One more reminder to senior parents.... Join our school counselors tomorrow night for our annual Senior Parent Information Night. You will learn about the college application process at OTHS and the federal financial aid process. We are extending the invitation for part of the evening to OTHS Alumni as there are changes to the financial aid process. You don't want to miss this event! Your wallet will thank you! College application process at 6pm. Financial aid presentation at 7pm.
Did you know that Old Town High School remains the only high school in the area that has a satellite UTC program for students in grades 9 & 10?? The CTE Exploratory class is designed for students in grade 9 or 10 to provide them with some prerequisite skills and a cursory understanding of the programs available at UTC. Students who complete the class will acquire knowledge and experience with identification, use and safety of hand tools. In addition, they will gain some experience with a variety of forms of advanced manufacturing, such as 3D printing, laser engraving, CNC operation and woodworking. The experience that this class provides will give our students an advantage with knowledge and experience that will be beneficial if they choose to attend UTC in grades 11 & 12. The class is open to all students in grades 9 & 10, whether their intention is to attend UTC or not. Shown here are students completing their build of a birdhouse. Prior to building, students had a lesson on small hand tools and tool safety in general. Go Coyotes.
If you recall the post from yesterday, we paid homage to the fact that Sunday, September 17th was Constitution Day.
In Michael May & Natalie Davis' "Humanities" class this morning, they began a unit that covers part of the Constitution. In today's lesson, students did a gallery walk. The Preamble of the Constitution was broken down into the distinct phrases on poster paper and students were asked to walk to each paper and jot down their thoughts on what those phrases mean to them today. After a few minutes, the group reconvened and discussed each phrase. This was a tremendous activity and led to a lot of great discussion facilitated by two incredible educators. I left the room in awe of not only these two teachers, but also the ideas that our students brought up in discussion. We have some deep thinking Coyotes.
Awesome.
We will follow this unit in this class a few more times in the coming days.
Stay tuned.
Go Coyotes.
Just a reminder that next week is Spirit Week. Check out the flyer to make a plan to rock your best duds each day. Tomorrow is "Sports Day," so wear your favorite team's attire. I wonder what jersey Mr. Gordon will be wearing.....?Hmmmmmm......
September 17th is Constitution Day
Are you a "pluviophile?" If so, today might be your day. Stay safe OT.
The Coyote Cafe has undergone almost a complete transformation for the 2023-2024 school year. Beginning this year, there are now two lines for quicker service, a coffee bar, big screen tv screens, new window seating and three new heat pumps to regulate the temperature when Mother Nature decides to suddenly go tropical on us. Shout out to RSU 34 Food Service Director, Stephanie Salley and JMG Specialist (and OT grad) Tori Hildreth for listening to the voices of our students when making the improvements! Go Coyotes!
Don't miss this important event!
On Friday of last week, Mr. Lewin's AP Physics class beat the heat by heading outside for an activity. They used measuring tapes, timers and chalk to determine the speed of electric cars. The class then spent time graphing the motion of cars to determine the average speed. From this, they will then predict the time it takes the cars to go certain distances and later compare their predictions with the actual time.
Last day to order your OT Pride Slides Gators (Crocs but remember that Crocs are a brand)
Order from here: https://oldtowncoyotes.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Last chance to get yours!
Old Town High School is excited to have Kristen Thompson join our math department this year. Kristen originally hails from Vermont and found her way to Maine to pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Maine. It was during her second year at UM that she realized engineering might not be the right career path. She decided to explore what other options existed and would mix well with her undergraduate TA for a chemistry course. It was through her TA experience that she realized teaching might be the way to go. She then decided to pick up a math minor and later on would have to decide if it was science or math that she truly wanted to teach. Throughout the rest of her undergraduate career there was not a semester where she was not some sort of TA for a science, engineering, or math course. She stuck it out and graduated with her engineering degree and stayed at UMaine in their Master of Science in Teaching program where she concentrated in mathematics. Kristen's time at the University of Maine made her realize that she wanted to stick around and that decision lead her to our team here at Old Town High School. When Kristen is not in the classroom you can find her hiking, crocheting/ crafting in some way, or patiently waiting for snow so she can hit the slopes skiing!
