Fourteen Oyster River High School students selected for State Music Festival
DURHAM – Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaps and Principal Rebecca Noe share that 14 Oyster River High School (ORHS) students were selected to perform at the New Hampshire Music Educators Association (NHMEA) All-State Festival in April.
ORHS students prepared advanced music, scales and excerpts to perform for a panel of NHMEA judges on Nov. 23. Students competed against music students from across the state to be selected to perform at the NHMEA All-State Festival.
Here are the chosen fourteen ORHS students:
Elizabeth Bessette (Mixed Chorus); Devin More (Mixed Chorus); Gwendelyn Ickes (Treble Chorus); Maren O’Keefe (Treble Chorus); Steffi Chen (Band); Lydia Jeong (Band); Geneva Ruml (Band); Ethan Boysen (Orchestra); Georgia Leone (Orchestra); Margaret O’Shea (Orchestra); Lanie Pavlik (Orchestra); Vivien Stuart (Orchestra); Joshua Tomlinson (Orchestra); Isaac Williams (Orchestra).
Ruml was the top-scoring alto saxophonist out of everyone who auditioned in the state.
All 14 students will now attend and perform in the All-State Festival, which will take place from April 3-5, 2025, at Concord High School and the Grappone Conference Center in Concord.
Hampton School District Educators recognized at 22nd Annual Celebrating Leadership in Education Awards Ceremony
HAMPTON — Superintendent Dr. Lois Costa shared that two Hampton School District Educators were recognized at the New Hampshire Department of Education’s 22nd Annual Celebrating Leadership in Education Awards Ceremony on Dec. 4.
Hampton Academy Technology Teacher Brian Gray and Marston School Grade 5Teacher Jason Schrack were recognized for their participation in the 2025 Teacher of the Year selection process during the 22nd Annual Celebrating Leadership in Education Awards Ceremony.
Schrack was selected as a semifinalist for the award, and Gray as a finalist.
In attendance at the ceremony were Gov. Chris Sununu, Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte, and Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut.
Gray joined Hampton Academy this year from Sanborn Regional High School, where he was nominated for Teacher of the Year as a Business Technology and Social Studies teacher. With 16 years of experience, Gray has a passion for bridging classroom learning with real-world applications, ensuring his students are prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Gray has made an immediate impact on Hampton Academy’s technology program. From helping students produce the Shark News to teaching robotics and social media safety, he has brought fresh ideas and a collaborative spirit to the school.
Adeline C. Marston School Grade 4 Teacher Jason Schrack was also recognized for his achievement in being named a semifinalist.
Schrack has been a teacher at Marston School for the past 17 years, during which time he’s taught Grades 3, 4 and 5. He was nominated for Teacher of the Year by a student’s parents who appreciated his work to create a welcoming and warm learning environment where students can thrive.
ORCSD celebrates the Hour of Code and Computer Science Education Week during ‘Coding and Cocoa’ event
DURHAM – Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaps shares that Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD) students of all grade levels engaged in coding activities to celebrate the Hour of Code last week.
Oyster River schools host Coding and Cocoa annually in the first week of December and during Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 9-13). This year’s district-wide event took place on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
Digital Learning Specialists Celeste Best (ORHS), Jade Terrill (ORMS), Susan Leifer (Mast Way), and Sarah Curtin (Moharimet) coordinated the activities for their respective schools. They each curated grade-level appropriate activities for students and staff.
At ORMS, students took part in a school-wide coding activity during advisory.
After completing their coding activities, students enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa.
Team members of the University of New Hampshire’s STEM-MoBILE, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, TurboCam, Mobius Mobility, and Liberty Mutual hosted presentations and experiential activities, reinforcing the importance of code to students.
More than 40 volunteers, community members, and organizations helped make this event a success.