Spring 2016 - Holyoke Public Schools

Connections
Holy oke P ublic Sc ho ols
Holyoke Public Schools
Volume 14, Issue 3
Artist: Destiny Franco
A Community Working Together
Spring 2016
An Open Letter to the Holyoke School Community
Celebrating Teaching and Learning
By Dr. Stephen Zrike, Receiver
Holyoke Families and Community Members,
Donahue Student Artist: Siannah Santos
It has been a privilege celebrating the talented students and staff in the Holyoke Public Schools over
the last few months. In March we were able to recognize seven staff members who were awarded the
Howard Grinspoon Award for Excellence in the Pioneer Valley. As we celebrated and honored these
teachers, I couldn’t help but think that these awards could have been given to countless teachers
across HPS. All year I have watched our teachers go to great lengths to connect with families, extensively plan lessons to reach all students, provide an embrace or words of encouragement to a reluctant
learner and remain open-minded about our turnaround work. Our most critical asset is our staff and
we are committed to continuing to develop, support and advocate for their success with our city’s
children.
At the same time, we must also highlight the extraordinary talents of our young people. In the last few
months, our students have been celebrated for: their induction to the National Honor Society, their
performance on last year’s MCAS assessment, excellence in athletics, a critically acclaimed performance of Shrek, their art work at the annual Heritage Park show and outstanding achievement in the
career technical fields. These are just some of the many examples of students sharing their brilliance
across the Holyoke Public Schools.
There is much to build and grow on as we begin planning for the 2016-17 school year. We have completed a series of important and exhaustive reviews of our special education programming, our services
for English Language Learners, and our central office design. These reviews have revealed opportunities for us to better serve our students. Specifically, we have committed resources to: providing
schools with additional discretionary funds to support their full school day plans, launching an aggressive campaign to retain our best educators and recruit talent to Holyoke, and improving technology
access for students and staff. We continue to invest in the early childhood experience through the
expansion of preschool seats, introduction of project-based curriculum and a stronger orientation to
our schools. Our secondary redesign efforts are focused on establishing a personalized 9 th grade academy at Holyoke High, increasing early college options for students and designing multiple pathways for
student success across both high school campuses. Finally, we value providing our families with multiple choices for their child’s education. We continue to expand the dual language program at Metcalf
by growing to second grade and adding a preschool option for interested families. Additionally, we
have launched an exciting personalized pathway program (P3) at Peck that is open to all 6th and 7th graders from across the District. This approach uses the power of one-to-one technology to provide students with an individualized learning experience that includes project-based time, mentoring, intervention/acceleration and enrichment.
Inside this issue:
Announcements
2-4
School News
4-11
Athletics and
After School
12
Spanish
13-16
Edition Highlights:
● Excellence in Teaching Awards
● Register for Pre-K and
Kindergarten Today!
● Join the HPS Team of
Educators!
● HHS National Honor
Society Inductees
● Dean’s Destination
Graduation
● Autism Awareness
Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we take bold and innovative steps to transform the teaching experience for our educators and the learning experience for our students. We are
committed to ensuring that the Holyoke Schools are the first choice for our city’s families.
Receive updates on district news, view videos and photos!
us www.Facebook.com/HolyokePublicSchools
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www.Facebook.com/HolyokePublicSchools
Follow us https://twitter.com/HPSHOLYOKE
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Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 2
Connections
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.
Apply today to join the Holyoke Public Schools team of educators!
Learn more at www.teachwesternmass.com
9th Grade Academy Open House
May 11, 2016 at 5:45 PM in the Holyoke High School Auditorium
(For 8th graders who are starting as high school freshmen in 2016)
Receive a tour of the school, meet members of clubs and athletic teams
Pre-K and Kindergarten—Register Today!
Holyoke School
Committee
Mayor Alex Morse
Dennis Birks
Erin Brunelle
John Brunelle
Pre-K children must be 4 years old and
Kindergarten children must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2016
SEE PAGE 4
FOR MORE DETAILS, INCLUDING SCHEDULE OF
INFORMATION SESSIONS
William Collamore
Nyles Courchesne
Irene Feliciano-Sims
Mildred Lefebvre
Devin Sheehan
Rosalee Tensley
Williams
ANNE CULLEN PRIZE RECIPIENTS
Anne Cullen was a dedicated teacher of Holyoke Public School (HPS) students for thirty years. Throughout her
career as an educator, she exhibited a consistent commitment to strive to give the best to all of her students.
In honor of her example, the Anne Cullen Prize for Teaching Excellence recognizes outstanding teachers in
Mathematics and other disciplines. Award recipients exemplify and embody the belief that all students can
achieve success. The HPS teachers that were selected as recipients include: Roseanne Caracciolo, David Cayer,
Kari Courchesne, Lindsay Hall, Erin Hanley, Karen Kent, Katherine King, Ashley Kulik, Tamara Lindskog,
Michelle Longey, Amy Piedra, Manes Pierre, Kathleen Plasse, Yajaira Rodriguez, Julie Rohan and Dustin Rose.
These educators taught at the HPS April Acceleration Academy.
Connections Newsletter
Edited by: Judy Taylor [email protected]
Translated by: Luz Aguilar and Jacqueline Escalera
“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven't even happened yet.” - Anne Frank
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 3
Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award
The prestigious 2016 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award (PVEIT) was presented to the following
seven Holyoke Public Schools educators on Thursday, March 5th:
Destinee Meeker (McMahon School)
Annemarie Khalil (Morgan School)
Erin Hanley (Kelly School)
Korri Flynn (Lawrence School)
Margaret Miller (Sullivan School)
Mary Wright (Donahue School)
Nicole Horton (Holyoke High School)
Excited family members and district administrators surprised the educators with balloons, flowers, and award certificates.