Welcome to OTHS Kristen! We are thrilled to have you as part of our team!
We will never forget.
I am guessing by now you have seen our brand-new RSU 34 logo. I thought I'd take a few minutes to explain each piece of the logo, because it was created with intentionality to truly represent who we are as a school unit. The small graduation cap at the top of the U shows that we are an educational institution. The two blue swooshes at the bottom represent the Stillwater and mighty Penobscot Rivers that surround and have sustained our communities for generations. The bridge on the right depicts how our communities are physically connected and shows how our schools place great emphasis on transitions. One arm of the bridge reaches to the stars, which shows that we always have high expectations for our staff and students. There are three stars purposely, to represent our communities of Alton, Bradley and Old Town. So, the next time you see the logo take a moment to let it all sink in. It's a great logo and really speaks to how proud we are of who we are and all that we do everyday.
Dear RSU #34 Community,
Thanks for helping us have a great “launch” to the school year! It’s been great to see the smiling faces in the hallways, excited to be back in school despite the hot weather.
Last year we began sharing a profile of a student each month; we are excited to begin sharing the stories of our colleagues! This month we visited with David May, who joined our team as a technician in the IT Department. David very much impressed his colleagues, and this past July began serving RSU #34 as Director of Information Technologies. David was interviewed by our Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Jon Doty.
Q: When you were a kid what did you think you wanted to do when you grew up?
A: I was going to be a professional athlete, playing soccer for Manchester United. All the way through high school I really thought I was going to make it.
My real career path was a little different. In high school I pushed shopping carts, was a lifeguard, and mowed cemetery lawns. After high school I started off doing customer service for credit card companies, then shifted to Verizon Wireless. I changed over to tech support, and then started working at a computer repair shop where I started working more with businesses and device networking. I discovered that I really love computers and solving problems, and it doesn’t feel like work to me. I was ready for a new challenge and I was excited to join the schools’ IT Department.
Q: What do you like about working in RSU #34?
A: I love the people...I love the challenge. Everybody has fun, too. We’re all working hard, and sometimes it can be tough, but at the end of the day it’s all about getting students what they need and we all have fun together. I love coming in to work every day.
Q: How do you recharge your batteries?
A: Usually it’s either an HP 65-watt adapter or USB-C, but….wait….you mean….?
Q: Yep.
A: Playing video games and working out.
Q: At the same time?
Q: What was your favorite book as a kid?
A: The DragonLance series; I still love the fantasy genre!
Q: What was your favorite show / movie as a kid?
A: Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Return of the Jedi.
Q: What do you like about our community?
A: It’s the people, the sense of community, and events like RiverFest. I grew up in Old Town, and I love how close our community is. Our people are always caring and resilient….tough. We’ve been through a lot together over the years and we keep coming back.
Q: What’s something that most people don’t know about you?
A: I’m a pretty open book! That said, I don’t think most people know I was really into theatre at OTHS - the One Act Play and the Fall Play.
Q: Who was your favorite school teacher and why?
A: Mr. Marty Clark [OTHS Social Studies Teacher] - he really made learning fun! It was cool to start working alongside him before he retired.
Q: Which colleague would you like by your side during a zombie apocalypse?
A: Curtis Robertson. [LMS teacher]
Q: Not me?
A: No.
Q: Wow, zero hesitation on that…OK, I would have guessed you’d go with a certain veteran of the U.S. Army Cavalry, Captain Mike May. OTHS Social Studies teacher? Your brother?
A: Nope. When we were kids he broke a plate and I got blamed for it.
Q: Little did he know that would someday cost him an ally in a zombie apocalypse.
