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OAKMONT REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

March 2011

Administration Main Office Staff David Uminski, Principal Gin Koski, Registrar Greg Smith, Assistant Principal Pegi Deshayes, Administrative Assistant Brian Sargent, Dean of Students Inga Morin, Administrative Assistant

PRINCIPAL’S NEWS— 

Effective Parental Involvement  

Our most successful students often have parents who are directly involved in their child’s education, according to   “The How, Whom, and Why of Parents’ Involvement in Children’s Academic Lives: More Is Not Always Better” by Eva Pomerantz, Elizabeth Moorman, and Scott Litwack in Review of Educational Research, September 2007 (Vol. 77, #3, p. 373‐410).   Parental involvement occurs in two places:   

The first is  “Involvement at school.  This includes  attending general school meetings, attending parent‐teacher conferences, initiating contact with teachers, attending school events like open houses and science fairs, taking part in school governance (school council, school committee, etc.), and volunteering in the school or with student‐related organizations (Oakmont Booster Club (OBC), Oakmont Overlook Music Parents Association (OOMPA), the Ashburnham‐Westminster Education Foundation, etc.)  The research says that this kind of parental involvement often has a positive impact on achievement.     

To encourage appropriate involvement, at the direction of the school council, a committee of parents, representatives from the OBC and OOMPA and school personnel is drafting a guideline/policy for volunteer parents.  This document will eventually be presented to the school council and school committee for approval.  It is a step toward increasing parental involvement in school organizations and activities by setting expectations and direction for such involvement.  

The second is Involvement at home. This includes helping children with homework, helping choose a course or a project, talking about what happened in school, encouraging hard work and achievement, and activities not directly related to school work, such as reading to children or visiting a library or museum. Research says that reading to children and taking them on enriching trips helps school achievement.”  There is a negative side. Some studies show that direct help with schoolwork, by “doing” an assignment for your child can actually have a negative impact on achievement. Research also shows that the single most important factor in high achievement on academic testing is an intellectually rich, stimulating home environment.  

Pomerantz, Moorman, and Litwack cite numerous studies that say parental involvement can influence children’s achievement in two ways:  1) “It can develop skills because: (a) being involved gives parents insights about what children are learning in school, which allows them to be helpful as they work with their children; (b) being involved helps parents understand their children’s level of achievement; (c) being involved helps parents’ to assist their children.  2) Involvement can develop motivation because: (a) parent involvement tells children that school is important and helps develop their fundamental motivation to do well; (b) parent involvement represents an active strategy for dealing with an external agency (school), which can give children a sense of control over academic performance; and (c) parent involvement can help children become more familiar with school tasks and see themselves as more competent in the academic arena.”  

We encourage all of our students’ parents to become active participants in the Oakmont school community.  The best way to get involved is to attend school events, from Parent’s Night and Parent Conferences to athletic contests, performing and visual arts exhibitions.  This spring there will be a number of events we hope to see parents at:  musical ensemble performances, Les Miserables, Evening at the Arts, and Mr. Oakmont to name a few.  There are many volunteer opportunities, parents have volunteered to officiate the recent Dodgeball tournament, parents have been popping popcorn for the Junior class, parents have helped with the spring musical and, of course, the OBC and OOMPA. Please contact us to find out more about getting involved at Oakmont. 

 

Mr. Uminski      Mr. Smith 

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STUDENT HANDBOOK FOCUS Attendance Policy All students are expected to attend school on a regular basis. Under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: “Every child between the ages of 6 and 16 is compelled to attend school.” At Oakmont, student’s 16 years of age or older are also expected to conform to the same rules of attendance and must conduct themselves accordingly. Regular attendance and punctuality are absolute necessities in attaining an education, and developing good attendance habits to insure success in later life. The constantly varying class activities, such as: presentations, group work, discussions and classroom interactions cannot be replaced when missed. Absences from class present a serious detriment to achievement. Any student absent more than 10% of the time from a semester class more than nine (9 unexcused absences) will receive no credit for the course. Students with extenuating circumstances may appeal the credit loss to an attendance committee comprised of an administrator, guidance counselor, and a faculty member. Parents should file an appeal for waiver of absences with the Dean of Students; the appeal should contain documentation of absences that would satisfy section II under attendance regulations. The appeal decision of the committee will be presented to the principal for final approval. Exemptions- Excusable absences with proper documentation- notes must be on file Absences not counted toward the limit of nine.

A. Death in the family (parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousin.)

B. Health Professional appointment- note needed from Physician, Dentist etc.

C. C. School sponsored activities: field trips, college interviews approved by the Guidance Department in advance of the interview, pre-approved job interview.

D. Religious Holiday E. Legal/Court appointments- Court note required.

Tardiness A. Four (4) tardies to class will equal an absence.

Tardy to school will count as tardy to class. B. Classes missed due to tardiness will be counted as

absences except under Exemptions Section II. Loss of Credit A. In the case where a student loses credit for a course

the course grade earned will be put on the student’s transcript but no credit will be listed.

