4-29-25
Good afternoon, Families,
Welcome back! I hope the vacation gave everyone a chance to relax, recharge and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. With spring break behind us we are now heading into the final stretch of the school year.
For our seniors, there are just 20 school days left until final exams begin. For underclassmen, only 35 days remain until the last day of school. That’s not a lot of time and every day counts!
This is a time when routines matter, effort makes a difference, and showing up each day truly adds up. It is not always easy to shift gears after a break, but a strong finish sets the tone for what comes next whether it’s the next grade level, graduation, or just a well-earned summer.
We are encouraging students to stay consistent with attendance, give their best effort, and lean on the support around them from teachers and counselors to, of course, you at home. Your support makes a big difference.
Let’s rally together an make these remaining weeks count!
All the best,
Principal Shorter
Spring Concert
Please join us for the Spring Music Concert on Tuesday, May 13, showcasing performances by our talented student musicians. The evening promises a vibrant celebration of band and choral music and the spirit of spring. We look forward to seeing you there!
Youth Advisory Board
Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni’s Annual Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Conference will be held on May 1, 2025 at the Basketball Hall of Fame. This event convenes individuals from law enforcement, education, and political communities with the YAB, which consists of high school students across Hampden County. Southwick Regional School is represented by Magnolia Dickinson who has worked diligently throughout the year along with YAB members from other schools. YAB students will be recognized for their accomplishments and will showcase the projects they have completed addressing various issues important to students across Hampden County.
MCAS Testing
Students in grades 7, 8, and 10 will participate in MCAS Math on May 20th and 21st. Students should be sure to have their school issued laptop in school and charged on these dates. Students in grades 9, 11, and 12 will have a 3- hour delayed start on these days with a 10:30 am arrival.
Additional MCAS tests will be administered during the school day on the following dates:
Civics MCAS (8th grade only)- May 6th and 7th
High School Physics (9th grade Physics students only) – June 4th and 5th
Seniors
The Seniors last day of classes will be Wednesday, May 28th. Senior finals will be held May 29th and 30th. Students will report for finals in the morning and are dismissed from campus each day once they have completed their finals.
May 29: E block- Final at 7:47
F block- Final at 9:16
May 30: G block- Final at 7:47
H block- Final at 9:16
Underclass Finals
Final assessments have been scheduled on June 16th and 17th. All students are expected to be in attendance to complete final assessments on these dates. In the event of illness or an extenuating circumstance, please reach out to the office to make arrangements for a make-up.
Boys State and Girls State
Congratulations to the SRS students who have been selected to attend this year’s Boys State and Girls State leadership program in June: Jameson Barger, Asher Rose, Evelyn Lafleur, Abigail Austin, and Olivia Angell!
Boys State and Girls State are leadership and civic engagement programs sponsored by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. These programs provide high school students with hands-on experience in government, politics, and public service. Participants have the opportunity to gain valuable leadership skills and a deeper understanding of the democratic process.
Prom
The Junior Class will host this year’s Prom on Friday, May 17 at 6:00 PM at Crestview Country Club in Agawam. It promises to be a memorable evening for our students! Tickets are on sale this week for $90.00.
No Cost Preventative Dental Services
We are excited to announce that J&S Smile Pros will be visiting Southwick Regional Schoon on June 6, 2025 to provide preventive dental services and dental education directly to our students. This program is a wonderful opportunity for students to receive dental care at school from licensed Public Health Dental Hygienists, Jennifer Hauschild and Sara Jambard. Services include:
- Dental screenings
- Cleanings
- Fluoride treatments
- Sealants (if appropriate)
- Oral health education
- Referrals for additional treatment, if needed
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After services are completed, each student will receive an Oral Health Report Form detailing the care provided. All students are welcome to participate! Even if your child already sees a dentist, they can still benefit from this program. No services will be duplicated.
Cost and Insurance Information:
There is no cost to families. If your child has MassHealth, please provide that information on the consent form, as services will be billed to MassHealth. Children with private insurance or no insurance can still receive screenings, education, and fluoride treatment at no charge.
How to Participate:
- Download and complete the consent form (link or attachment below).
- Provide MassHealth information, if applicable.
- Return the completed form to the Southwick Regional School nurse’s office.
