Connections. A Community Working Together. We are Transforming Lives

Transcripción

1 Holyoke Public Schools A Community Working Together Holyoke Public Schools Volume 12, Issue 2 Winter 2014 An Open Letter to the Holyoke School Community We are Transforming Lives By Dr. Sergio Páez, Superintendent of Schools First, I want to thank you for all your work and dedication. We all have been working really hard to make a difference in our students lives. Six months does not sound like much, but we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our students are connecting with us more and we are making them more curious and engaged every day. What we need to do to transform our district is to have a laser-like commitment to high academic achievement -- every day building our expectations of our students and understanding more and more how they learn. Remember, it is only when you capture their attention, that you will be able to engage them in your teaching. The first step is to make the right curriculum choices to make the content relevant and meaningful to them. The Core Curriculum is a great point of reference. Essential elements include math, reading and writing at the appropriate grade level; and the differentiation for high achievers and other diverse learners. These are critical to building the skills students need to become academically successful. An important aspect of our work is the constant assessment of the teaching we do. I would recommend a more informal method rather than our traditional standardized tests to make sure learning is taking place for students all the time. Keep in mind if they are not learning, we are not teaching. A significant area that is requiring specific attention from us is the writing component -- writing every day and writing well. This is regardless of the skill level of the student. Our students need to be encouraged and expected to read and write every day. Lastly we need to make sure we develop, as a team (grade or content team), a clear definition of proficiency. This definition must match what is perceived as proficient when compared with state standards. I want to thank all the instructional teams in the schools for their dedication and commitment to the transformation of our schools. All this meaningful collaboration with teachers and administrators is beginning to pay off. Once we define this collaboration and provide meaningful feedback to our students, they will be better able to understand the purpose and relevance of the content learned. Our next steps are to ensure that 100% of our content is being delivered in a way that is learned by every student and that the support systems available are aligned with the support needed for Tier II or III instruction. Now, after many hours of professional development and alignment of use of staff and curriculum, I am hopeful that our students will be more engaged and ready to learn. It is not acceptable to have only 13% proficiency for third grade students and only 2% and 4% proficiency for Special Education Students (SPEDs) and English Language Learners (ELLs), respectively. We are looking at every opportunity to support our teachers and ensure they have all the materials and resources needed to transform our district. Despite the fact that we are making significant changes, the chronic underperforming status of our district requires a more aggressive approach to reverse the trends. We are only six months into a journey that will lead us to be true to our commitment as educators to develop all the potential our students possess. As I have said a few times, there is no job more noble than that of educating the next generation of Americans. We are the guardians of the American promise of education as the biggest equalizer in a society where millions of immigrants have come to our shores to make this country what it is today. E.N. White participants at Western Districts' Tryouts include (Left to right): Feroze Sibdhanny, Taina Reyes, Hali'a Pamaylaon, Erica Cabrera, Zoe Brazeau, Anna Price, Aracelis Acevedo, Joseph Lebron and Tyler Guertin. (Read about the Western Districts Tryouts on page 3). Student Artist: Amanda Barta, Holyoke High Drawing and Painting Class Inside this issue: Announcements 2 School News 3-12 After School 12 Athletics 10 Spanish Edition Highlights: Kelly Literacy Parties Parent ESOL Classes Three Kings Day E.N. White Competing at Western Districts

2 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 Mildred Lefebvre Cesar Lopez Devin Sheehan Rosalee Tensley Williams Title 1 Family Nights School Committee Meetings Visit the Holyoke Public Schools website to view schedule: For Grades K-12 All events start at 6:30 March 4 Dr. Seuss Night E.N. White School March 5 Dr. Seuss Night McMahon School March 6 Dr. Seuss Night Sullivan School March 7 Dr. Seuss Night Metcalf School March 12 Dr. Seuss Night Kelly School March 18 Dr. Seuss Night Morgan School March 19 Dr. Seuss Night Lawrence School April 2 Transition Night Donahue School April 2 Bingo for Books E,N. White School April 3 Bingo for Books Sullivan School April 15 Family Game Night McMahon School April 29 Math in a Bag Kelly School April 30 Bingo for Books Morgan School Attention! Special Education Advisory Council (SEPAC) Meetings Please join other concerned parents at our upcoming meetings for the 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 6:00 PM at Lawrence School March 3, 2014: OT/PT/Speech Make and Take Activities May 5, 2014: Overview of Summer Program Offerings ENGLISH CLASSES FOR PARENTS Read about our English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Classes for parents on page 7. Read More at Deadline for article submissions to be included in the Newsletter Spring Edition: March 7, Contact: Kelly- k.prez@comcast.net or Dawn- dmcadigan@halperncpa.com Newsletter Edited by Judy Taylor jtaylor@hps.holyoke.ma.us Editors Emeritus: Kelly Doktor and Laura DuPont Translated by: Luz Aguillar and Jacqueline Escalera The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work. Harry Golden

