Connections - Holyoke Public Schools
Transcripción
Connections - Holyoke Public Schools
Connections Holyoke Publ ic School s Holyoke Public Schools Volume 10, Issue 2 A Community Working Together Winter 2012 An Open Letter to the Holyoke School Community Educator Evaluation By David Dupont, Superintendent of Schools The state plan to overhaul educator evaluation is an ongoing process which is scheduled to be put into effect for all school districts in Massachusetts for the 2012-2013 school year. There are, however, some districts-those which have Level 4 schools and those which volunteered to implement a year earlier-that have been working on implementation for the 20112012 school year. (The new system is for the individual Level 4 schools and not the entire district this school year.) The evaluation overhaul is a major change in how evaluations have been traditionally performed in the past. There is a great amount of related information on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website http://www.doe.mass.edu/, and we will be providing the principals any updates that we receive from the department. Some of the major changes involving evaluation include educator self-reflection, goal setting, and rubrics to be used to guide instructional expectations. This effort by DESE is truly a work in progress. Even though all of the elements of the new system will not be in place by this coming September, the intent of the state is to get this off of the ground as soon as possible. What I believe will be of great help to our school district is our partnership with the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), which is one of the DESE approved vendors assisting districts in their work to implement the evaluation model. Teachers, nurses, district administrators, and all other DESE licensed personnel will all be subject to the new system. We obviously intend to be in full compliance with this state-wide initiative, however I feel very strongly that all of this will be much more effective and meaningful if we can move across the boundary that many times stands between compliance and ownership. Donahue Master Teacher Fellow, Tom Otero and Keishantelle Burgos. School News 2-8 School Briefs 9 Athletics 10 After School 11 Family Nights 12 Spanish Master Teacher Awards Wyse demonstrates with students Luis Inside this issue: 13-15 Edition Highlights: Congratulations to the following Holyoke Public Schools math and science teachers for being selected as Master Teacher Fellows: Tom Wyse (Donahue School), Yvonne Hilyard (Morgan School), Phillip Cooper (Dean Technical High School), Jeremiah Barrett (Peck School), and Lorie Banks (Morgan School). These teachers all have master’s degrees and have demonstrated excellence in teaching. The School of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has received a six-year, $4.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create a network that helps train and retain science and mathematics teachers for middle and high schools in Western Massachusetts. Twenty teachers from the following school districts: Holyoke, Springfield, Greenfield and Mahar were selected to become Master Teacher Fellows. ● Metcalf School’s 100 Year Anniversary ● Three Kings Day Celebration ● Students Participate in the Inauguration ● Cross-Generational Memoir Sharing ● Solar Learning Lab is Coming Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Connections Page 2 Sullivan SullivanAfter School Build Our Kids Success—BOKS By 8th grade reporters: Maggie Brady and Katelyn Leclerc At Sullivan School kids shake off their morning slump by kick-starting the day with the BOKS program sponsored by Reebok. The “Build Our Kids Success” (BOKS) program is a free opportunity that promotes healthy choices and exercise. At 7:30 am the students in grades K-5 arrive at the school and begin the warm-up with a dance and lunges. They then move onto an obstacle course that involves running, which is a big part of their morning routines. When asked by school reporters about the success rate, the head instructor, parent Martha Leamy reveals, “We have 58 kids and we are still continuing to hear that more kids would love to join!” BOKS brings kids together and helps them build a bond. Fourth grader Andrew Torres says, “It is a great program for kids because it helps you exercise and become healthier.” Spreading the word about BOKS is encouraged because it is beneficial to everyone. Jennifer Lawrence, a Reebok representative who runs the program, encourages the use of positive reinforcement on the kids. She said, “People in your school are doing great work. It’s one of the best schools I’ve visited and I’ve seen a lot!” It’s clear that BOKS helps kids get moving, which is important to their health and well-being. It gets their brains ready to work that day at school. Everyone agrees that BOKS rocks! Parents in the Pathways for Family Success Literacy program at Sulli‐ van are learning English during after‐school hours. They are also working with ENCHANTED CIRCLE THEATER and come eager for fresh tools and crea‐ tive ideas for building literacy at home. The parents in the program have children from age two to thirteen, and a few are active grandparents. We teach and practice theater arts curriculum using children's poetry, early education storybooks, and even upper elementary chapter books that span the developmental range of their children. We are putting extra focus in modeling reading for young people, and parents are sent home with bright and colorful parenting magazines, chap‐ ter books, and magazines filled with positive stories of successful women, including many women of color. One new aspect of our program is the emphasis on visual arts with children in building literacy. As children are asked to visualize and infer meaning in a story‐ book, we take that literacy building to the next level by engaging them in arts activi‐ ties including Artist Trading Cards with Haiku, colorful collages with pictures and words, and origami. This isn't your typical coloring book activity, but extensions of the literacy curriculum that connect text to text, text to self, and text to creative Sullivan parent participating in a literacy sketch‐ expression! ing/storytelling and tableau activity while work‐ ing with the story Harold & the Purple Crayon Winter Carnival Students at Sullivan School enthusiastically answered the city’s call to participate in the “Elizur-the-Snowman” public art exhibition as part of the citywide Winter Carnival. Businesses, community organizations, and residents were asked to design snowmen to be painted and put on display throughout the city. Sullivan’s fourth graders created two original snowmen that will join the other snowmen throughout the city at Heritage State Park on February 4th. Lots of Snowman painted by hard work went into this large undertaking – students wereKim Beauregard's 4th grade homeroom, fueled by the exciting opportunity to be part of a larger com-Sullivan School munity project! Snowmen painted by Kim Beauregard's 4th grade homeroom Holyoke High Broadway in Holyoke Come and see Broadway in Holyoke as the Holyoke High School Music Department stages its 13th annual musical – Legally Blonde – from Thursday, March 22nd through Sunday, March 25th in the John Sears Auditorium at Holyoke High School. Legally Blonde takes you from the sorority house to the halls of justice with the blondest new student, that daredevil in high heels Elle Woods who has the cutest sidekick in the world, her Chihuahua Bruiser. Along the way, the heroine proves that being yourself and going after what you want never goes out of style. Tickets for the production go on sale Monday, March 5th and may be purchased at Holyoke High School and at The Cottage at 1615 Northampton Street. Performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are at 7:30 p.m., and the performance on Sunday afternoon is at 2:00 p.m. All seating is reserved. Golden Circle tickets for seats in the front three rows are $15. All other tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Tickets for senior citizens and children under 12 are $6. So mark your calendars and come and enjoy this high energy production. Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Volume 10, Issue 2 Page 3 Donahue Breakfast with Santa On December 10th, over 350 members of our learning community turned out for one of the largest events the school has ever hosted. The cafeteria was packed as parents and students helped themselves to french toast, sausages and assorted pastries. Mr. Scott, our music teacher, worked diligently to direct a fantastic musical performance by students of every grade level who sang holiday songs and spread cheer to all. Also, a special appearance was made by Mr. Claus, who graciously allowed many of our students to be photographed with him. Despite how hard things can be there are certain times where it is easy to feel the deep sense of family and common purpose in Holyoke. Our Breakfast with Santa was one of those moments of connectedness. We here at Donahue would like to thank all the dedicated staff and volunteers who made this event a reality and the Santa Claus is posing with Denice Ortiz, Donahue’s Resident Office Elf. parents who took the time to bring their kids into our school that Far right: North Pole Production Coordinator, Principal Amy Fitzgerald Saturday. Go Dolphins! New Guidance Program with the Help of UMASS After discussing the District’s Comprehensive School Counseling Program Model, Donahue School administration contacted Dr. Rich Lapan, Ph.D., Chair of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Department of Student Development. Dr. Lapan was recently selected by the Massachusetts DESE to be part of the statewide career readiness task force. Lapan is working with the school to determine how Donahue could best implement the district’s new counseling program. On January 5, 2012, Dr. Lapan detailed UMASS’s online assessment tools for students to staff. These tools include interest inventories, including a career cluster interest inventory, an occupational index, and a “reality check”. These tools help students to identify who they are, where they are going, and how to get there. Donahue leadership has linked this initiative to the Common Core Curriculum, as students will be required to use these inventories to complete a written research project. Currently, we are awaiting the final approval for a guidance practicum graduate student from Westfield State University. This studentcounselor will work directly with classroom teachers and administration in implementing our new guidance program. We at Donahue would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Dr. Lapan and his interest in our program. For more information about this project, you may contact the illustrious Dr. Gary W. Tirrell, Vice Principal of Donahue School. Solar Learning Lab is Coming Maurice A. Donahue is pleased to announce a partnership with UMASS and Hyperion Systems to bring a solar learning lab to Donahue. The main purpose of such a lab is to teach students about energy consumption as well as alternative energy sources. UMASS faculty has created an entire accompanying curriculum. Students will: • Adjust the tilt of panels with the season on short ladders • Do plant growth experiments • Study the physics of the structure • Perform soil studies • Gain hands on experience of “green” technology • Supplement the school’s electricity supply These pole mounted panels, connected to our school will produce up to 11 Kilowatts a day. We here at Donahue would like to give a big round of thanks to Travis Minnick (middle school science) for heading up this project and presenting it to the school committee (who likewise deserve a thank you as well). Donahue School is committed to bringing the best of technology, science and exploratory learning to our students. Expect an update once the panels are installed. Photo of the soon to be erected solar panel Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Connections Page 4 Mission Statement The mission of the Holyoke Public Schools is to provide educational opportunities for all students to reach their full potential in a safe, secure, healthy learning environment while valuing diversity and promoting responsible citizenship. Holyoke School Committee Mayor Alex Morse William Collamore Joshua Garcia Yvonne Garcia Margaret Boulais Howard Greaney Dennis Birks Michael Moriarty Cesar Lopez Devin Sheehan Peck Carnival of Learning On November 11th the 8th graders at Peck School took part in a Carnival of Learning. The event was sponsored by GEAR UP of Massachusetts under the leadership of Robert E. Dais. Mr. Dais, the Director of GEAR UP Massachusetts stated, “The purpose is to give students exposure to higher learning and to help future academics make sense.” Students traveled in groups to learning stations focused on different aspects of higher education – including areas of study, scholarships, health issues and the creative arts. These interactive learning areas were sponsored by Holyoke Community College, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Babson College, Fisher College of Arts and Westfield State University. Eighth grader Devonny Castellano observed, “It’s awesome! We are learning a lot about how to get money for college.” Science Experiments in the Kitchen The Peck Family Engagement and Education Workgroup sponsored a bilingual whole-family Charla (Family Conversation) which focused on science experiments in the kitchen. Facilitated by Maria Luisa Arroyo, families were encouraged to flip buttered bread off edges of tables and chart the results; make raisins dance; and make graham cracker earthquakes before buttering them up with peanut butter. Grades of participants ranged from Kindergarten to 8th and Peck families are already looking forward to the next Charla: Tell Me the Story of Your Name (Reading, Drawing, and Writing). Testimonios (testimonials) about Latinas in College for Peck Families On Monday, December 12th, Spanish-speaking Mount Holyoke students joined Spanish-dominant Peck families for a night of pizza and candid, animated conversations about the college experience including academics, safety, dorm living, and costs. All families who came had attended the November Hip Hop Evolution event, part of which hosted an informative and successful bilingual information fair. At that fair, families were proactive in seeking answers to questions on Bingo cards, which were tailored to parents, middle school and elementary school students. Ready for Peck The Ready for Peck (RFP) program is a school initiative intended to provide individual and group support for parents of future kindergarten students who live in the school zone. The ultimate goal is to maximize the prospective student’s capability to be ready for kindergarten and success in school with parental involvement, and partnership. Parents, as the child’s first teachers, will enhance their own skills to prepare their children to be ready for school. Children will start school ready to learn and to triumph during their education. Program coordinator Susana Morales states, “The program will hold monthly workshops and home visits, providing the parents with activities and the tools needed to help their children be ready for kindergarten.” Sodexo Raffle Winners For FREE FAMILY FUN, see schedule of Title One Family Nights on page 12. Sodexo has completed its free/reduced meals application raffles and lucky students were presented their awards - an iPad in each high school and $100 Target gift certificates in each elementary School. Pictured in the adjacent photo left to right are Ellen Sullivan, Holyoke High School (HHS) Assistant Principal, student iPad winners Zhiyang Lin and Yu-Je Lin and Richard Leso, Director of Dining Services. Thank you Sodexo for your generosity and congratulations students! “Learning is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.” ~ Chinese Proverb Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Volume 10, Issue 2 E.N. White Celebration at Barnes & Noble! By, Laurie Maspo (Parent) and Tammy Lawrence (Parent and PTO President) The attendance at the Barnes & Noble Celebration was huge! Many E.N.White families, staff and Barnes & Noble customers were able to enjoy a night of student art, musical performances and at the same time help the school earn over $300.00! The evening began with Ms. Marcotte, the school librarian, reading the "Polar Express"; a story written by Chris Van Allsburg. She immediately stirred-up feelings of holiday magic which carried with everyone throughout the entire night. Next, the Kindergarten students accompanied by their teachers, Mrs. Fisher, Mrs. Kent and Ms. Dempsey, joyfully sang a variety of holiday songs. They delighted the audience with their enthusiasm and adorable singing voices. At the end of the performance, Ian, the School's Tiger Mascot, "high-fived" each child and gave them all a "thumbs-up" for a performance well done! The violins, cellos and other instrumental performances followed and the orchestra of string students played remarkably. Solos performed by a handful of students sounded beautiful. Mr. Verrocchi, Mr. Baker and Mr. Rose, the team of music teachers have graciously taught the gift of music to so many students and have allowed all involved to blossom. Lastly, the school choir brought their voices and sang a handful of festive holiday songs. Mr. Rose played the guitar while students and audience members clapped and sang along. The night ended with the song "Feliz Navidad" which was sung vibrantly by all! Throughout the evening, Ms. Lamour, the art teacher, proudly displayed many pieces of student art work and their respective curriculum guidelines. Each piece drew a lot of attention from the students, Barnes & Noble staff and customers. Other students had the opportunity to display their artistic abilities that evening by creating book marks at the art tables. The middle school student volunteers were a huge reason why the night ran smoothly and efficiently. A free raffle, provided by the Tiger Pride Community Organization, invited anyone supporting the event to take a chance at winning a 2012 calendar, three boxes of chocolate candies and an E.N. White T-Shirt. 25 Books Campaign Kick Off! The excitement at E.N.White School was evident as the school kicked off the beginning of a year of reading. Many students and staff members were dressed in costume representing a character from their favorite story. Students would see each other and ask "Who are you?". Although the answer differed in explanation, it always included the reponse "I want to read that!" Dumbledore (7th/8th grade science teacher Kendra VanderGheynst) and Harry Potter (Principal Russell) get into the spirit of reading. The message was clear "Reading is fun and essential!" Both Principal Russell and librarian Ms. Marcotte introduced the Head Basketball Coach Charlie Brock from Springfield College and three of his players. He is part of the "Ticket To Reading REWARDS" Program, which is designed to use college basketball programs as a tool to motivate students to read. They addressed the entire middle school body with the same message - "Reading is fun and essential!". They spoke about how reading was important for them when they were young and how it was essential to be a good reader to realize their goals of attending college. Additionally, the book, "Rudy's Secret Page 5 Cap", written by local authors Al Petitpas and Judy Van Raalte, was read aloud. The book was meant to inspire students to "Stay Cool", "Ask for Help" and "Stay Positive" with any- Mary Curro and E.N. White 8th Graders celebrate thing they choose to books and their favorite characters do. Next, each student was given a goal of 25 books to read by the end of the school year. At the conclusion, Coach Brock gave each middle school student a T-Shirt with the statement "Ticket To Reading REWARDS" as a reminder of all the benefits reading will bring throughout their life. They were also given silicone bracelets with the TTRR logo and an invite to a future Springfield basketball game. Delighted were students and staff as many parents and guardians visited E.N.White throughout the day to read to their child's classroom. At the end of the day all elementary students in their character costumes were called to the cafeteria. They enjoyed apple cider and cookies as they discussed each other's costumes. Librarian Ms. Marcotte and Physical Education teacher Ms. Schmidt held a contest for favorite costumes. The excitement was obvious as each student clapped and cheered for each other. They too were given a reading goal and responded with a promise to accomplish that goal! Joan Cameron, 5th grade teacher/ Oompa Loompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Mt. Holyoke College Art Museum Visit This year the E.N. White art teacher, Mrs. Lamour began her Ancient Art Unit with a field trip visit to the Mt. Holyoke College Art Museum to explore the collections of ancient artifacts containing Egyptian, Greek, and Roman relics. From the Canopic jars to decorative mosaic tiles, the students learned about history, world cultures, art and archaeology. The visit followed the art and history standards written in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. “It was a great learning experience that related to our studies in history,” said Emma Price, an 8th grade student of E.N. White. The major highlight of the visit was looking at ancient artifacts that illustrate the lives of ancient civilizations and learning about the different religions that transitioned from one civilization to another and the stylistic changes of their art work. “It was very educational and historical," said Melvin Cruz. The students enjoyed listening to the descriptions of the artifacts and the stories behind them. “It was an educational experience,” stated Hanna Smith. At the end of the tour, students participated in a scavenger hunt, filled in a worksheet and were able to identify the stylistic and characteristic features of ancient works. “ I liked this activity and I saw some pretty cool vases and bowls,” said Joey Candelario. In the end, the students were able to take with them the knowledge and understanding of the roles, purposes and contributions of ancient civilization. E.N. White News—Continued on page 8. Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Connections Page 6 Morgan School Everybody Knows Pigs Might Fly At least that’s what students learned when reading Pigs Might Fly by Dick King-Smith in Laura Boucher’s fourth grade classroom. They loved the story so much (although you’ll have to read it yourself to find out whether pigs really might fly) that they decided to turn it into a play. Ambitious students Shakira Rivera, Alysson Mazzu, Luis Brito, Ryan Rodriguez, Jderick Rivera, Jayree Santiago and Matthew Santiago turned into scriptwriters, working hard to develop the story into a play. They then created props and rehearsed, with the first performance on January 18th. Invited guests included interim principal Aliza Pluta. Choir Performs at Innauguration Amazing Triple-decker Concert Mayor-elect Alex Morse, former Morgan School scholar, must have been feeling a bit of nostalgia when he attended an evening middle school open house in November. He enjoyed a performance by the Morgan School Choir under the direction of counselor Emily Temple. Some time later, she received an invitation for the choir to perform God Bless America at the Mayor-elect’s Inaugural Ceremony on January 3rd at Holyoke High School, an honor that delighted both the school and the Choir, thus giving Morgan School double reasons to be proud. The weeks leading up to the holidays are always filled with mystery and excitement, and never more so than here at Morgan School, as students from grades three through eight practiced for the annual holiday concert. From the sounds of the violins practicing Jingle Bells with violin teacher Jenifer Gelineau, to the middle school student choir practice led by counselor Emily Temple, to the excitement of music teacher Doreen Veazie’s drum class, the school has been