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Holyoke Publ ic School s
Connections
Holyoke Public Schools
Volume 13, Issue 2
A Community Working Together
Winter 2015
An Open Letter to the Holyoke School Community
An Exciting New Year
By Dr. Sergio Páez, Superintendent of Schools
It is the beginning of a new calendar
year and it is amazing to see all the wonderful initiatives and projects we have underway
in our district. It is also hard to believe that
in only a year and half we have been able to
set the tone for the future of the Holyoke
Public Schools. Teaching and learning is at
the core of our work.
We have worked to improve leadership and infrastructure, integrated new
curricula and professional learning opportunities, and created and implemented programs
and initiatives such as an alternative pathway
to graduation, graduation coaching at our
high schools, and expanded program offerings for early childhood learners. Additionally, we have increased attendance in almost
every school, and achieved the most significant increase on advanced placement qualifying scores in the area. Furthermore, the district has been recognized at the state level
for innovation in education with the implementation of the Holyoke Early Literacy Initiative (HELl).
We recently received a visit from
the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE’s) Center for District
and School Accountability (CDSA). This
district review provided us with the opportunity to showcase the wonderful work of
our teachers and students. The results of
the review will be documented in a written
report that provides recognition of accomplishments, identification of challenges, and
recommendations to help improve student
achievement in our district. Additionally, the
report will indicate progress made in the
following categories: leadership and governance, curriculum and instruction, assessment
and effective use of data, human resources
and educator development, student support,
and financial and asset management. Thank
you to all who were involved in this effort.
In considering our future, I’d like to
share with you some of our exciting endeavors. The Holyoke Public Schools will be:
Inside this issue:

preparing to open a new alternative program
for students who are in need of additional
support in social emotional issues
Athletics

continuing the expansion of the Dual Language Immersion Programs into 1st grade.
This is a remarkable program that is attracting families not only from our city but also
from other communities

expanding our Advanced Placement (AP)
offerings

expanding pre-K services (goal is to provide
universal pre-K for all our families)

opening a middle school magnet academy for
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
(STEM)

·preparing to start our second season of the
intramural sports program and tournament. This activity regularly
Metcalf students enjoy listening as Dr.
brought together over 200 people
Páez reads Pete the Cat and Knufflebunny.
to see the games last semester on
(See page 7 for more about the visit).
Thursday and Friday nights. We will
be adding tennis, swimming, and soccer. Read more about intramural athlet-
ics on page 12.
Let us continue working together to improve
student performance and achievement in
the Holyoke Public Schools. I wish you
all a safe and Happy New Year!
Kelly School Student Artist
Announcements
School News
Connections After
School
Programs
Spanish
2
2-11
11-12
12
13-16
Edition Highlights:
● Preschool Expansion Grant
Awarded
● Western Massachusetts District Music Auditions
● Advanced Placement Classes Offered at Dean
● Acknowledging Fall Athletics
and Intramurals
● Holiday Celebrations
● Student Success
● Family Outreach
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Page 2
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.
SEPACMEETINGS
Visit our
website to
view the
School
Committee
meeting
schedule.
Please join other concerned parents at our upcoming Special Education
Advisory Council (SEPAC) meetings for the 2014-2015 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, as well as shape their futures.
UPCOMING MEETINGS—April 6, 2015 and June 1, 2015
Visit the district website for meeting locations and topics.
By Kelly Masters
Holyoke School
Committee
Mayor Alex Morse
Dennis Birks
Erin Brunelle
John Brunelle
William Collamore
Irene Feliciano-Sims
Mildred Lefebvre
Devin Sheehan
John G. Whelihan
Rosalee Tensley
Williams
Deadlinefor
articlesubmissions
tobeincludedinthe
Connections
Newsletter
SpringEdition:
March 5, 2015 There are many exciting programs here at
Kelly Full Service Community School: from literacy, family outreach and parenting classes, to support services for
newly arrived residents of Massachusetts. We are working hard to create a family-friendly atmosphere that is
conducive to learning for parents and caregivers as well
as their children. Some of the highlights of the year thus
far, include Kelly’s Kindergarten Parent Academy, Tails
to Read, and our newly arrived Parent Support Group.
Kelly’s Kindergarten Parent Academy
(KKPA) provides classes for parents with children in
kindergarten. They meet twice a week for five weeks,
and at the end, parents graduate with a binder full of
educational activities like coloring, flashcards, make-yourown story books, and much more! During the last session of KKPA parents competed for a gift certificate by
designing a home-study area for their children.
The basics of early literacy are covered, as
well as tips such as limiting screen time, cutting down on
processed foods with high sugar levels (to increase children’s focus and improve their mood), and enforcing a
bedtime routine. Providing resources on parenting while
supporting parent’s engagement with their children’s
education helps parents and teachers work together.
Only by working together can we improve literacy in our
district. This program encompasses the mission of the
Holyoke Early Literacy Initiative, which coaches parents
to do “one thing a day” to support the literacy development of their child.. Kelly School continued on page 6.
TAILSTOREAD
Jose and Max the therapy dog (above) are
participants in the Tails to Read program. In this
exciting program, English Language Learning (ELL)
students are provided with the exciting opportunity
to read to therapy dogs. Targeting students who
struggle with reading, this program makes it a joyful
and judgment-free experience. After all, dogs
provide unconditional love, so having a furry
companion to practice an otherwise frustrating and
challenging task, eases tension and allows for a very
positive reading experience.
Connections Newsletter
Edited by: Judy Taylor [email protected]
Translated by: Luz Aguilar
“The time is always right to do what is right.” ~ Martin Luther King
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 3
E.N. White Celebrates Puerto Rico Discovery Day
By Hilary Russell
E.N. White Faculty Visit Nuestras Raices
As part of the E.N. White School goal to engage families in
the school community, staff are participating in monthly field trips
around Holyoke to experience the work local community agencies and
groups engage our families in. Our first trip was to Nuestras Raices
and its various community-based garden and nutrition projects. Emily
Engel, the School-Community education liaison for Nuestras Raices
provided a tour of the Main Street facility, their greenhouse and professional kitchens, as well as one of the community gardens located
nearby.
The visit was interesting and informative for staff, and the
school will now take advantage of Emily’s expertise in supporting the
development of a community garden at E.N. White School. She will
also team with the Kindergarten classes and their families to learn
about nutrition, support the school garden, and to continue to provide
more locally grown food in the school lunch program.
On November 21st, Jose Gonzalez and his Banda Criolla (with
sons Rene and Ahmed Gonzalez) provided a musical celebration of Puerto
Rico Discovery Day (November 19th) for students and families. A group
of dancers and percussionists from the school worked with Jose and his
group to create a wonderful concert of dance and music, interspersed
with Jose’s wonderful way of teaching children about the history of Puerto
Rican music and the influences from the Spanish, Taino and African cultures.
Thanks to the hard work of Dan Rose and his middle school
chorus, and Flor Matos and Vanessa Aponte, E.N. White paraprofessionals, the E.N. White chorus kicked off the concerts with a rendition of
“Verde Luz.” The dancers followed with their “Bomba y Plena,” a dance
they worked on for several weeks early in the morning before the start of
the school day. Jose and his band then demonstrated several different
styles of music and got the 6th-7th-8th grade percussionists to perform
along with the band. This included a shout out to legendary Puerto Rican
percussionist and songwriter, Tito Puente, and his iconic “Oye Como Va.”
