Volume 20, Issue 3
February 2017
What a strange winter we are having. Two days ago it was 3 degrees in the morning and yesterday afternoon it was 54 degrees. It seems like every time we have a
chance for some snow, it warms up and rains instead. At least the reservoirs are
filling back up.
The plans for a new Morse High School/Bath Regional Career and Technical Center are really moving forward in a positive direction. The months of December,
January, February, and March are full of meetings related to this project. The sustainability, design, and building committees meet most often. The architects and
the superintendent also held a meeting with the entire Morse/BRCTC staff and
they are also meeting with department heads on a regular basis. Having community members and many school employees involved with the planning process is
greatly appreciated by all and, I am sure, will result in the best possible outcomes.
I feel privileged to be part of this process.
We are continuing to make some good progress with our Proficiency Based Learning goals. A year ago, I wrote about a structured study hall called Guided Production and the impact it was having on reducing the number of failing grades. At that
time we had 16 blocks of Guided Production in our four-day schedule rotation. We
currently have 32 blocks available and we continue to see some really positive
results. I consider this the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the level of support
we will need to have in place for our students to successfully meet the standards in
all of the content areas (2021). We will continue to incrementally build a strong
system of support.
Mid-term exams are next week and that means that we will already be in our
spring semester by the time that you are reading this. I continue to be impressed
with what I see in our classrooms, on the courts, in the pool, on a mat, at the JMG
Opening Ceremony, at MoHiBa, in the BRCTC programs, on stage, and everywhere else where our students are actively involved with making our community a
better place.
GO SHIPBUILDERS!
John B. Pinkerton
Principal
FINE ARTS NIGHT & ONE-ACT REGIONAL FESTIVAL
FROM MORSE HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Morse High Drama proudly presents the world premiere of junior Sidonia Stanton’s play Red Radio. Please join us on Wednesday night, March the 8th at 7pm in
the Montgomery Theatre for a free viewing! For the final time in our beloved
Montgomery Theatre, Morse High School will host the 2017 one-act regional festival the weekend of Friday and Saturday March the 10th and 11th. Morse will perform Friday night with junior Sidonia Stanton's play Red Radio. Come support the
Shipbuilders as we say a fond farewell to our house hosting the one-acts as we prepare for our new school opening in 2020.
Congratulations to the following students who auditioned and have been chosen
for the following two Music Festivals from Morse HS!
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District 3 Honors Mixed Choir- Logan Goodman, Sarah Gray and Brian Pelletier
MORSE STEAM ACADEMY NEWS
The Steam Academy is rolling along with 11 sophomores preparing research projects on a wide variety of topics ranging from the effects of music genres on plant
growth, to improving marine life habitats, to sustainable home design, and many
more. The background research the students are doing now will eventually be realized in their senior STEAM capstone projects.
The District festival will take place on January 27 and 28 at Camden Hills Regional High School.
District 3 Honors Band- Nathaniel Lay, Zachary Lay, Chris Peterson, Daniel
Whitman and Katy Whitman
District 3 Honors Treble Choir- Emma Boynton, Rachel Ouellette and Vanessa
St. Pierre
The All-State Festival will take place in May at The University of Maine, Orono.
All-State Chorus- Logan Goodman, Sarah Gray and Brian Pelletier
This spring, the students will be seeking out mentors, people with expertise in the
fields of research they have chosen, to guide them as they develop the projects.
They are also beginning to research and apply for a variety of “STEAM Experiences”, programs or opportunities that will provide exposure to and experience
with STEAM applications outside of school. A number STEAM students will be
participating in starting a Vex Robotics Club, which will be open to all interested
students at Morse and BRCTC.
All-State Band- Katy Whitman
In February, we will be looking at submissions and choosing a winner in the
STEAM Logo contest, which was opened to art and design classes at Morse and
BRCTC. Keep your eye out for the logo, which will be appearing on t-shirts, posters, and other materials.
Do you make an amazing chili or chowder? We need you! Do you enjoy eating
chili or chowder? We need you!
If you would like more information about the Morse STEAM Academy, the Robotics Club, or have an interest in mentorship, please check the link on the Morse
website or contact Ruthanne Harrison, STEAM Coordinator at [email protected].
