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STRESS LESS - A SIMPLE CHECK IN By: Lori Malnati and Elizabeth Masterman, School Adjustment Counselors

April is stress awareness month. As we know, stress is a universal experience. We’ve all felt it at one time or another, and we will undoubtedly experience it many more times throughout our lives.

Sometimes stress can feel good and can motivate us to push ourselves, and other times it can be incapacitating. The important thing to know is that stress can manifest itself in our bodies, our thoughts, and our emotions; so we need to be aware of what is going on in ALL of those areas.

The best way to increase your level of self-awareness is to STOP! Stop what you’re doing and take a few minutes to do a check-in with yourself. Maybe close your eyes, and simply ask yourself a few questions such as:

What am I feeling physically right now, in this moment?

What I am feeling emotionally right now?

What’s going on with my thoughts?

You might bring your attention to each part of the body and notice any sensations, areas of tension, discomfort, pain, or anything else that feels “off”. The goal is to just notice what is going on so that you can respond accordingly.

If you notice that you have a headache and then realize that you haven’t eaten or drank much during the day, then the solution is to eat something, hydrate, and to not run to grab the bottle of Tylenol or Ibuprofen.

If you notice that you feel lightheaded and nauseated before public speaking or when meeting new people, you might wonder why you always feel “sick” in these situations.

Because the body is experiencing lots of physical symptoms, you might think that you’re getting the stomach flu or some other illness. You might decide to take some TUMS, drink some ginger-ale, or avoid the situation that made you feel “sick”. By doing all of this you might actually feel a little better, but that isn’t really treating the primary problem. There’s something emotional underneath those physical symptoms and unless that is treated, those physical symptoms will undoubtedly happen again.

Paying attention to your thoughts might be a little bit trickier. Think of your brain using the analogy of a snow globe. When we shake a snow globe and put it down, eventually all the snow settles back down to the bottom. If your brain is constantly going, it may never be able to settle itself. One thought can lead to another, which leads to another, and another, etc. You might notice that you constantly overthink things or that you always seem to think negatively and have a glass half-empty kind of attitude. Again, you might not recognize this as stress because you aren’t feeling it in the body or emotionally, but nonetheless it’s still there. Our brains need to have the ability to settle.

Being mindful of our whole being can help us build a foundation of personal wellness and power. But, we have to be aware of the problem or vulnerability before we can do something about it. Taking a few moments periodically throughout each day to do that simple check-in with yourself will quickly improve your level of self-awareness. Over time, you will feel less stressed, more balanced, and more empowered to handle whatever comes your way.

Remember, this only takes a couple of minutes and on the busiest of days, that might be all we have. A few minutes of mindfulness here and there can have the same effect on people as an hour of exercise. Try it out and stick with it. You’ll see a difference!

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OAKMONT REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

April 2018

Administration Main Office Staff

David Uminski, Principal Laurie Kortegast, Administrative Assistant

Kristina Bogosh, Assistant Principal Inga Morin, Administrative Assistant

Kathryn Miville, Dean of Students Cathy Stangroom, Registrar

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EVENING with the ARTS

Friday May 6, 2016 6:30 - 8:00 pm

Oakmont Regional High School.

Displays include over 1,200 pieces of Visual Arts from all grade levels and course offerings, Technology Engineering student work, and the award winning Oakmont Jazz Band! Shown here are the 2016 Senior Artists! The event is free and open to the public! Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to our culminating exhibition of student work

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. 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.

Guidance News

Counselors are in the midst of meeting with 11th

graders for post secondary planning. This year’s

9th graders will begin scheduling for 2017-2018

classes during April.

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude

Battery (ASVAB) Test will be offered to

interested juniors and seniors on April 12th from 9

am-12pm. Students must see their guidance

counselor to sign up.

Those juniors, who are applying to 4 year

colleges, are advised to take college entrance

exams, the SAT is offered on May 5th and June

2nd, the ACT is offered on June 9th. Register on-

line. www.collegeboard.com or

www.actstudent.org

Seniors, the deadline for the General

Scholarship Application is April 13th. Those

may be submitted to Ms.McLoughlin in guidance.

Be sure to meet deadlines throughout the

scholarship application process!