ringing with the sounds of holiday music. On Thursday, December 22nd, the hard work culminated in two concerts, one in the morning for middle school, the second in the afternoon for the elementary grades, and the result was electrifying. The concert began with several songs sung by the middle school choir, including Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Jingle Bell Rock. The violin concert followed, with students from third through eighth grade, and finally, a resounding finish with a fourth grade chorus directed by Doreen Veazie, with drum accompaniment. The reaction of the student audience to the drum performance was especially enthusiastic, to say the least, as the performance finished with the rousing rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas/Feliz Navidad with the audience invited to sing along. It was a wonderful end to four months of hard work, and a great beginning to the upcoming vacation. Parents Become Students in Lorie Banks’ 8th Grade Math Class All Morgan Tots Receive Toys Thanks to the efforts of Mary Jo Mazzu, paraprofessional at Morgan School, the Toys for Tots program once again donated toys to the elementary students at Morgan School. This year every student in kindergarten through fifth grade received a wrapped new toy on December 22nd, just in time to enjoy for the holiday break. The daunting wrapping job was completed by members of the 8th grade student council. Grade eight math students and their parents were treated to a holiday party while utilizing real life math skills. Students worked with their parents to do some last minute holiday shopping while developing strategies for calculating discounts and sales tax. It was wonderful to watch parents explain the strategies they use to calculate discounts. As one mom put it, “If it’s one thing moms know how to do, it is how to figure out a discount!” Morgan News—Continued on page 8. Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Volume 10, Issue 2 Page 7 ce Center for Excellen Pastries with Parents K-5 parents and students at the Center for Excellence celebrated going to school with a morning treat called, “Pastries with Parents.” Parents were invited to bring their children to school and stop in for coffee, juice and pastries with their children. Parents had a chance to interact with Mary Wright (Literacy Coach), Lisa Prechtl (Math Coach), Lynn Lajoie (District Read 180 Coach), and Kathleen Knowles (LLI interventionist). The children made candy cane reindeer, chose a book to bring home, sang some holiday songs, and spent some Kathleen Knowles, LLI Intervenextra quality time with their tionist and Destiny Ruiz, grade family. The CFE looks forward to five share breakfast with a smile. hosting several more parent events this year in order to build community with families and strengthen the home-school bond. Metcalf Joseph Metcalf School -100 years Old! 100 years have passed since the special grand opening dedication of the new Metcalf School situated in the Elmwood section of the City of Holyoke. In honor of its 100 Year Anniversary, many former teachers of Metcalf School and current teachers at Metcalf School will join together to plan a special anniversary celebration in honor of this great school, which stood tall for 100 years as one of the sites, which contributed to the education and recreation of thousands of citizens of Holyoke, Massachusetts. If you are interested in joining the committee, please email Ellen Jackson, the Principal of Metcalf at [email protected]. According to the article, Dedication of Joseph Metcalf in the Holyoke Daily Transcript dating back to 1912, which was resurrected from the archives of the Holyoke Public Library, the formal dedication of the Joseph Metcalf School on September 30, 1912 drew an attendance of parents, teachers, city officials and invited guests that filled the new school hall to capacity. More than 600 people attended this exciting grand opening celebration. Among the throngs of people present were many city officials seated on a platform at the front of the crowd. The group included Mayor White, Chairman Walsh of the Board of Public Works, Commissioner Allen of the Board of Public CFE’s Got Talent! K-12 students at the Center for Excellence took to the stage to show off their musical talents! They have been studying music under the direction of CFE’s first ever music teacher, Mr. Otis Rogers. The students sang songs including acting out The Twelve Days of Christmas. Parents and families came to watch and cheer on their youngsters. Both students and audience sang and enjoyed the day! Celebrating Writers Students in Laura Skwira’s 7/8 grade and students in Alissa Fontaine’s K-2 classroom took to the podium to share their narrative writing pieces with each other! The students were able to respond to others’ writing by asking questions or giving comments about characters, setting, and problem/solution. The next step for these classrooms will be to host an open mic night at the Center for Excellence. Uriel Izquierdo Grade 2 proudly shares his story along with teacher Alissa Fontaine. Works, Superintendent McSherry, Principal Greaney and the entire school board. Also in attendance were special guests, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Metcalf, Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Metcalf and Mrs. H. B. Lawrence. Principal Greaney opened the program by thanking all of the people who had contributed to the development and the construction of the school and told the community that, “In this beautiful new school building will be spent the most impressionable years of the lives of boys and girls in Elmwood.” In addition, he asked the residents of Elmwood “to cooperate with the school and influence their children to a high standard of discipline and excellence.” During Chairman O’Donnell’s speech, he gave special recognition to School Committeeman Bausch, who was responsible for the relentless work that went into the construction of the building for his Ward 3 Elmwood citizens. He was also the speaker who introduced the special guest, Joseph Metcalf, whose name would be embossed on the front of the building in dedication of his life. Chairman O’Donnell described Joseph Metcalf as a “leading citizen, who possessed the intellectual and virtuous qualities that we would want our boys and girls to acquire.” Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Connections Page 8 E.N. White News Continued from p.5 Kelly See Hear Feel Grade 3 Kelly School students recently attended “See Hear Feel” at the Amherst Cinemas. Facilitated by Jake Meginsky and Samm Smith, as well as a large group of volunteers, students learned to watch short films with the “eye” of a film maker. They also learned to listen to films with the “ears” of a filmmaker. The students created poems and in groups wrote a collaborative story complete with storyboards. “See Hear Film” focuses on writing with details to bring the story alive. A great time was had by all students and staff. The students are looking forward to Session II of “See Hear Feel” Film in February. Morgan News Continued from p. 6 Batman Visits First Grade Vowel Vultures The first grade class of Militza Semidei and Kara O’Connor didn’t know how exciting learning vowels could be. As their lessons progressed, they learned a song called “Vowel Bat” using the interactive Smartboard. To their surprise, one day Batman actually appeared in class. The children enjoyed the visit, demonstrated their knowledge of vowels, and honored Batman with a rendition of “Vowel Bat.” They will always remember their vowels, the day Batman came to class, and the chance they had to practice their vowels with him! MA Model of Comprehensive School Counseling Programs Because students develop emotionally, socially and educationally, the guidance program at Morgan School will address the issue of total growth and development. Growth and learning are developmental; therefore guidance curriculum must be developmental and sequential. The need for guidance begins with pre-school entrance and