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NEWS FROM THE LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM
The Life Skills class recently completed a literature study of the holiday classic,
It's a Wonderful Life. The highlight was attending the Chocolate Church's live
performance of the tale. Students also hosted a 'Cookies & Cocoa Social' with
special friends at Morse High School. As we head into the winter, students will
begin preparing for the Special Olympics. We appreciate the generous support of
the Bath Knights of Columbus, which has allowed us to purchase training equipment and uniforms for our athletes.
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CHILI AND CHOWDER COOK OFF
On February 11 at 5 PM in the Morse High School cafeteria the JMG students are
hosting a Chili and Chowder Cook Off. We are seeking entries of chili or chowder for the cook off as well as tasters. Parents, Morse staff, and community members are invited to enter the cook off or to sample the chili/chowders and vote on
them.
If you would like to enter, visit the Morse High School website to download the
entry rules and registration form or email Maria Morris ([email protected]).
The chef of the winning chili and chowder will win a golden serving spoon and a
Now You’re Cooking gift certificate! Please register by February 3.
We are looking for people to sample and judge all of the fabulous products entered. In addition to the chili and chowders we will have Gagne Foods Biscuits,
cornbread, and desserts to turn the tasting into a meal. Tickets are just $5 and may
be purchased at the door or in advance.
To round out the evening we will have a raffle, silent auction, and 50/50 raffle.
ATTENTION JUNIORS—SAT PREP
Short sessions. 2:10 - 3:05 for 7 weeks, right here @ Morse
Work hard, then get on to your sports and other commitments
14 sessions for juniors who are taking the April 5 SAT here at Morse
Classes will all be different:
Come to One, or Come to All, but the more you practice, the better the results
Wednesday, February 8: How the Test works, basic strategies for the whole test,
how this year’s test is different, where to get online help to prepare.
Connect your PSAT results with Khan Academy practice.
Thursday, February 9: Reading Literature passages: Some techniques and practice
Wednesday February 15: Math: What do you know? What don’t you know? Take
the Pre-test.
Thursday, February 16: Math: Practice the No Calculator section
UPCOMING EVENTS
February 11
February 16
February 20-24
March 2
March 2
March 3
March 3
March 7-10
March 8
March 10,11
April 7
April 12
April 17-21
May 3
May 18
Mar 19
May 24
May 25
JMG Chili/Chowder Challenge 5 PM
8th Grade Parent Night 6 PM
No School—Winter Vacation
Student Dismissal at 11 AM
Parent Teacher Conferences 1 PM—7 PM
Student Dismissal at 11 AM
Parent Teacher Conferences 11:30 AM—2:10 PM
9th Grade Awareness
Fine Arts Night 7 PM
Regional One Act Play Competition
End of 3rd Quarter
11th Grade Post-Secondary Planning Night 6 PM
No School—Spring Vacation
Financial Aid Night 6 PM
Adult Education Graduation 7 PM
No School—Professional Development Day
Spring Concert 7 PM
JMG Closing Ceremony 6 PM
Wednesday, March 1: Reading: A Passage from the “Global Conversation”
Thursday, March 2: Math: The Calculator Section and working backwards for
answers
Wednesday, March 8: Writing and Language: It’s not just a grammar test
Thursday, March 9: Reading: What are all these graphs and science questions doing here? Wednesday, March 15: Math: Special Strategies for “Plugging In” the
Answers
Thursday, March 16: Writing the Essay: Actually, it’s more about Reading
Wednesday, March 22: Reading: Do a Full Reading Section
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DATES OF IMPORTANCE TO SENIORS
SENIOR RECEPTION: Saturday, May 6th, Maine Maritime Museum
ACADEMIC AWARDS NIGHT: Thursday, June 1st
FINAL ASSEMBY: Tuesday, June 6th
LAST SCHOOL DAY FOR SENIORS: Friday, June 9th
MARCHING PRACTICES: Wed, June 7th, Thurs, June 8th, Fri June 9th
SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP NIGHT: Thursday, June 8th
ALUMNI BANQUET: Saturday, June 10th, Bath Middle School
Thursday, March 23: Math: Do a Full Math No Calculator Section
Wednesday, March 29: Writing: Do a Full Writing and Language Section
Thursday, March 30: Do a Full Math with Calculator Section
Wednesday, April 5: THE TEST
All classes are FREE. Instructor: Mr. Ingmundson Room 117
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
GRADUATION WILL BE
HELD SUNDAY, JUNE
11TH
NEWS FROM GUIDANCE
Course Registration: School Counselors will be meeting with students in their history classes and on an individual basis for 2017-18 course registration beginning the
week of February 6.