In addition to the two concerts and music workshops, students
also participated in a variety of cultural activities in their classrooms and
had a wonderful lunch of traditional Puerto Rican fare. Thanks to generous funding from the Tiger Pride Community Organization (our very own
P.T.O.) and funds from the Family Engagement Grant, we hope to make
this an annual educational opportunity for students, staff and families.
Sports, Music, & Art: Students Kick It Up at a Winter Camp in Northampton
Thanks to Dr. Páez, Judy
Taylor, and the KidsAfrik annual sports
and culture retreat, 15 E.N. White students happily took part in a winter camp
from December 29th to December 31st
at the Allsport Indoor Soccer Arena in
Northampton. The KidsAfrik Culture
Retreat is offered every winter to students around the Pioneer Valley. This
year, E.N. White received 15 scholarships through the KidsAfrik camp and
students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade spent
three exciting, fun-filled days at the
camp. In addition to sports, dance,
drumming and art projects, students
made lasting friendships with other
children from Amherst, Hadley, South
Hadley and Longmeadow. They also
participated in goal setting, cultural
activities, and developed a video of
their three days of
activities. “It was
the best camp I
have ever been to.
My favorite was the
soccer because I
like soccer a lot but
I also liked the
drumming and the
technology,” stated
6th grader Ernesto
Matos. “It was the
best experience.”
E.N.
White will continue to work with KidsAfrik to support this as an annual
winter activity. The KidsAfrik coaches will continue to support soccer
and cultural activities beyond the school day for students in the Spring.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Connections
Page 4
By Karen McDermott
PBIS at Donahue School
The NED Show
The NED Show came for an assembly in November to educate
and entertain the elementary school students at Donahue School. The
NED Show is an innovative assembly that uses humor, story telling, audience participation and magic yo-yo tricks to teach students the important
concepts of: Never give up, Encourage others, and Do your best.
NED’s goal is to encourage and inspire students to become “Champions at
school and in life”. These concepts tie wonderfully with Donahue’s school
wide pledge of being “Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Productive”.
Elementary and Middle School rewards through PBIS
We are continuing to use PBIS (Positive
Behavioral Interventions & Supports) at Donahue School, as a framework
to identify and recognize positive behaviors in the school while, simultaneously minimizing negative behaviors. Typical PBIS rewards include Dolphin
Tickets, Student of the Week, and Amazing Announcers. This December
we added two additional events to reward students that demonstrated
behaviors that were Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Productive. The
elementary students were rewarded with a screening of the movie Frozen.
Many wore pajamas and almost all were singing along with movie the entire
time. Middle school students were invited to attend a dance, hosted by
our DPCO, with music played by our own “DJ Zyla”. Both events were
great motivators for good behavior and working hard in school.
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts (PVPA) Assembly
PVPA’s music department travels around the Pioneer Valley offering free concerts to area schools every November, and came to
visit Donahue School along the way. The school, located in South Hadley, has been putting on the "We came to Play" tour for four years in
the Pioneer Valley and we were lucky to have them come perform. While the tour was a major assessment for the PVPA students, as they
are graded on their ability to set up a stage, sound system, run a performance, strike and pack gear, it was an awesome opportunity for the
Donahue Dolphins (K-8) to experience live music of many different varieties. There were 4 performing groups: Spectrum A Cappella Ensemble (singing everything from classical to world music to jazz), The PVPA Rock Ensemble and Pop/R&B Ensembles, and "The Groovy Truth"
Jazz Ensemble. The PVPA students also visited classrooms to interact with classes and students, performing and answering questions about
their instruments. We are hopeful that this type of exposure will increase our students’ interests in joining instrumental music, choir, or
band in the future. It was an amazing experience for all who participated.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Page 5
Page 5
Holyoke Awarded Federal Preschool Development – Expansion Grant—
Massachusetts, represented by Holyoke and four other commonwealth cities, has been awarded the federal Preschool Development Grant. This Expansion Grant will provide $60 Million in funding over the next four years to develop and expand preschool programs. The other communities are Springfield, Lowell, Boston, and Lawrence. These communities will serve as
models for expanding preschool to all four-year-olds from low-income families in Massachusetts.
Holyoke Students Shine Brightly In Western Massachusetts District Music Auditions
By Amanda Metcalfe
Saturday, December 6, 2014 marked an important day for a
group of music students in our district. Western District Auditions
took place at Westfield State University on that day, and 15 fine young
musicians from Holyoke braved the odds and gave it their all! Students
hailed from both E.N. White School and Sullivan School, choosing to
audition on voice, violin, and trumpet. Some students even opted to
take more than one audition, like Tyler Guertin, who auditioned on
voice, viola, classical trumpet, and even jazz trumpet- and qualified for all
four auditions!
Students were asked to perform in front of two judges. Each
student had to perform a prepared solo, sing or play a scale, and sight
read new music that he/she had not seen or heard before. Each student
received a number score and feedback following their audition, letting
them know what areas to improve for future auditions. Amanda
Metcalfe, founder and director of the 2 year old choral group Sullivan
Singers, commented “It’s really a great start to our students’ musical
careers, and a fantastic chance to meet others as well. The more experience you have auditioning and performing, the easier it becomes. And
as you perform more, you meet more people who share your interestsit’s a direct connection to the outside world.”
Students were under the choral direction and supervision of
Daniel Rose and Amanda Metcalfe, while Jenifer Gelineau and Andrew
Verrocchi assisted string/band students. This team spent weeks assisting students by helping them prepare their solos, control their anxiety
for their audition, and strategize on how best to approach sightreading.
Andrew Verrocchi was particularly pleased with his students, adding “As
a teacher for many years in this district, I feel blessed to be able to work
with such talented and committed students- they are capable musicians
and this is the proof.”
The Western Massachusetts District Festival Concert will be
held on a Saturday in March at the UMASS Amherst Fine Arts Center.
Tickets will be sold in the coming weeks and anyone interested in supporting our students in their endeavor should contact Daniel Rose,
Amanda Metcalfe, or Andrew Verrocchi to purchase tickets. Please
consider coming out to support our nine outstanding musicians in one
of many experiences as musicians in a global community!
Western District Auditions are a highly competitive opportunity for students from the surrounding cities of Western Massachusetts to perform for the chance to be selected for an elite performing
ensemble. This year, we are proud to announce that three students
from Sullivan and six students from E.N. White made the cut for auditions and will be performing in the Western Massachusetts District
Festival. Rafael Rivas, Jalen Cortes, and Christian Boria will be representing the Sullivan School in the Western District Chorus, while Aracelis Acevedo, Anna Price, Selena Serrano, Darius Diaz, and Anthony
Guzman will be representing the E.N. White School in the Western
District Choral Ensembles. Tyler, our multi-instrument qualifier, will
have a tough decision to make in the coming months- whether to perform as a vocalist, a violist, or a trumpeter at the Western District
Festival. It was a proud day for all teachers and students of Holyoke!
For many students, this was their first opportunity to sing or
play for someone outside of Holyoke. When asked about the opportunity, new District Chorus member Rafael Rivas said, “It was really
exciting because there were so many people from all over the state.”
