Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Attention Seniors: Scholarship Deadlines Approaching

FREE MONEY FOR SENIORS

Attention ALL Seniors:  The deadline for most scholarships is Friday, May 1st.  Due to a low turn-out the Groton Women’s Club has also extended their deadline to Friday, May 1st.  Don’t miss this opportunity for free money.  All available scholarships are listed on our website under the guidance section.  Applications can be downloaded from Naviance.  Go to Naviance Family Connection and look under the college tab for a complete list of scholarships.  If a scholarship requires a transcript you can print a copy from iStudent.   For additional information please see Ms. Cain in guidance.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Students of the Month


Congratulations to the Students of the Month. They are being recognized for outstanding academic achievement or a significant contribution to the school, community, or a noteworthy cause.



Ariana Lacombe

My name is Ariana Lacombe and I'm a senior here at Groton- Dunstable. I've lived in Groton my whole life with my mother, father, brother, and two sisters. This year was very special to me as I got to spend my last year of high school with my younger brother, Blake, who is a freshman. These past couple of months I have been interning with the Groton Police Station and I feel like a part of their family now. I hope to pursue this career in the future. Next year I will be attending Norwich University where I will be in the Corp of Cadets/ ROTC lifestyle, while also studying criminal justice, and playing for their soccer team. I've had a lot of laughs in the halls and classrooms of GDRHS and I'd like to thank everyone I got to share those moments with during my time here at GD. Shout out to Elena Biasi




Benjamin McEvoy

Hello, my name is Benjamin McEvoy and I am currently a sophomore here at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School and I have lived in Dunstable all my life. I have always been interested in a career in business and I plan on pursuing a career in the business field after going to college. I am interested in a lot of activities, some of which are hockey, baseball, being outside, and hanging out with friends. I also love helping out and hanging out with the PAVE students in our school. A company that I have started called Bottled Chimp Enterprises also has a foundation which is working to get the PAVE students involved in more activities outside of school such as sports or arts. I hope that one day I can make this foundation much bigger and be able to get the PAVE students to be more involved in activities that they usually would not be a part of. I enjoy working with the students because not only is it fun, it is also rewarding to be able to see them happy and having fun. I am honored to be student of the month and I would like to thank the staff for allowing me to learn in a very positive and easy-going environment.





Peter McLaughlin


My name is Peter McLaughlin, and I am a junior at GDRHS. I am the Vice President of the Student Council, the President and Founder of the GD Best Buddies chapter, and am also a second degree black belt in Uechi Ryu karate. I also enjoy selling chocolate bars to fundraise for the class of 2016, which has slowly become something that I am known throughout the high school for doing. Right now I am planning on majoring in business in college, and I am in the process of applying for the Reserve Officer Training Corps. with the United States Army. I would like to thank all of my friends and the Class of 2016, who make the stressful and crazy world of high school better than I ever could have asked for.



Sean Staffiery

My name is Sean Staffiery and I live in Groton, Massachusetts. Currently, I am a freshman at GDRHS. Right now, I live with my mother and a cat named Whiskers. In school, I enjoy History and English. I am really into computers and I hope to go into IT (Information Technologies) or a similar area as my future career. Also, in the future, I plan to move to Los Angeles, California.  In my free time, I use my computer and do things like coding, and skyping with friends. My after schools activities include, guitar lessons that I take on Wednesday's after school. It is a honor to be Student of the Month, and I am grateful for the nomination.



year book.jpg


Yuzhuo (Mike) Shi

I left my home China one year ago. This is my third semester studying at GD. I still remember the first day I came here. Like John Snow, I know nothing. With the help of guidance, administration, my teachers and all the friends I made here, I started doing better. I joined the Environmental Club and swim team, both of which gave me many wonderful memories. Since my English is getting more fluent, I have begun translating for our school when prospective Chinese students visit. Next month, on May 5th, I will host an art workshop. This will teach students and teachers to practice the ancient Chinese writing technique known as Chinese Calligraphy. I really enjoyed my experience here in GD and I am glad that I can bring Chinese culture to our school.