On May 17th, Oakmont is offering the SOS (Signs

of Suicide) Second ACT: Preparing For Life

Beyond High School program for our senior

class. This booster program is a “refresher

course” for students finishing high school,

reinforcing the teaching points of the original

SOS program that was presented to them in the

ninth grade. This program also serves as an

introduction to college and community-based

mental health services, should the students need to

access them after they leave high school.

Please park in designated

VISITOR spaces

All numbered spaces are

assigned to students and staff

Thank you for your cooperation

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PARENTS

Please remember to update your contact information if it changes, especially email addresses.

We want to keep our Rediker information current.

Thank you.

Community benefit

hockey game And road race

To Benefit the

Family of Aiden Lafleur

SATURDAY, April 7, 2018

ROAD RACE 9 AM

BRIGGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ROAD RACE REGISTRATION FORM

HOCKEY GAME 2:30 PM

IORIO ARENA AT CUSHING ACADEMY

SPRING SPORTS SCHEDULES AVAILABLE AT

rSchoolToday

www.mwlma.org Click on Oakmont

The Oakmont-Overlook Marching Spartans are headed to Disney in early December

2018!

All are welcome to join this excellent ensemble, and have the performance

opportunity of a lifetime!

Email kdemoura@awrsd.org for more information

NURSES NEEDED

AWRSD is currently looking for registered nurses to

substitute at Oakmont

CLICK HERE:

SUBSTITUTE APPLICATION PACKET

Or contact Marcia Sharkey at msharkey@awrsd.org.

Thank you!

Oakmont Regional High School is now accepting book,

video, DVD, CD, and audio book PLUS SHOES AND CLOTHES!! Drop off your contributions to help raise money

for the school’s Business Education Department

For more information: Contact Wendy LeBlanc wleblanc@awrsd.org (978) 827-5907 x2174

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MORNING TRAFFIC

For those of you who are trying to get to

Oakmont or Overlook between 7:10 am and

7:30 am, you know the traffic is a nightmare.

Out of safety concerns, we ask that cars from

Westminster and Ashburnham try to alternate

pulling onto Oakmont Drive, allowing cars to

exit Oakmont Drive as part of the rotation.

Our new drivers have been anxious trying to

turn into the driveway, especially from the

Westminster side. We would also suggest an

alternative route from Westminster using Rt.

140, Rt. 101 and South Main St. to enter

Oakmont/Overlook from the Ashburnham side.

When dropping students off in front of

Oakmont, please pull down as far as you can go

down the island (as long as there are no large

snow banks), this will minimize the back up on

the driveway.

Of course, having students ride to school on the

school bus would also lessen the volume of

traffic.

Thank you.

APRIL CALENDAR

April 4 School Council 6:00 pm Nims Library April 5 District Choral Night 6:30 pm Alumni Auditorium April 6 Carey Dodgeball Tournament 6:00 pm New Gym April 7 Community Benefit Road Race 9:00 am JR Briggs to Cushing April 7 Community Benefit Hockey Game 2:30 pm Iorio Arena, Cushing April 9-13 Harmony Week (See schedule below) April 12 District Jazz Night 6:30 pm Alumni Auditorium April 16-20 NO SCHOOL- April Break April 27 Spring Musical: “Peter Pan” 7:00 pm Alumni Auditorium April 28 Spring Musical: “Peter Pan” 2:00 & 7:00 pm Alumni Auditorium May 4 Evening with the Arts 6:30-8:00 pm Main Lobby

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HAVE BREAKFAST AT OAKMONT

BREAKFAST IS SERVED DAILY 7:00 - 7:25 AM

MILK, JUICE, AND EITHER AN EGG SANDWICH,

BAGEL, OR MUFFIN $1.50

(REDUCED PRICE IS $ .30, MILK $.50)

CHECK OUT THIS INFO ON OUR WEBSITE:

Parent Resources Student Resources

News Library

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

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SENIOR MARCHING SPARTANS

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE

REDIKER PARENT GRADING

PORTAL?

CONTACT:

support@awrsd.org

Oakmont Regional High School

is on Twitter AND Facebook!

Follow us!