Daniel Rose, director of the EN White Chorus, added “This is prime
evidence that our students can and do meet the standards of excellence
in music- they are all assessed in the same way. I’m very proud of our
students’ willingness to take the musical risk of performing outside of
their comfort zone!”
Students in photo above include (Right to left, back row to front row):
Amelia Flores - White - 7 - Alto
Tyler Guertin - White - 8 - Viola, Trumpet, Jazz Trumpet, Tenor****
Selena Serrano - White - 6 - Alto*
Aracelis Acevedo - White - 8 - Soprano*
Zoe Brazeau - White - 8 - Violin
Jalen Cortes - Sullivan - 7 - Bass*
Anna Price - White - 8 - Alto*
Anthony Guzman - White - 7 - Bass*
Darius Diaz - White - 8 - Bass*
Myasia Bolden - White - 8 - Alto
Kayla Neal - Sullivan - 7 - Alto
Melina Garcia - Sullivan - 7 - Alto
Christiaan Boria - Sullivan - 7 - Tenor*
Rafael Rivas - Sullivan - 7 - Tenor*, Violin
Hayley O'Brien - Sullivan - 8 - Alto
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Names with stars
indicate
acceptance into
the Western
District Festival.
Two (or more)
stars indicate
acceptance in
more than one area
of concentration.
Connections
Connections
Page 6
McMahon School 8th Grade News
By Nancy Lacey
During the month of December, the eighth graders at
McMahon School prepared and participated in debates on current
event topics including school uniforms, cell phone use in schools
and the death penalty. Using the protocol from the Middle School
Debate Program, 3 students worked on a “pro” argument and 3
students worked on a “con” argument. The students learned about
proper debate etiquette that included heckling, applauding with an
(1) open hand and calling out “Shame!” when they strongly disagreed with an opponent. A classroom visit from State Representative Aaron Vega on December 17th further served to help prepare
the students for the debates. Mr. Vega presented about public
speaking and public service. Mr. Vega then took time to answer
questions from the students about his present position. The debates took place on December 19th and December 22nd. All who
attended, including family members and friends, were very impressed with our students!
POLAREXPRESS
By Marianne Currier
On December 17th the McMahon School
elementary students and families were transported
to the North Pole aboard the Polar Express!
Children enjoyed a fun evening eating pizza, wearing
their PJ’s and watching the Polar Express. There was
even a special visit from Santa who gave each child a
silver jingle bell from his sleigh.
Kindergarten students had listened to the
story earlier in the week, read by Mrs. Currier, and
made their own pictures that were on display.
Middle School students worked with Art Teacher
Mrs. Mislak-Casson to create a veritable Winter
Wonderland in the school cafeteria where everyone
gathered for the event. A fun and memorable
evening was had by all - almost 200 people attended!
A special thanks to the McMahon staff
who volunteered for the event, led by Ms. Currier.
A lot of effort paid off the minute they saw the
smiles on the childrens' faces.
Essay Contest Winners
Congratulations to:
McMahon Students Alexandria LaFountain
and Filiberto Saez. Their essays for the
local Elks Drug Awareness Contest
(Holyoke Lodge #902) were chosen as
winners. Their essays will be entered into
the State Contest later this year.
Kelly School (Continued from page 2):
The Parent Support Group, or Grupo de Apoyo
para Padres, provides a safe and positive space for newly arrived
parents to the Holyoke Public School System. Whether from Connecticut or Puerto Rico, moving to a new place can be overwhelming. Not
only is it helpful to share resources with new parents, but they also
learn to work with one another, making friends and networking to
make the task of finding home in a strange place a little less difficult.
Some of the workshops we provided for this group include Individualized Education Plan (IEP) coaching, culture shock, cold weather tips,
and parent teacher conference preparation, and stress management..
Visit the Kelly School family liaison to learn more about
Kelly resources and its collaborations with Holyoke Medical Center,
and River Valley Counseling Center.
Assistant Family Access and Engagement Coordinator Melanie Wise facilitates the parent support group, while teacher Denise White answers questions about evaluation and services for Spanish speaking students.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 7
Eighth and First Graders “Buddy Up” in
Math and Reading
By Lorie Banks and Patty Langlois
First grade teacher Patricia Langlois and eighth grade math
teacher Lorie Banks collaborated to create opportunities for the eighth
graders to teach the first graders reading and math. For the first activity, the eighth graders wrote addition word problems that the first graders had to solve. This gave the eighth graders the chance to think
critically not only about the math they had to teach but also their
choice of language. For the second activity, the eighth graders read
stories to the first graders. In turn, the first graders shared with
the eighth graders some of their books which they read back to
them.
The eighth graders enjoyed being role models for the
younger ones saying the experience reminded them of when they
were that age. The first graders enjoyed making friends with their
older peers and having the chance to visit the eighth grade classroom. The collaboration will continue throughout the year with an
activity based on the Jan Brett book The Mitten. Like a pair of mittens, the students will be buddied up ensuring that the little ones
will always have an older buddy that will be there for them.
(Left to right:) Above —Eighth grader Angel Ortiz,
collaborates with first grade buddy Saddie Santana;
Right—first grade buddy Jovan Berrios partners with
eighth grade buddy Christian Haddack.
Celebrating the Holidays with the Preschool Languages Classes
By Mrs. Sanchez, Mrs. Zuraw Ms. Cheng
On Monday December 22nd, Joseph
Metcalf School’s Spanish and Chinese language
classes celebrated the holidays with a trilingual
musical event. The children performed songs in
English, Spanish and Chinese.
foods, to share with each other while enjoying
their children’s performance. One of our parents baked cookies in the shape of letters and
wrote the words “Hola, Hello, Ni hao” to decorate our food and treats table. We all had a
great time, thanks to parent participation and
Families attended the event and
enthusiasm as well as the school staff that donatbrought their favorite cookies, treats and other
ed their time to make this event special.
We are looking forward to getting
together again to form a parent group, and to
exchange ideas and work together toward a
common purpose—our children’s education.
Dr. Paez and Link to Libraries Visit Metcalf School
Metcalf preschool students enjoyed a visit from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sergio Páez and Link to Libraries representative Tammy Trudeau. They listened while Dr. Páez read aloud two stories—Knufflebunny and Pete the Cat. Each student in the classroom was then able to choose a new
book donated by Link to Libraries. Thank you Link to Libraries for your generous book donations.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
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Page 8
Peck-Lawrence
Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration Event on December 5th, 2014
The Lawrence K-3 Campus united with the Peck 4-8 Campus to celebrate Puerto Rican heritage on Friday, Dec. 5th at the Peck
Campus. As we entered Peck we were all greeted by familiar faces
from our “sister” school as well as the smell of good food and the
tropical forest sounds that made us feel like we were near Puerto
Rico’s rain forest, “El Yunque”.
After eating and greeting we all went to the Peck auditorium to experience a variety of presentations which spanned grades
one through middle school. The impressive and fun middle school
emcees were introducing all presentations using both English and
Spanish throughout the evening.
Campus with their classroom teachers as well as SSR teacher Evelyn
Lopez were evident by the students being able to perform the dance
well and show enthusiasm and poise while dancing.
Karen Malley’s grade three ELL students performed the
play, When the Pigs Took Over, adapted from a story by Arthur Dorros.
The students looked nervous yet focused before getting up on stage
but once on the large Peck stage the six students all said their lines
using the microphone very well. This interesting play is an example of
the challenging English Language Learning that takes place every day in
their small group ELL class.