B. In the case where a student receives a passing grade but no credit for a required course (e.g. U.S. History), as a consequence of excessive absences, the graduation requirement will be considered fulfilled. The student may have to repeat this course, or pass some other course in order to achieve the minimum credits required for graduation from Oakmont.

Oakmont is now registered in the A+ Bonus Bucks Program at  

Stop and Shop. Parents and supporters must register their card at 

Oakmont to earn A+ Bonus Bucks when they shop using their Stop & Shop Card. 

 

Please email or call Pegi Deshayes with your Stop & Shop card number 

 

pdesh@awrsd.org (978) 827‐5907 x2151 

 

For more info click here: A + ‐  Stop & Shop 

+ News from the Nurse + EPI-PEN REMINDER: Spring sports and outdoor fitness classes are gearing up for the season! I would like to remind parents of students who have bee sting allergies requiring an epi-pen to make sure that the student has an unexpired epi-pen with them at all times. (If your student has an epi-pen for a food or other allergy, now may be a good time to check the expiration date as well!) Please be sure that the nurse has physician's orders and written parental permission on file for ALL epi-pens, even if the student is self-carrying the injector. It is also wise to provide a second epi-pen to be kept in the nurse's office in the event a student forgets his/her injector and experiences an emergency situation while here at school. Please request a permission/ MD order form from the nurse if needed, and it will be sent home with your student for completion. SEASONAL ALLERGIES: The month of April also ushers in the return of seasonal allergies as trees, grasses and flowers go into bloom. Students with seasonal allergies should remember to take their allergy medication at home before coming to school. The school nurse is unable to provide students with allergy medication without a physician's order, written parental permission and a supply of medication from home to be kept in the health office. PHYSICALS: A final reminder...now is the time to start planning ahead if your student is going to need a physical exam over the summer to be eligible for Fall 2011 sports! MIAA rules state that a student must have documentation of a valid physical exam within 13 months of the first day of practice. Please be sure to keep a copy for home, and send (or use nurse's FAX) a copy directly to me to ensure that this information be kept as confidential as possible. Also, if you are a parent of a Grade 9 student and have not yet provided the nurse with a copy of your student's most recent physical (including immunization data), please arrange to mail or FAX me a copy at your earliest convenience. Thank you in advance for your cooperation! Happy Spring!! Enjoy the return of better weather, and stay safe and healthy! Susan Lofquist, RN, (BSN). School Nurse Oakmont Regional High School Phone: (978)-827-5907 EXT: 2158 Direct FAX #: (978)-827-5624 slofquist@awrsd.org

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APRIL CALENDAR April 1 Tony Vacca Concert 7:00 pm Alumni Auditorium April 4-8 Alcohol Abuse Awareness Week April 4 OBC Meeting 6:45 pm Kiuru Health Room April 6 District Jazz Night April 7 Prom Safety Night 6:30 pm Alumni Auditorium April 8 Independent Movie Night 6:30 pm Alumni Auditorium April 9 Autism Awareness Road Race 9:00 am Tennis Courts Community Benefit Hockey Game 4:30 pm Iorio Arena April 15 Battle of the Bands 7:00 pm Alumni Auditorium April 18-22 No School-April Vacation April 25-29 Harmony Week April 29 SADD Blood Drive 7:30 am Wyman-Therrien Gym April 29 Les Miserables 7:00 pm Alumni Auditorium April 30 Les Miserables 2:00 &7:00 pm Alumni Auditorium

Achieving academic excellence requires passion, imagination, and creativity.  However, in today’s world strategic  support  and  comprehensive  training  also  play  key  roles‐strategic  support  that  brings innovative and inspiring teaching methods.  The Ashburnham‐Westminster Foundation for Excellence, through private  funding, seeks  to provide  teachers and students with  tools,  training, and experiences that foster academic excellence.  

To learn more visit: http://www.ashwestfoundation.org 

Special Thanks to Balfour and Craig Johnson for their continued cooperation with Oakmont Regional and our shared goal of recognizing

excellence.

Balfour 607 Pleasant Street Attleboro, MA 02703 (P) 800-972-5398 (F) 774-203-3311 www.balfour.com

BILL WEBBER CONFERENCE ROOM

At the March 8, 2011 School Committee Meeting, the conference room in room 115 was renamed the Bill Webber Conference Room in honor of Mr. Bill Webber.

Bill was a member of Oakmont’s original faculty, the Math Department Chair and a leader in the Teacher’s Association. He is also an active member of the community having served as Town Moderator and on a number of civic committees.

A May dedication ceremony is being planned.