To learn more about this year’s recipients and view video coverage of this exciting event, visit:
http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/grinspoon.htm.
Left to right
Top row:
Korri Flynn, Nicole Horton;
Annemarie Khalil
Middle row:
Mary Wright, Erin Hanley;
Bottom row:
Destinee Meeker ,
Margaret Miller
The PVEIT Award provides recipients with $500 cash, an engraved plaque, a three month YMCA and Springfield JCC membership,
two tickets to a celebratory dinner at the Log Cabin, an invitation from WGBY to take an online course, and $100 scholarships from
local universities towards graduate courses.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
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Sullivan Educator Honored for Teaching Excellence
Kelly Doktor, second-grade teacher at Sullivan Elementary School, was honored for the Teaching
Excellence for Americanism and Patriotism Award by the Hampden County District 7 Veterans of
Foreign Wars in a ceremony in Ludlow on March 8th. Doktor was one of five teachers, and the
only one from Holyoke, to receive this award representing the 23 cities and towns in Hampden
County. Her work in the classroom promoting civics and government by recognizing patriotic
holidays through read-alouds and activities, as well as her volunteer work for the VFW organization in the community, had earned this nomination. Along with certificates from the Massachusetts
Statehouse and the VFW and a cash award, she is now eligible for the Massachusetts Teaching
Excellence for Americanism and Patriotism Award which will be announced at the VFW State
Convention on June 10th. Congratulations Ms. Doktor!
Students Perform at Western
Massachusetts Junior District Festival
Student performers (left-to-right) include: Sixto
Morera, Bridie Bowler and Jalen Cortes
Left to right: Eric Segundo, Massachusetts VFW
Vice Commander; Kelly Doktor, Brian Willette,
Purple Heart Recipient and Commander of the
Holyoke VFW and Julie Mason, Ladies Auxiliary.
By Amanda Metcalfe
Music In Our Schools Month was alive and well in the performance hall at Minnechaug Regional High
School on Saturday, March 19th. Three middle school students from Lt. Clayre P. Sullivan School proudly
represented Holyoke as they performed amidst hundreds of peers from Longmeadow, Amherst, and
other surrounding communities at the Western Massachusetts Junior District Festival! Students Jalen
Cortes (grade 8) and Sixto Morera (grade 6) performed in the Young Men’s festival chorus, while student
Bridie Bowler (grade 6) performed in the Young Women’s treble festival chorus. Students delivered a
powerful performance to a packed auditorium.
The Western District Junior Festival Concert is the culmination of a highly competitive performance opportunity for students from the surrounding
cities of Western Massachusetts. Students spend two entire Saturdays from 9 am till 3 pm rehearsing with other students from around the state and
finish the event by giving a performance on the second Saturday. Students are selected by audition and expected to practice their music prior to the
Saturday rehearsals with their teachers. Sullivan music teacher Amanda Metcalfe said of her students, “They are hard-working kids and I hope that this
experience will inspire them to continue making music for the rest of their lives.”
This is Jalen's 2nd time qualifying, and Sixto and Bridie's first time (and the first time they have been eligible for participation too, so it's quite a
feat!). They had a blast and their concert was spectacular. Congratulations to our hardworking musical students!
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN for School Year 2016-17
Pre-K children must be 4 years old and Kindergarten children must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2016.
ATTEND A PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION DAY AT THE SCHOOLS to meet staff, complete enrollment and explore the programs (including Head Start and VOC Pre-K programs):
Sullivan School
Friday, May 6th
Lawrence School
Friday, May 20th
Kelly School
EN White School
Monday, May 23
8:30 am – 2:45 pm (Call Aida to schedule a tour at 534-2100)
8:30 am – 2:45pm
rd
5 pm – 7 pm
Wednesday, May 25
th
th
8:30 am – 2:45 pm (Tours available 9-11am or 1:00-2:45 pm)
McMahon School
Thursday, May 26
6:00 pm – 7 pm
Donahue School
Friday, May 27th
8:30 am – 2:45 pm
Morgan School
Tuesday, May 31st
8:30 am – 2:45 pm
EXPLORE THE DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT METCALF SCHOOL - The Metcalf School offers a unique Dual Language Program
for Pre-K to 2nd grade students. This innovative program offers language acquisition opportunities in English and Spanish. Call Amy Burke, Principal at 413-534-2104 or visit 2019 Northampton St., Holyoke, MA for an application and more information.
FOR REGISTRATION APPOINTMENTS AT OTHER TIMES, APPLICATIONS AND INFORMATION, CALL OR VISIT THE:
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT OFFICE - 57 Suffolk Street, 1st Floor in Holyoke - (413) 534-2007 / (413) 534-2055
Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays: 8:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m. | Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 8:00 -6:00 p.m.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
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Girls on the Run at Kelly
By Melanie Wise
Girls on the Run is enjoying great success so far at Kelly School. This social-emotional curriculum
treats students holistically, teaching skills for positive relationships, healthy choices for emotional and
physical wellness, and increased confidence. The 10 week program culminates with a Western Massachusetts 5K race for all the participating schools. The students are training with great anticipation for
this exciting event which will take place at the end of the season, on Sunday, June 5 th at 9:30 AM at
Holyoke Community College. Any community member can register online to run in this race.
There are two teams: one Elementary team for grades 3-5 and a Middle School team for grades 6-8.
