January 14 Parent Note

Dear Parents and Guardians -

It is a Yarmouth High School tradition to celebrate the Hector Hebert Award every January by recognizing a senior who epitomizes the values that longtime YHS teacher Hector Hebert not only treasured, but also instilled in his students.  This student represents a true “Renaissance" perspective immersed in a wide variety of coursework, clubs, musical pursuits, and athletics.  We would like to congratulate Emi Ruth as this year’s Hector Hebert Award Winner.   

We would also like to note this year’s National Scholastic Art Awards program winners: Taylor Hooper-White -  Honorable mention for a drawing portfolio, Sam Marjerison - Gold Key and Silver Key for photographs, Mairen O'Neill - Honorable Mention for a charcoal drawing, and Rachel Walton - Gold Key for an oil painting.

January also marks another tradition for our 9th graders, who participate in the Power of One Project. This program was created five years ago to explore the powerful impact of food insecurity across and world and in our own communities.  Students recently participated in a Hunger Banquet which illustrated the inequity of food distribution in our society, and will begin projects in their advisory groups to help address this global issue.   

Later this month, the Yarmouth Fire and Rescue Explorer Post will hold an Information Day on Sunday Jan 28th from 1:30PM to 3:30PM at Yarmouth North Road Fire Station.  The Explorer Program sponsors training and activities for students in fire safety.   Once properly trained, students serve in support roles such as breaking down and maintaining equipment, filling air bottles, training in hydrant operations, hose deployment, and airpack operation.   This also includes department leadership trainings every Wednesday night.  Students are not involved in actual fire or emergency medical response.

This week, please join us for the Extended Learning Presentation Night on Tuesday, January 16th, 5:30 to 7 pm in the Yarmouth Performing Arts Center.  These projects were designed independently by students, who worked with mentors both inside and outside the Yarmouth community.  After the presentations, we will hold a brief reception in the library.  

We would also like to invite you to the Angst presentation on January 17th at 7 pm in the Yarmouth Performing Arts Center.  In the national documentary, Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety, teens and parents share personal stories about the impact of anxiety on their own lives and tips and advice from prominent experts..  Please see this link for more information.  Students at YHS will be watching this film later this month during at an upcoming assembly.

Finally, the end of the second quarter and first semester is this Friday, January 19th.  Please encourage your child to check and complete assignments and cornerstones as we approach the midpoint of the school year.

Summary of upcoming events

• Extended Learning Presentation Night -  Tuesday, January 16th, 5:30 to 7 pm, YPAC
• Angst presentation -  Wednesday January 17th at 7 pm, YPAC
• End of the 2nd Quarter - Friday, January 19th.  
• Yarmouth Fire and Rescue Explorer Post Information Day - Sunday Jan 28th  1:30PM to 3:30PM at Yarmouth North Road Fire Station.

Best regards,   Eric Klein and Amy Bongard - YHS administrative team.

January 8 Parent Note

Dear Parents and Guardians,  

Amidst this early winter flurry of storms and cold, there are two important upcoming events that epitomize Yarmouth’s commitment to providing our students and community with rich and meaningful educational experiences which extend beyond the classroom.  

Many communities recognize the need to support students at a time when our teenagers face a wide array of pressures and challenges.  The YHS Green Group is excited to present a special free screening of the national documentary Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety, featuring an interview with world-renowned athlete and mental health advocate Michael Phelps. Teens and parents share deeply personal stories about the impact of anxiety on their own lives and tips and advice from prominent experts. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenge in the U.S., but there is hope because the condition is highly treatable. The showing of the 55 minute film will be followed by an informative conversation with local experts.  Please see this link for more information
 

We also take time to honor the diverse voices and perspectives that are part of our national history and culture.  As part of the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King on Monday January 15th, as well as a prelude to Black History month in February, we are exceptionally pleased to offer a unique educational experience  Dreamweavers - American Voices.   Thanks to a generous grant from YEF, visiting actor, writer, and poet David Mills will be joining us at YHS for four days from January 25th-30th for an English-history collaborative event.  David  will be presenting a Langston Hughes one-man performance for juniors and seniors on Thursday, January 25th. David lived in Langston Hughes' house in Harlem for three years and wrote his play based on access he had to letters and papers of Hughes'. In the play, David will take on myriad and lively characters from Hughes' short stories and poems--young, old, black, white, male and female--as he brings Hughes' work alive for students.  Because Hughes is also known as the father of Blues poetry, he will then facilitate six Blues poetry writing workshops with seniors following the performance. On Monday, January 29th, David will perform a one-act play that reenacts Dr. Martin Luther King's most critical events, using Dr. King's writings and speeches.  9th, and 10th graders will be attending this performance, and we have invited 8th graders from HMS to join us as well.    Following the play, sophomores will participate in writing workshops in their history classes with David, based on Dr. King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail."

We will hold another Clipper Catch Up session this Thursday as we prepare for the end of the second quarter and first semester on January 19th.  The next few weeks are especially important for students to complete assignments and cornerstones as we officially approach the midpoint of the school year, and  The “Clipper Catch-up” time has quickly become an invaluable opportunity for students to meet with their teachers.   Whether a student has fallen behind on cornerstones, does not have the chance to meet with teachers after school, or simply could benefit from some extra study time, this school-wide initiative provides a block of time every month for students and faculty to work together.

Finally, a friendly reminder from the school nurse that students should not be carrying any medications, prescriptions, or over-the-counter medications while they are at school.  If your student is requiring medication during the school day, please have the medication dropped off at the nurse’s office so that she may administer it to them. If you have any questions please contact our school nurse Stacey Hang.

Best regards,
 

Eric Klein and Amy Bongard, YHS administrative team.

January 1 Parent Note - Happy New Year!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we look forward to a new year and hopefully some warmer weather, we hit the ground running this week at Yarmouth High School.   This Friday, we will hold our annual Poetry Out Loud competition in the Yarmouth Performing Arts Center.  Earlier in December, students recited poems in their English classes which served as preparation for this Friday's final competition which will be judged by local poets.

Additionally, we will start preparation for the Career Exploration Program.  At a short assembly tomorrow morning, all sophomores and juniors will be introduced to the CEP Program, a three-day job shadowing experience that occurs in March.   Students will be working with parents and their advisors to find a meaningful placement for this opportunity.  As the program unfolds, you will be learning more from your son or daughter's advisor.  Information about the CEP program can also be found at this link.  We hope you will find this information helpful to you and your child, as it constitutes an important aspect of career readiness for our students.   

A quick reminder that the Second Quarter ends on January 19th.  This also marks the end of the first semester, and the next few weeks are especially important for students to complete assignments and cornerstones as we officially approach the midpoint of the school year.     

Best regards,

Eric Klein and Amy Bongard, YHS administrative team.

--

Eric P. Klein

Principal

Yarmouth High School