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CELL PHONE RECYCLING

The Junior Class is Collecting Old Cell Phones

See Ms. Archangelo, Ms. Brown or the Class Officers for more information

 The  10th  Annual  Ashburnham‐Westminster  Community Benefit  Hockey  Game  has  been  scheduled  for  Saturday, April 9, 2011, at the  Iorio Arena on the campus of Cushing Academy  in Ashburnham.  The ceremony will begin at 4:30 pm.  This year’s game will benefit the family of Cody Wenning.  Cody, a resident of Ashburnham, is 17 years old.  He attends the Darnell School  in Hudson, MA.  He was diagnosed with autism at age 3.   He  is  low functioning with a vocabulary of less  than  10 words.     Cody  enjoys  car  rides,  going out  for lunch, watching TV and  listening  to music.   His parents are Bill  and Marcy Wenning  of  Ashburnham.    He  has  a  sister Amy (27) and a brother, Drew (22).  A road race is also being planned in conjunction with the benefit hockey game.   April is National Autism Awareness Month.   It  is estimated that one in every 110 children is diagnosed with autism.  An estimated  1.5  million  individuals  in  the  U.S.  and  tens  of millions  worldwide  are  affected  by  autism  increase, although  improved diagnosis and environmental  influences are two reasons often considered.  Studies suggest boys are more  likely  than  girls  to  develop  autism  and  receive  the diagnosis  three  to  four  times  more  frequently.  Current estimates are that in the United States alone, one out of 70 boys is diagnosed with autism.      The  goal  of  the  committee  is  raise  enough  money  to purchase  adaptive  equipment  to  benefit  Cody’s  care  and vocational  training;  such  as  a  therapeutic  bicycle  and adaptive  speech  equipment.   His  family would  also  like  to make a donation to the Stepping Stone and STAR Programs at Meeting House School, a program that services the needs of children with autism in our community.   In past annual benefit games, the audience has consisted of community members and many  families with children.  We generate  income  for  the benefit  through  the  sale of  game tickets,  raffle  tickets,  cash  donations,  concessions  and  a Chinese auction the night of the game.    

Money Donations can be sent to: Ashburnham Westminster Community Benefit, c/o Athol Savings Bank, 52 Main St. Ashburnham, MA 01430.  Please make checks 

payable to: “Ashburnham Westminster Community Benefit.” 

  

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

If you by chance have an old SLR/ 35 mm film camera collecting

dust in your home, the Photography Club would be happy to accept it for use by our members.

Our club is growing and so is the demand for loanable cameras for the members. Of course film cameras are now a thing of the past to most, but they are still widely popular for our members to learn the

basic principles of photography. So if you are so inclined, dust off that old camera and donate it to a

good cause.

Contact John DeCicco at jdecicco@awrsd.org

SADD Pre Prom Safety Night on April 7 from 6:30-8:30 for parents and students. $10 off a prom ticket if both parents and students attend. Local vendors will

also be offering prom discounts.

SADD Alcohol Awareness week. April 4 - 8.

Red Cross Blood Drive supported by SADD on April 29 during the schoolday. Sign up at lunch.

SADD raffle fund raising at school lunches and

events. Gifts include restaurant gift cards and assorted baskets. $2.00 for 1 ticket, $4.00 for 5 tickets. Thank

you for your support.

SEMESTER II, TERM 1 REPORT CARDS

WILL BE MAILED or EMAILED

TUESDAY, APRIL 12 If you currently do not receive report cards via email and would like to please contact our Registrar at 

vkoski@awrsd.org 

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PROM SAFETY NIGHT April 7-- 6:30 PM

Alumni Auditorium

$10 discount on price of prom ticket if student attends with a parent

"Sean and Betsie." with Dodie Laplante

Betsie is Dodie’s daughter who was killed by a drunk driver along with her boyfriend Sean. http://seanandbetsie.wordpress.com/

Junior-Senior Prom

May 7, 2011 7-11pm

Four Points, Leominster

TRAVEL TO FRANCE AND SPAIN

April 2012 Travel to France and Spain trip with EF Educational Tours. Contact Mlle Lamberto for

questions on enrollment. Open to all Oakmont High School students. Look for the "Catch the Travel

Spirit" fund raiser with Thirty-One and other events.

MUSIC DEPT. NEWS Congratulations to Kaarin Phelps and Emily Xarras on a spectacular performance at Symphony Hall on Saturday March 26th. Emily and Kaarin were recommended to audition and were accepted into the All-State Choir back in January. After two grueling days of rehearsals in the World Trade Center Thursday and Friday, the students travelled to Symphony Hall to perform with the Choir. The Massachusetts Music Educators All-State Festival is held every March to celebrate talented musicians across the state. Four ensemble have the pleasure of performing in the world famous Symphony Hall; Choir, Jazz Band, Orchestra, and Concert Band. The Oakmont Jazz Band completed their competition season on March 19th in Framingham with a silver medal. The band was chosen to compete at the state level after receiving a silver medal at the Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education District Festival in Algonquin. Benjamin Kendall, Kylie Brough, and Benjamin Wessels were chosen as exceptional soloists in the jazz band. Alexander Spurr was chosen by the judges as the best soloist in Division B. April 9th - Select Choir Performs with Cushing Choir at the Community Benefit Hockey Game

