NMS Movember 2017 Is Down to the Final Furry Five

2017 NMS Movember Champion to be Decided from

The Furry Five Beards

The NMS Movember Competition is as tight a race as it has ever been.

Voting began on Monday, November 27, through a new route -- Google Classroom voting.  Students were asked to vote in Homerooms or during any other time using the GC code.

The voting board looked like this:

Beard Voting Round # 1

Choose the beard you like best. The beards with the most votes will go to the second round of voting!

* Required

Choose your favorite beard. *

Option 2

Option 6

Option 9

Option 8

Option 10

Option 11

Option 1

Option 7

Option 3

Option 4

Option 5

SUBMIT

And we started with 11 brave men willing to put up with the itchiness and even scorn of their wives.

But we ferret on.

The Final Furry Five are the Teams of Mr. Candler, Mr. Donovan, Mr. Geoghegan, Mr. Minarovich, and Mr. Thomas.  

We want to thank Mr. Rothemich, Mr. Converse, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Luppino, Mr. Perry, Mr. Jesman, Mr. Redpath, and Mr. Rader for putting up with the cutaneous sensation (itchiness) and competing for the cause.

The competition that is left is most certainly steep:

Mr. Donovan is the returning Movember Champion.

Mr. Candler was the Champion two years ago, hoping to strike again.

Mr. Minarovich is hoping to change his fortunes this year as he has always been the Bridesmaid, as he is in his fourth consecutive Movember Finals.

Mr. Thomas is making his first Movember Finals.

And Mr. Geoghegan knows he is only in the Finals because he is the Principal (and probably the reason why it's the "Furry Five" instead of the "Furry Four").

And he does get to pick his own Star's beard.  ;-)

The final tallying of the votes will take place on Friday, December 1st.

On Friday, we will hold Round Three of beard voting. 

Students can vote online (through the Google Classroom -- (Jeiu7ny) just as students did for Rounds 1 & 2 but they can also donate money to the beard of their choice on Friday, December 1.

For every 10 cents donated we will count it as one additional vote for the beard of your choice. Simply drop your coins/dollars in the jug with the beard of your choice on your way into school on Friday, December 1. 

If you donate a dollar or more you can choose to wear a hat all day! 

Donations collected outside the media center in the morning. 

All money will be donated to a cancer charity of the beard winner's choice.

No facial hairs have been hurt in this contest so far, but most of us can't wait to shave them off.

All money raised will go to cancer research based on the winner's choice.

Bring any spare change or a full dollar to wear a hat on Friday, December 1st for the beard of your choice to decide on the NMS Movember 2017 Champion.

Next NMS School Council Meeting, Wed November 29 3PM

2017-2018 John T. Nichols, Jr. Middle School Council

Are you interested in getting involved with your child’s education in another way besides PTA or fundraising?

Would you like to be more involved in some of the academic aspects and decision making of your child's education here at Nichols?

If you are, then seriously consider whether you would be interested in joining the Nichols Middle School Council (also called a School Improvement Council).  By law, every school in the country has to have a School Council.  

The law outlines four major areas of responsibility for councils.  School councils are to assist principals in:  

1. Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards; 
2. Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school; 
3. Reviewing the annual school building budget; and 
4. Formulating a school improvement plan.

Over the past five years, our School Improvement Plan and School Council have been instrumental in helping us to change our bell schedule, adding back a second assistant principal, obtaining a consistent math program throughout the building, affecting change in all areas of our curricula, securing more technology to being a 1-to-1 Chromebook school, getting more student recognition to be a priority for us as a school, to name just a few.

We meet once a month on the 4th Wednesday of each month, except where specified below – with our next meeting happening on Wednesday, November 29, for about an hour, beginning at 3:00 PM and ending around 4 PM, in the NMS Media Center to discuss such items as our School Improvement Plan, parent involvement, how we are working with MCAS data, what we are doing to improve teaching and learning, different curricular ideas, courses, etc.  In all, the group is not so much similar to the “PTA” in improving the school through fundraising; it is more a group of community members who are looking into school improvement and how we can get the improvement we are looking for.

