Winter 2016 - Holyoke Public Schools

Holyoke Publ ic School s
Connections
McMahon Artist: Jordan Dudas
Holyoke Public Schools
Volume 14, Issue 2
A Community Working Together
Winter 2016
An Open Letter to the Holyoke School Community
An Exciting New Year
By Dr. Stephen Zrike, Receiver
Happy New Year! 2016 is poised to be an exciting year for the Holyoke Public
Schools as our turnaround initiatives truly begin to transform the student learning
experience across our schools.
There is tremendous energy throughout our school community as we have teams
of dedicated staff, community members and outside partners working on critical
aspects of our turnaround work. Specifically,


Full school day teams- Teams at each of our elementary schools are rethinking next
year’s school day and year. They are planning to strategically utilize a longer day to
provide students with more enriching educational opportunities and staff with ample
time to plan/collaborate, to individualize student learning, and design dynamic lessons.
Parents, students and community will be asked to play an integral role in shaping the
new day for students. We thank them in advance for sharing their voice.
Secondary redesign team- This group of teachers, community members, higher
education officials and workforce development leaders has been meeting since October
to craft a series of recommendations for the secondary experience in Holyoke. They
have visited schools across the state, facilitated focus groups with students, studied the
best practices in high school design and reviewed multiple data points. It has been their
intent to examine how to establish pathways that individualize the learning experience
for students as they move from middle school through high school and ultimately to
college and/or career. I am confident that their guidance will result in improved outcomes for students during their high school
career and ensure that students leave our
schools with the preparation to thrive beyond the Holyoke Public Schools. We look
forward to sharing these recommendations
with our staff and families for input by the
end of February.
 Central office review- We have contracted with seasoned financial, educational
and operational consultants to offer a plan
for more strategically using our finite resources to maximize impact on classrooms.
We are committed to a lean and nimble central administration that is in service of the
differentiated needs of our schools. Depending
Dr. Zrike’s letter, continued on page 4.
on a school’s academic and non-academic
HHS Student Artist: Joarvi Edwards
(See Memory Project on page 10).
Inside this issue:
Announcements
2
School News
3-11
Athletics
Spanish
12
13-16
Edition Highlights:
● Celebrating Three Kings
● Rulon Anderson—
Partners in Excellence
Awardee
● HHS Participates in Patriots
Anti-violence Partnership
● The Memory Project
● Dean’s Mini House Project
● Pennies for Pets
Receive updates on district news, view videos and photos!
us www.Facebook.com/HolyokePublicSchools
Follow us https://twitter.com/HPSHOLYOKE
Like us Like
www.Facebook.com/HolyokePublicSchools
Follow us https://twitter.com/HPSHOLYOKE
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
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.
Holyoke School
Committee
Mayor Alex Morse
Dennis Birks
Erin Brunelle
John Brunelle
William Collamore
Nyles Courchesne
Irene Feliciano-Sims
Mildred Lefebvre
Devin Sheehan
Rosalee Tensley
Williams
Connections
EMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITIES
There are exciting opportunities for employment with the
Holyoke Public Schools.
Visit the district website and apply today!
The HPS is excited to partner with the Springfield Empowerment Zone to launch
TeachWesternMass, a new partnership seeking teachers who demonstrate
determination, collaboration, and a passion to make sure all their students excel in the
classroom. Learn more more at www.teachwesternmass.com
Dual Language Program Enrollment
Registration for the 2016-2017 School Year
will begin Monday, February 22nd.
We will be enrolling students in the following classrooms:
Full Day Dual Language Pre-K, Kindergarten and Grade 2.
This innovative program at Metcalf School offers: language acquisition opportunities in English
and Spanish; research based curriculum that is aligned with the district's benchmarks and
state's curriculum framework.
Visit http:/www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/duallanguageprogram.htm to access applications and program information. Submit completed application to the attention of Amy Burke, Principal at
2019 Northampton Street, Holyoke, MA. Call 413-534-2104 for more information.
Connections Newsletter
Edited by: Judy Taylor jtaylor@hps.holyoke.ma.us
Translated by: Luz Aguilar and Jacqueline Escalera
“All children have gifts. Some open them at different times.” ~Patricia Polacco
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 3
The Little Library
By Tammy Lawrence
Eighty students visited the Community Library which is located in the courtyard at
E.N. White School and were able to take home a book of their choice to read and
enjoy over winter recess. (Right) Tryanna Ayala and Davian Diaz, from Mrs. Sherburne's 3rd Grade class enjoy borrowing books from The Little Library in the
school courtyard.
More E-Readers for Students
By Vanessa Aponte
The Tiger Pride Community Organization has purchased leading technology in
order to offer E.N. White students a powerful reading experience. Thanks to the
many E.N. White students, families and staff who consistently support the Tiger Pride Community Organization’s fundraisers, a surplus of earnings
was available. The TPCO voted to purchase 12-Samsung Galaxy Tablets and several e-books with those extra earnings.
These tablets are now in the school's library and available for use by all students-grades Kindergarten through eighth grade and their teachers! They are a 'hands-on' educational tool which will inspire children to read as well as improve their reading skills. The library's paraprofessional,
Vanessa Aponte, has already begun book clubs and the middle school council will utilize the tablets’ cameras to capture and report some of the
latest activities at the school for the EN White Facebook page.