The lessons vary to address the different maturity levels of the respective groups. At their last practice, while the Elementary team sat in a circle stretching, each girl went around to share a reflection
about that day. One runner shared the following: “I just want to say thank you for being a part of this
team, I’m happy everyone was positive and gave their best effort today. I hope to see you all next
week.” It is clear that this program is helping students make positive connections with one another,
and work on important life skills that aren’t necessarily addressed within a traditional academic curriculum.
Learn more about this innovative program at http://www.girlsontherunwesternma.org/
Autism Awareness
April is Autism Awareness month and presents an opportunity to celebrate and support our
autistic students, their teachers and families. Some of the activities associated with autism
awareness that have been held at Metcalf include:
 Craft, Bake Sale and Raffle event that took place during parent/teacher conferences.
 Sale of puzzle pieces for students and families to decorate or write a message in honor
of a student, family member, or friend with autism. We will have a collage of our puzzle
pieces on display outside of the cafeteria.
All of the proceeds from these events benefit students in Metcalf's Autism Programs. Thank
you to our staff, students families for your support!
Celebrating Spring
By Marianne Currier
On March 29th, McMahon School Kindergarten students and their families celebrated
the many ways the students have grown this year with a Spring Fling! Kindergarten
families were invited to join their children for Literacy and Spring Craft activities to
highlight what the students have been learning in their classrooms. The Kindergarten
teachers did an amazing job creating lots of fun, learning about activities for the students
and their families. Students wrote letters, popcorn words, numbers, and shapes as well
as their names in shaving cream—an excellent hands on learning activity that many parents, especially dads, were excited to see and try at home. The children planted seeds
and created a bird’s nest with clay, while sharing information they’ve learned about
springtime with their families. The children were so excited to show off their
knowledge and it was wonderful to see the families interacting with each other. Thank
you to all the McMahon School Kindergarten staff, students, and families for making this
event a great success.
McMahon Lights it Up Blue for the Kick-off to Autism Awareness Month
Students and staff wore blue to show support for our students with Autism. The
school will celebrate all month with activities for students and families, fundraising,
prizes, and will culminate with Autism Resource Night on Thursday April 28 th.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
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Preschool Alphabet Egg Hunt
By Hilary Russell
Preschool students at E.N. White Elementary took part in a special
Alphabet Egg Hunt on Thursday, March 24th. Students searched the
school's courtyard looking for eggs labeled with letters from their
names. Students then placed their eggs in special spring bunny baskets they had made in the classroom art center. The Preschool Alphabet Egg Hunt was very successful.
Visiting the Boston Science Museum By Hilary Russell
From left to right: Donahue staff members with smiles include Jennifer
Thanks to our wonderful, hard-working PTO (the E.N. White Tiger Pride Community Organization), in March, 7 th and 8th grade E.N. White students
Gonzalez (Family Access and Engagement Coordinator), Karyn McDerspent the day at Boston’s Science Museum exploring the interactive stations and visiting the Planetarium. They were able to test out many of the conmott (Assistant )Principal), and Erica Hernandez (Family Liaison).
cepts they have been exploring in their classrooms and had rave reviews of the Planetarium show. For some students, it was their first experience at a
planetarium. A great time was had by all and students were buzzing with energy from the experience.
Left: Eddie Kennedy and Stephany Perez help support the earth. Center: Students test out the light show. Right: Eighth grader Jacob Whitlock explores one of the exhibits.
Poetry Reading
By Julie Griffin-Pluta
The fourth graders recently held a poetry reading for family and friends. The students created and shared original poems inspired by Valerie Worth,
Walter Dean Meyers and Robert Frost. The students read their poems, shared how the poets inspired them, and described characteristics of their
work. Despite some nerves, all students did an amazing job sharing their work with such a large crowd!
Congratulations to Morgan School, recipient of the
Healthy Start Award, for its high rates of school
breakfast participation. The award will be presented at a
ceremony on May 5th at the State House in Boston.
Enchanted Circle Theater Rules to Live By Project
By Dr. Chiaravalloti and Mrs. Dimitroglou
Students in grades 4-6, presenting to the school committee.
Recently, the 6/7 grade team participated in an artist-in-residence program with Enchanted Circle Theater, a project integrating theater arts
with their English Language Arts core curriculum. Enchanted Circle teaching artist, Sarah Marcus, worked in partnership with Morgan teachers Dr.
Chiaravalloti and Ms. Bovat, to implement an arts integration project
called Creative Classrooms. Students on the team used the book they
were reading, Bud, Not Buddy, by Christopher Paul Curtis, to launch a
creative investigation in which they explored their own rules to live by.
Morgan School news continued on page 7.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 7
Embarking on a Writing Adventure
For the first time in 10 years, the Western Massachusetts Writing
Project had enough money for a one-day workshop this week that
engaged 144 students in workshops ranging from songwriting to writing for social change. Thirty students from the Maurice A. Donahue
School were lucky enough to engage in this opportunity. Selected by
their teachers for their good behavior and writing skills, 10 students
each from Grades 6, 7, and 8 traveled to UMass Amherst on March 15,
2016 for a day of intense workshops. Chaperoned by ELL teacher Janet
Morales, Grade 6 ELA teacher Mary Hamel and Grade 7 and 8 ELA
teacher Briget Reilly, the curious writers spent their day totally immersed in the world of creative writing.
By Brigetann Reilly
ment. “We’re learning things we have never learned before,” she said.
