Please see the Event Flyer or text below for information about the “In Plain Sight” and Vaping Education Night Gloucester Police and Gloucester High School will present on Tuesday, May 7. As parents and educators, we are concerned about the health and wellbeing of our children. Please join us for an evening of experiential education to empower you to recognize and address youth health issues with your children.- All the very best, Mr. James Cook, Principal, Gloucester High School
In Plain Sight & Vaping Education Night An Evening Session for Parents and Guardians May 7, 2019 5-7PM Gloucester High School.
Another sign of creative spring- the banners are up! Gloucester Public School 11th Annual citywide arts festival May 11, 2019 presented by Gloucester Education Foundation at Cape Ann Museum, City Hall, & Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library https://thinkthebest.org/
Schedule of events here
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Thanks to all involved in today’s lovely and meaningful graduation ceremonies. Mayor Romeo Theken shook hands with each and every student; I have not seen that with a middle school before. President of BankGloucester, Patrick Thorpe, helped with the presentation of certificates. The student speakers and the O’Maley chorus were awesome. Allison Cousins played a pivotal role in the lives of these 8th grade students through all three middle school years. Now she’ll begin again with the incoming 6th grade class. Thanks to all the 6th, 7th and 8th grade O’Maley educators! Double congratulations to Principal Debra Lucey who is retiring and to her family who welcomed a new baby grandson just before the event.
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Beautiful colorful banners on Dale Avenue announce GPS 10th anniversary annual ARTS festival, Saturday May 12th 11-4pm, at City Hall, Cape Ann Museum, and Sawyer Free Library! Sponsored by Gloucester Education Foundation; what a milestone!
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from a studio visit with Stephanie Benenson Nov 2017
You can join in Stephanie Benenson’s fascinating big vision, Harbor Voices, a public art and cultural piece that’s made from light, sound and community participation. Part of the project is a large-scale and temporary LIVE light & sound installation which will happen on ten minute loops from 4-8pm on Friday December 8th, and Saturday December 9th, one of many featured events for the 2017 Middle Street Walk. Harbor Voices will be held inside the Kyrouz Auditorium in City Hall , 9 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA.
Come experience a sweeping ocean of sound, stories and light, drawn by the voices and acts of generosity of neighbors and friends.
Benenson, a Rockport native and North Shore based fine artist, received a prestigious and competitive RISD grant to create Harbor Voices. Benenson collected over 100 stories in eight languages of recent and ancestral immigration to Cape Ann. For the past year she led (and continues to lead) practical and creative storytelling sessions and workshops at area schools like Veteran’s Memorial and Gloucester High School, as well as community organizations and centers such as Sandy Bay Historical Society. Students talked with Benenson about “their ancestors* and families bringing cultural heritage to Cape Ann.” She said that kids mentioned “family members that started businesses here (like Jalapenos, Sclafanis, and other cultural destinations on Cape Ann)…and how meangingful that was to them…and people that they had deep respect and admiration for…” They discussed “family recipes, music, food and how immigration historically has made American art and culture come alive.” Mayor Romeo Theken was the first story collected. Other Cape Ann storytellers outside of the schools and non profit partners include: Jean Testaverde (Portuguese fishing ancestry), Ingrid Swan (Swedith quarrying ancestry), Heather Lovett (descendent of Roger Babson), Sal Zerilli (Awesome Gloucester and Rockport), Jan Bell, Buddy Woods, Susannah Natti (Finnish and descendent of Folly Cove designer), Rich Francis (GHS teacher), and Celestino Basille (GHS teacher).
Depending upon age and preference, stories were written, recorded, or drawn. All were mixed into materials and audio that will choreograph connections directly into the light installation, and an enlarging community. At first, Benenson thought the light might guide any audio. Instead voices continue to guide the light.
Every story and act of generosity is linked to the installation and transformed into light.
Blurring the lines between public art and social sculpture, LIVE happening and virtual action, Harbor Voices emblematically presents stories, shared connections and actions. Participants of all ages are encouraged to interact with the project www.harborvoices.com and its installation– to bathe so to speak in a community of vibrancy and waves of interconnectedness and support. Benenson adds that from 4-6PM during the two days of this installation iteration, “children will be offered a small flashlight to engage with this artwork, allowing them a tangible moment to consider their part in this interconnected network of community and local history by creating their own beam of light.” Also, before the installation opens to the public, one hundred Gloucester High School students –including some who have already added into the piece– will come to City Hall to experience Harbor Voices.
Benenson’s promotion for Harbor Voices launched in September. Leveraging attention for this remarkably ambitious project is an essential component as more involvement means more impact. Straight away it fostered community and brought opportunities. For example, Benenson spoke about the project and shared audio of the stories with Rose Baker seniors, Gloucester Rotary and the Cape Ann Museum’s Red Cottage Society. Someone from Beverly has already underwrittten support for a class at Veteran’s Memorial Elementary School. She spoke about the project with Joey as part of GMG podcast #253
As a third generation Cape Ann artist, Benenson is especially excited to “create art and conversations around our cultural heritage and our contributions to the vibrant mix of people that live on Cape Ann.”
“The GHS boys soccer team is making a name for itself in the Northeastern South Conference, as Head Coach Armando Marnoto’s culturally diverse squad represents more than ten different countries.” – great opener by Joe Kibango
Columnist Joe Kibango knows what he’s writing about; he’s one of the team captains. Kibango, GHS soccer team player #3, was born in Tanzania. His wonderful article includes profile interviews with some of the team players and Coach Marcos Trejo:
#5 Mohamad “Mo” Alsweidani
#10 Elijah Elliott
#13 Robert Mugabe (freshman!)