3 E. N. White Supporting Children at Shriners By Tammy Lawrence The Shriners Hospitals for Children operate 18 hospitals throughout the US, Canada and Mexico for children with orthopedic issues and burns. Shriners Hospitals are open to all children until their 18 th birthday. All medical treatment is administered without cost to the patient or their families. In order to help the local Springfield, MA Shriners Hospital with patient comfort and healthy healing, the E.N. White Middle School Student Council, led by Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Vickie Brown, communicated the need for brand new children s books to students and staff for their Read to Read Program. Hospital volunteers will have the opportunity to read a donated book (or part of a donated book) to the patient. The patient will then be able to take the book home when they are healthy enough to return and where they may enjoy it again and again! Over three dozen brand new books for children of all ages, (from Pete the Cat to Diary of a Wimpy Kid) were donated and delivered for this outstanding Read to Read Program! In order to help the Shriners Hospital with funding, the Middle School Council, led by the Tiger Pride Community Organization (TPCO), communicated the need for pull-tabs or pop-tops. A collection jar for these pop-tops is always located in the hallway at the main entrance of the school throughout the entire year. The Shriners Hospitals have been collecting these pop-tops from beverage cans since They recycle them and put the money towards any program or activity that will directly benefit the children at the Shriners Hospital. Along with the books, an entire two-gallon container of pop -tops were delivered to the Hospital by Mrs. Vicki Brown. Student Council Members: Paola Arce Roldan, Koron Bolden, Rosie Lopez, and Council President, Feroze Sibdhanny. Volume 12, Issue 2 Page 3 Middle School Hoops Have Arrived! By Hilary Russell and Tammy Lawrence In years prior, there were few schools who fielded a middle school basketball team. Now, however, the Holyoke Public Schools have an official middle school basketball league that involves all seven K-8 schools. Hilary Russell, Principal at E.N. White, and Tom Drohan, Assistant Principal, spearheaded the formation of this league through contact with Springfield College s Dr. Matthew Pantera, the Department Chair of the Sports Management and Recreation Program, to utilize Sports Management graduate students to help create a basketball league at the middle school level. Each K- 8 school came on board with a point person, and Jeremiah Barrett, a teacher at Peck School, has taken on many responsibilities, including coaching the Peck team, refereeing games, and taking over the official Holyoke Middle School Hoops website. Now, with the help of five Springfield College student interns, Joe Van Huysen, Ron Alston, Ryan Despasquale, Jim Mack and Fan Li, we are off to a great start! Teachers and parents have stepped up to support this valuable connection between schools, working as coaches and referees. The season has become a very positive experience for numerous middle school students and families throughout the district! Each Friday, Peck School s gymnasium is filled with supportive family and friends rooting for their teams. The district is supplying a bus to pick up the teams at the schools for the 4:00 P.M. and the 5:00 P.M. games. E.N.White s team of eighteen students were able to design their uniform tank including style, colors as well as size and placement of the school s Tiger Mascot. Once the design was finalized, the TPCO invested in the uniforms. The E.N. White Team formally practices several times each week in the gym under the direction of three volunteer parent coaches. The team is currently undefeated and proud to say its home to two of the league s Player of the Week recipients: Eliezer Vazquez and Eddie Anderson. Let the Fencing Begin! By Tammy Lawrence and Hilary Russell There is a long, diverse cultural, recorded history of the sport of fencing from the days of ancient Egypt and Rome to the barbaric Dark Ages and elegant Renaissance Era. Currently there are modern, increasingly popular fencing programs where players practice and prepare for their fencing bouts at local fencing clubs, colleges as well as the Olympics. Throughout all these times and experiences, one idea of fencing seems to always remain constant: Fencing is regarded as more than a sport; it is an art form, an ancient symbol of power and glory, and a deeply personal and individual form of self-expression.. Because fencing can allow individuals many positive life lessons, E.N. White School has partnered with Holyoke Parks and Recreation and started a Fencing Program consisting of six Middle School students. These students demonstrated a strong desire to practice and play this fast-paced, athletic and disciplined sport. First, they volunteered and worked the special election Bake Sale and helped earn (from the supportive Ward 7 voters and E.N. White families) about $200 to help pay for their team. Next, they received permission from their families and arrived prepared and ready at the school s gym. Taro Yamashita, the owner and coach at Riverside Fencing Club, will continue to visit E.N. White School each Tuesday and teach these students the history, art and athleticism of the sport of Fencing. He also currently is the head coach at UMass, Amherst and also coaches at Brandeis University. The individuals Taro has worked with have achieved wonderful successes from simply having a great time fencing, learning discipline, building self-esteem and athletic ability to earning medals in local, regional and national competitions. Our hope at E.N. White is for our 7 th and 8 th graders to also develop these valuable skills, and who knows, maybe some of them will continue on to competition-level. Competing at Western Districts By Dan Rose On Saturday December 7th, the E.N. White Music Department participated in the MMEA Junior Western District festival held at Westfield State University. Over sixty schools throughout Western Massachusetts competed. Out of the nine students from E.N. White who auditioned, six placed and were accepted into an ensemble: Erica Cabrera (Grade 8, Soprano I), Anna Price (7, Soprano II), TeeJae Reyes (8, Alto), Joseph Lebron (8, Baritone), and Feroze Sidbhanny (8, Baritone); lastly, Tyler Guertin was accepted to chorus for his vocal audition as well as band for his trumpet audition. Participation tripled from a year earlier, when E.N. White sent three choral students to Western Districts (none placed). Two of those students Halia Pamaylaon and TeeJae Reyes returned and improved their scores from the year before. Students participating in Western Districts dedicated additional time before and after school to prepare their auditions. Lebron noted, We practiced for weeks, [but] it s actually a fun experience to be there with all your friends, knowing they made it, too. He added, I think I got the results I did because I really worked hard for it, and I made a goal for myself and kept at it. (Continued on page 10). Also, see E.N. White article: Students Support the Newly -Renovated Holyoke Public Library on page 4.

