June 21, 2019

2018-19: Week 44

A Solon Salute to all of our MHS students who finished up their school year this week, with a special Salute to the incoming class of 2023! 

A Solon Salute to the new Rooster and Chickens at MHS!
Thanks Sophie! 

A Solon Salute to our construction team! The renovations to the auditorium, locker rooms, new classroom, and fitness area, (and more) are going really well. Thank you for all of your hard work!

Calendars for 2019-2020

More work around MHS this Summer
Speaking of renovations--this summer will be as busy as ever around MHS. We will have projects going all summer including but not limited to, new carpet in the library, moving around the use of some rooms, repurposing the downstairs computer lab to a conference room, new carpet in room 103, routine refresh painting, deep cleaning, and so much more around the grounds and building. Thank you for your support of our incredible custodial team. 

Welcome Ms. Devore
I'm excited for MHS to welcome incoming principal, Renee Devore. Renee and I have had some good time together for transition work. She's been wonderful and we are lucky to have her. She asked me to pass along her MHS email address and to let you all know she will be working throughout the summer and would welcome the chance to meet in person.
  • You can contact Ms. Devore at: reneed@mpsvt.org
Thank you!!
Thank you all again for a wonderful four years at MHS. I'm so grateful for everything that I have learned in my time here, for all of the fun, inspiration, and support. It is a special place and I hope to be a "Forever Solon". I will be transitioning to the new role: Assistant Executive Director at the Vermont Principal's Association on July 1st. I'm happy that my new role will remain based in Montpelier (2 Prospect), so that I can visit and bump into all the good people of Montpelier as much as possible. 
  • Feel free to contact me anytime via my new email address at the VPA: mmcraith@vpaonline.org and/or @mikemcraith on twitter. 
Sad to go, but feeling younger already! 😂
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June 15, 2019

2018-19: Week 43

A Solon Salute to the Class of 2019! Congratulations on your graduation. You have been a great class and we will miss you. Special thanks to senior advisors, Adina Trager & Liz Swindell. Thank you also to our fantastic Custodian Team and everyone who helped set the gym on short notice. Thank you also to Project Grad advisors Andrew Schumer & Molly Clark for a great Project Grad event after graduation on Friday night. Times Argus Article & ORCA Recording of Graduation
Thank you for all the work setting up!

A Solon Salute to Siiri Pombar for putting together the senior video for the class of 2019. Thank you Siiri!

 A Solon Salute to the MHS GSA and advisor Sylvia Fagin for hosting our third annual lavender graduation. Congratulations Graduates!



A Solon Salute to Max Hughes, Steph DiLena and Mike Berry for their collaborative work in the latest edition of the Flexible Pathways #findyourpurpose series. This edition features Max Hughes in his Early College experiences this year with the Vermont Academy of Science and Technology at Vermont Technical College. Congrats, Max!

A Solon Salute to the Montpelier VFW, Post 792 for their work in honoring school counselor, Lissa Knauss as Vermont's outstanding secondary educator of the year. Thank you Post 792 and Congratulations to Lissa!

A Solon Salute to Evie Caserta, Maddie Friend, and community partner Cary Brown, Executive Director of the Vermont Commission on Women. In their role as Legislative Interns during the recent legislative session, Evie and Maddie observed committee meetings involving legislation affecting women in Vermont and communicated happenings via reports to VCW staff. We Salute you both for taking on this important work with such determination and diligence.

A Solon Salute to all of the Solon students who engaged in learning this year at the Central Vermont Career Center (CVCC).  The CVCC Graduation/Awards Ceremony this week celebrated all of our Solon students who successfully completed their respective program experiences and many Solon CVCC students received awards and scholarships for their excellent and exemplary leadership, citizenship and strong commitments to themselves and their learning community. 

We Salute....
Curtis Hayden - Automotive Technology
Damon Cadwell Dunham - Building Trades
Ethan Eldred - Building Trades 
Justin MaGill - Building Trades 
Blake Bailey - Digital Media Arts I
Zachary Clark - Digital Media Arts I 
Kali Kahn - Digital Media Arts I 
Elizabeth McCarthy - Digital Media Arts I 
Chloe Pettersen - Digital Media Arts I 
Heather Swiatocha - Digital Media Arts I 
Randi Carpenter - Digital Media Arts II
Raymond Sparrow - Digital Media Arts II
Mae Dunham - Exploratory Technology
Sanela Bikic - Medical Professions
Summer Parker - Medical Professions
David Ackerson - Natural Resources and Sustainability


