Seekonk School News

Official School News Blog

Welcome to the Seekonk Public School News Page.

This is our official news blog and social media portal and is managed by the Superintendent’s Office of the Seekonk Public Schools.  On the pages below, you will find the latest news and happenings in our school district. Thank you for visiting!

Rebecca Kidwell, Ed.D
Superintendent

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Seekonk Student to Represent Massachusetts at National Civics Bee Championship

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Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School student Shelby Schenck will represent Massachusetts at the National Civics Bee Championship in Washington, D.C., this fall. (Photo Courtesy Seekonk Public Schools)

SEEKONK — Seekonk Public Schools is pleased to announce that Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School student Shelby Schenck has earned the opportunity to represent Massachusetts at the National Civics Bee Championship in Washington, D.C., this fall.

Shelby, an eighth-grade student at Hurley Middle School, won the Massachusetts State Finals of the National Civics Bee on June 11 at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. The competition was sponsored by the Adams Presidential Center and is part of a nationwide initiative organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Civic Trust.

As the Massachusetts champion, Shelby will advance to the National Civics Bee Championship, where she will compete against students from across the country for a chance to earn a college scholarship of up to $100,000.

Shelby was one of five Hurley Middle School students who qualified to compete at the state level. Joining her were Celia Rutkowski, Jaelynn Forrest, Jacqueline Leach and Aisha Imran, who previously earned a regional championship to advance to the state competition.

Students participated in two rounds of civics-focused multiple-choice questions. The top five competitors then advanced to an interview round, where they presented civic action plans designed to address issues and inspire positive change within their communities.

Following the final round, Shelby was named the Massachusetts champion and secured the Commonwealth’s lone spot in the national competition.

“We are incredibly proud of Shelby and all of our students who represented Seekonk at the state competition,” said Principal Alexis Bouchard. “Shelby’s commitment to civic engagement is truly remarkable, and we look forward to cheering her on as she represents Massachusetts on the national stage.”

The National Civics Bee is designed to encourage students to engage in civics and contribute to their communities while developing a deeper understanding of government, civic responsibility and democratic participation.

The National Civics Bee Championship will be held in Washington, D.C., later this year.

“Shelby’s accomplishment is a tremendous source of pride for the entire Seekonk Public Schools community,” said Superintendent Rebecca Kidwell. “This achievement speaks to her hard work and dedication, as well as the efforts of the educators who have supported and encouraged her along the way. We congratulate Shelby and wish her the best of luck as she represents Massachusetts at the national competition this fall.”

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Seekonk High School Celebrates 10 Students Pursuing Careers in Education

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Seekonk High School held a Future Teacher Signing Day to celebrate seniors who will be studying education in college, welcoming school, district and state officials, along with family and community members. (Photo Courtesy Massachusetts Executive Office of Education)

SEEKONK — Seekonk High School recently celebrated 10 graduating seniors who have committed to pursuing careers in education during the school’s annual Future Teacher Signing Day ceremony.

The event recognized students who plan to study education in college and enter the teaching profession.

Future Teacher Signing Day is encouraged by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as a way to celebrate future educators in the same spirit that schools recognize student-athletes who commit to playing collegiate sports.

The ceremony featured remarks from Massachusetts Secretary of Education Dr. Stephen Zrike, Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Education Dr. Regina Robinson, Superintendent Rebecca Kidwell​ and Seekonk High School Principal Dr. William V. Whalen, who emceed the event.

Students were joined by family members, respected teachers who inspired them to pursue careers in education, fellow students, school leaders and community members to celebrate their commitment to the teaching profession.

The students recognized were:

  • Grace Baldassi, Salem State University
  • Alicia Crabtree, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Emma DaSilva, Curry College
  • Ezra Del Toro, Bridgewater State University
  • Emma Dupont, Bridgewater State University
  • Noah Fuller, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Noah Koohy, Bridgewater State University
  • Lily McCormick, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
  • Adrianna Simas, Bridgewater State University
  • Julia Tortolani, Merrimack College

Superintendent Kidwell​ congratulated the students and emphasized the importance of the teaching profession. She also discussed the impact they will have as future educators and encouraged the students to consider returning to Seekonk one day to teach the next generation of Warriors.