4 Page 4 Kelly Kelly Full Service Community School has Gone to the Dogs! By Rebecca Masters Kelly Full Service Community School was excited to premiere its new, home-grown program that was initiated this month: Tails to Read! Tails to Read pairs certified therapy dogs with struggling readers for weekly reading sessions. Research has proven that the calm, non-judgmental presence of an animal actually improves reading scores! So far, Kelly has a small and growing corps of volunteers and their certified, insured, therapy dogs to work with students: Lily the Husky, Rosko the Goldendoodle, and Grace the Standard Poodle. They each visit Kelly School for an hour every week and offer individual reading times with struggling readers. The handler is asked not to interrupt unless the student asks for help or the dog needs help to refocus. We believe Tails to Read will boost the confidence and skills of our participating students! Rosko, a Tails to Read therapy dog listens attentively to stories read by Kevin and Isabel. Kelly Full Service Community School Literacy Parties By Rebecca Masters Kelly Full Service Community School is thrilled to announce our newest parent engagement effort...literacy House Parties! It s a 45 minute program that takes place in the home of a Kelly student to help Kelly parents learn how to support their children s reading! A Kelly parent or family member invites other Kelly parents into their home for the Literacy Party and receives a $50 Stop N' Shop card for hosting. During the party, Kelly School Reading Interventionists discuss with parents how to understand reading levels, tips for supporting reading at home, and fun games that can be help young readers. All participating parents also receive a literacy backpack filled with game supplies, school supplies, and a book! Party goers also enjoy lunch and get the opportunity to sign up as a host for an upcoming Literacy Party! For more information on Kelly School s Tails to Read Program and Literacy House Parties, please contact Kelly School Program Manager, Rebecca Masters, at rmasters@hps.holyoke.ma.us. E.N. White (continued from page 3). Students Support the Newly-Renovated Holyoke Public Library By Tammy Lawrence and Hilary Russell The Spare Change Drive Holyoke Public Library fundraiser was a wonderful way to empower E.N. White Students and allow them to play a vital role in helping build the newly restored and expanded Holyoke Public Library (HPL). With every student donation, each student was given an inspirational READ silicone bracelet and a golden paper brick, courtesy of the Tiger Pride Community Organization (TPCO). Students that donated were encouraged to decorate and personalize their brick then directed to post them onto a giant Together We Will Achieve Greatness poster hung within the school s Book Fair. Student by student, brick by brick, the poster s foundation of bricks grew thus symbolizing not only the growth of the Holyoke Library but the future relationship the students will have with the Library. While the students posted their bricks, they viewed pictures of the Library s fully restored front entrance as well as the newly built back entrance. Not only did the Spare Change Drive (with the TPCO donation) earn the HPL over $500, the Tiger Pride Community Organization will soon fund busing for each grade to visit the Library allowing every student to see first-hand the building they helped revitalize. Upon arrival, every student will tour the building, learn of the educational opportunities as well as the fun activities their library has to offer them. They will also receive a library card and have the opportunity to check out a book during their field trip. The benefits of creating these positive student relationships with the City s Library will create endless successes throughout their lifetimes. The E.N. White teachers were able to view the new library when Principal Hilary Russell conducted a monthly staff meeting in the new Community Room of the Library. Children s librarian, Jason Lefebvre, gave the teachers a tour of the new facility and teachers engaged in a scavenger hunt to learn about the different areas of the library. E.N. White is also in the process of planning two evening Family Literacy Nights at the Library so families can visit the Library, obtain library cards, support their children s developing love of reading, and enjoy this great resource in their city.

5 Page 5 Volume 12, Issue 2 Page 5 Morgan The Holyoke High School Business Club, led by Mrs. Elizabeth Butler, took a collection for Morgan School and donated the money so that Morgan School would be able to buy hats and mittens for our students that could not afford them. Thank you to Mrs. Butler and the Holyoke High Business Club. Morgan School students remembered our troops serving overseas this holiday season. All 400 students here at Morgan signed a holiday card and these were sent over to our troops. Mrs. Moriarty s second grade class also remembered our soldiers at the Holyoke Soldiers Home and delivered homemade holiday cards to them. More About Morgan The Morgan School Vocal Team performed holiday concerts at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore and at McDonald s. The vocal team also showed their appreciation to the Morgan Staff by visiting classrooms throughout the day and singing You Have Made a Difference to show the staff at Morgan how important they are to the students and how much they are appreciated. On November 20, staff and families of Morgan School celebrated Discover Puerto Rico night. Morgan families and staff enjoyed music, food, and dancing to celebrate the Puerto Rican heritage. Each classroom researched and created a trifold describing a city in Puerto Rico and families voted on their favorite display. Congratulations to Mrs. Hobert s sixth grade classroom for earning the most votes. On January 10, families came to Morgan School to celebrate Three Kings Day. Families listened to music and the three kings explained to the families how important it is to read everyday. Each family who attended the celebration received a bag of toys and books to read to each other. The South Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative led by Ed Caisse also donated eight bicycles that were raffled off. Congratulations to our eight students who received new bikes to ride when the weather gets nicer. Read more about Three Kings Day celebrations in our district on page 12. Mrs. Drohan s, Mrs. Giroux s, and Mrs. Semidei s first grade classroom took up a collection of coloring books and crayons. These coloring books and crayons were delivered by Mrs. Semidei to an organization that will send these items over to Haiti to be distributed to children who are now in orphanages because of the earthquakes that have hit Haiti. Good job Morgan first graders we are very proud of you.

6 Page 6 Mcmahon Thanks to Our Supporting Community By Louise Cavanaugh The third grade students and teachers at McMahon School have a lot to be excited about! We are currently participating in a project with Enchanted Circle Theater, and have been having great fun while enriching our reading and writing skills! Brando, of Enchanted Circle, knows how to get everyone up and moving and has enabled the students to realize their creativity. We are looking forward to more great activities in the weeks to come! We are also fortunate to be a part of the Link to Libraries program. In addition to receiving books for the students to take home, we are very lucky to have a volunteer guest reader who visits us on a regular basis. Thank you, Mr. Burch! We are pleased to announce that we received a grant from the Holyoke Cultural Council to help fund our field trip to old Deerfield in the spring! As we read,write, and discuss the history of Massachusetts in our Social Studies curriculum, we know that we will be able to experience firsthand one of the rich historical sites of Western Massachusetts. Thank you Holyoke Cultural Council! By Eileen Martinez Look Who has Spirit? The McMahon Spirit Club was established this year by School Counselor Eileen Martinez and Westfield State Intern Eboni Coombs. The Club's main goal is to promote school unity and social awareness. Although the club is composed of students in grades six through eight, the activities and objectives are designed to involve the entire school. So far this year the club was able to raise nearly $400 in fundraising between the months of October and December 2013! The students sold snacks, raffle tickets, and organized events such as Crazy Hair and Pajama Day to reach their goal. The money was raised to purchase the materials needed to make blankets for children in foster care. Our goals is to make 40 hand tied fleece blankets. Every classroom at McMahon will participate in making the blankets! We have parent and staff volunteers who are assisting with getting the materials ready. We will present the blankets to Help Our Kids Inc., a local organization that services children in foster care. The Spirit Club also led a food drive in November which resulted in over 300 food items being donated to Providence Ministries. Thanks to the members of the Spirit Club, the goal of promoting social unity and social awareness at McMahon is well under way! The students are currently discussing what our next projects will be so stay tuned for further exciting news from the Spirit Club! By Dan Pfefferle Grade 5 Investigates the Water Cycle The Hitchcock Center and Enchanted Circle Theater have visited the fifth grade science classrooms at McMahon School over the past week. Students have been shown many hands-on examples of how the water cycle works and how we (as people) affect the water cycle. Students have experienced the water cycle in action using models. They have also investigated what happens when toxic waste enters the water cycle. What a great way to experience the water cycle and think about how our actions affect the health of the waterways! Students experiencing the water cycle include: Natasha Concepcion and Adalisha Gonzalez, and Josiah Vasquez.