Tommy Wogan

My name is Tommy Wogan.   I live in Dunstable with my Mom, Dad and Sister Katie. I like to go on vacations with my family. We have a cruise planned for July that I am very excited about.  I love to travel and see other parts of the world.  I am a freshman at GDRHS in the PAVE Program. My classmates and I go out into the community to work.  I go to Rivercourt Residence and the Dunstable Library.  I like to go to Rivercourt because it gives me the opportunity to visit with the residence.  My job at the library is to clean and check in the books.  I have been working on learning how to drive an electric wheelchair and hope to be getting my own sometime in the future. I am excited for the electric wheelchair because this will give me some independence to get around on my own.  I love coming to the high school.  It is a fun exciting place to be.  








Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Joseph Orlando Earns Scholar-Athlete Award

Congratulations to Joseph Orlando for his recognition as a top Scholar-Athlete in Central Massachusetts.  The Joseph R. Mewhiney Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame will honor Joseph at their annual scholar banquet in the near future.  

The Scholar-Athlete Award only goes to worthy senior football players who demonstrate outstanding football ability and performance, outstanding academic application and achievement, and outstanding school leadership.










By Joseph Orlando
The award I received is the Scholar Athlete of the Year Award for central Massachusetts football and my induction into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.  I was awarded this by the National Football Foundation’s Joe Mewhiney Central Massachusetts chapter.  This chapter has been around for over 20 years and honors the top scholar-athletes as well as notable coaches and individuals who have served the game of football throughout the community.  

The National Football Foundation is a national organization and has 120 different chapters existing in 48 states. I was chosen as well as five other players from Central Massachusetts football to receive this award.  They look at players in Central Mass and determine the ones who had the greatest accomplishments both on the field and in the classroom.  With my induction into the Joe Mewhiney Chapter, my name will be displayed in the College Football Hall of Fame for the Joe Mewhiney chapter.  By winning this award, I will be attending an induction brunch on May 3rd and will be receiving a scholarship of an unknown amount as well as a trophy for my achievement.













Friday, April 17, 2015

Grades/Host Families/Mandarin Offering

Grades
Third quarter grades can be viewed in both iStudent and iParent.  With graduation just over a month away, I would encourage parents of seniors to have a discussion with their son/daughter to make sure they have earned all of the credits necessary to graduate; particularly those students who either failed or narrowly passed a 3rd quarter class.  


Host Families Needed
The 2015-2016 school year will mark year four of our international student program.  GDRHS has welcomed students from all over the world, and by all accounts the international student program has been a tremendous success.  The international students have enriched our school in many ways; adding diversity to our school and providing a global perspective to our classrooms are but two examples. 

We are actively seeking host families for the 2015-2016 school year.   Host families may choose to host a student for a semester or a full academic year.  Currently we are seeking three host families for the students highlighted below; however, we are in the midst of reviewing applicants so additional host families will be needed for next year.  Hosting an international student can prove a rewarding experience for both the student and the host family.  If you are interested in learning more please send me an email at mmastrullo@gdrsd.org, or I can be reached in the main office at (978) 448-6362.


Eachfuture
By Nancy Liu
http://www.eachfuture.net/efcn/english/index.html






CCI Greenheart
By Ginger Smith

A German International student with a F-1 visa needs a host family so he may attend Groton-Dunstable Regional High School next year.  The family will be paid $1,000 stipend each month during the school year. He likes soccer, swimming and skiing. The student has his own spending money, insurance, follows family rules, helps with chores, participates in family and school activities and comes the middle of August and stays till school is out.  He needs to have his own bedroom with a place to study.  He can take the bus to school and will need transportation to his school activities as well as carpooling.

The student is allergic to cats but can be in a home with a dog with his medicine.  This has been confirmed by CCIgreenheart, the exchange student agency.  Call Ginger Smith 603-397-2494 or email grandmagingerhosting@comcast.net  very soon.

Huayi Consulting Co. Inc
Host family is needed for an international boy from China who has been accepted to Groton-Dunstable Regional High School for the next school year.  He is 16 years old, loves drawing, traveling and is very skilled at “League of Legends”.  

The host family will receive a $1,000 per month stipend for the school year ($10,000).  Exchange students have their own spending money and insurance.  You will need to provide a bedroom with a table or desk and transportation for school activities.  Students follow family rules and participate in family activities and chores as any family member.  For questions please contact Hongbing Liu at cits.usa@yahoo.com or Mr. Mastrllo at mmastrullo@gdrsd.org.