Middle School Book Club
By Vanessa Aponte
Every Wednesday from 8:17-8:56 a.m., the Middle School Book Club at E.N. White, overseen by Ms. Aponte, gathers at the library to read a variety of books, engage in discussion, and partake in snacks. Using Nook tablets donated by the Tiger Pride PTO, the students strengthen their reading
skills and interpret the material in thoughtful and entertaining ways. The club members partner up at tables, on beanbags, and even the stairs, to
read together and share their ideas about what the author wrote and what the story represents.
At the moment, the students are reading the 2007 novel, Thirteen Reasons Why, written by Jay Asher. The novel focuses on the consequences of
bullying and how even the smallest comment can lead to a dangerous outcome. With the novel as a reference, the students are not only learning to
improve their reading and writing, but they are also learning how to speak out against the mistreatment of others.
Fire Safety
By Hilary Russell
E.N. White’s PreK and Kindergarten students learned some vital lessons in fire safety when Lt.
Maria Pelchar and the Holyoke Fire Department visited our school. Students learned how to be
safe at home and how to recognize a fire fighter dressed in safety gear so they are not afraid of
what they look like. Students were also treated to seeing the fire truck outside and learning
about the equipment on the truck. Right, Jahriel Rivera, a pre-school student, learns about fire
safety from Maria Pelchar from the Holyoke Fire Department.
Stone Soup
By Faith Glanville and Karen Kent
A Stone Soup Celebration was held in Mrs.
Glanville's first grade class; students and families enjoyed the Stone Soup students made
during their play.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Connections
Page 4
Buddy Time for First and Seventh Graders
By Lori Steele
Middle school students at McMahon Elementary are working on their character. In addition
to academics like math, science, history, and language, students are learning to be empathetic, caring, and respectful to one another and to those around them. This character development is taught primarily by counselors and teachers using the 2nd Step Curriculum. However,
here at McMahon we get to put this character development into action! Mrs. Steele’s seventh grade homeroom has had the opportunity to “Buddy” with Mrs. Kennedy’s first grade
classroom. Every Wednesday, the “Buddies” partner in room 223, to learn from one another. Both academic goals, like addition and reading, and social goals, such as teamwork and
patience, are met during this “Buddy” time.
Often, the eager first graders come with books they’ve chosen to read aloud themselves.
The seventh grade buddies must listen attentively, create text dependent questions and
model enthusiasm for reading. Other times the buddies practice addition facts with flashcards. First graders meet an academic goal of adding to ten while seventh graders practice
empathy. During flashcard time, the seventh graders practice looking into those cute, little,
first grade faces and feeling excited when they get an addition problem correct, feeling disappointment when one is incorrect, and then modeling perseverance in encouraging those
little buddies to keep learning. Recently, first graders participated in a rich, hands-on mathematics lesson that utilized Legos. The seventh grade buddies created some great math questions that had their “Buddies” modeling mathematics with the Legos and using math vocabulary such as: how long, count, add, and how much longer.
Aubrey Cavanaugh enjoys her hands-on math lesson
that included using Legos.
The mission of the Holyoke Public Schools is to provide educational opportunities for all students to reach their potential … and promoting responsible citizenship. Having these “Buddies” work together often is definitely providing an opportunity for both first and seventh graders to reach
their potential academically and socially.
Dr. Zrike’s letter, continued from page 1.
outcomes, we want to provide a continuum of supports that adds value to their improvement efforts. I am confident that the recommendations from this review will result in a structure that enhances teaching and learning throughout HPS.

Kindergarten planning team- The work of this group to explore options for our youngest learners and their teachers has been rich
and thoughtful. They’ve spent time in kindergarten classrooms in Holyoke and Boston and have researched many approaches to kindergarten instruction. Thanks to their leadership, we will move next year to the Focus on K2 curriculum for all kindergarten classrooms in
the district. This curriculum shifts our thinking from seeing play as separate from learning, to a critical part of the learning process for
young children. This work will shift our practices from being primarily focused on content and teacher directed instruction to child initiated, hands-on, integrated experiences; engaging authentic discourse between students and teachers, and planning based on children’s
interests and skills. With this new curriculum, kindergarten classrooms in Holyoke are filled with purposeful, engaging and wellstructured activities that are fun and designed to develop each unique child. I am excited to support our kindergarten educators as they
do the work to adopt this new model for learning in Holyoke.

Special Education Review- We are working with the Education Development Center to conduct a comprehensive review of our special education programs. We expect the review to provide us with– the identification of systemic best practices, suggestions for improving our programmatic infrastructure and a 3-year strategic plan for continuous improvement. Additionally, we want to be sure that all
staff have the resources, tools and the expertise to best serve our students with disabilities. It is our intention to design a system that
truly individualizes and personalizes learning for children regardless of their academic profile.