7 Volume 12, Issue 2 Page 7 Peck-Lawrence Holiday Concert By Otis Rogers Kulik won for the teachers. Ms. Kulik won a gift certificate to Starbucks and the winning students each won $10 to McDonald's. Traveling through Puerto Rico By Antonia Santiago To celebrate Puerto Rican heritage, the Peck/Lawrence Schools held a Traveling through Puerto Rico event at the Peck campus on Wednesday, November 13 from 6:00 P.M.- 8:00 P.M. It was a huge success and provided a great way for school, staff and families to connect. Students created informative displays on various cities and towns in Puerto Rico. There was live plena music, Puerto Rican food from Fernandez Restaurant, and a captivating dance show from a local Puerto Rican dance group! Special performances of La borriqueña sung by Aida Ortiz (counselor), Yaldira Felix-Brown (case manager), our school Principal Vionette Escudero and students Joshua Fernandez and Margarita Velazco wowed the crowd. Ms. Flynn s first grade class performed an awesome special dance number. Families and staff had a wonderful time traveling through Puerto Rico and we can t until next year! The students and staff of the Peck School presented a Winter Concert, Wednesday December 18 at 1:30 P.M. in the Peck auditorium. The music selected represented a wide range of styles and genres that exemplified the Peck pledge: Proud, Excellent, Committed and Kind. Students showed exceptional dedication to their show, rehearsing during their music classes and at every possible spare moment during the school day. The concert included combined middle school choir and band, middle school choir, elementary choir, and a special eighth grade sing along of Rockin Around the Christmas Tree led by Cathy Foley. Concert highlights included a student-choreographed dance and professional-level piano accompaniment by an eighth grade student. Our next show will be a students and staff Talent Show this spring. We hope to have a large group of participants. Fun Raisers By Andrea Lauzier This year the Functional Academics classes have been sponsoring some "Fun"raising days at the Peck Campus. The first was held on October 31 and was an Opposite Day. It was free of charge to all staff and students. The goal was for students to dress as teachers and teachers to dress as students. The student winners were Xsairaliz Quinnes and Xavier Ramos. They each won $10 to McDonald's. The second was Crazy Holiday Sweater Day held on December 20 and was again free for all staff and students. The goal was to wear crazy holiday clothes (any holiday from this time of year). This time Ms. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) By Jessenia Ramos Why should you learn English? ''When a parent doesn't speak English, it creates a tremendous disability to really participate in a child's education,'' said Joanne Appleton Arnaud, executive director of the Boston Adult Literacy Fund. Tasks like reading the notes from their child's teacher, participating in parent-teacher conferences and helping children with their homework become very difficult when parents don't understand the language. The more parents are involved in the education of their children, the better the academic achievement. With that in mind, the Peck-Lawrence Full Service Community School has successfully started ESOL classes for families interested in improving their English skills and public speaking abilities. Evening with Santa By Jessenia Ramos On December 19, P-PUA (Peck- Lawrence Parents United in Action) and Family Access and Engagement Cooridinators successfully coordinated an Evening with Santa at the Lawrence Campus. Each student happily received a gift from Santa, made a holiday craft and enjoyed some milk and cookies with the ever so jolly Santa. Many even took a picture with Santa and received their photographs in just a few days! Over 500 gifts were given on this special occasion, but the greatest gift was that of seeing the genuinely happy smiles clearly shown on the faces of both the children and their families. TEAM = Together Everyone Achieves More Student Corner By Cathy Foley What are your New Year s resolutions for 2014? I want to do all my homework and make my family proud. Parrish Holmes, Grade 4 I hope to stop arguing with my parents at home. Naressa Kempadoo, Grade 5Fi Behave in math class. Kevin Keyes, Grade 6 I would like to do better at home with my family. Emily Valasquez, Grade 7 Focus on my school work and graduate middle school as part of the Class of Dalisha Ruiz, Grade 8 For this first semester, adult students were able to learn and practice everyday conversations in English. We were pleased to see 9 of our Peck-Lawrence parents using their new skills by creating and then presenting a beautiful poster representing their everyday lives. The next semester will be focusing on how to communicate with health care providers and legal matters. Interested Peck-Lawrence parents are encouraged to contact the school. Morgan. These parent classes are also offered at the following schools: Kelly, E.N. White and Peck resolutionists include: Emily Valasquez, Parrish Holmes, Naressa Kempadoo, Kevin Keyes, Dalisha Ruiz.