@OakmontRegional and the

OAKMONT OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

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Empowering Teens with Anxiety

Isabelle O’Connor and Mya Hamilton

March 22, 2018

Great Wolf Lodge

Adolescents Against Opioid Abuse

Alli Raymond, Jenna Duval, and

Olivia Klose

Harmonic Heroes Abby Cote and Abby Paradis

Oakmont 4 Irlen Emily Pilsbury and Jonathon Pack

Leaders, Innovating, Fascinating, and

Educating

Ari Deery and Katelyn Murphy

Pathway to Successful Health Development

Hannah Fells and Victoria Powers

Paws for Psych Taylor Gilbert and Amanda Porter

Spartan Center Olivia Wells (Missing from picture)

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M A R C H S P A R T A N S O F T HE M O N T H

“Super Spartans”

Anna Lafortune and Olivia Kuehl Anna is President of SAC, Cross Country and Track Captain, and VP of SADD

Olivia is a member of SAC, Marching Band, Winter Percussion, Prom Committee and a B.O.L.D. mentor. They facilitated the Oakmont “Call to Action “and memorial for the victims of the Parkland tragedy

Past 17-18 Recipients: September: Alex Arcangeli, Sydney Hertel, and Owen Romano

October: Cody Comeau and Matt Anderson November: Liam Cole, Cole Ellsworth, and Ben Telicki

December: Alicyn Gormley, Eden Koljian, and Jarrod Tshudy January: Stephen Altobelli

February: CJ Kelleher

Thank you to the following businesses for sponsoring our Spartan of the Month student recognition program:

Advanced Glass & Mirror, All About You, Athol Savings Bank, Aubuchon Hardware Store, Balfour, Cormier Electrical, Depot General Store, Donna’s Barber Shop, Dr. John Skrzypczak,

E.J. Wyson Trucking, Haley Construction, Hearne Realty Group, IC Federal Credit Union, The Laundry Room, Millside Plumbing & Heating Co., NEPA/Blue Heron, Rick’s Auto Repair & Service, Rt. 140

Self Storage, Sawyer-Miller-Masciarelli Funeral Homes , and Young at Heart

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COLLEGE VISITS College visits and interviews must be pre-approved by

Guidance for the absence to be excused.

Approval forms are in the Guidance Office.

To be eligible for an excused absence:

The student must be a SENIOR or JUNIOR in

good academic standing

Parent, Guidance and Administration must sign the

form

Parents should call the school the day of the visit to

verify the absence

A signature from a College Admissions Officer is

required

Student must return the form to the Main Office

after the visit (the absence will be considered

unexcused until the completed form is returned to

the office.)

Thank you for your cooperation.

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Hercules the green turtle goes back home

Collecting turtle data

Observing gray whale mamas and their calves

EPI RESEARCH WORK IN MEXICO By Alana Arcangelo, Biology Teacher

During the first week of March, I had the privilege of traveling to the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico to do citizen science research with Ecology Project International as a Teacher Fellow. The purpose of the fellowship was to engage science teachers in real scientific field work and ignite their passion for conservation science, with the hope that they would bring that passion back to the classroom.

EPI’s mission is to create environmentally literate students worldwide. Most of their work is done with local students, some of which I was honored to meet. They engage teenagers and young adults in local conservation projects such as sea turtle monitoring in Mexico and Costa Rica, documenting the effects of invasive lionfish on the barrier reefs of

Belize, and giant tortoise conservation in the Galapagos.

I worked with 11 other teachers from across the United States and 2 scientists from Mexico. We lived in tents with no electricity or running water on the beach of Magdalena Bay. The focus of our work was to mark or recapture green sea turtles. For one 24 hour period, we checked specially set nets every two hours for sea turtles, and when we caught them we would collect biometric data such as weight, length and width of their bodies, their sex, and identifying characteristics such as notches in the shell or scars, and evaluate the presence of parasitic barnacles. If the turtle had been caught previously, we recorded its tag number. If not, we tagged its back flippers with metal tags, as well as the coordinates of where and when we caught it, whether the tide was high or low, and we got to name them. Our data went to a group who collects and evaluates sea turtle data called SWOT (State of the World’s Sea Turtles) http://www.seaturtlestatus.org/ . We captured, tagged, and released nine turtles over the 24 hour period.