A Solon Salute to VCFA's CAFE ANNA for hosting the MHS staff for their annual end of the year get-together. Thank you! 
Photo by Ms. Machnik
Additional Announcements
  • June 17-21: Semester 2 Re-Takes (Schedule)
  • June 21: Step-Up Day and Final Day of School
Handbook & Schedules
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June 7, 2019

2018-19: Week 42

A Solon Salute to the Class of 2019. They participated in their senior day of service through the rain on Wednesday. They removed 9,000 pounds (!) of old materials from the UES basement, and helped refresh the MHS garden space. A few pizzas made it into the pizza kiln too. You all did a great job, thank you! And thanks to Liz Swindell, Adina Trager, Mr. Sabo, Tom Allen, Mr. Bromley, and Mr. McLane for their help in organizing and leading the day. 

A Solon Salute to MHS Ultimate Teams. On Thursday night the boys' and the girls' took home the first ever VPA Varsity Ultimate championships and they did so right here at MHS! This is the first year of official Varsity Ultimate in Vermont, but when you consider the previous years as a club sport--this is three in a row for our girls' team! Wow!! And even better--they won the spirit award this year too. Congrats to both teams, you make us proud. Semi-Finals on WCAX (at minute 2:50), Finals on WCAX, Boys in Times Argus, Girls in Times Argus. 

A Solon Salute to all of the sophomore students, teachers, and community partners who worked together collaboratively, creatively and reflectively on the BLUEPRINTS: MAPPING OUR CONNECTIONS THROUGH EMPATHY project. Thursday evenings project culminating art installation at MHS was simply stunning! Many thanks to the core faculty project team of Cathy Butterfield, Katy Chabot, Hilary Goldblatt and Sarah Squier for their dedication, vision, and persistence with the project. And special thanks to resident artists and community partners, Evan Premo, Gowri Savoor, Mary Wesley, Theresa Murray Clasen and Paul Gambill and our many many community members who volunteered to be interviewed as part of the Blueprints project. Ohhhhh.... and two more appreciations go to Adam Blair and Sue Monmaney for their strong technical support of preparing the installation. What a fantastic project! Well done Solons.

A Unified Solon Salute to the Unified Bocce Team for their super fine individual and team performances at the Vermont State Unified Schools Bocce Tournament on May 24th in St. Albans. Great season, lawn rollers: Robbie Gibson, Destiny Roberts, Kat Pringles, Curtis Hayden, bob Powell, Damon Cadwell Dunham, Owen Carswell, Sophia Robins, Luke Brassard, Alex Boes, Jack LaPera and Grace Murphy.

A Solon Salute to the MHS Track Team and Coach Reid. Congrats on a great season and to all those who participated in the State Championship last weekend. To see all of the results: 802timing


A Solon Salute to the MHS Boosters. Thank you for your continued dedication, care, and support again this year! 

A Solon Salute to Marley Coolidge for creating and engaging in an innovative STEM based Independent Study at the Mountain Center in Worcester, VT. Marley's work with their Independent Study mentors/advisors, Dave Bennett and Anne Watson, centered on agriculture, ecological systems and climate change. Marley did a fantastic job in their Independent Study "defense" this week and demonstrated rich knowledge and understanding of their work, learning and growth. Marley - great job, we salute you!

A Solon Salute to everyone at MHS for the fun awards assembly on Friday! It ended up getting a little warm, but it was still nice to be outside on such a beautiful morning. 
Thanks to the members of the band who played
All of the students standing in this picture (75?! or more) participated in at least one flexible pathway
Seniors did a great job all day!


Class of '94 Mike Burzycki "paid his debt", donating $7,000!! And then he ran into William Shatner at the airport in the afternoon. No joke!! Live Long and Prosper.
Solon Salute Award Winner, Des Roberts
Solon Salute Award Winner, Sophia Robins
A Solon Salute to Kylie Nelson for her successful completion of her auto-mechanics centered CBL experience and well done presentation of learning. 

A Solon Salute to Celeste Leendertse who found $25 in cash and turned it in to the front office. The owner identified the money and it was returned. Thank you for your honesty and integrity Celeste!

 A Solon Salute to Tom Allen, Sue Monmaney, and Adam Blair. These three who make so many things go at MHS were setting up the senior breakfast on Friday by 7:15am. We tried to have Adam just enjoy the breakfast and not work so much, but he can't resist. 