These are just some of the efforts underway to position the Holyoke Public Schools for future success. We appreciate the input that so many
of you have provided thus far and are eager to solicit additional feedback as we move to implement these recommendations. We are truly
fortunate to work with a community that strongly advocates for children and is committed to making the changes necessary to create an exemplary educational experience for the young people of Holyoke.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Page 5
Page 5
Celebrating Three Kings Day
By Melanie Wise
On the evening of Thursday, January 7th, nearly 300 people attended Kelly School’s Three Kings
Day Celebration. Culturally relevant to the largely Puerto Rican Holyoke Community, this celebration contained homemade dishes, music, a raffle for gifts, and a brief play performed by teachers regarding the origins of this holiday. Students received party favors from Kelly teachers who
were disguised as the Three Kings, and they had the opportunity to be photographed with them.
Thank you to the Kelly School parents who prepared the food and desserts, donated beverages and silverware, served the food, distributed raffle tickets to attendees, and prepared goody bags for each child to take home. For those students who did not win the raffle, there was a table full of free
books.
Some other highlights from this event were the many school surveys completed that evening by parents, the generosity of those who donated food and
gifts, and the overall spirit of togetherness. The commitment of families to being an active part of the school climate and culture was nothing short of
impressive. When community comes together, it’s a beautiful thing. Thanks to the support from members of the community, this event was a great
success. The Kelly School serves as a meeting place for people of all ages, from all walks of life. Simply by attending this celebration, older family members supported the idea of active participation in the local community, setting a wonderful example for students.
Discover Puerto Rico
By Amy Burke
Dual Language students at Metcalf School celebrated their second annual Discover Puerto Rico event. It was a time to celebrate the heritage of Puerto Rico as
the students are immersed daily in Spanish, the native language of the island. Students invited their families to a performance of poems and songs from
Puerto Rico in both English and Spanish. While dressed in Folkloric Puerto Rican
outfits, students danced a choreography organized by their dance teacher to the
tune of a popular salsa song. The Coqui Dance Group closed the performance.
Then, the event ended with delicious typical Puerto Rican food from El Morro
Restaurant in Springfield.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Connections
Page 6
PENNIESFORPETS
By Iwona Langlois
The fourth grade classes at Maurice A. Donahue School are helping our community by having a school-wide fundraiser called Pennies for
Pets. The students are collecting change from December 2015 through April 2016 at our school. These funds will be donated to local animal
From
to the
right:
Donahue
members
with smiles include Jennifer
shelters to rescue animals from being euthanized,
andleft
assist
shelters
withstaff
their
expenses.
Gonzalez (Family Access and Engagement Coordinator), Karyn McDermott a(Assistant
)Principal),
Erica
(Family to
Liaison).
Students are very excited about this project. Kalena,
fourth grade
student,and
said,
“ I Hernandez
have been wanting
do a collection like this, because I
love animals! Everyone is pretty excited, because who doesn’t love animals …even lizards?”
As of January 20th, the students had collected $321.00. Maegan, another student, is really happy with how much we have collected. “ I don’t
like that animals are being euthanized. All animals should have a home and maybe through our collection we can get them one. We found
out that in our two fourth grade classes we have 43 dogs, 26 cats, 6 turtles, 12 fish, 1 Chinchilla mouse, 2 Bearded Dragons, 10 birds, and 1
guinea pig. See how much we love pets!”
The collection will be donated in April, because it is National Pet Month. The two shelters that we have chosen to support are Dakin
Humane Society and the ASPCA, both in Springfield, MA. Anyone willing to donate, please contact Mrs. Langlois or Mrs. Rodriguez at
Donahue School.
Cookies and Hot Cocoa with Santa
By Jennifer Gonzales-Morales
This holiday season, Toys For Tots donated toys to the Family Engagement Team at Maurice A. Donahue School. On December 18th, the Family
Engagement Team distributed toys to every child that came to our Cookies and Hot Cocoa with Santa event at school. This event was planned by
the Dolphin Pride Community Organization. Families and students had a truly great time! They listened to holiday music, ate cookies, drank hot
cocoa, and took pictures with Santa. Teachers and staff from Donahue School volunteered to help make this event a memorable day for the Donahue Families.
From left to right: Donahue staff members with smiles include Jennifer Gonzalez (Family Access and Engagement
Coordinator), Karyn McDermott (Assistant Principal), and
Erica Hernandez (Family Liaison).
Computer Teacher Mr. Kinne volunteered to dress as Santa.
Donahue School news continued on page 7.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 7
Introducing the Morganettes
By Melvina Holmes
This is my second year here at Morgan and it truly has been a rewarding year. I’m learning and growing so much and am very appreciative of the
experiences I’ve had so far. One of those lasting memories would be our first talent show. It was such a success, and as a result, students came
to me asking for another shot at the arts. They wanted to sing, dance, act and be a part of something great. Their persistence and motivation
birthed a movement; the Morganettes! Many of our students are passionate about music. The rhythm, lyrics, and the mood it evokes have a
strong influence over them. Music can express many facets of life and is relatable to our children and their lives. This is why the school chorus is
the key element in the overall performing arts experience.