During the fellowship we also got to observe gray whale mothers

and calves. Gray whales come to the Sea of Cortez every year to have their babies, and it was an incredible experience to see these magnificent whales up close. The Mexican government highly regulates human interactions with these creatures, so we were only allowed to approach them on one specific day, and only two boats were allowed to approach a whale at a

time. We can’t get too close to them, but often these intelligent, mammals were curious enough about us to come close to the boats on their own. We would often see their spouts as we did our turtle work. They seemed to be everywhere!

The final experience we participated in was a monitoring study with whale sharks, the largest fish in the world. For this study we were allowed to actually get in the water with these magnificent gentle giants and snorkel with them as they swam by. In addition to just making us all hyperventilate into our snorkel tubes, we were watching for a peculiar behavior where the sharks swam on their sides, exposing their bellies. None of the three sharks I observed exhibited the behavior. Again, this activity is highly regulated by the Mexican government. Only one boat was allowed to approach a shark, and you had to remain 3 meters away from the animal while snorkeling. This experience was life changing!!

I came back from the trip filled with a renewed passion for conservation work and a drive to get students engaged in preserving the biodiversity of the planet. Someday I will take students to one of these places so they can participate in a field science project with endangered species as well.

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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

ATM AVAILABLE

An ATM has been installed in the vestibule next to the Kiuru Health Room primarily for the convenience of spectators attending athletic events and to support athletic vending. Students are not allowed to use it during the school day.

Come FLY with Oakmont

students in PETER PAN!

Friday April 27 at 7:00 pm

Saturday April 28 at 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm

Tickets available NOW online at awrsd.org/oak

Adults: $14

High school/college students + seniors: $10 Under 12: $8

Reserved seating only

ALUMNI UPDATE

Congratulations to Javian Solis, Class of 2017, for

completing Marine Corps Basic Training at Parris Island

on March 9, 2018.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

BACK PARKING LOT

TRAFFIC FLOW

For safety reasons, please enter the back parking lot

through the second or third entry points and exit through

the exit nearest the gym. There is a Do Not Enter Sign

and Yellow Arrows as reminders.

The area to the right of the gym, is a

NO DROP-OFF/PICK UP Zone. THANK YOU!

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Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are

general terms for more complex disorders that are

typically associated with disability, difficulties in motor

coordination and attention and physical health issues,

according to autismspeaks.org. The disorder begins to

develop in the very early stages of brain development but

often shows signs and symptoms between ages two and

three. Overall, autism is characterized by difficulties in

social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication

and repetitive behaviors.

Autism is one of the fastest growing developmental

disorders in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC) estimates autism’s prevalence as

1 in 68 children in the United States. This includes 1 in

42 boys and 1 in 189 girls. Approximately one third of

people with autism remain nonverbal and/or have an

intellectual disability. Autism is often accompanied

by certain medical and mental health issues frequently,

including gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures, sleep

disturbances, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder

(ADHD), anxiety and phobias.

Although there is no definite answer as to what causes

this disorder, it is certain there is not just one type.

Autism puts an emotional and financial strain on

families, an average of $60,000 annually. Currently there

is no way to tell if a child will have autism and there is

no medical cure, yet it still receives less than 5% of

funding for research, the lowest funded category by the

NIH (National Institute for Health.) Therefore, especially

with this lack of funding, a major key to assisting earlier

diagnosis is awareness.

April is Autism Awareness Month

Take notice and help to make a

positive impact

OEA wrapped up a successful Green Week March 19-23. Our focus was on Ocean Conservation and each day had a specific theme such as Coral Reefs, Pollution, Sustainable Fishing, Invasive Species, and Oil Spills. We sold buttons for $1 each purchase counted as a vote to symbolically adopt an endangered ocean species- sea turtles, orcas, humpback whales, or whale sharks. The whale sharks won this year by an overwhelming majority! OEA will donate the money raised to a nonprofit focusing on whale shark conservation, as well as to the World Wildlife Fund.

Chandler bikes his way to a smoothie

OEA seniors sell smoothies to save the oceans

Bringing awareness to plastic pollution in the oceans

Thank you to all who participated!