continues throughout life. At Morgan School, counselors Lauren Paret and Emily Temple will implement classroom lessons, addressing Academic and Technical Skills Development, as well as Personal and Social Development, which are necessary skills for Workplace Readiness. Ms. Paret and Mrs. Temple created this bulletin board to engage parents and students in this endeavor. Students Attend the Inauguration By Faizul Sibdhanny, Student Council President It was a great start to the new year as our new mayor Alex B. Morse was inaugurated Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. People from many parts of Massachusetts came to see one of the youngest mayors in the United States take office. It was a very historic event in the city of Holyoke. This is the youngest mayor the city has ever had. Morse was born in Holyoke and attended Holyoke schools such as Morgan, Peck, and Holyoke High School (HHS). At the ceremony, HHS students and Morgan Elementary students sang songs in the auditorium. Morgan students sang “God Bless America”. HHS students sang “Imagine” and “The National Anthem”. Alex Morse also made an Inaugural Address. He stated that he is “a proud product of Holyoke schools.” The ceremony was one hour long and ended at 11:00 a.m. A reception followed afterwards at Holyoke City Hall. Faizul Sibdhanny stated, “It was nice to get out and see an event like this. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Emma Price added, “I had a great time. I think having kids from Morgan and the high school was a great way to represent our schools at a community event, and I wish Mayor Morse well.” Samuel Texidor remarked, “It was a pleasure to be at the inauguration of our new leader, and I hope to see a lot of great changes in the future.” Cross-Generational Memoir Sharing Seventh graders in two of Ms. Lindstrom’s English Language Arts classes had the opportunity the day after Thanksgiving break to share their final memoirs with three writers from the Holyoke Council on Aging: Jeanne Bartley, Norma Bagnall, and Sandy Ward. Since a fourth writer was unable to come and our students were divided into four small groups, Activities Director Navae Rodriguez from the Council on Aging also worked with a group. She and ELA teacher Astrid Lindstrom had arranged for this cooperative activity among writers. In each small group, students discovered that (despite the 55 to 83-year difference in age between student and senior writers) they had plenty in common with the older writers, who shared their own memoirs. For example, Ricky Ramsahai had written about friends taunting boys who were afraid of a scary ride at Six Flags, and Sandy Ward had written about being called a sissy by friends who wanted her to ride down an icy slope on a saucer. While Ricky ended up with a sense of accomplishment, Sandy ended up with a concussion! As well as reading their memoirs to one another, our young and no longer so young writers shared thoughts and feelings about the writing process and even found time to enjoy an exercise practiced by those at the Council on Aging in their own writing group. Everyone involved agreed we should arrange more opportunities for such valuable cross-generational sharing. Even though Thanksgiving is behind us, we discovered we had something new for which to be grateful. Council on Aging writer Norma Bagnall shares with E.N. White student Robert Anderson. Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Volume 10, Issue 2 S School Briefs ol o h c S n a ulliv Check Mate! Sullivan School has begun a Chess Club. The club meets in the school library on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month, from 3:00-3:45. The best part is, you don’t even have to know HOW to play chess to join!! Several 6th and 7th grade students have graciously agreed to teach students in grades 4– 8. Our first meeting was so successful that already the students are asking about tournaments! Any takers, fellow Holyoke Schools?? Please contact Karla Gartsu, Sullivan School librarian at [email protected] Family Literacy English classes are now for beginners and more advanced speakers. So come learn English and have your children enrolled in our after-school homework help and enrichment program (Schedule: Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-5:30). Our second cycle is January 4th - March 29th and there is still room in the class for YOU! Parents with a beginning knowledge of English are invited to join this class to improve their speaking skills. Parents with a more advanced experience of English will work on reading and writing skills. Ask us about bringing siblings of Sullivan students who are three and four years old. Enrollment is ongoing. Please contact Aida Gomez at 413-534-2321 or Maria Correa at 413-552-2937 for more information.. Three Kings Every year we look forward to the arrival of the Three Kings Day celebration. The eighth annual celebration was held at Holyoke High School on Friday, January 6th. The multi cultural educational focus of the three Kings Day celebration this year reminds us that though we may celebrate in different locations and in different languages, family, music, food and traditions are universal components of a good party – and it was a great party! This year the Three Kings were joined by Alice the camel. She was a great hit at the party. Children and parents lined up to greet the Three Kings and have their picture taken with them and Alice. In the foyer and the hallway, families enjoyed a bilingual Story Walk. In addition, huge multi cultural story posters which highlighted the customs of many of the countries that celebrate Three Kings Day lined the corridor to the cafeteria. While they were waiting to enter the cafeteria, families could read about how families celebrate Page 9 Peck School • With Ms. Jessica Roy’s leadership, students from the RISE Pro- gram and their parents enjoyed sharing recipes in a family cookbook collaboration, and classroom time with each other and the paraprofessionals while enjoying a few tasty treats on December 21st. • In Ms. Criscitelli’s 5th grade classes they have been having great success in answering open response questions using a new innovative strategy to gather evidence from the text. • 8th grader Angel Ortiz was selected as a Project 351 participant and spent Saturday, January 14th with the governor of Massachusetts and other students from around the state engaged in community service and other projects. • 7th grade students wrote letters petitioning for new, hardcover books of Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief. Their request was posted to DonorsChoose.org, an online charity connecting donors to classrooms in need. In less than 12 hours their project was funded! New books are on their way! the holiday in Puerto Rico, Spain, the Philippines, Mexico, Austria and other European countries. In the cafeteria, the ROTC Honor Guard, under the direction of Major Kieda presented the National Colors and led guests to their tables and to the serving lines. They are always so helpful at this event. Food and music have always been an integral part of the celebration. Salsarengue served tasty Hispanic food and Luis Martinez, an HPS teacher, provided excellent music throughout the night. This year we had the pleasure of the dancers from Kelly School, under the direction of teacher Norma Rodriguez. Their colorful costumes and traditional dances had everyone clapping and moving to the music. What a wonderful addition to our entertainment for the event! A big thank you to all the volunteers and donors from within the Holyoke Public Schools and many local agencies who helped to make this such a wonderful success! Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Connections Page 10 Athletics Hoop Teams Take the Championship at CT River Classic On December 30th both the girls and boys basketball teams beat Longmeadow High School in the Championship Game at the first ever Connecticut River Classic Tournament to take home a dual title. This was the inaugural season of the Connecticut River Classic Tournament which was hosted over two days at Chicopee High School. The tournament consists of Chicopee Comp High School, Chicopee High School, Longmeadow High School, and Holyoke High School. This year Chicopee hosted the event and in 201213 the event will move to Holyoke for the second year. The tournament was named the Connecticut River Classic because Holyoke, Chicopee, and Longmeadow are towns along the Connecticut River. The Holyoke boys and girls teams beat Chicopee Comp on December 29th to advance to the championship game. The girls started slow against the Colts before hitting their stride. When the Lady Knights got going there was nothing stopping them as they went on to a 70-29 victory. The boys team also started out flat against Chicopee Comp and they faced a 14 point deficit in the first half. They cut into the lead and trailed by only 6 at halftime. In the second half the play went back and forth before the Knights pulled away capturing a 66-61 victory. In the other preliminary games both the Longmeadow teams beat Chicopee High School advancing them to face Holyoke in the finals. In the Championship games both the boys and girls teams played outstanding games. The boys had many contributors to their 87-68 championship victory. Leading the way for the Knights were Taylor Cason and Austin Keeler who had 29 and 31 points respectively. In the girls game the Lady Knights cruised to a 58-41 victory. Leading the way for the Knights were Selena Yates, Monique Heard and Alison Littles. Yates finished with 18 points, Heard with 16, and Littles had 12 points and 16 rebounds. High School Winter Highlights • Boys Indoor Track 4 x 800 meter relay team captured 2nd place (out of 35 schools) at the State Relays in Boston, breaking a 10 year old school record by over 20 seconds. The team members were RJ Landry, Eugene De La Rosa, Cody Hodgins and Tyler Brunelle. This same relay team broke the 4 x 400 meter relay record a few days later at the PVIAC meet at Smith College in Northampton. • Cross Country Coach Dave Reinhart was named the Republican Newspaper’s Coach of the Year. The Cross Country team has a 25 meet win streak dating back to 2009. This year Coach Reinhart lead the Purple Knights to another 11-0 undefeated season and their second consecutive league championship. They finished 2nd out of 35 teams at the PVIAC Championships. • Congratulations to Knight Swimmers Molly Burns, Connor Baush, and Sharon Dec who have all qualified for the Western Massachusetts Swim Meet. • The Dean Technical wrestling team finished the season by beating Athol High School 51-12 to stay undefeated in the league helping them secure their first league title since 2007. Coach Griffin has lead the Golden Hawks to an outstanding team record of 16-4. They also have many individuals who have had successful seasons including Gary Charlton (Dean Tech), Patrick Keane (Holyoke HS), Victor Devila (Dean Tech), and David Brazeau (Holyoke HS), Chris Vega (Dean Tech), Wesley Kulig (Holyoke HS). • This year the wrestling team hosted the Second Annual Knight Hawk Classic Wrestling Tournament during Christmas Vacation. This was the largest high school wrestling tournament ever in Western Mass. with 16 teams participating from across Massachusetts and New Jersey. The coaches from the school who participated in this event said it was the best run tournament they have been to in many years. The tournament was made possible from the hard work of Head Coach Joe Griffin and Assistant Coaches Stephen Konstantinidis and Gennady Velyshev and the outstanding work of the Wrestling parent group. Coach Konstantinidis was the tournament administrator and he did a super job bringing the latest technology to the event • Holyoke High has been selected again to host the MSSAA Cheerleading Regional because of its outstanding facilities and organization from the Holyoke Cheerleading Coaching Staff and Parent Organization! • Congratulations to Holyoke High’s Lady Knight, Monique Heard, The Republican’s 2011 Vi Goodnow Award winner for being the top female basketball player in Western Mass and the 1st Holyoke High recipient of this prestigious award. • On December 15th the Holyoke High and Dean Technical basketball teams competed against one another for the first time— “The Paper City Rival Game”. Over 1000 people attended, bringing people across the city together to celebrate the great history of basketball in the city of Holyoke. Prior to the game basketball alumni were recognized including 1000 Point Scorer and Lahovich Award Winner Ramon Cosme, 1000 Point Scorer Tim Dunn, and Elms College standout player Juan Galdon. Mayor Elect Alex Morse tossed up the ceremonial first tip. Reynaldo Espada from Dean Tech and Austin Keeler from Holyoke High were named most outstanding players for the game. Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Volume 10, Issue 2 Page 11 r School Program e ft A S N O TI C E N N O C CONNECTIONS Families Learn Together at the Connecticut Science Center By Emily Follo, MHC Student and CONNECTIONS Assistant Director Sarah Spence, On Saturday, December 10th a group of 165, including students in the Holyoke Public Schools and their family members, spent the day learning together and discovering the wonders of science at the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford, CT. The trip was hosted by CONNECTIONS After-School Program thanks to funding primarily from the After-School and Out-of-School Time Quality (ASOST) grant, with help from Holyoke Public Schools and the 21st Century Learning Grant Program. Transportation to the museum was provided; families were picked up from several locations around Holyoke. The science museum was a first-time experience for the vast majority of family members. Aside from simply taking families to the museum, the purpose of the The water tanks containing a variety of creatures were among the most popular exhibits. Teresa Young and William Clark, family members of an E.N. White student, said, “We liked the CT River exhibits with the crabs and other things that we could pick up and examine. The attendant was very knowledgeable.” Several other exhibits received glowing reviews as well. About the television reporter activity, Elizabeth Breault (family member of E.N. White student) said, “Kids loved getting their picturess taken and seeing it on the screens.” The animation exhibit revealed the science and creative process involved in the making of cartoons. In this context, it taught about concepts such as illusion, geometry, and perception. Ms. Perez (parent of two Peck students), pictured above with her sons, said, “My sons loved all the exhibits. They especially liked the Forces in Motion. I liked that it’s hands-on and very entertaining for them. I find myself playing too.” Her younger son, Angel, also said, “I love the animation.” At the end of the day, several students also verbalized their enthusiasm about the solar system exhibit, which offered a virtual trip through the galaxy to observe the moon and even a black hole. Ivan Colon, a student at Kelly, said, “We learned how craters formed and we made one. And we learned how the galaxy formed and that scientists think there’s a black hole in the Milky Way Galaxy.” Axel Cruz (grade 8, Kelly) and Erik Torres (grade 8, Morgan) holding a crab at the hands-on water tank. trip was to provide families with an opportunity to learn together and to demonstrate that valuable education can take place outside the classroom and that parents can play a role in inspiring their students to want to learn. According to feedback at the end of the day, the trip accomplished its goals. The museum offered new experiences for all ages. “You never stop learning,” said Gabriela, a family member of a Kelly student. Among the largely interactive exhibits families explored a hands-on water tank with living aquatic creatures, a mock TV station allowing participants to “become” reporters, a solar system exhibit, and a 3-D movie about the underwater world, titled “Wild Ocean.” Students and family members alike loved