Hello Hornets Podcast Episode 04 – Mansfield High School Principal Mary Watkins
MANSFIELD — Mansfield High School Principal Mary Watkins is the guest on Episode 04 of the Hello Hornets podcast. Principal Watkins discusses the new school year, the new welcome desk in the MHS lobby, and her own personal background in education.
To view all podcasts in the series, visit mansfieldschoolnews.com/podcast of follow Mansfield Public Schools on Facebook or Twitter.
Mansfield High School Social Studies Teacher Earns Excellence in Teaching Award
MANSFIELD — Superintendent Teresa Murphy and Principal Mary Watkins are pleased to announce that a teacher at Mansfield High School has been named the recipient of the 2021 William Spratt Award for Excellence in Teaching High School Social Studies.
MHS Social Studies teacher Julia Atwood nominated her fellow Social Studies teacher Melissa Heeden for the award, which is given out annually by the Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies (MCSS). Atwood was notified that Heeden had won the award on Tuesday, June 15.
Atwood said she nominated Heeden because of how deserving she is of special recognition.
“Melissa is a hardworking and dedicated educator whom I have had the pleasure of working with for the last 14 years,” Atwood said. “I have collaborated with her on countless occasions and designed two courses with her over the years. I have watched her give countless hours to Mansfield High School as both a teacher and a coach, and I have seen how the students look to her for guidance.”
Atwood said Heeden’s passion for Social Studies and desire to help her students are just two of the many traits that make her a fabulous teacher.
Heeden has been teaching for 16 years, 14 of which have been in Mansfield (all at MHS). She coached volleyball for 13 years. She teaches ninth grade World History, 10th grade U.S. History and a 11th and 12th grade elective Social History through Sports; she created the Sports History elective four years ago.
“I am truly humbled by Julia’s nomination,” Heeden said. “This came as a complete surprise. I truly feel as if my entire department could earn this award, because I work with an incredible team. After such a crazy year, it was extremely kind of Julia to think of me, and I sincerely appreciate the award and recognition.”
Heeden lives in Mansfield with her husband (a local business owner) and their two children.
“This is a very special recognition for a very deserving teacher,” Principal Watkins said. “Melissa is an outstanding teacher, and her students love her classes and her enthusiasm.”
An in-person awards ceremony for Heeden and all of the MCSS award winners will be held in the fall.
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Mansfield High School Sophomore Receives Award From Next Gen Personal Finance
MANSFIELD — Superintendent Teresa Murphy and Principal Mary Watkins are pleased to announce a student at Mansfield High School has been given an award from the non-profit organization Next Gen Personal Finance.
Each year, NGPF Fellows award “NGPF Personal Finance Student of the Year” scholarships to students who have demonstrated outstanding contributions in their personal finance classes.
Among the first winners to be announced this year was Mansfield High School sophomore Thomas Currier. He received a monetary scholarship as part of the award.
Currier was nominated for the award by MHS Business and Technology Teacher Jacqueline Collins.
Students are selected for the scholarships based on the following criteria:
- The student has taken a personal finance class in the 2020-2021 school year that was taught by the NGPF Fellow who nominated them.
- The student demonstrated outstanding performance or improvement in the class based on participation/academic excellence/passion for the subject matter.
“Before taking personal finance, I didn’t know much about anything that we learned in class. The class has given me a true advantage in life,” Currier said. “It’s an early pathway to the real world, and what it entails. It allows students to be prepared for the future, and it gives students the possibility of being prepared prior to being an adult.”
In his personal finance class, Currier learned about such things as student loan debt, college preparation, paying bills and doing taxes. Since the class he has received his own debit card, is working toward getting a job, and has been thinking more about his future plans, especially the possibility of college.
“Thomas is a great example of a student who works incredibly hard but also thinks about the bigger picture of how his education can help him in meaningful ways in his life,” Principal Watkins said. “I commend him for his hard work and congratulate him for earning this award.”
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