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CONGRATULATIONS MS. S!! FCSN Community Partnership Award

Recipient

As a teenager, Brittany Smeltekop thought that being a mechanic would be her career of choice in the adult world. But when her boyfriend’s father noticed how good she was with children, she saw another path in her future, eventually achieving a Masters degree in special education. She had been in her position in the Ashburnham / Westminster district for just one year when her supervisor asked her to create a program for high school students who had special needs. She did some research, looking at programs like Best Buddies (which has a wait list and requires a financial investment), and saw a great need for students to connect with peers of ALL abilities. Thus, the “Friends Club” was born.

The Club began as a bowling group with just seven members, but in its first year the program grew to include 70 students and included activities such as movies, gift swaps, and laser tag. This growth was due in no small part to Brittany’s conscious outreach and availability to the entire student body. She would stand outside her classroom during breaks so kids would recognize her face, and she cultivated relationships with teenagers both inside and outside of the special education realm. Although Brittany initially tried pairing students up, she soon saw that things worked best when they were free to create natural relationships and mentorships among themselves.

There is one very special relationship that Brittany would like us to mention: the one she shares with her friend Jill. Brittany met Jill while working on her transition team at the high school, and has continued helping one-on-one to boost both the academic skills that will help Jill get her diploma and life skills that will help her be independent. They spend time together each week, whether cooking dinner or enjoying a day at the beach. Brittany describes Jill as being “like a sister” to her – which is not terribly surprising. Brittany is the kind of teacher who is as motivated by her students as they are by her, and who looks past labels to help the person inside.

From: FCSN AWARD

SUTELA NATIONAL SILVER MEDALIST

Senior Artist, Kiley Sutela’s painting titled "Overlooking Quito" was awarded a National Silver Medal! The painting initially earned a Gold Key Award at the Regional level, it was then sent to New York to be juried by a panel of National level jurors who awarded her a National Silver Medal.

Kiley is also President of the Oakmont National Art Honor Society Chapter.

NEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONS!!

Congratulations to the Winter Guard on

their NESBA 2018 Scholastic Regional

Championship win with a score of 92.93!

VIEW THE PERFORMANCE

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Cam and Kaytlen with Senator Markey

On the steps of the Capitol

What is Civil Air Patrol? By: Kaytlen Gustafson and Cameron Rocheford

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the Official Air Force Auxiliary. Anyone ages 12-21 can join. Civil Air Patrol was formed exactly one week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 150,000 volunteers who enjoyed aviation and loved their country petitioned to create an organization in order to protect their country. President Harry Truman incorporated CAP as a benevolent, non-profit organization on July 1, 1946. However, on May 26, 1948 Congress passed a Public Law making CAP the Official Air Force Auxiliary. Today, CAP provides many learning opportunities including Emergency Services, Physical Fitness, Leadership, Aviation, and other aspects of Aerospace as well. There is something for everyone. CAP has helped many young people aspire to reach their dreams.

In Goddard Cadet Squadron, one out of thirteen squadrons in Massachusetts, we have had Cadets go into the Army, Marines, Air Force Academy, Mass Maritime, and WPI. If you would like to learn more click below. http://www.goddardcadetsquadron.com/home Civil Air Patrol provides amazing opportunities. We were given the opportunity to present the Colors in Color Guard for the New England Revolution soccer team at Gillette Stadium, as shown above. Another big opportunity we were given was to travel to Washington DC and meet a few members of Congress. We were selected among only a few other people. This invitation is usually only put out to seniors, but this year there was an exception to broaden the invitation to juniors as well. While in DC we met Ed Markey and Jim McGovern. We were able to sit down with them and tell them about our program and we were able to ask questions about their careers and the opportunities that they were given. We also met with the aides of other members of Congress as well. We were also able to tour, museums monuments and stand on the steps of the Capitol Building. CAP has truly transformed since inception. Today with over 50,000 active members, the program has developed from solely national security, to a youth leadership and aerospace organization. CAP creates an environment in which cadets can excel in the fields which they find interesting, and creates leadership

opportunities in them. The program has endless special activities, ranging from powered flight academies (cadets learn how to fly aircraft and navigate on their own), to cyber security training. On top of this the contacts and lifelong friends which the program garners gives Cadets opportunities even after they leave CAP. With all these great experiences within the program, cadets never run out of parts of CAP to enjoy. If you are looking for a JROTC equivalent, or are interested in aerospace, current events, engineering, cyber defense, or military leadership, then Civil Air Patrol is for you.