We are very proud of our teachers and students who put
Grade one ELL students from Julie Diaz and Korri Flynn’s so much effort and heart into dramatizing the Puerto Rican heritage
classes performed a plena dance which captivated the large audience that is so important to our students, our families, and our community.
of all ages. The children’s many days of practice back at the Lawrence
More Trees for the Lawrence
K-3 Campus
The Lawrence Campus was fortunate to be contacted by Andrew Smith, City of
Holyoke Conservation Director, and Rachel
DeMatte, Urban Forester at the Massachusetts
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
last fall about planting trees at the school. Rachel worked with the school to identify where
trees would be beneficial and which type of
trees could be planted in the identified areas.
Within a few weeks seven trees were planted.
We now have five new trees on the playground
below Chestnut Street and two trees in the
school courtyard, with each tree being a different species. The City of Holyoke also planted a
tree in the Lawrence playground for Arbor Day
in the spring. Our new trees include a ginko
tree, a black gum, a linden and an American
Hornbeam. Our students enjoy learning about
our new trees with the positive influence of
our new science teacher, Ms. Woods. We are
looking forward to seeing how the eight different trees will look this spring!
LeŌ to right—Josiah Hogan and
Walberto Alicea proudly present one
of the new trees.
PeckLawrence
continued on
page 9.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 9
An Exemplary Volunteer
Often we hear
of the challenges that our
students present, but this
story is one of many
untold stories about the
students of Peck School
who accept challenges
and exceed expectations.
Eighth grader
Carlos Madera, (left), has
been volunteering at
Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen
every Wednesday for the
past year. According to
Benjamin Holt, Program
Manager at Lorraine's
Soup Kitchen and Pantry,
“Carlos usually arrives at
approximately 3:00 PM
every Wednesday and enthusiastically jumps right in to help unload our
food bank order which usually consists of four to five pallets of food
By Justin Cotton & Cathy Foley
that weigh a total of approximately six thousand pounds. After finishing
with the food bank order Carlos and other volunteers set up our dining
room for the soup kitchen’s dinner program."
“Carlos has gone above and beyond his normal responsibilities on several occasions," continues Holt. "During the last snowfall,
while shoveling our sidewalks, Carlos decided on his own to clean the
snow off all of our dinner client’s cars, (approximately 30 cars), while
they were inside enjoying a warm meal. He did this out of the kindness
of his heart because none of our clients knew that he was the one that
cleaned their cars off.”
Principal Cotton states “Carlos has exemplified being proud,
excellent, committed and kind. Carlos models appropriate behavior in
the hallway, and is the personification of PECK PRIDE.” During December’s Peck music assembly Carlos was honored with the Principal’s
award (Peck Pride) due to his markedly improved behavior and performance at school and his hard work and positive attitude that he has
exuded while volunteering his time at Lorraine's soup kitchen. Assistant
Principal Mr. McCoy explains, “Carlos is extremely helpful and he goes
out of his way to make his classmates feel included and part of the
group.”
WINGMASTERS Land at Peck!
By Cathy Foley
On Tuesday, January 13th the fifth grade classes at Peck were treated to a visit by Julie Collier from WINGMASTERS. WINGMASTERS is a
partnership of two people dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation of North American Birds of Prey. Julie Collier and Jim Parks
are both licensed raptor rehabilitators and they care for injured birds of prey. The Birds of Prey Program is designed to explain predation, the birds
place at the top of the food web, their different hunting adaptations, and their status in a rapidly changing world.
Mrs. Cavanaugh’s fifth grade class reports:
"I liked the program a lot because I also like to take care of animals. My favorite bird was the red-tailed hawk, it was big and beautiful." - Raul
Montanez
"I learned that the Peregrine Falcon is the fastest animal in the world and can fly 200 miles per hour!" - Anastasia Rodriguez
Holiday Happenings
There were many exciting and entertaining holiday happenings
at Peck School prior to our December vacation:
The Peck School Store offered many gifts for family members, teachers and friends. Mr. McCoy reports, “We had the busiest days
at the store this year. It was great to see the students getting into the
spirit of the holiday and using the money they earned to buy gifts for others.” Some of the items available included posters, lotions, gloves, hats,
games and books. Joeliann Santiago, grade eight said “I bought things for
my friends, my teacher Ms. Foley and my brother.”
to participate in the Peck basketball game. It was a great game and it was
incredible to see the Peck sprit evident in the players and the cheers from
the students and faculty. Thanks for the opportunity and the great memories!”
There was a Peck Raffle for two brand new bikes – one for
boys and one for girls that took place at half time during the basketball
tournament. One lucky winner was seventh grader Marangeliz Castillo
who stated, “My mom was surprised but I bought a lot of tickets. I love
the color of the bike and that it’s a Mongoose.” The other winner was
seventh grader George Thomas. He said, “I was shocked! My brother
The Peck School Holiday Concert featured over fifty students
and sister were jealous. I have only ridden it outside twice because I am
from all grades four through eight! Led by music director Otis Rogers,
saving it for the good weather.”
students sang songs by Bruno Mars, Nico and Vinz, American Authors,
Majic!, and led a sing-along version of “Jingle Bell Rock”. The singers were
joined by many Peck middle school musicians, including a dozen pianists,
four guitarists, and a drummer! Mr. Cavanaugh, Mr. Franco, and Mr. Montanez, assisted Mr. Rogers with accompaniment. The eighth grade also
created a special performance of the song “Latch/Disclosure” with dancing
and singing by Emily Velazquez, Taisha Martinez, Salena Reid, Sonjaliz Rivera, and Joeliann Santiago-Aguilar. Thank you all Peck staff for your help and
support! We look forward to two more concerts this year with even
greater participation and fun!
The Peck Basketball Tournament featured games between
the fourth and fifth grades with the winner playing the sixth grade. The
next game was between the seventh and eighth grade with the finale being
the Peck Basketball team versus Faculty and Staff. The faculty prevailed but
George Thomas
it was a closely contended game. Dr. Páez joined the faculty team and
Marangeliz CasƟllo
commented, “I had a wonderful opportunity and am honored to be invited
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Connections
Page 10
Congratulations to all the
students who participated in
Holyoke High School's
Second Annual Poetry Out
Loud competition. Senior
Madison Lawrence received
first place and will move on to
the regional competition in
Springfield this spring. We
wish you the best Madison!
Save the Dates
Thank you to ABC40 and all the students and
staff at Holyoke High School who came to school
early in the morning on January 9th to showcase
Holyoke High School during ABC Honor Roll.
Junior College Planning Night: February 25, 2015
Two presentations by MEFA –one in English and one in Spanish– will be provided to help juniors and their parents begin planning for college. This event will be held at Holyoke High School,
from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and is free to parents and juniors.
Broadway in Holyoke: March 12, 2015—March 15, 2015
Come and see Broadway in Holyoke when the Holyoke High School Music Department stages its 16th annual musical – The Wizard of OZ -from Thursday, March 12th through
Sunday, March 15th in the John Sears Auditorium at Holyoke High School. Tickets for the production go on sale Monday, March 2nd and may be purchased at Holyoke High School and at
The Cottage at 1615 Northampton Street. Performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
evenings are at 7:30 PM and the performance on Sunday afternoon is at 2:00 PM. All seating is
reserved. Golden Circle tickets for seats in the front three rows are $15 (no discounts). Tickets for adults are $10. Tickets for senior citizens, students and children are $8. Continuing this
year is group seating. Tickets for groups of 10 or more for any one of the performances are $8.
