November 2025 MRMHS Newsletter

Nov 4 - Teacher Workshop Day (No School)

Nov 5 - Financial Planning 101 Zoom Meeting

Nov 5 & 6 - Musical Theater Auditions
Nov 10 - Q1 Report Cards Mailed Out
Nov 11 - Veterans Day (No School)
Nov 13 - Winter Sports Informational Meeting
Nov 25 - No Late Bus
Nov 26–28 - Thanksgiving Break (No School)
Dec 5 - Q2 Progress Report Closes

Come cheer on our student-athletes and show your school spirit. Be sure to check out the MRMHS Athletics Calendar for the most updated dates throughout the year!

As we move into November, I want to take a moment to express gratitude for the care, strength, and connection within our Monadnock community. During challenging times, our staff, students, and families have shown genuine support for one another. The compassion and resilience within our halls truly reflect who we are as a school.

As we approach Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, these moments invite us to pause and give thanks for those who serve, for those who teach and guide our students, and for all who quietly help others each day. Our sense of community continues to define and strengthen us at MRMHS.

Academic Momentum & Getting Started

With Quarter 1 report cards coming mid-month, this is a good time to reflect, refocus, and build steady habits for success.

Whether you’re a student looking to stay on track or a parent/guardian supporting your child, a few simple steps can make a big difference:

• Check Alma regularly for grades and feedback
  

• Follow up on missed or late work

• Reach out to teachers early for clarification or help

• Use WIN time or redo opportunities for extra support

Getting Started

One of the hardest parts of learning is simply getting started. Procrastination often isn’t laziness — it’s feeling overwhelmed or confused. Big tasks become manageable once you take that first small step.

The key is to focus on progress, not perfection. You don’t have to do it all - you just have to begin!

If you or your child struggle with getting started, try these quick ideas:

• Break work into smaller pieces and tackle one part at a time

• Set short goals, like 10–15 minutes of focused effort

• Start with something simple to build momentum

• Keep routines consistent and celebrate effort, not just results

Each small effort adds up - doing something productive each day makes a real difference.

Thank you for the continued encouragement, and care for our students and staff. Together, we make Monadnock a place where learning, kindness, and community thrive.

Brett Gottheimer
Principal
Monadnock Regional Middle High School

The Monadnock Regional High School Chorus traveled to Keene State College last Friday to take part in the 16th Annual Cantate: High School Choral Festival!

Our MRMHS singers performed two beautiful pieces, participated in a workshop with Dr. Leontis, Keene State Vocal Instructor, and enjoyed performances from other area high school choirs. The day wrapped up with a mass group performance featuring all choirs in attendance - an incredible experience of music and collaboration!

A huge thank you to MRMHS Chorus Director Ms. Drew for making this opportunity possible for our students!

Eighth graders on Team Earth have just finished reading The Outsiders. For part of their summative assessment, they are completing "One Pagers" in class to show what they have learned. A One Pager is a creative one-page response to a text that demonstrates comprehension through a mix of written and visual elements, such as quotes, sketches, key concepts, and personal reflections. They are very proud of their creative art and writing!

We have our winners for the first-ever 100 WORDS OF HORROR writing contest.

Before recognizing these talented young authors, we would like to thank every student who joined our Google Classroom and submitted original work of no more than 100 words. It's not as easy as it sounds. They did Edgar Allan Poe proud, and we hope you will join us again next year!

In third place is senior Haley Eklund.

In second place is sophomore Hailey Nero.

And in first place is senior Calloway Andrews.

Congratulations to all three authors!

Again, thank you to everyone who participated and to our judges.

In October, Monadnock Regional Middle-High School was very pleased to host students from the Keene State College teacher education program.

Twenty-four aspiring educators in Dr. Heather Gigliello's Issues in Secondary Education course toured the building with principal Brett Gottheimer and assistant principal Rebecca Russell, explored various classroom settings, and engaged informally with classroom teachers, students, and administrators. This is the first course aspiring educators considering a career in middle or high school need to take on their educational journey.

Monadnock was also very pleased to host Evan Parker, Hailey Rogers, Macy Celona, and Jocelyn Carnahan, who are currently enrolled in the Methods I and Methods II classes taught by Chris Parsons. During their visits, they logged 20-30 hours of classroom observation and, in some cases, actively participated in teaching thoughtfully structured lessons alongside experienced educators. Parsons, chair of the KSC Teacher Education department, expressed his appreciation: "We are so grateful for all MRMHS does for our students at Keene State who are training to become middle and high school teachers. And you all do a ton! We send students from our Intro to Secondary Education classes to MRMHS to see how a school as a whole works; we send junior Methods of Teaching students (like Macy and Jocelyn) to MRMHS to observe master teachers and begin working with students themselves; we send senior Methods of Teaching students (like Evan and Haley) and student teachers to MRMHS to hone their teaching skills and get ready for classrooms of their own."

Keene State College has long been recognized for its outstanding teacher preparation programs that emphasize practical experience through strong partnerships with local schools, including Monadnock. Parsons highlighted the impact of this collaboration: "Thanks in part to the MRMHS community, KSC students are now life-changing teachers, both as far as North Carolina and as near as MRMHS hallways (Ms. Olivia Mehrer and Ms. Lauren Simmons are recent alums!). Learning to become a teacher is fulfilling—but challenging; MRMHS teachers, students, administration, and community are a crucial part of that process."

Monadnock loves meeting young educators and looks forward to continuing the successful partnership that benefits our community!

Auditions for this year's musical theater production, We Will Rock You, are on

Wednesday and Thursday, November 5th and 6th after school from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm.