For any questions, feel free to contact J&S Smile Pros directly:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Phone: (413) 459-2968
May dates to remember:
May 6, 7 -Civics MCAS (8th grade)
May 6-16 – Advanced Placement (AP) testing
May 13- Spring Music Concert; 6:30 pm
May 14 – Stop the Swerve, student Prom assembly
May 17 – Prom; 6:00 pm
May 20, 21 – Math MCAS (grades 7, 8, 10)
May 20, 21 -delayed start (grades 9, 11, 12)
May 23 – Half day; 11:00 dismissal
May 26 – No School
May 28 – Class Elections (grades 8-11)
May 28 – Last day classes- Seniors
May 29, 30 – Senior Finals
May 30 -Senior Check -out
May 30 – Senior Drive Around; 4:00 pm from SRS
4-15-25
Quarter 4 -Academics and Athletics
Arts & Technology
Yearbook (MultiMedia): Yearbook staff is working hard to finish up the yearbook and are preparing the pages for end of year activities including spring sports, prom, senior activities, and especially graduation!
A couple of announcements: The yearbook will be placing a final order for publishing on April 17th, be sure to go online to Jostens.com or see Mrs. Trzasko in Room 609 to reserve this year's book! Yearbooks are $80 and time is running out to order yours for this year.
Attention Seniors: There is some space in the back of the yearbook for a recognition or business ad. Space is going quickly so if you would like to recognize your student either go onto the Jostens website at jostens.com or email Mrs. Trzasko at [email protected].
Financial Literacy: Students are following the stock market and selected stocks as well as working on career related assignments including cover letters, resumes, and exploring job opportunities within their careers. We are excited to have two guest speakers join our class Mrs. Downie from School Counseling to talk about paying for college through available scholarships and answering questions around the FASFA. Also coming in will be a representative from Lincoln Tech to talk about opportunities for students who are interested in going into a trade after graduation. The term will wrap up with learning about Financial Services and Insurance.
Computer Science: Students have just completed coursework related to creating dynamic websites and are moving forward with learning about Cybersecurity. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a state-wide event with CISA on May 27th to discuss cybersecurity as it relates to national security and defense.
Middle School Art & Visual Arts: In Mr. Bladyka’s Art Room, Visual Art Explorations students are beginning their painting unit by studying the Pointilism of Georges Seurat and Paul Signac, while 7th grade artists are practicing their linework to create some decorative artworks inspired by Gustav Klimt and the Vienna Secession.
Visual Arts & Advanced Drawing: Students in both Visual Arts and Advanced Drawing will begin the 4th quarter with units that will focus on Pen and Ink technique. Visual Arts students will practice landscape using technical pens while students in Advanced Drawing will learn to use traditional dip pens with specific interchangeable nibs and ink wells. They will be referencing still life with organic objects. Both classes will use the “hatching” and “cross-hatching” techniques to achieve light and dark values with emphasis on volume, texture, and mood.
Social Studies
World History classes are beginning to enter modern history, reading, viewing and discussing the various works and peoples associated with the Renaissance and Reformation, and how these events helped shape the life and culture of the modern world. They will then move into the Age of Exploration as well as positive and negative consequences of connecting parts of the world previously unknow to each other. They will explore the tensions arising from competition among European nations to dominate other parts of the world, and how those rivalries would culminate with the “War to End All Wars”.
United States History classes have just finished discussing the territorial expansion of the United States and the impact on various groups of peoples and are now moving into discussing the reform movements of the early 19th century. Students will learn about the beginnings of the Second Great Awakening, and how this served as a launching point for the abolitionist movement and reforms regarding the rights of women, workers, immigrants, students and others. Selected writings from reformers such as Charles Grandison Finney, Frederick Douglas, Dorthea Dix, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others will be explored. After this, we will enter the period leading up to the Civil War, the impact of the war and Reconstruction of the nation, and how legal segregation became ingrained in many aspects of society in its aftermath. As we move towards the conclusion of our class, we will study the causes and consequences of the early Industrial Revolution, the Captains or Industry (or Robber Barons?) who drove the revolution, and the movements to reform a society that had become increasingly unequal. We will then conclude with the United States entering the world stage through the controversial involvement in imperialism and World War One.
In AP U.S. History, students are diving into the complex and transformative era following World War II, as the United States emerged as a global superpower locked in a high-stakes ideological conflict with the Soviet Union. This period, marked by the Cold War, saw tensions rise through proxy wars, nuclear arms races, and fierce technological competition. Domestically, students are exploring the dramatic social changes of the era, including the Civil Rights movement, the rise of a youth counterculture, and political shifts such as the Great Society and the impact of the Vietnam War. We are also examining how fear of communism influenced American society through events like the Red Scare and McCarthyism.
