News from Mohawk

November 18, 2012

1. Upcoming Events 2. News from Student Services 3. Athletic News 4. Music News 5. Drama News 6. Yearbook News 7. Enrichment Opportunities at Mohawk 8. Senior News 9. Middle School News 10. Course in Exploring Solutions to Climate Change 11. Mohawk community supports families affected by Hurricane Sandy 12. An Easy Way to Order Mohawk Gear

1. Upcoming Events

Tuesday, November 20 High School Science Field Trip to the Boston Museum of Science.

In the evening, Girls Football game at 5:00 pm between seniors and a team representing students in grades 9-11, followed by Bonfire at 7:00 pm. (The annual bonfire event that has typically been scheduled during Booster Week was postponed because at that time concerns about mosquito-borne diseases restricted evening events.) Our Student Council is organizing this evening of school spirit and fun.

Wednesday, November 21 EARLY RELEASE Early Release Day, students released at 11:30. Lunch will be served. On half days like this, our high school schedule runs blocks 4, 3, 2, 1, lunch.

Come cheer Mohawk at the Turkey Day Eve Football Game against Frontier, at 7:00 pm.

Thursday, November 22 NO SCHOOL Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 23 NO SCHOOL The Mohawk Select Chorus will be performing at Moonlight Magic in Shelburne Falls at 5:00 pm.

Tuesday, November 27 Class meetings will be held from 9:02-9:22. Please see Senior News (#8) for additional information. College Financing Seminar 6:30-8:30 pm in the cafeteria. Kendra Lider-Johnson from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) will be presenting on all aspects of financial aid, including federal, state and private aid. High school guidance counselors Jane Shaney and Angie Cullinan will be present to address the Mohawk scholarship application procedure and to answer any questions. Parents who have attended this annual workshop in the past have expressed how valuable it is. We highly recommend that families attend as their students prepare for education after Mohawk.

Friday, November 30 Mohawk Folk Rock Music and Dancing! Join us for a rousing evening of music and dance on Friday, November 30th at the Mohawk cafeteria: 6:00 pm reception, 7:00 pm performance, and 8:00 pm open dance. Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem will again be playing live for a performance of new dances, many of them to songs from their new album, "One Bright Morning." Dancers of all ages will present a performance in the Mohawk cafeteria ,which will be transformed into a vibrant arts venue with in-the-round seating and plenty of space for all to join in the dancing for the second half of the evening. Join us for a pre-performance reception with food and acoustic music. This event was a great hit last year for the whole community.

Wednesday, December 5 EARLY RELEASE DAY High school classes will run 4, 3, 2, 1 and lunch, with students released at 11:30. Faculty will be engaged in professional development activities.

Thursday, December 6 EARLY RELEASE DAY High school classes will run 4, 3, 2, 1 and lunch, with students released at 11:30. Faculty will be engaged in professional development activities.

Monday, December 10 Mohawk School Council meeting, 5:00 pm in the Principal’s Conference Room.

Tuesday, December 11 Annual Winter Concert at 6:30 pm in the auditorium A blend of holiday favorites, pop music, and jazz will be performed by our High School Chorus, Select Chorus, Concert Band, String Orchestra, and Middle School Band and Chorus. Join us for an evening of great music!

2. News from Student Services

Tuesday, November 27: College Financing Seminar 6:30-8:30 pm in the cafeteria. Kendra Lider-Johnson from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) will be presenting on all aspects of financial aid, including federal, state and private aid. High school guidance counselors Jane Shaney and Angie Cullinan will be present to address the Mohawk scholarship application procedure and to answer any questions. Parents who have attended this annual workshop in the past have expressed how valuable it is. We highly recommend that families attend as their students prepare for education after Mohawk. 3. Athletic News

We welcome Fred Redeker as our new full-time Athletic Director! Fred Redeker is a graduate of Mohawk and has extensive coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate levels. We are delighted to have Fred join our team! You can contact him via email at [email protected]. His hours will vary but generally he will be available from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. His office is located off the gym on the side by the boys’ locker room.

Information for the Winter Sports Season Physicals and Athletic Contracts are all due the first day of practice, which is November 26th. Athletic dues will be due by December 10th. Copies of the Athletic Contract, form for Physicals, and Financial Assistance Request form are available in the Front Office.