the interactive and collaborative nature of the museum. As Luis Rivera (grade 6, Kelly) said, “I learned that it’s good to go on a field trip with your family because you can have a playful day with your family members and school members and chaperones.” While spending the day with their families, most adults found that they learned new information also, and had fun in the process. “The day was a very positive experience for all the families. It’s important for students to know they have to read the instructions before interacting with an exhibit,” remarked Carol Pontz, a family member of a Morgan student. Lisette Perez, a parent of a Kelly student, also reported that she “learned a lot and had fun with my kids.” The group returned to Holyoke Saturday afternoon after an exciting day of hands-on learning together. The experience was overwhelmingly positive, however, there was one resounding suggestion for improvement on the field-trip: “make the day longer!” For more information about the CONNECTIONS After School Program, please contact: Jorge L. Castellano, Director Connections After School Programs [email protected] (413) 313-7710 Sarah Spence, Assistant Director Connections After School Programs [email protected] (413) 478-6132 Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Connections Page 12 Title 1 Family Nights For grades K-12 begins at 6:30 PM MARCH Mon., Mar. 5 Tues., Mar. 6 Mon., Mar. 12 Tues., Mar. 13 Thurs., Mar. 15 Morgan E.N. White Donahue Kelly Sullivan Dr. Seuss Night Dr. Seuss Night Dr. Seuss/ Bingo Dr. Seuss Night Dr. Seuss Bingo Wed., Apr. 4 McMahon Dinosaur Night Mon., Apr. 9 Donahue Bingo for Books Tues., Apr. 10 Kelly Bingo for Books Wed., Apr. 11 White Dinosaur Night Tues., Apr. 24 Morgan Family Math Night Thurs., Apr. 26 Sullivan Bingo for Books Wed., May 2 White Bingo for Books Mon., May 7 Donahue Bingo for Books Wed., May 9 McMahon Bingo for Books Mon., May 21 Donahue Teddy Bear Picnic Photos below are from the McMahon School - Title 1 Workshop "Exploring the Ocean" on Wednesday, January 18th , . Carriere Pauline M inator :: ct ta n o C ent Coord Title 1 Par 434 413-540-2 APRIL Fun for the Whole Family MAY Connections Newsletter Edited by - Judy Taylor - [email protected] Editors Emeritus: Kelly Doktor and Laura DuPont Contributing to this issue — Linda Amaral Helen Gibson Aliza Pluta Debra Basili Jacqueline Glasheen Celine Hamilton-Quill John Breish Michael Hines Gina Roy Cynthia Carbone Paul Hyry Hilary Russell Pauline Carriere Ellen Jackson Myriam Ulloa-Skolnick Jessica Daly Sheila Lamour Miranda Smith Kelly Doktor Astrid Lindstrom Sarah Spence Jacqueline Escalera Joanne Marcotte Jody Spitz Amy Fitzgerald Lisa Monzon Paula Strobel Cathleen Foley Mary E. O’Connor Julie Winberg Claire Folini Caitlin O’Neill Mary Wright Josiah Friedberg Aaron Patterson Save the Date— Deadline for Spring Connections Newsletter Article Submissions is Thursday, March 8, 2012 Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Estos son los puntos mas sobresalientes del Boletin Holyoke Public Schools Volume 10 Issue 2 Winter 2012 Una Carta Abierta a la Comunidad de la Escuela Holyoke Evaluaciones de Educadores Por David Dupont Superintendente de Escuelas El plan del estado para revisar las evaluaciones de los educadores, en un proceso en curso el cual está programado para entrar en efecto para todas las escuelas del distrito en Massachusetts para el año escolar 2012-2013. Hay, sin embargo, algunos distritos –aquellos que tienen escuela del Nivel 4 y aquellos que se ofrecieron de voluntarios para su implementación un año antes, esos han estado trabajando en su implementación para el año escolar 2011-2012. (El nuevo sistema es para las escuelas del Nivel 4 por individual y no para el distrito completo este año escolar.) La revisión en general es un cambio considerable en como las evaluaciones se han tradicionalmente realizado en el pasado. Hay una gran cantidad de información relacionada en la página electrónica (website) de DESE, y nosotros estaremos proporcionando a los principales cualquier actualización que se reciba del departamento. Uno de los mayores cambios que envuelve las evaluaciones incluye auto-reflexión del educador, los establecimientos de metas y rúbricas a utilizarse para guiar las expectativas institucionales. Este esfuerzo del DESE es verdaderamente un trabajo en progreso. Aun cuando todos los elementos de este nuevo sistema no estarán en lugar el próximo septiembre, la intención del estado es implementarlo lo antes posible. Lo que yo creo que sería de gran ayuda para nuestro distrito escolar es nuestra relación con la Asociación de Maestros de Massachusetts (MTA), el cual es uno de los proveedores aprobadas por el DESE en asistir a los distritos en su trabajo de implementar el modelo de evaluación. Maestros, enfermeras, administradores del distrito y todo el personal con licencia del DESE, todos serán sujeto del nuevo sistema. Nosotros intentamos obviamente estar completamente de acuerdo con esta amplia iniciativa del estado, sin embargo creo firmemente que todo esto será mucho más efectivo y significativo si se puede mover a través de los límites (o las fronteras) que muchas veces se interponen entre el cumplimento y lo que debemos hacer en propiedad. Tu interés y apoyo son siempre importantes y apreciados. Premios al Máster de los Maestros (Master Teacher Awards) Felicitaciones a los siguientes maestros de matemáticas y ciencia de Holyoke por ser seleccionados como Master Teacher Fellows: Tom Wyse, Yvonne Hilyard, Phillip Cooper, Jeremiah Barrett y Lorie Banks. Todos estos maestros poseen una Maestría y han demostrado excelencia en la enseñanza. La escuela de Educación de la Universidad de Massachusetts Amherst ha recibido un presupuesto de seis años de 4.5 millones de la Fundación Nacional de Ciencia, para crear una red que ayude a capacitar y conservar maestros de matemáticas y ciencias para las escuelas de intermedias y superiores en Western Massachusetts. Veinte maestros de los siguientes distritos escolares: Holyoke, Springfield, Greenfield and Mahar fueron seleccionados para convertirse en Master Teacher Fellows. El ganador del “Master Teacher Award” Tom Wyse de la Escuela Donahue demuestra con los estudiantes Luis Otero y Keishantelle Burgos. Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Connections Page 14 Metcalf La Escuela Joseph MetcalfCumple 100 años 100 años han pasado desde la gran apertura y especial dedicación de la nueva Escuela Metcalf, situada en la sección Elmwood de la ciudad de Holyoke. En honor de su Aniversario de 100 años, varios maestros del pasado de la Escuela Metcalf y maestros actuales de la Escuela Metcalf se unirán para planificar la celebración especial del aniversario en honor de esta magnífica escuela, que se ha mantenido firme por 100 años como uno de los lugares, que ha contribuido a la educación y recreación de miles de ciudadanos de Holyoke, Massachusetts. Si usted está interesado en ser parte del comité, favor de mandarle un mensaje electrónico a la principal de Metcalf a [email protected]. Según el artículo, Dedicación a Joseph Metcalf en la Transcripción Diaria de Holyoke remontado en 1912, que fueron resucitados de los archivos de la Librería Publica de Holyoke, la dedicación formal de la Escuela Joseph Metcalf, el 30 de Septiembre del 1912 atrajo una asistencia de padres, maestros, oficiales de la ciudad e invitados que llenaron los pasillos de la nueva escuela a capacidad. Más de 600 personas asistieron a está excitante celebración de la gran apertura. Entre el gentío presente, estuvieron varios oficiales de la cuidad sentados en una plataforma al frente de la multitud. El grupo incluía a el Alcalde White, El Presidente Walsh, del consejo para el Departamento de Obras Publicas. Comisiona- do Allen del consejo para el Departamento de Obras Publicas. Superintendente McSherry, Principal Greany y el consejo escolar entero. También entre los asistentes estuvieron los siguientes invitados especiales, El Sr. & La Sra. Joseph Metcalf, El Sr. y La Sra. F.H. Metcalf y La Sra. H.B. Lawrence. El