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OAKMONT STUCO

Mr. Dufour

MASC advisor of the year

MASC GOLD COUNCIL OF

EXCELLENCE and Top ten

project award

Amanda PORTER ELECTED

MASC EXECUTIVE BOARD

DELEGATE

AWRSD MUSIC PROGRAM

CONCERT SERIES

🎶

Grades 3-12 on stage together

🎶

This concert will feature all choirs of the

Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District

with a combined performance of all choirs at the

conclusion.

🎶

This concert will feature all jazz bands of the

Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District

with a combined performance of all bands and

special performance of an alumni jazz band at the

conclusion.

ALL SHOWS BEGIN AT

6:30 PM

ALUMNI AUDITORIUM

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HARMONY WEEK Wellness and Connection

April 9-13, 2018

Monday

KICKOFF

Positive Message Day

Tuesday

Dr. Potee Presentation

Substance Abuse and the

Teenage Brain

Double Assembly

“Wear PJ Day” (Rest is good for wellness)

Wednesday

Former Patriot: Chris Sullivan

Effects of Drug Addiction

“Wear Athletic Apparel” (Exercise for health and well-being)

Thursday

Random Acts of Kindness

“Tourist Day” (Vacation is good for your health)

Friday

Open Lunch

“Spread the Word to End the

Word”

“Wear Green and White” (Unity of community, Eating Healty

FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS Students with unpaid school bills are ineligible for participation until obligations are met, i.e.: lost books, lost uniforms, class dues, cafeteria, etc. Ten school days after Report Cards are received financial ineligibility list will be published. At that point students on that list may not be eligible to participate in co-curricular activities.

Parents will receive bills from our office 4 times a year around report card time.

DYMEK MEDALS AT NATIONAL SWIM MEET

2018 TYR ISCA Junior National Championship Cup that was held at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA where Kasja competed against some of the fastest young swimmers in the United States.

Kasja finished in 3rd place in the 50 Yard Butterfly winning the bronze medal.

She won the silver medal in the 100 Yard Butterfly and finished in 5th place in the 200 Yard Butterfly. Kasja also found time to finish 10th in the 50 Yard Freestyle and 18th in the 100 Yard Freestyle. As a part of several "A" relay teams, Kasja and her relay mates finished 8th in the 200 Yard Medley Relay, 6th in the 800 Yard Freestyle relay and 5th in the 400 Yard Freestyle relay.

BODY POSITIVE

Hannah Caisse, Class of 2015, led two school assemblies on the importance of healthy living and positive body

image regardless of how beauty is portrayed in the media and advertising.

The presentation was sponsored by Young at Heart.

WORK PERMITS

Work permits can now be found on-line http://oak.awrsd.org/

Click on “Forms”

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Anna Lafortune:

Thank you for joining us today as we honor and remember the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas high

school shooting in Parkland, Florida. One month ago today on February 14th, 17 people, both students and

teachers, lost their lives in one of the deadliest acts of gun violence to ever occur in the United States, and one

of several school shootings since the start of 2018. We’re gathered here to remember these innocent lives in

hopes that our legislation will continue to develop meaningful actions so events like these never happen again.

The worst thing they can do is nothing- it’s time to do something.

In 1999, after the Columbine shooting, the names of the victims were read at a vigil. After each name was read,

the people who had gathered to honor them replied with three simple words: We will remember. After each

name of the 17 victims of the Parkland shooting, please join me in saying those three words as a promise to the

victims and to their families and friends- we will remember.

Alyssa Alhadef We will remember.

Scott Beigel We will remember.

Martin Duque Anguiano We will remember.

Nicholas Dworet We will remember.

Aaron Feis We will remember.

Jamie Guttenberg We will remember.

Chris Hixon We will remember.

Luke Hoyer We will remember.

Cara Loughran We will remember.

Gina Montalto We will remember.

Joaquin Oliver We will remember.

Alaina Petty We will remember.

Meadow Pollack We will remember.

Helena Ramsay We will remember.

Alex Schachte We will remember.

