Schools
Mansfield Middle School Welcomes Students
The middle school held an assembly Friday to get students into the spirit of a new school year.
held its annual school-wide assembly Friday morning to welcome new and returning students back to school and offer opportunities and advice for the upcoming year.
The central theme for Principal Jeffrey Cryan was school pride. Individuals and groups who demonstrated pride through volunteer work and dedication to their community were recognized during the course of the assembly.
Among those highlighted was a group of staff members who volunteered their after-school hours to renovate the school courtyard. They were presented an honorary plaque to be placed by the culmination of their efforts: a refurbished ground and a new brick wall built to replace its old timber predecessor.
Also recognized were the efforts of the Sunshine Club, a group of students who dedicated a day of their summer vacation to introduce incoming fifth graders and their parents to the school. After the members stood to warm applause, Olivia Baker, an eighth grader who raised more than $9,000 for the Windham Area Interfaith Ministry’s Walk for Warmth, was given special acknowledgement.
Cryan stressed the importance of student involvement.
“A remarkable number of activities are available for students. Over half the school participates in music ensembles, and many seventh and eighth graders are involved in sports teams. We want kids to feel connected to their school,” Cryan said.
Exemplifying Cryan’s sentiment was the orchestra, which opened the assembly with a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Working on only two weeks of practice, the musicians also gave a strong performance of Mansions of the Lord under the guidance of director Michael Carbonneau.
Three new teachers introduced themselves to their future students: Carol Moran, teaching Science and Social Studies to Grade 5, Sophia Donforth, teaching Science and Literature to Grade 7, and Yalibi D’Addario, who is stepping in as the school’s French teacher.
Kelly Brouse and Elyse Poller talked about the school’s Student Council. They stressed the fact that, unlike most schools, all Mansfield Middle School students were members of the council. After extending an invitation to anyone interested, they discussed some of the areas in which the Student Council is involved, including party-planning and some policy creation.
Fifth-grader Rose Pacik-Nelson admitted that her new school was much busier, but said that the abundance of options offered at Mansfield Middle School outweighed the responsibilities. She found the assembly interesting as well as informative, saying “I expected no less. I knew that the assembly was awesome but I never heard it before… I didn’t know that Student Council was not only for people who signed up… I’m definitely interested.”
Throughout the assembly, themes of pride and community were present. “I want every single kid to find some connection here in addition to classes, to feel like they’re part of something,” Cryan said.
