Pembroke High School Weekly Update

Dear PHS Families, 
 
Here is this week's update.  Please do not ever hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about these or any other matters. 
 
 
PHS STUDENTS COMPETING IN CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITIONS THIS WEEKEND!:
This weekend is a huge weekend for so many of our students, as they have qualified for state/national championship competitions in a variety of events.
 
First, 18 of our DECA students are at the Quincy Marriott competing in the Massachusetts State DECA Competition after qualifying at the Regional Competition earlier this winter.   Congratulations and best of luck to the following students:

Alexa Lewis 

Alex Raleigh

Jack Albee

Mikayla Horvath 

Sadie Rizzitano 

Jack Gill 

Katie Jasie

Meghan Graham 

Ryan Mulchunes

Olivia Skeiber 

Matt McAuliffe

Christian Leary

Ashlynn Gallager 

Matt Willshire

Alex Herman 

Addie Sweester 

Colin Murphy

Evan OBrien
 
Next, best of luck to our Winter Cheerleading team, which is competing in the D2 State Championships at Worcester State University on Sunday, March 12 at approximately 2:30 p.m.  Our cheerleaders qualified after finishing 6th in the D2 South Sectionals last weekend.  For tickets and other information, please click here.  Good luck on Sunday to our Winter Cheerleading Team!

Addison Bunszel

Rachel Kelleher

Hailey Burke  

Madeline Little

Caroline Clarke

Colleen McCormack

Jessica Gedutis

Brianna Medico

Katherine Jasie

Mary Sanford

Margaret Jasie

Elaina Tavares
 
Finally, best of luck to the following members of our Boys' and Girls' Indoor Track teams, who are competing in the New Balance National Championships today and tomorrow in Boston.  They earned this invitation two weeks ago at the Massachusetts All-State Championships.  You can learn more about these National Championships, including ticket sales and live stream options by clicking here.

Sarah Claflin

60m Dash and 4x200m Relay Team

Catrena Ghattas

60m Dash and 4x200m Relay Team

Caroline Minogue

4x200m Relay Team

Katie Gibbons

4x200m Relay Team

Andrew Gleason

60m Dash and 4x200m Relay Team

Nate Tosone

4x200m Relay Team

Gabe Lamar

4x200m Relay Team

Luke Lamar

4x200m Relay Team
 
NOELLE LAMBERT - GUEST SPEAKER AT PHS NEXT WEEK:
We are thankful to be able to bring another guest speaker to our students to send a positive message - this time about grit and perseverance.  With our thanks to Mr. Brian Phillips, our athletic director, we are excited to welcome Noelle Lambert, a former standout college athlete (UMass Lowell), to speak to our juniors and seniors on Thursday, March 16.  
 
To minimize the loss of instruction time, this presentation will occur during the final 18 minutes of C-Block (P1) and during our 40-minute Titan Time. 
 
Ms. Lambert suffered a serious leg injury in a moped accident while in college, one that required amputation.  Despite the horrific challenges she faced after that life-altering moment, she returned to the field of play in college and eventually became an award-winning paralympic athlete.  Her story of determination, hope, and sticktoitiveness is a worthwhile one for our upperclassmen.  
 
CREDIT FOR LIFE:
My thanks to the dozens of community volunteers that were at PHS today to work with our juniors and seniors during our Credit for Life Fair.  Special thanks go out to Mrs. Kim McKenna and Rockland Trust for sponsoring this important event and to PHS math teachers Mrs. Courtney Whalen and Mr. Eric Flaherty for coordinating all of the details and logistics from the school's side.  This valuable, hands-on learning experience would not have been possible for our students without everyone's hard work.  
 
COURSE SELECTION PROCESS CONTINUES:
As I have noted in the past few email blasts, course selection for the 2023-24 school year is underway.  My thanks to the parents that attended our Program of Studies Night on Thursday, March 2.  For those unable to attend, we invite you to review all pertinent information about the process posted on our Guidance Department Webpage.  
 
Our juniors completed their course selection seminars with their guidance counselors this week. Our sophomores will select their courses during Titan Time all next week, while our freshmen will do so the week of March 21.  
 
Remember, the window for students to officially "submit" their course selections in PowerSchool does not close until the week after their guidance seminar.  For example, the portal for the juniors opened this week, as they have been meeting with their counselors in seminars all week, and it closes next Friday, March 17.  This allows students to review their course selections with their parents to ensure that they have developed a schedule for next year that suits their needs.  We encourage families to take advantage of this opportunity to have a voice in their child's program of study for the 2023-24 school year.  
 
MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH:
The Pembroke Music Department cordially invites you to attend our upcoming concerts celebrating Music In Our Schools during the month of March.  While the concerts are free of charge, due to seating capacity, the All-Band concert requires a ticket for entry.  Each band student will receive (2) tickets from their band teacher.
  •  All-String Night:  Monday, March 13, at 6:30 PM in the PHS Auditorium
  • All-Choral Night:  Wednesday, March 15, at 6:30 PM in the PHS Gym
  • All-Band Night:  Thursday, March 16, at 6:30 PM in the PHS Gym 
MCAS TESTING - GRADE 10:
Once March rolls around, the MCAS testing windows are always right around the corner.  First up is the 10th grade ELA MCAS testing window, which is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28 and Wednesday, March 29.  All sophomores will take this important assessment, which will begin promptly at 7:30 a.m. each morning.  While the test is untimed, we schedule the MCAS to run from 7:30-11:01, which is the start of our lunch block.  Students needing additional time are relocated to a common room, with a lunch break built in for them.  Mr. David Rix, our assistant principal and MCAS Coordinator, will soon be communicating with our sophomores via email and Titan Time assemblies to fully prepare all of our sophomores for their ELA MCAS testing window. 
 
For those that like to plan ahead, the Grade 10 Mathematics MCAS window is May 16 and 17, and our 9th Grade Biology MCAS window is June 6 and 7.  
 
FORECASTING IMPORTANT SPRING DATES:
While some of these events are still several weeks or even months away, because of their importance, I would like to put them on your radar now.  
  • May 19 - Last day of classes for the Class of 2023
  • May 20 - PHS Promenade (5 p.m.) and Junior-Senior Prom (7 p.m. at the Seacrest Hotel and Resort)
  • May 22-25 - Final Exam week for the Class of 2023
  • May 30 - Senior Dinner
  • June 1 - Senior Awards Night
  • June 3 - Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2023
  • June 8 - Underclassmen Awards Night
  • June 9-14 - Final Exam Week (weather-dependent)
  • June 14 - Last day of school (weather-dependent)
I will have much more specific information about each of these important events as they approach. 
 
OTHER IMPORTANT DATES OF NOTE:
  • 3/13 - All-String Night (6:30 p.m. PHS Randall Auditorium)
  • 3/15 - All-Choral Night (6:30 p.m. PHS Gymnasium)
  • 3/16 - All-Band Night (6:30 p.m. PHS Gymnasium)
  • 3/20 - First Day of Spring Athletics
  • 3/22 - Early Release Day - Teacher In-Service (student dismissal at 11:10 a.m.)
  • 3/28, 3/29 - Grade 10 ELA MCAS
  • 3/31 - Grades for T3 close
Thanks, all.  Please do not ever hesitate to reach out about these or other matters.  Enjoy your weekend.
 
Regards,
Marc