Oakmont Regional High School

Alumni Auditorium

April 29th - 7pm

April 30th - 2pm & 7pm

CRADLES to CRAYONS NHS Service Project

By Amber Cardwell ‘11

On Friday March 18th, fifteen members of this year’s National Honor Society went to Boston to help at The Giving Factory. The Giving Factory is run by an organization known as Cradles to Crayons. This group collects supplies for children, from birth to twelve years, and disperses them across the state. The National Honor Society held a school supply drive at Oakmont, for a donation to Cradles to Crayons. Once the volunteers arrived they were given a half hour to eat lunch then they got down to business. Their job was to sort through clothing, determine if there were stains, any logos that would make the child feel left out and if it was a boy or girl. There were large bins in which the clothes were thrown into. When the bins were full, some of the volunteers sorted the clothes further by sizes and age groups. Time was flying because they were having fun.

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WRITING CONTEST WINNERS

Congratulations to The Gardner News Writing Contest Winners who were featured in the March 25th, Newspapers

in Education Supplement:

1st Prize: Stephen Brown III 2nd Prize: Josh Munnis

3rd Prize: Danielle Dupuis

Congratulations to Fitchburg State University Writing Contest Winners:

1st Place: Shannon McCarthy

2nd Place: Ben Wessels 3rd Place: Ann Marie Wetzonis

Honorable Mention: Jessica Maeder, John Levesque

These students will be recognized later this month in

Fitchburg State University's Miller Hall, where they will each be awarded certificates and cash prizes.

Congratulations to the following students who were selected as finalist to the prestigious 2011 Laws of Life Essay Contest sponsored by Montachusett Area Rotary Club and Workers'

Credit Union:

Sophomores: Tyler Nims, Trevor Davis Junior: Colin Smith

Seniors: Sara Flynn, Haley Richardson, Jesse Francis, Nicola Jones

The selected final essays are now being judged by area city

officals and volunteers. Contest winners will be notified in early April. Cash prizes will be awarded to Winners and

Honorable Mentions of each class. Stay tuned to view final results. Congratulations to all finalists.

4th Annual Jordyn Taylor Kalagher

Scholarship Fund Benefit Day

Jordyn was in her junior year at Oakmont Regional High School in December of 2007

when she lost her life from injuries sustained in an automobile accident on her way to work.

Jordyn’s friends and family are again organizing a benefit day with all proceeds going to a

scholarship fund established in her name. Please come and enjoy a day filled with fun activities,

music and food…there’s something for everyone!

WHERE: Oakmont Regional High School, Ashburnham, MA

WHEN: Saturday ~ May 14, 2011 ~ 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

ACTIVITIES Food, Music

Raffles, Bake Sale Kid’s Play Land, Face Painting

Field Hockey Canine Unit Demonstration

All Proceeds to Benefit

“The Jordyn Taylor Kalagher Scholarship Fund” Visit our website: www.freewebs.com/jordyntaylorkalagher/htm

Latin Certamen

Oakmont Latin Students Noah Smith, Katherine Harris, Meghan Horgan, Victoria Trei, Jessica Delduca, Courtney O'Rgan

and Jenn Markevich competing in the Latin 'Certamen' (a Latin Quiz Bowl)

at Lunenburg High School, Saturday, March 26th.

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Westminster Benefit Fundraiser

The Angler—1 Village Square—Westminster, MA 978 874 2202

Dine out. Help out!

10% of all dine-in sales donated to Westminster’s Neighbors Helping

Neighbors Town Benefit Fund

Sunday, April 3rd from 11am—8pm For more information call Pete Giammavlo at 978 874 1732

or email Laura Delorey at panda7w@comcast.net

Please mark your calendars Sunday, August 14th,

The 24th Annual Benefit Day, We hope to see everyone on the hill.

AUTISM AWARENESS 2.5 Mile FUN RUN A RUN FOR CODY

APRIL 9, 2011- 9:00 am ZERO (O) FRILLS THREE (3) HILLS

FIVE (5) SPEED BUMPS OAKMONT REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL TO

CUSHING ACADEMY 9:00 Start at Oakmont Regional High School

(Near Tennis Courts) 7:00-8:30 Registration

(at Oakmont Regional High School)  Entrance/Registration Fee: Suggested $20 for Adults $10 for Students (or Donation) (Check can be made payable to: Ashburnham Westminster Community Benefit‐ Pre –Registration forms can be sent to: Bill Troy‐ Cushing Academy 39 School Street, Ashburnham, MA 01430  T-Shirts for first 200 Runners to Pre-Register Runners and Walkers are Welcome!!!!!!!!!!! Course : Start at Oakmont near Football Field/ Tennis Courts. Down Oakmont Drive. Turn Right and go over bridge. Turn left onto Platts Road. Turn Right onto Williams. Turn right onto Central -go past Post Office and Safety Building. Turn Left onto School Street (Cushing Campus). Finish in front of Drew Commons. Shuttle Buses will be available to take runners back to Oakmont after the run. Contact for Information: Bill Troy (Cushing Academy) wtroy@cushing.org 978-827-7044 Or David Uminski (Oakmont RHS) david_uminski@awrsd.org 978-827-5907 ext.2157