We started off as a small group of sixth and seventh grade students who just wanted to sing. The students rehearsed more than twelve songs
for two hours every Monday, practicing their pitch, tone, and perfecting their crafts. Our first winter concert was held on December 22nd at
Morgan where the students did a phenomenal job! For some it was their first time, and for others, they were no strangers to the mic! Overall, I
was overwhelmed with joy, pride, and great satisfaction. Here we are, a month later, and I still stand speechless every time our students exercise their gifts. Even with a slight schedule change where our rehearsals are now every Tuesday, the students’ commitment is unaltered. We’ve
now almost doubled in size and are preparing for our upcoming concerts. To the members of the Morganettes, new and old (Jailynn, Santia,
Shantel, Keilany, Lakeysha, Taisha, Serenity, Diyanne, Misael, Aisha, Alaisha, Nashira, Nicole, Carlette, Darlynne, Alainys, and Andrea): I thank you for
helping me convey my love of song through your talents. I would also like to recognize and convey a great thank you to Mrs. Davis, our special
Morganette. Without you all this would never be possible.
Back row, left to right: Misael, Darlynne, Aisha, Nicole, Nashira, Alainys, Carlette, Alaisha, Serenity
Front row, left to right: Jailynn, Santia, Shantel, Diyanne, Keilany
Donahue School news continued from page 6.
Donahue School’s Winter Concert
By Ms. Stewart
Donahue music students performed winter concerts on December 21st and 22nd under the direction of their music teacher Ms. Stewart. Students performed for each other on the 21st, and for a standing room only audience of parents on the 22nd! Music celebrating a variety of cultures and holidays, such as Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chanukah, and Three Kings Day, was performed. Thank you to all the families who came out to
support their students and the Donahue music program!
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Connections
Page 8
Peck-Lawrence
Peck Campus
Winter Festival
Peck families and friends enjoyed a special holiday evening on December 18th—
a Winter Festival was held in the Peck gym. The night was full of family fun,
arts and crafts, activities, hot chocolate, cookies and an opportunity to have
family pictures taken. Also many who attended received an early holiday present. Local agencies and community partners were in attendance to provide
information regarding services offered to Peck students and families in order to
help improve their learning experience.
On December 23rd Peck faculty and students enjoyed a basketball jamboree. All grades, both girls and boys, were able to
play basketball in very competitive competitions. Also, the
ever popular Faculty vs Student Game took place. Congratulations to all participants in a fun filled afternoon.
Celebrating Puerto Rico
Recently, Peck families and friends were invited to an evening of celebrating
Puerto Rican heritage. The event commemorated the Encounter of Three
Cultures – “The Tainos, Africans and Spaniards”. Guests were treated to a
wonderful evening of performances, music and traditional food.
Gear Up for WPI Recently a group of seventh and eighth
grade students went on a field trip to Worcester Polytechnic
Institute to engage in STEM related activities. Our students were
hosted by Engineering Ambassadors and Pre-College Outreach
Program college students. This trip was made possible by Carmen Lindsey through the Gear Up Program.
Congrats Peck Volleyball - #1 for the second year in a row.
Lawrence Campus
Peck Articles, submitted by Cathy Foley
Presents for Points
Lawrence School has a program every year called Presents for Points. This annual program
begins after Thanksgiving and ends before Christmas. During those weeks Lawrence students earn points for their attendance, homework and behavior. Classroom teachers as
well as the specials teachers distribute the points.
The day before Christmas vacation, the gym is decorated and filled with over 300 gifts. Each
student is allowed to choose one gift and then have it wrapped. The students can give their
gift to whomever they choose. The students with the most points come to the gym first.
Every 10 minutes a new group of students go to the gym based upon the amount of points
accrued. The students love this incentive and we love seeing their facial expressions when
they enter the gym! Thank you to Rita Aguilar and Marian McGee who manage this program
and all others who assist. We are also grateful to the Lawrence, staff, teachers and community members who have donated the gifts.
The Eating Healthy Microwave Program was presented by
the Food Bank of Western MA on Friday, January 6th. The workshop provided a demonstration of a variety of affordable and healthy meals for a
family to cook in a microwave and nutrition resources to try at home.
Lawrence Articles submitted by Patty Eagan
Two of the top “point getters” with Mrs. McGee,
physical education teacher.
Lawrence School news continued on page 9.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 9
Non-Fiction Family Celebration
By Kelly Doktor
On Tuesday, December 22nd, students in Loran Carpenter’s and
Kelly Doktor’s second grade classrooms hosted a Non-Fiction
Family Celebration at Sullivan Elementary School. As a culminating
activity following the completion of the Non-Fiction unit and the
Operation Outreach book, Kia’s Manatee, students created displays featuring specific details about manatees.
A large part of the celebration included making a local connection
with compassion to animals, so both classes held a supply fundraiser to donate to Dakin Humane Society in Springfield. Families
generously contibuted paper towels, dog and cat food, cat toys,
laundry soap and cleaning supplies.
Parents enjoy the gallery walk, learning about manatees.
Possibly the most exciting part of the day was when both teachers announced that they had adopted a 19 year old manatee named Doc from
Save The Manatee Club The adoption fee helps to maintain the health of the manatee in Florida. Doc was previously cut by boat propellers,
the number one cause of manatee deaths. Students have learned so much about manatees and they enjoy coming in to say hello to Doc’s
photo with adoption certificate each morning!