So mark your calendars and come and enjoy this magical production." A special note this year is
Toto, who will be played by a professionally trained dog from Tony Award winning William
Berloni, who trains many dogs for Broadway productions in New York and around the world
and also movie productions.
To Kill a Mockingbird: May 5, 2015
Join us for an evening of theater at the Holyoke High School Auditorium to support
the arts and literacy - produced by the Holyoke High School Drama Club students and performed by the National Players, America’s longest running touring company. To support this
initiative with a donation please contact Angela T. Sweeney at Holyoke High School
413-534-2020 For more information, visit the following Holyoke High School webpage:
http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/hhs/index.html
Dinner and a Movie on the Polar Express
Thank you to all the families that came out to
Dinner and a Movie on the Polar Express at
Holyoke High School! Upward Bound students
and staff put on a wonderful night. All proceeds
benefit NMH Upward Bound, a college-access
program for low-income, first generation youth.
Students at the Holyoke High School Guidance Coffee and Cocoa Club are enjoying donuts and hot drinks before school while
receiving advice from counselors about a range of topics, such as, Building your Resume, the Importance of GPA, and Getting Prepared
for Mid-term Exams.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 11
SAVE THE DATE—TECH NIGHT Open House
Wednesday April 8th 6:00 PM– 8:30 PM
Advanced Placement Classes at DEAN
By Lori McKenna
High-tech learning for the high-powered careers of the future
Manufacturing and Technology, Transportation, Construction, Personal Services
This year Dean Technical High School began
offering Advanced Placement (AP) classes. There
are currently two classes being offered to juniors
and seniors. The classes are AP Language and
Composition, which has 57 students and AP Statistics, which has 19 students. These students
have already attended some Saturday study sessions. The study sessions help students to review
the skills they need for the test as well as to build
their confidence in these college level classes. The
students even participate in a mock exam
and receive results on their performance. Three
years ago, Dean began to offer honor level classes,. This year, with the addition of AP classes,
students have the opportunity to earn college
credits while they continue their education at
Dean.
Graduation Coach Holiday Party
On December 17th, the Graduation Coaches at
Dean celebrated the holidays with the students
they coach. Students were able to decorate cookies and enjoy them with a mug of hot chocolate.
The students also created some holiday decorations and discussed plans on how to be successful
students in the New Year.
Project Based Learning (PBL) in Action
In Auto Collision PBL took a true meaning when Mr. Spokis
and Mr. Cipriani presented the students with a challenge.
They learned of a student’s frustration as he wasn’t eligible for
a PVTA pass and therefore needed to walk approximately an
hour to and from school every day. What could they do to
help as a community? Restoration of an old bike was the answer! Students practiced and refined skills to bring the bike
back to life. Students were engaged and extremely proud of
their final project. Great job guys!
Collaboration at its Best
One of the great things about our school is the many
opportunities that are available for students to collaborate. Our Culinary and Graphics departments, were
able to work together to feed our recent visitors.
While students in the Culinary department were preparing the dishes on the menu, the Graphics department was preparing the actual menu. This is a very real
experience for small business owners, which is one
outcome that we are hoping for in our students’ futures. The image that this collaboration gave
our visitors was amazing! The menus were very professional looking and the food and service in
the Tea Room was fantastic! Great Job Culinary and Graphics Departments!
Acknowledging Our Fall Athletic Teams
This Fall Holyoke High School had three teams win their leagues. Golf,
Boys X-Country and Field Hockey! Congratulations to all our Fall Teams at
Dean Technical High School (Dean Tech) and Holyoke High. You have
represented Holyoke High, Dean Tech and the City of Holyoke with dignity and class. We are proud of all of you and your athletic accomplishments.
Dean Tech Football – Dean Football is starting to re-build the program.
It was a tough season but the team worked hard and will continue to improve as a team. Jose Berrios and Seth Robles were named as Tri-County
All-League All Stars.
By Melanie Martin
better season next Fall.
Golf – Won their league with 13-3 record. Alex Glanville, Devan Kane and
Jack Nieves were named All-League All Stars.
Girls Soccer – Worked hard to rebuild this year and will continue to
improve next year. All-League All-stars were: Amelia Vega, Callie
Cavanaugh and Amber Lempke.
Field Hockey – Were Co-Champions of their League with a 12-3-3 record and qualified for the tournament. Katelyn Leclerc, Isabella Courshane,
Sara Healy and MaryKate McCarthy were named All-League All-Stars.
Holyoke Football – Holyoke Football finished 6-5 for a winning season.
Boys X-Country – Were the Valley South Champions with a 7-0 record!
The team, with a new coaching staff, came together and worked hard to
The team took 3rd in Western Mass and 6 athletes went on to compete in
improve over the season. Andrew Pelletier, Devante Wardell and Tim
the State Meet. All-League All-Stars include Cameron Correia, James CurGirard were named as AA All-League All-Stars.
Girls X-Country – Our team is continuing to grow and had many individ- tin, Bryan Dec, Izaien Lugo, Tyler Tardy and Joel Ramos.
ual successes this season. They took 1st place at the Ted Duck Invitational
Race. Grace Hamel and Maggie MCAndrew were All-League All-Stars.
Athletics continued
Maggie McAndrew represented Holyoke in the State Meet.
on page 11.
Boys Soccer – Is continuing to build a competitive team. They played
with class and sportsmanship through a tough schedule. Carter Theriault,
Brayan Tavera De Los Rios and Collin Stevenson were All-League All-Stars.
Carter Theriault will be played in the Senior All-Star team at Williston.
Holyoke Girls Volleyball- Had a tough season, but remained positive
and had fun. They ran a very successful volleyball tournament with 24
Congratulations to Holyoke High
teams participating. Emily West made the 2nd Team for the Volleyball Hall
School Basketball team athlete
Dvante Wardell, who was named to
of Fame/Spaulding All Star Team and was named as an All-League All Star.
the All-Tournament Team at the
Dean Girls Volleyball – Struggled this season, but worked hard, learned
Brockton Holiday Classic.
new skills and had some fun along the way. They are looking forward to a
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Connections
Page 12
Athletics (Continued from page 11):
Congratulations
Chris Vega (DTHS) and Justin
Perez (HHS) join the 100 Win
Club for Wrestling!
Donahue (Continued from page 4):
Fifth Graders’ Conscious Kindness
Intramural Athletics Program
By Melanie Martin
The Holyoke Public Schools Middle School Intramural Sports Program had a great Fall
season with basketball and volleyball. Middle school students at Peck, Kelly, McMahon, Sullivan, E.N.
White, Donahue and Morgan schools participated in this after school program from September to
December. Our students had fun, made new friends, developed new skills, and practiced good
sportsmanship. Congratulations to our Championship Teams—, E.N.White (basketball), and Peck –
(volleyball)! Congratulations to all the teams who participated in the basketball and volleyball intramural programs. All our students did a great job of representing their schools and the Holyoke community.
We are working on the sport offerings for the Spring Intramural season, which will begin in
March or April. Soccer and tennis are on the top of the list. We are also working on a Tennis Play
Day for the Elementary schools. Visit http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/athletics.html for the schedules.
