Doherty Family Update 2.1.2026

GO PATS!

Typical beginning and ending of the day

School opens at 7:50 for breakfast in the cafeteria- 🌟Only the Front Door is open at 7:50

8:05 all doors including the back and side of the build are open

8:05 Bell rings - students can access their lockers

Our school day starts promptly at 8:15

Doherty Website- Has all the Information

• Monday 2/2 - Wednesday 2/11 - Korean Students Visit DM
• Monday 2/2 - Warrior Way to visit 8th graders
• Thursday 2/5 - Orchestra Field Trip - Boston Symphony
• Tuesday 2/10 - AHS Program of Courses Presentation for 8th Grade at Doherty
• Wednesday, February 11th from 6:30–8:00 PM starting in the Collins Center at Andover High School 8th Grade Parent Curriculum Night
• Monday - Friday 2/16 - 2/20 - Winter Recess
• Monday 3/9 - Author Visit: Ruta Sepetys

• Wednesday 3/11 - Early Release Day

Just a friendly reminder regarding our district's policy on schoolwork during planned unexcused absences, such as family vacations, competitive activities like sports tournaments, or arts performances. Please understand that teachers are not required to provide work before an unexcused absence, though they are often willing to help if they are able to and appreciate advance notice. Students should utilize Schoology as it provides a helpful guide and overview of class activities and assignments, and the student should plan to check it while they are out. Upon return, the student is responsible for checking in with teachers to create a plan for making up missed work, which is key to ensuring their smooth transition back to class. We appreciate your partnership in supporting your student's learning!

March 31 ELA- Tuesday

April 1 ELA- Wednesday

8th Grade Only: April 30 Science- Thursday

8th Grade Only: May 4 Science- Monday

May 11 Math- Monday

May 12 Math- Tuesday

8th Grade Only: May 18 Civics- Monday

Join us for Curriculum Night, a special event for 8th-grade parents and caregivers!

We are excited to invite you to an informative evening where Program Coordinators will share an overview of the courses and academic opportunities available at Andover High School. This event will provide valuable insights to help you and your student prepare for the course selection process, which will take place in March with Andover High School counselors.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain important information and support a smooth transition to high school!

Event Information:

"Curriculum Night" for 8th Grade Parents/Caregivers

When? Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 6:30-8:15 pm

Where? Collins Center, Andover High School, Shawsheen Road, Andover, MA

Kindly RSVP by February 6th here

If you have any questions please contact Holly Breen, 9th Grade Coordinator at Holly.breen@andoverma.us.

Doherty 7th Grade and the NCAA Division 1 Merrimack Women's Basketball Team

Students with Joe Gallo Merrimack Head Men's Basketball Coach and

Kelly Morrone Head Women's Basketball Coach

Mr. Birch Doherty PE Teacher, Ms. Creamer Doherty Guidance Counselor, Joe Gallo Merrimack Head Men's Basketball Coach, Jimmy Langhurst Assistant Men's Basketball Coach, Mr. Gibson Doherty PE Teacher

On Thursday January 29th, Doherty 7th grade students took their first ever Physical Education Field Trip to Merrimack College to see the Merrimack Women’s Basketball Game. Merrimack Women’s Basketball is a Division 1 program where players are collegiate student-athletes on scholarship. Students watched the game with friends and classmates and some shared that they were surprised how good the players were and that is was "more hype than they thought!" We were incredibly grateful to get to have students participate in a half-time simon says event, cheer with the crowd and some even got free t-shirts, and afterwards students received an autograph session with the team.

While we were at the game we also made sure to note all the different roles collegiate students played during the game including announcing, ticket sales, gift shop, marketing interns, photographers, statcasting and more. When we returned to school students were able to name over 20 careers they saw working together to make the event a success. In addition, they were able to point our some of the qualities they witnessed the teams display like resilience, persistence and team work - themes we have been emphasizing this year.

We are incredibly lucky to have this community partnership with Merrimack Athletics, facilitated through our PE department and school administration. We were so fortunate to have the Men’s Basketball team speak to our 7th grade earlier this year about their Stay In To Win Program, which connected the skills to be successful on the court, to the skills successful to be in the classroom. And now to have this experience with the women’s team, we are feeling very grateful.

Thank you to parents and guardians for signing up for the field trip, and our teachers, staff and administration for making this trip possible.

Please enjoy a few quotes by some of our 7th grade students.

“ I enjoyed it a lot because we got to experience something very special that was provided by our wonderful team and I got to see people I know that weren’t from my team.” - Dom T

“I thought it was the most fun I have had on a field trip in a while. I liked the game, the courtside seats, the food, it was fun.” - Gus A

“Just a way for me to have fun w/ my friends and experience what I think could be a career path for me, and to see leadership and teamwork unfold in front of my eyes.” - Michael B

“It was fun because we got to hang out with our friends from both teams! - Peyton S

Doherty Middle School is thrilled to welcome six visiting students from Korea, who will be joining us to immerse themselves in the authentic American middle school experience. To ensure they feel right at home, our visitors have been paired with a group of dedicated 8th-grade student volunteers who will serve as their guides and peers throughout their stay.

