Doherty Family Update 12.7.2025
Typical beginning and ending of the day
School opens at 7:50 for breakfast in the cafeteria
8:05 Bell rings - students can access their lockers
Our school day starts promptly at 8:15
Doherty Website- Has all the Information
- Monday 12/8 - Term 1 Report Cards Published
- Wednesday 12/10 - Band, Orchestra, and Chorus Concert - Auditorium - 7:00
- Tuesday 12/16 - Thursday 12/18 - PAC Grab a Gift Holiday Shop
- Wednesday 12/24 - Friday 1/2/26 - Holiday Recess
- Monday 1/5 - Back to School
- Thursday 1/15 - 7A Field Trip - Peabody Essex Museum
- Monday 1/19 - No School - Martin Luther King Jr Day
- Wednesday 1/28 - Early Release Day- 11:30 AM dismissal
Congratulations to all of our student winners for the November Accountability Values Challenge. These students were nominated by teachers for showing consistent accountability within the DMS community. We look forward to celebrating students for showing inclusion during the month of December!
SAVE THE DATE!
Save the Date!
Doherty Drama Club is excited to announce that we will be holding auditions on Tuesday, January 6 and Thursday, January 8 for our spring musical. (Title to be announced soon!!) There will be three performances – April 10, 11, and 12 - mark your calendars!
Drama club rehearsals will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 - 5:30 and on Fridays from 3:00 - 5:00. Further details will be available at the Doherty Drama Club webpage in the next week:
https://sites.google.com/a/k12.andoverma.us/dms-drama
Questions? Contact Ms. Kennedy (elizabeth.kennedy@andoverma.us)
The Doherty Student Council is excited to announce a food drive from December 1st to December 18th! This is a friendly competition between Advisories to collect the most non-perishable food items. You can bring cans, pasta, bottled water, protein bars, macaroni and cheese, or any other non-expired items you have. All donations will go to the Bread and Roses food bank in Lawrence to help families in need during the holiday season. Don’t forget to check the Main Foyer Bulletin Board to see how your Advisory is doing in the competition! Let’s work together to make a difference!
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.
A message from the clinic.
Middle school students across the district will soon begin developing their own MyCAP (My Career and Academic Plan) using the tools available through MEFA Pathway. This online platform helps students explore their interests, careers, and learning styles, encouraging them to think about their future goals in a meaningful way.
Starting this November, students will engage with MEFA Pathway during select advisory periods, with lessons spread out throughout the school year. Through these activities, students will practice self-reflection, discover their individual learning styles, and begin their journey into career exploration.
Our goal is to help students better understand themselves as learners and to begin thinking about the many exciting paths that lie ahead.
High School Updates:
CTE High School Update:
Greater Lawrence Technical School and Essex North Shore applications are open! Please note, students should be using their parent or guardian's email account to apply, and there is no teacher recommendation required.
Greater Lawrence Technical School: If your student is interested in applying to GLTS, the application closes February 1st. The application is here:
Essex North Shore Updates:
The Essex North Shore application closes on January 10th, 2026.
If your family would like to learn more about Essex North Shore, you can join a virtual information session for families via zoom on Monday December 1st. They have a 12pm zoom available or a 6pm zoom available. Your family must register prior.
Lottery Process: There is a new policy in Massachusetts for CTE schools and programs. The main change includes a lottery-based admissions process. The Essex North Shore Admissions policy is linked here: The GLTS Admissions Policy is linked here
Andover High School Students homework help after school
Homework Help with AHS Students - Fantastic Start!
Last Thursday, six amazing mentors from Andover High School’s Junior Board assisted 7 Doherty Middle Schoolers with their homework. These high school students were incredibly helpful with Math, English, Spanish, Science, and more. They were kind, patient, and engaging, making it a great learning experience for everyone. 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.
Your generosity can make a real difference in brightening the holiday season for our families. Thank you for your support of the Doherty community!
Recognizing the needs of middle school students, the staff members of Doherty Middle School offer a variety of programs to students after the scheduled school day. The following list outlines those programs that are up and running as well as those in the planning process. In addition to these offerings, staff members often provide other informal opportunities for the students.
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
