~ THE NEW ~
Uxbridge Times
“Your Hometown News” VolUme 20 • iSSUe 3
A FREE Monthly Publication
Uxbridge • north Uxbridge • linwood • douglas • northbridge • Whitinsville • Sutton • manchaug
march 2011
UHS presents Beauty and the Beast
last month students at northbridge elementary were visited by a dental hygienist and her dinosaur friend dougie. Students had an opportunity to brush dougie's teeth as well as look into their own mouths with an oversized mirror. They talked about ways to keep their teeth healthy and learned important vocabulary such as cavity, plaque, and enamel.
Residents invited to Douglas Public Forum The Town of Douglas will be hosting a public forum for residents to discuss the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code which may be considered for adoption by the Town. The Stretch Code provides a more energy efficient building code option for towns and, if adopted, will apply to new construction and remodeling projects. Mr. Michael Berry, Project Manager for the Massachusetts New Homes with Energy Star Program, will be present at the public forum to provide an overview of the new Stretch Energy
PoSTal PaTRon
Code and answer questions from the public. We encourage you to join Mr. Berry and the Board of Selectmen at this interactive session at the Douglas Municipal Building, Resource Room, 29 Depot Street, Douglas on Tuesday, March 15th at 7:00 p.m. For additional information regarding the Stretch Energy Code and a list of commonly asked Questions, visit the Department of Energy Resources at www.mass.gov/doer and link to “Green Communities.” Resident participation is welcome. PRESORTED STANDARD uS POSTAGE PAID BOSTON, MA PERMIT NO 55800
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The cast and crew of the uxbridge High School Drama Club have been hard at work, and the time is near to present this year’s musical production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Auditions were held in late October, and the group has been working since November to put this classic story on the stage. Senior Tara Feeley leads the cast as Belle, partnered with junior Dan Penza who plays the role of the Beast. Junior Andre Caron plays the egotistical, macho Gaston, whose whacky sidekick La Fou (French for the fool) is gamely played by sophomore David Roxo. Servants in the Beast’s Enchanted Castle are slowly turning into objects, their doom sealed when the last petal of an enchanted rose falls. Lumiere, the suave and humorous candlestick, is played by junior Brandon Hetherington alongside Mrs. Potts the motherly teapot played by senior Lauren Robinson. Cogsworth, the tightlywound clock, is played by junior Billy Ferrara and sophomore Abby White plays the sassy feather duster, Babette. Freshman Chelsea Berlinguet makes her Drama Club debut as Madame de la Grande Bouche, the former opera diva turned wardrobe. Belle’s father Maurice, the zany inventor, is played by junior Dan Murray, whose fate could lead to the Maison de Lunes, run by the eerie Monsieur D’Arque played by junior Callen Gardner. Throughout his attempts to wed Belle, Gaston is comically trailed by the Silly Girls portrayed by sophomores Ashlee Stern, Lindsey Centrella and junior Lisa Donoughe. Audiences are guaranteed laughs and thrills as the production’s ensemble takes the stage
Taking THe lead - Tara Feeley will play Belle and andre Caron will portray gaston in the Uxbridge High School’s performance of Beauty and the Beast.
Alert Hotline initiated In a continuing effort to keep schools and students safe, the Northbridge School District will be initiating an anonymous, online alert system to report possible threats or disturbing situations to school officials. The Anonymous Alert system can be accessed from the district and school web pages of the Northbridge Schools website, located at http://www.nps.org . Students, parents, and community members are often the first to know about potential problems at the school. Students hear or see things in school hallways or from friends, but may be afraid to tell a staff member for fear of retaliation or embarrassment. Sometimes parents hear information or observe situations in their neighborhood but don’t know who to contact. By filling out and sending an Anonymous Alert, any member of the school community can
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report sensitive information regarding student safety, violence, drug use, or students who may be in need of assistance. The reports will be monitored by school administrators during regular school hours, and appropriate action taken based on the nature of the report. The alert system stresses that it is NOT an emergency hotline, requesting people to call 911 if there is an immediate concern or threat for school or student safety. The program is part of a comprehensive effort by the district to upgrade bullying prevention programs. The district has approved Bullying and Harassment Policies, and written the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan now required by the state. The Bullying Prevention Task Force, composed of school administrators, teachers, school counselors, and parents continues to meet.
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Senior Comfort Services; Helping Seniors stay independent Most seniors, like the rest of us, feel “There’s no Place Like Home.” However, because of the wisdom that comes with age, they are also more aware that living independently may present some challenges. See complete story on page 33
in multiple roles, such as twirling napkins, quirky villagers and boisterous tavern men. This strong ensemble show will feature seniors Felecia Dion, Jamie St. Pierre, juniors Cara Aronson, Hannah Cohen, Ciara Young, sophomores Olivia Cormier, Kayla Jenkins, and freshmen Thomas Cohen, Jonathan Klos, and Luke Maloney. The musical numbers have been staged and choreographed by Boston choreographer Melissa Sheffield. The crew, responsible for props, lighting, sets, audio, and making the production come together is under the student leadership of senior Stage Manager Kris MacNeill. Countless hours of work have been acheivcontinued on page 11
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