Student Feature Friday: Ashani Kurukulasuriya

This week’s Student Feature Friday is Junior Ashani Kurukulasuriya whose maturity and compassion for others is truly remarkable. When it became clear to Ashani that the school did not yet have a club to meet her needs, she partnered with a recent graduate from Harvard University to establish a chapter of Vision:Global Health at HHS. In addition to creating the club at HHS, Ashani and other members will be presenting at the Harvard Global Health and Leadership Conference this April. She is excited to attend the conference to learn more about food insecurity and human trafficking and how it affects local communities. Although the club is just beginning, they are already working with nearby food pantries to see what needs exist and researching speakers who can bring awareness to concerns about human trafficking.

Ashani just attended her first meeting of a seventeen week program with Youth in Philanthropy (YIP), which “...is an experiential leadership development program designed to empower and educate local youth to become our community’s next generation of philanthropists–those who give their time, talent and treasure for the common good” (https://yipmetrowest.org). This program will further develop her passion for community service and provide opportunities for her to learn more about obtaining grants and funding for causes that she feels strongly about. To learn more about Ashani, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Spring Sports Registration Now Open

Registration for 2018-2019 Spring Sports is now open!

Registration for HHS sports has three required pieces:

1. Filling out the registration form at http://hhsathletics.holliston.k12.ma.us/registration
2. Submitting an up-to date physical exam (requirements)
3. Paying the athletics fee. You may pay on the Town of Holliston website or by check dropped off at/or mailed to HHS Main Office Checks must be made out to "Town of Holliston- Athletics" for $225.00.

The due date for all forms, physical exams, and payment is March 8, 2019.

Student Feature Friday: Samantha Paquette

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Samantha Paquette whose limitless academic potential is matched by her unbounded compassion for others. Her recent starring role in Footloose highlighted her beautiful singing voice and her strong acting talent. Samantha began participating in theatre at Prana summer camp when she was 4 or 5 and has found a noticeable difference to her happiness when she is on stage. When speaking about singing, a large smile comes across her face and she says, “chorus lifts me up.” From the moment she started performing she was able to bring the characters to life through song in a way that allowed her to connect the words with the underlying message and share her talent with the world. Whether it is performing for large audiences or at small parties for young children, she is at home in the world of music. To learn more about Samantha, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Public Forum: The Future of Holliston High School

The Future of Holliston High School: A Community Conversation

Tuesday, January 15, 2019, 7 pm, HHS Auditorium

Originally designed in 1965 and opened in 1969, Holliston High School has served our community well for almost 50 years. Although it received a cosmetic renovation in 2000, now, 18 years later, the administration estimates that there are an estimated $10,000,000 in building infrastructure repairs and infrastructure replacements that we can reasonably expect to see in the coming decade. Understanding that our students’ classroom experience has changed significantly from 50 years ago and before investing such a significant amount of money in a 50-year old building, the School Committee asked the administration to review the building’s usefulness and effectiveness as a 21-century learning center. That review revealed a significant number of areas where the physical plant did not support the technology-rich, collaborative instructional model used today.

Given the significance of the anticipated costs over the next decade to maintain the building and the design deficiencies that impede our ability to provide our students with comparable 21st century learning environment available in most MetroWest communities who have already modernized their high school, the School Committee feels that it is time for Holliston to begin a serious conversation as a community regarding the High School and options moving forward.

To begin this discussion, the School Committee is holding a public forum, The Future of Holliston High School: A Community Conversation, on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, at 7 pm in the Holliston High School auditorium. This forum is open to all members of the public. The decisions our community face are important and will likely impact our students’ high school experience for the next several decades. Your attendance and participation as we begin to explore these issues is strongly encouraged.