Grade 8 student, Hailee Enriquez was among the 4 Donahue students
who read their pieces on stage at the culminating event. Her piece
especially, brought tears to several eyes in the room. Her classmate,
Elizabeth Keitt said, “ When Hailee read that to us, I learned something
new about her. I see her differently now, in a good way.”
Each student was given the opportunity to submit their work to their
teacher who will then send their work to UMass for publication. All
pieces will be published in a book. We look forward to reading the
pieces all our aspiring authors have created.
Students in Grades 4 through 10 came from all over Western
Massachusetts to Bartlett Hall at the University of Massachusetts.
Titled the “Youth Writing Adventure,” the event featured six
workshops: songwriting, scriptwriting, writing for social change,
short story-writing, writing with action, and social justice poetry. Each workshop was held twice during the day – once for students in Grades 8-10, and the second for younger students. Each
student attended two workshops and was treated to a “real-life”
college cafeteria lunch.
For the students from Donahue in the workshop, this was a wonderful opportunity. All the students in grades 6,7, and 8 wanted to
come. There was so much interest in attending Tuesday’s writing
workshop that administrators had to pull names from a hat in
order to choose. “Coming to something like this is eye-opening
for my kids,” said Mary Hamel, 6th grade ELA teacher. “We don’t
get to do outside-of-the-box stuff like this. It blew their minds
that there are social justice teachers at other schools.” Alysha
Izquierdo, 12, is a Donahue student who echoed that senti-
The Donahue School CHAMPIONSHIP Intramural Basketball Team celebrated their exciting season on Friday, 2/26 with a Basketball Banquet held
in the Donahue School Cafeteria. Coaches Harold Casey and Dylan Casey
hosted this magnificent event, catered by Harold's gracious wife, Jeanna.
Families were treated to a wonderful meal and each basketball player received a Championship trophy, a team sweatshirt, and a watch. The coaches really out did themselves with this event. It was a great way to celebrate
a great season.
Morgan School news continued from page 6.
Throughout this six week unit, students read Bud, Not Buddy and explored the concept of having rules to live by (as modeled by the main
character and protagonist in the book, Bud Caldwell) while also developing self-confidence and performance skills through a series of theater
games. As Bud taught students the value of living by rules such as “Family
is the most important thing” and “When one door closes, another one
opens,” Morgan 6th and 7th graders brainstormed and collected their own
rules to live by. Toward the end of the project, students began to work
cooperatively in small groups to create dramatic elements they could use
to “perform” their own rules. Finally, with Sarah Marcus’ guidance, each
homeroom worked together to create a final performance montage with
each student having a speaking role with visual and audio accompaniments to perform their celebrated Rules to Live By.
On March 22nd, 4th grade students presented Real Pirates: Exploring the
History of Pirating through Song. This live theater presentation was the
culmination of an 8 day artist-in-residence program with Enchanted Circle Theater. Through this dynamic program, teaching artist Emma Ayres
collaborated with ELA teacher Dean Nash, ELD teacher Kelly Dimitroglou, and the talented 4th grade students of Morgan School to research, write, rehearse, and perform a dramatic musical presentation
related to the current topic and school's standards-based curriculum.
Fourth grade students had examined the life of pirates through a variety
of disciplines. In English Language Arts, students read informational text
on famous pirates and their adventures, dove into classic literature including Treasure Island and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and engaged in
academic discussions regarding philosophical questions such as "Why do
we seek treasure?”. As geographers, students explored the Gulf Stream
Given the opportunity for reflection, many students observed how much
and other currents that carried the pirate ships, and as social scientists
they had grown in their own ability to stand up in front of an audience to
they considered the impact of the “Triangular Trade” on the economy
deliver a speech or performance. More importantly, students and staff
and history of the United States. Enchanted Circle Theater’s artist-inalike reflected on the teamwork and cooperation skills displayed by the
residence program integrated these topics, the ELA Common Core State
students to make the group performance a success. This integrated
Standards, and the Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum
project not only allowed students to internalize the life lessons offered by
Framework with the theater arts into one cohesive unit. Through the
the novel Bud, Not Buddy, but it also allowed students to develop new self
process of creating Real Pirates, students developed their critical thinking
-confidence and cooperation skills, as displayed proudly during the final
and creative interpretation abilities, as well as enhanced their communiperformances. Working in collaboration with an Enchanted Circle teachcation and collaborative learning skills. Fourth grade student Aliesh Coting artist on an integrated project was truly an excellent experience for
to Torres summed up the artist-in-residence experience by saying, “It
students and staff alike.
was wonderful, fun, and just plain awesome!”
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
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Peck-Lawrence
Peck Campus
Student Voices
On March 10th Peck School held Student Council elections. Thirty-two students from the elementary and middle school elected to run for office
this year. They wanted to have a chance to make their school better. “Students wanted to have more voice and we listened to them, so now we’re
creating the opportunity for students to have more impact and more buy-in” said Delinda Dykes, Director of Climate and Culture. All students
cast their votes after having had the opportunity to hear speeches from all the candidates. Middle School (MS) President Destiny Calderon remarked, “I was very excited when I learned I had won the presidency. I plan to work
hard to make sure that students have a voice in the school and to help make changes
to make our school better.” Elementary School (Elem) President Amaya Rodriguez
stated, “It felt amazing to win because there were so many other kids running for the
office. I plan to work hard as president.”
