15 sophomores from Presentation of Mary High School in Japan, along with their teachers, spent 2 weeks here at PMA.  

The group arrived on Wednesday, March 14 and stayed with PMA host families.  Each student studies English in Japan, this trip was an opportunity to be immersed in an English-speaking culture where they had chance to practice the language with native speakers.

Each morning they studied with an English tutor and spent the second of of the day shadowing with the student they lived with.

The group's favorite part of the day was, unanimously, lunch time, where they could socialize with new friends.  They also loved seeing and playing with the snow and learned how to make a snowman.

The group traveled to Boston and had private tours of MIT and Harvard while enjoying other beautiful sights of the city.

This cultural experience was wonderful for all parties involved.  

The following is an article the Lawrence-Eagle Tribune published about this exchange program.:  

PMA Hosts 15 Japanese Exchange Students written by Kiera Blessing

      

Monday was Character Day, where students came dressed as their favorite tv, movie or book character.  Tuesday was twin/triplet day.  Wednesday was Meme day, Thursday was International Day where students could dressed as their country of origin and Friday was color day, specific colors were assigned to both students and staff, creating 6 tribes in the school.  The week ended in an assembly where the color tribes competed against each other in games and activities.

It was a great week full of fun and spirit.

      

March 1 to the 4, fifty-five of our students went on a packed trip to Quebec. This is the second Quebec trip, organized and led by our French teacher, Joan Anderson. The students had a fun-filled weekend that included outdoor activities, such as dog-sledding, a visit to the ice hotel, a snow park, and time at Montmorency Falls. They also visited more cultural and spiritual sites, such as the Wendat Indian Village and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Thank you to Ms. Anderson for this enriching trip! 

On Friday, March 16,  the teachers attended a professional development training, led by nationally

recognized ELL teacher and outstanding seminar leader, Jo Gusman.  PMA teachers were taught new strategies surrounding ELL students. "After 27  years  teaching at PMA, this workshop is the best I have ever been to," says Rita Lucey,  Science Department Chairperson.  "Jo kept us all engaged and reminded us that each student  has a story to tell and [she] gave us examples of how to interact with our ELL students  in class." Mrs. Lucey has already implemented a few of the lessons she learned at

the workshop in her classroom and feels that it relates to all students.

Having a workshop around this topic is very important and relevant for PMA.  Students  from all around the globe fill the hallways each day and discovering strategies  to help us engage all students is invaluable.  

 

Monday, March 26, PMA seniors met Junot Diaz, at the Lawrence Public Library, as

he read his first children's book, Islandborn.

Diaz is a Dominican American author and professor at MIT.  He is  also the author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao , which won the 2008 Pulitzer

Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award and This Is How You Lose Her , a New  York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist.

The Bidding For Good Online Auction

PMA's Bidding for Good online auction is happening now until April 5.  Log on to see what items you will fall in love with!  Bid early and bid often because bidding wars do exist!  Share the link with everyone you know.  All  funds raised by the online auction help support tuition assistance programs.

 https://www.biddingforgood.com/pmamethuen/sixty