Congratulations
Winchendon Public Schools Educator of the Week
Sharon Murphy

Sharon currently works as a Para-educator at Murdock High School but has worked in education for 24 years, helping students in all subjects. She is dedicated to our students, highly dependable and a valuable asset in the classroom. When asked about her work, Sharon states, "I love kids and enjoy watching them grow in so many ways. My one thing is to keep trying until I find a solution that works." Thank you, Sharon, for everything you do for our students and our community!

Memorial School Students Hatch Out a Brood of Chicks!

Mrs. Duprey's and Mrs. Musgrove's second grade classes incubated chicken eggs in their classrooms. The students created timelines in order to follow the 21 day development of the chicken embryos. The students were very excited to be able to watch the chicks peck their way out of the shells right front of them. We have had visits from the other classrooms in Memorial School for all to be able to observe the chicks.

Photos courtesy of Martha MacEwen, Memorial School

DA Early Supports Safe Post-Prom/Graduation Event in Winchendon

WINCHENDON--Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. is helping fund a safe post-prom/graduation event at Murdock High School this year thanks to his annual grant program.

This year, Mr. Early's office awarded a total of $25,000 in grants to 18 different schools across Worcester County to support programming that helps keep students from drinking and driving after celebratory events like prom and graduation, preventing tragedies before they happen.

"This time of year should be a celebration for our students and their families," Mr. Early said. "These celebrations can turn into tragedies in the blink of an eye when drinking and driving is involved. These programs help keep kids safe while they have fun and celebrate rituals of high school life."

Mr. Early and his Community Outreach Team also offer presentations about the dangers of mixing drugs and alcohol, social host liability awareness for parents, and distracted driving in order to promote safety.

The funding for the grants Mr. Early is providing to high schools across the county is made possible through the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance Drunk Driving Trust Fund, which is a state grant that provides support services and advocacy to victims, witnesses, and family members impacted by drunk and drugged driving crashes.

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.

2022 Senior Project Night to Showcase Student Interests and Scademic Skills

At Sizer School, a North Central Charter Essential School, students are known personally, challenged intellectually, and expected to participate actively in their learning. Guided by its commitment to diversity and inclusiveness, the school seeks to send graduates into the world who think independently, care about others, and act creatively and responsibly.

In order to demonstrate skills as an independent learner, all seniors at Sizer must present evidence of their ability to problem solve, research, organize time and reflect on themselves as learners. They do this by completing a Senior Project. It is a graduation requirement.

These Senior Projects are opportunities for seniors to research an issue, or topic and create a final project that reflects their findings as well as evidence of the abovementioned skills.

Each senior chooses an Essential Question and creates their final products from there.

This year's seniors are investigating everything from the way digital character creators and video game characters can explore and express a transgender journey, to the way socioeconomic status can impact your ability to see an OB-GYN.

For Senior Yuliana Viera of Fitchburg, her Essential Question was inspired a personal passion.

"What inspired me was my interest in Astrology. My EQ came from the interest on how accurate astrology applies to our everyday life," said Yuliana.

Her EQ, "How can I incorporate my passion for Astrology into a piece of art?" has led not just to new levels of understanding in the world of Astrology, but in the creation of an art piece.

Specifically, Yuliana wanted to show the audience, through her art, how astrology influences humans in their everyday lives. She researched the meanings of the planets and how the sun and moon weren't the only celestial objects that can impact human behaviors. To share her knowledge, she decided to do an art piece with soft oil pastels of the planets with a woman in the center representing 'us.'

"My plan after I graduate is to go to the Mount. I really want to explore more of spirituality and its roots in where it came from," she said.

It was a book of patterns that inspired Gio Houle's senior project.

"I suppose I was inspired when I read a pattern book a teacher brought in and decided that I should base my senior project around sewing an original outfit. I remembered reading something about how insanely gendered fashion becomes the more formal you get so I wanted to do something different and landed on the question of What is androgynous fashion?" said Gio.

The Winchendon resident says the most interesting thing they learned was how to make a Victorian split skirt look like pants.

After graduation, "I will be attending MassArt, eventually majoring in fashion," said Gio.

Nate Snow of Fitchburg was also inspired to create art for his senior project. And he was also, a little bit inspired, by the danger.

"Glass isn't something you immediately think of when you think of art. It's a more dangerous material to work with than other mediums. You have to take it seriously because you can cut yourself or get burned with the soldering iron if you're not careful," said Nate.

Having never worked with glass before, Nate decided to learn to craft with this new medium to answer his EQ: "What is the difference in the process of creating 2D and 3D glass art?"

"The process for making stained glass isn't immediately obvious. I wanted to see how it would work," said Nate.

Nate created a 2D stained glass piece with a lambda at the center of a white circle. On the outside is pink, blue and purple glass. As his 3D piece, Nate created a light box made of glass.

When explaining his sculpture, he said, "It was a challenge. I wanted to see if I could. It's really cool to be able to take glass and see it become something else and do it with your own hands....There's just something about working with your hands, seeing how the pieces fit together, that's satisfying."

The Class of 2022 has worked hard this year to present final products that will engage audiences and teach everyone something new about the world around them. Senior Project Night is Wednesday, May 18 from 6-7:30 am at Sizer School.

Mount Wachusett Community College Inducts 100 New Students into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

GARDNER, MA - May 10, 2022 - In a virtual ceremony held on Friday, May 6, 2022, the Phi Delta Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society welcomed 100 new members to its ranks.

Founded in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) recognizes the academic achievement of community college students and provides members with the opportunity for personal, academic, and professional growth through leadership and service. Throughout the school year, PTK members participate in a number of activities and fundraisers, including the Winterfest Raffle, Pizza Party Raffle, and PTK Pride Social Event, enabling them to donate funds to the Student Emergency Loan Fund, and the campus food pantry.

"Along the way you have faced some challenges, but whatever they were, you found solutions to them and put yourself in a class of your own," commented MWCC President James Vander Hooven as he congratulated inductees. "You have distinguished yourselves as excellent learners. I am truly proud of the effort you have put in to earn this recognition and join this incredible honor society."

Advisors Fagan Forhan and Tami Morin, along with Chapter President Karissa Popieniuck, Vice-President Candice Cooley-Johnson, Secretary Christine Boadu, and Treasurer Kathleen Chyrack welcomed the 2022 Phi Theta Kappa, Phi Delta Chapter inductees. They are: