Yearbooks! - A message from Mr. Greg Schoen
Don’t forget to purchase the 2014-2015 yearbook. To purchase a yearbook please visit The current price is $80. Make sure that you select Griswold High School, Jewett City.
Sincerely,
The Yearbook staff
Business Department – Mr. Bhupal Babajiyavar: Academic Leader
The Financial and Professional Management students have begun their job shadow experiences and the feedback from students is positive. Even with all the snow, our students have stepped up to re-schedule job shadows, make alternative travel arrangements, and learned how to make these changes with minimal guidance. The business department is proud of how our students have been handling the weather since many job shadow experiences have had to be changed. As always, the business department thanks all of our local business for their continued support of this program and its success.
History Department – Mrs. Elizabeth Kowal: Academic Leader
The winners of the annual Voice of Democracy Speech contest have been judged at the local and district level. This year’s theme was “Why Veterans are Important to our Nation’s History and Future.” Winners at the local level were: 1st Brendan Woznicki ($100), 2nd Tia Avery ($50), and 3rd Megan Barry($50). Winners at the district level were 2nd Arielle Hall ($50), 3rd Tia Avery ($25).
Congratulations to all!
Art – Mrs. Paula Pauley
There will be a tour of the art room for parents during the April PAC meeting to share our work space with parents and show some works in progress. In the LMC there is a display of the Wolverine Project. Students in Advanced Drawing have created original interpretations of our school mascot, the wolverine, for selection as the new cover for the GHS program of studies book. Each work of art is accompanied with a artists statement that explains the concept for the art. In addition, we have 18 students representing GHS at Mystic Art Center for the annual Young at Art student art show. The show runs from March 7 to April 11. The gallery is located at 9Water St., Mystic Ct. Hours are 11-5 daily and admission is free.
The GHS pottery group submission to the Mystic Young at Art show won “Best Group Project”this year for high school!
a message from Mrs. Kylene Thompson
There is a “Pins for Art Education” page on Facebook. It is a public page supporting the arts at GHS. All proceeds from the sales of the pins goes towards art materials. The money is greatly needed and appreciated. Thank you.
Special Education – Mr. Christopher Champlin
This year the Special Education Department has been implementing an initiative to have all students demonstrate a better understanding of their Individual Education Plan by being able to effectively communicate its components to others and use it as a tool for self-advocacy.Additionally, students have been spending time working on a better understanding of their disability and how their strengths and weakness affect their performance in school.Furthermore, they are projecting as to how these strengths and weaknesses may impact them in an employment setting after high school. Some students on 504 plans who are enrolled in the Organizational Skills class have also been taking part in these activities.
Some topics covered so far this school year have been:
- Disability Awareness: Students developed an understanding that disabilities are not concrete road blocks by looking at individuals who have been able to become successful despite being diagnosed with a disability.
- Components of the Individual Education Plan (IEP): Students dissected an IEP while learning about the key components of the document. Students explored sections of their own IEP to gain a better understanding of the plan that is in place for them.
- Present Levels of Academic Performance (Strengths and Weaknesses): Students explored this section of their IEP and hypothesized how their current strengths and weaknesses may impact them post high school in an employment or post-secondary education setting.
- Accommodations / Modifications: Students explored and evaluated the supports that they are receiving in their classes. This conversation gave students a chance to self-advocate for themselves by talking with their case manager and/or teacher about any supports that need to be further addressed as well as any concerns that they would like to discuss at their annual review meeting.
Other topics include transition (life after high school) and developing self-advocacy skills. We will continue to conduct these workshops/skill lessons throughout the year.
Speed Skating! - A message from Mr. Jeremiah Ross
The Griswold Special Olympics Speed Skating Team completed another season at the State Games in Simsbury over the weekend. All of the athletes and partners had a fantastic time and brought home lots of gold medals. They had lots of laughs and an exciting time both at the competition and the evening dance. This was the last competition for several of our partners as they will be graduating this June and the team will miss them next season. Everyone will have fond memories of the years spent together on the ice.
Freshman English – Mrs. Nadine Keane
GHS faculty and staff have completed scoring the freshman Laws of Life essay. The winners are:
From Mrs. Gillespie’s classes: Gillian Geyer and Marshal Strobeck
From Mrs. Keane’s classes: Lauren Jones and Carl MacDonald
From Mr. Moore’s classes: Gage Morin, Lilli Odom, and Andrea Sherman
Congratulations to our school-wide winner, Abby Mitchell. Abby’s essay “How to Grant Roses” has been submitted to the state level of competition.
Winners celebrated at grade nine breakfast and assembly March 5th.
The winning Laws of Life Essay “How to Grant Roses” by Abby Mitchell is posted at the end of this newsletter for your reading pleasure.