In cooperation with the  ASHBURNHAM‐WESTMINSTER  

COMMUNITY BENEFIT COMMITTEE

9th Annual Dan Farrell Memorial 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

Saturday, June 11, 2011 9 am-6 pm

Thomas P. Sweeny Playground So. Main St. Ashburnham

Competitive Divisions: Grades 4 and 5, Middle School, Family, High School, College-30, 31-44,

and 45+

$40 per Team (Check payable to the Daniel J. Ferrell Scholarship Fund)

Registration forms available in the Main Office

For more information: www.danfarrelltournament.com or farrelli@verizon.net

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Swirls of Crimson and Cream A Peppermint Poem

Shannon McCarthy-Creative Writing-Mr. Nevard 1st Place: Fitchburg University Writing Contest

PEPPERMINT POETRY

To truly be inspired means to find who you are, who you truly want to be. To see the courage and confidence another puts forth and transform it into your own inspiration. Inspire yourself, be your own role model, the only voice you need to listen to is the one screaming inside your head. Sometimes, your voice is influenced by the hushed whispering of other and sometimes listening to them is not so bad. My inspiration comes not from a human, it comes not from God, or an idea or a concept, it comes from poetry. What inspires who I am, who I want to be, what whispers into my ears is a poem entitled “The Dash” by Linda Ellis. A poem so simplistic in thought and so nonchalant on the surface has ultimately yelled at me. It screamed, it shattered my ear drums, the voice of this poem broke my very train of thinking and brought forth new ideas I had no idea could even be thought. It’s simple really, the poem is about living your life. It’s about funerals and how the only two dates on your tombstone are the day you die and the day you were born, the funny thing is that neither of those matters. Who cares when you die, who cares when you were born, what people care about, what you should care about is how you live your life. That thought concept is what inspires me to live my life every single day. When my own voice is screaming in different languages and not making any sense at all, “The Dash” almost sings me back to serenity and reminds me what it is all about. What I am truly about. When all else seemed dark, dark to a point beyond blackness, beyond light, it sang to me. Losing friends, changing relationships, finding who I needed in my life, it sang to me. Rain pelted at my windows, the small beads of water softly danced down the panes of glass. I rose to the hushed tapping of a windblown tree gently knocking on my wall. A rainy Tuesday, an ordinary day. The essentials lay next to me on my bedside table, a cell phone, a bottle of water, and my glasses ordinary things lying on an ordinary table. I was sitting on top of my sheets, not quite ready to spring into a cold and wet day, a Tuesday to be exact. I did however, I got dressed, and I threw on my slippers, didn’t bother to look in a mirror and walked out of my bedroom. An ordinary routine. Something was wrong however; something made the air smell sweet, and the oxygen seem almost too thick to breathe. Something was wrong. I walked down the long photograph clad hallway to my kitchen; I strolled past family portraits, and a painting of an old red barn in winter. The same hallway I trek through every day, it was there, it was the same. Just past the edge of the hallway I saw what was different, I saw what was out of the ordinary, I saw him. Cold and lifeless, a body was lying still at the corner of the hallway and the dining room. The air became toxic, tears flooded my head, my eyes, my cheeks, and everything was wet now. My grandfather lay on the floor in front of me. A gash in his head and blood surrounding him. I fell beside him, fainted and blacked out. His smell twisted thorough my nose, a mix of sweet smoke and peppermint, my grandfather. The next thing I remember is the funeral, a blur of sadness and things completely out of the ordinary. I sat solemn and still, I didn’t want to talk to anyone and I certainly did not want them talking to me. So I sat alone. Even if I tried to open my mouth to speak nothing would come out and I would be silenced by my own subconscious. Then the eulogy was read. An abridge version of a great man’s life, he was this; he was that, nothing important. In the awkward quietness with a priest’s voice bellowing in front of me it sang to me. It made me smile. When my voice was too blurred by my sadness to speak up, “The Dash” did. It brought me out of depression and into a new emotion. It brought me to acceptance and understanding. The people who knew him know how he spent his dash, and it does not have to be read at a funeral to make it true. A waft of peppermint drifted through the air. That’s him, my own voice uttered. Although the most important voice is your own, and I firmly stand by that statement, what the voice of “The Dash” has inspired me to believe is that the voice inside my head is not in fact my own. It’s the voice of everyone in my life. Of everyone who ever guided me to make my own decision. Everyone who helped to find who I really was. The voice is yelling because it’s made of so many voices all compiled into one beautiful inspiration. Into my inspiration, and that is what is helping me to live my dash to the absolute fullest. That is the voice that inspires me.

