2019-2020: Episode 10
Hello readers, and welcome back to the blog! This week we have a guest submission from our new English Department Chair, Ms. Carolyn Plosky. We have really enjoyed watching Ms. Plosky take the reins of the English Department leadership this year from the incomparable Judy Hession and look forward to watching the department evolve and move in new directions in the coming years. Thank you, Ms. Plosky, for the following submission!
“The English Department is spending this school year reviewing our current text choices both horizontally within a grade level and vertically as a student progresses from grade 9 through 12. Far beyond cultivating an appreciation of literature, our texts serve as invitations for debate and critical thinking, models of articulate voices, access to opposing viewpoints, and a safe place to discuss the intricacies of the world around us. As students navigate their own emerging independence, they recognize the complexity and nuances of the human experience that good writing captures. This year we are examining the authors and subject matter for the mirrors and windows that our texts include, identifying instances where students see themselves and instances where students are exposed to others.
As a department, we continue to work to include the voices of LGBTQ+, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities in our texts. It is also important to note that even when our canon includes diverse authors and subject matter, characters are often marginalized and remain so in the text. We hope to include texts where the oppressed are empowered. While there will always be a place for classic literature in the English classroom, there is a definite need for diverse texts.
We are looking forward to a professional development session next week facilitated by Teaching Tolerance that will offer us an opportunity to collectively engage in this important work as a department with tools and resources specifically designed for this purpose.”
School Deep Cleaning: We wanted to give everyone an update on some things you may or may not know. Our WHS custodial crew ALWAYS does an amazing job at keeping WHS clean, but, understandably, their efforts have increased as of late. Please know that they have been going through the building each night to sanitize “high need/high use” areas, and they doubled their efforts this weekend by going through and sanitizing the ENTIRE building using state-of-the-art equipment. We appreciate our DPW for being ahead of the curve and procuring top-of-the-line sanitizing equipment for WHS and the rest of the Winchester Public Schools. As always, our custodial crew is doing a great job and we want to thank them for it!
*** Please continue to read Dr. Evans’ emails for any and all COVID-19 updates. All school-related updates will come directly from Dr. Evans.
A Dose of Pure Joy: We could all use something to make us smile while living in the COVID-19 era. The second episode of Cooking with Class is hot off the presses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4pYz8pYnuQ&t=371s Way to go, Mrs. T!
Spring Musical: Come one, come all! March 19, 20, and 21 at 7PM With 47 actors, 32 kids in the pit orchestra, and the many students helping with the support crew, everyone will know at least a few kids who are involved! This is also the first musical under the direction of Ms. Cella and Mr. Buford!
The Red & Black Online: Our student online news paper for January 2020 R&B
Great Things Happening at WHS!
Caroline Andrews and Evan Edler met with Senator Jason Lewis and School Committee Chair Michelle Bergsrtom as they attended a Ways and Means committee meeting. Evan and Caroline were the only two high school students to attend!
Mr. Mackenzie had our student math-letes working overtime Friday night as they took on the enormous M3 Challenge!
Mr. Lister and our award-winning Model UN students placed in the Top 10 out of 300+ global teams!
A number of our students engaged in the new in-house Entrepreneurial Challenge at WHS!
Our 10th grade Honors pre-calculus students sharing their experiences with the Honors Math 109 students.
Ms. Monchick’s physics students took the classic egg drop to the extreme as they recruited SRO Perenick and his radar gun into the experiment!
WINspirations: The following WINspirations were from the past 3 weeks. Each Monday WHS students are sent a WINspriational message from Principal Mahoney.
“The more you care, the more you will fail, because you will continue when it gets hard.” — Dr. Sean Pastuch
“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at anytime and be yourself.”— Hermann Hesse
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” — Stephen Covey
WHS Student Goals:
Jayden O. and Kobe R., both grade 11, are setting goals to get reach their best physical fitness levels!
The links:
Athletics: winchestersachems.org
Learning Beacons: WPS Learning Beacons
Vision of a WHS Graduate: Official Vision of A WHS Graduate
Thank you for reading!
– Dennis P. Mahoney
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