BRCTC Applications: BRCTC personnel will be presenting to students in their 10th
grade history classes beginning on February 6th. Applications will be distributed
during the presentations and can also be picked up from Guidance Office. Completed applications are due to Guidance by Tuesday, March 7.
FAFSA: Seniors are encouraged to complete their FAFSA online now at
www.fafsa.gov (this year’s form was available as of October 1). Students who complete their FAFSA now increase their chances of accessing grant, scholarship, and
need-based financial aid at most schools. If you have questions about the FAFSA or
about filing procedures, please contact the Guidance Office at 443-8250 x1109.
Senior Meetings: Current seniors will meet with their assigned School Counselor
beginning the week of March 27. Parents are encouraged to attend this meeting.
Please be watching for your family’s letter with scheduled appointment time to arrive in the mail at the end of February. The purpose of this meeting is to review post
-secondary plans. Seniors should bring copies of their financial aid award letters
from colleges, a copy of their FAFSA with EFC, and any questions about their postsecondary plans.
NEWS FROM FRESHMEN AWARENESS PROGRAM
Morse’s Freshmen Awareness Program will be held at Hyde School from Tuesday,
March 7th through Friday, March 10th. Guest speakers will discuss healthy lifestyle
topics including: substance abuse and addiction, healthy relationships, Internet safety,
peaceful conflict resolution, stress management, and more. Following each presentation, all 9th graders will engage in small group discussions with teachers and in team
building activities with their peers. Freshmen Awareness is one of the ways that
Morse helps students learn essential information and gain skills to necessary to becoming healthy and positive citizens in our community.
If your student normally rides the bus, they will be picked up and dropped off by their
regular bus at Hyde on March 7-10. Students who typically walk to school or are
dropped off by a parent/guardian have two options: 1) come to Morse as usual and
take the shuttle bus to/from Hyde, or 2) walk to or be dropped off at the Hyde Student
Union Building. Lunch will be served at Hyde on all four days. Your student will
receive more information regarding this event from his/her 9th Grade teachers and
their School Counselor closer to the event. If you have any questions, please contact
the Morse Guidance Office at 443-8250 x1109 or Mandy Nalls at x1121.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR JUNIORS:

Post-secondary planning begins this spring! In order to help start the process,
Guidance is hosting two parent student evenings in Montgomery Theater. The
first, on April 12, will be an overview of the post-secondary planning process.
The second, on May 3, will focus on FAFSA completion and financial aid. We
encourage all juniors and their parents to attend both events.

All juniors will be required to take the SAT during the school day on April 5.
Free SAT prep courses will be available to all students prior to the test. See
Guidance for more information.
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MONITORING THE FUTURE SURVEY
Morse High School has been invited by the University of Michigan to participate in
a nationwide survey of 10th graders, entitled Monitoring the Future; a continuing
study of American youth.
This annual survey, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, has been
tracking changes in the attitudes, opinions and behavior of American young people
for the past 40 years. Its results are widely reports and are used by many organizations to develop better policies and programs that affect the nation’s youth.
On Tuesday, March 7th,10th graders will be asked to complete a 45-minute questionnaire which asks about school experiences, attitudes toward school and education, plans for the future, use of and attitudes about using alcohol and drugs, work
experiences and preferences, and health and leisure activities.
Parents will receive additional information about the survey in February. If you
have any questions, please contact the Morse Guidance Office at 443-8250 x1109
or Mandy Nalls at 1121.
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SCLC NEWS
SCLC has had a very busy fall and winter! Students spent the morning of Saturday,
November 5th collecting food and money donations outside of Brackett's Market. As
a result, we were able to donate 9 boxes of food and $445 to the Bath Area Food
Bank.
Students also adopted a family of four for Christmas. Through money donations collected during advisory, students were able to provide several boxes of wrapped toys,
clothes, and family gifts. We are very thankful to the students and the staff who
made donations for this cause!
Finally, SCLC experienced a loss recently. Bath City Councilor Leverett "Tink"
Mitchell passed away unexpectedly on December 30th. Councilor Mitchell was one
of our community SCLC members, and he was active and involved. He brought good
ideas to the table, he listened carefully and helped problem solve, and he reached into
his own pockets to provide funds when a little extra was needed. He will be deeply
missed, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with his family.