Dear NCHS Family,
NCHS senior Luke Huang and his Science teacher Paul Reid attended the Regeneron Science Talent Search Competition in DC on Tuesday night. Despite being a top 40 finalist, Luke didn’t secure one of the top 10 awards. However, he described his week in DC as an incredible experience. Luke showcased his passion for science by engaging in discussions with all the scientist judges and forming bonds with fellow finalists. His project, “Binary Cellular Analysis: Understanding the Link Between Aging and Mortality Risk” (read his summary here), received well-deserved recognition. Congratulations, Luke: NCHS takes pride in all of your accomplishments.
Regeneron STS is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school students. With thousands of entries annually, students submit original research in critically important scientific fields. Distinguished from other high school competitions, Regeneron STS focuses on identifying, inspiring, and engaging the most promising scientists among the nation’s high school seniors. Undoubtedly, Luke will continue to achieve remarkable feats in his scientific endeavors!
NCHS CHOIR STUDENTS SELECTED FOR ACDA EASTERN REGION HONORS
At the end of February, twelve of our New Canaan High School vocalists traveled to Providence, Rhode Island, to rehearse and perform with the American Choral Directors Association Honor Choirs as a part of the Eastern Division conference. These singers submitted audition recordings last fall and were chosen from over 1,000 applicants to participate in this weekend of music. The honor choirs included singers from the 13 states in the Eastern Region of the US – from Maryland to Maine. New Canaan High School Choral Program is incredibly proud to have 12 of the 40 students from the state of Connecticut chosen in all three high school honor choirs!
Congratulations to these NCHS Choir Members on this accomplishment:
Nick Mohamad (bass 2), Henry Tate (bass), Andrew Meli (bass), Matt Doka (bass), Hayden Burke (bass), Daniel Yoo (bass)
Rachel Pitts (soprano) Radea Raleva (soprano), Serena Peterson (soprano), Maddy Peterson (alto), Nancy Skidmore (soprano), Marlena Ericsson (alto)
SAT DAY – Only eleventh-grade students need to report to school for testing by 8:00 AM on March 19th. An abbreviated school day for all students, including grades nine, ten, and twelve, will begin at 11:10 AM. Lunch will be available to all students.
Grade 12 will participate in mandatory training activities for internship/senior projects from 8:10 to 11:00 am.
- Last name A-L will attend the 8:10 to 9:30 am session in the Wagner Room
- Last name M-Z will attend the 9:40 to 11:00 am session in the Wagner Room
Click here for the SAT letter.
Click here for Tuesday’s Special Schedule beginning at 11:10.
CONNECTICUT STATE REQUIREMENT FOR NINTH-GRADE STUDENTS:
Connecticut State Law requires ALL students to have a physical exam during ninth grade. The CT Health Assessment form must be on file in the nurse’s office by the last day of 9th grade. We accept physicals dated from June 1st, 2023. Here is a link with the required state of CT health assessment record to be completed by your student’s health care provider and a parent/guardian to meet the 9th-grade mandate: CTHealth Assessment Form
Please send the CT Health Assessment record to the NCHS nurses’ office upon exam completion. If you have any questions, contact your school nurses, Betsy Imbrogno or Kim McNamara, at elizabeth.imbrogno@ncps-k12.org, kimberlymcnamara@ncps-k12.org, or 203-594-4643. Thank you!
Car Care is an introductory program designed to equip students with essential automotive skills and maintenance knowledge to tackle common car issues, such as changing a flat tire or jump-starting a vehicle with a dead battery. Mr. Zambarno shares his automotive skills and knowledge of an old Bronco with his students.
Thank you to the PFA and Mr. Jonathan Henken, our favorite bagpiper, for the cultural enrichment during the lunch wave today in honor of St. Patrick’s Day~
Spring is right around the corner, a time of renewal and rejuvenation. What better way to embrace the season’s energy than through Wellness Walks with our NCHS Wellness Committee?
The New Canaan Boys Swim & Dive team won their 4th straight Class L State Championship title on Tuesday, March 12th. The Rams started the meet with a win and an All-American consideration time in the 200 Medley Relay. Eric Huang, Deacon Mascarinas, Jack Haley, and Oliver Carr set a new school and class L record. Senior captain Deacon Mascarinas, for a second year in a row, won all four of the events he swam. Individually, Mascarinas won the 100 free, setting a new school record. He also won the 100 breaststroke, setting a new school and class L record. Junior Eric Haung set a new school and class L record in the 100 butterfly at trials. He then placed runner-up in the 100 back at finals, where he set a new school record in the event. Junior Jack Haley was runner-up in both the 200 and 500 free, where he rebroke the school records he previously set this season. Senior Nate Codd won the 100 fly and was third in the 50 free. The 400 free relay team of George Wang, Eric Huang, Jack Haley, and Deacon Mascarinas finished the meet with a win in the event,
On Thursday, members of the NCHS Science Team went to Town Hall to present to the New Canaan Conservation Commission. Led by Captains Melissa Phillips and Niyathi Iyengar, the team worked with Harborwatch to collect data on the local water quality in New Canaan. They then analyzed the results of their water quality tests, presented their findings to the Conservation Commission, and answered questions. Great work by the Science Team!
