Rachel Spivey Inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
BATON ROUGE, LA (05/06/2020)-- Rachel Spivey of Winchendon, Massachusetts, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Spivey was initiated at Framingham State University.
Spivey is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the Society has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States and the Philippines. Its mission is "To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others."
Winchendon CAC Offers Lawn Space to Recognize Graduating Seniors
Families of graduating Murdock High School seniors are invited to place a sign or banner on the front lawn of the Winchendon CAC at 273 Central St., Winchendon. Signs can be handmade or professionally printed, and may include a photo, a name, a message, or whatever shows your pride in your graduate. Contact the CAC at 978-297-1667 for more information.
Winchendon Public Schools Delivering Meals to Students During School Closings
The Winchendon food services department and the district administration are collaborating with First Student Transportation to deliver meals to Winchendon Public Schools students at designated pick-up times and places around the town.
Monday through Thursday, students receive a bagged breakfast and lunch. On Fridays, students are given three breakfasts and three lunches to cover meals on Saturday and Sunday. Families are asked to bring a bag or box from home to carry the multiple meal packages.
As of March 25, the updated pick-up times and locations are as follows:
10:00-10:15 Waterville Plaza
10:20-10:30 Toy Town Condos/ 250-260 Spring Circle
10:35-10:50 Rite Aid ( now Walgreens parking lot)
10:55-11:05 Goodrich Drive
11:10-11:20 Reedy Drive
11:25-11:35 Pearl Drive
If you have any questions related to this process, please contact Superintendant Joan Landers at 978-616-1451 or by email at jlanders@winchendonk12.org.
Schools will be closed for the remainder of the school year by order of Governor Baker.
Sizer’s Noah Chagnon honored with RPI Medal
On Tuesday, April 5, Sizer School Junior Noah Chagnon, of Winchendon, was named this year's recipient of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Medal for the Class of 2021.
On Tuesday, May 5, Sizer School Junior Noah Chagnon, of Winchendon, was named this year's recipient of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Medal for the Class of 2021.
“It is with distinct pleasure that I announce … on behalf of Sizer School and the Math and Science Departments, that you are this year's recipient of the prestigious RPI Medal for the class of 2021,” said High School Counselor Lyndsie K. Currallo, in the announcement an email. “Sizer is able to select one student per graduating class who has shown strength and success in the fields of science and mathematics. This year, we have chosen you as our medal nominee.”
“We would have loved to have awarded this to you in person at a school wide community meeting this spring but alas, we are congratulating you in a different format this year,” noted Currallo.
“It’s a humbling experience for me. I do my best to excel in my coursework to ensure that I am learning the most. It sets me up for a better future,” remarked Chagnon following the announcement.
The official message from RPI read: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute congratulates you on being awarded the Rensselaer Medal! Founded in 1824, Rensselaer is the oldest technological institution in North America, and it is located in the Capital Region of New York State. This prestigious award has been awarded since 1916 to one student in any given high school and is designed to recognize that student’s strength and success in the fields of mathematics and science.
“Personally, both science and math provide the greatest intellectual challenge. The two are so intertwined that there is no escaping one or the other. That isn’t a problem for me, though. Each subject has a unique obstacle that has a reward for overcoming it. No feeling beats conquering a lengthy problem that employs the use of reasoning,” said Chagnon via email.
Chagnon says, “After graduation, I want to attend college for a degree in bioengineering. I was debating taking a gap year prior to getting a higher education. Though, this would be more of a hindrance to my education than a benefit. I most definitely want to continue learning. That much will remain forever unchanged.”
Sizer School Principal and Interim Executive Director Frederick Randall said, “We are extremely proud of Noah’s consistently high performance and interest in the fields of math and science. He is well deserving of the RPI Medal this year! We look forward to following Noah’s achievements with a focus on bioengineering.”
Chagnon cited Sizer School as having given him the tools for success.
“The community here, specifically the people who challenge me the most, have helped me realize my yearning for knowledge. For the most part, my goals for the future have also been molded by my work at Sizer. Honestly, I’m unsure what my future goals could have been otherwise,” he said.
As part of Noah’s course of studies while at Sizer, he is participating in the Early College High School program with a STEM pathway, taking courses at the Fitchburg State University campus.
In his email, Chagnon also noted that he wanted others to know, that they too have the ability to succeed.
“I feel like it is important for everyone to know that they have within themselves the ability to succeed, provided the right resources are allocated to them. Anyone can pierce through the daunting grey clouds when given the chance to shine their light,” he said.
To learn more about Sizer School, visit www.sizerschool.org. Applications are now open for the 7th grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Visit sizer.schoolmint.net to apply.