In Psychology , we're wrapping up our unit on Social Psychology, where we've explored how people influence each other in groups, relationships, and society. We're also taking a fun look at our own personalities using the OCEAN model, which breaks personality into five traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Next, we’re diving into Abnormal Psychology, where we’ll examine different psychological disorders and how they affect thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. It’s a powerful and eye-opening part of the course that gets us thinking deeply about mental health and the human experience.
The Economics class will continue its study of the impact of government on the economy. We will first look at the major economic systems that most countries follow, and the impact of those systems on the nation and people. We will then discuss the recent trend of globalization and multinational corporations, and the impact of the connection of the world's economies on those nations and its citizens. Also, we will study the economic impact of international organizations such as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund on the world's economies. Then, we will then move into a closer analysis of the American economy, including the role of the American Government and related departments and agencies such as the Federal Reserve System on the citizens and taxpayers of the nation. We will also discuss how our government crafts the federal budget. We’ll conclude with a look at how the government further monitors the economy through regulation, with a particular look at how the government has dealt with monopolies throughout our history.
Students in Popular Culture in American History will explore how World War II shaped—and was shaped by—American popular culture. We’ll examine the ways the entertainment industry contributed to a national consensus around the "American Way of Life" during the war and into the early Cold War. We will analyze how films, comic books, sports, fashion, and music played a role in rallying public support and reinforcing patriotic values. We’ll take a closer look at classic wartime films like Casablanca and Memphis Belle to analyze how cinema reflected and influenced public sentiment, blending amusement with national purpose.
English
Ms. Grunwald and Miss Thomson's English 9 Honors classes recently completed their Change Agents Unit. The culminating task was a collaborative inquiry project on an individual whose work made a significant impact on a technological, cultural, or social pathway. Their research resulted in poster displays and presentations to their peers. Ms. Grunwald's classes are now engaged in reading the George Orwell classic Animal Farm, with a focus on characterization analysis and the use of persuasive strategies to answer the central questions: "How do authors develop themes and commentary through allegorical stories and characters" and "How can language be used to control information and gain power?" Miss Thomson's classes have begun a new unit centered on Cristina Henriquez's novel The Book of Unknown Americans. This unit will focus on point of view, plot structure, and characterization to address the central question: "How does perspective shape our understanding of events?"
Mr. Sterlein's students in AP Language & Composition are currently refining their argumentation skills through essay writing and analyzing rhetoric in texts in preparation for the AP exam on May 14, 2025. After the exam, they will apply their skills to solve cold case murders, using argumentation to analyze evidence and construct persuasive arguments. To conclude the year, students will begin working on their college essays, finalizing a draft to prepare for senior year applications.
Mr. Garfield’s English 12 students are starting this final term digging into dystopian short stories to learn how to create thoughtful, compelling commentary on contemporary issues. With this knowledge, seniors will test their skills by crafting their own dystopian short stories. This project will engage their research, storytelling, and literary analysis skills. Above all, it will lead them to think more critically about issues around them, and to acclimate themselves in their roles as productive, thoughtful, informed adults. Seniors will end their year with a unit titled “Community.” This unit will take students through various fiction and non-fiction texts about communities of all shapes and sizes. We’ll analyze each text’s meaning and rhetorical structure and devices so that students can employ what they’ve learned into their own writing. The central question of this unit is: “What does it mean to belong to a community?” In asking this question, students will be prompted to take a closer look at their communities and ask themselves how they can become a more active member within them.
Ms. Grunwald's AP Literature students are engaged in literary analysis essays as they shift from their focus between prose and poetry texts in preparation for the May 7th exam. Concurrently, they are reading and discussing the Mary Shelly's classic tale Frankenstein and will follow that with the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. A culminating analysis and reflection project focused on Literary Quotes of the Year will round out their final weeks of senior year.
Mr. Garfield’s Creative Writing course is starting the new term reading and writing personal narratives. Everyone deserves to tell their story because we all have something to teach one another. This unit challenges students to critically analyze the elements of a great personal narrative, and to employ those techniques into their own. This unit not only asks students to write a well-crafted essay, but to look critically at their lives. After, they’ll move into play/script writing, and subsequently, creative nonfiction. Finally, they’ll end the year by revising their work to make a multi-genre portfolio of their work throughout the semester.
Math
In Algebra I Volume 2, students are extending their understanding of functions to include piecewise, absolute value, and inverse functions. They will work on modeling data by calculating and applying regression lines and by comparing shapes, centers, and spreads of multiple data sets. Finally, students expand their understanding of probability as they focus on conditional probabilities and determining whether events are independent.
