The following is a rundown of noteworthy achievements by students in Andover, as well as news from Andover Public Schools. Do you know a student doing something great? Let us know.
Superintendent Magda Parvey read to students in Mrs. Lundgren’s first grade class at Sanborn Elementary School as part of Random Acts of Kindness week, which ended with Random Acts of Kindness day on Friday.
The day was first created in Denver, Colorado in 1995 and the week began in 2018. This year’s theme was about giving something thoughtful to someone who doesn’t expect to be honored.
“While not an official holiday, the concept of performing acts of kindness create such an opportunity for our students to practice intentional empathy, positivity, manners, and gratitude,” Parvey said in her weekly note to the APS community in the All Around APS newsletter.
Also in this round up:
- AHS Shutterbug Wins Prize
- District Report Cards Released
- AHS Quiz Team Wins Opening Round Match
- AHS Sports Highlights
- Author Ellen Oh Visits Middle Schools
- Scholarship Opportunities
For more student and school news, sign up for All Around APS, the district’s weekly newsletter.
AHS Shutterbug Wins Prize
Andover High School senior Ashley Sheldon won second place with her submission of the photograph “Path of Clouds” in the Essex National Heritage Area 2022 photo contest. The contest encourages community members of all ages to head outdoors and capture the living landscapes, unique places, and iconic vistas located in their backyard. Ashley will join other area photographers in March for a reception celebrating all winners at the gallery opening at the Salem Armory Center.
District Report Cards Released
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently released district report cards for Andover Public Schools, its five elementary schools, three middle schools and Andover High School. You can view all the report cards.
“The report card includes multiple measures of a school’s performance – more than just MCAS scores,” South Elementary Principal Brenda Lee said in a note to parents Tuesday. “It represents a new way of looking at school performance by providing information on student achievements, teacher qualifications, student learning opportunities, and more.”
AHS Quiz Team Wins Opening Round Match
Andover High School’s quiz team won its first match in WGBH’s High School Quiz Show on Feb. 11. The team will face the winner of the Melrose-Mansfield match in the tournament’s quarter-finals on April 8.
Last year, Andover lost to North Quincy High School in the finals. This year’s team includes Luke Suh, Aniketh Sherigar, Sampath Kalagarla, Mahathi Veluri, Liam Bennett and William Conner and is advised by Alan Hibino
This year’s second-round matches will be on April 8 and 15, followed by semi-finals on May 6 and 13 and the finals on May 20. Episodes of the show will air at a later date.
AHS Sports Highlights
- Seniors Molly Kiley and Colin Kirn won state titles for the AHS indoor track teams.
- Anna Foley scored her 1,000th career point in the AHS girls’ basketball team’s 77-30 win over Lawrence on Feb. 11. The team is 19-0 and ranked first in the state.
Author Ellen Oh Visits Middle Schools
Young Adult Author Ellen Oh recently visited all three Andover middle schools as part of a program funded by a grant from the Andover Coalition for Education.
Oh is a Korean-American author and founding member and CEO of the non-profit, We Need Diverse Books. Oh spoke on the influence of her family and culture on her work, shared some tips for students interested in writing, answered questions, and signed a few books.
Scholarship Opportunities
The deadline for Merrimack Valley high school students to apply for scholarships from the Greater Lawrence Italian Women’s Club is March 15. Applications for the Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Scholarship open to Andover or Danvers residents are due March 15.