September 15, 2017

Good morning-

I hope everyone got a great first full week of school!  It was fun to get around the building to see all of the hands-on, thoughtful learning taking place and I am looking forward to getting into more classrooms this week.  Yesterday Jamele Adams met with the Peer Leaders to discuss the programs in October.  It was inspiring to watch him talk to 40+ students about inclusion, diversity, and trust.  

I have created a link to this newsletter with the faculty meeting agendas.  You can refer back to find any information you missed.  I have also posted the educator evaluation timeline these. 

School council:

The AHS School Council is a group mandated by the MA Department of Education to assist the principal in:

1. Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards.

2. Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school.

3. Reviewing the annual school building budget.

4. Formulating a school improvement plan.

For any school that contains grades nine to twelve, the council shall review the student handbook each spring to consider changes in disciplinary policy to take effect for the following school year. 

The council is made up of AHS administration, faculty, students and parents.  We are currently seeking nominations to fill 1 two-year teacher spot.  If you are interested in running for a position or would like more information please let me know.  

Elections will be held on Thursday, September 28.    

Posting homework:

I have had a few questions from parents of 9th graders about how homework is posted at the high school.  Please make sure that homework is posted in your classroom if you are also using social media.  Not all families allow students access to social media.  Thanks! 

It has come to my (and IT's) attention that a large number of students from classes across a variety of disciplines are using the library printer to print lengthy print jobs -- 35 page articles, review packets, etc.  Very often these print jobs consume all the memory on the printer and then cause the printer to either malfunction or slows the print speed to one page per minute.   Yesterday it started printing one letter per page on multiple pages and many blank sheets in between, using about half a ream of paper before the problem was caught.  These backlogs cause frustration among all the library users trying to print as well as the IT staff who have to fix the printers.

If an entire class is expected to use an article or packet, the teacher should provide it to them rather than asking them to print it independently.  Using the printer, instead of the photocopier, means that these things are being printed in the most expensive way possible.  Photocopying is always the more cost effective method.  Photocopying class sets might use a bit of your time, but will result in a more economical approach to providing class sets of materials, and won't create backlogs here as all students try to print the same thing.

If you are in the neighborhood of Barnes & Noble in Natick on Wednesday stop by to see our own Eryn Flynn, grade 10.  She is a published author and will be helping to lead a teen writer's workshop.

https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780061890803-0

For the past year a members of the community who are on the Decisions At Every Turn Social/Emotional Mental Health working group have written a weekly column titled Ashland Raises Happy & Healthy Kids which is included in the parent newsletter by all schools as well as on town websites.  I thought I would start sharing it here as well.  They have great tips!

Tips to Boost your (and your child’s) Mental Health

The beginning of the school year can be busy and tiring and overwhelming. Below are some tips to help your whole family relax and stay mentally healthy.

1. Focus on gratitude and achievement. At dinner each night, have everyone say one thing they were grateful for today and one thing they achieved.
2. Work your strengths. Do something you’re good at to build self-confidence, then tackle a tougher task. This can be especially helpful with homework.
3. Do something creative. Creative expression and overall well-being are linked.
4. Laugh every day! Laughter reduces anxiety.
5. Go off the grid. Set aside time each day to put away electronics and spend time with friends or family without the interruption of texts and notifications.
6. Move daily. Play tag with your kids, dance every night as a family, play a fun sport. Exercise/movement reduces levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and increases endorphins (the body’s “feel good” chemicals).
7. Write. Writing about upsetting experiences has been shown to reduce depression.
8. Spend time with a furry friend. Time with animals lowers cortisol, and boosts oxytocin - which stimulates feelings of happiness.
9. Try prepping your lunch and/or planning your outfits for the week. Planning ahead can give you a sense of control.
10. Spend time in nature. We are lucky to have Ashland and Hopkinton State Parks close by. Research shows that being in nature can increase energy levels, reduce depression and boost well-being.