Tournament of Plays Delivers a Night of Raucous Fun

by Inanna Arthen
Murdock High School's Morton E. Converse Tournament of Plays was performed on Friday and Saturday nights, April 8 and 9. The Courier attended on Saturday, when the awards were given out after the final curtain, and joined a large and loudly appreciative audience.

The young actors' hard work paid off in the vigorous and elaborate blocking that all four plays involved. Characters ran full pelt, jumped into each others' arms, dragged each other off-stage, collapsed into faints or (intentionally) tripped and fell flat, performed mock sword-fighting and juggled props--there was rarely a quiet moment on the boards.

The students (obviously) worked very hard on their choreography, but they could have used a bit more coaching on pure voice work. All four plays were comic but some of the best lines didn't have the impact they should have done because they were difficult to understand.

Nevertheless, everyone was having a great time, on the stage and in the house. Costumes were simple but effective and the plays were entertaining. The works performed were:

"The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet" by Peter Bleodel was presented by the Class of 2025, and offered quite a re-write of the conclusion of the classic play.

"WhoYouMeSomeone" by Christopher Connors was presented by the Class of 2024 (with Steven Gauthier as "Mrs. Where" wearing what looked suspiciously like Audrey's blonde wig from Little Shop of Horrors).

"How to Succeed in High School Without Really Trying" by Jonathan Rand was presented by the Class of 2023, offering a series of life hacks for getting through high school.

"The Hallmarks of Horror" by Peter Bloedel was presented by the Class of 2022, with a lot of blood-curdling screams. Domenic Iannacone and Moe Molai displayed the same spot-on teamwork they showed as Seymour and Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors. Numerous other cast members from the spring musical were seen in the plays, including Angelina Dellasanta, Shaiel Gasqui, Tianna Graessle and Silas Kast-McBride.

The judges based their decisions on both nights' performances. After their deliberations, the following honorees were announced:

Best Costumes - Sophomores, "WhoYouMeSomeone"
Best Set - Seniors, "The Hallmarks of Horror"
Best Production Value - Seniors, "The Hallmarks of Horror"
Best Ensemble- Sophomores, "WhoYouMeSomeone"
Best Play - Seniors, "The Hallmarks of Horror"

The following students were nominated for Most Entertaining:
Freshmen- Emma Blake and Madison Scortico
Sophomores - Alex LeBlanc and Steven Gauthier
Juniors - Andy Chen
Seniors - Kevin Pesce and Dan Fuller
Winners, Most Entertaining - Alex LeBlanc and Kevin Pesce

The following students were nominated for Best Performer in a Supporting Role:
Freshmen - Lisa Carillo and Ben Digman
Sophomores - Jeff Alisauskas and Patrick Bouchard
Juniors - Tianna Graessle
Seniors - Shaiel Gasqui and Maria Vecchiarello
Winners, Best Performer in a Supporting Role - Patrick Bouchard and Maria Vecchiarello

The following students were nominated for Best Performer:
Freshmen: Alyshia Richard and Bradley Wightman
Sophomores - Mark Quinn
Juniors - Dylan Monette
Seniors - Dom Iannacone and Moketsi Molai
Winners, Best Performer - Dom Iannacone, Moe Molai and Mark Quinn

The Courier offers its congratulations to the honorees, and its applause to all the talented young thespians, crew members, directors and volunteers who pulled together to pull off the 2022 Tournament of Plays!

WPSD Preschool Screenings to be Held in May

Winchendon Public Schools Preschool Screening will take place on May 4 & 11, 2022. Children must be age 3 or 4 by August 31, 2022 to be eligible. Screening looks at a child's development in the areas of speech and language, fine and gross motor skills, cognition and social emotional skills.

If you have any concerns about your child, suspect your child may have a disability, or if you did not receive an information packet by mail, please call Kathy at the Winchendon Pre-K Program office at 978-297-3436 or email kbrooks@winchendonk12.org.

Kindergarten Registration Is Still Open - Don't Forget to Register Your Kindergartner!