Carmen Schentrup We will remember.

Peter Wang We will remember.

Thank you.

CALL TO ACTION

MEMORIAL

MARCH 14, 2018

Haley Davis: For the students/teachers staying inside we are standing up for what we believe in by not walking out. We believe a solution should be found to prevent tragedies like Parkland from ever happening again but not solve it in the way the nation walkout is suggesting. Today we are showing our respect to Parkland and at this moment we are taking 17 seconds of silence to show respect for the 14 students 3 teachers that passed away at Parkland. Thank you

STUDENT VOICES

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Stephen Altobelli: Pretty soon, there will be another school shooting. Various studies estimate that mass shootings occur on average anywhere from once every two weeks to once a day. When the next one does happen we’ll take to social media, posting pictures of blood-splattered NRA logos, or pictures of Hitler and Mao captioned with the phrase “Gun control works. Just ask the experts.” We’ll retreat into our partisan bunkers and shout and yell and say “Never Again!”, or #NeverAgain if we’re feeling really bold. We’ll say a lot of things, actually: “enough is enough”, “this doesn't happen in Australia”, “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”, etc. etc. What if we didn’t. What if, instead of speaking, we took a minute, and listened. I know this sounds ironic, coming from the guy standing up here running his mouth, but please, take the time to listen to people that you don’t like. Think about what you’re saying. The NRA does not have “blood on their hands”. They don’t go to sleep praying for another massacre. They are overwhelmingly good, decent people who love their friends and families just like you. The vast majority of liberals don’t want to put you in camps; they’re doing what they think is best for the country, just like you. Try to talk to someone that you disagree with sometime. Not argue. Talk, like people did in those halcyon days when America was great. And if you do disagree, well, that’s ok. My dad is a gun-control advocate. I’m just the opposite. Despite that fact, we love each other, and we can interact and occasionally get through the day without raising our voices. It can be done. I promise. I’m going to wrap this up, because I’m sure we all can’t wait to get back to class. I’m just going to remind you, one last time, to listen. All of you woke folk, go ask a gun rights person why they believe what they do. I’m betting that the answer might surprise you. Just remember, we won’t accomplish anything by yelling. Ever. I really don’t know if listening will help either, but we can try. We’re all Americans. Shootings don’t kill just Democrats, or just Republicans. And the only way forward is by listening.

Daniella LeBlanc:

The first thing I want to say is something that I believe everyone, regardless of political leaning will be able

to agree with, this should never have happened, the 17 people whose names you've just heard should still be

alive right now. I’ll be honest when I first heard about this shooting it barely registered for me, I thought,

“oh again?” Maybe that reflects poorly on me but I have a feeling I’m not the only one. That is disgusting

that we are so desensitized as a nation, that something this horrible is thought of as just part of life. After

almost every past shooting people have talked about making change but then time goes on and the news

stations move past it to bigger, more relevant stories and people forget that they were so angry. Not this

time. I'm sure most of you have heard about the survivors of the shooting, students from Marjory Stoneman

Douglas. They are making sure that people don’t forget about them. That’s one of the reasons I believe it’s

so important for us to be here today. While us standing here in (wherever we are) instead of going to class

isn’t alone going to do much, this is making sure that the people who can make change know that we’re not

going to forget about this issue. We are not going to give up until meaningful legislation is passed that will

prevent that from happening. I know that that is not an easy task, we all have different ideas about what the

solution is, but I believe that the first step is keeping it in the conversation. And this is only the beginning

of doing that. How many of you are going to be 18 by next November?... How about by November of

2020? You have the power to influence the future; you have the ability to deny a seat to anyone who isn’t

going to help make a change. And voting isn’t the only way to do that either. Write a letter, an email, a

tweet to legislators whether they’re local, state or federal. Tell them your ideas. Volunteer on the campaign

of someone who you think can help. Go to marches like the march for our lives next weekend an event

with a similar cause as this. You have power, we can change the way things are, don’t stay silent and don’t

let tragedies like this be just the way things are.