Celebrating the Three Kings
By Kristina Kirton
On January 6th, over 150 members of the Sullivan School community gathered to celebrate Three Kings’ Day. The cafeteria was crowded, as
parents and students shared in a night of parranda and cultural potluck dishes brought in by each family.
There were musical performances and poems recited by students in grades one through three. Families were also treated to a performance
by local musical group San Miguel Arcangel. The music was wonderful and the students enjoyed singing along and dancing.
Lawrence School news continued from page 8.
Family Fun at Lawrence
By Samantha Pepin
On Wednesday, December 16th parents and students were invited to Lawrence School for a Gingerbread House making activity. It was a huge
success with every table in the Lawrence Cafeteria in use. The night began with a viewing of the Gingerbread Man movie. Children were then given
the materials with minimal direction on how to make a gingerbread house. They took the challenge and created many different styles with help
from their parents. The results were festive and very creative. Students and parents were engaged and had a great time. Second grade teachers
Darren Walsh, Sue Leary, and Samantha Pepin along with Yamaris Rivera (Lawrence Full Service Community School Family Engagement Coordinator) enjoyed creating this fun night for our families..
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Connections
Page 10
SAVE THE DATES: Shrek the Musical: March 31st, April 1st, 2nd and 3rd
Rulon Anderson Honored with Partners in Excellence Award
Congratulations to Rulon (Jamie) Anderson, a science teacher at Holyoke High School, who has been honored
by Mass Insight Education with a Partners in Excellence Teacher Award for his work in the Advanced Placement Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Program. He is one of 54 Massachusetts Advanced Placement teachers who are being recognized for
exemplary contributions to student success
during the academic year 2014-2015.
HHS Library Receives Grant
Holyoke High School received a $1,500 grant from bestselling author James Patterson to support its school library. In addition, Scholastic Reading Club will
match each dollar of Patterson’s donation with “bonus points” that teachers can
use to acquire books and other materials for their classrooms. Holyoke High
School was selected from 27,924 applications for funding grants.
HHS to Participate in Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership
Attorney General Maura Healey recently announced that Holyoke High School was selected to participate in the first phase of her office’s new
anti-violence partnership with the New England Patriots. There are 98 schools from six regions across the commonwealth that will be participating in this initiative that is being funded by a $500,000 gift from the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation and $150,000 from Healey’s office. Game Change: The Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership will train two adult representatives from each school at six regional trainings across
Massachusetts. According to a press release from Attorney General Maura Healey’s Office, “The trainings will be conducted by Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP), a nationwide leader in addressing violence prevention. Run by the Center for Sport in Society at Northeastern University,
MVP uses a sports-themed curriculum and employs collegiate athletes and former professional athletes as trainers. The program will also include
online support tools for schools and an evaluation component to determine the effectiveness of the program in changing attitudes and behaviors.”
The Memory Project
HHS senior Joarvi Edwards, a student in Ms. Henshaw’s Portfolio
Development classroom, completed a portrait for an orphan in
Madagascar this semester as part of the Memory Project, “a
nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students
to create portraits for youth around the world who have faced
substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, loss of parents, and
extreme poverty.” In the fall, Mrs. Henshaw received a photo
of the orphan (left) which was used by Joarvi to create the portrait (right) that will be delivered to the child in Madagascar. The
Memory Project will soon send a video of children receiving their
portraits. Students are looking forward to viewing the video of
this exciting moment.
Mrs. Henshaw has participated in
the Memory Project for five years and the HHS student
photos have always been well received. Congratulations
to Joarvi on a job well done!
Joarvi Edwards displays the portrait that she created using the
photo (left) sent by the Memory
Project. This portrait is also
showcased on the cover page of
this newsletter.
Visit Holyoke High School on Facebook and Twitter
Like and Follow us Today!
Facebook.com/holyokehighknights
twitter.com/Holyoke_high
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 11
Destination Graduation
By Cynthia Carbone
Dean Technical High School is thrilled to once again welcome UMass
Nursing students, along with their Clinical Director, Dr. Nancy Gilbert,
RN, PhD, to Dean Tech, for their Senior Clinical Practicum through
April. Placement at Dean Tech provides the nursing students the opportunity to analyze and examine the role of the professional nurse in
community based practice and to apply the nursing process in community based care. Primary health concerns of the community and the
role of the nurse and community for health promotion, health maintenance, and disease prevention are important parts of their work with
us. At Dean, we recognize that high school graduation is a social determinant of health and a leading health indicator. Additionally, we
know that Healthy People 2020 targets high school graduation as a goal
for promoting health. With this in mind, nursing students are
partnering with administrators, staff, teachers, students, and the Teen
Clinic, to assess aspects of high school graduation, develop a community
health diagnosis, and work with Wellness Coordinator, Cynthia Carbone, RN, MSN, MEd, to plan a community wide health and resource
fair. Mark your calendars for April 7th, during Public Health Week,
and save the date, so you can join Dean for their third annual school
and community health resource fair, "Destination Graduation. "
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
Tiny House Project
By Mr. Arroyo
Dean’s electrical department was recently invited by the
Transition Coordinator (Norm LeBlanc of Dean Tech) to participate
in a Tiny House project being built by students who are seeking their
GED through the YWCA of Western Massachusetts. Funding for this
project comes from a September 11th Remembrance Grant through
the Corporation for National Service.
