summer 2013 - holyoke public schools
TRANSCRIPT
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
When I walked into Room 152-N in the new
Peck Junior High School in September 1973 as a new
teacher, what epitomized the newness of it all was my
new teacher chair that was still wholly wrapped in
plastic. How new is all of that? That first day of your
first year on the job is an internal combination of but-
terflies, nerves, and whatever else the heart and brain
can conjure up in the name of high anxiety. One thing
I have always remembered in the very first week of my
career was passing by two veteran teachers in the
school corridor clearly overhearing one talking to the
other about retiring. Retiring? Obviously, that was
nowhere in my realm of thinking at the time, but I
never forgot that brief unintentional eavesdrop when I
was just starting my career in education listening to a
veteran educator who would be ending his career just
ten months later the following June. And so, forty
years later, I am the one who is ending his career in
the field in June. Through Watergate, disco fever, the
hostage crisis in Iran, gas lines, MTV, “Who shot J.R.”,
Reaganomics, space shuttles, the Berlin Wall, Desert
Storm, O.J and the Ford Bronco, Bill and Hilary, tech-
nology run rampant, “W”, 9/11, steroids and sports,
and ObamaCare, and so much more history and hap-
penings in-between, I enjoyed this long career working
with kids and so many hardworking and dedicated
professionals and support staff.
Don’t ever let it sound overused or corny
that educators can make a difference in the lives of
children. They can, and they do every day. Whatever
your employment capacity is in the school district, I
admire and respect what all of you do for Holyoke’s
schoolchildren, and I empathize with you regarding the
internal issues inherent in urban schools, along with
those external forces that make such a great job so
challenging. But the rewards, beyond pay, are right in
front of you each day and also along the way in the
future when you run into former students who are
eager to say hello to you and hope that you recognize
them.
I have had great support over the years from
so many people and any successes I have had, I owe to
them. I give my best wishes to Dr. Sergio Paez and
know that you will continue to work hard and maintain
that level of dedication with the change in district lead-
ership. Thank you for your hard work and support,
and I wish you all great health and success throughout
the years to come.
Summer 2013
Volume 11, Issue 4
Holy oke P ublic Sc ho ols
Announcements 2
Rising Stars
3
School News
4-12
Athletics
11
After School
12
Spanish
13-16
Holyoke Public Schools
Inside this issue:
Edition Highlights:
● Summer Offerings
● Rising Stars
● Arbor Day Celebrations
● Family Literacy
Farewell An Open Letter to the Holyoke School Community
By David Dupont, Superintendent of Schools
Connections A Community Working Together
Artist: Jaymarie Cruz , E.N. White
Farewell Mr. Dupont
Mr. Dupont, thank you for your forty years of hard work and
dedication to the Holyoke Public Schools. Wishing you success and hap-
piness in your future endeavors. May this next chapter in your life bring
you all that you seek and more. Congratulations on your retirement!
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.
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass.
It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” ‒Vivian Greene
Holyoke School
Committee
Mayor Alex Morse
Dennis Birks
Margaret Boulais
William Collamore
Joshua Garcia
Yvonne Garcia
Howard Greaney
Cesar Lopez
Michael Moriarty
Devin Sheehan
Kindergarten
Registration
Register Now! Children must be 5 years old
on or before September 1, 2013. Registration by
Appointment Only
Applications available at the:
STUDENT ASSIGNMENTOFFICE
57 Suffolk Street 413-534-2007
For Parents/Guardians of
Current Sixth Graders For a student to enter seventh grade in
September 2013, documentation of the
following requirements will need to be sub-
mitted to the school nurse by August 28th:
1. Physical exam (copy of exam or appoint-
ment date)
2. Two doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella
vaccine (MMR)
3. Three doses of Hepatitis B Vaccine
4. One dose of Tetanus (Tdap) Booster Vac-
cine (unless last tetanus booster was with-
in the last 5 years)
5. Two doses of Varicella Vaccine (or physi-
cian documented case)
Attention! Welcome Dr. Paez
The Holyoke School Committee has
named Dr. Sergio Paez the new super-
intendent of Holyoke Public Schools.
Thank you to the candidates, members
of the committee, and the public for
your service in this process.
Welcome Dr. Paez!
Summer Learning
Opportunities
For Holyoke Public Schools
Students beginning July 8th
8:00AM-1:00PM Visit the district website for more
information:
http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Athletics Announcements
are included on page 11.
Connections Newsletter
Edited by Judy Taylor [email protected]
Editors Emeritus: Kelly Doktor and Laura DuPont
Translated by: Jacqueline Escalera and Lisa Monzon
Summer Visit the district website for Summer Information, including:
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Volume 11, Issue 4 Page 3
Holyoke High School
Bryan A. Dec Louis Laguerre Hanna Smith
Ryan Beauregard Armanis Fuentes
Rachel Hall Nathaniel Hookumchand
Sarah Chapdelaine Margaret Keane
Jesus Alberto Rivera
Endy Sanchez Selina Ortega
William J. Dean
Technical High School
Edeni Colon Francisco Diaz III
Hector Luis Rafael Gomez
Center For Excellence
Natysha Luciano Derrick Balise
Donahue School
Haily Matos-Rivera Madison Chouinard
Fabian Nuñez
E.N. White School
Jovelisse Santiago Perryne Vega Jorge Velez
Kelly School
Nayelliz Berrios Cabrera Luis Alfredo Rivera
Anjylee Reyes
McMahon School
Jacoby Authier Siobhan Brennan
Draine Colon Rivera
Morgan School
Janessa Rodriguez Luis O. Rivera
Jan Carlos Santiago
Peck School
Simon Surrette Marineiry Ortiz Limaris Soltren
Sullivan School
Meagan Breen Izabel Alicea Ryan Costello
Superintendent’s Choice
Daisha Serrano
Faizul Sibdhanny
The Holyoke Public Schools and the Celebrate Holyoke Public Schools/ Rising Stars Committee
extend a heartfelt thank you to our kind benefactors—
Peoples Bank
The Holyoke Credit Union
Holyoke Community College
The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round
The Springfield Republican
Peggy Woods
Ken LePage, Director of Food Services
Mark Todd
The Student Services Department
Thank you to our wonderful staff who work with our students every day.
To view a video of the Rising Stars, visit: http://vod.hps.holyoke.ma.us:81/TRMSVOD/416-1-RisingStars2013.wmv
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 4 Connections
E.N. White
Poetry Inspired by Photography
By Astrid Lindstrom
On the evening of April 9th, three
middle school students participated in Sparks!,
an Enchanted Circle Theater performance at
The Log Cabin. They read their poetry, as well
as the writing of others, in response to photo-
graphs taken of modern day Holyoke. Along
with artists and interns of Enchanted Circle
Theater, writers from the Holyoke Council on
Aging, members of La Esperanza, and young
people from Girls Inc., E. N. White students
had prepared for this event during several after
school rehearsals. Sixth grader Chamuel
Izquierdo and seventh graders Kassidy Law-
rence and Hali’a Pamylaon performed in front
of an audience that included 453 guests, among
them Mayor Alex Morse, State Representative
Aaron Vega, and incoming Superintendent of
Schools Dr. Sergio Paez. Along with their fami-
lies, Chamuel, Kassidy, and Hali’a were also
treated to a special dinner at The Log Cabin.
