Suffield High School
June 2015
1060 Sheldon Street | West Suffield, CT 06093 | 860-668-3810 | https://www.suffield.org
Upcoming Events:
Sped PAC
Tuesday, June 2nd
9:00 a.m.
McAlister Café
BOE Meeting
Tuesday, June 2nd
6:30 p.m.
Scholar Breakfast
Wednesday, June 3rd
8:00 a.m.
SHS Commons
Unified Theater Production
Wednesday, June 3rd
6:30 p.m.
SHS Auditorium
Senior Banquet
Thursday, June 4th
Arrive 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Dinner 7:00 p.m.
Chez Josef in Agawam, MA
Suffield Film and Video Festival
Friday, June 5th
6:30 p.m.
SHS Auditorium
Spring Sports Awards
Monday, June 8th
6:30 p.m.
SHS Auditorium
Drama Club Awards
Wednesday, June 10th
6:30 p.m.
SHS Auditorium
Final Exams /
Early Release
Early Release at 12:15
Monday, June 15th
Periods 1 and 2
Tuesday, June 16th
Periods 3 and 4
Wednesday, June 17th
Periods 5 and 6
Thursday, June 18th
Period 7 and Make-ups
BOE Meeting
Tuesday, June 16th
6:30 p.m.
Graduation Rehearsals
(Seniors - Class of 2015)
Wednesday, June 17th
12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 18th
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Friday, June 19th (If needed)
Senior Scholarship Night
Thursday, June 18th
7:00 p.m.
SHS auditorium
Commencement
Saturday, June 20th
Arrive at 8:45 a.m. at
SHS Auditorium
Begins at 9:30 a.m. at
Beneski Field
After Graduation Party
Dinner cruise
on the Boston Harbor
Saturday, June 20th
Check in: 6:00 p.m. at SHS
Buses Leave: 6:30 p.m.
Virtual Backpack:
2014 - 2015 Revised District Calendar
2015 - 2016 SHS Program of Studies
Suffield High School Student Handbook
2014 - 2015 Special Services Tri-fold Flyer
Food Service Substitutes Needed
June 2015 SHS Guidance Newsletter
NCCC - Parent and Sibling Support Groups
NCCC - Recreational Family Activity Group Calendar
Parks & Recreation Summer Programs
Suffield School Board Names Karen Berasi as Next Superintendent of Schools
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A Message from the Principal |
| There are just a few days left to the school year and the excitement of graduation is rising by the second. Students are gearing up for final exams and I encourage all students to keep pushing hard toward a successful end to the school year. Many end-of-the-year events have begun and I am excited and proud to celebrate the many accomplishments of our students. The school hopes you will join us for some or all of these celebratory events so please check the school calendar for specific times and dates for each event. On behalf of the faculty and staff of Suffield High School, I wish everyone a safe and restful summer. Whether off to college, the military, or a vocation, I wish our seniors the best of luck in all of their future endeavors and look forward to hearing of their successes. |
Final Exams |
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The exam schedule is as follows: Make up exams will be held on Thursday, June 18th following the Period 7 exam. Buses will leave SHS Monday – Wednesday at 12:20 p.m. and 2:10 p.m. On Thursday, June 18th, bus pickup will be at 12:20 p.m. |
After Graduation Party |
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Rotary Club Student of the Month |
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Athletes of the Month |
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Hayley O’Connell is one of the captains of the lacrosse team. She has been on varsity for the past three years and is an integral part of the team. Hayley was in charge of organizing captain’s practices even before the season started, as she is known as the “go-to” person when something needs to get done. Her positivity makes Hayley a positive role model for the underclassmen on and off the field. She is always supportive and never shies away from helping her teammates. As well as being a star on the lacrosse field, Hayley also participates in field hockey in the fall and hockey in the winter. The male winner this month is Quinn Richard, captain of the tennis team. Quinn has been on varsity for all four years. He has been all-conferences for the past two years, as well as making states and finals in the NCCC tournament. Quinn plays the highest position on the team - #1 singles. Quinn is the opposite of a trouble maker, always cheering for everyone. He is looked up to by his teammates and is well respected by teachers and students alike. Congratulations to our winners Quinn and Hayley! Thank you for being outstanding role models for our community. |
Wildcat Card & Company |
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Suffield High School is home to the Wildcat Cards and Company, a student driven greeting card business. The program focuses on students’ functional and vocational skills using a variety of learning strategies. The Wildcat Cards and Company project supports and enhances the current special education curriculum of the Suffield High School in the areas of math, reading, communication, and fine motor skills. The program is designed to encourage academic achievement and enhance positive social integration of students. Students are given opportunities to collaboratively work together on a variety of job related experiences. The program is supported by the Department of Special Education and the Suffield Foundation for Excellent Schools. Students design, create, and sell greeting cards to parents, staff, and students of the Suffield Public Schools. Each card is sold for $2.00 with twenty-five percent of the proceeds going to the Kevin Vitale Memorial Fund. |
FINAL EXAMS will be held on Monday, June 15th thru Thursday, June 18th. 