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18

SOS (Signs of Suicide)

Second Act: Preparing For Life Beyond High School

Assembly for the Senior Class

The transition after high school is marked by the push and pull of dependence and independence, as well as new

stressors that include being on one's own, changes in family relations, financial responsibilities, changes in

social life, exposure to new people, ideas and temptations, and greater academic demands for those attending

college. All these stressors contribute to a rollercoaster ride of emotions that can be difficult for students and

their parents. It is easy to misread depression as normal turmoil; however, symptoms of depression can be

serious and are known risk factors for suicide.

To proactively address this issue, Oakmont is offering the SOS (Signs of Suicide) Second Act: Preparing For

Life Beyond High School program for our senior class. The booster program is a "refresher course" for students

finishing high school, reinforcing the teaching points of the original SOS program presented to them in the ninth

grade. This program also serves as an introduction to college and community-based mental health services,

should students need to access them after they leave high school.

The SOS program has proven successful in increasing help-seeking by students concerned about themselves or

a friend, and is the only school-based suicide prevention program selected by SAMSHA for its National

Registry of Evidenced-Based Programs and Practices that addresses suicide risk and depression, while reducing

suicide attempts. In a randomized control study, the SOS program showed a reduction in self reported suicide

attempts by 40% (BMC Public Health, July 2007). We want to ensure that your child remembers the important

message of suicide prevention before graduating, address any mental health concerns that are present, and

prepare them to handle those that may occur in the future.

The booster program "graduates" the ACT acronym to be more relevant for individuals approaching adulthood,

replacing the Tell in ACT: Acknowledge, Care, Tell with Treatment-Seek treatment for yourself or a friend

from a health professional. Like the SOS program, the booster program provides students with the knowledge

needed to recognize symptoms of depression and the signs of suicide whenever they occur.

Our goals in participating in this program are straightforward:

To help our students understand that mental illness is treatable, and to help them assess whether or not they

may have symptoms consistent with depression.

To explain that suicide is a preventable tragedy that often occurs as a result of untreated mental illness.

To provide students with training in how to identify and respond to serious depression and potential

suicidality in themselves or a friend.

To identify at-risk students before graduation and refer them to treatment.

To introduce students to resources in the community and provide them with suggestions about getting help on

a college campus, should the need for mental health services arise in the future.

Impress upon students that while they are still in school they are in the best position to prevent a friend's

suicide by following the simple steps of ACT:

Acknowledge, Care, Tell...

Acknowledge that you are seeing signs of suicide in a friend and that it is serious.

Care--Let your friend know that you care about him or her, and that you are concerned that he or she needs

help.

Tell a responsible adult.

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And encourage them after they graduate to 10 ACT: Acknowledge, Care, Treatment... Acknowledge that you

are seeing signs of suicide in a friend and that it is serious. Care--Let your friend know that you care about him

or her, and that you are concerned that he or she needs help. Treatment--Seek treatment for yourself or a friend

from a health professional. Signs (symptoms) of depression

Depressed mood (can be sad, down, grouchy, or irritable)

Changes in sleeping patterns (too much , too little or disturbed)

Change in weight or appetite (decreased or increased)

Speaking and/or moving with unusual speed or slowness

Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities

Withdrawal from family and friends

Feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach or guilt

Diminishing ability to think or concentrate, slowed thinking or indecisiveness

Thoughts of death, suicide, or wishes to be dead Other indicators of depression

Extreme anxiety, agitation or enraged behavior

Excessive drug and/or alcohol use or abuse

Neglect of physical health

Feelings of hopelessness or desperation Warning Signs of suicide that Demand Immediate Attention

Talking or writing about suicide or death

Giving direct verbal cues, such as "I wish I were dead" and "I'm going to end it all"

Giving less direct verbal cues, such as "you will be better off without me", "What's the point of

living?" "Soon you won't have to worry about me," and "Who cares if I'm dead, anyway?"

Isolation from friends and family

Expressing the belief that life is meaningless

Giving away prized possessions

Exhibiting a sudden and unexplained improvement in mood after being depressed or withdrawn

Neglecting appearance and hygiene

Dropping out of school, or social, athletic and/or community activities

Obtaining a weapon (such as a firearm) or another means of hurting him or herself (such as

prescription medications)

A list of community resources is available in the guidance department. If you are interested in viewing

the DVD to be used in the training on April 27th or have any other questions or concerns, please contact

your child's school guidance counselor.