The group is made up of parents, teachers, and at least one community member.  If you are interested or would just like to come and check it out, please come to our next meeting, Wednesday, November 29, at 3 PM, in the Media Center at NMS or email me at mgeoghegan@middleboro.k12.ma.us.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  Thank you.

2017 – 2018 NMS School Council Meetings

November 29, 2017**

December 20, 2017**

January 24, 2018

February 28, 2018**

March 28, 2018**

April 25, 2018

May 23, 2018

** All dates are the 4th Wednesday of each month – except where specified

An "Hour of Code" 2017 Coming to NMS Tech Classes

NMS Tech Integration Class To See An Hour of Coding

Ms. Falconer's Tech Integration class will be engaging in "An Hour of Coding" here at NMS in the next couple of weeks.  This is something we have participated in the past couple of years with all three grades to celebrate Computer Science Education Week, but it has grown in size and in what the students can do in all of her classes to include every student here at the Nichols.

Just to give you some background, here is some information from the official "Hour of Code" website: 

The Hour of Code is a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries. Anyone, anywhere can organize an Hour of Code event. One-hour tutorials are available in over 40 languages. No experience needed. Ages 4 to 104.

The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics.

Anybody can host an Hour of Code anytime, but the grassroots campaign goal is for tens of millions of students to try an Hour of Code during December 4-10, 2017, in celebration of Computer Science Education Week. Is it one specific hour? No. You can do the Hour of Code anytime during this week. You're welcome to split up the Hour of Code into multiple sessions so long as your students finish the Hour of Code tutorial. Just do whatever works best for you and your students. (And if you can't do it during that week, do it the week before or after).

The Hour of Code is organized by Code.org, a public 501c3 non-profit dedicated to expanding participation in computer science by making it available in more schools. 

The goal of the Hour of Code is not to teach anybody to become an expert computer scientist in one hour. One hour is only enough to learn that computer science is fun and creative, that it is accessible at all ages, for all students, regardless of background. 

Our NMS student will engage in multiple opportunities to increase their understanding of computer science and programming. Our students will participate in many activities through Tynker.com, HourOfCode.com, and more during their Technology Class with Ms. Falconer.

Our ultimate goal is to increase student awareness and interest in computer science and programming, while having some fun too! 

Definitely there will be another post to show how it went.  Here is a post from Mr. G. last year on his experience as well as our students' in an Hour of Code 2016.  Click here.

MHS Sachem Wrestling Team Open to NMS 7th & 8th Grade Students

MHS Wrestling Team Looking for More

The Middleborough High School Sachem Wrestling Team has been granted a waiver to allow NMS 7th and 8th Grade students on its team.

Students, who would like to be a part of the Sachem Wrestling Team should see Mr. Paul Donovan, NMS In-School Suspension Coordinator and MHS Wrestling Coach.

There is a sign-up sheet outside the Main Office as well as outside his room B209.

Coach Donovan can also be reached by email:  pdonovan@middleboro.k12.ma.us.

Go Sachems!

Minion Mania Matinee on Friday 12/1 for Veterans

Minion Mania Matinee

Friday, December 1st, 2017

      

Enjoy an afternoon of Minion Madness, viewing The Minion Movie and Despicable Me on the big screen in the auditorium!

This is a fundraiser for Veterans in need of assistance!.

Cost:  Each film will cost you one item of winter apparel.

The perfect donation is:   Winter Hat

                                                Winter Gloves

                                                Scarf

NOTEs:  1.  All donations should be in ADULT SIZES Please!! We are doing this to support our Veterans.   

2.  You may donate any combination of the above, but EACH FILM has a separate admission of  one piece of winter apparel PLEASE.

Start Time:  After-School (2:30/2:45)

Pick-Up Time:  5:30

Any questions, please see Mr. Minarovich.

Permission slips are available below and in the Main Office, from Mr. Minarovich, or your Social Studies Teacher.