Life is a Cabaret

Wow... what a show!! I am talking about last weekend's 6th Annual Cabaret Night put on by the MHS Performing Arts Department. The show featured 37 outstanding numbers from the MHS Concert Choir, Select Choir, After School Choir, and Dance Team. While most of the selections were classics from Broadway shows, there were a few contemporary pieces (dare I say campy?) including "What I've Been Looking For" from High School Musical, "Tell Me What You Want" from The Spice Girls Movie, and the show-stopping "Pokemon Song" from The Pokemon Movie! Congratulations to all of these talented students, as all of the performances were outstanding! Congrats also to MHS Choir Director Sheila Newton for once again putting together a show that highlights amazing talent. As Sheila pointed out at the start of each night's show, for so many students, the Cabaret represents a "stretch" where they are pushed to take risks and perform songs at their highest level. The students succeed, and it does wonders for their confidence and future aspirations. Isn't that what true learning is all about?

Here are a few snapshots of some of our performers:

"Comedy Tonight" performed by the Select Choir: (l to r)- Nicole Lynch, Johnny Fullerton, Duncan Fuller, Janelle Celestine, and Lloyd Hewitt

MHS' own Spice Girls: (l to r)- Nicole Lynch, Mariah McGrath, Katie Maleiko, Monica Cusak, and Julia Bogden

"Journey to the Past" performed by Ashley Traphagen






"Stars and Moon" performed by Emily Ruddy




Many thanks to Kelli Noonan, '09 for letting me "borrow" these photos and video! For a glimpse of the quality of performances, check out the below video, which is Allison Passanisi's rendition of the classic, "Alfie." Enjoy!

Know thy child's Facebook

This past week my assistant principals and I dealt with three issues of students using Facebook to harass other students. While this was not the first instance of this type of behavior, nor will it unfortunately be the last, it is interesting how these events are blurring the lines between what happens inside and outside of the schoolhouse. These incidents, commonly referred to as "cyberbullying," include harassing/threatening posts on social-networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, threatening instant messaging and text messages, and "sexting" (the transmission of sexually explicit images through text messaging).

A recent editorial by the LA Times entitled "Mean kids, online" states that, "Mean girls- and mean boys- have been terrorizing their classmates since the first schoolhouse was built." The new reality is that the Internet has eroded clear distinctions of physical locations, thus student harassment can extend far beyond the reaches of the school campus. The editorial points out the fact that courts have recently been reversing school disciplinary decisions where cyberbullying has occurred but not during school time or on school grounds. Furthermore, the courts state that schools have failed to prove that the behavior caused a substantial disruption to the school setting. While making the point that parents must educate their kids about cyberbullying, the piece fails to recognize that principals are charged with creating a warm, safe, and orderly school environment where all students can learn and grow. Cyberbullying is insidious, and when it goes unchecked, it can have very real negative consequences in the school setting. It invariably adds fuel to the fire, and the cycle of verbal and at times, physical harassment continues in school. Several cases in the news, the most recent being the tragedy at South Hadley High School where a 15-year old freshman committed suicide after being tormented by a group of peers both online and in person, have brought to the fore how severe the victimization can be.

With so many teenagers there does not appear to be full cognition of consequences. It's almost as if they do not understand how powerful their words are- especially now that they're in the public domain. Some make the demarcation in their minds that what is posted in cyberspace on their time cannot be addressed by the school. For example, last week when I called one young man into my office to confront him on some Facebook postings- ones that were incredibly crude and insensitive and directed at a complete stranger (whose relative emailed me the link due to her dismay)- his immediate reaction to me was, "You can't do anything about that! I did that outside of school!" While he had a point, there was still a moral responsibility to address this behavior. Luckily I had support when I shared the posting with his parents, who then in turn took appropriate action.

And that's where it all starts.... with parents in the home setting. While it is laudable that the State Legislature will soon be passing a new comprehensive anti-bullying law that envelopes cyberbullying, the first line of defense starts at home. Research consistently shows that 90% of parents claim that they regularly check what their children are doing online, but when the same kids are surveyed, only 50% say that's true. Parents must ensure that this "monitoring gap" isn't the case in their homes. I say from first-hand experience: know what your kids are posting. If your son/daughter has a Facebook account, you should too. Make sure you friend them and then have unrestricted access to all of their postings, photos, videos, etc. Know who they are talking to online and the content of their communications. Ensure that all privacy settings for your child are intact and they are not sharing personal information (e.g., home phone, cell phone, address, sibling names, etc.). These may seem like simple, common-sense measures, but it is alarming how few parents follow through on these steps.

The Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) at Bridgewater State College has published a document on avoiding and responding to problems on Facebook. It may be found be clicking here.

