The last few weeks have been eventful and we have a lot of exciting things coming our way. I thought I would take a few minutes to fill you in.
Community Service:
On October 19, 2017, Academy students took take part in the world’s largest shared reading experience! The Read for the Record event brings together over 2 million people each year in classrooms, libraries, community centers, and homes across the country. Our students visited their former elementary schools and spent the afternoon reading the book “Quakers” to grades k-4. The students were a big hit with the kids! It’s important for our students to understand that they have quite a bit of influence and impact on our youth. It was a great event for us all. Our next community service field trip will be to the Greater Boston Food Bank on November 15th. I am asking students and parents a really big favor. The bus will leave at 6:15 am. I know this is very very early and is extremely inconveniencing a majority of you. We need to be in Boston for 7:30 am so it’s imperative we leave no later than 6:15. I will have a breakfast for the students (Bagel World, Dunkin Donuts). At the food bank, students will be handing out Thanksgiving meals to less fortunate. We have participated in this event for the last 7 years and it’s the staff’s favorite trip. We typically hand out close to 1000 meals to families. It’s eye opening and extremely rewarding for our students to have the ability to help. Please let me know if you have a problem getting your child to school this early. I will gladly try to work something out. If students are interested in doing more community service, the Center School is looking for student volunteers to work their annual Boo Bash. They are looking for students to work the Kindergarten- 2nd grade party on October 28th from 2-4 pm or Grade 3-5 dance from 5-7 pm. Please contact Mr. Bedard if any student is interested.
Attendance:
We are still having a problem with students arriving on time. Students can be tardy up to 3 times without facing consequences. Tardies 4-7 will result in a detention. Tardies 8+ will result in a more severe consequence such as a inschool suspension! Please work with your son/daughter on creating a plan to get up and out the door at a reasonable time.
Financial Aid Night:
On Monday October 23, 2017, the Peabody Veterans Memorial High School guidance department will be hosting a Financial Aid Night for students and their families in the cafeteria (in English and in Spanish). This is a critical meeting to make sure you are up to date on all the Federal financial Aid information that is out there. The workshops will begin PROMPTLY at 6:30pm. All Seniors and their parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to be there because it directly impacts you and your family! We also strongly recommend that juniors and their parents/guardians also attend so that you can begin planning for your senior year.
Salem State University:
PVMHS will be hosting Salem State University for an On The Spot Admission Event on November 30, 2017. Please sign up for a time slot with Mr. Bedard. Please fill out the application on line. Applications can be found here: https://www.salemstate.e
Scholarships:
Students at the Academy have the opportunity to apply and receive many different scholarships. One of these is exclusively for Academy students. the Simon Youth Foundation, the organization that has partnered with Peabody High School to offer this program, offers a scholarship program just for us. Students can receive up to $36,000.00 for college. Each of the last 7 years, we have at least one recipient of this type of scholarship at graduation. Students can apply now for one of these scholarships at: http://syf.org/
