IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:
Wednesday, November 27th - Thanksgiving Recess/Early Release (10:50)
Thursday/Friday, November 28/29th - No School Thanksgiving Recess
Thursday, December 5th - Self-Help Tour (In School Assembly)
Friday, December 6th - Mid-Point of Term 2
Friday, December 13th - PD Early Release (10:50)
December 23rd - January 3rd - Holiday Break
Link to school calendar - Calendar 2024 - 2025
SELF HELP TOUR COMING TO GD
On December 5th, the guidance department is welcoming Kaleb Joseph to speak to staff and students during an end of day school wide assembly. Kaleb was a highly recruited basketball prospect at nearby Cushing Academy (Ashburnham), and went on to play at Syracuse University on a basketball scholarship. When things didn't pan out, Kaleb struggled to cope, but turned his pain into purpose, traveling the U.S. as a life coach and motivational speaker. His website description gives a sense of what his talk will consist of:
The Self-Help Tour is empowering champions in all aspects of their journey, including resilience of the mind. For too long, the unwritten rules of "toughing it out" have discouraged many talented individuals from acknowledging normal struggles and seeking help. By normalizing vulnerability and compassion through open dialogue, our aim is to reduce silent suffering due to misguided stigmas of weakness. We all contend with life's difficulties; together, through empathy and education, a braver environment emerges where no one feels alone or afraid to reach for needed support. Together, we aspire to share powerful stories of human triumphs over adversity until the stigma melts away. In its place, we are creating a shared understanding that we are all human and on a journey to become our best selves inside and out.
STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS
The GDRHS Student Council will meet on Monday, November 25 after school in room 223 to plan the annual “Be an Elf” fundraiser for gifts for children in our community. Pictured are GDRHS Student Council officers Vice President Danielle Imurang (left), President Kierra Scully (center) and Secretary Zehraa Almathkhor (right).
DUNSTABLE JINGLEFEST - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH
Greetings Groton Dunstable high school community .... Please mark your calendars for a special community event happening on Sat. Dec. 7th in Dunstable town center. Call it a COOL (dress warmly) opportunity for our communities to come together and enjoy a very popular and growing event known as Jinglefest.
Jinglefest has grown over the years. We try to offer an event that could entertain all attendees from the very young to the older at heart. Since the beginning of Jinglefest one of the visions of the committee was to have an event where we could welcome and encourage the school community to showcase their talents and offer team building experiences but all the while having fun at a non school event and building bridges within the community.
This year we have a few opportunities where our high school students (and their families) can get involved. Of course we need a few more volunteers to help with set up and take down pre and post events, parking details, assist in the kids midway area overseeing games, we need a few more photographers and a few more acting spots to fill on the Journey. The sign up link for volunteers can be found on the main page of our website here. DUNSTABLE'S JOURNEY & JINGLEFEST .
In addition to the volunteer spots available (which remember can count as volunteer hours) we would also love to see high school students, or a sports team or club or student council group or PTO work together and Build a snowman to enter into our snowman contest or build a gingerbread house to be on display in the gingerbread house contest. Are there any chefs in the house? We still have a few more spots in the soup/chowder contest. Who knows maybe a local high school chef can walk away with the best cook apron for the year. The great thing about some of these events is that if folks are busy on the weekend they can still work together as a team to build their snowman or gingerbread house and put it on display for the community to see and enjoy and they are not required to be at the event. It's a teamwork building opportunity and all they need to do is drop it off and then pick it up post event. The different sign up links for the contests can be found here on our events page on the Jinglefest website. Events
An event like this can't be pulled off without the community coming together to support the event. Whether that means participating in the event, planning the event or attending the event we hope to build the bridges needed to pull off a Jinglefest event like we've never seen before. We hope you can join us and we look forward to seeing you on Sat. Dec 7th in Dunstable town center.
UNIFIED BASKETBALL
CLASS OF 2027 FUNDRAISER
The Groton-Dunstable Class of 2027 is in need of food donations for our next fundraiser coming up in December. We will be providing and selling refreshments at Dunstbaleś jinglefest. If anyone would like to purchase and donate food or beverage items you can sign up here. Your support is greatly appreciated.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4EAAA82CA3FAC61-52189084-jinglefest#/
TOY DRIVE
Let’s show our CRUSADER spirit and bring some holiday cheer to children in local hospitals and homeless shelters! This year GDRHS will be part of a TOY DRIVE to help For the Love of Erika, a local non-profit that provides disadvantaged children in hospitals and shelters with presents during the holiday season. After Thanksgiving break there will be a bin outside the main office for all toy donations. If you are donating gift cards, please bring them to Mr. Hennelly’s office. Let’s show other area schools what the CRUSADER spirit is all about and fill the bin over the top with toys! The toy drive will only last for two weeks and will end December 13th! Items of greatest need are: Fisher Price, Legos, Barbies and gift cards for older children.