8 Page 8 Donahue By Ricky Cates As a result of their hard work and success on the ANET, six grade students and their families were rewarded with a pizza celebration. They enjoyed games, pizza, cookies and juice together after school. Congratulations students! Student Articles Visit from Eric Velasquez Donahue Students Visit Geriatric Authority Third grades students from Donahue School participated in a walking field trip to the Geriatric Authority. They were warmly welcomed by many residents. The students sang Christmas songs to the residents, which lightened the residents faces. Many of the Hispanic residents enjoyed Spanish holiday carols. Third grade student Naydelys Torres shared, I felt comfortable with the elders. They were like my grandparents. She really enjoyed singing a song about Chanukah. Third grader Kayelana Matos also enjoyed singing the Chanukah song. She exclaimed, I felt appreciated by the elders. Mrs. Cathy Hebert, teacher at Donahue School, coordinated this and other memorable visits to the Geriatric Authority. The first graders played a bowling game and shared popcorn with residents during their visit. Second graders and residents created Thanksgiving themed cards and crafts together. Mrs. Hebert hopes to continue this valuable partnership by arranging for each grade to visit the Geriatric Authority this year. Author Eric Velasquez visited Donahue School through a grant with the Eric Carle Museum. He worked with second graders to create a picture book. Students enjoyed using art to improve their writing skills. Thank you to teacher Margaret Bartley and the Eric Carle Museum for coordinating this valuable opportunity.

9 Volume 12, Issue 2 Page 9 Sullivan And the Votes are In! By Kelly Doktor Sixty second-grade students at Sullivan Elementary School had the reallife experience of meeting both Holyoke mayoral candidates as a culminating activity of the Election Unit. The visits, both occurring on October 30 th, were organized by second-grade teacher Kelly Doktor, who actually booked Mayor Alex Morse in early August, before school even began. The day after the primary in September, she contacted candidate Jeff Stanek, who was also available on October 30. I knew our team would implement the election unit, and since the campaign would be a topic in the homes of our students, I wanted the students to have the experience of meeting both candidates, said Doktor. Morse arrived in the morning to read a non-fiction election book to sixty eager children in the Sullivan School library which featured hand-painted election signs promoting both candidates. After reading the book, Morse answered six questions ranging from Why do you want to be mayor? to How do you ask for money for schools? Stanek then followed suit in the afternoon and read a fiction election book to the students. He then answered the same questions as Morse and conversed with the students. The following day, each teacher reviewed the answers to those six questions in the classroom where students could compare and contrast the answers to better inform themselves before voting for the candidate of their choice. Once the secret votes were tallied, Mayor Morse garnered forty-three votes to Stanek s eight. The results were a great indicator of the actual election held five days later! Metcalf Sharing Our Learning Experiences By Amy Wetzel Burke So many incredible learning opportunities have come to Metcalf this year. We began by supporting our theme of community helpers and invited members of the Holyoke Fire Department to our classrooms to support our thoughts and ideas about how firefighters help our community. Ms. Daly s class enjoyed a wonderful visit from Ms. Paula from Sturbridge Village. She shared with the students ways in which people used to make quilts, wash clothes, and take baths many years ago. Mrs. Lafortune s class and Ms. Daly s class shared a delightful Thanksgiving Feast with their families. The meal was created and served by the students. Finally, Mrs. Roldan s class performed a celebratory Paranda. They paraded around the school and sang traditional Hispanic songs and helped bring cheer to all at Metcalf School. Thank you to all those who have supported and shared their knowledge and experiences with our students.

10 Page 10 Holyoke High Broadway in Holyoke Come and see Broadway in Holyoke when the Holyoke High School Music Department stages its 15th annual musical - Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella - from Thursday, March 13 through Sunday, March 16 in the John Sears Auditorium at Holyoke High School. Tickets for the production go on sale Monday, March 3 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 P.M., and the performance on Sunday afternoon is at 2:00 P.M. 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. New 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. Athletics Fall Highlights By Melanie Martin Holyoke High Highlights Girls X-Country These girls are small in number but had individual successes throughout the season. Boys Soccer The boys took on the challenges of having two new coaches in pre-season finishing with a record of Adonnis Camby was an All-League All-Star Girls Volleyball- Finished 10-9 and made tournament Abbey Keeler and Crystal Vazquez were All-League All-Stars Golf The team finished 4-11, with Devan Kane and Alex Glanville competing in Western Mass. Alex Glanville went on to compete in States. Alex and Devan were also named All-League All Stars Girls Soccer The girls had a record of and made the tournament. All-League All-stars were: Carly Costello, Jamie Robert and Taylor Choquette. Field Hockey The team finished second in their league with a record of and qualified for the tournament. Kathryn Collier, Bridget Higgins, Jessica Lamagdeleine and Katelyn Leclerc were named All-League All- Stars. Boys X-Country These runners were the Valley South Champions with an 8-0 record. Joel Ramos and Guillermo Goodreau-Rivera went on to compete in Western Mass and States. All-League All-Stars include Michael Cabral, Guillermo Goodreau-Rivera, Matt McAndrew, Tyler Tardy and Joel Ramos. Football The team finished 3-8 with a Thanksgiving Day win over Chicopee. Kristian Arturet, Justin White, Phillip Fernandez and Andrew Peltier were All-League All-Stars andall Western Mass. Daniel Boyle was All Western Mass. Students from the Adaptive Physical Education Program enjoy skating at the Fitzpatrick Skating Arena. Dean Tech Highlights: Football The team finished 2-9. The athletes on the team at the end of the season finished strong and represented Dean Tech with dignity and pride. It was a difficult season, with many challenges. Our athletes persevered and will come back strong next season. Daniel Wilson Scott and Hector Cabrera made All-league and All Western Mass. Girls Volleyball Our girls struggled this year but worked hard to build team chemistry and improve as a team and as individual skills. They gave their all to be successful regardless of the score. Jessybel Torres and Crystal Rivera were All-League All-Stars. E.N. White (continued from page 3) The choral program - directed by Daniel Rose - began in 2011, and has increased enrollment by 50% in two short years. Furthermore, this year s participants represented not only the choral program, but the string program, headed up by Mr. Andy Verrocchi, and the band program run by Mr. George Baker as well. Many students are members of all three performing ensembles, and students have expressed their hope that increasing opportunities to join performing ensembles become the norm: Reyes claims, Performing is a big part of who I am because it can give me confidence and shows me to push myself to be that better person, by speaking up and working hard at what I perform. I would like to see [these ensembles] start from something little, and then in the future once we re all grown, it will have grown into something way bigger, where all these kids are participating in it, and everyone can get into music and have what we have here. It would be great if these ensembles were in every school and not just a few, added Pamaylaon. [We want] our school to be the example, says Lebron. The six students selected will participate in rehearsals at Belchertown High School and UMass Amherst with their respective ensembles, and conclude with a performance at UMass Amherst on Saturday March 15. When asked what he would share with other students about the experience, Sibdhanny, who is also the Student Council President, stated, I would say to always try your hardest, always give 100% - never give up, because you never know what could happen.