This program was put in place to assist homeless or disabled
veterans. Tiny houses are becoming a popular option for singles and
couples due to their affordability and ease of transport. They are typically 100-400 square feet in size and consist of one bedroom, a living
room, and a bathroom.
Upon receiving the invitation to participate in the wiring of
the Tiny House, I (Mr. Arroyo an instructor of the electrical shop)
immediately coordinated transportation with Mr. Leblanc and scheduled a day to meet Chuck Dustin (Lead Construction Trainer from
YWCA) to make the necessary wiring plans. Once all the arrangements were made, the house was roughed wired in under a week with
the help of the following students: Victor C., Francisco M., Daraymond
L., Nick S., Travis A., Anthony S., Alex B., David C., Lextor S., Luis A.,
and Manuel C.
Everyone in electrical shop, students and staff, are very
appreciative of the opportunity to work on this project and of the
coordinating efforts of Norm LeBlanc who continues to help students
from an urban setting to be exposed to not only a job but a career
pathway.
Congratulations to the Dean students who were accepted to American
International College and awarded Presidential ($16,000 a year for all four
years) or Dean ($14,000 a year for all four years) scholarships:. (Above,
left-to-right) students with accompanying scholarship and shop information
include:
Genesis Arvelo, (Presidential), Health Services Shop
Danishka Rivera Perez, (Presidential), Health Services Shop
Robert Fonseca, (Presidential), Programming and Web Design/Networking
Shaline Serrano, (Dean), Culinary Arts Shop
Wendelyn Hidalgo, (Presidential), Cosmetology Shop
Stephanie Hidalgo, (Presidential), Cosmetology Shop
Grief and Loss Group
Dean’s Teen Clinic has opened registration for the “Grief and Loss
Group.” The group is open to any Dean Tech student who has suffered the loss of a loved one at any point in their lives. Our thinking is
that shared experiences help us to connect and find emotional and
physical support in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Interested
in more information? Contact Charlotte at the Teen Clinic, School
Nurse Wax or Mrs. Carbone, Wellness Coordinator at Dean.
(Above, left to right) Edeni (Health Services Shop) who was accepted to the Elms College and offered a merit scholarship of
$17,000 renewable every year and Raneisha (Carpentry Shop) who
was accepted to Becker college and offered a merit scholarship of
$10,000 renewable every year. Congratulations to these Dean
students who will be the first in their families to go to college.
Athletics continued
on page 11.
Outerwear Drive
Do you have some extra warm items that you no longer
use? Dean is collecting warm outerwear items for students
in need, who are underdressed for the weather. Dean
welcomes your gently used sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets,
coats, and other warm items. Items are being collected in
Dean’s main office. Contact Mrs. Carbone for more information at 413-534-2071.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 12
Connections
Connections
WINTER HIGH SCHOOL Athletics
by Melanie Martin
All Winter Athletic Teams at DTHS and HHS are working hard to be successful! Here are some season highlights as
of January 21st.
Congratulations to the following athletes on their athletic achievements:
HHS Senior Evan Sullivan achieved his 100 Career Point in Ice Hockey.
Dean Tech Senior Wrestler, Jose Berrios joined the 100 Win Club.
HHS Junior Skier, Andy Meir is in 8th Place in the South Division and 24th Overall in the PVIAC Ski League.
HHS Junior Basketball player, Callie Cavanaugh has scored her 1,000 Career Point (below, right).
Carlos Torres (left) and Angel Medina, two Holyoke freshmen indoor track
athletes competed in the 600 meters at the State Freshmen / Sophomore
Meet in Boston on January 2nd.
Athletics Videos
For videos produced by the HPS Media Center, visit http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/channel12.htm
Visit our Athletic Department webpage http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/athletics.htm
For Program Information, contact: The Athletic Office, (413) 493-1683 mmartin@hps.holyoke.ma.us
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Estos son los puntos mas
sobresalientes del Boletin
Holyoke Public Schools
Holyoke Public Schools
Volume 14 Issue 2
Invierno 2016
Artista
JordanJordan
Dudas,Dudas
McMahon
Artista:
Una Carta Abierta a la Comunidad de la Escuela Holyoke
Un Año Nuevo Emocionante
Por Dr. Stephen Zrike, Receptor de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke
Artista Joarvi Edwards, HHS
¡Feliz año nuevo! 2016 está a punto de ser un año emocionante para las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke ya que nuestras iniciativas del plan de reestructuración verdaderamente comienzan a transformar la experiencia de aprendizaje de los estudiantes en
todas nuestras escuelas.
