March 1, 20010

The term “whirlwind week” has been redefined.  We spent four amazing days with our guests from Tianjin, China and they left in the rain on Thursday amidst hugs and tears from young and old alike. I worked late that night in an effort to catch up on the emails and the pile which had accumulated on my desk and headed home about 9PM.  It was windy but none of us knew what was headed our way.  By 10PM, as I was trying to relax, the wind was steady and the rain torrential.  I checked the cellar and knew it was going to be a long night, the river was rising.  At 11:15 there was a single flicker and then the lights went out.  To us, that means no sump pump and a flooded cellar. We have a “green” composting system so that had to be sandbagged and duct taped with large plastic sheets—not an easy task at midnight in the dark. And then the wind howled and howled and howled.  At 4:30AM our superintendent tried to call us, cell phones were out and the battery draining land line was our last hope. It was cold.  I lit 8 candles and tried to make calls by candlelight to no avail. Phones were dependent on power.  I took a flashlight and drove to the home of our IT person in an effort to get the news of no school on the web.  It was a dark and eerie drive—huge trees down everywhere, on power lines and houses and cars. I got only so far, parked the car, climbed over the downed tree blocking the road and walked in. It was now 5:50AM. The ride was in vain, no cell, no internet, and no way to get the word out. It was quite a moment as we stood there and realized how helpless we were and how incredibly dependent we were on electrical power.  We had been brought to our knees. We went to school and turned away those of you who came and stayed all day as plans were made to turn the building into an emergency shelter.  Images of Castle Hill and the beach and crushed houses were everywhere.  No TV, no phones, no internet, no heat—a very small taste of what can happen in an instant.  That is when people rely on people to help, sharing food, heat, water or support.  Ipswich came alive with the buzz of chain saws, neighbor helping neighbor. People power is much stronger than any cell tower or grid. Life goes on after all the trees are cut up; the branches dragged away, the batteries replaced and the pictures kept for posterity.  You can always depend on people—the power of people is what matters when the technology breaks down.

Back here at school:
 
Volleyball is in full swing and hundreds of students are playing.  It is a great way to keep them active during “mud season.”  Please check the schedule; students play until 4PM and the schedule runs until March 12th.  Watch for spring sports signups—track and softball are not far away.

It’s back by popular demand; ROOTS remains a local favorite and has returned as ROOTS 3.  This began when the Middle School really needed fundraising for a number of activities, so we decided to call upon the natural talents we have here in town. The rest is history.  Please plan to attend this Saturday night, March 6th -- 7PM and bring the family to enjoy a night of pure entertainment by your friends and neighbors.  Musical Roots will feature folks in Ipswich who have wonderful talents—some of them might be a real surprise.  Performing that night Orv Giddings, Brooks McPhail,  Paul Bedard (School Facilities Director) Seth Gooby and Isis Alis, Jon Iannitto with Jack Greene, Lisa Palance and Chris Pedrick,  Steve Webber (with the Ipswich Music All-Stars),  Miranda Russell (Russell Orchards), Eric Colville with his new award winning song and the Ipswich High School singers, Chuck Doran and Mike Maino (Greenhead),  and Judy C.   Now you have to admit, this will be one amazing night.  Tickets are $15/10 in advance, $20/10 at the door and available at Ipswich Music, River’s Edge, Zumi’s and the Office Store (who we thank for making all of the posters and tickets.)  You will not want to miss this.  Ipswich roots run deep.

 

March 11th we are holding our second Student Development Day here at IMS. Last year we had a very successful event and we are going to try it again.  We have scheduled nearly fifty workshops that students can choose from taught by you and members of the community   Students will begin the day with Project Adventure activities in the gym supervised by Rusty Harnish.  Following the team activities, students attend two workshop sessions with everything from skin care, healthy living, cooking, law, architecture, interior design, flower arranging, starting your own business, on and on and on.  Thank you for doing this!!  After lunch, students will then hear a keynote in assembly from Gail Hull (if she is back) on the situation in Haiti and how our contribution helped in some small way. Thank you to Deb Lindahl and so many of you who have volunteered to make this day a success. If you are presenting, please be in the Media Center no later than 8:30 that morning.  Thanks.

On the next Thursday, March 18th, the Sixth Annual Hockey Game and Family Skate will be held at Pingree School. This takes place at Pingree Rink from 2-4PM.  We ask for a donation of $5 at the door for Pangliu, our adopted village in China. We begin with a parent, teacher, student hockey game at 2PM.  At 3PM we open it up for a family skate.  If you want to play in the game, please call Kyle Woodman in grade seven. You do need skates; as there are no rentals.  We will provide a bus from school to the rink to transport students who need it both ways, returning to school about 4:10PM.  Please try to attend.

