​The Old Lyme Players will be performing Moises Kaufman and the Members of Tectonic Theater Project’s, The Laramie Project, on November 15 and 16.  The show itself is a collection of real interviews the Tectonic Theater Project collected over a two year period and their some of their own journal entries, then pulled them together to tell not only the story about the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, but also how the residents and the town itself were viewed by the world and how they wrestled with their own identity.
It is a show meant to generate emotions, sometimes not always positive, but with the purpose of reflection about who people are and how society may view them.  It is a show performed with the intent to ask us to evaluate our ideas of tolerance and acceptance within our own communities and the world.
The Auditorium doors of Lyme-Old Lyme High School will open at 7:00pm.  In lieu of a traditional admission, the cast has agreed to ask for donations only.  A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Matthew Sheppard Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Dennis and Judy Sheppard, Matthew’s parents, to run education, outreach, and advocacy programs.  

By: Andre Salkin
Guest Speaker: Frances Bustos O’Connell
André’s abuela, visited Spanish Honors Society to speak on her experiences growing up in an immigrant family in San Antonio, Texas, in the Great Depression-era. She talked of her experiences witnessing segregation, and institutional racism in her community. She also touched on the toll of assimilation, discussing what it was like to be an outsider in her community even though Hispanics were the majority. She also spoke on the unique cultural practices to the Latin community like traditional medicine usage and the food they ate, even generously making and bringing delicious guacamole for the club. 😊 If we wish to think globally, her experiences growing up in such a culturally different context than Old Lyme can offer us a unique cultural perspective into Latin culture, and the strange intersection of the Tejano identity: to be too white for Mexico, but too brown for the United States.

Molympics is friendly competition between HS chemistry students that emphasizes the use of “the mole”, a chemistry variable used to compare molecules to each other. This competition started between a few chemistry teachers spread out throughout the country as a way to celebrate chemistry in a fun way. It is celebrated on October 23 each year, in collaboration with National Chemistry week, since one mole= 6.02 x 1023particles.
Molympics is set up with 5 events that focus on different aspects of the mole using physical tasks, lab skills and through calculations. Each team is measured on accuracy, speed and clear calculations in each event. This year’s events included calculating the time it would take to make 1 mole of tally marks, flipping 6 moles of water in water bottles to determine the number of water molecules flipped, estimating the mass of one mole of a metal, building a tower of rubber stoppers as high as possible then calculating the height of one mole of rubber stoppers and a relay race of 6 sit-ups, 2 sidesteps, 10 pushups and 23 jumping jacks.

​Although Erin is already a second year veteran at LOLHS, I never officially introduced you all to her. So, meet ....
​Erin Geletkanycz:   I grew up in Hamden CT and moved back to CT to be close to my family since I have 2 babies under 2 and I think being around family is so important. I was teaching in the Boston area at Everett High School for the past 17 years. This year I am teaching Algebra 1 and AP calculus.  AP Calculus is my absolute favorite class to teach. I chose to come teach at LOLHS because the staff was so nice and welcoming during the interview process.  I could tell right away that I would be very happy here.  I love that LOLHS is such a small community where everyone knows everyone.

And for her first year at LOLHS, meet Lauren Rahr:   ​I grew up in Waterford, Connecticut and attended Waterford High School. I graduated from Endicott College earning a Bachelor of Sciences degree in mathematics with a concentration in secondary education. Growing up, I always listened to my mother talk about school, watched her grade papers and plan lessons, and heard stories of students who were so excited to come back and show her all they had accomplished. I teach for the little girl inside me who wanted to grow up and be just like her strong, successful mom. When I went off to college, I wrote in my senior scrapbook that I saw myself teaching high school math at a high school similar to mine and coaching the tennis team. When I witnessed the supportive and friendly community at LOLHS I felt an immediate level of comfort, happiness and sense of home. It is a pleasure to work in a place where everyone is passionate about what they teach and how they teach. I feel honored to be a member of the LOLHS family. 

And another addition to our Math Department, meet Dayna Beal:  ​I received my BA from the University of Central Florida.  I taught a variety of subjects ranging from 8th grade math intervention to AP Calculus and  8th grade science to Honors Biology and Earth Science.  I was a Physics adjunct professor at VCC, was the 1st female instructor at Project “O” and was a studio teacher school for the Mickey Mouse Club.  I took 20 years off from teaching to raise  children and received a MAT from Sacred Heart University.  I love to travel and camp, especially with my family.   I became a teacher to inspire students to embrace learning; I was a struggling student in elementary school but eventually became the class tutor. I am excited to be teaching math at LOLHS where there are so many opportunities for students with different talents and abilities to flourish.

And for our Science Department... Meet Christine Corah.  This is Christine's second year at LOLHS. She recently graduated from Sacred Heart University's  Graduate School. She states: Biology at LOLHS is my first full time public school teaching position. Prior to this experience, I taught (and still continue to when available) Science Classes at the Mystic Aquarium to grades k-12 and programs associated with Thames Academy, Mitchell College, and UCONN. LOLHS was a school that put a high emphasis and expectation on student learning and experience. I felt LOLHS would be a school that would support my style of teaching and allow me to take academic content beyond the four walls of a standard classroom.   The staff and students are so inclusive! The level of integrity, respect, and desire for success at LOLHS make it a truly unique teaching environment. There is also a variety of extracurricular activities that I feel I can participate in to help contribute to the lives of the students. I currently coach Unified Sports - a first for me in my career but most certainly one of my favorite privileges here at LOLHS!  This year Christine teaches Biology and Marine Science.

And... Richard Fisler: ​I was born at a young age, and have continued to age until the present day. I grew up in New Jersey, a place that gets a bad rap because it has a unique smell and the Jersey Shore / Snooki. But we also gave you Bruce,  bubble wrap, cement dividers on the highway, Frank Sinatra and Thomas Edison. I started my career as a biomedical engineer and enjoyed developing software for CT and MRI scanners and instruments to study genes and proteins. I started teaching 10 years ago and try to have fun every day. I came to teach at LOLHS because it is close to home. I live in Lyme and am happy to be teaching Physics and Chemistry here. Come ask me to show you pictures of my grandson. He’s adorable; they say good looks skip a generation!

And last but certainly not least, the new addition to our PE department,
Phil Cohen ... who had an article written about him in The Valley Courier:
take a look... click on the link to read

Cohen Lives His Dream by Coaching for the Warriors

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Mole Day is celebrated annually on October 23rd from 6:02 AM to 6:02 PM commemorating Avogadro's number (6.02 x 1023) which is a basic measuring unit in chemistry. All chemistry students came to school baring fun and creative projects that connected to Avogadro and DespicaMOLE me! ... take a look!