Other elected members include:
Amanda Concepcion – MS Vice President
Jose Serrano – MS Secretary
Desmond Figueroa – MS Historian
Joanys Marcano – MS Treasurer
Graciliana Laureano – MS Parliamentarian
Ariadnna Ramos – Elem Vice President
Amarilee Gonzales – Elem Secretary
Miranda Rivera – Elem Treasurer
Alexandra Osorio – Elem Historian
Etiam Soto – Elem Parliamentarian
Elementary President
Amaya Rodriguez
Middle School President
Destiny Calderon
TIP Classrooms on the Go
On March 18th five middle school TIP classrooms accompanied by their teachers and support staff
travelled to Amherst for an exceptionally fun and educational field trip. They visited the Amherst
Planetarium, the Natural History Museum, and were able to enjoy a nature walk. TIP Science teacher
Mr. Chris Allen observed, “We wanted to show the kids authentic applications of what they have been
learning in the classroom.” He went on to explain, “The planetarium correlates to the Middle School
(MS) science curriculum for outer space and the Natural History Museum ties in directly with the MS
biology and evolution curriculum.” Mr. Larry Ross, TIP History teacher, secured grant funding for the
trip and observed further, “The planetarium brought to life our study of Greek Mythology.” John
Santiago, a student in Mr. Ross’s classroom stated, “I liked the constellations of the Greek Gods and
the animal structures in the museum.” All MS students exhibiting safe behavior leading up to the day
of the trip were eligible to attend.
Natural History Museum
BINGO
Isela Rivera, Family Engagement Coordinator and her many awesome volunteers hosted the first BINGO night
at Peck on March 10th from 5:00PM – 7:00PM. It was a night full of fun and prizes for the entire Peck community. Cookies and other refreshments were served and many prizes were given out including gift cards and books.
The big prize was a brand new bike won by 6th grader Zulier Marquez (right), who said, “I was shocked that I
won! I am proud of winning the bike because not everyone has one. I like riding it around my neighborhood.”
The next Bingo night will be on April 29th at 6 PM in the School gym.
Welcome To Peck Ms. Salvador!
Peck Full Service Community School is proud to welcome Ms. Kendra Salvador as our new principal starting
this July. Ms. Salvador comes to Holyoke Public Schools with a mission to build on great programs that already
exist at Peck and create new educational opportunities that meet the needs of all students across the school.
She brings a deep knowledge and expertise on standards-based instruction and a high expectations culture for
all students. The Peck Full Service Community welcomes Ms. Salvador and we look forward to working with
her as we continue to strive towards achieving our potential and reaching our goals.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
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Lawrence Campus
Blue Star Winners
By Cathy Hourihan
As part of our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiative,
we have a weekly art and craft activity in the cafeteria on Thursday afternoons. At 2:00 PM an announcement is made to select one lucky student
from each classroom’s basket of stars. That student is celebrated in the class
and comes to the cafeteria for a surprise art and craft project. The more
stars a student earns, the more chances that his/her name will be selected.
Enchanted Circle Theater - Reading Alive!
At Lawrence School
Lawrence Parent Volunteers Tour
Wistariahurst Gallery
Kindergarten students and parents were invited to be part
of a spectacular art integration project, Reading Alive! This
program encouraged students to read with expression, to
explore interpretation and comprehension, and experience
some of the many joys of reading in a fun and creative
format.
In celebration of Women’s History Month,
Wistariahurst presented an exhibition on Our
Grandmothers: Empowerment and Legacy. On March
16th, four parent volunteers toured the exhibit to
look at photographs and texts that promoted a
dialogue on real historical witnesses and personal
experiences.
Adult ESL Class at the Lawrence PreK-3 Campus
by Lisa Hraba
Since March 1, a bi-weekly adult ESL class has been taking place at
Lawrence School. Half of the ten adult students attending the class are
the parents of six Lawrence students. These adult learners are committed to improving their English skills. Our focus is on increasing
English vocabulary and oral-language skills. So far, we’ve worked on
plural nouns, emotions, days of the week, months of the year, and
verbs. We’ve just started the following new vocabulary topics: weather, seasons, and articles of clothing. Keep up the good work, life-long
learners!
Family Fun Night
Students and their families were
invited to a birthday party to
celebrate renown children’s author,
Dr. Seuss. Lawrence staff (Maureen
Dupont, Jessica O’Malley, Nancy
Catir, Elise Mitchell, and Sue Leary)
created a birthday party atmosphere
with pin the hat on the cat and other
birthday games. A delicious Cat in
the Hat cake was served. Yum!
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
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Business Club Raises Funds for Awareness of Addiction
Through fundraising efforts, the Business Club has hired Chris Herren to come to speak to the
students on May 20th at 1:15 PM. This is the second time the Club has funded a visit from Mr.
Herron to talk to students about the danger of addiction.
Dodge for the Blue Knight Raises $2,700
By Jill Reardon
The Sport Management II class presented a $2,700 check to a
representative of St. Jude's Children's Hospital on Friday, April
8th. The students hosted a dodgeball tournament fundraiser
called "Dodge for The Blue Knight" and the funds raised are
donated in memory of Erick Matos who passed away last year
after a valiant fight against cancer. The tournament- was held
Wednesday, March 16th in Holyoke High School's large gym.
See video of the check presentation on our Facebook page.
By Nicole Horton
New Inductions to the National Honor Society
Recently, Holyoke High inducted 23 new juniors into the National Honor Society (NHS). They join 25
seniors already in the group. To be considered, students must show evidence of excellence in the four
pillars of NHS: scholarship, character, leadership and service. At the induction ceremony, the group collected more that 50 pounds of food which was donated to Margaret's Pantry. Congratulations to the
following new inductees: Lauren Beaulieu, Matthew Bevan, Jacques Courchesne, Jackeline Curet, Kiara
DeJesus, Maeghan Desmarais, Shannon Dion, Justin Godbout, Darian Gonzalez, Sarah Healy, Amber
Lempke, Anaili Lopez, Alix Lopez, Nicole Lussier, Yarijel Melendez, Josephine Moriarty, Sara Morin, Manon
Nadeau, Brianne Ramirez, Kiara Rivera, Tamara Rivera, Nysha Sanchez, and Ryan Walsh.
