Panther Press

October 27, 2025 - Volume 8 - ISSUE 8

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!

10/30/2025: Quarter 1 Ends

10/31/2025: Early Release - Grading Day

10/31/2025: Book Parent-Teacher Conferences via PTC Wizard - more to follow

11/4/2025: Parent Portal Opens - Quarter 1 Grades

11/6/2025: Early Release - Parent-Teacher Conferences 12-2PM Virtual and 6-8PM In-Person

11/11/2025: No School - Veteran's Day

11/21/2025: WHRHS Drama Presents: Clue

11/22/2025: WHRHS Drama Presents: Clue

11/26-11/28/2025: No School - Thanksgiving Recess

12/1/2025: Winter Sports Start

12/4/2025: Grade 8 Orientation 6:30-8:30PM

The Class of 2026 Credit For Life Fair will be held on Thursday, November 6th. The CFL Fair provides an opportunity for students to learn various life skills as part of an interactive experience that leads them through a series of real-world budgeting and money management scenarios - including paying for college, obtaining a car loan, finding adequate housing, and determining living expenses, and many more! What really makes this a successful event is the participation of community members who take the opportunity to offer their expertise and to help students learn the importance of sound financial decision-making. We appreciate your time and for making Credit for Life Fair a great success for all involved. Click here to volunteer!

Things happen and we judge them. Unfortunately, we often judge them in the most negative way, not allowing us to persevere through them.

Then the complaining starts, accompanied by negative self talk. Even worse, we persevere by giving up on our inner moral code. Don't do it.

Acknowledge the negative, frame the positive, and stay true to your morals. That will help you move through and even better, create opportunity from less than ideal circumstances.

More in the video below. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

This week and next we will host representatives from Merrimack College, Wentworth Institute of Technology, University of Vermont, UMASS Boston, UMass Dartmouth, Babson College, Nichols College, Suffolk University, University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College as part of our College Essay Project in conjunction with senior English classes. All students who submitted their essay/personal statement received personalized feedback from a college admissions representative. THANK YOU to all of our partners!

Congratulations to the several hundred students who participated in the Digital SAT and PSAT this month! Testing went smoothly, and according to the College Board, scores should be released this week for seniors who took the SAT on 10/8. Seniors who want to submit SAT scores to colleges will complete that step directly through the College Board. Visit Sending Scores to Colleges for details. Junior and sophomore students who took the PSAT on Wednesday 10/22, scores should be released on November 6th. Click here to learn more about PSAT/NMSQT Scores

Congressman Lynch will be hosting his annual Service Academy Day on Sunday, October 26, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Cahill Auditorium in Braintree Town Hall (1 JFK Memorial Drive, Braintree, MA 02184). There will be representatives from every Service Academy there, as well as a representative from Mass Maritime. All high school students interested in learning more about the Service Academies are welcome to attend.

MEFA has a newly updated list of scholarships available for students. Their articles provide the details on each one, and they include contests for students studying medicine, cybersecurity, psychology, chemistry, and more.Check out each opportunity by clicking here: MEFA Scholarship Resource Center!

Do you have a great career that you’re passionate about? Want to connect with future talent? We need your help! We are looking for industry professionals in all areas - STEM, Trade, Arts & Communication, Business, Healthcare, Social Service, etc. - to share their experience with students! Promote your industry and grow your visibility for future employees! If this is something you’d be interested in and would like more information, please email madeline.storey@whrsd.org

This past week students raised awareness for Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) in loving memory of Sam Losordo, who was taken from us far too soon due to this condition. LQTS is a rare heart rhythm disorder that impacts the heart’s electrical system, causing it to take longer than normal to recharge between beats. This can increase the risk of dangerous arrhythmias, fainting, or even sudden cardiac arrest. LQTS affects approximately 1 in 2,500 people worldwide.

In addition to awareness efforts, students also fundraised $500 by selling red awareness pins to be donated to the SADS Foundation, a community of families, medical professionals, and supporters saving lives and advancing care for people with heart arrhythmia conditions that can lead to sudden death.

For more information visit: https://sads.org/

As we approach the end of our first quarter next week, the WH Science Department wants to remind families and students about some important deadlines and exciting classroom happenings.

Parents and guardians, please take a moment to review your student's progress on Infinite Campus. Staying informed about grades and assignments now can help address any concerns before the quarter closes.

Remember that Q1 ends on Thursday 10/30! If you have any missing assignments or need to complete make-up work, use your WIN time strategically during the week. Your teachers are here to support you—don't hesitate to reach out for help.

Our AP Environmental Science students recently engaged in a hands-on bubble lab, using bubbles to model and explore different survivorship curves. This creative approach helped bring population ecology concepts to life in a memorable way!

Meanwhile, AP Biology students celebrated their hard work on Unit 2 with organelle cupcakes during their review session. Nothing makes cellular structures more fun than decorating (and eating!) edible mitochondria and chloroplasts as they got ready for their Celebration of Learning.

This week showcased the dedication and talent of Whitman-Hanson student-athletes across multiple sports as teams wrapped up regular season play and prepared for postseason competition.

Cheerleading: Division Champions!