Also it is dance time for the 6th graders.  We hold only one sixth grade dance (for sixth graders only) and that is on Friday, March 19h.  This is a casual dress night and costs $5.  Please drop them off at the PAC door between 6PM and 6:30PM.  Students need extra money for snacks.  Please be in the parking lot at 8:30PM SHARP to pick them up.  This is a fun night for students and prepares them for the dances in 7th & 8th.

Please attend the Middle School 2011Budget Presentation to the Finance Committee on March 25th at the Town Hall.  We have a fiscal challenge in this community and everyone will want to be involved.  We need your support as parents that night; and we hope to see you in the audience.

Yearbooks can now be ordered.  Students have been working on the production of a 2010 yearbook.  It will have a hard cover and be in full color.  All grades are pictured and we order them early.  Please send in a check for $25 made out to Ipswich Middle School or cash and we will accept them through March 12th.  They are hot items in June.

Gentle reminder that there is a payment due for the Grade 8 trip this Friday.

We will be collecting gently used clothes for those who need it right here in our own town.  An initiative called “Hope on a hanger” will be managed here by our SLS committee.  Please see the attached letter explaining what we hope to have on hand and how it will be used.

We are trying to support the budget in our wonderful Tiger Tots Learning Center which is the daycare we have for our teachers’ children.  Please help us out by sending in the following items.  We really need:  paper towels, Clorox wipes, Lysol spray, Windex, paper plates and baby wipes.

We are also looking for a home for a cat that is at Ipswich Animal Hospital that needs a home.  Her name is Teeny and is a spayed female, gray and white with medium length hair.  She doesn’t really love the dogs at the vets and could really use a nice home.  If you want more info please call 978 948 8189.  We hope to place her.

In like a lion, (that’s for sure) and out like a lamb
March 2nd—Tuesday, COUNCIL Meeting 6-8PM
March 3rd—IMS Strings Festival Concert 7PM
March 6th—Saturday, Musical Roots Talent Revue—7PM—tickets $15/10 in advance, $20 at the door
March 11th—Student Development Fair—ALL DAY
March 12th—Friday, yearbook orders due -- $25 check to IMS or cash
March 17th—Coffee with the Principal, 7:45-8:30AM
March 18th—Thursday, Pingree Skate for Jimmy Fund, 1:30-4PM, $5 donation, wear skates!!!!
March 19th—Friday, DANCE FOR GRADE 6, $5, arrive 6-6:30 and pickup at 8:30PM SHARP
March 23-April 7—MCAS TESTING—HAVE BREAKFAST AND GET SLEEP
March 25th—Thursday, Middle School Budget Presentation to the FINCOM at 7PM

I was a proud principal last week, especially proud.  Almost four years ago a simple email invited me to apply to go see what was happening in China. Me in China, right-- on second thought, why not. The first big break was the “match made in heaven.”  Each of us was paired with a principal in China.  Keliang Ren and I got lucky—we are cut from the same cloth—both willing to take risks, both willing to push the envelope just a little for kids--his rules and expectations completely different from mine. He visited first and was not sure he saw “evidence of learning.”  We do not spend much time memorizing. Next I went and they virtually laid down the red carpet for me. Principals are highly respected and are to remain just a bit aloof.  I really shook them up when I showed them how to hula hoop with the TV cameras rolling. As he paraded me from classroom to classroom he would show the Borsari book and simply say, “Ipswich is paradise.” I watched the Olympics in Beijing that summer and was able to recognize all the important sights.  Why not-- why not take our kids on the trip of a lifetime.  The very forward thinking school committee said yes and the rest is history.  The 45 students we took were changed forever. When we left we wondered if we would ever see our friends again. The dream was to have the No.4 Oilfield Middle School come to us.  The trip, planned for September 2009 was called off by the Chinese government due to H1N1 flu.  I doubted they would receive permission and gave up. A simple email in January said they were coming in February—so little time to plan and a difficult time of year with weather issues.  The hugs when the bus arrived told the story of how kids from far off lands can form strong relationships and bonds.  While the language barrier was sometimes amusing and oftentimes frustrating—you look more into their eyes for meaning.  We laughed, and talked our way through the four days with music and learning.  We shared our talents with the community and were proud to be part of such a rich international partnership. When it came time to leave, everyone was struck with deep feeling. I felt a huge surge of emotion all trying to come out at once-- pride, sadness, collegiality, friendship, hope.  He hugged me hard and with so little English managed to say, “Cheryl, I love you.”  He climbed the stairs and pressed his hands on the window of the bus with that ever present twinkle in his eye-- and then they were gone.  Barry held me outside while I cried happy and sad tears—some of relief, some of exhaustion, mostly of pride. So proud that this could happen here in our little corner of the world. Gerry Dolan said it best, “One note at a time, one child at a time, together we will make the world a better place for us all.”

So be it. Thank you, Ren. You are right, Ipswich is paradise. ‘Til we meet again.

Cheryl Forster-Cahill