The AFTER GRADUATION PARTY on June 20th is a dinner cruise on the Boston Harbor for the graduating class only. Check-in begins at 6:00 p.m. with the buses leaving promptly at 6:30 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Suffield High Safe Party Committee. Please encourage your graduate to take advantage of this last opportunity to gather as a class. Please return the 
Sam Cutler was chosen for the Rotary Club Student of the Month. Sam is the model for student achievement, as shown by recently being awarded as the valedictorian of his class. He is an AP Scholar with honors, and has won numerous awards including the CAPT Excellence Award as well as awards for Math, Science, History, English, and Spanish. Sam is also the first ever recipient of the Scholar Athlete Award from the National Football Foundation as well as the CREC Academy Suffield Representative. When he is not participating in sports or studying for his AP classes, Sam does volunteer work, plays the cello and trumpet, and is on the Academic Quiz Team. Congratulations to Sam Cutler for his hard work, outstanding leadership skills, and can-do attitude!
The Suffield High School Athletic Booster Club has chosen Hayley O’Connell and Quinn Richard for the athletes of the month. Students are awarded the honor based on their athletic and academic accomplishments, attitudes, and leadership skills.
Back row: Adrian Chaparro, James Mark, Deni MarkovEnvironmental Class News
Mr. Kaput’s Environmental class took it upon themselves to clean up the brook behind the school. Students removed amazing amounts of debris, including huge spools of wire, massive heaters, pieces of aluminum, bottles, an old oil tank, an oven, and more. A few students involved in NHS also decided to spend a Saturday helping continue the clean-up as well. All in all, over fifty students helped to clean up this wonderful space.
Suffield Idol
On April 30th, SHS held its annual Suffield Idol. Teachers, staff, parents, and students all came together to put on another fantastic night of school spirit and fun. All of the acts were outstanding, leaving the judges with a headache as to which students placed. After much deliberation, Josh Karam received 3rd place, Spencer Lambert received 2nd place, and Caelie Flanagan stole the show with 1st place. Congratulations to Caelie, Spencer, and Josh, as well as all the contestants who participated. Another thank you goes out to everyone who tirelessly made another year of Suffield Idol possible.
Spain Trip
From April 9th - April 18th, 30 students and 5 teachers embarked on a great journey to Spain. The trip was an amazingly immersive experience for current and former students of Spanish at SHS. The trip started in the capital, Madrid, where students toured the city, saw the Royal Palace, the Prado Museum, and many other attractions in the city. Day trips were taken to Segovia, to visit the majestic Roman Aqueduct, and El Escorial to visit the resting place of Spain's kings and queens. The travelers made their way down south, stopping in the historic cities of Toledo and Cordoba. In Sevilla they learned the Flamenco and saw the resting place of Christopher Columbus inside one of the world's largest cathedrals. For rest and relaxation before the return flight, travelers basked in the sun filled beaches of Costa del Sol and did some shopping and exploring in Malaga. We hope that this experience will be the first of many for our students, as they continue to broaden their cultural and linguistic horizons as world citizens.
World Languages Student of the Month
The World Languages Student of the Month for May is Alexia Alfaro, a freshman in French 3 Honors at Suffield High School. She is an engaging, determined French student who has embraced her language learning with infectious zeal. Alexia is always seeking out new words and ways to communicate with her peers and shows great maturity by speaking in French throughout her exchanges with friends and teachers. She not only pays attention to all of the words and expressions that she discovers through exercises and class discussions, she consistently integrates them in her speech and writing, even if they are not covered in the regular curriculum.
It is with distinct pleasure that the World Languages Department offers this award to Alexia. Alexia is a caring, inspiring, uniquely motivated young woman who faithfully contributes to the well being of a class that is full of bright, interesting young people.
Academic Honors
Congratulations to the SHS Valedictorian Sam Cutler and Salutatorian Kira Bourret! Sam Cutler is an outstanding student who has worked tirelessly to become Valedictorian. Never shying away from a challenge, Sam has taken vigorous AP and Honors courses during his high school career. He has won numerous awards in all of his subjects, showing how his academic strengths are not limited to specific subject matter. Sam is also a varsity football and baseball player. He is a classically trained Cellist, however his passion lies in Astro/Particle Physics. Sam is attending UConn in the fall. Kira Bourret also has an impressive resume. As Salutatorian, Kira has pushed herself academically to take honors and AP classes whenever she could. When she is not pushing herself in her classes, Kira is also known for her athletic ability in track. She will be attending the Virginia Polytech Institute in the fall where she plans to study General Bio Sciences, as she hopes to become a doctor someday.
Athletic News
The boys golf team currently has an undefeated record at 12-0-1. The team’s No. 1 player, Matt Stafford, has had another great season for Coach McCullough. The varsity girls' golf team, meanwhile, has improved each week. They currently have a record of 5-7 thanks to some unbelievable scores recorded by Emma Heim. This year’s team has shown that they can compete with anyone across the board.
The varsity boys baseball team has enjoyed another solid season with a 10-8 overall record to date (9-7 in the NCCC). Through those 18 games, the team showed great balance. The softball team has made great strides this year as well, working diligently to improve upon both their offense and defense. This resulted in a 14-5 start and share of second place in the NCCC with two other squads. The players have an excellent work ethic and a “can do” attitude. In several games, the team has had to show its toughness, in order to win many close games.