We are incredibly excited to showcase our vibrant community and share the many things that make our school such a wonderful place to learn and grow.

On Thursday, January 29th parents and guardians received a MAP Growth Family Report that summarize your child’s middle-of-the-year assessments. These reports were sent home with your child. MAP Growth is an adaptive assessment in reading and math that shows your child’s current learning level and growth over time.

For more information:

• MAP Growth: NWEA Family Toolkit or Andover Public Schools MAP Assessment

These middle-of-the-year results help teachers inform instruction, personalize learning, and monitor the growth of individual students. Administrators use the data to assess performance and progress at each grade level, school, and district. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact out main office or student's teacher.

We have many items on our Lost & Found Shelves!

There are several winter jackets/coats - see photos below.

Please encourage your student to check the Lost & Found for any items they may be missing.

Parents/Guardians are welcome to check for items during the school day.

The Main Office can help you locate the Lost & Found area.

Attention 8th Grade Families!

We are requesting photo submissions for our 2025-2026 Yearbook.

The deadline to submit a photo of your 8th grade student is April 1

Please see the Flyer below for more information!

The amazing show will feature characters such as King Triton, Ariel, Prince Eric, Ursula the sea witch, her evil sidekicks Flotsam and Jetsam, Sebastian the crab, Flounder the fish, and Scuttle the seagull, not to mention dancing jellyfish, fabulous mersisters and singing sailors!

Details about rehearsals, performances, stage crew and auditions are available at the Doherty Drama Club webpage:

https://sites.google.com/a/k12.andoverma.us/dms-drama

Questions can be directed to Ms. Kennedy (elizabeth.kennedy@andoverma.us)

Please remind your student(s)

Now that we’ve settled into the school year, we want to share a friendly reminder about student devices.

Students are expected to bring their fully charged computers to school every day. You can really help us with this by reminding your student to charge their computer every night. This simple routine makes a big difference in ensuring they are prepared for class each day.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your student's education.

Did you know you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams simply by writing them down and sharing them? People who wrote down their goals, made an action plan, and shared weekly updates with a friend had a 76% success rate in achieving those goals. Some advisories have been working on goal-setting this January; feel free to ask your student if they have a goal for 2026, or perhaps you can make one together at home. Here is a 2-minute video on goals that we shared in 7th grade advisories. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0QfCZjASX8

Homework Help with AHS Students

Andover High School’s Junior Board assist Doherty Middle Schoolers with their homework. If you're interested in attending next week’s session, please RSVP. We'll have food available since the club starts at 3:15 PM. Note any allergies or restrictions on the sign-up sheet. Kindly RSVP to plan the number of HS volunteers.

If you are interested in your student joining, please fill out this form. Please note: It does not need to be a weekly commitment, students can come when it works best for their family’s schedule.

Reminder about School Visits

If your student is missing school because of a school visit, we kindly ask that you notify Doherty and indicate this is the reason they are missing school. This helps us ensure your student’s attendance is recorded accurately. Thank you for your help!

If you have any questions or need additional information about the high school transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our school counselor Ms. Creamer at marymargaret.creamer@andoverma.us. Thank you for your continued support!

We’re excited to offer a wide variety of after-school programs and clubs here at Doherty Middle School! These activities provide students with opportunities to explore new interests, develop skills, and connect with peers in a fun and supportive environment that promotes community.

Please note: A completed permission slip is required for students to participate in any after-school club or program. Be sure to submit the form to ensure your child can join in on the fun!

Dylan Birch Clubs Organizer

Mondays:

Anime Club Ms. Physic – Room 221

Board Games Ms. Hudak – Media Center

Dateline Doherty Ms. Angis – Room 222

Tuesdays:

Arts and Crafts Club Ms. Abernathy and Ms. Leyne - Room 123

Make it or Bake It Club Ms. Bergin – Staff Lounge/Kitchen

Thursdays:

Homework Hang Ms. Creamer - Room 138

Math Team Ms. Tyrell - Room 207: Meet #2 November 20 @Wynn Middle School Tewksbury, Parent Pick up at Doherty 5:30 Meet #3 January 15 TBD Meet #4 Feb 26 TBD Meet #5 March 26 TBD Math Team advisor- Elizabeth Tyrell Room 207

Robotics Club Mr. Schack – Room 135 (starts 3rd Quarter)

Student Council Ms. Heintzelman – Room 122

Yearbook Ms. Bakshi – Room 211

The Teaching and Learning office has conducted a deep analysis of the uses and impacts of AI on teaching and learning that has included:

• An examination of existing AI policies and guidelines from other districts in Massachusetts, other states, educational organizations, colleges and universities

• APS secondary faculty focus groups

• APS secondary student surveys

• APS superuser team review

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to this year-long process. While this work will continue to evolve, just as technology evolves, we would like to share the Andover Public Schools Teaching and Learning Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence for the 2025-2026 school year.

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.