On May 7th, these three students repeated
their performance for the New England Public
Radio Arts and Humanities award night, also at
The Log Cabin.
To begin to prepare for these events,
Melissa Redwin from Enchanted Circle Theater
met on March 21st after school for an hour
with staff members from E. N. White School’s
literary magazine, Interlude, to help them write
poetry. These poems, and the photographs
taken by Girls, Inc. that inspired the poetry,
were on display at Open Square in an exhibit
called Ripple Effect that opened April 4th.
Writing poems along with Chamuel, Kassidy,
and Hali’a, were sixth grader Tyler Guertin,
seventh graders Avery Anderson and Perryne
Vega, and eighth grader Lianna Moore. Before
each student chose a photo from the array
spread out on the floor to respond to, Ms.
Redwin asked them to share information about
their families’ connection to the city of Ho-
lyoke.
Then students wrote shape poems,
each responding to one of the many photo-
graphs taken of various Holyoke scenes in 2012
-2013 by students from Girls Inc. Avery An-
derson, for example, wrote a poem in the
shape of a dry, twisted leaf:
Dry, twisted leaves
In the light of the
Window, but also
In the gloom of the
Building. Living
In both worlds,
Waiting for the
Renewing properties
Of spring.
Also on exhibit at Open Square were
the famous photographs of Holyoke in 1982 by
Jerome Liebling. On April 7th, this collection
was split into two sections for display at the
Holyoke Public Library at City Hall and at the
Wistariahurst Museum.
Eighth Graders Explore Boston!
By Tammy Lawrence
The eighth grade students traveled to
Boston on April 26th. The Advanced Art stu-
dents spent their afternoon visiting and explor-
ing the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The
Museum itself is an entire work of art and
home to Isabella’s Stewart’s lifelong collection.
Her passion for art and her vision of sharing
her collection forever into the future allowed
the students to see original works of art from
as early as the 14th Century! Students were
able to tour the entire museum while being
inspired by works from Raphael, Rembrandt,
Anders Zorn and hundreds of other Art-
ists. They could choose to sketch in the mag-
nificent courtyard, rest in the game and reading
room or make a purchase in the gift shop.
Meanwhile at the Massachusetts
State House, the remainder of the eighth grade
students toured the Boston building and were
guided by State Representative Aaron Vega.
He led them through the Library, the House of
Representatives’ Chambers, the Grand Stair-
case and the Flag Room (where they viewed
the Holyoke flag). Students were in awe of the
building’s beautiful stained glass windows and
dome that is painted with 23K gold. The stu-
dents later walked a part of the Freedom Trail
and were thrilled by Quincy Market. The trip
was a fantastic success!
Ready to get your hands on
Science?
By Erin Cauley
On May 1st, fifth grade students and
their parents participated in Science Night. The
evening was designed to be a fun, hands-on,
unique experience for both parent and child to
work together to review for the upcoming
science MCAS test. The hour and a half event
took place in the school cafeteria where fifteen
different stations that included topics from
earth science, life science, physical science and
technology were available.
The cafeteria was buzzing with sci-
ence talk as the student/parent teams actively
engaged in classifying animals, testing minerals,
building electromagnets, investigating how sim-
ple machines make work easier, and much
more. The teams were given a packet that led
them through each activity and included past
MCAS questions for them to try. A big thank
you to all the sixth graders who volunteered. to
assist families through this scientific adventure.
When parents were asked on a sur-
vey about the evening, parents responded with
comments like; “I enjoyed this event and I am
looking forward to attending another one”,
“Great way to spend quality time with my son”,
“Very fun! Very interesting! It would be great
to come to more of these”. Hopefully, this
evening will become an annual event at E.N.
White, as a good time was had by all.
Kindergarten Artists
By Karen Kent
The kindergarten students at E.N.
White School have wrapped up their Eric Carle
author study with a magnificent Eric Carle
themed art show. The students featured work
using Eric Carle's unique painting techniques,
collage art, and playful story themes. The stu-
dent led tour ended appropriately with the
parents listening to their child read to them the
beloved story The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Poets at work include Hali'a Pamylaon (left),
Perryne Vega (back), Kassidy Lawrence
(right), and Chamuel Izquierdo (front).
Left to right, is fifth grader Marcos Colon III
and his mother, Johanna Aumen enjoying
Science Night..
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Volume 11, Issue 4 Page 5
A Game of Life
By Cathy Foley
Sixty eighth graders from Peck School went to Holyoke Com-
munity College’s campus Friday, April 5th to take part in a high school
to college simulation This visit was organized by Peck Full Service Com-
munity (PFSC) partners Melany Mendoza, Director of After-School
Programs at Holyoke Community
College and Brian White, STEP
Staff Assistant and other STEP
staff. During the simulation,
eighth grader Mateo Arce, gradu-
ated from high school with hon-
ors, obtained his bachelor's de-
gree from a four-year college and
went to graduate school on a full
scholarship during the activity.
Mateo, who wants to be a state
trooper, said the simulation was
helpful. "I have a better outlook
on what I'm going to do when I get older," he said. The exercise was
conducted by STEP, HCC's Skills Training and Enrichment Program.
Mi Casa Housing Workshop: Collaboration
By Megan Harding
The Mi Casa Housing Workshop was held at the Holyoke
Health Center This three-part workshop series covered the following
topics: emergency shelter/emergency assistance, emergency budgeting
during a housing crisis and tenants' rights. The trainers were attorneys
from the Mass Justice Project in Holyoke as well as Jeannette Alicea,
Family Access and Engagement Coordinator at the Kelly Full Service
Community School. Topics of interest were identified by Full Service
Community School (FSCS) parents from Morgan, Kelly and Peck. The
workshop series was designed by the Holyoke FSCS Basic Needs
Workgroup. This workgroup includes staff (and occasionally parents)
from the three schools, Jordanna O'Connell, our Homeless Liaison and
a range of wonderful community partners including: WIC, Holyoke
Health Center, the Food Bank and Margaret's Pantry. In addition, Mi
Casa was supported in many ways by Title 1, the McKinney Vento Pro-
gram, and Title I Supplemental Services. Parent surveys suggested a high
level of interest in more workshops of this type. Parents, FSCS staff,
community agencies, and district staff working together—the result
equals a truly amazing collaboration!
8th – 9th Grade Transition Night By Maria Louisa Arroyo
Despite sudden torrential downpours, eighth grade Peck
families joined Mr. Hyry-Dermith, Principal, Mrs. Martel, the middle
school guidance counselor, and Maria Luisa Arroyo, the Family Access &
Engagement Coordinator, in order to learn more about Dean Technical
and Holyoke High Schools from the high school guidance counselors,
currently enrolled high school students, and parents of high schoolers.