11 Volume 12, Issue 2 Page 11 Dean Technical New CISCO Program Offering By Barry Bacom On January 28, William J. Dean Technical High School cut the ribbon on their new CISCO Networking Academy. The CISCO Corporation is the world s leader in the manufacturing of computer networking equipment. CISCO provides training academies throughout the world. The CIS- CO program will provide the students at Dean Tech the opportunity to study networking technologies that will allow them to build, design, and maintain networks; along with career skills such as problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking. This training will prepare Dean students to obtain industry-recognized certifications as CISCO Certified Networking Technicians and CIS- CO Certified Networking Associates. The CISCO program is made up of several highly rigorous courses. The courses will be offered to students in grades 11 and 12. It is recommended that a student have a high academic standing and a recommendation from their guidance counselor and principal. Puerto Rican Heritage Month On the evening of Tuesday, November 19, members of the Dean community gathered to celebrate the many ways Puerto Rican culture contributes to, strengthens, and brightens the school. The celebration was a huge success. More than 250 people came out to celebrate one of the community s most significant ethnic cultures, honor some of the most prominent Puerto Rican elders in the community, and enjoy tastes of the music, food, and dance from Puerto Rico. The event began at 5:00 P.M., when all attendees saluted both the American and the Puerto Rican flags. Three members of the Dean Tech staff sang La Boriquena, the Puerto Rican National Anthem. The theme of this particular Puerto Rican Heritage celebration was Honoring Our Elders, and the member of the Dean Tech community selected to be honored was Mr. Pedro Rivera. Mr. Rivera is a dedicated member of the Dean Tech community and an active member of the Holyoke community, serving a multitude of roles including coordinator of Career Technical Education placement, testing, and SkillsUSA. More importantly, perhaps, he has been essential in helping to create the welcoming, trusting, and demanding culture that Dean Tech has been working towards all year. His rapport with both students and parents is obvious, and all attendees were thrilled with the opportunity to honor his valued contributions to the community. A series of dance numbers followed Mr. Rivera s tribute. A folkloric group, El Coquí, commenced the dance selections. El Coquí, which is a small frog native to Puerto Rico, is the name of a children s folkloric dance program designed to teach Holyoke youth about native Puerto Rican dances while also engaging them in a positive after-school activity. These young dancers opened for a group of Dean Tech students who performed a series of dances: a salsa (a traditionally Cuban dance), a negroide (an African-influenced dance), and a plena (a Puerto Rican folkloric dance). Finally, a Dean Tech staff member and local artisan displayed his art and spoke about the ways in which Puerto Rican culture influences and inspires his work. During the entire showcase, audience members enjoyed an authentic Puerto Rican meal, prepared by Dean Tech s culinary students. Between each new presentation, the student emcees would provide bits of Puerto Rican history to the audience, making the entire night both entertaining and educational. Assistant Principal Gladys Franco who headed the planning committee comprised of teachers, parents, and students was pleased with the event s turnout. We felt that it was important to celebrate Puerto Rican heritage because of our student body. So many of our students share this important culture and history; it s part of their identity. Engaging the students, she shared, was not the only goal: We also know it s important to engage the community in our celebration. It really takes a village, and it s important that we all work and celebrate together. Dean Tech continues to host creative and important events that boast record attendance numbers and allow students to share their work and talent with their community. And people are noticing: this event was featured on local news network ABC40. Let s Move Holyoke! By Jeannette Smith We are pleased to announce that Dean Tech has teamed up with Let s Move Holyoke! It s a program that is part of a larger project, LET S GO! which is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program designed to increase healthy eating and active living in children from birth to eighteen years of age. Let s Move Holyoke works in six areas (schools, early childhood, after school, healthcare, workplace and community) to reach children and families where they live, study, work, and play. The program is centered on the common message of Eating right and being physically active can be a challenge in today s busy world. Let s Move Holyoke ! is here to help! As a part of Goes to School, our program works hard to incorporate the messages into our daily activities at Dean. As part of our work, families receive parent-geared information, which highlight the messages about what their child is learning in this program. In a nutshell, the plan carries this wellness message: 5 or more fruits & vegetables 2 hours or less fun screen time 1 hour or more physical activity 0 sugary drinks, more water and low fat milk Let s Go! uses evidence-based strategies that align with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Institute of Medicine s recommendations to support healthy eating and active living. Students with a high level of wellness are more likely to have an increase in focus and attention, better academic achievement, and improved attendance at school. explains Cynthia Carbone, RN, MSN, Dean s Wellness Coordinator. She adds, Our shared vision is for our students to learn the skills and knowledge needed to increase healthy eating and active living behaviors, for those behaviors to be fun, easy, and popular to accomplish, and for Dean s environment and policies to encourage and support those healthy choices. Dean is united with the greater Holyoke Community efforts in the common goal of increasing student wellness! Visit for more information about Clothing/School Uniform Drive Dean s nineth grade Health classes are collecting gently used or new clothing to provide to students who may need uniform clothing. Dean Tech s School Uniform consists of: Solid Black Crew-Neck Sweatshirts Black Polo Shirts-Long or Short Sleeves Tan Pants or Black Pants Steel Toe Boots (for shop) Belts, Ties, Shoes, Sneakers Warm Winter Coats, Hats & Gloves We are looking for the above in sizes XXS to XXL For male and female students in grades nine through twelve We invite you to drop your donation off at Dean Technical High School, Main Office, at 1045 Main St., Holyoke. For More Information contact Mrs. Carbone, at x 4331.

