Holyoke Public Schools Connections Holyoke Public Schools A Community Working Together Our Web site: www.hps.holyoke.ma.us Volume 6, Issue 3 Spring 2008 Spring has sprung for Holyoke Public Schools By Eduardo B. Carballo tion will take place May 1 with Superintendent of Schools the Merry-Go- Inside this issue: Round Reception and Banquet. Let me tell you about what is Each year we coming up over the next few recognize stu- weeks and what has been going dents in grades six Look Back at Lynch Middle 2 on. through twelve First, I hope that many of you who have been were able to experience Holy- selected on the • Mayor Sullivan oke High School’s production of basis of scholar- • HPS Web site news 3 Anything Goes. The students and ship, leadership staff worked very hard to stage and citizenship. an outstanding show and gave You will read Parent Information 4 excellent performances. more about this in the newspaper We also had the opportunity to next month as Patricia Redfern, Donahue grade 4 teacher, receives select some outstanding teachers • Celebrating Dr. Seuss the Republican her Harold Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Teach- for the Harold Grinspoon Excel- newspaper ing from Supt. Dr. Eduardo Carballo. Full photo gallery • Title I Event Listing 5 lence in Teaching Award. Seven usually has an of all Grinspoon winners is on page 8. of our teachers were notified on insert all about March 12th that they were re- the Rising Stars. from Lawrence and Lynch to cipients for this year. They are Grinspoon Award Winners 8 Debra Sherburne, E.N. White As many of you know by now, Peck. Later in the fall, the main School; Eileen Farrington, Kelly the outlook for next year’s office will begin to make prepa- school funding is of great con- rations to move to Lawrence School; Patricia Redfern, Dona- hue School, Christopher van cern to the community. Our School. It is anticipated it will Leeuwen, Sullivan School; Mi- budget forecasting predicts we take some time to prepare the Letter to the Editor 10 chael McKenna, Holyoke High will fall shy of the amount of building to properly receive the administrative offices. School; Lyle Clark, Dean Techni- dollars needed to continue the • Pi Day cal High School; and Evelyn current level of services for all of Over the next few weeks I will • Wistariahurst Tickets 12 Melendez, Lynch Middle School. our students. It seems we are complete my work as a member Congratulations to all of them! always weathering some type of of Governor Deval Patrick’s storm. I ask families and friends As you know beginning this Readiness Team. After many Spanish Highlights 13- of the school district to stay month the State Assessment weeks and months of working strong during these difficult 16 System, MCAS, is launched. We with some outstanding people times and, whenever possible, look forward to our students from across the Commonwealth join our efforts to communicate doing very well again and are to put together our visions of to state officials and politicians asking you to continue to help what education could be here in the need to support our com- them. We believe our students the State of Massachusetts, I’m are ready and they have been munity. somewhat saddened at the pros- working very hard. It is impor- During the month of February, pect that these plans will have to tant for them to get support at our School Committee took the wait longer as the state looks home, plenty of rest and sleep unprecedented step, in an effort towards finding more than $1.5 and to start out the day with a to save as many teachers as billion to balance the budget. good breakfast. If you would like possible, to close three schools I’m encouraged by our legislative to know more ways in which and to reopen one housing the support to at least increase you can help your child during central office and the Alternative Chapter 70 funding and I hope in the testing period, please contact Program. We want you to un- future years some of our pro- the principal and your child’s derstand that neither the School posed programs can come to teacher. Committee nor I wanted to do pass. that, but given the economic Celebrate Holyoke Public I hope you all enjoy the Spring outlook of the state, it left us no Schools week is April 28 through weather that is to come. choice. As soon as school closes May 2. Our Rising Stars recogni- in June we will begin the move Page 2 Connections Edited by - Kelly Doktor - [email protected] Special Thanks to: Luz Aguilar, Cris Brown, Kim Counter, Laura DuPont, Mike Hines, Aaron Patterson, Judy Taylor and Judy Williams Mission Statement Contributing to this issue: The mission of the Carol Babkiewicz Eileen Driscoll Debbie Menard Holyoke Public