The testimonies, which students and parents from both schools shared,
were emotionally powerful. Common messages from all presenters to
students: Focus on excellent attendance and on your studies and get
involved in clubs and activities that interest you. And what was the
message to parents? Teach your children to advocate for themselves in
high school. Step forward to support them. Don’t step back because, at
this age, they tend to push away and test boundaries.
Peck Talking Points
By Cathy Foley
Eighth Grade Dance
On Friday, February 15th the Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR) group
along with facilitators Tina Siniscalchi, 7/8 Science and Kristen Luschen a
PFSC partner from Hampshire College, hosted a Valentine’s Day dance
for Peck eighth graders. To gain entrance to the dance each student
had to write a kind comment about another student. They were also
asked to sign a kindness pledge.
Student/Faculty Basketball Game
On Friday, April 26th an exciting Faculty/Student basketball game was
watched by grades three through eight in the Peck gymnasium. The
student team jumped to an early lead but was ultimately defeated by the
teachers. “I am proud of my team, and how well they worked together
this year,” reflected Coach Barrett.
CHARLAS
In May, Peck hosted 2 Charlas-in-the-Zone, Friday, May 10th and Friday,
May 17th, 4:00 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. at the Holyoke Health Center, 230
Maple St., 1st floor conference room. Themes included: “Math Games
with Our Bodies and Our Minds” (May 10th) and “Word Games at
Home & in our Community” (May 17th).
Peck
Shooting for Success
By Dan Dorozynski
Recently the Center for Excellence
(CFE) basketball team completed a very successful
season, finishing with a record of 11-3. Playing
teams from surrounding communities such as Easthampton, West
Springfield, Springfield, and Chicopee, the team was able to secure the
overall top seed for the postseason tournament, but faltered in the
semifinal game to Chicopee Academy. Coached by Dan Dorozynski,
Peter Rodriquez, and Terrell Rice, the group consisted of students
from seventh grade through twelfth grade. 12th grade- Wilfredo Rive-
ra, Luis Vasquez. 11th grade Fernell Peltzer. William Gonzalez, 10th
grade Daniel Wilson-Scott, Emilio Garcia Cappas, 9th grade- Jeremy
Ocasio, Julio Colon, Nelson Lugo. 8th grade- Carlos Santiago, Manny
Santiago, Christian Alvarado Irazarry, Sergio Valentin, Raymond Co-
lon. 7th grade- Jonathan Oliveras, Enrique Santiago.
Center for Excellence
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 6 Connections
Students Honored at the Paw Sox
By Jacqueline Motyl
This year Donahue School teamed up
with the Pawtucket Red Sox to award students
with a Most Improved Student Award. Students
were nominated by their teachers for improving
in their academic subject areas throughout the
school year. Each student nominated will be
given a complimentary ticket to a pre-selected
game, a certificate for their achievement, and a
chance to go on the field for acknowledgement
prior to the game. This is such a wonderful
opportunity for the students and their families.
We look forward to continuing this tradition in
the upcoming school years. Congratulations to
the students who were nominated!
The One Fund Boston Fundraiser
By Mr. Willenbrock and his students
Amber Brueshaber and Kiana Gonzalez
The sun was not the only thing shin-
ing on Sunday, May 5th, so were the hearts of
the Donahue School community. The week
before the event, the students in the sixth grade
were wondering what they could do to help
those affected by the Boston Marathon tragedy.
Quickly, they came up with a great idea!
Students helped to raise money for
The One Fund Boston, a charity established to
help people affected by the Boston tragedy, by
having a car wash and bake sale. The students
brought their idea to the Dolphin Pride Com-
munity Organization (PTO), and the organiza-
tion worked together with the students. The
support and generosity of staff, teachers, stu-
dents and the community made this event a
success! For four hours, we received many
generous donations.
“I got involved on that day because
the money was going to a good cause. I wanted
to help the people who were affected by the
Boston catastrophe,” said Kiana Gonzalez, a
sixth grader at Donahue. “I felt that I made a
difference in so many peoples’ lives.”
Our goal was to raise $500 for the
charity and we exceeded it by raising $560!
Whether it was selling Dolphin Pride cupcakes
or sudsing up cars, the community came togeth-
er to make a positive impact on other people.
We’d like to thank everyone for their participa-
tion and let them know that they made a differ-
ence.
Aspiring Nurses
By Madison Chouinard and Rebecca
Crespo, Donahue Seventh Graders
An inspired assembly of thirteen and
fourteen year olds in seventh and eighth grades
from Donahue School went to the University of
Massachusetts. Inspired about what exactly?
They wanted to learn new methods in nursing.
They traveled to UMASS for the First Annual
Nursing Celebration. This trip included hands-
on workshops—live action simulations with
talking mannequins, wound cleaning using artifi-
cial body parts and infant emergency care. The
students were guided by UMASS Nursing De-
partment students who demonstrated proper
techniques and showed how to stay calm when
an emergency is presented.
All the students gathered at the
UMASS Campus Center Auditorium to hear
heartfelt speeches from community nurses.
Other students from Holyoke, Northampton,
and Springfield were also able to enjoy a dance
performance from Dream Studios.
“The trip was excellent. I think I
might become a nurse and I’m excited to go to
school for it,” stated Jocelyn Guzman, an eighth
grader.
“The nurses answered all my ques-
tions. Now I know what I want to do for a ca-
reer in the medical field...nursing!” said a Do-
nahue seventh grader who went on the trip.
What Makes a Folktale a Folktale?
When the fourth grade students
visited the Eric Carle Picture Book Museum on
April 26th, they had the chance to ask Latina
Folktale illustrator and author Lulu Delacre
about her craft. Lulu read “How the Rainbow
was Born”, one of her tales from Golden Tales, a
collection of stories originally told by the Zapo-
tec and Aztec of Mexico and the Caribbean
islands. She shared a slideshow explaining the
extensive research behind the book and dis-
cussed the importance of authenticity when
dealing with folktales. The fourth grade teaching
team prepared the children for the trip by dis-
cussing features of folktales, especially myths,
legends, and folklore. In the ELA classes, we
shared the Dominican legend "The Laughing
Skull" from Lulu's Golden Tales.
To build some background infor-
mation about Lulu, we discussed Lulu's biog-
raphy and viewed some video interviews from
her website. At the end of Lulu’s presentation,
the children had an opportunity to ask Lulu
questions about her art, her life, and her cul-
ture.
After their time with Lulu, the chil-
dren learned how to use Visual Thinking Strate-
gies to ‘read’ the artwork in the gallery exhibit
titled "Latino Folk Tales: Cuentos Populares Art
by Latino Artists". Delacre has several pieces in
the exhibit including work she did for Golden
Tales. After learning about the art and practicing
to ‘gallery walk’ with hands behind their back,
students took part in a scavenger hunt activity
examining the paintings to find traditional iconic
images—symbols such as the sun and the
moon— that appear in all of the Latino illustra-
tions. Then they drew their own interpretation
of the symbols while discussing what was going
on in the painting they had chosen to focus on.
