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- A colleague wants to acknowledge Rick Hastings, GHS Social Studies Teacher “After nearly thirty years, Rick is still one of the first colleagues here in the morning and often the last to leave. His dedication and rigor to produce effective classes is unwavering.”
- A Penn Brook educator is sharing a Thank you to all the Paraprofessionals who work with students in the Thrive K-5 Program. “Thank you to the K-5 Thrive Para’s for all their hard work and dedication to our students. They have been so flexible with their schedule and adjusting to the students’ needs. They are constantly willing to do whatever it takes to assist our students. They have built such a strong rapport with students while also trying to maintain professionalism with them. These paras have been so helpful with staff as well; always willing to help out wherever is needed. They all bring such a wealth of experience to our school and we couldn’t do it without them. We are so grateful to each and every one of them.”
- GHS ELA Teacher, Mike Murphy is grateful for SRO Devito, GMHS Teachers Courtney Cyr, Bennett Pawlusiak and Sherri Pitella for “ showering kindness and generosity to help students-in-need for Homecoming. Students and colleagues appreciate their professionalism.”
- Nikki Ivone, parent, wanted to share “I just wanted to give a shout out to Mrs. Ruggerio. My 2nd grader has loved school from day 1. He is always excited to let me know about his day and eager to go in the morning. He refuses to miss a day and never wants to be late. She is a teacher that goes above and beyond for her students. This was also felt during PIN night- she is well connected to families. I also was able to see what a kind and empathetic teacher she is in action while in the classroom. You can see that she truly understands child development; teaches in a manner that is patient while also guiding and directing. You can see how much respect she has for her students. Our family truly appreciates her! Her Veterans Day slideshow was the icing on the cake. Taking time to pause and reflect on her students’ families and the school’s military service is admirable. Thank you Mrs. Ruggerio for your service to our kiddos!”
Parent and School Committee Member, Joe Maribito shared this picture of the Geomagnetic Storm. He took it at Penn Brook on November 11, 2025. Moments like this remind me of how miraculous nature can be and how important it is to remind myself of the small, amazing moments that occur every day. Thank you Joe.
UPDATES:
Over the past week I have met with most of the 8th grade class and students in grades 9-12 to learn about their current experience at GMHS and what they would like to see in the High School. It is so rewarding to learn from our students. A few themes that were identified include: bigger serving of food for lunch and additional foreign language offerings. access to advanced coursework and bathroom improvements. They were incredibly engaged and had a ton of ideas, many of which they are willing to help spearhead.
In a recent Blog I introduced Jenny Winter, Director of Innovative Learning and Student Support. Click here to get to know her better.
GMHS Principal Search update: We are in the process of collecting applications and resumes for the new GMHS Principal. The next step is to gather information from you. The search firm, NESDEC, is collecting community input in two ways. First, they are asking everyone to fill out a 3 question anonymous survey (here is the link). Second they will be conducting 3 focus groups. A virtual session will be held on Tuesday, November 20, 2025 from 12:00 – 1:00. (link to follow). They will be holding 2 in-person sessions on November 18, 2025 on the 3rd floor of Perley. The first one will be at 2:30 – 3:30 and the second from 6:00 – 7:00. I hope that we have your voice in the process to hire the new Principal!! Thank you in advance for participating! Here is the link to the Principal search page on our website.
A reminder of the Community Conversation follow up meeting where we will review the data from the survey and outline potential future plans for GHS. It is being held in the High School Auditorium on Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 5:15 – 6:15 which will be recorded incase you aren’t able to attend.