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OAKMONT BOWLING TEAM

Oakmont finished 2nd in the Greater Gardner High School Bowling Conference. Corey Umbrello bowled a high series of 493 (average 222). Corey has the conference’s high average of 222, teammate Robert Rahaim was third with an average of 206. The Conference gave awards to the following Oakmont players: Corey Umbrello (High Series), and Barbara Burrowes (Most Spirited). Corey was also named to the 2010-11 1st Team All-State and Robert Rahaim was named to the AL State 2nd Team.

Congratulations to all of the bowlers, Coach Umbello and Advisor Greenwood on a great season.

GUEST SPEAKER‐MR. DRISCOLL

 

 On Monday, March 21st retired Teacher and Administrator, Dennis Driscoll entered back into the classroom with his grandson – Oakmont Junior, Jason Driscoll ‐  to discuss Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried.  Mr. Driscoll – a former Captain in the US Army who served in Vietnam, visited Mr. Nevard’s Senior English Class and facilitated a presentation, sharing his own Vietnam Conflict experiences, emotions, and challenges.  Many of these were similar to those O’Brien wrote about in his book.  Driscoll’s first‐hand knowledge and candidness impressed students.  Students were also able to view and even try on some the military uniforms and equipment used by soldiers in Vietnam.  Jason Driscoll ‐ an avid collector of all military memorabilia, passed around uniforms, helmets, and maps the class had read about in The Things They Carried.  Mr. Nevard’s C‐ Block English Class and Oakmont thank Captain Dennis Driscoll, and his grandson Jason, for allowing the lessons of literature and history to permeate the walls of the walls of the classroom.

 

OAKMONT BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT “Island Plants”

In an effort to make the entrance of the building more welcoming and presentable, we are planning a perennial garden on the front island. We are accepting donations of perennials to help decorate the island and avoid future weed problems.

AWRSD SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

ELECTIONS Openings in all positions!

April 27, 2011 Business Meeting 6:30 pm

Elections 7:00 pm Conference Room 115

(Soon to be Bill Webber Conference Room)

REFRESHMENTS AND DOOR PRIZE!!

For more information contact: AWRSD Special Education Department

978-827-3062

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ESTELLE 2011 NATIONAL

MERIT®SCHOLARSH1P FINALIST

Emily Estelle has been named as a National Merit Scholarship Finalist. Sixteen thousand (16,000) are chosen nation-wide from the approximately 1.5 million students who entered the 2011 competition by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). National Merit Scholarships will be awarded to 8,400 from the 16,000 finalists.

Junior Jason Driscoll flanked by Major General Joseph

Carter and Brigadier General P. Greg Smith at the recent reception honoring General Smith’s promotion.

CONGRATULATIONS GENERAL SMITH!

A reception was held last month at the Massachusetts National Guard Museum in Worcester, honoring Oakmont Assistant Principal Greg Smith, for being promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. Among the guests were the Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard, Gen. Joseph C. Carter, Gen. Smith’s family, and friends and co-workers from the military, the Town of Ashburnham, Wachusett, Lunenburg and Oakmont.

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY

The National History Day Central Mass Regionals held at Quabbin Regional on March 5th.

The following Oakmont students were selected to go on to the state championship on April 9th at Clark University in

Worcester:

Amanda Wood won first place in historical papers Shelby Snyder won first place in individual exhibits

Elan Jackson won second place in individual documentary film

The following students won a prize but will not go on to

state:

Connor Robichaud and Colin Smith won an honorable mention in Group Documentary Film

Erin Leamy and Christina Vargeletis won an honorable mention in Group Documentary Film

The following students also participated:

Kayla Battes, Megan Dion, Brianna Ouellette, Emma Wang, Allison Durkan, Kolby Beauvais, Jake Boucher, Brandon Miller, Matt Rasmuson, Brandon Paul, Calvin Young,

Jordan Racine, James Carbone, Jessica Wing, and Lauren Ouellette

Congratulations to all of the Oakmont participants this year. We had the second largest number of students participating

in the competition in our region.

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OEA GREEN WEEK

Mrs. Phelps'

homeroom won the Green Week

competition and chose Brazil as the

rainforest site we will

Recycling at lunch on March 24 reduced trash from 12 bags to 1 bag.

Wow!

Trash sculpture winners were- Vicky Trei,

Kat McDonald, Emily Graves and Katie Copeland, and

Jess Delduca and Tiana Tower.

$80 was raised for the

Rainforest Alliance.

Last week. we sent in 7 boxes of recycled

packaging to Terracycle

In the courtyard compost outside, the cups and plates we used at our

Eco Christmas party are now DIRT

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Donate Them! Oakmont Regional High School is now accepting book, video, DVD,

CD, and audio book donations. Drop off your contributions to help raise money for the school’s Business Education Department and put books in

the hands of people who will treasure them as you once did! For more information: Contact Wendy LeBlanc

wleblanc@awrsd.org(978) 827-5907 x2174

ARMED FORCES RECRUITMENT Oakmont Regional High School provides times

for recruiters to be available to our students during some lunches. Federal regulations require us to supply names and contact information of our students to recruiters. If you want your student’s

information to be withheld please contact our guidance office in writing.

