bowl Practice (Ms. Pennell & Mrs. Carroll)

Zero Waste Club (Mr. Nduaguibe)

Thursday, 02.26.26

Culture Club - Peru (Mrs. Carroll)

Climate & Culture Cohort (Mr. Labbe)

Math Team (Mrs. Blair, Room 18)

Zero Waste Club (Mr. Nduaguibe)

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

Monday, 02.23.26 (School Cancelled due to weather)

Tuesday, 02.24.26 - GREEN

Wednesday, 02.25.26 - WHITE

Thursday, 02.26.26 - GREEN

Friday, 02.27.26 - WHITE

Take care,

-Mr. Thurlow

We've started recognizing students who model positive behaviors in and out of the classroom. Any staff member can nominate a student who has demonstrated our core values and gone above and beyond for our school community. This week, Mr. Durham nominated Elizabeth!

Mr. Durham writes: "Throughout the year, Elizabeth has always brought a friendly and caring personality to the classroom. On one occasion, Elizabeth noticed a fellow classmate who was having a tough day sitting in the hallway and, without hesitation, sat down beside them. Elizabeth did this with no thought of reward; she simply wanted to support a classmate in a time of need."

Semester One Report cards can be viewed on StudentVue and ParentVue

8 MHS student-athletes play for the Gorham-Massabesic Co-Op Hockey Team and have garnered the #1 seed in the upcoming postseason tournament. Our student-athletes have their first game in the opening round of the playoffs this Tuesday, February 24 at 7:20 pm at the USM Ice Arena in Gorham. We would love to see a strong student population and school community showing at this game - our student-athletes have worked incredibly hard all season to put themselves atop the table in the Southern Maine hockey world.

The MHS Theatre Troupe will be performing their One-Act play on Feb. 27, 28, & March 1st in the MHS Auditorium (see the flyer below for more information).

Additionally, the troupe will be competing in the MPA One-Act Drama Regional Competition at Noble HS on Saturday, March 7 at 1:00 pm (the first show of the session begins at 12:00 pm so if oyu are planning to attend and support our thespians please plan to be there by 11:45 am to be allowed admission to the session where our MHS troupe will be performing).

On 02/09 Deputy Cummer's Law Enforcement Club had its first meeting! Students were able to give their input on what they expected out of the club. Deputy Cummer went over Law Enforcement Use of Force. If you are still Interested in joining there is still room.The next meeting is on Monday, O2.23.26 in Room 6!

The Resiliency Club is continuing our Substance Abuse Awareness Month. This week, our informational bulletin board features a series of questions designed to help students evaluate how recreational substance use can lead to addiction. Our goal is to help students recognize the warning signs while understanding that underage substance use is both illegal and unhealthy. We also want students to know that our school social workers and guidance counselors are available to talk and provide support for substance abuse issues, as well as any other matters they wish to discuss privately and confidentially.

We also have an interactive bulletin board in the cafeteria. We posted the question "How has Substance Abuse Impacted your Life?". Several students have shared personal stories of hardship. We have a box that students can put their answers in to allow for private sharing as well. This bulletin board will remain in the cafeteria throughout the month.

Here is a link to the weekly Al-Anon meetings in York County. Al- Alnon is a 12-step mutual-help group for families and friends of problem-drinking individuals that offers help to deal with the impact of another's drinking.

How do I know if my child is Vaping?

Detecting teen vaping can be difficult because devices are often disguised as everyday objects like USB drives, pens, or car key fobs.

• Unusual Scents: Look for faint, sweet, or fruity odors (like bubble gum, mint, or vanilla) that don’t have a clear source.

• Increased Thirst & Nosebleeds: Vaping often causes dehydration, leading to a dry mouth, frequent water consumption, or dry nasal passages that bleed easily.

• "Vaper’s Tongue": Your teen may start adding extra salt or spices to their food because vaping can temporarily dull their sense of taste.

• Caffeine Sensitivity: Nicotine is a stimulant; if your teen suddenly stops drinking soda or energy drinks they previously enjoyed, it may be because the combination with vaping makes them feel jittery or anxious.

• Mood & Sleep Changes: Watch for increased irritability, anxiety, or restlessness (signs of nicotine withdrawal), as well as trouble falling or staying asleep.

• Respiratory Issues: A new, persistent cough ("vaper's cough"), wheezing, or shortness of breath in a previously healthy teen.

• Unfamiliar Tech: Search for small chargers, cartridges (pods), or devices with holes at both ends. Use the CDC Visual Dictionary to identify modern vaping products.

• Secrecy & Slang: Your teen may become more protective of their backpack or room. Listen for slang like "nicked" (the nicotine high), "carts" (cartridges), or "atty" (atomizerFinancial Red Flags: Check for unusual small charges on apps like Venmo or Cash App, which are often used to buy supplies from peers.

We meet every Tuesday morning in Room 43 and are always accepting more members.

Captain Howell & Chief Lipp with our NJROTC program are proud to announce upcoming opportunities for our students to participate in Sea Perch Competitions - students will be engaged in building underwater drones and testing them out against other students from the region at a competition held at the University of New Hampshire.

Interested students should connect directly with Captain & Chief (we are currently looking at around 30 available spots).

Sea Perch practice/work days are as follows:

Tuesday, March 3 - Block 4 and after school (1:00 - 4:00 pm)

Wednesday, March 4 - Block 4 and after school (1:00 - 4:00 pm)

Thursday, March 5 - Block 4 and after school (1:00 - 4:00pm)

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 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.

Feb. 27, Feb. 28, & March 1: MHS Theatre Troupe One-Act Performance

Wednesday, March 11 - Early Release Day

Friday, March 13 - In-Service Day of Wellness (no students)

Wednesday, March 18 - MHS Blood Drive

Wednesday, March 25 - ERD, Annual Academic Showcase, & 8th Grade Step-Up Night

Monday, April 13 - Thursday, April 16: Spirit Week (sponsored by Student Council)

Friday, April 17 - No School

Monday, April 20 - Friday, April 24: Spring Vacation (school closed)

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):