The cheerleading team delivered an absolutely spectacular performance at the Marshfield competition, capturing first place in their division with an impressive score of 88.9. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that they came within just .3 points of being named grand champions overall. This near-miss at the top spot demonstrates that our Panthers were competing at the absolute highest level against all divisions. The team’s hard work, dedication, and seamless teamwork were on full display, and this victory sets an incredible standard for the program moving forward.

Golf: League MVP Heads to State Championship

Cam Nehiley was named Patriot League MVP earlier this week in recognition of his outstanding season. Nehiley will compete in the MIAA State Championship at Taconic Country Club on Tuesday, representing Whitman-Hanson at the highest level of high school golf competition in Massachusetts.

Cross Country: League Championships and Personal Bests

Boys Cross Country

The boys team finished 9th overall at the Patriot League Championship at Silver Lake, but the real story was the individual excellence on display. An incredible 16 of 18 runners posted personal records on the 3.1-mile course. Senior Captain Ben Andrews led the way with an outstanding 14th place overall finish and a personal best time of 16:56.2, earning him Patriot League All-Star honors. The scoring five all achieved PRs: Senior Captain Luke Morse (17:49.8), sophomores Jackson DeLue (18:05.1) and Bryce Weckbacher (18:17.3), and junior Josh Hadden (18:47.7). Sophomore Dylan Meredith (18:48.6) and junior Caeleb Rouse (18:52.0) rounded out the top seven with personal bests as well. The team now has two weeks to prepare for the Division 2 Championship at Northfield Mountain on November 8th.

Girls Cross Country

The girls squad also showed tremendous improvement at the league championship, with 10 of 11 athletes running personal records. Junior Rachael Sirignano paced the Panthers with a time of 21:51, followed closely by star freshman Julianna DeLue in 22:26. Senior Kaitlyn Howard crossed in 22:30, while junior Lindsey Brzuszek posted an impressive PR of 22:37. Junior Kaylah Randow completed the scoring with a strong 23:10.

Volleyball: Playoff Push Continues

The Panthers secured an important 3-1 victory over Plymouth South in league play, keeping their playoff hopes alive. Senior Captain Leah Barnett orchestrated the offense with a season-high 23 assists while adding 4 aces and 4 kills. Fellow Senior Captain Brooke Steele dominated at the net with a team-high 9 kills plus 3 aces and 8 digs. Senior Captain Leah Daley matched Barnett’s 4 aces and contributed 6 kills. Senior Molly Geddis added 8 digs defensively. Seniors Samantha Ransom and Captain Gianna Ruggiero provided crucial defensive stability and timely service runs. The Panthers finished the regular season 6-14 but moved into the 32nd and final playoff spot in Friday’s power rankings. The team will find out Tuesday if they’ve secured a postseason berth.

Field Hockey: Season Ends

The Panthers fell 5-2 to Stoughton to close out their regular season with an overall record of 5-12-1 (3-10-0 in the Patriot League). Despite the loss, Senior Forward Abby Nash showed her scoring prowess with 2 goals, cutting a 3-0 deficit to 3-2 before Stoughton pulled away late. Midfielders Shannon Balfe, Sammi Hinchey, and Tayla DeLue battled throughout to control possession and create opportunities. The team awaits Tuesday’s announcement to see if they’ve made the top 32 for playoff qualification.

Girls Soccer: Defensive Shutout

The Panthers earned a crucial 1-0 victory over Silver Lake behind a stellar defensive performance.

Goalkeeper Addison Hughs recorded her 8th shutout of the season, protected by an outstanding defensive unit of Mya Andrews, Shelby Bell, Millie Mahoney, and Devin Olszewski. Elizabeth Kowlski provided the game-winner in the second half with a skillful individual effort, beating two defenders before firing into the low corner. Strong performances also came from Olivia Tropeano, Anna Schnabel, Keira Manchester, and Teagan Fratasio. The team closes the regular season Tuesday at Quincy before awaiting MIAA tournament seedings.

Boys Soccer: Senior Night Battle

The Panthers battled to a 2-2 draw with Silver Lake on senior night, with every senior contributing to an inspired performance. Joseph Sousa scored both Panther goals in what was described as an incredibly intense, passionate performance. Standout efforts came from Cam Mackay, Will Bagley, Harry Dizon-Stoll, Rhys Jackson, and Sousa. The team closes their regular season at home Tuesday against Quincy.

Football: Road Loss

The Panthers fell to Silver Lake on the road Friday night despite strong individual performances.

Senior quarterback Jack Martin threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Thiago Magalhaes led all receivers with 104 yards on 7 catches and a touchdown, while senior Pat Ryan added 6 catches for 83 yards and a score. Defensively, junior Bobby Walker continued his strong season with a sack and fumble recovery. The regular season finale is Thursday, October 30th at 7pm at Duxbury.

Looking Ahead

Tuesday will be a big day for Whitman-Hanson athletics, with Patriot League MVP Cam Nehiley competing in the State Championship at Taconic Country Club, and several teams awaiting playoff announcements. Cross country prepares for the Division 2 Championship, and football closes out the regular season in Duxbury. It’s been a week of determination, personal bests, and playoff positioning across all programs.

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.

Email: christopher.jones@whrsd.org
Website: https://whs.whrsd.org/
Location: 600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA, USA
Phone: (781) 618-7020
Instagram: @DrCSJones
Twitter: @DrCSJones