He said with a grin, “It makes me happy because tive. Students and teachers had a great time on
I’m doing kind things for people. Other people this beautiful fall day. All participants received
are kind to me now because I am kind to them.” participation ribbons, and the champions of each
The fifth graders at Donahue School category received a medal and a prize.
are challenging other Holyoke Public Schools
Dolphin Pride
students, faculty, and staff to incorporate conHow do we teach our students to scious kindness into their everyday lives. “After By Angela Thatcher
be kind people? The fifth grade students at Do- all,, it doesn’t take money to be kind,” stated
The Dolphin Pride Community Ornahue School were challenged to do at least one Mrs. Leenders, one of the fifth grade teachers.
ganization has been working hard to help proact of kindness every day between Thanksgiving
mote a positive school culture. The DPCO
and Christmas breaks through a SPPRAK Turkey Trot Race the Dolphin Way raises money for students and teachers and
(Special People Performing Random Acts of By Karen McDermott
provides opportunities for parental and commuKindness) Attack called Conscious Kindness.
th
On November 25 Donahue School’s nity involvement.
According to fifth grader Anthony Vargas, conThis past October, the DPCO sold
Dolphin
Pride
Community Organization sponscious kindness is, “being kind even when you
sored the first ever Turkey Trot race. Do- tickets to a Pumpkin Patch Party held at the end
don’t have to and being aware of being kind.”
nahue’s multiple distance foot race celebrated of the month. In November, the DPCO sold
During this SPPRAK Attack of con- community and physical activity. Students from hooded sweatshirts and t-shirts to staff memscious kindness “I changed,” said Nick Ramos, kindergarten through eighth grade ran or walked bers. In December, there was a Cookies and
another Donahue School fifth grader. “Before I specific distances in the fields behind the school, Cocoa with Santa event held at the school. Ticksaid mean stuff to people and never apologized. mapped to accommodate age group competi- ets were sold for one dollar per person and
Now if I do or say something mean, I say ‘I’m tion. Parents and teachers helped as race officials families we able to come and enjoy crafts, cookand volunteers, in addition to a group of middle ies and hot cocoa. Pictures with Santa in front of
sorry.’”
Nick is thrilled with the change he school students selected by the faculty as stu- a fireplace backdrop were also available. Tickets
sees in himself because of this SPPRAK Attack. dents who exemplify the “Dolphin Way” of were sold out! Thanks to all who supported
being respectful, responsible, safe, and produc- these events!
By Marjorie Leenders
CONNECTIONS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
CONNECTIONS Program and the
Enchanted Circle Theater Present
Reading Alive!
On December 6th, Reading Alive! was
presented at the Holyoke Public Library. Students and their parents were both audience and
participants in the performance at this hugely
successful event. Over 100 parents, students,
and family members packed into the Community
Room at the library, which made for a very fun
and lively experience.
Kate Carreiro and Axel Cruz, Teaching Artists from Enchanted Circle Theater, read
and performed two books. They engaged every
single parent and child in the room! Children of
all ages and grade levels were encouraged to get
up and move about the Community room as
part of the story performances.
Parents enjoyed watching their children and one stated, "It's very important to have
family time no matter how busy our schedules
might be, and we need to encourage our children to read.” Another parent remarked, “My
child had a great time and I look forward to
bringing her to the next one."
Several other parents who were surveyed said that they, “learned new ways to make
it more fun when reading” with their children.
One parent stated she learned, "how to make a
story more interesting by acting out parts. It
makes your child want to know about the story.”
CONNECTIONS and Enchanted
Circle Theater are thrilled with the positive
reaction of parents and students and plan to hold
more events like this one in the future.
Many parents who attended the event
also signed the HELI (Holyoke Early Literacy
Initiative) contract. By signing the contract, these
parents confirmed that they know about Holyoke’s “On Track for Learning” indicator list,
promise to do one thing every day to support
their child/children’s literacy development, and
also promise to make sure their child/children
attend school every day. The HELI Parent contract recognizes that parent support is vital for
student success, and it is great to have new parents demonstrating that they are onboard with
the initiative! For more about the HELI initiative,
visit: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/heli.html .
CONNECTIONS also hosted another
family event— a free trip to the Smith College
Art Museum and Botanical Gardens on Saturday,
February 14th.
It was available to Holyoke
Public Schools students in grades 2-5 and their
families, and involved many fun learning activities
such as a tour of the gardens and a chance to
explore the art in the Smith Art Museum. Transportation and lunch were provided.
For Program Information, contact:
Jorge L. Castellano, (413) 313-7710
[email protected]
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Holyoke Public Schools
Estos son los puntos mas
sobresalientes del Boletin
Holyoke Public Schools
Volume 13 Issue 2
Invierno 2015
Una Carta Abierta a la Comunidad de la Escuela Holyoke
Un Año Nuevo Emocionante
Por Dr. Sergio Páez, Superintendente de Escuelas
Estudiante de Arte, Escuela Kelly
Es el comienzo de un nuevo año y es increíble ver
todas las maravillosas iniciativas y proyectos que tenemos en
marcha en nuestro distrito. También es difícil de creer que en
sólo un año y medio hemos podido establecer la pauta para
el futuro de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke. La enseñanza y
el aprendizaje están en el centro de nuestro trabajo.
Hemos trabajado para mejorar el liderazgo y la infraestructura, nuevos planes de estudio integrado y oportunidades de aprendizaje profesional, y creado e implementado programas e iniciativas, como una vía alternativa para la graduación, entrenador de graduación en nuestras escuelas secundarias, y amplias ofertas de programas para los estudiantes de la
primera infancia. Además, hemos aumentado la asistencia en
casi todas las escuelas, y hemos logrado el aumento más significativo en las puntuaciones de calificación de colocación
avanzada de la zona. Además, el distrito ha sido reconocido a
nivel estatal para la innovación en la educación con la implementación de la Iniciativa de Alfabetización Temprana Holyoke (HELI).
Recientemente hemos recibido una visita del Departamento de Educación Primaria y Secundaria (Centro DESE)
de los datos, recursos humanos y el desarrollo educador, apoyo a
los estudiantes, y la gestión financiera y patrimonial. Gracias a todos
los que estuvieron involucrados en este esfuerzo.
Al considerar nuestro futuro, me gustaría compartir con ustedes algunos de nuestros esfuerzos emocionantes. Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke se estarán:






preparando para la apertura de un nuevo programa alternativo
para los estudiantes que están en necesidad de apoyo adicional
en cuestiones sociales y emocionales
continuando con la expansión de los programas de inmersión
de lenguaje dual en primer grado. Este es un programa extraordinario que está atrayendo a las familias no sólo de nuestra
ciudad sino también de otras comunidades
ampliando nuestra oferta de Colocación Avanzada
ampliando los servicios de pre-K. Estamos trabajando hacia la
meta de proporcionar pre-Kínder universal para todas nuestras
familias
abriendo una escuela intermedia de academia para Ciencia,
Tecnología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas (STEM).