Hay una tremenda energía en toda nuestra comunidad escolar ya que tenemos equipos de personal dedicado, miembros de la
comunidad y los socios externos trabajando en aspectos críticos de nuestro trabajo de reestructuración. Específicamente,

Equipos de Jornada Escolar de Día Completo – Los Equipos en cada una de nuestras escuelas primarias están replanteando día escolar y
año escolar para el próximo año. Ellos están planeando utilizar estratégicamente un día más para proporcionar a los estudiantes las oportunidades educativas más enriquecedoras y personal con tiempo suficiente para planificar/colaborar, para individualizar el aprendizaje del estudiante y
diseñar lecciones dinámicas. Se le pedirá a los padres, estudiantes y la comunidad a desempeñar un papel integral en la formación del nuevo día
para los estudiantes. Les damos las gracias de antemano por compartir su voz.

Rediseño Secundario del Equipo - Este grupo de maestros, miembros de la comunidad, funcionarios de educación superior y líderes de
desarrollo laboral se han estado reuniendo desde octubre para elaborar una serie de recomendaciones para la experiencia secundaria en Holyoke. Han visitado las escuelas de todo el estado, grupos de enfoque facilitado con los estudiantes, estudiaron las mejores prácticas en el diseño
de escuela secundaria y han revisado varios puntos de datos. Ha sido su intención de examinar la forma de establecer las vías que individualizan
la experiencia de aprendizaje para los estudiantes, ya que pasan de la escuela secundaria a través de la escuela secundaria y en última instancia a
la universidad y / o carrera. Estoy seguro de que su guía resultará en mejores resultados para
los estudiantes durante su carrera en la escuela y asegurar que los estudiantes salen de nuestras escuelas con la preparación para prosperar más allá de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke.
Esperamos poder compartir estas recomendaciones con nuestro personal y familias para la
introducción en el mes de febrero.

Revisión de la Oficina Central - Hemos contratado a consultores financieros, educativos y operativos experimentados para ofrecer un plan de manera más estratégica utilizando nuestros recursos limitados para maximizar el impacto en los salones de clase. Estamos comprometidos con una administración central magra y ágil que está al servicio de las
necesidades diferenciadas de nuestras escuelas. Dependiendo de los resultados académicos y
no académicos de la escuela, queremos proporcionar apoyos continuos que agrega valor a
sus esfuerzos de mejora. Confío en que las recomendaciones de esta revisión resultará en
una estructura que realza la enseñanza y el aprendizaje a lo largo de las Escuelas Públicas de
Holyoke.
Planificación del Equipo de Kínder – El trabajo de este grupo para explorar opciones para nuestros estudiantes más jóvenes y sus maestros ha
sido rica y reflexiva. Han pasado tiempo en los salones de kínder en Holyoke y Boston y han investigado muchos enfoques para la enseñanza de
kínder. Gracias a su liderazgo, nos moveremos el próximo año para el Enfoque en el currículo K2 para todos los salones de clase de kínder en el
distrito. Este currículo cambia nuestra forma de pensar de ver el juego como algo separado de aprendizaje, de una parte fundamental del proceso de
aprendizaje para los niños pequeños. Este trabajo desplazará nuestras prácticas de ser principalmente enfocados en el contenido y la instrucción
dirigida por el maestro al niño, con manualidades, experiencias integradas; participando en discurso auténtico entre estudiantes y maestros, y
La carta del Dr. Zrike a la comunidad continuación en la página 14.
Visite www.Facebook.com/HolyokePublicSchools y dale “me gusta” para recibir noticias, videos y fotos actualizadas del distrito.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Page 14
Connections
Connections
ACTUALIZACIONDERECLUTAMIENTO
Todavía hay oportunidades de empleo con las Escuelas Públicas
de Holyoke. Visite nuestro sitio web del distrito y aplique hoy!
Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke se complace en asociarse con Springfield Empowerment Zone para lanzar
TeachWesternMass, una nueva asociación en busca de maestros que demuestran la determinación, la
colaboración y la pasión para asegurarse de que todos sus estudiantes sobresalen en el salón de clases.
Lenguaje Dual Grado Uno en las Escuelas
La inscripción para el Año Escolar 2016-2017 comenzará el lunes, 22 de febrero
Vamos a inscribir a los estudiantes para las siguientes clases –
Día Completo de Lenguaje Dual Pre-K, Kindergarten y Grado 2.
Este innovador programa en la Escuela Metcalf ofrece: oportunidades de adquisición de lenguaje en Inglés y Español; plan de estudios basado en la investigación que está alineado con los puntos de referencia del distrito y el
marco curricular del estado. Visite: http:/www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/duallanguageprogram.htm para el acceso a las
aplicaciones e información del programa. Presentar solicitud completa a la atención de Amy Burke, Principal a
2019 Northampton Street, Holyoke, MA. Llame al 413-534-2104 para más información.
La carta del Dr. Zrike continuación de la página 13.
la planificación basada en los intereses y habilidades de los niños. Con este nuevo plan de estudios, los salones de kínder en Holyoke están llenos de propósitos, con la participación de los niños en actividades que son divertidas, diseñadas y bien estructuradas. Estoy muy contento de
apoyar a nuestros educadores de kínder cuando hacen el trabajo a adoptar este nuevo modelo de aprendizaje en Holyoke.

Revisión de Educación Especial - Estamos trabajando con el Centro de Desarrollo de la Educación para llevar a cabo una revisión
integral de nuestros programas de educación especial. Esperamos que la opinión que nos proporcione con- la identificación de las mejores
prácticas sistémicas, sugerencias para mejorar nuestra infraestructura programática y un plan estratégico de 3 años para la mejora continua.