A: I could tell you about all the times I beat him at sports but I won’t.
Q: What’s a small act of kindness you were once shown that you’ll never forget?
A: That’s a tough one - there are a lot of acts of kindness I’ve been shown. People are so kind here and these acts happen every day. It’s hard to pick just one in this district. Wow….I’ll have to get back to you on that one.
Thanks, David, for being part of our team and for your hard work! And thank you to Captain May and our other veterans for your service to our country!
RSU #34 Community, if you’d like to suggest someone for a future staff profile please use this form: https://forms.gle/m9295zfr8xLTzNzRA
"Frank Sternberg is joining our Science department. Prior to coming to OTHS, Frank obtained his Bachelor's of Science in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut. He later went on to work at Pfizer as an analytical chemist before moving to Orono, ME to pursue a Master's of Science in geology at the University of Maine. Frank discovered his passion for educating others while serving as a teaching assistant during his graduate studies. Originally from southeastern Connecticut, he has fallen in love with the Old Town area and the extensive network of trails it offers for running and cycling. He also enjoys playing music and reading science-fiction and fantasy novels. Frank is thrilled to be on staff at OTHS and looks forward to getting students excited about science and all the educational and career opportunities it can provide them in the future."
Welcome to OTHS, Mr. Sternberg!
We are so excited to welcome our new staff members to Old Town High School for the 2023-2024 school year. This is the first of a few posts that I will do to introduce our new teachers to our school community. Kora Hunter is joining our English department. Kora obtained her degree in Secondary Education with a focus in English from Husson University. She is very excited to be teaching freshman English and she has a deep passion for reading, writing and storytelling. She is originally from Raymond, Maine and has enjoyed her time in Old Town so far. Kora's other passions include spending time with family and friends, seeing live music and watching movies. She looks forward to furthering the education of her students and making great connections within the community of Old Town. Kora believes that English is a way to unite ideas, minds and passion. Kora comes highly regarded to Old Town High School and we were fortunate to snag her when the position opened up. Kora, Welcome to Old Town High School!
It was a great first day at Old Town High School, but man, it was hot! I don't think our meteorologist friend from WLBZ and Orono High School alum, Steve McKay plans to turn down the heat at all this week.... Hey Steve, where was this weather in July? Drop some meteorological knowledge on us! Coyotes - Great day 1. For the rest of the week - hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Yotes young and old - tomorrow is a GREEN day. So, if you are looking at your schedule and mentally preparing, look at your GREEN day schedule.
Remember, school starts at 8:30am. That's not 8:34 with a Dunkin or an Aroma Joe's in your paw, that's 8:30.
And not 8:30 walking in, that's 8:30 in your classroom. We will start in Coyote Time for the first 15 minutes each day this week. Sleep well.
See you in the morning!
I often tell anyone who will listen that Old Town High School has graduates that do amazing things all over the world. Zach Mason, OTHS Class of 2018, helps to prove my point. Zach joined the army at 18 years old in January of 2019 as a motor vehicle operator. His first duty station was South Korea, where he earned the rank of Sergeant at 20 years old and won "Fort Sill Soldier of the Year" in 2021. He reclassified and changed jobs in the Army to become an air defense crew member. Zach currently uses the Army's FM 92 stinger missile and other air defense weapon systems to engage air threats from the ground. He has been to Japan, South Korea (two times), Thailand, Guam, and Indonesia. Zach also earned his associates degree in general history through AMU, and he has his CDL. He is currently stationed in South Korea and is a squad leader in charge of 12 soldiers. He is awaiting promotion points to earn the rank of Staff Sergeant. Congratulations Zach! We are Proud of You!
Students who live in Alton and West Old Town - our bus contractor is making some adjustments to routes; we will share more detailed information when it is finalized. Please plan to be out waiting for the bus extra early for the first few days as the routes settle into place. Thanks in advance for your patience!