About

Pinkerton Families and Friends,

I hope all is well and everyone is enjoying the days being a bit longer.  This week the campus has been busy.  We started spring sports, and the Pinkerton Players are getting ready for this weekend's production of The Addams Family.  This week I would also like to profile the Pinkerton Academy Health Services Office and the staff that makes this office run smoothly daily.  Our nursing team plays a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being on campus and their efforts behind the scenes often go unnoticed.  Not only do they provide essential medical care and support for students in need, but they also work diligently to promote a culture of wellness and safety within our school. Whether it's administering first aid, managing medications, or offering guidance on health-related matters, our nursing office staff consistently demonstrates professionalism, compassion, and expertise.  

First, we have our Director of Health Services, Joanna Dillon BSN, RN who has been a nurse for 12 years and has been at PA for the past 2 years.  She enjoys the beach, baking, and spending time with her family.  She prides herself in working with kids by saying that she “loves working with high school students, helping them grow and stay healthy so they can live their best lives.”  Abby McCabe, RN has been a nurse for 12 years and this is also her 2nd year at Pinkerton.  She is a Derry community member and loves to travel, coach soccer, and “to connect with students and help educate them to be active participants in their own health and wellness.”  Becky Del Signore, RN has been in the nursing field for the past 17 years, and this is her first year at Pinkerton.  She is a mom of 5 has 2 grandchildren, and enjoys running and hiking with family and friends.  She states, “As a high school nurse, I enjoy helping teens navigate their high school years with confidence, supporting their physical and emotional well-being every step of the way!”  Caribeth Lira BSN, RN-BC has been a nurse for 13 years and started here at Pinkerton 3 months ago.  She is also a Derry resident and loves to spend time with her new puppy and her niece.   Ashley Silveira BSN, RN has been a nurse for 16 years and just started at Pinkerton this past month!  She is a thrift shopper and crafter and loves to spend time with her family.  Finally, we have the first face you see when you walk into the Health Office,  Susan (Susie) Martel!  She is the Administrative Assistant in the Health Office and has been in this type of role for the past 10 years with 2.5 of those years with us at Pinkerton.  She has 4 children who have graduated or will graduate from Pinkerton and lives by "A smile is the quickest way to brighten a room."

Below is the Health Office’s new Mission Statement that truly sums up all the great things they are trying to do and accomplish…

"Creating an environment based on trust and respect that allows us to use our knowledge and empathy to advocate for ourselves and our students."

We are so lucky to have these dedicated, knowledgeable, and kind people in our Health Office.  They work to bring a new perspective and new philosophy to school nursing and how it is really about helping our population with overall health and well-being.  Thank you for all you do for our community and students!

Weekly Highlights: 

Pinkerton Players The Addams Family: Don’t miss this fun show! Our student actors, crew, and musicians have been hard at work to bring this story to the stage. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:00 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Get your tickets here: https://stockbridgetheatre.showare.com/

Reminder: Wednesday, 3/27th - PSAT/SAT/Seniorpalooza - Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors will be involved in PSAT or SAT testing on Wednesday, March 27th. Details have been sent to families and can be found on the website. Please check your Pinkerton Academy Email accounts for your room assignments.  

Students are to be in their testing rooms by 7:15 am, just like a regular school day.  Please eat a good breakfast, get a good night's sleep, and arrive on time.  Electronic devices will be collected in the testing room and returned to students after their testing room is finished.  If you have any further questions, reach out to our testing coordinator at [email protected]. 

Dismissal time for most testing rooms will be at 11:15 am if the testing room has completed their testing.  Buses will depart campus between 11:45 and noon.  Grab-and-go lunches are available for purchase in the Senior Cafeteria after dismissal from the testing room.  

Seniors will participate in Seniorpalooza; please refer to the email sent out by the senior office on Wednesday. 

Catwalk for a Cause - Thursday, March 28th, 6:30 pm -- this event is run by Astros United and raises money to support mental health initiatives.

National Women’s Week:  Sponsored by National Honor Society - NHS members will be honoring women throughout cultures and history next week. Check out their Instagram page for more.

Comfort and Care Drive: The National Honor Society will also be sponsoring a Comfort and Care Drive. Any new household or personal hygiene products can be dropped off in attendance offices, and donations will benefit women and families of New Horizons. 

Spanish Exchange:  The World Language department is looking for families to host 21 students from Spain. The exchange will take place from September 21-26, 2024. Students who host will be given the first opportunity to travel to Spain in June of 2025 for 2 weeks to complete the exchange. For more information or to sign up, email [email protected] or [email protected]. 

Science Testing: on Tuesday, April 9th, all juniors will participate in the NH SAS Science Assesment. To accommodate the testing period, the entire campus will follow a revised bell schedule that day with a 2-hour Flex block. More information will be sent out to juniors and their families in the coming weeks. 

Make a Wish Fundraiser: You can still support the Just Like Us fundraiser for Make a Wish NH. Click here to make a donation. 

Weekly Shout Outs:

SHOUT OUTS TO…

Doug Cullen for being named the 2024 recipient of the ELO Coordinator of the Year for New Hampshire!

David MacNeil, Alex Hunton, Alyssa Gillin, Mike Adams, and Rob Lemire for their combined leadership in bringing the best out of our students in the production of The Addams Family.  

STUDENT SHOUT OUTS:

Jack Domer and Matthew Navarro - the two of them saw a bunch of trash on the table and stopped to pick it up and threw it all away. Something so simple is so appreciated!!!!!  Nice job and thank you!

Members of the Math Team - for placing 6th place in their recent competition. Members include Zachary Greenberg, Shiv Patel, Boris Hadjiev, Yianni Kalampalikis, Heer Patel, Xianglin Zheng, Luke Albanilla (captain), Junaid Ali, Mira Kondor (captain), and Nica Lai. Additionally, Boris Hadjiev has been invited to participate in the American Region Mathematics League competition. Congratulations!

Members of our E-sports team - They are 4-1, and 15th out of 152 teams on the East Coast! Members include Landon Swinarski, Will Gagnon, Connor Shappell, Gavin Gelinas, John Kerins, and Madeline Rogers. Playoffs begin during April Vacation! Good luck!

The Addams Family cast, crew, and pit musicians -  your work to bring this show to life has been outstanding! 

Regards,

Mr. Michael Perez
Associate Head of School