Students in Geometry are concluding work with similarity and right triangle trigonometry and their focus will move into understanding circle relationships. In the following unit, students develop the formulas for area and circumference of a circle, how to calculate arc length and find the area of a sector of a circle, and deepen their understanding of volume formulas, learning how to find scale factors for area and volume. Then, students will use the coordinate plane as a tool to deepen their understanding of how Algebra and Geometry are related. Finally, students will apply their understanding of volume to cross-sections of solids of revolution.
In Algebra II Volume 1, students begin the term with work that deepens their understanding of quadratic functions and graphs that allows them to apply this knowledge to higher-order polynomials. Finally, students develop an understanding of the characteristics and behavior of higher-order polynomials and their graphs.
Students in Algebra II Volume 2 are finishing their work using sine and cosine to model periodic behavior and movement along a circular path. They will then work on extending their understanding of sine and cosine functions by using it to model periodic behavior. Finally, students will be introduced to statistics and will focus on normal distributions and how they are used to interpret data and make decisions.
In AP Pre-Calculus, students begin the term by analyzing the behavior and characteristics of trigonometric functions. They learn how to model periodic phenomena using sine and cosine functions, interpreting key features such as amplitude, frequency, and phase shifts in real-world contexts. They also solve trigonometric equations and apply their understanding to problems involving circular motion. Next, students are introduced to parametric equations as a powerful tool for describing motion and curves in the plane. To conclude the course, students get a head start on AP Calculus by studying the foundational concept of limits. They learn to evaluate limits graphically, numerically, and algebraically, and explore how limits are used to describe instantaneous rates of change and the behavior of functions near points of discontinuity.
PE/Health/Wellness
7th grade Health students will be involved in the following units: Identity-Who Am I? Disease Transmission, First Aid and Human Reproduction. Students will explore their own identities, helping them understand their unique qualities and strengths. They will learn about the diverse factors that contribute to identity and how to respect and appreciate the differences in others.
In the Disease Unit students will gain a basic understanding of various diseases, their causes, and prevention methods. During First Aid students will learn about various first aid emergencies and how to treat them. Human reproduction is a sensitive topic and very important one, the unit will provide accurate information in a respectful manner ensuring students have a clear understanding of the male and female anatomies and how to make proper decisions for their health.
8th Grade Health will be analyzing influences on health-related behaviors and students will determine how those influences impact their lives positively or negatively. They will also learn how to make appropriate decisions using the D.E.C.I.D.E Model. Students will be doing various projects throughout the quarter, such as developing The Dangers of Alcohol PSA video.
9th grade Health The students are working on a Substance Abuse unit and the dangers of Alcohol and vaping. Students will understand the dangers of putting substances in their body along with the risk of addiction.
10th grade Health Students are exploring the risk factors for addiction along with the dangers of fentanyl and the hidden epidemic of prescription pain medication. Students identify the risk of fentanyl being hidden in various pills.
Middle School Phys Ed: The middle school program is all about alternative games that emphasize teamwork, cooperation, and fitness. Students will engage in a variety of non-traditional and traditional sports and activities designed to enhance physical fitness while fostering a spirit of collaboration. Games will be tailored to encourage communication and teamwork, and fitness to keep students active and excited. By participating in these activities, students will build both their physical skills and their ability to work effectively with others.
High School Phys Ed: As the weather gets warmer students should expect to be going outside. The plan is after April break to be outside. Appropriate outdoor clothes would be a good idea, sweatshirts, etc. Layering is also a good idea, it is easy to remove warm clothing if a student gets too hot, if they are too cold and they don’t have appropriate clothes it will be harder to stay warm. Generally, if it is under 50 degrees we will stay inside. An extra pair of sneakers and socks should also be considered as it might still be a little wet, especially for the earlier morning classes.
We will also continue to work on fitness and the different components of fitness, stressing cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. Through the semester students will be working on improving in the different components of fitness, and at the end of the semester they will perform the same fitness tests, that were performed at the beginning of the semester, as the final exam portion of the class.
Students will explore team games such as Ultimate Frisbee, Touch Football, and Softball. With these games students will demonstrate how they can work cooperatively with one another to make sure all are involved, how they can control their emotions when things do not go the way they want them to. Additionally, they will be asked to consider their impact on the wellbeing of others within the context of games and sport, both physically and mentally.