(Pictured: Claire-Helene Ritter, Annabelle Bristol, Melissa Phillips, Niyathi Iyengar, Pranav Sant, and Alex Yuan.)
Join us at the NCSF Color Drop! On March 23rd, a helicopter will release 2,000 golf balls over a target at Waveny. Each ball will be numbered individually, and the participants whose balls land closest to the target will be the winners! The ball that lands closest (or in) the hole will win the 2024 Chevy Truck. All participants will receive their assigned numbers before the drop. The winning golf ball will be announced immediately following the contest. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to need-based college scholarships for NCHS graduates. Click here to purchase golf balls.
www.facebook.com/newcanaanpublicschools
A MESSAGE FROM CONGRESSMAN HIMES
Students in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade interested in learning more about the United States Service Academies and the process our office takes to nominate students:
Students are welcome to attend Congressman Jim Himes’ Service Academy Day on Saturday, April 6th, 2024, at Norwalk Town Hall, 125 East Ave, Norwalk, CT 06851, from 12 pm-2 pm. Representatives from each service academy will be present to answer student questions. One of our office’s great honors is nominating the best and brightest young men and women of Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District to our nation’s service academies. Students from our district are traditionally very successful in the academies, and we’re pleased to support them as they begin their journey to becoming the next generation of outstanding military leaders.
DEPARTMENT NEWS:
CTE:
The Unified Basketball Team participated in the FCIAC Unified Tournament on Monday at Fairfield Ludlowe HS. All of the players had their best games of the year. It was a great way to end the season!!
ENGLISH:
In non-academic news, English and social studies department members joined the local automotive club by helping Ms. McLean with a flat tire.
WRITING CENTER:
The Writing Center is again hosting two college essay workshops with Mindi Trimble from The College Essay Guy on March 20th and April 3rd. The first workshop will help students brainstorm topics for their admissions essay, and the second workshop will help students select an appropriate organizational structure for their essay. The workshops will be held over Zoom from 7:00-8:30 pm. The Zoom links for the two events are below:
March 20:
zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86088480814
April 3:
zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195967431
Students in Ms. Weeks’s Sophomore English class performed scenes from Macbeth, applying close reading and aspects of performance to develop their interpretation of the play.
MATH:
Happy Pi Day from the Math Department! We hope your day was filled with endless and irrational fun!
The NCHS Math Team ended the 2023-2024 season in 2nd place overall among 30 public, private, and parochial schools in the Fairfield County Math League after placing second in their last match. Aksh Juneja finished in 3rd place among all 9th graders in the league, and Luke Huang finished the season in 1st place among all 12th graders. The team moves on to the Connecticut state math competition in early April and then the New England regional competition in late April.
Students in Mr. Doyle’s M2 Geometry utilized DESMOS to make observations and conclusions as an introduction to Right Triangle Trigonometry (Sine, Cosine, and Tangent).
Students in Mr. Doyle’s M3 Calculus work together to determine derivatives of exponential and logarithmic expressions. As there can be different approaches in the steps and rules used, using the five whiteboards allows the groups to see the different solving tactics by other class members.
It’s Pi Day! Several students in Mr. Doyle’s class brought some in for celebration.
Students in M4 Algebra discovered the Unit circle through an investigation. First, we calculated the side lengths of special right triangles using a hypotenuse of 1. Then, we cut out the triangles to notice the patterns and why the coordinates are similar around the Unit circle. This connects to our knowledge of reflections and which coordinates are positive or negative based on the quadrants we filled in the entire unit circle.
SCHOOL COUNSELING:
International Admissions Panel
Tuesday, April 2, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
More and more students are exploring universities outside the United States. There are many reasons for this: a sense of adventure, lower tuition costs, the ability to complete a bachelor’s degree in less time, and relative transparency in the admissions process. We are excited to have a panel of admissions professionals from Trinity College Dublin, McGill University, Bocconi University, and Jackie Christopher from the UK Study Expert to discuss differences in the application process, academic expectations, student life, and more. Recent Staples graduates who have pursued their undergraduate degree abroad will be on hand to discuss their experiences. At the end of the presentation, there will be a Q&A session with panelists and students. Hosted by Staples HS. To register, please visit:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W3OibIaJQ6qzoniFJlPNpg#/registration
VPA:
The Drowsy Chaperone is a delightful celebration of musical theatre, ingeniously wrapped in a comedy that parodies and pays homage to the Golden Age musicals of the 1920s. The show’s narrator, a true musical theatre lover, shares his favorite record, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” with the audience. The show miraculously springs to life in his apartment, blending fantasy with reality. Its self-aware humor, eccentric characters, catchy tunes, and intricate dance numbers offer heartfelt moments that emphasize the transformative power of theatre, making it a must-see for both seasoned theatre-goers and newcomers alike. Bring the whole family!
Performances are March 14-16 at 7 pm and March 16 at 2 pm in the NCHS Auditorium.
Please check back next Friday for photos and info about the success of our opening reception!
LIBRARY:
NCHSWeeklyUpdate 