Happy Groundhog Day

Alas, as it has happened 100 times since 1887, today a silly groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow, and thus there will be six more weeks of dreaded winter. (Note to self: Do you think the shadow might have anything to do with the thousands of video cameras and 5,000-waat klieg lights that descend on Punxsutawney, PA every year??) So to my colleagues Mr. Farinella, Mr. Fitzgerald, and Mr. McGovern- don't even think about teeing it up comfortably in mid-March!

Speaking of Groundhog Day.... did you catch the oddball piece that made the national press last week, where the animal rights group PETA proposed using a robotic groundhog instead of Phil? Are you kidding me? First off, a groundhog is part of the marmota monax species, a.k.a. the woodchuck. We are talking about a rodent here! I'm all for not being cruel to animals, but don't you think these folks are going a little off the deep end here??

Besides, the last time an animatronic rodent was featured, things didn't quite end so well.... (Sorry....I couldn't resist- my favorite movie!)

Who Wants To Be Jeetayu Biswas?

One of the best and brightest of the MHS Class of 2009 recently did his hometown proud on the ABC gameshow, "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?" Last Wednesday, Jeetayu Biswas, who is now a freshman at Brandeis University, appeared on the show as a contestant.

While he did not capture the ultimate prize of $1,000,000, the cool, calm, and collected Jeetayu did great, earning $10,000 toward his future educational expenses. After correctly answering the first four questions, Jeetayu was unsure on the $12,500 question which was: Which poet made the now-famous declaration of "Good fences make good neighbors"? Unsure of the answer, Jeetayu used his last lifeline, the "Phone An Expert" (in this case, ABC's Good Morning America weekend host Kate Snow). Snow said that she believed it was Robert Frost (which it was), but she was not certain. Rather than risking everything, Jeetayu walked away with the ten grand. Good for him!! That was one tough question for $12,500!!

During his four-year tenure at MHS, Jeetayu was an honors student, a member of the Student Council and state STUCO Leadership Group, a member of the National Honor Society, a National Merit Scholar, and a standout on the swim and track teams. He is presently studying neuroscience at Brandeis with the ultimate goal of being a doctor someday.

Way to go, Jeet!

An Everyday Hero

It takes many people to make a school run successfully. At Mansfield High School there are many teachers, paraprofessionals, food service workers, maintenance people, and custodians that professionally do their jobs everyday with a positive attitude and little fanfare. They strive to give their best due to pride and a consistent desire to do what's best for kids. I call these people everyday heroes because they are the heart and soul of a school community and make a difference in so many lives. Debbie McLaughlin was an everyday hero.

There has been a great deal of shock and sadness in the MHS cafeteria in the past week. Last Tuesday Debbie McLaughlin, a Mansfield Food Service worker for the past nine years, unexpectedly collapsed and passed away, presumably from a massive heart attack. She was only 55 years old.

Debbie was an absolute sweetheart and a pleasure to work with. I will never forget her easy-going and affable manner. She was always there to welcome our students with a smile and a greeting of "How are you today, honey?" (everyone was "honey"). When she worked the register at one of the a la carte stations, she was always kind and patient, as it was never a big deal if a student was a dime or quarter short. She always "got it" and always had a heart of gold.

She was one of the first people I met during my first lunch on the first day of school last year. After introducing herself, she proceeded to give me a lay of the land, explaining the flow of how efficient the operation in the MHS cafeteria was, especially in light of how much the student population has grown in recent years. Most of all, she shared with me how much she really loved the kids at MHS, how kind and respectful they were and how they made her job very easy.

I would talk to Debbie on most days. Simple chit-chat about what was on our minds. Over the course of the last year and a half she shared with me all sorts of thoughts about our school and town. We would talk about our families. She shared with me her joy about becoming a grandmother for the first time last year, a beautiful baby girl for her daughter, Shannon. She spoke of the pride she had for her son, Justin, a 17-year-old junior at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School. Our conversations were about everyday, slice-of-life types of things.

It is during these sad, quiet, and reflective times that I am reminded of a lesson I have learned in my life. We tend to focus on the big things- our goals, our dreams, our accomplishments. It's easy to gear our existence toward those things. But in reality, our true worth may be found in the everyday, simple events: how we treat and interact with each other, how we view the world, and the attitude and spirit we project to others. Those are things that really count, the things that we remember. By that measure, Debbie's life was an unqualified success.