“Teaching is one of the most important professions in our society because educators help shape the lives of future generations,” said Superintendent Kidwell. “We are proud of these students for choosing a career that will make a difference in the lives of others. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have in their future classrooms.”

“These students have demonstrated leadership​ and a commitment to helping others learn and grow,” said Principal Whalen. “It was an honor to recognize them as they take the next step toward becoming educators, and we are excited to see where their journeys lead.”

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Massachusetts Secretary of Education Dr. Stephen Zrike delivered remarks at Seekonk High School’s Future Teacher Signing Day ceremony. (Photo Courtesy Massachusetts Executive Office of Education)

Massachusetts Secretary of Education Dr. Stephen Zrike congratulates the Seekonk High School students at the Future Teacher Signing Day ceremony. (Photo Courtesy Massachusetts Executive Office of Education)

Seekonk’s Aitken Elementary School Students Present at One8 Applied Learning Hub Student Showcase

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 Ramona Marchetti, Nicholas DePina, Connor Seekell, Conor Quinn and Evelyn Hoffman pose with their project, “Student Industry Connects,” at the One8 Applied Learning Hub Student Showcase. (Photo Courtesy Seekonk Public Schools)

SEEKONK — Aitken Elementary School fourth-grade students recently presented Applied Learning group projects to over 500 industry professionals at the One8 Applied Learning Hub Student Showcase in Boston.

On May 8, the Aitken students joined hundreds of others from throughout the Commonwealth in presenting at “the TRACK at new balance.”

Students shared their work during the One8 Applied Learning Hub Student Showcase, an annual event for Applied Learning programs across Massachusetts. Groups presented their work and received written and verbal feedback from industry professionals.

Evelyn Hoffman, Nicholas DePina, Conor Quinn, Connor Seekell and Ramona Marchetti presented their project, “Student Industry Connects,” which explores how decimals are used in everyday life and professional careers.

“We were incredibly proud to send this group of students to the showcase,” said Principal Jessica Borges. “They shared an impressive presentation that demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the curriculum. Their work provided real-world connections between the lessons they are learning in the classroom to careers they may pursue in the future. It was wonderful to see our students successfully present their project after all of their hard work on the concept, tri-fold and their verbal presentation to the professionals.”

The group collaborated to create an engaging presentation connecting concepts they learned through their ST Math and Everyday Mathematics curriculum to real-world applications of decimals.

ST Math is a supplemental math program that teaches mathematical concepts through visual puzzles. Through its visual depictions of math concepts, the program removes language barriers for students and utilizes interactive puzzles to explain ideas.

The group demonstrated teamwork, communication skills and mathematical understanding throughout the project drafting process, as well as during their final presentation to industry professionals.

“Hands-on learning experiences such as the One8 Applied Learning Hub Student Showcase are incredibly valuable to our students,” said Superintendent Rebecca Kidwell. “I am thrilled that our staff team of Ms. Patch, Mr. Lush, Assistant Principal Bibeault and Principal Borges were able to make this trip happen. These students experienced a memorable day applying math concepts to the real world with students and professionals from across the state.”

This year, Aiken students have used ST Math more than ever, completing 1,162,185 puzzles so far.

“Our students took on the challenge of not only creating a project that connected their classroom learning to the real world, but also were tasked with explaining their work to industry professionals,” said Zachary Waddicor, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning. “Their confidence and understanding of the material led to successful presentations and great conversations between students and seasoned professionals.”

About the One8 Foundation and the One8 Applied Learning Hub

The One8 education team identifies, supports and scales high impact programs and approaches that help schools and teachers prepare students for success in a rapidly changing, data rich world. One8 imagines a future where high-quality applied learning opportunities that make learning relevant, stimulating and rewarding are a regular part of the student experience driving impact for all students. The One8 Applied Learning Hub helps Massachusetts schools get the most out of Applied Learning programs by providing implementation support, educator community building, and student opportunities that bring learning to life. The One8 Applied Learning Hub currently supports seven programs in the Commonwealth: the Democratic Knowledge Project, Investigating History, OpenSciEd, PBLWorks, Project Lead The Way, Skew the Script, and ST Math. Visit www.one8.org and www.one8alhub.org to learn more.

