PMA Friends and Family,
We are already in the midst of the second academic quarter and the year seems to be moving at record speed. College applications are out and acceptances are already coming in for some members of the senior class. Almost daily we are welcoming potential "Future Panthers" to spend a shadow day with us and to see what a day at PMA is really like. True, our days are filled with academics, but as you will see in this edition of ePathways, there is also a lot more. From events like Halloween and UN Day to the NHS Induction and student highlights...our days are filled with school spirit, community, sportsmanship, Faith, fun, and yes, academics.
We hope you enjoy!
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UN Day is an event students look forward to each year and it is easy to see why. Homerooms select various countries to represent on UN Day and decorate their homeroom door in homage to their selected regions. This year, students were colorfully dressed to symbolize the colors of the flag from countries such as Ireland, France,
Czeckoslavakia, Italy, England, Wales, Spain, who won for the best decorated door, and many more.
Students attended classes in full dress, patiently (or not so patiently) awaiting the last hour of school. At 1:00 p.m.everyone gathered in the Dupre Center for UN Day Olympics...quite possibly the loudest hour of the entire school year. Students from various grades challenged each other at games that required specialized skills, like Frozen Uniform:racing to put on a frozen-solid uniform over their own clothes and Dizzy Waitress: spinning around a softball bat several times and racing to the finish line.
The day, as a whole, encourages the student body to learn and celebrate different cultures, yet it also awakens the competitive spirit in all participants to win the Olympic gold for their grade. UN Day is easily the loudest and one of the most memorable PMA traditions for our students.
 
 
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| Three Stars Were Born at the CAC's |
On Saturday, October 31, the annual Commonwealth Athletic Conference (CAC) Championships for Cross Country was held at Greater Lawrence.
It was the last time runners, from all eleven schools in the league, would step up to the starting line for the season.
Schools raced in their division and runners ran in their category, JV Boys, or Varsity Boys or Girls. The top seven in each category are recognized as League All-Stars. With their impressive times and fast feet, three PMA students earned this honor: Sean Toomey, '17 finished 3rd in the Boys' Varsity Race, Mariah Rose Duffy, '16 finished 6th and Shakira Henriquiz, '18 finished 2nd in the Girls' Varsity Race.
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| 2014-2015 Sportsmanship Honor Roll |
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PMA was recognized by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) for outstanding sportsmanship and earned a spot on the 2014-2015 MIAA Sportsmanship Honor Roll for the fifteenth consecutive year. PMA has been recognized annually, since the MIAA initiated the program in 2000.
On November 20, the MIAA hosted their annual Sportsmanship Summit at Gillette Stadium The summit recognizes schools who did not have any student athletes or coaches, disqualified or suspended, from an athletic contest during the 2014-15 year. According to the MIAA website the s
ummit is to "honor, educate and celebrate those who make sportsmanship a priority in their schools and constantly strive to improve the athletic culture in Massachusetts high schools."
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| National Honor Society Induction |
On Thursday, October 29, PMA conducted the annual Honor Society Induction Ceremony. Thirty students were inducted into the school's various honor societies: National Honor Society, Societe Honoraire de Francais (French Honor Society), Tri-M (Modern Music Masters), and for the first time this year, Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica (Spanish Honor Society). The induction was led by the NHS officers, and concluded with a musical performance by Tri-M. We are very proud of all the students who were inducted, as well as the current members of these Honor Societies.
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Mrs. Frey's Pre-Calculus class were grasping the concept of estimation through fun and unique ways. Last semester their project surrounded the principal of estimation. It involved estimating the amount of candy corn enclosed in a class jar. Students Eryn McGuiness,'17, Catie Griffin, '16 and Henry Vargas, '16, all came very close to the actual number of candy corn and were dubbed the winners of the challenge.
The project also included estimating the blades of grass outside in PMA quad area. To achieve this the class counted the number of blades of grass in 1 square inch. Then they calculated the area of the quad (in square inches) and multiplied that by the average number of blades of grass in 1 square inch to estimate the total number of blades of grass.
This Pre-Calculus estimation project is another example that demonstrates how students flourish with hands-on learning.
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| Super Smash Brothers Club |
A freaky
Friday
the 13th saw the inaugural meeting of the Super Smash Brothers Club. An off-shoot of the more cerebral tech-club, Super Smash Club was conceived of by a handful of senior boys who wanted to play the Mario Bros favorite after school, on the big screen and with their friends. Over 25 students and a few faculty members showed up to do battle on 3 screens. Advisor and fellow gamer, Mrs. Jane Foss assures us this was just the first of many meetings to come!
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If you visit the Festival of Trees, be sure to look for PMA's annual Christmas tree. On Thursday, November 19 our classic tree design received third place for Best Under Tree category. It featuring an old fashioned hobby horse beneath the tree. PMA is proud to be an annual contributor and participant in the Methuen Festival of Trees.
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We couldn't let this newsletter go out without displaying some pictures of our students on Halloween. They always go all out and dress to impress....each year is better than the last.
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#GIVINGTUESDAY
Please remember PMA on Giving Tuesday.
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GoodShop
Don't forget to use GoodShop as you do your Cyber Monday and Online Christmas shopping. They partner with over 5,000 stores to offer you daily online promotions and coupons. Plus, they give a percentage of your total back to your favorite non-profit. That could be us!
Before you shop don't forget to assign Presentation of Mary Academy, Methuen, MA as your non-profit of choice! Everybody wins! Happy shopping.
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Thank you for taking the time to keep up to date with our PMA news and happenings.
We hope you enjoyed this edition of ePathways. Please watch for our next edition of ePathways.
Rose Maria DiFiore Redman '85
Head of School
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Yankee Candle Fundraising Drive
PMA grossed $11,000 with the Yankee Candle fundraiser. Thank you for your support. Yankee Candle has committed to help PMA all year long.
Anytime you shop online they will make a donation to our school. Visit
www.yankeecandlefundraising.com and enter group #99896054 in the "start shopping" box.
Thank you for your support!
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PMA Calendar
Save the date! Click here to view the latest events on the
PMA CALENDAR.
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High School Placement Test
Saturday, December 5
High school placement testing for current 8th graders.
To register online visit our website at
www.pmamethuen.org
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Drama Production:
The Giver
Saturday, December 5
6:30 p.m.
Dupre Center
Come enjoy the junior and senior drama students production of
The Giver, a play based on the children's book by Lois Lowry.
Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door.
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PMA Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 13
7:00 p.m.
Dupre Center
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Christmas Break
December 21-January 1
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Call for Legacy Award Nominations
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Help us honor the best of PMA! Now is the time to submit nominations for 2016 PMA Legacy Award recipients.
Do you know a PMA Alum who exemplifies the values and
mission of Presentation of Mary Academy, and through service and/or career has
made a difference in our community?
Nominations may be submitted by sending an email to Paula Mansor-Laliberte, '82,
[email protected] explaining why your nominee deserves a PMA Legacy Award. Provide any supporting materials that will assist the awards committee in the decision making process. Nominations must be submitted on or before February 1, 2016. A committee of alumni, school administrators, and trustees will select all recipients. Awards will be presented at our Spring Gala Legacy Evening on Friday, April 8, 2016 at the Atkinson Resort & Country Club.
SAVE THE DATES
Online Auction
March 23 - April 7, 2016
Spring Gala Legacy Evening
Friday, April 8, 2016
For more information please contact Sarah Hamilton via email at
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Alumni News Wanted
PMA Alumni--- what is going on in your life? We want to know! Please send us your news so that we may share it in the December edition of Pathways magazine.
Email Paula Mansor-Laliberte at
[email protected]
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Stay Connected
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