IHS Update

I hope everyone's new year is off to a great start. It's hard to believe that first semester is over already. And it looks like winter has definitely settled in. I am hoping we don't get into a pattern on Sunday night snowstorms like we did in 2015!

In this issue

• An update about winter sports
• Seal of Biliteracy info
• Upcoming important dates

The winter sports season is well under way. The boys basketball team is 6-5 including a couple of big wins over Hamilton-Wenham and North Reading. While junior stars Rex Satter, Tanner Manning, and Trevor Manning are scoring a lot of points , it's every player's shared commitment to relentless team defense that is making the difference this season. Their next home game is against Whittier next Wednesday night at 6:30. After starting the season 0-4, the girls basketball team has won six out of its last eight games with solid wins over Rockport and Winthrop. Currently ranked 40th, the girls have a shot to make the tournament where the top 32 teams qualify for post-season play. The boys track team is 2-2 while the girls track team is undefeated. Our boys co-op hockey team is 3-9. Both our boys and girls swim teams are 1-1. Our co-op squads with Hamilton-Wenham are thriving this year with the girls gymnastics team remaining undefeated at 6-0, the boys ski team is 6-2, and the girls ski team is 3-1-1. The schedule of competitions can be found here. Come out and support our Tigers!

Every year, several IHS students earn the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy- a recognition that students have demonstrated fluency in at least two languages by the time they graduate. Eligible students must demonstrate proficiency on the MCAS as well as the language-based STAMP test that assess their fluency in a language other than English. Eligible students will have a special seal affixed to their diploma upon graduation. Your student's world language teachers will be informing their classes of this opportunity. Please read this letter for more information.

The Ipswich DECA team delivered an outstanding performance at its second District Career Development Conference, with 11 students qualifying for the State Conference. The District 6 DECA Competition was held over two days in January at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Danvers and featured over 1,000 student competitors across more than 50 events, highlighting the exceptional talent and promise of Ipswich’s future business leaders.

The dedication and hard work of Ipswich DECA participants were celebrated during a virtual awards ceremony, where those who secured a top-4 placement in their respective categories were recognized as State Conference qualifiers. The award ceremony can be viewed here: Mass DECA District 6 Awards.

The Ipswich DECA team expresses gratitude for the support received from the school community, parents, and faculty at the high school. The DECA program’s success is a testament to Ipswich School District’s commitment to diligently preparing students today for the jobs of tomorrow.

Team and series competitors took a 100-question test then performed a role-play in front of judges. Role-plays are common business scenarios where the student is asked to solve a problem and present their solution to the judge. Project competitors conducted research, prepared a paper, and presented their ideas on the day of the conference.

AWARDS: The list below shows the Ipswich DECA State Qualifiers.

1st Place

Reed Soininen (11th grade)- Personal Financial Literacy

2nd Place

Nicholas Kayata (11th grade) Personal Financial Literacy

Sarah Belford & Asuka Keough (11th grade) Hospitality Services Team Decision Making

3rd Place

Huck Harlow (11th grade) Financial Consulting

4th Place

Jack Machaiek (12th grade)) Automotive Services Marketing Series (ASM)

Rieden Harlow-Rivas (12th grade) Entrepreneurship Series

Jack Hickox & Reed Wen (11th grade) Financial Services Team Decision Making (FTDM)

Brayden Marini (9th grade) Principles of Entrepreneurship (PEN)

William Gysan (12th grade) Retail Merchandising (RMS)

DECA is a co-curricular organization of high school students that focuses on developing transferable skills for college and careers, building self-esteem, cultivating leadership, and stressing community involvement. The DECA program is in its second year at Ipswich High School and is led by Tate Shippen & Tammy Kayata. To learn more about DECA, visit www.deca.org and www.massdeca.org.

• The first day of Q3 is Monday the 23rd. Report cards will be published in Aspen sometime the first week of February
• February 2nd: School Council Meeting at 6:30 in the Guidance Conference Room
• February 11th: 8th Grade Parent Info Meeting a6 6PM in the library
• February 16th-20th: February Vacation