In the art studio, the children used
pieces of Styrofoam to create their own ink
stamps and made prints of the iconic symbols.
They used the stamps and paints to design their
own illustrations for folk tales that they had
begun writing in their English Language Arts
(ELA) classes.
As we left the Carle, each child was
given their own copy of a beautifully illustrated
Latino folktale and a free pass to return to the
museum with their families.
Muffins with Moms
By Mrs. Boylan, Mrs. Clark and
Mrs. Duquette
From moms, to aunts and grandmas,
all the special ladies in our lives were celebrated
on Monday, May 13th. The kindergarteners
celebrated their moms, by hosting a special
breakfast in their honor. The event, Muffins with
Moms, took place in the cafeteria and gave the
little ones some special time to enjoy muffins,
juice and a few activities with their moms. Kin-
dergartener Hazel Meyer said, “It’s a fun day to
show mommy’s that we love them. They take
good care of us.” The students presented their
moms with cards and handmade gifts to thank
them for all of the special things they do.
Donahue
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Learning English Together
By Kate Blair
Students and parents at Morgan
School are learning English together! Joanne
Gold, Family Literacy/ESOL Teacher, and Kate
Blair, Seventh and Eighth Grade ELL Teacher
have joined forces in organizing a weekly
“Wednesday Something,” in which both classes
come together to learn English and create com-
munity. On a recent Wednesday morning, the
middle school English Language Development
(ELD) group welcomed parents to their class-
room as they demonstrated a dynamic vocabu-
lary activity called “Four Corners.” The ELD
students were especially proud to showcase
their brand-new classroom iPad, acquired by
Mrs. Blair’s recent grant from DonorsChoose.
Students showed the parents a book trailer
project based on the book Bunnicula using the
exciting and engaging iMovie app. Ms. Gold’s
parent class demonstrated a kinesthetic speak-
ing activity focusing on –ing verbs and positive
and negative present-simple phrases. Both
groups look forward each week to participating
in new and engaging exercises designed to make
learning English fun! Parents can register for a
summer program by contacting Glenda Morales
at 413-552-0806.
Morgan 8th Grader Donates Hair
Eighth grade student Kyanna Diaz,
recently attended a cut-a-thon sponsored by the
Unity Club at Holyoke Community College.
Kyanna donated seventeen inches of her hair to
benefit Wigs For Kids, a nonprofit group that
provides hair replacement and support for chil-
dren who have lost their hair due to chemother-
apy, radiation, burns and other medical issues at
no cost to children or their families. Kyanna’s
family attended the event to show their support
and pride. “I wanted to help kids that have no
hair,” Kyanna remarked after the event. “I feel
happy and proud of myself. Now, someone will
feel better about themselves because of what I
did.” Kyanna’s father, Rafael Diaz, looked on
with admiration for his daughter. “Kyanna can
do anything she sets her mind to,” he said.
Morgan School agrees, and hopes that others
will follow Kyanna’s example. For more infor-
mation on Wigs For Kids or to make a hair
donation, visit http://www.wigsforkids.org .
Fairy Tale Fans
By Militza Semidei
First through third grade ELD stu-
dents at Morgan culminated their Fairy Tale
Genre study with a Fairy Tale celebration. Stu-
dents wore fairy tale regalia and had fairy snacks.
Prior to the celebration students had been
learning about the fairy tale genre using the
Systemic Functional Linguistic approach. The
students learned that a fairy tale is a make be-
lieve story that follows a lot of the narrative
features such as orientation, sequence of events
and resolution. However it has specific charac-
teristics that a narrative would not have. Stu-
dents conducted meaningful discussions about
what kind of language they could use for the
specific parts of the fairy tale, always taking the
audience into consideration. They acquired fairy
tale specific vocabulary through the use of men-
tor texts and completed many activities such as
building the field, modeling and joint construc-
tion which led to the final output of an inde-
pendently written fairy tale. At the end of the
unit the students invited their families and ad-
ministrators to the celebration and proudly read
their stories to them. As the resolution of a fairy
tale goes... And they all lived happily ever after!
College Visits for Eighth Graders
By Emily Temple
To assist eight grade students in their
transition to high school, they met with their
school guidance counselor during the months of
September through December and took an
interest inventory on a career website called
MASSCIS. They also developed high school,
career and college goals. Next, the interest
inventories were used to develop college cam-
pus visits and ensure that the students’ interests
were addressed during the tours.
The students were able to enjoy visit-
ing five college campuses (UMASS, Springfield
College, WNEU, HCC, and STCC) and
meeting with professors and college stu-
dents. They visited dorms, sat inside col-
lege classes, toured the campus, participat-
ed in interactive workshops and ate at the
dining halls with college students.
The transition process is crucial
in combating the high school dropout rate
and providing college awareness. I hope
these students attain their goals. I am so
proud to be the Guidance Counselor of
these 49 transitioning eighth grade stu-
dents.
Respectful, Responsible and Safe
By Alison Keller
Students at Morgan Full Service Com-
munity School (FSCS) have been working this
year to learn and role model school-wide expec-
tations of respectful, responsible and safe behav-
ior. Teachers worked with students to create
behavior assemblies that demonstrated what
respectful, responsible and safe behavior looked
like in the different settings of the school. Stu-
dents performed skits and created videos to
show what the appropriate behavior looked like.
We also kicked-off a student recogni-
tion system. Morgan Jaguar tickets are distribut-
ed by staff when they notice a student exhibiting
a notable action that is respectful, responsible or
safe. Classrooms each have a weekly goal and if
they achieve it, they earn extra recess, popcorn
and a movie or a homework pass. There are
staff incentives as well.
This initiative is the culmination of a
year’s worth of work of the behavior manage-
ment workgroup, a team of staff, administrators
and community partners that work together to
lead the school community in implementation of
school-wide behavioral expectations through
common practices and systems that support all
students.
Literacy Partnership with HCC
Morgan is proud to announce a litera-
cy partnership with Holyoke Community Col-
lege through Link to Libraries Inc. We have
received hundreds of books donated to students
and our library through the generous support of
HCC and Link to Libraries. This spring we
kicked off a new Guest Reader program where
staff at HCC come and read to our kindergar-
ten, first, second, and third grade classrooms.
Dr. Messner, President of HCC recently visited
and read to Mrs. Drohan’s first grade class. The
students really enjoyed the book, Purple, Green
and Yellow by Robert Munsch. After the reading
students asked Dr. Messner questions about
college. We
are looking
forward to
fifteen more
guest read-
ers from
HCC visit-
ing our
classrooms
through the
end of the
year.
