MDIHS ChalkTalk 2024-25

February 24, 2025 Edition

ChalkTalk logo

Good day!

Welcome back from February Break.  Despite no school, it was a busy week for many of our student-athletes as they competed in championships in basketball, swimming & diving, indoor track & field, and wrestling (the cheer team had their championship competition prior to February break).  Congratulations to all on successful seasons.  

In March we switch our attention to the arts.  The festivals kick off with a public performance of the One Act this Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m. in the Higgins-Demas Theater.  MDI will host the regional One Act Festival on March 7 & 8.  MDIHS will also host an Island Jazz Night on Tuesday, March 4 at 5:30 p.m. with performances from the high school and local elementary school jazz bands.  The regional jazz festival will be held the weekend of March 14 & 15.  The Show Choir Extravaganza and state festival will be held at the end of March.  Break a leg!

Note: the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey needed to be postponed as the Access Codes for the surveys were lost in the mail.  We now have them and will conduct the survey on Monday, March 3.

PARENTS / GUARDIANS:

If you have had any updates since the beginning of school, be sure to update the emergency contacts for your child[ren], including who they can be released to.

You can do this by updating your information in your portal or by contacting Mary Corrow @ mcorrow@mdirss.org. 

Upcoming Events

March 3 - Administration of the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey

Week of March 3 - 7 - Parent Teacher Conferences

March 6 - Incoming Freshmen Night for both parents and students. 6 p.m.

March 9 - Daylight Saving Time starts

March 10 - High School Board Meeting. Library. 5 p.m.

March 13 - Scholarship Parent Information Night. 6 p.m.

March 14 - Professional Day - no school for both MDIHS and HCTC students

March 28 - Career Day

March 31 - First Day of Spring Athletics

April 2 - High School Annual Public Budget Meeting. Theater. 6 p.m.

April 4 - End of the 3rd Term. Early Release Day (Afternoon HCTC will be in session)


More details regarding extracurriculars are listed on our homepage under the
"Events" section.

Happy Valentine's Day

MIYHS Survey

MIYHS Health Survey

Our school is taking part in the 2025 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey. This survey, will be administered on March 3rd, is sponsored by Maine Center for Disease Control and Maine Department of Education. The survey will ask about the health behaviors of students grades 9-12. The survey will ask about nutrition, physical activity, injuries, tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use. For students in grades 7-12, the survey will also ask about sexual behaviors that could lead to pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections; depression and suicide; and gambling.

More information and a parent consent form will be sent under separate cover.

Parent / Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher conferences will be scheduled for the week of March 3 - 7. Sign up information will be forthcoming under separate cover.

Stay tuned!

Career & Technical Education Open House!

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Learning Area will hold an open house on Tuesday, March 4, and Wednesday, March 5, 2025, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 5:25 p.m. to  6 p.m., in lieu of Parent-Teacher Conferences*. This event is open to all, whether you currently have a student taking one of these classes or are just interested in what we offer. Visit us in rooms 121, 128, 129, 130, and 131. 

CTE Course List

If you need a private meeting, please schedule with the teacher directly.

Music Boosters Fundraiser

Music Boosters Fundraiser

HCTC

Scholarship Wkshop
FAFSA
Bridge Academy
Bridge Aca2
Bridge Aca3

2025 Prom Planning Group

Prom Planning Group

Community Service Opportunities

SAVE THE DATE:

Sophomore Community Service Day, Wed, Apr 9th, rain or shine

Community Service 1
Community Service 2
Community Service 3
Community Service 4

Guidance Office

Schedule classes for next year
ASVAB Test Rescheduled
Scholarship Night for Seniors
Job Fair
Junior SAT day

Husson Tour

Husson1
Husson2
Husson3
Husson4
Husson5
Husson6
Husson7
Husson8
Husson9

Upcoming Activities

Black History Month
Black History Month 2
Black History Month from Beam!

One Act Play

"Eurydice" premiering March 1!

Eurydice

MDI Drama is thrilled to announce its upcoming one act production of "Eurydice", Sarah Ruhl’s lyrical and thought-provoking reimagining of the ancient Greek myth. Directed by MDI Drama Director Casey Rush, this hauntingly beautiful play will premiere on Saturday, March 1st at 7 PM at the Higgins-Demas Theater at MDI High School. 

Additional performances will be Friday, March 7th at 9PM at the Downeast Regional hosted by MDI Drama, and Wednesday, March 19th at 6PM. 

With its unique blend of magical realism and poignant emotional depth, Eurydice promises to captivate audiences with its exploration of love, grief, and the power of memory. 

More info? Please visit www.mdidrama.org.

Students of the Month

Dasha Artemchuk SoM - Dec
Alex Oehmke - SoM Jan

Congratulations Dasha & Alex!

From the Classroom

ART 1 Filmmaking

This week the Art 1 film rotation did a production unit where they film and produce a scene using professional protocols and standards. Every student has a different position and they all must work together to bring the scene to life.

Filmmaking1
Filmmaking2
Filmmaking3

AP Bio

AP Biology students practice loading gels in their gel electrophoresis lab.

