Category: Photos

Academic Convocation 2019

Last night’s academic convocation celebrated the stunning success of our students in the classroom, but it also celebrated the way our experiences within the classroom can have a stunning impact on our lives.

At last night’s ceremony, Head of School Steve Griffin announced the permanent renaming of our 10th Grade Departmental Award in Visual Arts. Ms. Hastings then had the honor of bestowing the Jo-Ann Hastings Award to its first recipient, Marie Hua.

“The Jo-Ann Hastings Award in the Visual Arts recognizes the contribution of Jo-Ann Hastings, MacDuffie Visual Art teacher from 1986 to 2019. This award recognizes the qualities that Ms. Hastings encourages: technical excellence, creativity, and the understanding that through perseverance, one can always improve one’s artwork,” said Griffin.

As Ms. Hastings enters retirement after 33 years, she brings with her a magnolia tree gifted during the ceremony.

These are some photographs of last night’s academic convocation. A complete honor roll list is forthcoming.

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Magnolia Day 2019

Magnolia Day, hip hip hooray! Awards, stories shared, and tears shed for good times past turned to laughter and play in this traditional end-of-year community celebration. Students enjoyed a bounce house, photo booth, and a cookout on the lawn courtesy of SAGE. Students also received copies of The Muse literary magazine, The Magnet, and the yearbook. This year’s yearbook is dedicated to Ms. Valentine.

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Cauley Signs Letter of Intent to Mount Mercy, Soccer Program

The MacDuffie School gathered in the library Thursday afternoon to celebrate and witness a long-time MacDuffie student-athlete sign her National Letter of Intent.

Ryleigh Cauley, a senior from Granby, Mass. signed her letter of intent to Mount Mercy in Iowa. Cauley intends to major in biology or pursue a double major in biology and chemistry with the goal of becoming a physician’s assistant.

Cauley will also join Mount Mercy’s Division I NAIA soccer program this fall.

“I am looking forward to the college experience as well as getting to play soccer at a higher level,” Cauley said.

Cauley has been a student at The MacDuffie School since 2014 and a three-sport varsity athlete for the majority of that experience. She enjoyed both the success of major championships on the team level and individual accolades for her athletic performance.

 

The soon-to-be graduate was joined at the ceremony by close and extended family, friends, teammates, and coaches. MacDuffie Athletic Director Meirion George, who opened the ceremony, remarked he was proud of Cauley’s achievements both academic and athletic and commended Cauley for her leadership as team captain.

 

MacDuffie Attends Belchertown Library’s Storytime, Creates Their Own

American Literature students Matt from Palmer, John from South Hadley, and Hector from Denmark share their storybook at the Belchertown Public Library. Entitled, “Henry Saves the Day and So
Do You,” it was inspired by their reading of H. D. Thoreau Walden.

Juniors Beyza Tumturk and Phoebe Shelburne share their children’s book at the Belchertown Library’s Storytime. Inspired by their reading of Frederick Douglass, their book illustrated the value of literacy for the oppressed, especially girls.

Juniors Nicolas Wang and Fred Poom from China share their children’s book at Belchertown Library’s Storytime. Inspired by their study of Thoreau, it recounts the benefits of recycling through its hero, Bob, the aluminum can.