All toy donations should be unwrapped (Please no stuffed animals)
GD ATHLETIC BOOSTERS UPDATE:
We are VERY excited to not only have our bulletin board setup in the High School showcasing all of our fall sports teams, but we now have them available for sale through Mark Lawrence! You can purchase the team, captains or senior group photos!
https://marklawrencephotographers.proofpix.com/grotondunstable-fall-sports-24/
* Unfortunately the JV Volleyball team was not present for photo day so their images are not available to purchase. The Unified Basketball team was taken on a different day and sent to all parents. These three teams are on display at the High School in the display case!
Photos courtesy of Mark Lawrence Photographers
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Florence Roche is hosting a Winter Fair and they are looking for student volunteers.
Date: December 7 Time: 9a-2pm
Where: Marion Stoddart Bldg (MS South)
What: help sell baked goods, pizza, serve chili and manage kids craft area
If any students are interested, please email jenniferblount@hotmail.com
GROTON DUNSTABLE ARTS BOOSTERS
We’re excited to announce our latest fundraiser! Our mission is to provide essential grants to high school arts programs and scholarships for graduating seniors pursuing the arts in college.
By participating in our candy sale, you’re not just treating yourself—you’re investing in the future of our young artists. Every purchase goes directly toward enriching our arts programs and helping students achieve their dreams.
Check out our selection and order today: Fundraiser Link
Thank you for your continued support in making the arts a vital part of our students’ education!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
GrotonFest Winter will be held on Saturday, December 7th. They are looking for students to volunteer during any of the slots (set-up is preferred) as well as students who are interested in training to be volunteer coordinators for later GrotonFest events.
Here is the link to sign up (volunteers should do so with their personal / non-school email):
Anyone interested in the coordinator position should contact one of the current volunteer coordinators (brierviolet@gmail.com, arwa.syahya@gmail.com, mburm323@gmail.com, hannahegan113@gmail.com) or Lynne Burmeister (lynne@grotonfest.com).
GUIDANCE NEWS
Schoolhouse.world is a non-profit started by Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, that provides free peer tutoring over Zoom. Join their small-group SAT Bootcamps, College Admission Workshops, and Math Learning Labs or get extra homework help – all alongside a global community of students like you. Create a free account at https://schoolhouse.world!
Looking for volunteer hours or want to stand out on your college applications? Schoolhouse.world is a peer tutoring non-profit started by Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, and they are looking for students like you to become tutors on their platform! You’ll lead tutoring sessions and meet people from around the world. You’ll be trained, certified, and can build a tutoring portfolio that is accepted by dozens of colleges as part of their application process. Become a tutor at schoolhouse.world/become-a-tutor!
MEFA NEWS
Understanding MA State Financial AidThursday, November 14th at 8:30 a.m. Join Dr. Clantha McCurdy from the MA Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) to receive a full overview of the state-based financial aid programs in Massachusetts. |
Our webinars for students and families offer detailed and timely information on a range of college planning topics. And we’ve recorded each one we’ve held this year. Visit our webinars page, where you can find all upcoming webinars listed at the top, with registration links, and all recorded webinars listed at the bottom. Recent topics include Financial Aid 101, What to Know about the CSS Profile, and College Admissions.
HOW TO ORDER A YEARBOOK, PLUS SENIOR PORTRAIT AND AD INFORMATION
The PRESALE cost for a yearbook is $75 until December 31, 2024. All presales are guaranteed. After that, the cost for a yearbook goes up to $85 on a first-come, first-serve basis, based on what we estimate our sales will be beyond our guaranteed presale number. We have sold out of yearbooks the past three years, so be sure to order now.
To purchase a book or buy your senior a tribute ad, go to GDRHS's Yearbook Order Center.
The deadline for submitting senior portraits is October 31, 2024.
For photographer specifications, please open this document. Class of 2025 Senior Portrait Info
Please note that Mr. Adams is in charge of tracking senior portraits. If you have any further questions about senior portraits beyond this flyer, please send them to him at jadams@gdrsd.org.