Volume 11, Issue 4 Page 7
Morgan
President of HCC, Dr. Messner
reads to first grade students.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 8 Connections
From Page to Stage with Second Graders
By Liz Woolsey
From April 22nd through May 1st, Mrs. Boyer's second grade
students were actively engaged in Enchanted Circle Theater's program,
From Page to Stage with Teaching Artist, Liz Woolsey. During this eight
day integrated arts workshop we explored the book, Joseph Had a Little
Overcoat, by Simms Taback, which we adapted into an original perfor-
mance for family and friends. Along the way, we discovered endless
possibilities in the creative process while emphasizing the 7 Habits of
Effective Readers, essential questions, team building activities and theater
games. This book has a reuse, recycle theme which coincided with our
Earth Day starting
date. This inspired
us to use recycled
objects in our cos-
tume and set de-
signs and embrace
the book's lesson
that "you can al-
ways make some-
thing out of noth-
ing!"
Postcards from Around the World
By Kelly Doktor
The challenge was set to finally get postcards from all the 50
states and as many continents and countries as possible for the annual
Postcards From Around The World project. Sullivan School second-
grade teacher Kelly Doktor, along with her Westfield State University
student teacher Avery Banfield-Weir, embarked on a social media and
email blast as well as spreadi the word to colleagues to utilize every con-
nection to complete the task. In about two months time, postcards from
all 50 states were received with the postmark being checked for accura-
cy. Even more exciting were the 89 postcards received from other coun-
tries from around the world! Doktor did a search on Twitter for
“Antarctica” and made contact with a scientist there who sent a postcard
from when she was at McMurdo Station. Banfield-Weir searched out
another contact in Washington D.C. and each student received a non-
fiction book about Antarctica. Academically, the project was connected
to a unit on the continents. Photos
displayed to the right are postcards
from Croatia and Antarctica.
BOKS Active Kids Day
By Myriam Skolnick
Experts agree that a lack of physical exercise and poor eating
habits have a negative impact on children’s performance in the classroom
and contribute to health problems. The BOKS (Building Our Kids’ Suc-
cess) before-school physical activity program is designed to jump start
students' brains and prepare them for a day of learning. The program
combines play, physical activity, team games and short talks on nutrition
to create healthier habits for children to achieve life-long fitness. Sullivan
School has participated for two years using the BOKS philosophy. The
program typically starts an hour before school and runs two or three
mornings a week.
On May 4th, the
BOKS sponsors
held a monumen-
tal Active Kids
Day at Reebok
Headquarters in
Canton, MA.
The event was
held on acres of
fields of the
c o m p a n y ’ s
headquart e r s
and offered the
children games,
cooking demos, interactive shows, a Fun Run and a meeting with the
Bruins’ hockey mascot.
The large contingent of Sullivan School students and chaper-
ones spent a sunny Saturday at Active Kids Day participating in the
events, feasting on the free food and enjoying the entertainment. Our
BOKS leader, the energetic Martha Leamy, was presented with a prestig-
ious Agent of Change Award for her efforts to keep Sullivan School stu-
dents active and fit. She has been an overwhelming change agent in each
student’s attitude, fitness, and improved academic effort. She has made an
impact, along with Melissa Prattico, also a Sullivan paraprofessional and
YMCA staff Juan Velazquez and Sue Rigali .
Sullivan School was able to participate in the Active Kids Day
thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Holyoke Public Schools.
Sullivan
Left to right: Devin Beauregard, Carlos Liberato, Christiaan Boria, Cade Lachapelle , Moises Silva, BOKS leader Martha Leamy, Ellice Figueroa, De-reck Carattini, Maya Champion
Kelly Buddying Up for Herb Tasting
By Helen Finn
The Kindergarten students in Mrs. Finn's class have been working with their "Reading Bud-
dies" from Mr. Barsalou's Grade 6 ELA class. Recently they had a "taste test" where they combined
several herbs with butter and tasted them on biscuits. The students enjoyed the chance to work with
the "buddies" in a different setting. Many of the students really liked the taste of the different herbs
however there were a few "yucks" from some reluctant tasters. Mrs. Finn and Mr. Barsalou both agreed
that all the students enjoyed the activity and plan on continuing this arrangement in the future. In the
photo to the right, Mr Barsalou, Xavier Vargas, Karina Lopez Perez, and Yarelys Aguiar are all enjoying
the engaging herb tasting activity.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
JROTC Volunteers for Shriner’s
JROTC volunteer each year as ushers at the Shriner’s Circus .
This year was no different. They were able to present a check to the
Shriner’s Hospital for $225.00 from a Dress Down Fundraiser held at the
school. They also collected 40 pounds of soda can tabs that they present-
ed to the Shriners on May 2nd. These can tabs are recycled to help the
hospital buy computers, books,
and other items that will make
the children’s stay at the hospital
brighter and easier . Kudos to
our cadets, Major Kieda and Sgt.
Cross for all they do in our
community!
Dean’s Got Talent
On May 10th Dean Tech hosted a talent show— Dean’s Got
Talent. The event was a hit with many students showcasing their talents.
Singing, rappin’, dancing, visual arts, playing instruments and modeling
were the many talents presented by the students. Outstanding Vocational
Student awards were presented to students who embody Dean’s values
in their academic and shop career at Dean.
Staff Appreciation Week
On May 8th, the staff at Dean Tech was treated to a delicious
Spanish luncheon prepared by their own Mrs. Sara Pacheco, Diana Pagan
and Elsa Pagan. This was to honor the teachers and staff at the school for
Staff Appreciation Week! Many thanks to these lovely ladies and to those
who helped them in this endeavor.
Family Night Fun
On Wednesday May 1st Dean hosted a Ninth Grade Family
Night for students and their families. Teachers and Staff made this a spe-
cial night for everyone who attended by hosting different activities for
both the students and their parents. These activities also gave the stu-
dents an opportunity to earn extra credit towards their academic classes.
Some of the activities included Writing, Algebra, Social Studies, Health
(Teen Pregnancy,) and Biology which had an interesting lesson on genes.
Parents had the opportunity to meet and build relationships with other
parents and staff members of Dean Tech. Along with the different activi-
ties, a delicious dinner was served by El Rincon Boricua. We are proud to
announce that we had over 100 attendees! A raffle was held and prizes
included Barnes and Noble and Stop & Shop gift cards , gift certificates to
the Dean Tech Café, and a A Title I gift basket.
After an exciting evening, we winded down with a community
activity called Plant a Seed. This activity gave everyone a chance to Plant
a Seed in Dean Tech’s own greenhouse. The purpose of this activity is to
help grow organic healthy food that will be provided for our community
food pantry and for use in our school’s cafeteria.
Construction
Construction has finally begun on Dean’s New Science Wing!
We are looking forward to all kinds of changes at Dean, throughout this
exciting summer!
For Teens by Teens
By Cynthia Carbone
Working on behalf of the Youth First initiative (http://
www.massteenpregnancy.org/providers/youth-first) in Holyoke and
Springfield, Julie Banda and Karen Schoneman of Health Resources in
Action (Boston, MA) met with Dean Tech students. to develop a For
Teens by Teens communication campaign. “This has been a great oppor-
tunity for our students to have an important and active role,” explains
health teacher, Cynthia Carbone.
This project is creating opportunities for young people to use
social media and other community-based marketing to support healthy
decision-making about relationships and improve female-to-female friend-
ships. Students from Holyoke and Springfield have been involved in
providing input and direction to this campaign since June 2012 and will
take a lead role in launching this effort in the summer of 2013.
