Masconomet Receives Scholastic Art Awards
The 2024 Scholastic Art & Writing Regional Awards were recently announced and Masconomet High School once again achieved excellent results—one of the top five highest performing public schools in the state. Our students received a total of 56 awards (13 Gold Keys, 12 Silver Keys, and 31 Honorable Mentions). Additionally, Piper Testa’s Gold Key winning drawing “Blessed” was one of five pieces honored with an American Visions Award from the state of Massachusetts. This award is a prestigious honor that represents each region of the Scholastic Awards. The Awards’ core values of originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision are key factors in the selection process. Congratulations to all of the talented and hard-working award winners, participants, their high school art teachers and Department Head Stacy Mannheim!
Masconomet Middle School also achieved excellent results in the 2024 Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Masconomet Middle School students had a total of 10 awards (2 Gold Keys, 2 Silver Keys, 6 Honorable Mentions), which is the highest number of awards at the Grade 7 and 8 level of any public school in the state! Congratulations to the award winners, all the students who participated in this competition, and our Middle School Art Teachers, Ms. Amsler and Mrs. Malinowski.
On Sunday, March 17 an Award Ceremonies for Gold and Silver Key recipients was held at Cohen Hall on the Tufts University campus. All Gold Key works are on display at Breed Hall, March 16-23, open 9-5 to the public. All Gold Key winning work is currently being reviewed on a national level and results will be announced in late March.
High School Gold Key Winning Artwork
Top row from left to right: Piper Testa, “Blessed”, Jenna Lindsay, “Morning Ritual”,
Lydia Kosta, “Blue Yeti”
Second row: Nora Achille, “The Joy of Family”, Isabella Maddaleni, “T.L.C.”,
Ryan Lamprey, “Wheelchair Cover Design”
Third row: J.T. Mroczek, “Roasting”, Adaya MacRae, “Coil Vessel”, Jenna Lindsay, “Connection”
Bottom row: Emma Boldi, “All Together Now”, Mariko Prazar, “New Day”
Megan Brady, “Inner Struggle”
Middle School Gold and Silver Key Winners
Middle School Gold Key work top left: Clara Alberta, “Under the Sea”, top right: Bridget Moran, “Wildflowers”
Silver Key work bottom left: Grace Bellardino, “Meredith Farms Views”, bottom right:
Georgia Staley, “Dragon Eye”
High School Parent Coffee on Friday, 3/22
The March coffee with administration for high school parents will be held on Friday, March 22 at 8:30 AM. These coffees are an opportunity for parents to meet with Ms. DiNardo and me to learn about what’s happening in the schools and to ask questions. We ask that parents first report to the Main Office at the High School to sign in to the building. Parents will then be escorted to meeting location.
MCAS Testing Begins
Annual MCAS Testing will begin at Masconomet High School next week with the administration of the 10th Grade English Language Arts Tests on Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday March, 27. All students in the Middle School will take the English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests. Additionally, 8th grade students will take the Science, Technology and Engineering Test, and the Civics Test. At the High School, all 9th grade students will take the Science, Technology and Engineering Exam and all grade 10 students will take the ELA and Mathematics Tests.
The test schedule for the Middle and High Schools is as follows:
Masconomet Middle School Testing Dates
| Grade and Subject Area | Test Administration Dates |
| Grade 7, ELA, Session 1 | Tuesday, April 2 |
| Grade 7, ELA, Session 2 | Thursday, April 4 |
| Grade 8, ELA, Session 1 | Tuesday, April 9 |
| Grade 8, ELA, Session 2 | Thursday, April 11 |
| Grade 7, Mathematics, Session 1 | Tuesday, April 23 |
| Grade 7, Mathematics, Session 2 | Thursday, April 25 |
| Grade 8, Mathematics, Session 1 | Tuesday, April 30 |
| Grade 8, Mathematics, Session 2 | Thursday, May 2 |
| Grade 8, Science, Technology, Engineering, Session 1 | Tuesday, May 7 |
| Grade 8, Science, Technology, Engineering, Session 2 | Thursday, May 9 |
| Grade 8 Civics, Session 1 | Tuesday, May 21 |
| Grade 8, Civics, Session 2 | Wednesday, May 29 |
| ELA Make Up Days | April 5, 8, 12, 22, 26 |
| Math & STE Make Up Days | May 6, 10, 13, 16 |
Masconomet High School Grade 10 Tests
| Subject Area | Test Administration Dates |
| ELA | ELA Session 1: March 26 ELA Session 2: March 27 |
| Mathematics | Mathematics Session 1: May 21 Mathematics Session 2: May 22 |
Masconomet High School Grade 9 Tests
| Science, Technology, Engineering | STE Session 1: June 4 STE Session 2: June 5 |
Congratulations to Ms. Siden’s Documentary Filmmaking class!
One of the documentaries has been selected to screen at the Salem Film Fest! This film, “From a Little Teeny Kitchen,” was produced by students Paige Mason, Nate Mroczek, Gabriella Saitta and Camille Wayland, and tells the story of the Boxford landmark known as Jack’s, Wayne’s, or Boxford Community Kitchen. You can watch the film below.
The screening will be at 10am on March 23 in Salem, MA. More info can be found here:
https://salemfilmfest2024.eventive.org/schedule/65d41578ffc311003a893ef5
Masconomet Parent Activities Committee (PAC) Fundraiser on March 23
The Masconomet Parent Activities Committee will be holding a Comedy and Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, March 23rd at Teresa’s Restaurant in Middleton. For tickets, please go to www.mascopac.org/comedynight
Narcan Available Through Local Public Health Departments
The Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield Public Health Departments would like members of the public to be aware of the opioid and fentanyl epidemic and the availability of opioid overdose rescue kits to members of the public. The Health Departments are in the process of installing Opioid Rescue Kits, which are hard acrylic boxes that contain narcan/naloxone, a breathing barrier, gloves and an instruction card on what to do in event of a suspected overdose. The Opioid Rescue Kits are being installed in public spaces in our communities, including our school buildings. The Health Departments also have community distribution kits available for any member of the public who would like one. Please contact your local public health department for more information on how to obtain a kit: Boxford (978) 887-2875, Middleton (978) 777-1869, and Topsfield (978) 887-1520.
For more school-specific info, please see the High School Principal’s Masco Memo and the Middle School Principal’s Weekly Update.
News from the Masconomet Superintendent 