Important Reminder about Medical Eligibility Per MIAA, in order to be medically eligible to play sports all students must pass a physical examination prior to participation in Middle and High School Athletics. A physical exam covers the student for 13 months from the exam date. A student’s eligibility will terminate once a physical has reached the 13 month limit. Student athletes become ineligible to practice or compete immediately. Please plan ahead and update your physical as soon as possible. Physical examinations must be performed by a duly registered Licensed Physician, Physician’s Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner. You may direct any questions regarding this policy to Fred Redeker, Athletic Director.

We salute our fall season athletes During the fall sports season, 225 Mohawk athletes participated in afterschool sports.

Our varsity field hockey team reached the Western Massachusetts Division 2 Finals after beating Smith Academy in overtime. They put in a strong effort against Frontier at the finals.

Come cheer our football team in their game against Frontier on Wednesday, November 21 at 7:00 pm! This evening game is a great way to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends.

Winter sports options abound In response to strong student interest, we are introducing a club wrestling team in association with the Academy at Charlemont and Swift River Academy. High school math teacher Bob Mastorakis will coach this club sport; Mr. Mastorakis competed in wrestling as a high school athlete.

Also in response to student initiative, we are pleased to announce that we will have a cheerleading squad this winter. Paraprofessional Teri Marsh will coach the cheerleading team. The following is a list of winter sports and coaches: Alpine (Downhill) Skiing: Varsity Coach - Sean Loomis Assistant Coach - Kurt Wigmore Middle School Coach - Jim Finney

Nordic (Cross-country) Skiing: Coach: Peter Rayton

Girls Basketball: Varsity Coach - Chuck Miner JV Coach - John Redeker Middle School Coaches - Samantha Lydiard and Martha Thurber

Indoor Track: Girls Coach - Joe Chadwick Boys Coach - Kevin Freitas

Boys Basketball: Varsity Coach - Fred Redeker JV Coach - Darren Schmidt

4. Music News

Our vocal ensembles are performing in our community Members of the High School Chorus and Select Chorus performed on Saturday, November 17, at Trinity Church in Shelburne Falls. They shared a concert program with Hilltown Harmony, a new community vocal ensemble directed by Mohawk Alumna Shelley Roberts. The Select Chorus will be performing at Moonlight Magic on Friday, November 23, the day after Thanksgiving, in Shelburne Falls at 5:00 pm.

Mark your calendars for the annual Winter Concert: December 11, 6:30pm in the auditorium! A blend of holiday favorites, pop music, and jazz will be performed by our High School Chorus, Select Chorus, Concert Band, String Orchestra, and Middle School Band and Chorus. Join us for an evening of great music!

5. Drama News

The Hobbit Drama Coordinator Jonathan Diamond reports: Last week we held three days of casting workshops (auditions) for the Hobbit. Students were invited to attend for one, two or three of days, most came for all three. Every class, grades 7 thru 12, was represented. The energy in the auditorium was palpable and we accomplished a remarkable amount in a short time. We began each day with some physical training ("training" is a word that is worth remembering as it is going to be an important part of our lexicon as we move forward) followed by voice work and singing and ended each session working in small groups on scene work or "compositions," using text from the script. Put another way, we didn't just cast the show, we launched it! Our music director, Scott Halligan summed it up nicely when he wrote, "What an auspicious beginning! This is going to be an incredible journey!" Seventh grader Mary Monohon echoed many cast member's enthusiasm when she wrote on a questionnaire distributed to everyone, "I can't wait to get into my role in the Hobbit! So excited!!!"

It appears we're going to have approximately 35 students in the cast and our numbers may grow as large as 50 or more by the time of the performances when some of our friends from Heath drama and the Academy at Charlemont join us to help with several large group scenes. (NOTE: It is not too late for students to sign up to help out with any of these scenes and/or other aspects of the show, contact Jonathan for details.) A special shout out to visiting artist Pan Morigan who was in the house for all three workshops! Students who participated in our fall drama club were already familiar with Pan, an award-winning vocalist, songwriter, and performer (See related post on the Drama Program class pages). She is going to compose an original song for our Elven Queens to sing and return next month to offer a vocal training for the entire company. And a heartfelt embrace to faculty members Leanne Blaszak and Julia White who jumped into the fray on Wednesday night.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday (November 20) from 2:30 - 3:30pm when we will find out how we're going to organize all this amazing talent into daring moments of song and reckless acts of theatre! After Thanksgiving, we will reconvene for a series of four or five skill building workshops on everything from stage combat to set design and construction —-Larry Sampson from Lawrence Sampson design is going to help us build our dragon and trolls! (See related post on the drama class pages.) These trainings are to help us develop our skills, create a sense of group and build our company. Scripts will go home before the holidays (we need time to rewrite some of the lines and parts to accommodate our numbers). And when we return in January we will begin rehearsing the play!