Health Notes
By Cynthia Carbone
UMass Nursing Doctoral candidate Denise Barry visited Mrs.
Carbone’s ninth grade Health classes in April, talking about Human Papil-
loma Virus (HPV) and the cancer risk associated with several strains of
this virus. She taught how the virus is transmitted and how students can
best protect themselves. Students learned about the Gardisil vaccine,
which is available for nine to twenty-six year olds; and Ms. Barry sent an
informational flyer home with each student. For more information visit
CDC.gov.
Page 9 Volume 11, Issue 4
Dean Tech
Congratulations Dean Rising Stars
Daisha Serrano – Superintendent’s Choice
Rafael Gomez – 12th grade
Hector Luis – 11th grade
Francisco Diaz III – 10th grade
Edeni Colon – 9th grade
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 10 Connections
Holyoke High
HHS students and staff dress up to
celebrate Spirit Week.
Photo credit: Susan Napolitano
Autism Resource Night
For the first time McMahon school
held a community Autism Resource Night. The
evening shared and informed those who attend-
ed about Autism and gained information about
all of the
different
programs
and ser-
vices that
are availa-
ble in the
communi-
ty. Ven-
dors from
all over Western Mass provided information
about social skills programs, after school pro-
grams, summer activities, technology services
and training opportunities. The Holyoke Fire
Department also attended to provide safety
information. Holyoke Public Schools speech
and occupational therapists were there to an-
swer any questions about their services within
the schools. The night was filled with the deli-
cious smells of baked goods and fun filled raffle
tables to benefit field trips and supplies. This
wonderful event would not have been possible
if it was not for Joe Hudson, Anne Morehouse,
and Jill Hughes. The Autism Resource Night
was a huge success. It is events like this that
make communities and people come together.
Space Exploration
Students in Noreen Ewick’s sixth
grade class blasted off to Mars at the Christa
McAuliffe-Challenger Center. Located at
Framingham State University, the center
which houses a realistic Mission Control and
Space Station environment immersed the
students in a simulated program of space
exploration. In preparation for their trip,
students identified attributes of various
NASA mission patches, and then designed
their own mission patch using shape, color and
images.
Celebrating Arbor Day
McMahon had the honor this year of
holding a National Arbor Day Celebration.
Mayor Morse spoke of the wonderful grant the
city of Holyoke received to be greener. The
grant money will be used for planting trees in
various locations around the city. Principal Gina
Roy introduced the Rising Stars of McMahon
(Jacoby Authier, Siobhan Brennan, and Draine
Colon Rivera) who presented a poem about
Arbor Day. The middle school made a wonder-
ful banner and all students in the building signed
an allegiance to protect and preserve trees. The
fifth graders presented a group poem with cor-
responding pictures to the audience. The kin-
dergarten class stole the show with a song and
performance that they recited about trees.
City Forester John Twohig, Recreation Supervi-
sor Peter Leclerc, and members of the school
committee also attended to honor Arbor Day.
To end this great ceremony, a tree was planted
outside of one of our Kindergarten classrooms
Dancing the Night Away
The eighth grade class held a middle
school Decades Dance. Students dressed in
their favorite decade attire from the 60s, 70s,
80s and 90s and danced to the different sounds
of the times. They had a blast! The money
raised will be used for the eighth grade field trip
to High Meadows. What a great way to end the
year and their years together as a class before
going to high school.
On May 10th, the eighth graders with
the assistance of Ms. Jenna Kaeppel held a dance
for the fourth and fifth graders. These students
led the younger students in a variety of different
dances and activities.
McMahon
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
HOLYOKE HIGH SCHOOL-KNIGHTS BOYS SOCCER- GIRLS SOCCER-
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22nd -6:00 P.M. THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND -9:00 A.M.- 11:00 A.M.
ROBERTS’ FIELD TURF (8/23-FRI. 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M.) ROBERTS’ FIELD TURF (8/23-FRI. 5:00 P.M.-7:00 P.M.-DONAHUE)
CLEATS, SHIN GUARDS, RUNNING SHOES PHYSICALS, CLEATS, SNEAKERS
COACH JOHN AMARAL-413-531-2187 COACH KEVIN ROBERTS 413-532-8385 OR 413-265-3295
[email protected] [email protected]
GOLF- CROSS COUNTRY-
WYCKOFF COUNTRY CLUB-1st practice TBA THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND -5:00 P.M.
COACH WILL CALL OR MAIL YOU THE Information RUNNING SHOES, WATER BOTTLE, PAPERWORK
GOLF SEASON IS SHORT….PRACTICE! SUMMER TRAINING IS A MUST!!
COACH DON BERGERON 567-8454 HOLYOKE H.S. TRACK-ROBERTS
[email protected] B-COACH DAVE REINHART 413-297-6555 [email protected]
G-COACH-LISA HOLMES 413-575-6816 [email protected]
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL- FIELD HOCKEY-
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22nd THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND -3:30 P.M.
H.H.S. LARGE GYM 10 A.M.-12 P.M. ROBERTS’ TURF FIELD-HHS
SNEAKERS, SHORTS, T-SHIRT, SWEATPANTS SNEAKERS, STICK, GOOGLES, SHIN PADS, CLEATS
COACH PAULA CONWAY-413-478-8037 COACH JACKIE MOTYL 413-563-5470
*If you don’t own a stick, we can advise you on the 1st day of tryouts
FOOTBALL-GRADES 10-12 CHEERLEADING-
MONDAY, AUGUST 19H THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND @ TBA
ROBERTS’ FIELD TURF-5:00 P.M. No pads. T-SHIRT, SHORTS & SNEAKERS
CLEATS, T-SHIRT, SHORTS & SNEAKERS NO JEWELRY, CELL PHONES, ETC.
COACH BOB LASTOWSKI 413-364-2267 HOLYOKE H.S. LARGE GYM
[email protected] COACH- TBA
FRESHMEN FOOTBALL-GRADE 9
MONDAY, AUGUST 19th
ROBERTS’ FIELD TURF-3:30 P.M.
COACH TOM BOWLER 413-532-0719 [email protected]
DEAN TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL-HAWKS FOOTBALL-AUGUST 19th GIRLS VOLLEYBALL-AUGUST 22ND
DEAN TECH FIELD AT 9:00 A.M. DEAN TECH GYM AT 4:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M.
CLEATS, RUNNING SHOES, T-SHIRT, SHORTS SNEAKERS, SHORTS, T-SHIRT, PHYSICAL
BE IN SHAPE….READY TO GO!! COACH MELANIE DZIOBA -603-661-3153
COACH JOE DUTSAR 860-763-5860 [email protected]
Page 11 Volume 11, Issue 4
Athletics
To view, print, and complete the required paperwork, visit the Holyoke Public Schools website: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/athletics.htm
For additional information, contact the Athletic Office—TELEPHONE 413-493-1683 FAX 413-534-2098
Attention: All Athletes
Interested in Trying Out for a Fall 2013/14 Sport?