Last week, the NHS welcomed the American Red Cross to HHS for our second blood drive of this school
year. A record 53 pints of blood were collected from HHS students and staff. Since April 2015, the NHS
has sponsored 3 blood drives and have collected a total of 133 pints of blood. NHS students volunteered
throughout the day in a variety of capacities including assisting with registration and supporting their fellow
classmates, both during and after donating. Several members also donated blood. It was a fantastic day of
giving!
Dual Enrollment Participation Increases
Thanks to our partnership with Holyoke Community College (HCC), early college opportunities are growing in the Holyoke Public Schools (HPS)
and will continue to grow in the coming years. Twenty students participate in dual enrollment offerings at Holyoke Community College - an increase
of eighteen students since the fall semester- due in part to a scheduling change and the guidance department’s collaboration with the college. The
dual enrollment program affords our high school students with the unique opportunity to take college classes at Holyoke Community College.
Only certain college classes can be taken for dual enrollment credit. These courses expose qualifying juniors and seniors to challenging and rigorous
coursework at a college-level which in turn helps prepare them for college. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to challenge themselves academically and begin to acquaint themselves with the culture of higher education. One of our goals is to ensure that students are college and career
ready when they graduate from Holyoke High School, and dual enrollment is one resource we have, and plan to rely on heavily, in achieving that goal.
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Page 11
Blood Drive
Destination Graduation
By Cynthia Carbone
The 3rd annual, "Destination Graduation" wellness, education, and career
resource fair was held April 7th in Dean Technical High School’s gymnasium. Nearly 50 community partners shared information about their agency,
school, or business at this event.
"Destination Graduation was held during National Public Health Week, as
part of Dean's celebration “Wellness Works.” The American Public Health
Association encourages becoming part of a movement for change during
Public Health Week and to help all young people to graduate from high
school. Co-chair Cynthia Carbone explains that DTHS views this resource
fair as an important part of their comprehensive focus on their students’
overall wellness, education, and careers--with the intent to improve high
school graduation and provide their students with the skills they need to help
them be healthy and successful adults. UMass Amherst's Nancy Gilbert, cochair, and her senior Community Health nursing students were active in
every aspect of the fair planning. Dean Student Ambassadors welcomed and
assisted exhibitors and visitors to the event. Students, family, and community
members enjoyed free food, information, raffles and fun!
DTHS's third and final blood drive of the year will
be held on May 12 in the DTHS gymnasium from
9 AM—2 PM and is open to the public. For more
information or to make an appointment, call
Cynthia Carbone, Wellness Coordinator at
413-534-2071.
Free Mobile Dental Program for Dean Students
Holyoke Health Center offered a fully equipped FREE mobile
dental program for Dean Tech students. Dental caries is the #1
chronic disease in children and toothaches and mouth pain are
often reasons why students miss school. Dean students had
access to restorative and preventative care including cleanings,
exams, x-rays, fillings, sealants, fluoride treatments and oral hygiene instruction at school on April 12th. Dental professionals
included board certified pediatric dental specialists trained and
dedicated to providing caring and compassionate oral health care
for teens. The university-based-faculty, staff dentists and residents offered comprehensive care and a free dental care kit was
provided to each student. The Mobile Dental Team accepts
MassHealth, Children’s Medical Security Plan, Health Safety Net
and most private insurances. If you are interested in finding out
more information about their next scheduled visit, contact Dean
Wellness Coordinator Cynthia Carbone, RN, MSN, MEd at
413-534-2071 or Maureen Vosburgh, Pediatric Dental Outreach
Coordinator at 413-420-2191.
A very special Poetry and Portrait Art Exhibit by 9th grade ELL
students from Dean Technical High School was held at The
Riverview Restaurant at Dean Tech.
This is one of several culminating events of a year-long arts integration program with ENCHANTED CIRCLE, emphasizing creative and critical thinking, and self-presentation on culturally relevant themes.
Dean students traveled to Boston, Massachusetts on February 25 th to join
Governor Baker and members of the Massachusetts Workforce Skills
Cabinet at an event where it was announced that DTHS was awarded a
$393,156 Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant to purchase and install vocational technical equipment.
Educators have identified that the Machine Technology Shop needed imAthletics continued
provements, which will now be made possible with the Skills Capital
on transform
page 11. the existing
Grant. The grant will enable the high school to
Machine Technology Shop into an Advanced Manufacturing Program that
is more closely aligned with current industry standards, in terms of practices and equipment.
DTHS students Eric Torres, Hector Cabrera, Luis Breton, Edeni Colon
and Daniel Torres attended the ceremony and were treated to a private
tour of the Senate Chamber led by Senator Donald Humason.
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Page 12
Athletics UPDATE
By Melanie Martin
Middle School intramural Soccer begins on Thursday, April 28 th. Games will be played at Donahue School, with three games per day at 4:00, 5:00
and 6:00 PM. The play-offs will be held in June at Holyoke High School turf.