2015-2016 Mandarin Chinese Offering at GDRHS

I am pleased to report that Groton-Dunstable Regional High School has been selected to host a fully funded teacher of Mandarin Chinese as part of their 2015-2016 Teachers of Critical Languages Program in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State.

Teachers of Critical Languages Program is one of several State Department initiatives that supports U.S. youth, students, teachers, and professors in learning "critical world languages."  We notified our students of this exciting opportunity this morning and provided the following guidance.  

1) Mandarin Chinese will be offered in the fall and spring semesters

2) It will not count towards the two required foreign language credits

3) There are no prerequisites; therefore, students are not required to possess any Mandarin language skills to enroll in the course

4) Interested students are encouraged to fill out the Google Document that was shared with them.  https://docs.google.com/a/gdrsd.org/spreadsheets/d/1MtKoeTma uK4anm3iX5kO2wfEbtZpl31Y74Tx3ZCVvc/edit?usp=sharing

5) The course is open to all students on a first-come first-served basis

Dr. Rodriguez highlighted the exciting news in her Weekly Roundup.  Excerpt below.

"You will soon see more information in a forthcoming press release but I want to thank Mr. Mastrullo and Dr. Novak for writing a well crafted competitive grant that will bring a Mandarin Exchange Teacher to the HS for the 2015-2016 school year.  This teacher is fully funded through the Teachers of Critical Languages Program, sponsored by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Mandarin 1 will be a new elective piloted this coming year. A hearty thank you goes to Mrs. Liebold  (our World Language Academic Advisor) for not only helping in the application process but offering to host this teacher and serve as his/her mentor. Also, thanks to Ms. Brisson for her support and contributions.  It was a great honor to personally help out during the semi-finalist round.  This was not an easy grant to win and I am proud of our staff and happy for this new opportunity for our students."


Emergency Drill (Practice of Emergency Procedures)

Emergency Procedures Drill
Today, Friday, April 17th, we conducted our annual review of emergency protocols and procedures with students, staff, and local law enforcement officials. The Groton Police Department, the Dunstable Police Department, the local Fire Department along with numerous area law enforcement officers continued the implementation of our new emergency protocol known as A.L.I.C.E.  

In addition to reviewing our emergency procedures, drug and bomb sniffing dogs swept the parking lot and other areas of the school. This is not due to any new information, but rather as part of a routine review of emergency procedures and an ongoing commitment to a drug-free school.  Furthermore, law enforcement officials used the facility for a training exercise as they hid contraband throughout areas of the school.     

I would encourage you to discuss these topics with your son/daughter over vacation, and I would urge you to contact me should you wish to discuss this matter in greater detail.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

2015-2016 Mandarin Chinese Offering at GDRHS

I am pleased to report that Groton-Dunstable Regional High School has been selected to host a fully funded teacher of Mandarin Chinese as part of their 2015-2016 Teachers of Critical Languages Program in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State.

Teachers of Critical Languages Program is one of several State Department initiatives that supports U.S. youth, students, teachers, and professors in learning "critical world languages."  We notified our students of this exciting opportunity this morning and provided the following guidance.  

1) Mandarin Chinese will be offered in the fall and spring semesters

2) It will not count towards the two required foreign language credits

3) There are no prerequisites; therefore, students are not required to possess any Mandarin language skills to enroll in the course

4) Interested students are encouraged to fill out the Google Document that was shared with them.  https://docs.google.com/a/gdrsd.org/spreadsheets/d/1MtKoeTma uK4anm3iX5kO2wfEbtZpl31Y74Tx3ZCVvc/edit?usp=sharing

5) The course is open to all students on a first-come first-served basis

Dr. Rodriguez highlighted the exciting news in her Weekly Roundup.  Excerpt below.

"You will soon see more information in a forthcoming press release but I want to thank Mr. Mastrullo and Dr. Novak for writing a well crafted competitive grant that will bring a Mandarin Exchange Teacher to the HS for the 2015-2016 school year.  This teacher is fully funded through the Teachers of Critical Languages Program, sponsored by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Mandarin 1 will be a new elective piloted this coming year. A hearty thank you goes to Mrs. Liebold  (our World Language Academic Advisor) for not only helping in the application process but offering to host this teacher and serve as his/her mentor. Also, thanks to Ms. Brisson for her support and contributions.  It was a great honor to personally help out during the semi-finalist round.  This was not an easy grant to win and I am proud of our staff and happy for this new opportunity for our students."