See Below for Try Out Information - Starting Dates and Times
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Donahue Welcomes Back the CONNECTIONS Program
By Tom Wyse
The Donahue students certainly are happy this spring. After a three
year absence, Jorge Castellano, Jennifer Scott, Amy Fitzgerald and Thomas
Wyse worked together to reestablish the CONNECTIONS After School
Program at Donahue. The result has been a successful community based after
school program with the highest attendance in the district.
Barbara Smith, Head Cook at Donahue School said, “These kids
love what we do, and it shows every session we have.” With the support of
Principal Amy Fitzgerald and Vice Principal Angela Thatcher the program has
been a huge success. Joe Neely, a seventh grader, said, “I love having it back!”
Joe’s favorite club is Community Landscaping, which incorporates math and
science together. Other unique clubs at Donahue include Cooking, Zumba,
Knitting for the Needy and the Community Service Club which teacher’s at
Donahue have embraced.
Most of the students are able to complete their math homework,
especially with their math teacher, Thomas Wyse running the program. “I am
very lucky to have the full support from administration and colleagues,” Wyse
said.
CONNECTIONS Students Landscape Donahue School
By Tom Wyse
The Maurice A. Donahue Community Landscaping Program has
taken on the task of landscaping the front of the school. With the help of
several teachers and Lowes, the students have designed all new flower beds to
brighten up the school's appearance. The effort, ideas and commitment dedi-
cated by the fifth through eight grade students to this project was amaz-
ing. "Where else can we get dirty and not be in trouble?" said Imari Colon a
sixth grader, who was covered with dirt and blue paint when she replied.
Danelisse Bermudez, another sixth grader at Donahue said, “This is really
creative and a lot of fun. It is our way of helping the school."
Dean CONNECTIONS Students
Learn About the Music Business
By Jen Bergus
Intro to the Music Biz has quickly become one of the most popular
clubs in the after-school program at Dean Tech. Instructor Selina Melendez is
teaching students how to build their own recording studios complete with
budgeting costs and necessary equipment. Students are also learning about
new technology and recording equipment. Collaboratively, students in the club
are creating original music compositions, writing their own lyrics and melodies.
By the end of the session, students will have enough material to construct a
CD. Ms. Melendez is also showing the students how to run a small business.
Parent Classroom Observations
By Katy Moonan
Studies show that parent involvement in education re-
sults in higher grades, better attendance, higher graduation rates,
and more positive attitudes towards school. Increasing parent in-
volvement is one of the main goals of the Parent English and Family
Literacy classes at EN White and Kelly schools. One of the most
successful strategies for this has been regular parent classroom
observations. The observations get parents directly involved and
ultimately help accelerate the growth of a strong school-home
connection. Parents have had an overwhelmingly positive reaction
to the observations, because of the insight they gain into their
child’s school environment and expectations, as well as the oppor-
tunity it affords to build a relationship with teachers.
One of the E.N. White School mothers who observed
her son in third grade reflected that, “I loved the observation be-
cause now I know how my children behave at school and how the
teachers work to help them. That will help me understand and
support my children better in their classes.” Second grade teachers
Maria Neves-Puffer and Deborah Poulin comment that, “Having
parents of our students attend English as a Second Language (ESL)
classes here at E.N. White has been a very positive experi-
ence. Parents not only demonstrated that learning English is im-
portant, but they also visited our classroom and became much
more aware of what their children were learning. This program
helped the parents, but it also helped to build a better school/home
connection. We wish that all our parents that are English Language
Learners (ELL) could take advantage of this worthwhile program.”
Third grade teacher Deb Sherburne, who always sends a letter
home the first day of school to let parents know she is available and
that her classroom is always open to them, is another teacher that
has welcomed parent observers into her classroom. She emphasiz-
es that, “It is important for the parents to know that we are on the
same team - their child's team, and it is essential that we work
together to support their children's academic, social, and emotional
development.” Classroom observations have been an important
part of increasing parent involvement through the parent class this
year at EN White.
Kelly School seventh grade teacher Dr. Hickson is anoth-
er teacher that has welcomed parents into her classroom. She said,
“When she, [one of the mothers in the parent class], came in it was
great for everyone, including her children but the other students
too. It was nice for her to observe what her children are experi-
encing in my classroom as well as for her children to see that she is
trying to get a better handle on English, which is huge. They are all
learning together.” Kelly School parents have had an overwhelming-
ly positive reaction to the observations, because of the insight they
gain into their child’s school environment and expectations, as well
as because of the opportunity it affords to build a relationship with
teachers. One mother reflected, “I felt at ease because I didn’t
know the teacher before and I saw that my children were relaxed
with her. The experience was very positive for me personally.”
Another mother was thrilled that it helped her to “understand her
children and their teachers better.” School administrators have
also felt a positive impact stemming from the observations. Jean-
nette Alicea, the Family Access and Engagement Coordinator at
Kelly, commented that, “Exposing them to what the real classroom
activity is like has made a difference in the point of view of a lot of
parents, who’ve gone from complaints to ‘Oh I’m getting a better
sense of what’s going on.’ That in itself is a great step forward for
our parents here at Kelly.”
Thank you to everyone who helped make it possible!
Please call Katy at 413-588-2013 for more information.
Page 12 Connections
CONNECTIONS After School
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Holyoke Public Schools
Volume 11 Issue 4
Verano 2013
Estos son los puntos mas
sobresalientes del Boletin
Una Carta Abierta a la Comunidad de la Escuela Holyoke
Despedida
Cuando entré al salón 152-N en la nueva Escuela Peck en
septiembre del 1973, como un nuevo maestro, lo que personificó la
novedad de todo esto fue mi nueva silla de maestro que seguía comple-
tamente envuelta en plástico. ¿Como de nuevo era todo eso? Ese pri-
mer día de tu primer año en el trabajo es una combinación interna de
mariposas, nervios y todo lo que el corazón y el cerebro pueden conju-
gar en nombre de altos niveles de ansiedad. Una cosa que siempre he
recordado en la primera semana de mi carrera fue cuando pasando por
el lado de dos profesores veteranos en el pasillo de la escuela escuchar-
los hablar claramente uno al otro en retirarse. ¿Retirarse? Obviamen-
te, eso no estaba en ninguna parte de mí pensar en ese momento, pero
nunca olvidó esa breve e involuntaria expiación cuando yo estaba empe-
zando mi carrera en la educación escuchar un veterano que se le termina
su carrera en sólo diez meses después, el siguiente mes de junio. Y así,
cuarenta años después, yo soy aquel que pone fin a su carrera en ese
campo en junio. A través de Watergate, la fiebre del disco, la crisis de
los rehenes en Irán, líneas de gas, MTV, ¿“Quien le disparó a JR?”.