Schools Pam Berwald Kathy Dunn Winnie Moynihan is to provide educational Pauline Carriere Helen Gibson Laura Pravitz opportunities for all students to reach their Eileen Cavanaugh Karen Guillette Hava Preye full potential in a safe, John Cavanaugh Lois Keefe Linda Prystupa secure, healthy learning Karen Chouinard Wendy Kelleher Hilary Russell environment while Mary Curro Joanne Marcotte Efrain Santos valuing diversity and promoting responsible Steve Damon Rebecca Masters Nancy Stenberg citizenship. Jessica Dennis Lee McGarrigle Karen Turcotte Closing after 55 years A look at the early years at Lynch Middle School Looking through the school archives and remi- The educational model the school was follow- niscing over the school’s dedication booklet, ing at this time was a junior high school model. it’s quite clear the school building located at Some of the classes offered were Household 1575 Northampton Street has stood the test of Arts or Industrial Arts, Hygiene and Assembly time as an important part of public school his- or Activity. The school activities included: tory and the history of Holyoke. John J. Lynch Student Council, School Publications & Guides, Junior High School was dedicated on February Band, Honor Society, Choir, Safety Patrol, Ath- 6, 1953 with a series of public events and tours letics, Assemblies, Drama, Clubs, Dancing, Ba- Holyoke School to showcase the ton, Swimming and School Committee “modern” junior high Dances. school. The school was An entire page of the dedi- named after John J. Lynch; cation book is devoted to a principal in the Holyoke Mayor Michael Sullivan “The Junior High School Public Schools from 1894- Idea”. Mr. Lynch may have William Collamore 1941. The front page of introduced the idea of a the dedication booklet Mary Signet college preparatory cur- honors Mr. Lynch as a riculum as early as 1903 in Yvonne Garcia man “whose name and the West Street School and distinguished achieve- Barry Conway soon interest grew in the ments will be perpetuated notion of housing grades 6- Mollie Plant in the minds and hearts of young boys and girls 9 in a different building to accommodate the who seek learning within the walls of this Margaret Boulais changing needs of students in this age group. school.” Carol Murphy, current math coach at Lynch, Gladys Lebron-Martinez The dedication booklet goes on to highlight and former 6th grade student in 1953 remem- “special features you will want to see” on a tour Howard Greaney bers the building this way “Everything was pris- of the school. The first desks in the school tine, shiny and perfect. We had to make sure were touted as “special eyesight saving desks” our chairs were 1 inch from the table when we with large one piece tops that could tilt or lay pushed them in so we wouldn’t knick the tables flat at “scientifically determined positions”! The lobby (which we call the Rotunda) originally in the library”! contained a ticket booth, and the science room As the current students and staff of Lynch Mid- and music room were mentioned for their dle School prepare to close this building after tablet-arm seats, on tiers in the science room 55 years of educating Holyoke’s youth, we and in an auditorium setting in the music room. invite former staff and students to join us in It is interesting to note on the floor plans that special events. More details will be available the courtyard classrooms were not part of the soon. original building. Volume 6, Issue 3 Page 3 School consolidation will benefit students http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us ________________________ What’s New on the Web By Judy Taylor By Michael Sullivan the downtown landscape. We will be dismayed at the absence Mayor of Holyoke of these sounds being robbed Visit the district web site to take from the city center. full advantage of the exciting new It has truly been a difficult time I can only hope and pray that information that is available. for the Holyoke Public Schools everyone knows that it was a and especially for many of the difficult decision. To distill that members of the School Commit- decision down to its simplest NEW: tee. Making the recent decision form, it was “faculty versus facil- Grinspoon Award Winners to close three schools was heart Mayor Michael Sullivan chats about ity”. When it is possible, al- www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/ wrenching. We heard both rea- though not inviting, to reduce soccer with Sullivan School 4th sonable and responsible argu- your costs by operating fewer grader Lauren D’Addario. grinspoon.html ments about the value of retain- schools, are you obligated for the ing all facilities. When the 2008 best interest of the students to our students.