Beijing and the Great Wall of China

10-Day tour during February Vacation 2012 Tentative dates Feb.17th – 26th

Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and Great Wall of China are only a few of the listed sites.

Open to all students, parents, faculty, and staff

Price includes airfare, hotel, 2 meals/day, visa, tips, insurance, enrollment fee also includes $50 discount until April 31st, 2011

Students $2617 Adults $2982

for more information go to www.eftours.com and enter tour #1017075 or contact Mrs. DeCicco at sdecicco@awrsd.org

STUDENT ACTIVITY FUND  

REMINDER:  ALL CHECKS WRITTEN TO THE SCHOOL SHOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO THE OAKMONT 

STUDENT ACTIVITY FUND THIS WOULD BE FOR CLASS DUES, LOST BOOKS, 

DANCES, FUNDRAISERS, AND CLASS FEES ATHLETIC AND MARCHING BAND FEES SHOULD BE 

PAYABLE TO AWRSD THANK YOU 

OAKMONT SCHOOL STORE

Oakmont apparel and other merchandise on sale!

Hooded Sweatshirts and Sweatpants Winter Coats Fleece Jackets Large Duffle Bags Tee Shirts (Short and Long Sleeved) Caps and Hats

The store will be open during lunch and evening events. Special arrangements can be made during the school day by contacting

Mr. Sargent or Mr. Uminski.

ICE SKATING FUNDRAISER

SATURDAY, APRIL 2

5 PM – 8 PM

CUSHING ACADEMY IORIO ARENA

$5.00 ADMISSION

ALL ARE WELCOME!

SKATE RENTAL AND SNACKS AVAILABLE

GUIDANCE NEWS

We are in the midst of meeting with 11th graders for post secondary planning. This year’s 9th graders will be scheduled following April vacation.

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Test will be offered to interested juniors and seniors on April 26th from 8 am-11am. See Ms. Romanelli

Juniors are advised to take college entrance exams, the SAT is offered on May 7th and June 4th, the ACT is offered on June 11th.

Seniors, the deadline for the Common Scholarship application is April 15th. Those may be submitted to Mrs. Flinkstrom in guidance. Be sure to meet deadlines through the scholarship application process!

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OPEN TO THELIC

CHARTWELL’S Food Service  (This information has also been added to the student handbook) 

Chartwell’s  serves  a  nutritious  hot  lunch  with  many  choices.  An  extensive  a  la  carte  program  is  also available  including a morning Bagel Bar.   The price  for a complete student  lunch  is $2.75; reduced price lunch is $.40.  Various milks are available at $.50.  Breakfast is available daily from 7 am‐7:20 am for $1.50.   If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, you also get free or reduced breakfast (.30).  A prepayment system is available on line.  To access these services:  

1. Simply go to the district web site at www.awrsd.org  2. Click on the Food Services link.  3. Click on the MyNutrikids.com link. From this site you will create your account and add money to 

your child’s school meal account. All you need is your child’s name, student ID number and school ZIP code. The instructions listed on the back of this page will guide you through the easy online account set up process.  

 Things to know:  

If you have more than one child in the District you can handle all online prepayments from the same online account.  

Payments may be made through an existing PayPal account or with a major credit or debit card.   In order to use the online prepayment service, a small convenience fee for each transaction will be 

assessed to cover the bank fees. The convenience fee is $1.75 per deposit transaction. Parents placing money into multiple meal accounts at one sitting will only be assessed the $1.75 fee once per deposit transaction. Ashburnham Westminster Regional School District and Chartwells do not profit from the use of this site.  

A recommendation would be to deposit more money less often to avoid the $1.75 fee assessed at each deposit.  

More details and specific deposit instructions can be found at ww.awrsd.org, click on food services.  If you wish to pre‐pay by check, please make payable to:  Oakmont Food Service OR AWRSD Food Service.  Free and Reduced:  Last year’s list of students will carry over until Oct. 15th.  Parents need to submit an application every year to qualify.  They should get these applications in ASAP so they are approved by the Oct. 15th deadline.  

Checks can be dropped off in the main office or cafeteria. 

REMINDER TO PARENTS  Please DO NOT CALL or TEXT your child during school time. If you need to get in touch with them, please call Oakmont’s main office (978) 827‐5907 

 

SPRING ATHLETIC SCHEDULES AVAILABLE

AT www.highschoolsports.net

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OOAAKKMMOONNTT 5500 IMAGES FROM THE 1990s

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OPERATION HOPE WISH LIST IMPORTANT: All donated items must remain in their individual “unopened” packages.