The Drama Program class pages are the primary way we will communicate with cast and crew members and their families so check those pages frequently for up to date information on rehearsals, workshops or simply to monitor the progress of the show. The class pages can be accessed through the Mohawk website. (There is a menu entitled "Class Pages" on the righthand side of the homepage and they can also be found under "Clubs & Extracurricular Activities.") But here is that link again: http://classes.mohawkschools.org/index.php?board=524.0. I will be adding a new post shortly on ways parents can support and contribute to the production--e.g., donating snacks, overseeing kids work on various aspects of the set (if you have carpentry, sewing or artistic skills you want to contribute), etc.

Finally, I (Jonathan) really enjoyed talking with some of the parents who were in the audience for the last ten minutes of the workshops/rehearsals and came up to introduce themselves after. It was great to see old friends from the community and/or prior productions. However, I especially appreciated getting to know those of you I hadn't met before and I would like to invite others to follow suit. I want parents to feel like you can approach me about any concern you may have from scheduling conflicts to stress your child is experiencing you want me to know about, and that I can hopefully help with.

Drama Club News On Wednesday November 7, Mohawk's newly established Drama Club had its final meeting of the season. Drama Club was designed as a way for students who haven't had any experience on the stage before to develop their skills and build confidence and for more seasoned actors to hone their craft. This year, the program served double duty, so to speak, as it helped us create some excitement about our upcoming production of the Hobbit and introduced students to some of the guest artists we will be working with during the show. We wrapped up a very successful series of six workshops and trainings (that included guests from Double Edge and Chrysalis Theatre) with an aerial fabrics lesson at the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) in Brattleboro. A core group of 8 - 12 students joined us for every meeting while others, due to sports, attended just one or two of the gatherings. Most exciting, every participant attended last week's casting workshops for the Hobbit and are participating in the production! Thank you everyone who helped make drama club a success especially our parent drivers on the field trip to NECCA, Kelly Flaherty and Dre Rawlings.

Warmest Regards, Jonathan Diamond ([email protected]) On behalf of the Mohawk Drama Team Scott Halligan, Julia White, Leanne Blaszak, Mike Browning, Bill Drake, Gina Glover, Rachel Silverman, Sean Conlon, and Pan Morigan

6. Yearbook News

It's not too late to buy Congratulatory or Business Ads yet! Forms can be found at the bottom of the Mohawk High School Webpage. No ads will be accepted after December 15, 2012. Please don't be left out!

It's not too late to buy a yearbook. Buy one online using the link at the bottom of the Mohawk High School Webpage or buy it at the front office at Mohawk or in Room 103. No book orders will be taken after December.

Thank you for all the support, Your Yearbook staff.

7. Enrichment Opportunities at Mohawk

Middle school Project Based Learning teacher Samantha Lydiard has introduced two new afterschool clubs. On Tuesday afternoons, the Robotics Club meets in Ms. Lydiard’s room, 174, and on Thursday afternoons, the Agriculture Club meets in Ms. Lydiard’s room, 174. Students and their families should contact Ms. Lydiard for more information about these opportunities.

8. Senior News

Important Senior Class Meeting on Tuesday, November 27 All seniors will have a very important class meeting on the Tuesday, November 27 at 9:00 am in the auditorium. Topics include: 1) measurement for caps and gowns, 2) paperwork for diplomas, 3) yearbook appreciation and dedication discussion and voting, 4) Student Services has college information to distribute, and 5) Prom update.

Also on Tuesday, November 27: College Financing Seminar 6:30-8:30 pm in the cafeteria. Kendra Lider-Johnson from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) will be presenting on all aspects of financial aid, including federal, state and private aid. High school guidance counselors Jane Shaney and Angie Cullinan will be present to address the Mohawk scholarship application procedure and to answer any questions. Parents who have attended this annual workshop in the past have expressed how valuable it is. We highly recommend that families attend as their students prepare for education after Mohawk.

9. Middle School News

Seventh grade field trip to Catamount

Students pause for a group photo on their day of exploration on Catamount.