Senior English – Mrs. Anthony: Academic Leader
Seniors in Mrs. Kinsall’s and Mrs. Anthony’s English classes are studying Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Hamlet. Students are examining the famous play to discover richly layered meanings to the Bard’s words. Additionally, they are writing their own “to be or not to be” parodies and wondering what text messages Hamlet might be getting from his friends (and enemies!). We will conclude the study of Hamlet with a final summative assessment in which the students pick a topic from the play, create a claim, defend the claim and address counterclaims, and provide a meaningful and insightful conclusion.
Freshman Honors NYC Field Trip Update – a message from Mrs. Nadine Keane
The itinerary for the freshman honors field trip to NYC has been finalized. We will start our day with a visit to Madame Tussauds, the world famous wax museum. That will be followed by lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and then we will end our day at the Barrymore Theater for a matinee performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night. Mrs. Dawley, Mrs. Hosmer, Mr. Craig, and Mrs. Keane will chaperone the forty-six students participating in this trip, many of whom have never before visited NYC.
Senior Class News! - Hershey Park Trip – a message from Mrs. Nadine Keane
The final payment for the senior class trip ($100) is due Friday, March 6.
Final Senior Fundraiser
We will be starting our final fundraiser for the year – spring flowers. The flowers will arrive the week before Easter and are perfect for gift giving. We are hoping for delivery Monday, March 30th, to accommodate the students going on the music trip. Exact dates will be announced later this week when we hand out the order forms. This is the last chance for seniors earn discounts on their prom tickets. Thirty percent of what they sell is directly applied to the cost of their ticket.
The Class of 2015 Spring Flower fundraiser starts NOW!!!! These beautiful plants come in foil- wrapped pots and are perfect for Easter and spring gift giving. They will be delivered to GHS Monday, March 30 (the week before Easter). Checks are to be made payable to GHS. This is the final opportunity to lower the cost of the senior prom ticket. ORDERS AND PAYMENTS ARE DUE TO MRS. KEANE OR MRS. HOSMER BY THURSDAY, MARCH 19.
Tulips - Assorted colors 6” pots $14
Easter Lilies - 6” pots, 4 to 5 buds $15 Hydrangeas - 8” pots -$21
Family and Consumer Sciences – Dolores Walsh: Academic Leader
Students Receive First Aid and CPR Certification
The Family and Consumer Sciences department offered First Aid and CPR training on February 23 and 24th to a dozen students and a few staff members. Ms. Catherine Fargo, a GHS Alum conducted the training sessions. Congratulations students and staff!
GHS Child Study Lab to Begin
On March 10th the Early Childhood Education and Teaching the Young Child Students will begin their Child Study Lab experience. As part of the high school curriculum high school students have opportunities to observe, work with, learn about and enjoy children. The students will observe the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of the preschool age child and prepare a child portfolio. The high school students have been preparing lessons and setting up the classroom for the eight preschool children attending our program. The teens are excited for this learning experience to begin.
NEWS FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
Spring Sports Sign-Up’s is upon us!!!! Please make sure your child’s physical/sports physical is up to date so they can start the season off right without interruption.
If you are not sure if your child’s physical or sports physical is current (it must be dated no earlier than March 16th 2014 for Pitchers and Catchers and March 23rd, 2014 for all others) please contact the Nurses Office or have your child stop by and we will let them know. If they have a new physical/sports physical and you have not yet sent it in, please do so, you can also have their doctor fax it to us. If you have any questions please contact the nurses office at (860) 376-7647 Fax (860) 376-7677.
Thank you,
Jacquie Burzycki, RN
School Nurse
GHS
Career Center News: JennJohanessen - Career Center Coordinator
Student Match: The Student Match Program continues to grow by leaps and bounds. This program matches high school students with a younger student from the elementary school and is a great extra-curricular/community service activity. There are currently 45 students participating in student match. What a great opportunity for a high school student to make a difference in a young child’s life!
Career and Technical Education Enrichment Program: Thanks to the generosity of the CAS-CIAC Endowment and Flanagan Grant Program, Griswold High School recently offered 7th and 8th graders the opportunity to experience hands on activities with GHS teachers in the areas of Food Preparation, Construction, Graphic Design, and CPR/First Aid Certification. Twenty five students from the middle school participated in the enrichment program once a week for six weeks and explored different areas of interest. Students in Graphic Design designed and made t-shirts, coffee mugs, and bumper stickers and those students in Construction built two beautiful Adirondack chairs. Eight students became CPR/First Aid certified as a result of their program, and three 8th grade boys learned to bake and cook, and hosted a get-together on the last day for all the students to taste the cupcakes, cookies and other delicious snacks that they learned to make. The middle school students enjoyed their time at GHS and enjoyed sharing with the others what they learned and accomplished in their respective programs.
United State Coast Guard Academy Leadership Conference: Congratulations to Meghan Davis, Cate DePonte, and Maggie McGrath! They attended the Seventh Annual Youth Leadership Conference at the United States Coast Guard Academy on Saturday, February 28th. These students competed with hundreds of others from all over Connecticut for this opportunity. Congratulations, ladies!
1