The Thomas P. Sweeney American Legion Post in Ashburnham is collecting care package items to send to Ashburnham men and women serving in the armed forces. Items can be dropped at the American Legion Post. Thank you for supporting our troops. The Westminster VFW is considering participating in a similar program, we’ll let you know if that happens.

Air fresheners (stick‐ups, or the kind that hang in your car) Aloe Vera cream Batteries (AA and AAA) Battery‐operated personal fans and fan misters Beef and turkey jerky (Note: No Slim Jims – they contain pork, which is not allowed in Muslim countries) Blank Journals, Pens, stationery, postcards, unused greeting cards Board games (Dominoes, cribbage boards, Trivial Pursuit) Cards and letters (PLEASE DO NOT SEAL ENVELOPES) CD’s, VHS tapes, DVD’s (some troop tents have VCR’s etc.) Cough drops and Throat lozenges Crossword puzzles, word game books Crystal lite Cup of soup, Cup of Noodles, ‐ anything that can be mixed with hot water Dental and mouth care items (Dental floss, Lip balm) Disposable cameras Dried fruit Dry skin lotion Face cleansing pads Flashlights Flavored instant oatmeal Fly swatters Foil packs of tuna or chicken or pop‐top cans of tuna, chicken and Vienna sausages Foot Care Items (Athlete’s foot cream, Foot powder, White, cotton, tube athletic socks Game Equipment (Nerf football, basketballs, soccer balls, waffle ball and bat, Velcro dart game for their tents) Gold Bond powder and cream Granola bars and Power bars Gum (used on patrols to keep their mouths moist) Half‐gallon size plastic containers to prepare the drink mixes Hand and Feet Warmers Hand pumps for balls Hand sanitizers Hand‐held electronic games Hard candy Hobby items, such as a drawing tablet with a box of colored pencils Individual prepared servings of fruit and pudding, cheese and crackers, and peanut butter and crackers Instant coffee and hot cocoa mix in individual packets, both regular and diet Instant spiced apple cider mix in individual packets, both regular and diet Mouse traps Nuts – pistachios in the shells, peanuts, cans of nuts Phone cards Salsa and canned dips (not refrigerated) Salty Snacks (Doritos, Tostitos, Potato Chips sticks, Pretzels, Pringles, Cheese nips, Crackers, etc.) Sports section from the newspaper Sun block (SPF 30+) Sweet Snacks (Fiddle Faddle, Fruit Roll‐ups, Pop Tarts, Red licorice, Starburst, Twinkies etc.) Tissue packets that can be carried in your pocket Toiletries (Toothpaste, Toilet paper, Soap, Large baby wipes‐soft packs are best, Hand cream, Disposable razors) Travel‐sized First Aid Kits‐Blister Care Vitamins C and E, Multi‐vitamins Zinc tablets (Cold‐Eeze) Ziplock bags (all sizes, but especially gallon) (dust and dirt get into everything!) 

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THE ALUMNI WALKWAY at Oakmont Regional High School is a wonderful way to honor a friend, loved one, classmate or organization while supporting the Oakmont Booster Club Athletic Foundation. Bricks may be dedicated to a favorite teacher, deceased loved one, retired staff member, or purchase a brick in honor of a graduate. The brick will be placed on the walkway leading to the Arthur Hurd Field.

A personalized brick is certain to keep both spirit and tradition alive. The brick is engraved with the name of your choice in a quarter-inch depth that is painted dark, creating an impressive shadowing effect. The Brick is laser engraved, converting the clay in the brick to hardened glass, this creates a hard durable surface that can stand up to our northeast weather conditions.

A commemorative brick is available for purchase for any member of our high school family. The cost is $100 for a 4X8 brick or $225 for an 8X8 brick. A gift card is also available with each brick.

The Order Form is at the end of this newsletter and on-line at www.awrsd.org/oak. Be sure your engraving information is legible and that it fits the spaces provided.

Checks should be made payable to Oakmont Booster Club and mailed to: Oakmont Booster Club

P.O. Box 239 Westminster, MA 01473

For more information call 978-827-5040

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ALUMNI

WALKWAY Commemorative Brick Order form

Your name: _______________________________________________________________________________ Street Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________________ State: Zip: __________________________ Email Address: ____________________________________ Daytime Phone: _________________________ Please fill out this form completely. Be sure your engraving information is legible and that it fits the spaces provided. For more information call 978-827-5040

Brick Inscription (Please print clearly 20 character limit per line)

 Line 1                          Line2                                        Line 3                      Line 4 

 

Line 5 

Line 6  

4”x 8” Brick (3 lines) . . . . . . .$100.00 8”x 8” Brick (6 lines) . . . . . . .$225.00 Additional Donation (optional) . . . . . $_______ Total $______ Checks should be made payable to Oakmont Booster Club and mailed to:

Oakmont Booster Club P.O. Box 239 Westminster, MA 01473

Feel free to make copies of this for additional bricks.

Oakmont Booster Club reserves the right to reject any request deemed inappropriate

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