Panther Press

January 21, 2023 - Volume 6 - ISSUE 17

Welcome to the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Newsletter! It is designed to keep everyone (parents, students, staff, and community members) informed of the many events that are happening in and around the school. It contains links, pictures, and videos so that you have a more interactive experience and the ability to learn more about various topics.

Communication is incredibly important to understanding so we ask that you share our news as much as possible. We also welcome feedback! It is the only way to continuously improve. So, please interact, get involved, and let us know what you think by contacting us and sharing our news!

January 22: Semester 2/Quarter 3 Begins

January 23: Parent Portal Opens - Quarter 2/Semester 1 Report Cards available

February 6-7: Biology MCAS Retest

February 9: District Early Release - Professional Development

February 14: WHRHS Panther Release Day

February 19-23: No School - February Recess

March 4: ELA MCAS Retest

March 5: No School for Students - Election Day

March 6: ELA MCAS Retest

March 7-8: Math MCAS Retest

March 13: WHRHS Panther Release Day

March 22: District Early Release - Professional Development

March 26-27: ELA MCAS Grade 10 Students

March 28: Junior Prom (more details to follow)

March 29: No School - Good Friday

Please ask your Senior to check their school email for an important message about Diploma and Cap & Gown ordering for Graduation.

Email includes a link that each senior must visit to provide information for Diploma and Cap & Gown ordering. This should be completed by Wednesday, February 14, 2024.

Whitman-Hanson's Mental Health Club (Active Minds) is reopening their sweatshirt sale fundraiser! These are a great item and help support activities calling our awareness to and supporting our needs with mental health.

Click on this link to place your order. We will be taking orders from now until January 24th!

Thank you all so much and we can't wait to see everyone in their Active Minds wear soon!

When is the last time you took out the trash?

What if I asked you the same question, but I wasn't talking about the trash in your kitchen? Instead I was talking about all the negative trash in your life that holds you back from being the most successful version of yourself. What would your answer be then?

How many times have you tried to stuff it down to fit a little more in it instead of just getting rid of it? How many times has that resulted in the trash overflowing and making a bigger mess or even worse breaking the bag because it is just too much. What is going on in and around your life because of too much trash? How much more can you take before you break?

Check out the video and let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear them!

Just a reminder that all tardies for quarter two reset back to zero to begin the new quarter. Students are given two free tardies each quarter, it’s recommended that you save them for those unforeseen circumstances that may arise during the quarter. For more information, please refer to page 10 of the student handbook or come down to the main office and we can assist you with any questions. Most importantly, get off to a good start and budget your time wisely and don’t forget to join a club at Whitman-Hanson. Go Panthers!!

Thanks to all of the parents, guardians, and students that attended the College Admissions Seminar on Thursday night with admissions representatives from Boston College, UMass Boston, and Massasoit Community College. If you missed the program, please follow the links to the handouts and check in with your school counselors if you have questions - WH College Planning slides, UMass Boston slides, Junior Checklist.

As a follow up to our College Admissions Seminar, we invite parents/guardians of grade 11 students to our annual Junior Parent Coffee with the Counselors. This program will focus on post-secondary and college planning for juniors and will be held on February 9th at 7:30 am. Parents may sign up for that program here - Junior Parent Coffee with the Counselors Sign Up Link

Although many colleges and universities will remain test optional in the 2024/2025 school year, it is important for students and parents to check out SAT requirements for colleges that are of interest.

On March 20, 2024, WH will administer The School Day SAT for Juniors during the day at WH. Interested grade 11 students may sign up online by February 1, 2024 using the QR code below, this registration link, or the Junior Class Google Classroom link. Payment of $60 must be turned in by Friday, February 2, 2024. The cost for students eligible for fee waivers is $8.00. Payment is made directly to Whitman-Hanson, and the school will pay the College Board. Please contact your school counselor if you have questions about eligibility for a reduced fee SAT. If you have trouble accessing the QR code, please contact Meghan Rivera at Meghan.Rivera@whrsd.org. Sign up deadline is February 1, 2024. Payment deadline is February 2, 2024.