Debbie leaves behind two daughters, Shannon and Melissa, and her son, Justin. During this difficult time I ask you to keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Devastation in Haiti

I am sure that all of you have seen the horrific images of the devastation created by last Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake centered in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This is one of the largest humanitarian disasters of our lifetime. Latest estimates from the UN have over 200,000 dead and up to 4 million injured, most of these requiring medical attention and not receiving it. The international forces that are presently mobilizing in this poverty-stricken country have major challenges in getting food, water, shelter, and medical care to literally millions of people.

How You Can Help:

Here is a brief list of reputable organizations that are actively involved in providing relief efforts to the earthquake victims:

• The American Red Cross: Perhaps the easiest way to donate is to text the word "Haiti" to 90999 and $10 will be charged to your cell phone bill. As of today, the Red Cross has received over $9 million in donations via this method.
• The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund: Formed by former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, the fund is committed to providing the necessary resources that Haitians need. Donations may also be provided by texting the word "quake" to 20222 (also a $10 donation).
• Doctors Without Borders: is striving to provide as much surgery and general care of patients as possible.
• Save the Children: is on the scene providing life-saving assistance such as food, water, shelter, and child-friendly spaces for youth, particularly those who may be orphaned.
• United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund: The UN's humanitarian fund that responds to emergencies like the earthquake in Haiti.
• CARE: This international organization has 5,000 volunteers in the country, as they are focusing on the health of children, distributing water sanitation tablets, food, hygiene kits, and emergency health care.
• Catholic Relief Services: has made an immediate commitment of $5 million for emergency supplies. They are distributing food and relief supplies, and importing plastic sheeting, mosquito nets and water purification tablets from the Dominican Republic.

The MHS faculty donated a sum of $400 to Doctors Without Borders last Friday with money raised from a staff dress-down day. The Visual Arts Department will soon be organizing a fundraiser so students may get involved. More to follow...

Communities that Care Youth Survey Results- What Do They Tell Us?

Recently both the Sun Chronicle and the Mansfield News ran pieces about Mansfield's results from the Communities that Care Youth Survey, a survey that was administered last June to all students in grades 6-12 in Mansfield, Foxboro, and Norton. The survey asks teens questions about their attitudes and practices with regard to tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana usage. It was done as a first strategic step as the work of the Tri-Town Drug and Alcohol Awareness Task Force commenced. The mindset of the group, comprised of educators, police, local and state lawmakers, and representatives from various social agencies, was to obtain good data on the extent of substance abuse by teens in the three communities. To see a summary of the results, follow this link to the Mansfield Public Schools website.

In the past three weeks I have presented the results to different groups of teachers, students, and parents. There's probably nothing shocking in the results, as it is a snapshot of the attitudes and practices around alcohol and marijuana use in our state and throughout the country. And that in itself is part of the problem.... we have all grown so accustomed to the idea that kids drink and it's a "rite of passage."

For example, the survey asked all students if they have used alcohol in the past 30 days. Here are the results for Mansfield:

As the results show, approximately half of MHS seniors have been drinking at least once in the past month. These results are similar to those found statewide (where 46% in grades 9-12 report use of alcohol in the past 30 days). The survey also shows that a smaller number, 27% of MHS students, have smoked pot in the past 30 days. This is slightly higher than the state results, where 25% of students in grades 9-12 have used marijuana in the past month.

The survey asks questions that identify risk factors (things that may lead to abusing substances) and protective factors (things that may protect from abusing substances). An obvious risk factor is how easily teens may obtain alcohol or marijuana. Here's how Mansfield students perceive how easy it is to procure alcohol:

By comparison, here is how easy it is to obtain pot, according to students:

These results indicate that our students find it relatively easy to obtain alcohol, and to a slightly greater degree, pot. This apparent availability of these substances presents a definite risk factor for Mansfield's youth. This fact underscores the point that this is a community problem, not just a school problem. As a community we must come together and present a consistent, unified message about the decisions our young people make with regard to the use of drugs and alcohol. As high school principal, I have no bigger fear than getting the call that there has been yet another needless tragedy, and the life of one my students has been lost due to a poor decision.

If you are interested in seeing and discussing the Communities that Care Youth Survey results, I will be holding the first meeting of the MHS Parent Advisory Council on Monday, January 25 at 7:00 pm in the MHS library. This topic will be our first agenda item. All are welcome to attend.

This is a problem that we as a society have been grappling with for generations, and it definitely is not going to be solved overnight. However, we can definitely do more than we presently are. We must strive to get the message out to youth more consistently. We must continue to support positive options for kids such as extracurricular programs and sports. We must find tangible ways to bolster the kids that buck peer pressure and consistently make good choices. We must support policies that close the loopholes and appropriately penalize minors and their parents/guardians that violate state law by permitting abuse.

If any new ideas, programs, or policies make a difference to save the life of even a single child, isn't it worth it?