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Ramona Marchetti, left, Evelyn Hoffman and Connor Seekell explain their project to industry professionals at the showcase. (Photo Courtesy Seekonk Public Schools)

Ramona Marchetti, left and Evelyn Hoffman demonstrate their project to industry professionals at the showcase. (Photo Courtesy Seekonk Public Schools)

8 Students from Hurley Middle School in Seekonk Compete in National Civics Bee, Penning Essays on Societal Challenges and Opportunities

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Aisha Imran, center, reacted to getting awarded first place at the regional round of the National Civics Bee. She was congratulated by second place winner Shelby Schenk, left. (Photo Courtesy Seekonk Public Schools)

SEEKONK — Superintendent Rebecca Kidwell and Principal Alexis Bouchard are proud to share that eight students at Hurley Middle School recently participated in the regional round of the National Civics Bee held in Chelsea.

Hurley Middle School students accomplished a podium sweep, with first, second and third place finishes at the event.

Aisha Imran came in first place, Shelby Schenk took second place and Jackie Leach came in third. For winning first place, Aisha was awarded a $700 check, while the second-place prize was $500 and third place got $250.

Aisha, Shelby and Jackie, along with other qualifying participants, will now move onto to the statewide round of the National Civics Bee.

The state level round will take place on June 11 at the Adams Presidential Center.

The winning candidate from each state will get a free trip to Washington, D.C., where they will compete for a $100,000 dollar contribution to a 529 college savings plan. A date has not yet been announced for the nationwide level, the National Civics Bee Championship.

This is the first year that the Bee has gone fully national and only the second year that Massachusetts has participated. Last year, finalists from 39 states competed in the National Civics Bee Championship, with more than 7,400 student participants nationwide.

Launched by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Launches in 2023, the National Civics Bee is a competition designed to inspire middle school students to become better informed about American democracy, leadership and civics. To enter the contest, students must write an essay that identifies a specific opportunity, problem, or challenge in their community, while also providing steps that could be taken to address the issue.

As part of the National Civics Bee, Hurley students wrote essays on bullying, school funding, chemicals known as PFAS, and a fire station issue on the south side of town.

Students then fielded questions at the event from a panel of judges composed of members of the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the regional round of the National Civics Bee. A tablet was placed at each student’s desk for them to answer questions being asked, which were displayed on a screen. Topics included civic virtue, American founding principles, the U.S. Constitution, Supreme Court cases and American history.

Then, in a third round of competition, judges interviewed students standing on stage in front of an audience, asking them questions about their essays and their plans for civic improvements.

Winners were then announced at the conclusion of the third round of the regional competition, which was held at Clark Avenue Middle School in Chelsea on March 26.

While Hurley Middle School took home the top three results at the regional round, the event is not considered a national competition between schools, but rather it is a national competition among individual students across the entire country.

Principal Bouchard and Superintendent Kidwell applauded all eight of the eight-graders who participated in the National Civics Bee event in Chelsea.

“It’s great to see our students show a competitive drive to gain and apply knowledge about how our government works, how problems are identified and how practical solutions are accomplished,” Principal Bouchard said. “Congratulations to all of our competitors in the National Civics Bee for an outstanding display of knowledge and creativity at this recent competition. We look forward to seeing what’s next for you all.”

“Congratulations to all of our students who participated in the National Civics Bee event in Chelsea, including our top finishers,” Superintendent Kidwell said. “All of you make Seekonk so proud and show the value of the education provided here.”

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Aisha Imran, second from left came in first place at the regional round of the National Civics Bee held in Chelsea. Shelby Schenk, center, took second place and Jackie Leach, second from right, came in third. For winning first place, Aisha was awarded a $700 check, while the second-place prize was $500 and third place got $250. (Photo Courtesy Seekonk Public Schools)

From left to right, Aisha Imran came in first place, Shelby Schenk took second place and Jackie Leach came in third. (Photo Courtesy Seekonk Public Schools)

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