High School sports schedules are available online at the HPS website’s Athletics page - http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/athletics.htm
HOLYOKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MELANIE MARTIN WINS DAMKO AWARD
Holyoke Public Schools Director of Athletics Melanie Martin was selected to receive the Theodore "Ted" Damko District F Award. “This award is
presented annually to an Athletic administrator with 3-5 years of experience in each district who has exemplified the highest standards of their profession and has made significant contributions to their school and community,” said Dick Baker, Massachusetts Secondary Schools Athletic Directors Association (MSSADA) Public Relations Director, in an award notification to Ms. Martin.
Holyoke High School Principal Stephen Sullivan stated, “I cannot think of anyone who would be more deserving of an award that exemplifies high standards of professionalism and service to school and community. I do not know of anyone who is more dedicated to the youth of Holyoke than Melanie
Martin. It is an absolute privilege to work with her and I cannot thank her enough for all she does for our city.”
Ms. Martin is one of eight athletic administrators selected to receive this prestigious statewide award. She began working in the Holyoke Public Schools
as Athletic Trainer in 1994 and was promoted to the role of Athletic Director in 2012. Ms. Martin received the award at the Massachusetts Secondary
School Athletics Directors Association (MSSADA) Conference in March. Congratulations Mel!
Visit our Athletic Department webpage http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/athletics.htm
For Program Information, contact: The Athletic Office, (413) 493-1683 [email protected]
CONNECTIONS Family Event “Grows” Success
at E.N. White School
By Stacey Funston
On Tuesday evening, February 23rd, the CONNECTIONS program at
E.N. White Elementary School welcomed 47 people for a Family Fun
Night. Families toured the program and learned about the different
enrichment offerings. They then participated in a discussion about why
they have their students in the program and gave some great feedback.
Some of the parent quotes from surveys were: “I feel it is important for
a child to engage in some sort of extracurricular activity,” “I work later
hours and feel good knowing he is safe at school with familiar staff and
students,” and “Everything you guys do is really good and it has helped
my child improve how he interacts with friends and adults.”
Families decorating pots for planting
Students then joined their family to plant cooking herbs in a pot that
they decorated. After the activity, the families were treated to a complimentary pasta dinner and a raffle where fun and educational board
games were given as prizes. CONNECTIONS is looking to learn how to
best support families and their students with our programs, and will be
holding a Family Night such as this at other after-school sites this year.
For more information about this program, please call the
Hope Guardenier from School Sprouts gives families instructions on how
CONNECTIONS office at 413-534-2168.
to plant cooking herbs.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
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Holyoke Public Schools
Volumen 14, Edición 3
Primavera 2016
Artist: Destiny Franco
Una Carta Abierta a la Comunidad de la Escuela Holyoke
Celebrando la Enseñanza y el Aprendizaje
Por Dr. Stephen Zrike, Receptor de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke
Artista Siannah Santos, Donahue
Familias de Holyoke y Miembros de la Comunidad,
Ha sido un privilegio celebrar los estudiantes con talento y el personal de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke en los últimos meses. En marzo
pudimos reconocer a siete miembros del personal que fueron galardonados con el premio Howard Grinspoon a la Excelencia en Pioneer
Valley. Al celebrar y honrar a estos maestros, no podía evitar pensar que estos premios se podrían haber dado a innumerables maestros en
todas las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke. Todo el año he visto a nuestros maestros hacer todo lo posible para conectarse con las familias,
ampliamente planear lecciones para todos los estudiantes, dar un abrazo o palabras de aliento a un estudiante renuente y mantener una
actitud abierta sobre nuestro trabajo de reestructuración. Lo más esencial e importante es nuestro personal, y estamos comprometidos a
continuar el desarrollo, apoyo y abogar por su éxito con los niños de nuestra ciudad.
Al mismo tiempo, también hay que destacar el extraordinario talento de nuestros jóvenes. En los últimos meses, nuestros estudiantes se han
celebrado para: su inducción a la Sociedad Nacional de Honor, su rendimiento en la evaluación del MCAS del año pasado, la excelencia en el
atletismo, una aclamada actuación de Shrek, sus obras de arte anual en la demostración de Heritage Park y logros sobresalientes en los campos de carreras técnicas. Estos son sólo algunos de los muchos ejemplos de estudiantes que comparten su brillo a través de las Escuelas
Públicas de Holyoke.
Hay mucho para construir y crecer al comenzar la planificación para el año escolar 2016-17. Hemos completado una serie de revisiones
importantes y exhaustivas de nuestra programación de educación especial, nuestros servicios para estudiantes Aprendices del Lenguaje Inglés, y nuestro diseño de la oficina central. Estas revisiones han revelado oportunidades para servir mejor a nuestros estudiantes. En concreto, hemos comprometido recursos para: proporcionarles a las escuelas con fondos discrecionales adicionales para apoyar sus planes de jornada escolar completa, lanzamiento de una campaña agresiva para retener a nuestros mejores educadores y reclutar talento para Holyoke, y
mejorar el acceso de tecnología para estudiantes y personal. Seguimos invirtiendo en la experiencia de la primera infancia a través de la expansión de asientos en edad preescolar, la introducción del plan de estudios basado en proyectos y una mayor orientación a nuestras escuelas. Nuestros esfuerzos de rediseño secundarias están enfocados en establecer una academia personalizada de 9º grado en la Escuela Secundaria de Holyoke - HHS, lo que aumenta las opciones universitarias tempranas para los estudiantes y el diseño de múltiples vías para el éxito
de los estudiantes a través de los dos campos de la escuela secundaria. Por último, valoramos proporcionar a nuestras familias con múltiples
opciones para la educación de sus hijos. Seguimos ampliando el programa de lenguaje dual en la Escuela Metcalf por el crecimiento de segundo grado y añadiendo una opción de pre-escolar para las familias interesadas. Además, hemos puesto en marcha un emocionante programa
de vía personalizada (P ) en la Escuela Peck que está abierto a todos los estudiantes de 6º y 7º grado de todo el Distrito. Este enfoque utiliza
el poder de la tecnología de uno-a-uno para proporcionar a los estudiantes una experiencia de aprendizaje individualizado que incluye el
tiempo basado en proyectos, asesoramiento, intervención / aceleración y enriquecimiento.
