Connections Connections Newsletter

Holy oke P ublic Sc ho ols Connections Holyoke Public Schools Volume 12, Issue 1 A Community Working Together Fall 2013 An Open Letter to the Holyoke School Community A New Day By Dr. Sergio Páez, Superintendent of Schools Artist: Kaitlyn Zimowski, Morgan The work ahead of us is the beginning of a Remember, when it gets tough, don't blame new chapter in the history of Holyoke. We the students. Our responsibility is to figure Inside this issue: are facing a challenge that requires the best out which strategy will work with each stu- that we can offer to transform our system. dent, because everyone comes with a differ- As in any transformation, we need to stay ent, compelling story. We are trying to Announcements 2 focused on our purpose, and nothing could change history, and although it won't be be more meaningful than being the force easy, it will be rewarding. When it gets really behind fundamentally changing the lives of tough, try to envision the students they are School News 3-10 thousands of students. becoming, not the students they are at that moment. We are striving to revise every aspect of our Family Literacy 11 work to ensure that we do the best every Also, we work to make a difference in the day to help our students. We are putting in life of every student we meet; however, not place every support system necessary to every student will succeed in the short time Health News 12 ensure our staff has available options to sup- we have with them. This doesn't mean we port our students. It will take time to devel- can give up on students; it reminds us not to op all new structures: scope and sequence, blame ourselves when we can't reach a stu- lesson plan development, strong connections dent. Often, the life lessons we teach are Spanish 13-16 with students with learning disabilities and not realized until the students are ready to English language learners. Using our inquiry learn them -- years after they have left our cycle to assess our progress in our class- schools. rooms and in our programs and services is Edition Highlights: essential. We are going to continue to im- We face the challenge of how to uncover plement and improve what works and reas- ● Metcalf Spanish Program the talents and gifts our students possess. ● PBIS at Donahue sess and revise what does not work. We must discover how our students learn, and then, with that understanding, we need ● Dean Project Grad to show them how to make sense of ● Kelly Walking School the world. Over the years, many of Bus you have developed the knowledge of our students and their families, and I welcome your thoughts on how we may continue improving our teaching and interventions to inspire our students every day. This is in fact a new day and we are going to make sure all our students reach their potential. We are going to transform our system. Have a wonder- ful year! Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Page 2 Connections Parents— Mission Statement Are you interested in The mission of the becoming more involved in Holyoke Public Schools is to provide Free Fun for the your children’s educational opportunities for all Whole Family— education? See page 11. students to reach their full potential in a safe, secure, healthy See Title One learning environment Events Listing on while valuing diversity Page 12. and promoting responsible citizenship. Holyoke School School Committee Meetings Committee Visit the Holyoke Public Schools website to view meeting schedule: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/schoolcommittee.htm Mayor Alex Morse Dennis Birks Margaret Boulais Special Education Advisory Council (SEPAC) Meetings William Collamore Please join other concerned parents at our upcoming meetings for the 2013-2014 Joshua Garcia school year. There is strength in numbers and support from others who are sharing similar experiences. Our combined efforts can influence the success of our children, Yvonne Garcia as well as shape their futures. Howard Greaney Cesar Lopez UPCOMING MEETINGS—6:00 PM at Lawrence School Michael Moriarty January 6, 2014: Literacy Links Devin Sheehan March 3, 2014: OT/PT/Speech “Make and Take Activities” May 5, 2014: Overview of Summer Program Offerings Read More at http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/pdf/announcements/SEPAC.pdf Contact: [email protected] or Dawn- [email protected] Deadline for article submis- sions to be in- cluded in the Connections Connections Newsletter Newsletter Edited by Judy Taylor [email protected] Winter Edition: Editors Emeritus: Kelly Doktor and Laura DuPont January 10, Translated by: Luz Aguillar 2014. “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” ‒Ralph Marston Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Page 3 The Yunque at Peck Campus By Antonia Santiago A New Community In room 232S, Mr. Munoz has created an By Catherine Hourihan oasis with tropical plants, garden statues, and fountains. When you enter the room you will feel as if you have stepped The Peck/Lawrence Full Service Community School K-3 campus opened right into the Yunque rain forest in Puer- on August 28th for the first time. We are so excited to be at our new to Rico! Students and teachers have campus in the neighborhood of our students. It seemed like a homecom- used this room for various reasons and it ing for some and a new experience for others, however for our entire has quickly become a popular area in the faculty, students and families it is an exciting new adventure in learning. school. The “Yunque Room” is a must Our Full Service Community School (FSCS) is continuing on with all of the see for all! same programs and services that were available at the Peck campus last year. This year however, we are offering an adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class during the day for our students’ parents. This class is held in the Family Resource Room on the Lawrence K-3 cam- Reading Tastes Good pus. (For more information about this exciting class, see page 11). Our school’s focus is on early literacy and we are putting systems in place to By Pamela Novinsky & Amy Piedra improve reading levels at all grades. We are looking forward to a successful year of rigorous work, improved scores, and enthusiastic, motivated On October 1st, the fourth graders at students. Peck had “Milk & Cookies: Reading in the Afternoon”. This was an oppor- tunity for families to get together, News from the Shelves enjoy refreshments and read together. There were many guests at the By Ms. Gartsu afternoon gathering. Jason Lefebvre from the Holyoke Public Library was on hand so students and their families Wow! Our first few months of school have come and gone! During the could sign up for library cards. The past couple of weeks, we have enjoyed books, and other multimedia for- Holyoke Fire Department came to mats such as music and videos, in celebration of National Hispanic Herit- share the importance of reading and age Month. Most students should now have their own individual library distribute books to all who attended. cards, which they need to bring with them when they come to check out Our special guest, Dr. Paul Hyry- books. In the coming weeks, Ms. Gartsu will be working with students to Dermith, read-aloud and was able to establish their own Destiny Library accounts, where students can manage visit with families. It was a joyous reading event that brought together many of their own library needs. teachers, families, and the community. Students Speak Out By Cathy Foley Students shared some of their thoughts about the beginning of the school year: Zack Valentin, grade eight, “I think that it is exciting to begin a new year because you can be with your old friends and you can look forward to meeting new friends.” STUDENTS SPEAKING OUT INCLUDE: K. Angelina Collazo, “As I start my seventh grade year, I am determined to be successful and pass all my classes. This will mean I have to do my work and my ANDUALUZ, A. ASCIOTI AND Z. VALENTIN. homework and try my best by studying for tests and not giving up on hard projects.” Angelique Ascioti, grade eight, “This year I want to learn more about math and pass all my classes so that I can move on to high school.” Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Page 4 Connections Learning Beyond the Classroom—Big E Field Trip By Kelly Doktor Nearly sixty second-grade students from Sullivan Elementary School took an educational agricultural field trip to The Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) on Monday, September 23rd to see academics in action. The trip, which is taken each year, allows all students and staff to enter without charge courtesy of The Big E. As a culminating event to the Economics Unit, focusing on consumer, producer, buyer and seller along with goods and services bought and sold in the community, students were able to see books come to life. In the Mallary Building, students saw a sheep-shearer shearing the sheep; wom- en spinning wool on spinning wheels and creating products on looms; as well as cows being milked. Moving on to the Farm-A-Rama, the students were able to try their hands, literally, at milking a fake cow; seeing award- winning pumpkins, and the highlight of the day…watching the baby chicks in the Chick Hatchery.

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