12 Page 12 Three Kings Day Celebrated By Vida Zavala Student Articles Noche Latina by Natasha Berrios On November 22 we went to Noche Latina at Mt Holyoke College. It was a celebration of Latin American heritage with traditional music, food, and dancing. The food that they had was white rice with beans and turkey, called pollo in Spanish. It was really good. We had so much fun and most of the students that went got to tour the campus and saw one of the dorms. The college is only for girls to go to, but boys could go to Noche Latina. We had the best time ever watching the dancing, listening to poetry, and eating. The college even had a store and a pool table. They had so many different things in that college that most people would love. It was an awesome day. We had so much fun; we wish we could have another field trip like that one. We learned about the college and how students work and have parties and they have so much fun there. I had so much fun at Noche Latina. I will never forget that day. My best friend, Jennifer Cruz, who is also in CONNECTIONS, went on the trip with me. It was so good that we went home tired; that s how much we had fun. That was one of the field trips that I enjoyed the most and I was happy to have my best friend there with me. My Story By Jamie Joquin My Name is Jamie Joquin. I m 20 years old and a senior here at Dean Tech. Here s my story. CONNECTIONS After School Program I m not perfect at all. I came across ADHD, ADD, anger management, and a horrible case of dyslexia. I also have trouble sleeping at night. Despite everything that s going on, I made it to my senior year after six years of high school. It wasn t easy at all but I did it. I also plan on attending college and giving it a shot. I want to become a corrections officer. Coming into high school I thought I had it all figured out. I was wrong. I did for others more than I did for myself. I was always worried what others thought of me. After failing my freshman year twice, and becoming a freshman for my third year straight, reality hit me. I started to realize I wasn t a little kid anymore. I needed to get my life together. Since I ve been at Dean I played sports for three years with a waiver, and I m working on a second one. I came a long way, and I m so proud to be where I m at today. My advice to you underclassmen is to focus on school and to worry about yourself. Our Service with the Community By Edeni Colon The Community Service Club is a group of high school students who are interested in helping others. We meet during the CON- NECTIONS After School Program at Dean. The Club s popularity started slowly, since it is a new club this year. With the help of some students we made a list of ideas of where, and what we want to help with. Shriner s Hospital in Springfield was a main contender. We learned about the Ronald McDonald House through our instructor, Ms. Grace Santiago, and it was a perfect match! At the Ronald McDonald House, families and sometimes patients are provided a The Holyoke Public Schools annual Three Kings Day celebration was held for students and families at Metcalf and at the K-8 schools this year. A total of more than 700 attended the school celebrations, to build a sense of community, increase family involvement, affirm the cultural identity of our Latino students, and promote literacy. We are fortunate to be able to continue making this traditional Latino cultural event a success for our students and families, says Vida Zavala, Interim Director of the English Language Education Department. Holding the celebrations at the schools allowed staff, families, and community members from students neighborhoods to work together to create events that combined the Three Kings annual celebration with traditional music, food and dance on a more personal, school-based level. This new way of building relationships and support for our families is more effective than the traditional centralized celebration. As part of the program, teachers, students, and community members dressed as the Three Kings and distributed gifts and books to students at the schools. Toys were donated by Toys for Tots and books were donated by Reader to Reader. For more information about this celebration, visit our district website (see address below). Holyoke Public Schools has been hosting the Three Kings Day celebration for 10 years. place to stay when they have to be near the hospital for a long time. Our first visit was on November 20, and we checked out the place and met the staff. After our initial visit we were eager to plan our next return. We set the date for December 14, with the intention of bringing holiday cheer! We planned to decorate cookies and assemble graham cracker houses. We also made boxes to collect canned food and donations as well as soda can tops to bring to the Ronald McDonald House. The field trip was cancelled because of a snow storm, but our teachers still delivered the food and donations. Then, on December 19, we had a field trip to the Westfield Soup Kitchen to prepare and serve a meal. With help from the Culinary Club in CONNECTIONS, we prepared lasagna and then served it to the people at the soup kitchen. The Community Service Club is catching on slowly but we hope to get more students involved to do other projects. Our future plans include Habitat for Humanity and a possible park clean up. The Community Service Club created this box to be filled with canned food donations for the Ronald McDonald House. It is located in the CONNECTIONS room on the second floor at Dean.

