Titan Chronicle volume 2 issue 2

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TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

Message from the Head of School Dear New Mission Community, We're happy to share with you our second Issue of the Titan Chronicle for the 2021 School Year. Please enjoy the updates from our New Mission community, including news about our victorious Lady Titans Volleyball team and spotlights on three of our new Administrative, Teacher, and Staff members.

This October has been one of learning and activity for New Mission. Our Career Pathways program is successfully developing, giving students opportunity Follow us on Instagram for Field Trips and hands-on learning. I @newmissiontitans 1. Head of School Message | Seen was able to attend a Recruitment Fair at Davis Leadership Academy, meeting around New Mission many capable prospective students.

2. New Mission Halloween 2021 Also, we were selected as a Finalist for 3. Titans of the week | School the EdVestors School on the Move Prize.

Thank you very much to each member of Parent Council Updates | our community who supported us in this Dance at New Mission competition. You can view our finalist 4.

Staff Spotlights video here. Go Titans!

Table of Contents

6.

Nurse's Corner 8.

Athletic Updates Sincerely, William Thomas | Head of School 9.

Summer Employment Reflection | Program Opportunities

Seen around New Mission Ms. Goldberg's Biotech class took a Field Trip to Tufts Bio Launchpad, where they also met the women-led start-up company PhagePro.

Ms. K's Anatomy & Physiology class just completed our Integumentary system unit with a cumulative project on skin burns and wounds. Students simulated real wounds and had to come up with a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison

TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

NEW MISSION HALLOWEEN 2021 This year, New Mission held a Costume Contest, organized by Senior Senate! Shout out to Math Teacher, Rob Ellis for supporting this fun day!

Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison

TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

Our Recent Titans of the Week

INTEGRITY

EM ACAD ICS

INTEGRITY

For being so kind and respectful to everyone at New Mission.

For having an A+ in Bio and showing great collaboration skills.

For volunteering to help the ABA Program.

SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL UPDATES & MEETING Fall Donation Drive

Thank you to each family and community member that has donated to the Fall Donation Drive. New Mission and the SPC greatly appreciate your support! As the seasons change, these materials will be valuable for our school community.

Next Meeting School Parent Council Meeting Tuesday, December 7, 2021 7 PM - 8:30 PM Where: Zoom Check your email for Zoom details Contact SPC Secretary | Becky Mokos beckymokos@gmail.com Family Liaison Anna Lane - 351-218-9829 (Call or Text)

Donations can continue being dropped off between 7:30AM-8:30AM or sent directly to New Mission High School (655 Metropolitan Avenue, Hyde Park, MA 02136)

Dance at New Mission: Ms. Ali's Class w/ Special Guest Ramiro Vaughn Special Video Performance Ramiro Vaughan (Purpose) is street wise dancer of many diverse styles from Boston, MA. He has trained at Boston Ballet, Chu-Ling Academy, and Boston University’s “Reach Program”. Ramiro stayed connected to B.U. and has been working there for the past 7 years. In his professional career he has been featured with Tony Williams “Urban Nutcracker”, Lorraine Chapman the Dance Company, North Atlantic Dance Theatre, Mystique Illusions Dance Theatre, Castle of Our Skins, and Jazz Inc. He has performed at Earth Dance, Outside of the Box with Tony Tucker, Dixon Place (NYC), and at the Alvin Ailey Citi Group Center (NYC) to name a few! Ramiro has been awarded first place in MIT 2 vs 2 All styles battle, 1 vs 1 All styles battle at Deborah Masons School of Dance, and awarded “Battle of the Night” at the East Session Krump Event.

Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison

TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

STAFF SPOTLIGHTS Mr. Cutler was born in Charleston, South Carolina, but raised in Boston from 5 years old. He is a former Boston Public Schools student, and after graduating from Charlestown High School, he attended the University of New Haven. While there, he was a student-athlete playing football. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s degree in Education.

Kareem Cutler | Director of Student Support, Academic Advancement, and Operations

Mr. Cutler was a math teacher for eight years and is happy to be a part of the New Mission community as a building leader. He pursued becoming an educator once he recognized his passion for inspiring others. Mr. Cutler wants to be a role model for students of color. His goal is to provide students with a vision of success. Being welcoming, caring, and spreading positivity are Mr. Cutler’s characteristics. He wants to shine a light on everyone he comes across.