Seventh grade students used GPS (Geographic Positioning Systems) equipment to navigate as they hiked Catamount in Colrain. This interdisciplinary unit combines math and science skills with the study of local history and geography. Students summarized what they've learned through assignments that incorporate mapping, writing, and research skills. Students also collected data, made observations and hypotheses about the early settlers of Catamount, and saw first-hand many of the physical and environmental science concepts addressed in their curriculum.

News from the 8th grade

PBL: Students have finished their houses, and there is quite a variety. Now they are writing real estate ads to sell the houses...ask your child what kind of person might be interested in buying her or his house!

Science: We are studying the atomic model of phase changes in states of matter.

Social Studies: We are exploring the beginnings of Christianity. Ask your child about the impact of the Justinian Code!

Math: Both pre-algebra and algebra are studying functions -- what they are and how to tell if something is a function.

English: We are continuing to work on characterization of both dynamic and static characters. Students are identifying character traits for characters in the books they are reading and stories and memoirs they are writing AND using textual evidence (in the form of quotes) to provide evidence for these traits. We are also relating these changes in characters to themes that we can glean from reading that we are doing. The week of Thanksgiving, students will have their third vocabulary quiz. For academics, this means a quiz of over sixty terms and honors students are close to eighty terms!

10. Course in Exploring Solutions to Climate Change

Students in Jim Markham’s Exploring Solutions to Climate Change course shared this report of their activities:

The Exploring Solutions to Climate Change course is taking action at Mohawk. They have finished “basic training”, in which they have learned the basics related to understanding climate change. Concepts such as greenhouse gasses, the carbon cycle, renewable resources, and sustainable energy were explored. Now they are beginning to apply what they have learned to the Mohawk community. During the second half of the course they will explore ways to reduce Mohawk’s reliance on fossil fuels through the use of more renewable resources. With the support of the Mohawk community this class will help Mohawk take a leadership role in developing more sustainable sources.

11. Mohawk community supports families affected by Hurricane Sandy

On behalf of the group that organized the drive to deliver supplies to families in New York affected by Hurricane Sandy, Barbara Rode writes, “Thank you Mohawk families and community for your overwhelming response to our Hurricane Sandy Victim Relief effort !!!” A number of Mohawk students participated in the effort and we appreciate the generous response from our community.

12. An Easy Way to Order Mohawk Gear

The Mohawk Athletic Association (MAA) sells a wide range of Mohawk gear and sportswear. An order form is attached to the end of this message. During the basketball season the Mohawk Athletic Association generally has a table of merchandise available for purchase at games. The Mohawk Athletic Association supports Mohawk athletics through their generous contributions to our sports programs.

Our Foundational Commitments

1. Mohawk values and supports inspired teaching and learning, as well as imagination, initiative, and independent thinking.

2. Mohawk cultivates rigorous academics and embraces diverse approaches to learning, within and beyond the classroom.

3. Mohawk encourages self-expression and respects and responds to students' voices. 4. Mohawk fosters a sense of responsibility for one’s self, others, and the environment.

5. Mohawk commits to effective partnerships through communication and collaboration among staff, students, families, and community.

6. Mohawk reflects the vibrancy of the community and natural environment that surrounds it. MOHAWK ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CLOTHING ORDER FORM

CIRCLE THE ITEM AND SIZE (ALL ITEMS HAVE MOHAWK WARRIORS LOGO ON THEM)

Name: ______Number: ______

ITEM PRICE SIZE

Sweatpants $28.00 S M L XL

Pajama Pants $27.00 S M L XL

Blue Hooded Sweatshirts $29.00/2X-$31 S M L XL XXL

Fleece Vest –Men’s $42.00/2X-$44 S M L XL XXL

Fleece Vest- Women’s $42.00 S M L XL

Nylon Jackets $29.00 S M L XL XXL

Golf Shirts $27.00 S M L XL XXL

Winter Hats $14.00 Blue or Yellow (one size)

Flex Fits Hats $18.00 Youth S/M L/XL

Fleece Blankets $35.00 Quantity:

Nylon Cinch Sacks $10.00 Quantity:

Seat Cushions $5.00 Quantity:

Lanyards $3.00 Quantity:

*** PLEASE RETURN FORMS AND MONEY TO SUE MITCHELL OR JONI SESSIONS, AT MOHAWK TRAIL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL’S FRONT OFFICE. MAA HAS A MAILBOX THERE.