principal Greany empezó el programa dándole las gracias a todos los que han contribuido al desarrollo y construcción de la escuela y le dijo a la comunidad que “En este bello edificio escolar, los niños y niñas de Elmwood van a pasar los años más impresionantes de su vida.” En adición él le pidió a los residentes de Elmwood, “Que cooperen con la escuela en influir a sus niños a normas de disciplinas altas y de excelencia, y de esta manera formar una escuela de alta categoría.” Durante el discurso del Presidente O’Donnell, este le dio un reconocimiento especial al Miembro Escolar Baush, quien fue responsable por el trabajo incesante que se dedico a la construcción del edificio para sus ciudadanos en Elmwood del Distrito 3. El también fue el orador que introdujo al invitado especial, Joseph Metcalf, del cual cuyo nombre iba a ser estampado en la parte delantera del edificio en dedicación a su vida, el Presidente O’Donnell describió a Joseph Metcalf como un “ciudadano destacado que posee cualidades intelectuales y virtuosas que quisiéramos que nuestros niños y niñas adquieran. Tres Reyes Magos Todos los años esperamos la llegada de la celebración del día de los Tres Reyes Magos. La celebración Anual #8 se llevo a cabo en la escuela superior de Holyoke el viernes 6 de enero. La múlti- cultura educacional de la celebración del día de Reyes se enfoco este año en recordarnos que aunque celebramos en diferentes lugares y diferentes idiomas las familias, música, comida y tradiciones son componentes universales de una buena fiesta – y esta fue una gran fiesta! Este año los Tres Reyes fueron acompañados por Alice el camello. Ella fue un gran éxito en la fiesta. Los niños y sus padres hicieron fila para saludar a los Tres Reyes Magos y para tomarse fotos con ellos y Alice. En el vestíbulo y los pasillos las familias disfrutaron de una Story Walk (cuento caminado) bilingüe. En adición unos inmensos póster multi-culturales que resaltaban las costumbres de muchos países que celebran el Día de los Reyes Magos estuvieron alineados en el corredor de la cafetería. Mientras ellos esperaban para entrar en la cafetería las familias podían leer como las familias celebran el día feriado en Puerto Rico, España, Las Pilipinas, Méjico, Austria y otros continentes Europeos. En la cafetería, la guardia de Honor ROTC bajo la dirección del Mayor Kieda presentaban los colores Nacionales y dirigían los invitados a sus mesas y a las filas de servicios. Ellos siempre son de gran ayuda en este evento. La comida y la música han sido siempre una parte integral de esta celebración. Salsarengue sirvió una sabrosa comida hispana y Luis Martínez, un maestro de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke, proporciono excelente música durante toda la noche. Este año tuvimos el placer de contar con los bailarines de la escuela Kelly, bajo la dirección de Norma Rodríguez. Sus coloridos vestuarios y tradicionales bailes tuvieron a todo el mundo aplaudiendo y moviéndose por la música. Que maravillosa adicción para nuestro entretenimiento en este evento! Después de comer y disfrutar de la música, cada niño recibió un juguete o un juego y varios libros. Ellos también recibieron un paquete dental higiénico de Small Smiles. A su salida, todos recibieron galletitas y un apretón de manos de los Tres Reyes Magos y una última oportunidad de tomarse una foto para recordar este agradable evento. Mil gracias a todos los voluntarios y donantes, tanto dentro de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke y agencias locales quienes ayudaron a hacer de esto un maravilloso suceso! Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Volume 10, Issue 2 Page 15 La Mejor Parte de Atletismo • • • • • Atletismo – Alcance para el Cancer Massachusetts con 16 equipos participando. Los entrenadores de El equipo de relevos en pista interior de niños 4x800 metros, obtuvo 2ndo lugar (de 35 escuelas) en las competencias de Relevo del Estado en Boston, rompiendo un récord escolar de diez años por más de 20 segundos. Los miembros del equipo eran RJ Landry, Eugene De La Rosa, Cody Hodgins y Tyler Brunelle. Este mismo equipo de relevos rompió el récord de 4x400 metros unos cuantos días después en el encuentro de atletismo PVIAC en el colegio Smith de Northampton. El Entrenador de Carrera a Campo Traviesa, Dave Reinhart fue nombrado El Entrenador Del Año Del Periodico El Republican. El Equipo de Carrera a Campo Traviesa tiene una racha de 25 victorias que se remontan al 2009. Este año el Entrenador Reinhart dirigió los Purple Knights a otra temporada invicta de 11-0 y su segundo campeonato consecutivo de la liga. Ellos terminaron 2ndo de 35 equipos en los campeonatos de PVIAC. Los Nadadores Knights Molly Burns, Connor Bush, y Sharon Dec han cualificado para El Encuentro de Atletismo en Natación del Oeste de Massachusetts. El equipo de Lucha Libre en la Escuela Técnica Dean termino la temporada invicta en su liga para asegurar su primer título de su liga desde 2007. El Entrenador Griffin a dirigido los Golden Hawks a un récord excepcional. Este año el equipo de lucha libre presento El Segundo Knight Hawk Torneo Anual de Lucha Libre Clásica durante las vacaciones de navidad. Este fue el torneo más grande en todo el Oeste de • • • las escuelas que participaron en este evento dicen que fue la mejor ejecución de un torneo que han ido en muchos años. El torneo se hiso posible por el fuerte trabajo de el Entrenador de Cabeza Joe Griffin y los Ayudantes a los Entrenadores Stephen Konstantinidis y Gennady Velyshev y también el trabajo excepcional del grupo de padres de la lucha. El Entrenador Konstantinidis fue el administrador del tornamiento y hiso un trabajo estupendo trayendo lo último en tecnología al evento. La Escuela Superior de Holyoke ha sido seleccionada nuevamente para presentar el evento MMSAA de Porristas Regional por sus facilidades excepcionales y la organización de parte de los Entrenadores de Las Porristas de Holyoke y la Organización de Padres! Felicitaciones a Monique Heard-La Ganadora del Premio Vi Goodnow 2011 por ser la jugadora de baloncesto femenina superior en todo el Oeste de Massachusetts. El 15 de Diciembre, por primera vez, los equipos de la Escuela Superior de Holyoke y la Escuela Técnica de Dean, compitieron uno contra el otro en –“El Juego Rival De La Cuidad del Papel (Paper City).” Más de 1000 asistieron, trayendo gente a través de la ciudad para juntos celebrar la gran historia de baloncesto en la ciudad de Holyoke. Antes del juego, los alumnos del baloncesto fueron reconocidos, incluidos fueron, el Jugador que Marco 1000 Puntos y gano el Premio de Lahovich, Ramon Cosme, El jugador que Marco 1000 Puntos Tim Dunn y el Jugador Sobresaliente de el Colegio Elms Juan Galdon. El Alcalde Electo Alex Morse lanzo al aire la primera punta (first tip) ceremonial. Reynaldo Espada de La Escuela Técnica Dean y Austin Keeler de la Escuela Superior de Holyoke fueron nombrados los jugadores más destacados del juego. MARZO Título 1 Noches de Familia 5 de marzo 6 de marzo 12 de marzo 13 de marzo 15 de marzo Morgan White Donahue Kelly Sullivan Noche de Dr. Seuss Noche de Dr. Seuss Bingo de Dr. Seuss para libros Noche de Dr. Seuss Bingo de Dr. Seuss para libros ABRIL 4 de abril 9 de abril 10 de abril 11 de abril 24 de abril 26 de abril McMahon Noche de Dinosaurio Donahue Bingo para Libros Kelly Bingo para Libros White Noche de Dinosaurio Morgan Noche de Matemáticas Familiar Sullivan Bingo para Libros MAYO Para grados Kínder hasta 12 empieza a las 6:30 PM Diversión para To da la Familia 2 de mayo 7 de mayo 9 de mayo 21 de mayo White Bingo para Libros Donahue Bingo para Libros McMahon Bingo para Libros Donahue Merienda de Ositos Pauline M. Carriere, Coordinadora de Padres de Titulo 1 Teléfono: 413-540-2434 Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Connections Page 16 A commu nity work ing toget her Connections Holyoke Public Schools Media Center c/o Judy Taylor 500 Beech Street Holyoke, MA 01040 Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
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