While at New Mission, Mr. Cutler is our Director of Academic Advancement, Student Support, and Operations. He is dedicated to making sure our students feel emotionally and socially stable. He says, “My vision is to generate a positive school culture that feels welcoming, safe, and engaging for all students and staff.” Mr. Cutler believes in the New Mission way and holds himself to high standards.

Outside of school, Mr. Cutler is a father of a teenager and enjoys his daddy-daughter time.

Family is one of Mr. Cutler’s core values. This past summer, golf became his new hobby on sunny days. Meditation has helped Mr. Cutler get through the challenges of the last two years.

He is excited to be back in school and do what feels natural to him, making others feel motivated.

Aisha Virgo was born and raised in Boston, MA. Her family is originally from Jamaica, and she is among the first generation Jamaican-Americans in her family. Aisha is a proud alumni of Boston Public Schools (BPS, where she completed her elementary through high school education. After attending Urban Science Academy, she graduated in 2016 from Salem State University, studying Communications (with a concentration in Advertisement) and a minor in Marketing.

Aisha Virgo | Early College & Career Specialist

Aisha always had a career goal to work for BPS and wanted to give back to the community that paved the way for where she is today. She started gearing towards this goal as an Admission Counselor at Pine Manor College. Her next stop was Umass Boston, as an Assistant Director for admissions. While in that role, she placed a record number of students in the college through their Direction for Student Potential (DSP) program.

Aisha is passionate about helping students in their journey to educational and personal growth. She has set a professional goal to help as many students as possible attend college or discover their career goals. Aisha also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, trying new activities and restaurants.

Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison

TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

STAFF SPOTLIGHTS Hello New Mission community, my name is Mr. OToole, and I am the 11th grade Precalculus teacher this year! I was born and raised in Boston and am a former BPS student myself. I gained my love of mathematics from my former teachers and have always known I wanted to study math for as long as possible.

During high school, I was a lifeguard, swim instructor, and camp counselor at my local YMCA. It was this opportunity of working with young people that led me down the path of teaching. I thought, “well I love math, and I love seeing students learn new skills, so why not teach math!” I have loved being able to return to the BPS system and teach; it feels very full circle!

Timothy OToole | 11th Grade Precalculus Teacher

After graduating from BPS, I attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for a semester before transferring to UMass Lowell. From UMass Lowell, I transferred to Umass Boston, where I continued my education before graduating with a Math degree and my teaching license.

During my time at UMass Boston, I was able to work as one of the first ever RA’s in their new dorms! This experience as a residential assistant allowed me an opportunity to connect with incoming freshmen and help these students have the best first year experience at school. I stayed with the UMass community until we were sent home for quarantine in 2020. I loved my time at UMB and I encourage all students to think about UMass for college. I also enjoy sharing my experience about transferring schools and how to decide which college or university is best fit for an individual.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending my time playing Chess and Sequence, traveling with friends, as well as trying new restaurants and cuisines. I try to spend my free time focusing on my mental health and my physical health. I love going to the beach, trying new things, and going on adventures with friends!

I have loved being a part of the New Mission community this year, and am excited to continue this year out strong. I hope all students feel excited to come to school and learn, and can always stop by my room to chat. If you see around the building, say hey!

Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison

TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

NURSE'S CORNER School Nurse: Shann Baril BScN; RN|617-635-6437 x 31807|sbaril@bostonpublicschools.org

I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy. As we are entering the cold and flu season I wanted to send out some reminders. Please stay home if you are not feeling well. Here is a copy of the BPS Home Health Checklist. Please review daily before coming/sending your child to school. Below is the checklist in multiple languages.

Arabic Cape Verde Chinese English French Haitian Creole Portuguese Somali Spanish Vietnamese Not only is it cold and flu season but we also are dealing with COVID. The symptoms for all 3 are similar. Please do your part to stay healthy and stop the spread of germs!!

Take time to get a flu vaccine. *CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. *Flu vaccines help to reduce the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths on the health care system each year. (Read more about flu vaccine benefits.) *Vaccination of people at higher risk of developing serious flu complications is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness. People at higher risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant people, people with certain chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease, and people 65 years and older.

Benefits of Getting The COVID Vaccine *COVID-19 vaccines are effective at helping protect against severe disease and death, including from variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 currently circulating (e.g., Delta variant). *If you are fully vaccinated you can resume activities that you did before the pandemic. However, you should wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. Being fully vaccinated and wearing a mask maximizes protection from the Delta variant and possibly spreading it to others. *You may have side effects after vaccination. These are normal and should go away within a few days. *Everyone aged 12 years and older is recommended to get vaccinated. Learn how to find a COVID-19 vaccine. *If you are vaccinated and a close contact to someone who has tested positive, you are able to come to school as long as you don't have any symptoms.

Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison

TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

NURSE'S CORNER Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs. *Preventive actions that are recommended to reduce the spread of flu. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. *If you are feeling sick try to avoid contact with others. *Cover coughs and sneezes, use tissues and wash hands. *Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. *Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way. *Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with viruses that cause flu. *For flu, CDC recommends that people stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities. Fever should be gone without the need to use a fever-reducing medicine. Note that the stay-at-home guidance for COVID-19 may be different. Learn about some of the similarities and differences between flu and COVID-19. *In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, local governments or public health departments may recommend additional precautions be taken in your community. Follow those instructions.

Consent for Pool Testing/Test and Stay Family COVID Updates Flu and Children

Upcoming….

BMC Vaccine Clinic on November 12th and December 2nd New Mission will be hosting two COVID-19 vaccine clinics in partnership with Boston Medical Center on November 12th and December 2nd, from 11AM-6PM. Where: New Mission High School 655 Metropolitan Ave. Hyde Park, MA When: Friday, November 12th and Thursday, December 2nd, 1PM-6PM

→ Students and community members can come to New Mission to receive either the Pfizer or Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine. It is FREE, no insurance is required, and all are welcome regardless of immigration status. Open to ages 12 and up.

Consent Form: English, Spanish, Link to other languages Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison

TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

ATHLETIC UPDATES

VOLLEYBALL

The Lady Titans Volleyball team finished the regular season with a record of 15 wins and 3 losses. The Lady Titans have the best record in team history and competed in the City Playoffs for the first time in New Mission history. They completed the season in 2nd place and it is the 2nd time in school history the school has qualified for the MIAA State tournament.

Junior Courtney Sarfo was selected for the First Team All City.

Congratulations Courtney!

The Lady Titans are also superstars in the classroom with an overall team GPA of 3.23. Keep up the good work, Lady Titan Scholars!

The City playoffs began on Friday, October 29th. After experiencing a tough loss in the city semifinals the Lady Titans got good news on Monday that they qualified for the MIAA Div3 SGH State Tournament. South Apponequet Regional scored 3-0 over Mew Mission, however the Lady Titans close out their season with a 15-3 final record, the best in school history!

Football New mission football has captured the Boston City Championship for the second time in school history with a 16-12 win over Latin Academy on 10/22/21. The Titans GO who have not captured the title since 2014, hold the best record in school history TITANS! with five winnings and two losses.

The Titans have qualified the Div6 MIAA State Playoffs! They will play St. Mary's of Lynn, in the first round Friday night 6PM at the Manning Bowl in Lynn, MA.

For further information regarding New Mission Athletics please contact Athletic Director Malcolm Smith (msmith8@bostonpublicschools.org; 617-635-6437 x31705) Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison

TITAN CHRONICLE newmissionhigh.org | @newmissiontitans

SUMMER AT NEW MISSION: STUDENT REFLECTION

Briana Watson | New Mission PIC Student Employee

As a New Mission student, working for the school during my summer vacation was an experience that will stay with me as long as I'm breathing. I’ve gained new skills and learned new trades all while juggling my day to day life. I’ve learned how to socialize more often and ease into conversations so that they’re more comfortable. I’ve gotten the opportunity to gain a work ethic and improve on my performance from there.

Forward on, I will be going into the 10th grade, making me a sophomore. I’m ready for this brand new experience that I'll be sure to like. I’m grateful that I was chosen for this job that made my summer better than any other summer I've had. I would like to have a similar experience throughout my school year to take my work ethic to the next level. Thanks to Ms. Lynette and Ms. Norma for making this experience a wonderful one.

UPCOMING PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES Free SAT Prep Course for New Mission Juniors - Starting 11/13 - Available Wednesday's (2:45-4:15pm) and Saturday's (10am-11:30PM) - Registration Link Boston Partners - Nominate a student for free, virtual after-school tutoring! More information and nomination form here.

826 Boston - Virtual College Essay Bootcamp - November 20th and December 11th Register here!

GlobeSanta Gift Christmas Gift Application - Español Boston City Singers - For students interested in joining virtual or in-person Citywide Choir Groups! - please email info@bostoncitysingers.org Please reach our Family Liaison, Anna Lane, alane@bostonpublicschools.org with any questions or feedback you would like to provide about programming at New Mission.

Editors: Lynette Blue-Skerritt | Director of Admissions | Anna Lane | Family Liaison