Preparando iniciar nuestra segunda temporada del programa de
deportes intramuros y torneo. Esta actividad reunió regularmente a más de 200 personas para ver los juegos el semestre
pasado los jueves y viernes por la noche. Agregaremos tenis,
natación y fútbol. Leer más sobre atletismo intramuros en la
página 12.
para el Distrito y de Responsabilidad Escolar (CDSA). Esta opinión
del distrito nos proporcionó la oportunidad de mostrar el maravilloso trabajo de nuestros maestros y estudiantes. Los resultados del
examen serán documentados en un informe escrito que proporciona el reconocimiento de los logros, la identificación de retos y recomendaciones para ayudar a mejorar el rendimiento estudiantil en
Sigamos trabajando juntos para mejorar el desempenuestro distrito. Además, el informe indicará los progresos realizaño y el logro estudiantil en las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke.
dos en las
siguien- Les deseo a todos un Feliz Año Nuevo seguro!
A los estudiantes de la Escuela
tes
Metcalf les gusta escuchar como el
Dr. Páez les lee Pete the Cat y
Knufflebunny
categorías: liderazgo y gobernanza,
currículo e
instrucción,
evaluación y
el uso eficaz
Dale me gusta Hoy!
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
Connections
Connections
Page 14
A Holyoke se le ha Otorgado la Beca
Federal Preescolar Desarrollo –
Expansión de Beca
Massachusetts, representada por Holyoke y otras cuatro ciudades de
commonwealth ha recibido la Beca federal de Desarrollo Preescolar. Esta Expansión de Beca proporcionará $60 Millones en financiamiento durante los próximos cuatro años para desarrollar y ampliar los
programas preescolares. Las otras comunidades son Springfield, Lowell, Boston, y Lawrence. Estas comunidades servirán como modelos
para la expansión preescolar a todas las familias de bajos ingresos con
niños de cuatro años en Massachusetts http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/
Visite nuestro sitio web
para ver el
horario de la
reunión del
Comité
Escuela Superior de Holyoke — Reserve las Fechas
Noche de Planificación para Universidad Junior – estudiante de tercer año: 25 de febrero de 2015
Dos presentaciones por MEFA – una en inglés y otra en español – serán proporcionadas para ayudar a jóvenes y a sus padres en comenzar a planificar para la universidad. Este evento se llevará a cabo en la Escuela Superior de Holyoke - Holyoke High, de 6:00 PM a 8:00 PM y es gratis para los
padres y jóvenes.
Broadway en Holyoke: 12 de marzo de 2015—15 de marzo de 2015
Venga y vea Broadway en Holyoke cuando el Departamento de Música de la Escuela Holyoke High celebra su décima sexta musical anual –
The Wizard of OZ – desde el jueves, 12 de marzo hasta el domingo, 15 de marzo en el Auditorio de John Sears en la Escuela Holyoke High. Los
boletos para la producción estarán a la venta el lunes, 2 de marzo y se pueden comprar en la Escuela Holyoke High y en la Casa de Campo en 1615
Northampton Street. Actuaciones el jueves, viernes y sábado por la noche a las 7:30 PM y la actuación el domingo en la tarde es a las 2:00 PM. Todos los asientos están reservados. Entradas de Oro en las tres primeras filas son a $15 (sin descuentos). Los boletos para los adultos son $10. Boletos para la tercera edad, estudiantes y niños son a $8. Continuando este año es asiento en grupo. Los boletos para grupos de 10 o más para alguna
de las actuaciones son a $8. Así que marquen sus calendarios y ven a disfrutar esta mágica producción." Una nota especial este año es Toto, que será
interpretado por un entrenador de perros profesionalmente Ganador del Premio Tony - Award winning" William Berloni ", que entrena perros para
muchas producciones de Broadway en Nueva York y alrededor del mundo y también producciones de cine.
Matar a un Ruiseñor - To Kill a Mockingbird: 5 de mayo de 2015
Acompáñenos para una noche de teatro en el Auditorio de la Escuela Secundaria de Holyoke para apoyar las artes y la alfabetización producido por los estudiantes del Club de Drama de la Escuela Holyoke High y realizado por los Jugadores Nacionales, Compañía Itinerante más
larga de América. Para apoyar esta iniciativa con una donación, por favor póngase en contacto con Angela T. Sweeney en Escuela Superior de Holyoke 413-534-2020 Para obtener más información, visite la siguiente página web Escuela Superior de Holyoke:
http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/hhs/index .html
Colocación de Clases Avanzadas en la
Escuela Dean Técnica
Por Lori McKenna
Este año la Escuela Secundaria Dean Técnica comenzó a
ofrecer clases de Colocación Avanzada. Actualmente hay
dos clases que se ofrecen a los juniors y seniors. Las clases
son Lenguaje y Composición, que cuenta con 57 estudiantes y Estadística, que cuenta con 19 estudiantes. Estos estudiantes ya han asistido a algunas sesiones de estudio los
sábados. Las sesiones de estudio ayudan a los estudiantes a
revisar las habilidades que necesitan para la prueba, así
como construir su confianza en estas clases de nivel universitario. Los estudiantes incluso participan en un simulacro
de examen y reciben resultados en su desempeño. Hace
tres años, la Escuela Dean comenzó a ofrecer clases de
nivel de honor. Este año, con la incorporación de las clases
de Colocación Avanzada, los estudiantes tienen la oportunidad de obtener créditos universitarios mientras continúan
su educación en la Escuela Dean.
SEPACMEETINGS
Reuniones de SEPAC – Consejo Asesor de padres de
Educación Especial
Favor únase a otros padres preocupados en nuestras próximas reuniones
del Consejo Asesor de Educación Especial (SEPAC) para el año escolar
2014-2015. Hay fuerza en los números y el apoyo de otras personas que
comparten experiencias similares. Nuestros esfuerzos combinados pueden
influir en el éxito de nuestros hijos, así como formar su futuro.
PRÓXIMAS REUNIONES — 6 de abril de 2015 | 1 de junio de 2015
Visite el sitio web de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke para lugares y
temas.
¿Preguntas? Contacto: Kelly- [email protected] o
Dawn- [email protected]
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
INFORMES ESCOLARES
Academia de Kínder para Padres (KKPA)
Dos veces a la semana durante cinco
semanas KKPA ofrece clases para padres con
niños en kínder. Al final, los padres se gradúan
con una carpeta llena de actividades educativas
como colorear, tarjetas, hacer tus propios libros
de cuentos, y mucho más! La última sesión del
KKPA compitió por un certificado de regalo por
el diseño de un área de estudio en casa para sus
hijos.
Los fundamentos de la alfabetización
temprana están cubiertos, así como consejos
tales como limitar el tiempo de proyección,
reduciendo los alimentos procesados con altos
niveles de azúcar (para aumentar la concentración de los niños y mejorar su estado de ánimo),
y hacer cumplir una rutina antes de acostarse.
Proporcionar recursos sobre paternidad mientras que apoya la participación de los padres en
la educación de sus hijos ayuda a los padres y
maestros a trabajar juntos. Sólo trabajando juntos puede mejorar la alfabetización del distrito
Escolar de Holyoke.
Además, el Grupo de Apoyo, o Grupo de Apoyo Para Padres, proporciona un
espacio seguro y positivo para los padres recién
llegados al Sistema de las Escuelas Públicas de
Holyoke. Algunos de los talleres que proporcionamos para este grupo incluyen el Plan de Educación Individualizado (IEP) entrenamiento, choque
cultural, consejos de clima frío, y la preparación
de conferencias de padres y maestros, y manejo
del estrés.