Students will continue to participate in a variety of alternative games (meaning games that are not being done as a unit - multiple classes). If possible, students will also explore Individual/dual sports such as Kan Jam, Cornhole, Spike Ball, Ladder Ball, and Horseshoes. Within these games students will focus on working cooperatively to resolve any disagreements, to be fair and honest during game play, and show care for others while showing responsible social behavior during game play.
Nutrition 1 Students will go deeper into the five food groups of the MyPlate guidelines, specifically exploring fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, and dairy. They will then examine fast food, discussing the importance of knowing what you're putting in your body and how we are influenced to eat it. Students will explore the various influences around them, such as media, peers, and environment, and learn how to be smart consumers who make informed, healthy choices for their eating habits. Hands-on activities and real-world applications will reinforce practical skills and nutrition knowledge for lifelong wellness.
Nutrition 2 Students will be exploring the interrelationship of world cuisines. They will be exploring the connection between foods and culture around the world. Students will focus on different countries in Asia, India and Africa cuisine through different research projects and assignments. Students will practice using their prior knowledge on food preparation to plan, prepare and serve food from these areas around the world.
Science
In Term 4, Biology, we will be continuing to roll out the first few units from our newly acquired OpenSciEd curriculum. This new curriculum focuses on phenomenon-based learning which will allow students to focus all the knowledge from a single unit on answering questions about a single phenomenon example. The rest of the units will be a more traditional teaching style and will cover the topics including Genetics, Evolution, and Homeostasis. These units will include some of our favorite science activities such as "Club Cell" to show how cell membranes work, and "Bean Lab" which will have the students compete to collect beans and evolve over time. Students will also be doing Genetic studies amongst themselves and their families looking for similar traits and how they are inherited.
AP Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science are finishing up strongly preparing our students for their AP exams coming up in the first two weeks of May. After the exam students will continue to work diligently learning other topics within their respective science class to work towards their final end of the year projects.
In Physics, students will investigate how heat transfers through conduction, convection, and radiation and learn how students will explore a range of topics, including temperature, heat, and expansion, materials respond to temperature changes. Students will dive into radioactivity and nuclear energy, learning about nuclear reactions, radiation types, and their uses in medicine and energy production.
Moving into electrostatics and electricity, students will examine electric charges, circuits, and how electricity powers our world. Finally, in magnetism, they will discover how magnets and electromagnets work, including their role in electric motors and generators. Interactive lessons and experiments will deepen understanding of key physics concepts while preparing students for the Physics MCAS exam.
AIM Science students are exploring a dynamic mix of forensics and engineering, combining hands-on investigation with real-world applications. In the forensics unit, students will be learning how science helps solve crimes. They will analyze fingerprint patterns, study skeletal remains to uncover clues about identity, explore how blood spatter and blood type analysis contribute to crime scene reconstruction. Through forensic psychology, students will also gain insight into the role of mental health and behavior in the justice system.
In addition to forensics, students are being introduced to the foundational concepts of electrical and civil engineering. In electrical engineering, they will work with basic circuits, understanding how electricity flows, and learning how electrical systems power our modern world. In civil engineering, students will explore the principles behind the design and construction of structures like bridges and buildings, focusing on safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
Athletics- Spring Has Sprung—RAMS Sports Are On the Move!
Although the weather might suggest otherwise, we are well underway with our RAMS spring sports season! With over 160 students registered across six sports, we are thrilled to support our nine teams as they compete over the next two months.
A huge thank you goes out to our returning coaches for their continued dedication—and we’re equally excited to welcome some new faces to our coaching team this spring!
We welcome the following coaches to our team:
- Track and Field – New Head Coach Kevin Pfau is joined by Larry Libow, Renee Berard-Emerson, and Olivia Pellegrino.
- Baseball – Head Coach Alex Fulco, supported by Albert Calderon and Bryan Barnowski.
- Softball – Head Coach Vinny Guiel, with support from Will Hearn and Hyden Theodorakis.
- Girls Lacrosse – Head Coach Emma Thomson.
Schedules and Results are available at arbiter live, https://arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=21664.
News and updates are on the school's Athletics webpage, https://srs.stgrsd.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=914527&pageId=2841552 and follow us on Instagram @southwickrams.
Please also support our Athletics Booster Club ([email protected]) and follow on Instagram @srs_booster_club.
SAVE THE DATE: We welcome all family members to join us at Southwick Regional School for our end of season Spring Sports Celebration on Wednesday June 11, 2025.
We look forward to a season full of teamwork, competition, and RAMS pride. GO RAMS!