#17 Anthony Suazo
#8 Kevin De Oliveira
#30 Lasse Struppe
#23 Mario Santos
Reminder just a few days left to see amazing Rockbound exhibition! Upcoming collaboration among the museum, GPS, and teachers at the Cape Ann Museum:
“The Cape Ann Museum is pleased to present the November 2017 Student Art Gallery exhibit. Projects by Beeman Memorial Elementary School (Gloucester) students will be on view in the CAM Activity Center throughout the month. The show is curated by Art Specialist Anne Pieterse BFA/MAT and student teacher Lindsay Smith who is earning her BFA in Art Education at Montserrat.
PROJECTS
Grade 5: Drawings inspired by their sail on the Schooner Thomas E. Lannon
Grades 3-5: Pastel pumpkins
Grades 3-4: Positive and negative designs
Grade 3: Paper tree sculptures
Grade 2: Totem poles
Grade 1: Walk with a Line painting
Kindergarten: Line Explosions sculptures
The second Saturday of every month is free for families with school-age children and special youth programs take place from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Join us Saturday November 11th to view a new exhibit of WWII Veterans portraits by photographer Jason Grow. In the CAM Activity Center create a self-portrait and make a kind craft for a veteran. Drop into the Activity Center anytime for hands on play and art activities, updated monthly.
The Museum is located at 27 Pleasant Street in Gloucester.”
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So the 64 geese move out of the way, the bathrooms will be opened, and Gloucester’s O’Maley middle school sports fields are a beautiful backdrop for spectators. Come see the games!
JV 2 home games
Tuesday September 19, 4PM, vs Malden
Monday October 2, 4PM, vs Danvers
Thursday October 5, 4PM, vs Beverly
Friday October 13, 4:30PM vs Medford
Monday October 16, 4:00PM vs Everett
Tuesday October 24, 4:00PM vs Somerville
Friday October 27, 4PM vs Marblehead
Wednesday November 1, 4PM vs Peabody
Thursday November 2, 4PM vs Revere
All the fields are in steady use. Gloucester Public School GHS practices and games for many sports utilize the fields year round, boys and girls. Flag Football (not GPS-GHS run) use the fields on the weekends. Community members walk and run to stay in shape. I wish it was used for recess and gym. Thank you to volunteers and donors who added amenities and care with the city for super green spaces city wide. Some of the good eggs that helped O’Maley are mentioned on the contributors sign of the Sandy Tucker Memorial Building, “Home of the Riverdale Rockets.”
The landscape design was well done when the school was built. Dramatic skies and expansive natural amphitheater are memorable bleachers.
Early vision proposal for Mill River area that became O’Maley is pretty accurate to the built out site (30 acre+ middle school site was estimated to cost $4,500,000 in 1971 which roughly equates to 28 million in 2017.) I’ll write more about the history of the O’Maley design and properties.
JV2 warming up
Before the game begins, geese are midfield, non-plussed at the action on the edge.
WOW! Son of a gun we had big fun on Middle Street Friday September 8, 2017.
There was an ensemble mix from Cape Ann Big Band self dubbed ‘Jambalaya Horns’ at Gloucester’s famous UU Church for the last Friday Night concert of this popular summer series. “Music on Meetinghouse Green” passed the hat for the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation (GMF) fire sprinkler project, part of the UU restoration efforts.
All ages and pets welcome on the meetinghouse green
iconic Gloucester tower
Middle Street was alive with the sounds of New Orleans thanks to the Cape Ann Big Band players: Gary Wolsieffer – Tuba/bass Carlos Menezes Jr. – Saxes/Vocals Zach Gorrell – Keys/Saxes Rick Geraghty – Drums/Vocals Jon Persson – Trumpet Tom Bones – Trombone Joe Wilkins – Guitar/Vocals Anthony Rocco – Trumpet/Vocals
sound snippet solos:
Jon Persson trumpet (9 sec)
Zach Gorrell sax (19 sec)
Joe Wilkins guitar (13 secs)
I missed hearing the students from Gloucester’s O’Maley Innovation Middle School jamming with the Cape Ann Big Band. Carlos Menezes has to be among the coolest school music directors in the country.
There was a soccer game at Gloucester High School, a short walk and many pleasant route options away. I marvel at Gloucester’s amazing public spaces.
Thanks to the City of Gloucester, Google and HP- 8th graders received their brand new chrome books tonight. Gloucester O’Maley Innovation Middle School was buzzing with excitement.
Assistant Principal (and beloved former social studies teacher), Mr. Jeff Destino, explained the rules and responsibilities.
From there, parents and the 8th grade students headed to the sky high, skylit, art adorned hub, the Commons, set up tonight with temporary tables stacked high with tech.
Asst Principal Destino on left, Principal Lucey on right
Allison Cousins
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Congratulations to Gloucester Public Schools dynamite O’Maley Innovation Middle School 6th Grade teachers: Pat Hand, Mary Beth Quinn, and Jessica Haskell!
“O’Maley 6th grade students collaborated with the Cape Ann Museum and a local cartographer to create maps of their diverse Gloucester neighborhoods. Part of an effort to get the entire 6th grade community to come together as they experience their first year of Middle School, the project aligned with the curricular focus on geography. A collection of the students’ maps, called “Gloucester Through My Eyes,” is on display at the Cape Ann Museum.”
Congratulations to Veterans Memorial Elementary School teachers Laura Smith and Mary Housman! Their “students worked with Backyard Growers and Black Earth Composting to understand the benefits of composting, created posters and presentations to share their knowledge, implemented and monitored lunch-time cafeteria composting, and used the compost they created to enrich the soil in their school garden.” We were lucky to hear about this project during a pitch night at Awesome Gloucester.
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Good Morning Gloucester 