La Escuela E.N. White Celebra el Día del
Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico
El 21 de noviembre, José González y
su Banda Criolla (con sus hijos René y Ahmed
González), proporcionaron una celebración
musical del Día del Descubrimiento de Puerto
Rico para estudiantes y familias. Un grupo de
bailarines y percusionistas de la escuela trabajaron con José y su grupo para crear un maravilloso concierto de danza y música, intercalados con
la manera maravillosa de José enseñar a los
niños acerca de la historia de la música puertorriqueña y las influencias de las culturas Españolas, Taínas y Africansa.
Gracias al trabajo duro de Dan Rose y
su coro de la escuela intermedia, y Flor Matos y
Vanessa Aponte, Ayudantes de Maestros de la
Escuela E.N. White, el coro de la Escuela En.
White inició los conciertos con una versión de
"Verde Luz". Los bailarines siguieron con su
"Bomba y Plena", una danza que trabajaron durante varias semanas temprano en la mañana
antes del inicio de la jornada escolar. José y su
banda demostraron varios estilos diferentes de
música y consiguieron los percusionistas de sexto, séptimo y octavo grado para llevar a cabo
junto con la banda. Esto incluyó un grito a legendario percusionista puertorriqueño y compositor, Tito Puente, y su emblemático "Oye Como
Va".
Page 15
ellos. Los estudiantes de 8vo grado disfrutaron
de ser modelos a seguir para los más jóvenes
diciendo que la experiencia les recordó de cuando eran de esa edad. Los estudiantes de primer
grado disfrutaron de hacer amistad con sus comNoticias de Grado 8 de la Escuela McMahon
Durante el mes de diciembre, los pañeros de más edad y tener la oportunidad de
visitar el salón de octavo grado. La colaboración
estudiantes de octavo grado en la Escuela
McMahon se prepararon y participaron en deba- continuará durante todo el año.
tes sobre temas de actualidad, incluyendo los
Los Estudiantes de la Escuela Lawrence y
uniformes escolares, el uso del teléfono celular Peck Celebran el Patrimonio Puertorriqueño
en las escuelas y la pena de muerte. Utilizando el
El Viernes, 5 de diciembre los estuprotocolo del Programa de Debates de la Escuediantes de la Escuela Lawrence entraron al
la Intermedia, tres estudiantes trabajaron en un
Campus de la Escuela Peck y fueron recibidos
argumento "pro" y tres estudiantes trabajaron en por caras conocidas de su escuela "hermana", así
un argumento "con". Los estudiantes aprendiecomo el olor de la buena comida y los sonidos
ron acerca de la etiqueta de debate apropiado
del bosque tropical que los hacían sentir como si
que incluyó protestas, aplaudiendo con la mano estuvieran cerca de la selva tropical de Puerto
abierta y gritando "¡Qué vergüenza!", Cuando no
estaban de acuerdo fuertemente con un oponen- Rico, "El Yunque".
Después de comer y saludar fueron al
te. Una visita a la clase del Representante del
Estado Aaron Vega el 17 de diciembre sirvió más auditorio de la Escuela Peck para experimentar
para ayudar a preparar a los estudiantes para los una variedad de presentación que atravesaron
debates. El Sr. Vega presentó sobre hablar en los grados 1 a la escuela intermedia. Las imprepúblico y servicio público. El Sr. Vega luego tomó sionantes y divertidas ceremonias de la escuela
el tiempo para responder las preguntas de los secundaria estaban introduciendo todas las preestudiantes acerca de su posición actual. Los sentaciones utilizando inglés y español durante
debates tuvieron lugar el 19 y el 22 de diciem- toda la noche.
bre. Todos los que asistieron, incluyendo a famiLos estudiantes ELL - Aprendices de
liares y amigos, nos quedamos muy impresiona- Lenguaje Inglés de 1er. grado de la clase de Julie
dos con nuestros estudiantes!
Diaz y Korri Flynn realizaron una danza plena
Clases de Lenguaje Preescolar de la Escuela que cautivó a la gran audiencia de todas las edades. Muchos días de práctica de los niños regreMetcalf Celebran los Días de Fiesta
saron de nuevo al Campus de la Escuela LawrenEl lunes 22 de diciembre, las clases de
ce con sus maestros, como también con la maeslenguaje español y chino en la Escuela Joseph
tra de SSR Evelyn Lopez fueron evidentes por las
Metcalf celebraron las fiestas con un evento
que los estudiantes puedan realizar el baile bien y
musical trilingüe. Los niños interpretaron canciomostrar entusiasmo y aplomo mientras bailaba.
nes en inglés, español y chino.
Los estudiantes ELL de 3er. de la
Las familias asistieron al evento y tra- maestra Karen Malley llevó a cabo la obra, Cuanjeron sus galletas favoritas, golosinas y otros do los Cerdos Asumieron el Control - When the
alimentos, para compartir con los demás mien- Pigs Took Over . Los estudiantes parecían nerviotras disfrutaban del canto de sus hijos. Uno de sos aunque enfocados antes de levantarse en el
nuestros padres hizo galletas al horno en forma
escenario, pero una vez en el gran escenario de
de letras y escribió las palabras "Hola, Hello, Ni
la Peck los 6 estudiantes dijeron que sus líneas
hao" para decorar nuestra mesa con alimentos y
uƟlizando el micrófono muy bien. Este juego
golosinas. Todos tuvieron un gran momento.
interesante es un ejemplo del diİcil Aprendizaje
Compañeros de Lectura y Matemáticas de la del Idioma Inglés que Ɵene lugar todos los días
Escuela Morgan
en su pequeño grupo de clase ELL.
La maestra de primer grado Patricia
Donahue y Amabilidad Consciente
Langlois y la maestra de matemáticas de octavo
Los estudiantes de quinto grado de la
grado Lorie Bancs colaboraron para crear oportunidades para los estudiantes de octavo grado Escuela Donahue fueron retados a hacer por lo
enseñarle a los estudiantes de primer grado en menos un acto de bondad todos los días de
lectura y matemáticas. Para la primera actividad, Acción de Gracias y en Navidad a través de una
los estudiantes de 8vo grado escribieron proble- SPPRAK (Gente Especial Realizando Actos de
mas de palabras, que los estudiantes de primer Amabilidad al Azar) Ataque llamado Amabilidad
grado tenían que resolver. Esto dio a los estu- Consciente. De acuerdo con un estudiante de
diantes de 8vo grado la oportunidad de pensar quinto grado, Anthony Vargas, amabilidad conscríticamente no sólo acerca de las matemáticas ciente es "siendo amable, incluso cuando usted
que tenían que enseñar y su elección de idioma. no tiene porque y ser conscientes de ser amaPara la segunda actividad, los estudiantes de 8vo ble."
grado leyeron cuentos a los niños de primer
"SPPRAK me hace feliz porque estoy
grado. A su vez, los estudiantes de primer grado haciendo cosas buenas para la gente,” dijo Nick
compartieron con los estudiantes de 8vo grado Ramos, otro estudiante de quinto grado de la
algunos de sus libros que les leyeron de nuevo a Escuela Donahue.
Los estudiantes también participaron
en una variedad de actividades culturales en sus
salones de clase y tuvieron un maravilloso almuerzo de comida tradicional puertorriqueña.
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