On Thursday, February 29th, a Virtual Scholarship Meeting will be held at 6:30 PM for members of the senior class and their parents/guardians. Information will be presented about Dollars for Scholars and Local and Community Scholarships. All seniors and parents are encouraged to attend. Sign up information will be posted soon.

Do you need assistance completing the FAFSA, the form required to apply for college financial aid? Join MEFA for a virtual FAFSA Festival on January 24th from 4:00 PM-6:00 PM. You can log in anytime and you will be paired with an expert who can answer your FAFSA questions and help you complete the online application. Before you join us, we encourage you to start filling out the FASFA at fafsa.gov. Click here to RSVP.

School Counselors:

Mrs. Carrigan

Mr. Murphy

Mrs. Selig

Mrs. Cunha

Mr. Amado
Ms. Rivera (Administrative Assistant)

School Adjustment Counselors:
Mrs. Siden: Grades 10 & 12
Mrs. Robichaud: Grades 9 & 11

Transition Room Counselors

Mrs. Scheim

Ms. Dauksevicz

Students in grades 9 and 10 have been working hard to complete their midyear IXL diagnostic in their Math and ELA classes. Once completed, students will be able to access a personalized skill plan. IXL has found that students who spend a minimum of 30 minutes working on their skill plans per week show the most growth with Math and ELA skills over time. Although students will be given class time to work on their minutes, IXL can be accessed at any time, so students can get extra practice time whenever they would like. IXL has skill plans to prepare students for the PSAT and SAT, as well.

Key Benefits of the IXL Learning Platform:

1. Personalized Learning: IXL's adaptive technology ensures that each student progresses at their own pace. It identifies your child's strengths and areas of growth, creating a personalized learning path to help them master concepts before moving on to more advanced topics. This way, no student feels left behind or held back.

2. Comprehensive Curriculum: IXL covers a wide range of Math and ELA topics, aligning perfectly with our curriculum. From foundational concepts to complex skills, IXL offers a structured path to mastery, enabling students to build a strong foundation while also challenging them to excel in their studies.

3. Immediate Feedback: One of the most valuable aspects of IXL is the instant feedback it provides. Students receive real-time explanations for incorrect answers, fostering a deeper understanding of concepts and encouraging them to learn from their mistakes.

4. Engaging Practice: Learning becomes enjoyable when it feels like a game. IXL incorporates interactive elements that engage students while they practice. This gamified approach motivates students to put in the effort required to succeed. It also helps to prepare them for online/digital MCAS exams.

5. Progress Tracking: As educators, we understand the importance of monitoring your child's progress. IXL provides detailed progress reports that allow us to see how well your child is performing, helping us tailor our teaching approach and interventions to suit their needs.

6. Flexibility and Accessibility: With IXL, your child can practice anytime, anywhere. This flexibility promotes independent learning, and helps students reinforce their understanding of concepts.

Students in Modern World History have been learning about the Industrial Revolution. They have learned about various inventions, the impact they had on people's lives, and a number of economic theories that emerged as a result of the changes.

The pictures below show students in Ms. LaMarca's class learning about inventions of the Industrial Revolution.

The Whitman Hanson Boys Track and Field team competed at the MSTCA State Relays today. The boys' best performance came in the long jump where Senior Captain Jake Cappelletti leaped 18'11.25". Sophomore Kevin Brzuszek jumped 17'9.75" and Senior Captain Bobby Silva jumped 17'8.75" which placed them 8th place as a team. The 4 x 800 relay team of Senior Captain Alex Kehayias, Sophomore Ben Andrews , Senior Shane Johnson and Senior Andrew Buckley finished 16th with a time of 9:13. The 4 x 200 relay team of Senior Captain Logan Bourgelas, Jake Cappelletti, Kevin Brzuzek, and Bobby Silva ran 1:40.48 for the fastest Panther time this season. The 4 x400 relay team of Logan Bourgelas, Senior Derek Olson, Freshman Declan Olson and Bobby Silva ran 3:48.54 for the fastest Panther time this season.