The girls and boys track and field teams have enjoyed a highly successful regular season (Girls 11-1 start) and look to continue their success at the NCCC Championships, and Class M State meet. The teams have been balanced all season with contributions coming from all corners.
The girls tennis team has been very successful, winning 13 of its first 18 matches. During several highly-competitive matches, the team has displayed its ability to strategize and compete against different types of players. The boys tennis team recorded its seventh win of the season recently, surpassing the win total from the past season.
The record of the girls lacrosse team does not indicate the hard work the team has put forth this season. The defense has improved immensely from the start of the year, and the offense benefitted from a variety of players scoring. The girls ended the season winning 3 out of their last seven games. We look forward to continued improvement next season. The boys lacrosse team continues its season on Saturday with a state tournament game against Valley Regional. We wish the guys the best of luck on Saturday!
Music News
On Thursday, May 21st, Suffield High School musicians showcased their talents at the Spring Concert. The Chamber Ensemble, Treble Ensemble, and Concert Choir all performed under the direction of Christine Hoffacker; the Jazz Ensemble and Symphonic Band both performed under the direction of Joe Migliore. The performance was outstanding and reflected the hard work and dedication of the students and their teachers.
The Suffield High School Marching Band participated in the Suffield Memorial Day Parade this past Monday. Their exceptional performance enhanced the Memorial Day remembrance.
Science News
In Houston, Texas at the 8th International Sustainable World Energy Engineering Environment Project Olympiad, known as I-SWEEEP, Suffield High's own Matt Rogers earned the Bronze Medal in the category of Engineering. Matt also received a special award - the Bovay International Engineers Award. Matt, as a top award winner at the CT Science & Engineering Fair, was selected from a field of over 2,300 projects for the international level with 427 finalists projects from 67 countries including the USA. Congratulations to Matt Rogers!
Agriscience News
On Wednesday May 20th, Suffield High School hosted the 50th Annual Suffield Regional FFA Chapter Awards banquet. Students and staff were recognized for their hardwork and dedication in the FFA Organization at the Chapter, State, and National levels. The banquet also served as a chance for graduating seniors to be together in FFA official dress for one last time. This years banquet, however, marked the first time that all seniors were called to the stage to receive their very own blue and gold graduation cords as a token for their successes. There was also a slideshow that reflected on the past year’s events and activities as well as a senior slideshow that included pictures of the past four years. Thanks to the FFA Alumni Association and the National FFA Organization, students received scholarships and honorary awards. Overall it was a fun night that allowed the chapter to come together and celebrate the member’s triumphs and successes. On behalf of the Suffield Regional FFA Chapter we also would like the thank our administration Mr. Moccio, Mr. Canny, Mrs. Olearczyk, and Dr. Chafetz for their attendance and support.
Chili Cook off
On May 2nd, teachers Julie Haefner and Mitch Charkiewicz both served as judges for the 30th Annual New England Regional Chili Cook Off. This cook off is part of the International Chili Society. The competition took place in Somers, CT.
15th Annual Suffield Film and Video Festival
On June 5th, at 6:30 p.m., the 15th Annual Suffield Film and Video Festival will be held in the SHS auditorium. The festival will screen original work of fiction, documentary, and animation that have been produced by students over the past year. Content is PG-13 and the entrance ticket is $5. All proceeds are used for program equipment, supporting materials, senior awards, and filmmaker prizes. Join us for a night of thrilling movies by Suffield’s young filmmakers!
Teacher of the Year
Congratulations are in store for SHS’s own Stephannie Holland. Ms. Holland was chosen as the Suffield District’s Teacher of the Year. She is beloved by her students, faculty, staff, and parents alike as an English and Theater teacher. For the past 13 years, Ms. Holland has worked to touch the lives of every student she works with. In her words, “Every child’s dreams are important and achievable if you are willing to put the work in.” Colleagues spoke to her genuine desire to ensure that every child finds their place and how her work at Suffield High School has “rescued” so many. When asked how Ms. Holland deals with challenging situations within her day, she responded with enthusiasm saying, “Each moment, struggle, challenge, person or group you meet will never happen in that way again. Embrace the beauty in them.” Ms. Holland emits a feeling of positivity and exuberance that is undeniable. Her love for life, learning, and teaching has led her to be an exceptional example within the teaching profession. Ms. Holland will represent Suffield Public Schools as she goes forward this summer to participate in the state wide selection process for Connecticut Teacher of the Year. Congratulations again to Ms. Holland!
Ms. Holland will be recognized by the Board of Education at its June 2, 2015 meeting.
Chris Herren Assembly
On Monday, May 18th, Suffield High School students attended a presentation by Chris Herren. Herren is a former high school, college, and NBA basketball star who has appeared on 60 Minutes and in an ESPN documentary. He spoke about his own personal experiences with addiction and how to help young people make good choices.
Suffield Public Schools
350 Mountain Road, Suffield, CT 06078
Phone: 860-668-3800