Además, queremos estar seguros de que todo el personal tenga los recursos, las herramientas y la experiencia necesaria para servir mejor
a nuestros estudiantes con discapacidades. Es nuestra intención de diseñar un sistema que verdaderamente individualiza y personaliza el
aprendizaje de los niños, independientemente de su perfil académico.
Estos son sólo algunos de los esfuerzos en marcha para posicionar las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke para el éxito en el futuro. Apreciamos la
entrada que muchos de ustedes han proporcionado hasta ahora y estamos deseosos de solicitar comentarios adicionales a medida que avanzamos para aplicar estas recomendaciones. Somos realmente afortunados de trabajar con una comunidad que aboga fuertemente por los niños y
que se ha comprometido a hacer los cambios necesarios para crear una experiencia educativa ejemplar para los jóvenes de Holyoke.
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Escuela Sullivan—Celebrando el Día de los Tres Reyes
Page 15
Por Kristina Kirton
El 6 de enero, más de 150 miembros de la comunidad de la Escuela Sullivan celebraron el Día de
Reyes. La cafetería estaba llena, ya que los padres y los estudiantes compartieron una noche de parranda y platos culturales traídos por cada familia. Actuaciones musicales y poemas fueron recitados
por los estudiantes en los grados de primero a tercero. Las familias también pudieron disfrutar de la
actuación de la agrupación musical local de San Miguel Arcángel. La música fue maravilloso y los estudiantes disfrutaron cantando y bailando
Los Reyes Magos estuvieron presentes durante toda la noche. Tres estudiantes valientes de octavo
grado se ofrecieron para representar a los Tres Reyes. Ellos tomaron fotos con los estudiantes y las
familias y repartieron dulces. Todos se fueron con una sonrisa en sus caras y el amor en sus corazones. Fue una noche maravillosa.
Escuela Metcalf —Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico
Por Amy Burke
Estudiantes de Lenguaje Dual en la Escuela Metcalf celebraron su segundo evento anual del Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico. Fue un tiempo para
celebrar la herencia de Puerto Rico ya que los estudiantes están inmersos diariamente en español, el idioma nativo de la isla. Los estudiantes invitaron a sus familias a una actuación de poemas y canciones de Puerto Rico, tanto en Inglés y Español, mientras que vestidos con trajes Folklóricos
puertorriqueños y bailaron una coreografía organizada por su maestra de baile al ritmo de una canción de salsa popular. El Grupo de Danza Coqui
cerró la actuación. Entonces, el acto finalizó con una comida deliciosa puertorriqueña típica del Restaurante El Morro en Springfield.
Rulon Anderson Homenajeado con el Premio de Compañeros de Excelencia
Por Judy Taylor
Felicitaciones a Rulon (Jamie) Anderson, un maestro de ciencias en la Escuela Secundaria Holyoke High, que ha sido homenajeado por Mass Insight
Education con un Premio a la Excelencia de Maestro Compañero por su trabajo de Colocación Avanzada en el Programa Ciencia, Tecnología,
Ingeniería y Matemáticas. Él es uno de los 54 maestros de Colocación Avanzada de Massachusetts que están siendo reconocidos por sus contribuciones ejemplares al éxito de los estudiantes durante el año académico 2014 hasta 2015.
Escuela Holyoke para Participar en la Asociación de Antiviolencia Patriots
Por Judy Taylor
La Abogada General Maura Healey anunció recientemente que la Escuela Holyoke High fue seleccionada para participar en la primera fase de la
nueva asociación contra la violencia de su oficina con los New England Patriots. Hay 98 escuelas de seis regiones de Commonwealth que participarán en esta iniciativa que está siendo financiada por una donación de $ 500,000 de la Fundación Caritativa de New England Patriots y $ 150,000 de
la oficina de Healey. Cambio del juego: La Asociación de Anti-Violencia Patriots entrenará dos representantes adultos de cada escuela a los seis
cursos de capacitación regionales en Massachusetts. De acuerdo con un comunicado de prensa de la Oficina de la Fiscal General Maura Healey,
"Los entrenamientos se llevarán a cabo por los mentores de Prevención de la Violencia (MVP), un líder a nivel nacional en el tratamiento de prevención de la violencia. Dirigido por el Centro para el Deporte en la Sociedad de la Universidad de Northeastern, MVP utiliza un plan de estudios
de temática deportiva y emplea a atletas universitarios y ex atletas profesionales como instructores. El programa también incluirá herramientas de
apoyo en línea para escuelas y un componente de evaluación para determinar la eficacia del programa en el cambio de actitudes y comportamientos".
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Connections
Connections
Page 16
HolyokePublicSchools
Like and Follow us Today! Receive district news updates, view videos and photos.
Facebook.com/HolyokePublicSchools
twitter.com/HPSHOLYOKE
Holyoke, MA 01040
500 Beech Street
c/o Judy Taylor
Media Center
Holyoke Public Schools
Connections
Holyoke Public Schools—Visit us on the web at: http://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us