AP Bio1
AP Bio2
AP Bio3
AP Bio4

Underwater Aquarium

The NAHS students are hard at work to complete their Underwater Aquarium mural they started this week. Their mission was to immerse students and faculty into an "aquatic experience" while they traverse the hallways. The mural will be complete by the afternoon of Wednesday, February 5th, and will stay up for about a month.

Underwater Aquarium1
Underwater Aquarium2
Underwater Aquarium3
Underwater Aquarium4
Underwater Aquarium5
Underwater Aquarium6

Forensics - Crime Scenes

Crime Scene 1
Crime Scene 2

Honors World History

A rare moment of tech-free cooperative learning groups where students use the List, Group, Label protocol to sort vocabulary words from our first Honors World History Unit in preparation for sorting through documents in their upcoming DBQ essay writing assignment.

Hon World Hist1
Hon World Hist 2
Hon World Hist 3
Hon World Hist 4

MDI Adult Education

Adult Ed ad for Teachers

AOS91 Reorganization

AOS91 Reorganization Page

Welcome to the information page about the reorganization process for Mount Desert Island Regional School System-AOS 91. Here, you will find information about the history of the journey to becoming a regional school system and the work the Reorganization Planning Committee completes at its monthly meetings.

Click here for more information.

Graduation

Ordering cap & gown announcement

Yearbook 2025

Yearbook Sales

(Click on banner above to go to Josten's MDI Yearbook page to purchase a yearbook)
Students/Parents can also secure a yearbook order by cash/check - See Mr. Arnold @ school.

Yearbook - Parent Best Wishes

Link: Parent Best Wishes Submission Form

Siblings Photo for the Yearbook

From the Nurse's Office

Winter evening

Happy February MDI !

I hope everyone is well and staying warm! The clinic has been busy due to so much crud going around. We are seeing some COVID as well as Pneumonia and just really bad colds. Symptoms are hanging on for several days to weeks. Unfortunately, these viral illnesses just need time and rest before resolving. Students are committed to class work and athletics so I am finding they are not taking the time they need to get better, therefore prolonging the illness. We encourage students to stay home and rest until you are feeling better. As winter break approaches, if you are traveling, remember to practice good handwashing and steer clear of people who are symptomatic.

A couple of reminders:

If your student carries an inhaler and/or has serious allergies and you have not spoken to me, please contact me as there is paperwork to be completed for the student to self carry any type of inhalers or medications. As always if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me.

A reminder that all Freshman and Juniors need an updated physical. If your student has a well child check, I would appreciate it if you can have the provider fax a copy of it to the high school. As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email or call me.

Tammy Underwood
MDIHS School Nurse

Lunch Menu

Feb 24-28 Lunch Menu

February's Lunch Menu is available here!

Parent Information

2024-25

Bus Schedules

bus

This information contains both elementary and high school bus routes.

2024-25

Academic Calendar

school calendar
To view the complete calendar, click on the image above

FAQs from the Main Office

main entrance

Need a locker?
~ See Mrs. Littlefield in the Main Office

Student Absences:
Parents/Guardians: Please contact the school at 288-5011 to report an absence on the ‘Attendance Line’--Option 1
It is very important that parents/guardians contact the school, using the above method, when your child is out of school.  It is vital that we know when someone is out due to illness, so that our school nurse, Tammy Underwood, can reach out to the family and ensure a safe return to school that will keep us all healthy. Approved list of excused absences according to Maine State Law. MDIHS also accepts legal appointments.

Late to school? 
All students must check-in at the Main Office upon arrival, even if tardiness is excused.

Need to be dismissed from school? 
Calling or sending a note in the morning allows us to give your student a pass to get out of class at the appropriate time.  If a student feels sick once they arrive, they need to be dismissed by our nurse, Tammy Underwood. Students cannot leave the building without permission from a parent/guardian AND checking out at the Main Office.

Forgot something at home? 
A parent may drop off items at the main office, and the student will be called down between classes. 

Extracurricular Information? 
All Extracurricular Information can be found on the Athletics tab on our homepage, www.mdihs.net.  Cancellations and changes will be posted by 1pm, or as soon as possible. Want to find out if school is canceled or delayed? Call 288-5011, ext 7, or check our webpage, www.mdihs.net.

Student  Absence for 3 days or more of school
It is important to notify the school when your student is going to miss 3 days or more of school. The Extended Absence Form should be completed ahead of time by your student and their teachers. Completed forms are turned in to Mr. Braun’s office.

Community News

YWCA Rose Sale
March Driver's Ed class
Acadia Youth Conservation
The Landing School Open House

Narcan and Stop the Bleed Training: January 7th and March 11th at MDI High School, 6:00pm.

Stop the Bleed image

Need only attend one night of your choosing

Class info and registration through MDI Adult and Community Education: https://mdi.coursestorm.com/

Stop the Bleed
You will learn how to control bleeding. Participants gain the ability to recognize life-threatening bleeding and act quickly and effectively control it with three quick techniques. The number 1 cause of preventable death after injury is bleeding. Stop the Bleed classes are public presentations that empower citizens to make a difference in a life or death situation.

Narcan Training
Will teach students how to recognize signs of an opioid overdose, and how to administer the opioid reversal drug Narcan/Naloxone.

Have a community event that you want high school students or parents to be aware of, or
a community service opportunity for MDI students? 
Contact Mary Corrow at
mcorrow@mdirss.org