If you have a child that will be eligible for the 2022-2023 Kindergarten school year, you will need to fill out the registration forms that can be found on our website at www.winchendonk12.org/o/mes. They are located under the Menu dropdown, Kindergarten Registration. You can download and fill in the forms. Hard copies are also available at Memorial School. Once completed, you will need to return them to Memorial School along with the items listed below. You can do this any number of ways:

1. Fax: 978-297-3944
2. Email: mmacewen@winchendonk12.org
3. Mail: Memorial School, 32 Elmwood Road, Winchendon, MA 01475
4. Drop off: In person between the hours of 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

No child will be admitted to Kindergarten without having met the eligibility requirements listed below.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1. If your child is five (5) years of age by August 31 of the forthcoming year, he/she is eligible.
2. BIRTH CERTIFICATE- Original must be brought with you.
3. PROOF OF RESIDENCY - Current utility bill, or copy of lease.
4. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION INCLUDING VISION AND HEARING SCREENING BY YOUR PHYSICIAN MUST BE DATED AFTER AUGUST 31, 2022.
5. IMMUNIZATIONS - VERIFICATION WILL NEED TO BE PROVIDED BY THE END OF AUGUST. This must include lead screen results. Read or download complete immunization requirements (PDF)

Each child MUST have a physical examination completed by your physician. A signed printout from your child's doctor's office listing all the required information is also acceptable. Students cannot start school without a completed physical. We recommend calling your physician today to schedule an appointment as it sometimes takes several months to get one.

All completed immunization/examination forms need to be in the School Nurse's Office by Friday, August 26th before your child will be permitted to start school. These forms can be faxed by your doctor to the school at 978-297-3944.

There will be a Parent Orientation on Wednesday, May 18 from 6-7 at Memorial School. More information will be provided. A Kindergarten Screening will be conducted, as required by State and Federal school laws. Screenings will be Wednesday, June 1, Thursday, June 2, and Friday, June 3. You will be contacted as these dates get closer to schedule an appointment.

We share the excitement of your child entering Kindergarten and look forward to both of you being a part of the Memorial School family. Please feel free to call the school at (978) 297-1305, with any questions or concerns you may have.

Thomas Browne Named Next Superintendent of Monty Tech

FITCHBURG -- After eight years under the skillful leadership of Dr. Sheila M. Harrity, Monty Tech has named her successor. On Wednesday, April 6th, the Monty Tech School Committee voted unanimously to appoint Thomas R. Browne of Marlborough, who has served as the school's Principal for eight years, as the next Superintendent-Director, effective July 1, 2022.

The School Committee, led by Chair Eric Olson, worked in partnership with Mr. Browne to reach a three-year agreement that will ensure the school's leadership remains steadfast, with forward progress as a guiding tenant. "There is no doubt Tom will lead Monty Tech with the same level of excellence we are accustomed to. His collegial relationships and abiding respect for the staff will allow for a smooth transition into the role. Tom knows our Monty Tech community well, and has a clear vision for its future. We are excited to see where he takes Monty Tech next," said Olson. Browne's leadership style, experience, and passion for vocational education impressed the Committee, who also understand the value a vocational education presents today's students. "From the start of my career at Leominster High School, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the special bond that forms between a student and their instructor as they learn a trade. However, it was not until I was fully immersed in a school community like Monty Tech that I was able to see the value and lasting impact that day-to-day mentorship and real world work and learning opportunities present to our students," said Browne.

Browne is a long-time educator, with more than 30 years in varied educational leadership roles. After having taught Social Studies at Leominster High School for 10 years, he advanced to Assistant Principal and then Principal for 7 years, before leaving to join the Monty Tech team. Under his guidance, the school has seen advancements that include a new veterinary Science program and state-of-the-art onsite clinic, program improvements in ten vocational areas made possible $2M+ in Skills Capital Grant funding, expanded access to instructional technology through a 1:1 Chromebook initiative, improved community outreach and student engagement, and increased school-to-business partnerships that have resulted in more students than ever before participating in the school's popular co-operative education program. "Currently, 180 of our juniors and seniors are spending a full week on real job sites as part of our cooperative education program and dozens of others are in hospitals, elder care facilities and child care centers as part of our affiliation program. There is nothing more valuable than learning on the job," said Browne.

The Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District includes eighteen member communities across North Central Massachusetts, employs more than 200 full-time professionals, serves approximately 1,430 students in grades 9-12, and is home to a robust evening training program for non-traditional students who seek high-quality, low/no cost vocational training opportunities. "Tom Browne is right for Monty Tech. He sees the value in, and is passionate about, vocational training, and will work to build relationships that strengthen our day and evening programs. I am confident that the good work we have done will continue and that Monty Tech's future is very bright under Tom's guidance," said outgoing Superintendent, Sheila Harrity.

Mr. Browne holds a Bachelor's degree from Notre Dame (1990), a Master's degree from Boston College (1993), and Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent licensure with Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) endorsements, and will begin his new role July 1, 2022.