The Whitman-Hanson Girls Track and Field team traveled to the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center Sunday morning and participated in the MSTCA Division 3 State Relays in both the 4 X 200 Meter Run and the 4 X 400 Meter Run. In the 4 X 200 the team of Kate Silva, Molly Burnett, Bella Furtado and Victoria Sheehan combined to run its best time of the year in 1:57.99 to capture 27th place among the 50 entries. In the 4 x 400, the team of Savannah Kamperides, Bella Furtado, Kate SIlva and Willa McKay also ran well finishing in a time of 4:40.49 and place 22nd among 35 entries.

Boys hockey earned a hard fought tie against Duxbury Saturday, 3-3. Duxbury scored in the first minute in a half of the 1st to take a lead early. The Panthers scored with under five minutes in the first with a goal by Billy Morgan, assisted by Alex Ethier and Luke Tropeano. The game held that score until a minute in a half into the third period when Duxbury scored two goals back to back. The Panthers kept fighting and with under four minutes in the game got goals from Chris Ryan, and Zach Boss to end in regulation 3-3. The Panthers killed off a 4 on 3 penalty in the third to hold the score. The game ended that way 3-3.

The Whitman Hanson Silver Laker Girls Varsity Ice Hockey got a huge win on Senior Night over Marshfield 4-3. WHSL was led by Senior Captain Jules Connors with 1 goal and 2 assists. Senior Caitlin Dilley put in 1 goal and assisted on another. Other goals were scored by Chloe Duff and Brooke Hohmann. Cam Demato and Chloe Duff chipped in with an assist apiece. Senior Defenseman Jocelyn Moore battled all night in front of goalie Sadie Watchorn who made the big saves when needed to earn the win.

WH wrestlers hosted a Quad meet with Bridgewater-Raynham, Mt. Hope and Holliston. WH lost all three matches 48-30 vs BR, 48-36 vs Holliston and 48-30 vs Mt. Hope. Captains Austin Gamber 138lbs and Charlie Lussier 120lbs both had 3 wins. PJ Katz 113lbs was also undefeated on the day. Dan McPhee 126lbs, Tim Donnelly 157lbs and Jaylen West all had impressive wins contributing to the team effort.

Juniors Taryn Leonard (13 pts and 10 reb) and Bella Miniutti (12 pts) led Whitman Hanson girls basketball to a 58-31 victory Friday night at Marshfield. The win is the Panthers eighth straight win and are now 8-1 overall and 7-1 in the Patriot League. They are back in Tuesday night when they travel to Hanover.

The boys basketball team has opened up a 2 game lead in their quest for their 10th league title. On Friday, Junior captain Ryan Baker tossed in 24 while his brother Sophomore Caleb Baker added 16 to power Whitman Hanson to a 68-62 win over Marshfield in Patriot League action. Senior Blake Belcher continues to play well with 11 points for the Panthers (8-2, 6-1) who have now won 7 in a row.

WH/Duxbury Varsity Gymnastics participated in the mid-season league meet Friday night at Hanover High School. The team ended the night in 6th place with a score of 120.65. Highlights include senior captain Morgan Astuto’s powerful 8.0 vault, junior Katelyn Ferraro’s beautiful 8.2 vault and sophomore Paige Happeny’s 8.1 solid beam routine. Senior captain Emma McKeon ended the night in 4th place AA with a score of 34.45. She placed 8th on floor with an 8.3, 4th on vault with an 8.8, and 3rd on both bars (8.55) and beam (8.8).

Interested in more videos, reflections, and where a many of these ideas come from and are expanded on? Don't forget to check out and subscribe to my YouTube Channel and WordPress Site

Email: christopher.jones@whrsd.org
Website: https://www.whrsd.org/our-schools/whrhs
Location: 600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA, USA
Phone: (781) 618-7020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrCSJones
Twitter: @DrCSJones