WE WILL ROCK YOU is a high-octane musical featuring more than 20 iconic Queen hits,

including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” “Somebody to Love,” “Don’t

Stop Me Now,” and of course, “We Will Rock You.” Set in a post-apocalyptic future where

individuality has been outlawed and music is controlled, the story follows two young

revolutionaries who dare to defy the system to save rock ‘n’ roll.

This fist-pumping, foot-stomping anthem to freedom and self-expression is a musical for

our time—bold and filled with the timeless power of Queen’s legendary music. With over 7

million fans rocked in its original 12-year West End run, WE WILL ROCK YOU made history

as the longest-running show at London’s Dominion Theatre. A global phenomenon, WWRY

has been performed in 28 countries and seen by more than 16 million people worldwide.

This explosive, rockin’ spectacle is a celebration of the power of music and individuality

that will leave audiences cheering for more.

Materials for auditions are available outside room 204. If you are interested in being part of

this year's fun and exciting musical, talk to Mr. Teitelman soon in person or email him at

pteitelman@mrsd.org.

Rules Regarding When to Keep Your Child Home

As a reminder, if your child has a stomach bug (vomiting or diarrhea), please keep them home from school for at least 24 hours after symptoms have stopped. The same goes for fevers. Students need to be fever-free for 24 hours without medicine before returning to school. This helps prevent the spread of germs and keeps everyone at school healthier! Thank you so much.

Sincerely,
Lisa Brooks, RN
MRMHS School Nurse

School pictures retakes will be taken November 5th. All students who missed the original date need to get their pictures taken for their student IDs even if pictures are not being purchased.

When families receive the initial proof, it will include a code specific to the student. If a student didn’t take a photo on the original Picture Day, they will receive their code after Retake Day instead.

Please reach out and get support! https://www.naminh.org/crisis-lines/

Whether it is scheduling sports practices, setting aside time for studying, or making sure you know when you have club meetings, finding a way to keep track of your time is an important skill. If you don’t already have a concrete way to keep track (more than “just remembering”) you should try to develop ways to stay organized. You could try using apps like Google Calendar or Google Keep (which is online “To Do” lists) to help stay on top of all the things you need to do.

We have had a bunch of students miss important things because they do not check their email. It is important for high school students to stay on top of checking their email! This is an important habit to work on this year! So much important information will come out this way, and it is an essential life skill to have after high school.

Coming up November 5th, at 6:00 PM, there will be a Zoom for families and students who are interested in learning more about the FAFSA and financial aid. This is also in partnership with Granite Edvance and will be in the evening on November 5th. Register here with Granite Edvance for the 6:00 PM Zoom on November 5th.

Seniors - here are some upcoming events and things to be aware of with the college and career planning process.

Seniors - here are some upcoming events and things to be aware of with the college and career planning process.

This school year, New Hampshire implemented a law that from bell to bell there are no personal electronic devices in school, and the adjustment for most students has been pretty straightforward and smooth, and we are confident it will have a positive impact on students and academics. However, limiting those devices at home can be a challenge, especially at night.

The increasing use of screens among middle school students can significantly impact their sleep, which is critical for their physical and mental health. The blue light emitted by devices like phones, tablets, and computers can disrupt the body's natural sleep-wake cycle by suppressing the sleep-regulating hormone, melatonin. Engaging with stimulating content, such as social media or video games, late into the evening can also keep their brains active, making it difficult to relax and fall asleep.

This lack of restful sleep can lead to poor concentration, mood swings, and decreased academic performance.

To help your middle schooler establish healthy sleep habits, we encourage families to create and enforce a "screen curfew". Limiting all device use for at least one hour before bedtime can make a significant difference. Consider having your student charge their devices outside of their bedroom overnight to avoid late-night notifications and distractions. By working together to set these boundaries, we can help our students get the rest they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

American Academy of Pediatrics, “Screen Time Afffecting Sleep”

Sutter Health, “Screens and Your Sleep” by Joanna Cooper, MD

The Sleep Doctor, “Screen Time and Insomnia: What It Means for Teens” by Lauren Fountain, Medically Reviewed by Nilong Vyas, MD, MPH

🔥 Fire Team

🌎 Earth Team

TWO NEW STAFF

Welcome to Karen Monti Hertzog who joins the Fire Team as a case manager. She comes from New Jersey with a number of years of experience in education. We are also very happy to welcome Jeffery Russell who joins the Water Team as a Social Studies Teacher. He comes to us from Florida with years of experience teaching Middle School.

🌟 START OF QUARTER 2 🌟

We have officially completed the first week of Quarter 2. Some things to remember as we forge ahead.

• All assignments are important assignments no matter what they are weighted. Formative Assignments help students to get ready for Summative Assignments, so although they count as less, they are just as important to complete.

• When your child is absent from school, they miss class instruction and assignments. It is your child’s responsibility to make sure they catch up with whatever they miss at an appropriate time (WIN, after school, activity or lunch if the teacher is available).

🥶 OUTDOOR ACTIVITY 🥶

The temperatures are beginning to drop but we are still going outside for activity time. There is no inside option for students so be sure they have appropriate dress for being outside.

(sent from Superintendent Rathbun on November 7th)

Dear Families,

At this week’s School Board meeting, the Board approved a change to our academic calendar. Monday, January 20, will now be a Professional Development Day for staff, and there will be no school for students on that day.

On this day, all Monadnock staff will participate in a districtwide training led by the New Hampshire Department of Homeland Security. This training is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure we are prepared to respond effectively in any type of emergency.

The updated calendar is attached for your reference.

We hope this advance notice gives you plenty of time to plan and adjust your schedules.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Rathbun