Reagonomics, los transbordadores espaciales, el Muro de Berlín. Tor-
menta del Desierto, OJ y el Ford Bronco, Bill y Hilary la tecnología fun-
ciona desenfrenado, “W”, 9/11, los esteroides y el deporte, ObamaCare,
y mucha más historias y acontecimientos pasando entre medio, he dis-
frutado esta larga carrera trabajando con niños y tantos profesionales
muy trabajadores y dedicados; y personal de apoyo.
Nunca dejes que suene en exceso o cursi que los educadores
pueden hacer una diferencia en las vidas de los niños. Ellos pueden, y lo
hacen todos los días. Sea cual sea su capacidad de empleo en el distrito
escolar, admiro y respeto lo que todos ustedes hacen para los alumnos
de Holyoke, y me identifico con ustedes con respeto a los asuntos inter-
nos e inherente a las escuelas urbanas, junto con las fuerzas externas que
hacen un gran trabajo tan desafiante. Pero la recompensa, más allá de
pago, está justo en frente de ustedes cada día y también a lo largo del
camino en el futuro cuando te encuentras con ex alumnos que están
ansiosos por saludarte y esperan que usted los reconozcas.
He tenido un gran apoyo durante todos estos años de tanta
gente que cada éxito que he obtenido, se lo debo a ellos. Le doy mis
mejores deseos al Dr. Sergio Páez y sé que va a seguir trabajando duro y
mantener ese nivel de dedicación con el cambio de liderazgo del distrito.
Gracias por su arduo trabajo y apoyo y les deseo a todos buena salud y
éxito a lo largo de los años por venir.
Artist: Jaymarie Cruz , E.N. White Por David Dupont, Superintendente de Escuelas
Adiós Mr. Dupont
Sr. Dupont, gracias por sus 40 años de arduo trabajo y dedicación a las Escuelas Públicas de
Holyoke. Le deseamos éxito y felicidad en sus esfuerzos futuros. Que este nuevo capítulo en su vida le
traiga todo lo que busca y mucho más. Felicidades en su retiro.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 14 Connections
Oportunidades de
Aprendizaje
durante el Verano
Ofrecido a los Estudiantes de las
Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke
Comenzando el 8 de julio
hasta el 8 de agosto
de 8:00 AM a 1:00 PM
Para obtener más información,
visite el sitio web: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Atención
Para Padres/Tutores de
Estudiantes Actuales de
Sexto Grado Para que un estudiante entre al séptimo grado en septiembre de
2013, necesita someter documentación de los siguientes requisi-
tos a la enfermera de la escuela:
1. Examen Físico (copia del examen o fecha de la cita)
2. Dos dosis de Vacunas contra la Sarampión, Papera, Rubéola
(MMR)
3. Tres dosis de Vacuna contra la Hepatitis B
4. Una dosis de Vacuna contra el Tétano (Tdap) Vacuna de Re-
fuerzo (a menosque no sea el último refuerzo del tétano en
los últimos 5 años)
5. Dos dosis de Vacuna contra la Varicela (o caso medico docu-
mentado)
Cualquier estudiante que no presente pruebas de los requisitos
indicados a la enfermera de la escuela será excluido de entrar al
séptimo grado en septiembre de 2013, hasta que tenga los re-
quisitos.
MATRÍCULA DE
KINDERGARTEN
Los niños tienen que cumplir los 5
años en o antes del 1o de septiem-
bre, 2013.
Registration by
Appointment Only
Solicitudes disponibles en
LA OFICINA DE ASIGNACIÓN
57 Suffolk Street Primer Piso
Matricula por cita solamente
Llame o visite: 413-534-2007
Bienvenida al Dr. Paez
El Comité de Escuelas de Holyoke ha
nombrado al Dr. Sergio Páez el nuevo
superintendente de las Escuelas Públi-
cas de Holyoke. Gracias a los candida-
tos, miembros del comité y al público
por sus servicios en este proceso.
Bienvenido Dr. Páez!
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Volume 11, Issue 4 Page 15
Atletismo – Alcance para el Cancer Estudiantes Adultos en la Escuela Morgan
Por Joanne Gold
Estudiantes adultos en la clase ESOL de Alfabetización Familiar en la Escuela Morgan se han centrado esta primavera en la participación de
los padres en las Conferencias de Padres y Maestros, la lectura de libros y resúmenes de escritura, el aprendizaje sobre el cuerpo con el fin de mejo-
rar la comunicación con los profesionales de la salud y la exploración de objetivos profesionales. Hemos participado en talleres sobre problemas de
vivienda y hemos hecho un viaje a los museos de Springfield durante las vacaciones de primavera. También disfrutamos de la exhibición de imágenes
de Puerto Rico en el Open Square y estaremos visitando el Museo de Arte en Smith College y los Jardines Botánicos. Además, hemos forjado una
nueva relación con Kate Blair de la clase ELL de escuela secundaria a quien nosotros visitamos y con la cual compartimos actividades de lenguaje. Es
divertido aprender juntos!
Varios padres de la clase ayudaron al equipo de Morgan de maestros, administradores y coordinadores de la comunidad a prepararse para
presentar en MATSOL, una conferencia a nivel estatal en Framingham, el 2 de Mayo. Llegamos a mostrar nuestro fabuloso programa de Participación
Familiar, destacando la clase de ESOL y la cultura inclusiva de la escuela. Los padres están cada vez más familiarizados con el plan de estudios y sin-
tiéndose más capaces de ayudar a sus hijos con las tarea escolar.
Esperamos terminar el año escolar y luego volver a la escuela Morgan para un programa de 5 semanas. Por favor, póngase en contacto con
Glenda Morales al 413-552-0806 para información de registro.
Esperamos poder inscribir a más padres interesados en aprender Inglés!!
Escuela Superior de Holyoke
Bryan A. Dec
Louis Laguerre
Hanna Smith Ryan Beauregard Armanis Fuentes
Rachel Hall Nathaniel Hookumchand
Sarah Chapdelaine Margaret Keane
Jesus Alberto Rivera Endy Sanchez Selina Ortega
William J. Dean Escuela Superior Técnica
Edeni Colon
Francisco Diaz III Hector Luis
Rafael Gomez
Centro de Excelencia
Natysha Luciano Derrick Balise
Escuela Donahue
Haily Matos-Rivera Madison Chouinard
Fabian Nuñez
Escuela E.N. White
Jovelisse Santiago Perryne Vega Jorge Velez
Escuela Kelly
Nayelliz Berrios Cabrera Luis Alfredo Rivera
Anjylee Reyes
Escuela McMahon
Jacoby Authier Siobhan Brennan
Draine Colon Rivera
Escuela Morgan
Janessa Rodriguez Luis O. Rivera
Jan Carlos Santiago
Escuela Peck
Simon Surrette Marineiry Ortiz Limaris Soltren
Sullivan School
Meagan Breen Izabel Alicea Ryan Costello
Superintendent’s Choice
Daisha Serrano
Faizul Sibdhanny
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 16 Connections
Connections
Holyoke Public Schools
A community working together/
Una Communidad trabanjando juntos
http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Holyoke Public Schools
Media Center
c/o Judy Taylor
500 Beech Street
Holyoke, MA 01040