On behalf of the School Committee and administration, we wish you a wonderful and magical holiday.

Our best wishes that 2019 will bring you all that you hope for.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.  –Helen Keller

The First Lego League Robotics teams at Lura A. White Elementary  won two awards at the FLL competition at the Boxboro Regency on Saturday, December 1. FLL Team 27265 The Space Tacos won the Gracious Professionalism award. The judges said the team's "Energy and optimism were one of a kind!".  FLL Team 43036, The Space Raiders, won the Innovative Solution Award for the project. The judges said the team had a "really creative solution", and they loved the skit that the team created to present the project.  We are exceptionally proud of all of our FLL students! Congratulations to these students and their coaches!

By January, we will have seven Eagle Scouts in the graduating Class of 2019. Congratulations to ASRHS seniors; Jason Langlais (received his Eagle in 2015), Jimmy Robinson, Greg Kidder, Ryan Kilcommins, Matt Blood, Robert Houde, and Eric Gravelle on completing their Eagle Scout projects.  Jason, Jimmy, Greg, Ryan, Matt, and Robert are official Eagle Scouts; Eric still has a board of review to complete but that should be happening in the next few weeks.  Alex Conroy, also a members of the Class of 2019, is on track to receive his Eagle.  So, that will be 8 Eagle Scouts in one graduating class! Congratulations to these students!

Winter participation in athletics is outstanding. Both middle school basketball teams have 14-15 players and had even larger interest. MS cheering has 21 participants. Girls and boys high school basketball are at 25 and 23 kids respectively, while indoor track has 81 kids (61 HS and 20 MS). Boys' ice hockey (co-op with Lunenburg) has 10, while girls' ice hockey (co-op with Leominster) has 2. Swimming (co-op with Bromfield) has 6 participants.

MS girls basketball is 3-0, while the boys are 2-1. The boys and girls basketball varsity and JV teams are just getting started -- the boys have three games this week. The boys and girls varsity teams host Littleton Friday at 5:15 and 7. Boys ice hockey is 1-1 while girls ice hockey is 0-3. Girls swimming is 4-0 while boys swimming is 3-1. The track teams have had strong starts -- boys are 1-1 while the girls are 2-0. Both were in action at Fitchburg Wednesday afternoon.

Unified Track will begin this spring as a possible co-op with Leominster (Ayer Shirley would be the host). The hope is to have a significant number of athletes from special education and general education as participants.

College Acceptances, as of December 19, 2018:
Boston College
Curry College
Fordham University
Franklin Pierce University
George Mason University
Mount Wachusett Community College
New England College
Plymouth State University
Salem State University
Syracuse University
St. Michael's College
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Western New England University

This past weekend the Middle School Lego Robotics Team "Space Pugs" had an excellent day participating in the First Lego League State Tournament at WPI in Worcester, MA.  The students participated in Robotics Programming Challenges as well as Project Presentations based on Astronaut survival in outer space.   The team showed that working hard and sticking together can result in success.  Congratulations to; Jon Sutton, Patrick Dufresne, Antoinette Auricchio, Brady Martone,  Zachary Sickorez, and Malachai Feigley.  We are so proud of you!

The Middle School had two Robotics teams compete in Leominster this past Saturday.  The "Galaxy Guys" won the Gracious Professionalism award, and the "Space Pugs" won the Inspiration award and also earned a Golden Ticket to the state competition next weekend.  Congratulations to these students and their coaches!

Special Town Vote Today on ASRHS Fields Project

Today, Tuesday, December 11 is the debt exclusion vote for the Ayer Shirley Regional High School Field Project. The polls are open from 7:00am to 8:00pm at Town Hall in Shirley and Town Hall in Ayer. For information on the project, please visit the district website at www.asrsd.org. Thank you.

The Page Hilltop Space Cats were awarded a Golden Ticket at the Lego Robotics Qualifier this past Saturday.  Next up, the state tournament!  Congratulations to these students and their coaches!

We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to all coaches, mentors, parents, and our wonderful students!

The First Lego League Robotics teams at Lura A. White Elementary  won two awards at the FLL competition at the Boxboro Regency on Saturday, December 1.

1. FLL Team 27265 The Space Tacos won the Gracious Professionalism award. The judges said the team's "Energy and optimism were one of a kind!".

2. FLL Team 43036 The Space Raiders won the Innovative Solution Award for the project. The judges said the team had a "really creative solution", and they loved the skit that the team created to present the project.

We are exceptionally proud of all of our FLL students! Congratulations to these students and their coaches!

Freshmen Katherine Brauckmiller, Sophia Brown, and Lydia Flagg were each honored with a Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can achieve, for their work on the Shirley River Sign Restoration Project. Along with one other member of Girl Scout Troop 73497, they restored signs in the Town of Shirley, marking places where waterways intersect roadways. Each sign – 19 in all - has the name of the river or brook printed on it, with a reminder to “Please Keep it Clean!” They also cleaned up trash at the sign locations and created a video to educate the community about reducing trash and pollution in local rivers and brooks.  Great work girls!

Three of our high school students were honored at last night's School Committee. 

Bryce Valliere received the Superintendent's Award of Academic Excellence.  

Shandy Ndjigue and Brooklynne Mitchell-Arno received the National School Development Council Academic Growth and Student Leadership Award.  

Congratulations to these students!  You make us very proud.