3
Gracias por su continuo apoyo y asociación a medida que tomamos medidas audaces e innovadoras para transformar la experiencia en la
enseñanza de nuestros educadores y la experiencia de aprendizaje para nuestros estudiantes. Estamos comprometidos a asegurar que las
escuelas Holyoke son la primera opción para las familias de nuestra ciudad.
Visite www.Facebook.com/HolyokePublicSchools y dale “me gusta” para recibir noticias, videos y fotos actualizadas del distrito.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 14
Connections
Connections
Aplique hoy para unirse al equipo de educadores de
las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke!
Visita www.teachwesternmass.com.
ACADEMIA DE 9VENO. GRADO CASA ABIERTA
11 de mayo de 2016 – 5:45 PM—Auditori de la Escuela Secundaria de Holyoke - HHS
Para Estudiantes de 8tavo. grado que van a comenzar el 9veno. grado en la Escuela
Secundaria de Holyoke – HHS en el 2016
¡Reciba un recorrido de la escuela!
¡Conozca los miembros de los clubs & equipos deportivos!
¡Esperamos verte ahi!
Pre-Kínder y Kindergarten—Inscribirse Hoy
Los niños de Pre-K deben tener 4 años de edad y los niños de Kínder deben tener 5
años de edad en o antes de septiembre 1, del año 2016.
Véase la página 15 para más detalles, incluyendo el horario INFORMACIÓN DE SESIONES
GANADORES DEL PREMIO ANNE CULLEN
Anne Cullen era una maestra dedicada a los estudiantes de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke (HPS) durante treinta años. A
lo largo de su carrera como educadora, ella exhibió un compromiso constante esforzándose por dar lo mejor a todos sus
estudiantes.
En honor a su ejemplo, el Premio Anne Cullen para la Excelencia en la Enseñanza reconoce maestros sobresalientes en
matemáticas y otras disciplinas, Los ganadores ejemplifican y encarnan la creencia de que todos los estudiantes pueden
alcanzar el éxito.
Los maestros de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke seleccionados influyen:Roseanne Caracciolo, David Cayer, Kari
Courchesne, Lindsay Hall, Erin Hanley, Karen Kent, Katherine King, Ashley Kulik, Tamara Lindskog, Michelle Longey, Amy
Piedra, Manes Pierre, Kathleen Plasse, Yajaira Rodriguez, Julie Rohan and Dustin Rose.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 15
LAS MATRICULAS PARA PRE-K Y KINDER ESTAN ABIERTAS PARA EL AÑO ESCOLAR 2016-17
Los niños de Pre-K deben tener 4 años de edad y los niños de Kínder deben tener 5 años de edad para el 1 de septiembre 2016.
ASISTA A UN DIA DE MATRICULAS EN LAS ESCUELAS para que conozca el personal, complete la inscripción y explorar los
programas (incluidos los programas de Head Start y VOC y Pre-K):
Escuela Sullivan
Viernes, Mayo 6
8:30 am – 2:45 pm (Llame a Aida para programar una visita al 534-2100)
Escuela Lawrence
Viernes, Mayo 20
8:30 am – 2:45 pm
Escuela Kelly
Lunes, Mayo 23
5 pm – 7 pm
Escuela EN White
Miércoles, Mayo 25
8:30 am – 2:45 pm (Recorridos disponibles 9-11 am o 1:00-2:45 pm)
rd
Escuela McMahon
Jueves, Mayo 26
6pm – 7 pm
Escuela Donahue
Viernes, Mayo 27
8:30 am – 2:45 pm
Escuela Morgan
Martes, Mayo 31
8:30 am – 2:45 pm
EXPLORE EL PROGRAMA DE LENGUAJE DUAL EN LA ESCUELA METCALF. La Escuela Metcalf ofrece un Programa de Lenguaje Dual
único para estudiantes de Pre-K al segundo grado. Este innovador programa ofrece oportunidades de adquisición del lenguaje en Inglés y Español. Llame a Amy Burke, Directora al 413-534-2104 o visita el 2019 Northampton St. En Holyoke. MA para una aplicación y obtener más información.
PARA CITAS DE MATRICULAS EN OTROS MOMENTOS, APLICACIONES E INFORMACION, LLAMAR O VISITAR LA: OFICINA
DE MATRICULA DE ESTUDIANTES – 57 de la Calle Suffolk, 1er. piso en Holyoke – (413) 534-2007 / (413) 534-2055
Lunes, Jueves y Viernes 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Martes y Miércoles: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Premio Excelencia en la Enseñanza de Pioneer Valley
El prestigioso Premio a la Excelencia en la Enseñanza de Pioneer Valley 2016 (PVEIT) fue presentado a los siguientes siete educadores de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke el jueves, 5 de marzo:
De izquierda a derecha
Fila superior: Korri Flynn, Nicole Horton;
Fila del medio: Mary Wright,
Annemarie Khalil,
Fila inferior: Destinee Meeker,
Margaret Miller y Erin Hanley
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Page 16
Holyoke Public Schools
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