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

International Student Program


Host Families Needed
The 2015-2016 school year will mark year four of our international student program.  GDRHS has welcomed students from all over the world, and by all accounts the international student program has been a tremendous success.  The international students have enriched our school in many ways; adding diversity to our school and providing a global perspective to our classrooms are but two examples. 

We are actively seeking host families for the 2015-2016 school year.   Host families may choose to host a student for a semester or a full academic year.  Currently we are seeking three host families for the students highlighted below; however, we are in the midst of reviewing applicants so additional host families will be needed for next year.  Hosting an international student can prove a rewarding experience for both the student and the host family.  If you are interested in learning more please send me an email at mmastrullo@gdrsd.org, or I can be reached in the main office at (978) 448-6362.

Best,

Michael Mastrullo

Eachfuture
By Nancy Liu
http://www.eachfuture.net/efcn/english/index.html









CCI Greenheart
By Ginger Smith

A German International student with a F-1 visa needs a host family so he may attend Groton-Dunstable Regional High School next year.  The family will be paid $1,000 stipend each month during the school year. He likes soccer, swimming and skiing. The student has his own spending money, insurance, follows family rules, helps with chores, participates in family and school activities and comes the middle of August and stays till school is out.  He needs to have his own bedroom with a place to study.  He can take the bus to school and will need transportation to his school activities as well as carpooling.

The student is allergic to cats but can be in a home with a dog with his medicine.  This has been confirmed by CCIgreenheart, the exchange student agency.  Call Ginger Smith 603-397-2494 or email grandmagingerhosting@comcast.net  very soon.






Friday, April 10, 2015

College Night, Romeo & Juliet and Much More

Grades Closed
Third quarter grades closed today and report cards will be available in both iParent and iStudent on April 17th.  



College Night @ GDRHS

When: Thursday, April 16, 2015 6:00pm
Where:   Black Box Theater/High School
Who Should Attend: Sophomores, Juniors and their Parents

This is an informational session hosted by the guidance counselors in conjunction with Marist College.  The discussion will focus on the college search and the application process.  An admissions representative from Marist College will be present to provide additional insight from an admission counselors viewpoint and answer any questions.



Art Show & Romeo and Juliet



Tonight at 6pm there will be an art show highlighting student work from various art classes. At 7pm Romeo and Juliet will be presented by the Drama Guild! GD’s version of the William Shakespeare classic is set during the Civil War.  The cast and crew have been working hard on period costumes, music, and dance. Snacks and refreshments will be on sale before the performances and during intermissions, and chair pillows will be available for rent. A few cast photos will also be auctioned off to benefit the Drama Scholarship. 

Performances will be held on Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 11 at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. at the Groton-Dunstable Regional High School’s Black Box Theater, 703 Chicopee Row, Groton, MA.



Host Family Wanted
A German International student with a F-1 visa needs a host family so he may attend Groton-Dunstable Regional High School next year.  The family will be paid $1,000 stipend each month during the school year. He likes soccer, swimming and skiing. The student has his own spending money, insurance, follows family rules, helps with chores, participates in family and school activities and comes the middle of August and stays till school is out.  He needs to have his own bedroom with a place to study.  He can take the bus to school and will need transportation to his school activities as well as carpooling.

The student is allergic to cats but can be in a home with a dog with his medicine.  This has been confirmed by CCIgreenheart, the exchange student agency.  Call Ginger Smith 603-397-2494 or email grandmagingerhosting@comcast.net  very soon.



Poetry Out loud Competition
Poetry Out Loud competition date has been rescheduled from April 17th to April 29th. 



Emerson Hospital Volunteer Opportunity
Emerson Hospital Center for Rehabilitative and Sports Therapies is hosting a bike camp for children and adults with disabilities to teach them how to ride a bike.  

When: April Vacation 20-24th 2015
Where: Lawrence Academy Groton MA. Hockey Rink
How: We are bringing in trainers from the iCan Shine program out of Pennsylvania, who will use specially adapted bikes, and by the end of the week, the hope is that the campers will graduate to their own conventional two wheeled bikes.  This program has an 80% success rate.