 A Solon Salute to Blake Bailey for his award at the career center--Epic Super-villain Award. 😂

A Solon Salute to the MHS jazz students, Neil Rohan, Evan Rohan, Grace Carlomagno, Charlie Watson, Eleanor Braun, and Mary Margaret Page. They performed in Burlington for this week's jazz festival, and Charlie and Evan played with the VT All-State band last week too. Well done!

A Solon Salute to Lou Cecere for a great first year working at MHS. We're lucky to have you! And...Lou has had this coffee cup for 23 years, eco-friendly and loyal! 

 Summer Learning and Work Opportunity
You can earn academic credit and pay while tending to the greenhouses, gardens, chickens, bees, fish, and pizza oven at Montpelier High School! There are still a few spots open for Food, Farm, and Society. If you have any questions, contact Tom Sabo (toms@mpsvt.org). More information and an application can be found here:
  • June 10: Spring Sports Banquet (6pm in the MHS cafeteria)
  • June 17-21: Semester 2 Re-Takes (Schedule)
  • June 21: Step-Up Day and Final Day of School
Handbook & Schedules
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June 2, 2019

2018-19: Week 41

A Solon Salute to Club Action, Interact Club, and their advisor, Heather McLane. The Empower VT Festival was a hit on Friday night. Thank you to MHS performers, Remi Savard, Neil Rohan, and DJ Izzy Banse for their shows. Special thanks to Katie Desch for your dedication to the Empower Vermont Festival as well as Eleanor Braun, Hope Petraro, Chloe Reynolds, Mary Margaret Page, Nitya Sharma, Louisa Braun, and Celeste Leendertse. We really appreciate all of your work to make such a nice community event. Proceeds from the event will go to VT's Sexual Assault Crisis Team.
Video of Remi, Mr. Sabo, Neil, and Ethan warmed up the stage and speakers at recess time
Luke had a chance to perform too!

A Solon Salute to RJA members: Juna Nagle, Mandy Abu Aziz, Mikaela Luke-Currier, MaryAnn Songhurst, and Mei Dwyer-Frattalone. They attended the 1st annual statewide student-led anti-racism conference at Randolph High School this week. Students from around the state participated in the all day conference. To read more about the conference: Times Argus Article & VT-Digger Article. 

A Solon Salute to the MHS Student Council who helped organize our spring spirit week and pep rally. It was a beautiful day to get together, thank you! 

A Solon Salute to the MHS students who were apart of the Youth Climate Rally, including Hope Petraro who was featured in this video detailing the event. 
A Solon Salute to Zachary Taylor and Dr. Karen Hinkle, Biology Professor at Norwich University, for their collaborative work this semester in the Norwich Research Lab. In his time working at the university, Zachary took part in conducting experiments that test the basic mechanisms by which cells grow. Among the techniques and processes he undertook were cell culture, transfection, DNA purification, and protein gel electrophoresis. The research conducted was based on previous findings in zebrafish, a classic model system used to study developmental biology, to help map out cellular mechanisms that control growth and development and that also may be involved in cancer. This CBL experience is the latest in a series of CBLs that Zach has jumped into over the course of the last few years to explore his interest in biology and medicine. Zach will continue his research work this summer within the Chemistry Department at UVM. We salute you, Zach, for your ongoing commitment to exploring your interests through the CBL program.

A Solon Salute to all of our senior spring athletes. Thank you for your dedication and representing us so well through the years.
Evan Choquette, Luke Hawley, and Charlie Watson--just a few of our senior athletes



A Solon Salute to Evan Rohan for his performance with the VT All State Jazz Band on Church Street. They opened for Bobby McFerrin at the Flynn on Friday night. 

A Solon Salute to exchange student Leyla Khasiyeva and all the students and staff that helped us to celebrate Leyla in a little impromptu graduation. Leyla finished her year on Friday before heading home to Azerbaijan this weekend. Congrats Leyla!

A Solon Salute to alumni Emily Seddon for the math shout-out on facebook!


Additional Announcements
  • June 5: Senior Day of Service
  • June 6: Blueprints Project Art Installation Showcase (5pm to 6pm at MHS). Collaboration between MHS 10th graders, VT Folklife Art Center, Artist Gowri Savoor, Musician Evan Premo, and the Community Engagement Lab.
  • June 17-21: Semester 2 Re-Takes (Schedule)
  • June 21: Step-Up Day and Final Day of School
Handbook & Schedules
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