But we need volunteers to make this happen.
If you have a child 13 or older, or if you would like to join us, then follow the link to view the flyer and  registration form.  We are looking for volunteers to sign up for one 75 minute session- the same session each day of the week, Mon- Fri..  So it is not a big commitment, but it is a big pay back. I have a number of adults who are volunteering, so don't be shy, come on out.  This would be a fun activity for a parent and teen to do together.  

Each volunteer will earn 10 hours of community service, receive a T shirt and a certificate from Emerson Hospital.







Thursday, April 2, 2015

GD Student Goes to Capitol Hill


By Aron Rose
From February 27 to March 2, I had the opportunity to fly down to Washington D.C to join a group of 350 Jewish teenagers from all over the country to take part in the Religious Action Center’s L’Taken Social Justice Seminar. I went with a few other students and represented my temple, Congregation Shalom of Chelmsford MA. The Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism educates the global community on social and legislative issues, including civil rights, Israel, LGBT equality, and much more. The purpose of our seminar was exactly that - to educate young Reform Jewish teenagers from all over the United States on current social issues, and ways to resolve them. It was a good experience to simply get the chance to talk to other teenagers who are also interested about fixing global social issues. I met kids from all over the country, and they loved hearing about our historical winter snowmageddon (especially the ones from California and New Mexico)! The people from Washington state were still upset about the Super Bowl too! One of my highlights of the seminar included a guest speaker from the National Coalition for the Homeless named Steve. I was nearly brought to tears. He shared with us his life story about growing up in Washington D.C, about how he didn't have any friends because he was the “fat” kid, about how he didn't fit in, and about how his mother often beat him and told him to get out of her life. His mother kicked him out of the house days after graduating high school and told him to never come back, and he was homeless for many years. Instantly he received a long standing ovation from everyone, and rightly so. To see Steve in good shape today, now speaking about ending homelessness and hunger worldwide, was an incredible feeling.

The most exciting part about the seminar was getting the chance to pick a social issue to write about, and to lobby on Capitol Hill to our own state officials. I learned from attending the session on disability rights the astonishing fact that 56 million Americans suffered from some sort of physical or mental disability, and that there is not enough federal support and protection for people with disabilities. The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was a giant leap towards civil rights for people with disabilities, but the ADA is not enough, and recent Supreme Court Changes have limited the protections once offered by the ADA. I worked with another student to write a lobbying speech about disability rights. We mentioned how people with disabilities still lag behind the national average in education completed, employment rates, income, technology access, home-ownership, and voter participation. This is both a cause and effect of unequal access to transportation, health care, education, and affordable housing. These issues factor into the high poverty rate for people with disabilities. In July 2009, the U.S signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This convention is based on the ADA, and the CRPD marks an international effort to bring the world closer to equality for people with disabilities. While the CRPD was signed, it still needs to be ratified by the Senate in order for the U.S to be part of it. In December 2012, the U.S Senate voted on CRPD, but the result was 6 votes shy of ratification. We were shocked and angered by this.

It was a great experience to walk on Capitol Hill on a sunny yet brisk Monday morning, experiencing what it would be like to go to work in that environment. We walked into the Russell Senate Office Building, directly across from the Capitol Building, where all the kids from Massachusetts spoke to advisers to both of our senators, Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren. I was quite nervous for presenting our speech, but when I realized that this is an important social issue that needs to be fixed, my nerves went away. We stood 10 feet away from our advisor, and I looked deeply into his eyes to make sure he got our message. After reading, he reiterated that disability rights is an important issue, and that Markey will vote for ratification if the CRPD vote comes up again. After everyone spoke, our group walked over to the Longworth House Office Building to go inside Congresswoman Niki Tsongas’ cozy office. Again, we spoke to one of her advisers, and we all read our same speeches. Similar to what Warren and Markey’s advisers said, Tsongas’ adviser told us that she is definitely in support of disability rights, and she appreciated us coming out to lobby for these important issues.


I will never forget the experiences I learned on this amazing trip. While it was a brief trip, I learned so much about global social issues, how to come up with solutions, and how to get involved in supporting these issues (making donations, community education, etc). Not very many teenagers get to lobby in person to their own state senators and representatives, and I was so grateful for this opportunity. I know for a fact that I returned home from this trip with a better perspective and education on global social issues. I’m glad that every single kid on this trip had a chance lobby about their social issue on Capitol Hill, and for me to be able to participate in a seminar of this level, it was an experience I will truly never forget.