13 Estos son los puntos mas sobresalientes del Boletin Holyoke Public Schools Holyoke Public Schools Volume 12 Issue 2 Invierno 2014 Una Carta Abierta a la Comunidad de la Escuela Holyoke Estamos Transformando Vidas By Dr. Sergio Páez, Superintendent of Schools Estudiante de Arte: Amanda Barta, Escuela Superior de Holyoke Clase de Dibujo y Pintura Consulte la pagina 15 para información de la Celebración del Día de los Tres Reyes Magos. En primer lugar, quiero darle las gracias por todo su trabajo y dedicación. Todos hemos estado trabajando muy duro para hacer una diferencia en las vidas de nuestros estudiantes. Seis meses no suena como mucho, pero estamos empezando a ver la luz al final del túnel. Nuestros hijos se conectan con nosotros cada vez más y nosotros los hacemos más curiosos y comprometidos cada día. Lo que tenemos que hacer para transformar nuestro distrito es tener un compromiso "como de laser" de alto rendimiento académico construyendo nuestras expectativas todos los días de nuestros estudiantes y entendiendo cada vez más la forma en que aprenden. Recuerde, es sólo cuando usted captura su atención, que usted podrá hacerlos participar en su enseñanza. El primer paso es tomar las decisiones curriculares adecuadas para hacer que el contenido relevante y significativo para ellos. El plan de estudios es un gran punto de referencia, matemáticas, lectura y escritura en el nivel de grado apropiado y con la diferenciación de estudiantes de alto rendimiento y otros estudiantes diversos son los elementos esenciales para construir las habilidades que necesitan para ser exitosos académicamente. Un aspecto importante de nuestro trabajo es la evaluación constante de la enseñanza que hacemos todos los días. Yo recomendaría un método más informal en lugar de nuestras pruebas estandarizadas tradicionales para asegurarnos de que el aprendizaje se lleva a cabo para todos los niños todo el tiempo. Tenga en cuenta si ellos no están aprendiendo, no estamos enseñando. Un área importante que está requiriendo una atención específica de nosotros es el componente de escritura -- escribir todos los días y escribir bien. Esto es independientemente del nivel de conocimientos del estudiante. Nuestros estudiantes deben ser animados y se espera que lean y escriban todos los días. Por último necesitamos asegurarnos de que desarrollamos, como un equipo (equipo de grado o contenido), una definición clara de la competencia. Esta definición debe coincidir con lo que se percibe como competente si se compara con los estándares estatales. Quiero agradecer a todos los equipos de instrucción en las escuelas por su dedicación y compromiso de contribuir a la transformación de nuestras escuelas. Toda esta colaboración significativa con los maestros y los administradores está empezando a dar sus frutos. Una vez que definimos esta colaboración y, luego ofrecemos una reacción significativa a nuestros estudiantes, luego, ellos podrán entender el propósito y la relevancia del contenido aprendido. Nuestros próximos pasos son para asegurar que el 100% de nuestro contenido es entregado en una forma que se aprende por todos los estudiantes y que los sistemas de apoyo disponibles están alineados con el apoyo necesario para las instrucciones al Nivel II o III. Ahora, después de varias horas de desarrollo profesional y la alineación del uso del personal y el plan de estudios, tengo la esperanza de que nuestros hijos estarán más comprometidos y listos para aprender. No es aceptable tener dominio del 13% para los estudiantes de 3 º grado y sólo el dominio del 2% y del 4% por ciento para los estudiantes de Educación Especial y Estudiantes de ELL - Aprendices de Lenguaje Inglés. Estamos analizando todas las oportunidades para apoyar a nuestros maestros y asegurarse que todos tengan todos los materiales y recursos que necesitan para transformar nuestro distrito. A pesar de que estamos haciendo cambios significativos del estado de bajo rendimiento crónico de nuestro distrito requiere un enfoque más agresivo para invertir las tendencias. Somos tan sólo seis meses en un recorrido que nos llevará a ser fieles a nuestro compromiso como educadores para desarrollar todo el potencial que nuestros estudiantes poseen. Como ya he dicho un par de veces, no hay trabajo más noble que la de educar a la próxima generación de estadounidenses. Somos los guardianes de la promesa de la educación de los Estados Unidos como el mayor ecualizador en una sociedad donde millones de inmigrantes han llegado a nuestras costas para hacer de este país lo que es hoy. Gracias por todo lo que hacen por nuestros estudiantes, y por favor ayúdenme a encontrar nuevas maneras de hacer una diferencia en Holyoke.

14 Page 14 Atención Reuniones del Comité Escolar Visite el si o web de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke para ver calendario de reuniones: Parents Está interesado en involucrarse más en la educación de sus hijos? Consulte la página 15. Reuniones del Consejo Asesor de Educación Especial (SEPAC) Por favor únase a otros padres interesados en nuestras próximas reuniones durante el año Hay una fuerza en números y el apoyo de otras personas que comparten experiencias similares. Nuestros esfuerzos combinados pueden influir en el éxito de nuestros hijos, así como dar forma a su futuro. Próximas fechas de reuniones y temas de discusión: 3 de marzo: Terapia Ocupacional / Terapia Física/ Terapia del Habla Hacer y Recibir Actividades" 5 de mayo: Descripción general de lo que ofrece el Programa de Verano Las reuniones se llevan a cabo en la Escuela Lawrence a las 6:00 PM Visite el sitio web del distrito para más información: Preguntas: contacto Kelly - k.prez@comcast.net o Dawn - dmcadigan@halperncpa.com Oportunidades de Aprendizaje durante el Verano Titulo I Noches de Familia Diversión para Toda la Familia Ofrecido a los Estudiantes de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke 4 de marzo Noche de Dr. Seuss Escuela E.N. White 5 de marzo Noche de Dr. Seuss Escuela McMahon Comenzando 6 de marzo el Noche 8 de julio de Dr. Seuss Escuela Sullivan hasta 7 de marzo el 8 de agosto Noche de Dr. Seuss Escuela Metcalf 12 de marzo Noche de Dr. Seuss Escuela Kelly de 188:00 de marzo AM a 1:00 Noche PM de Dr. Seuss Escuela Morgan 19 de marzo Noche de Dr. Seuss Escuela Lawrence Para 2 obtener de abril más información, Noche de Transición Escuela Donahue 2 de visite abril el sitio Bingo web: para Libros Escuela E.N. White 3 de abril Bingo para Libros Escuela Sullivan 15 de abril Noche de Juego en Familia Escuela McMahon 29 de abril Matematicas en Bolsa Escuela Kelly 30 de abril Bingo para Libros Escuela Morgan Todos los eventos comienzan a las 6:30 Para grados Kínder hasta 12

15 Celebración del Día de los Tres Reyes Magos Por Vida Zavala Volume 12, Issue 2 Page 15 La celebración anual del Día de Reyes en las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke 'se llevó a cabo para los estudiantes y familias en Metcalf y en las escuelas K-8 este año. Un total de más de 700 asistió a las celebraciones de la escuela, para construir un sentido de comunidad, aumentar la participación de la familia, afirmar la identidad cultural de nuestros estudiantes latinos, y promover la alfabetización. "Tenemos la suerte de poder seguir haciendo de este tradicional evento cultural latino un éxito para nuestros estudiantes y sus familias", dice Vida Zavala, Directora Interina del Departamento de Educación del Idioma Inglés. La celebración de las fiestas en las escuelas permitió que el personal, familias y miembros de la comunidad de los vecindarios de los estudiantes trabajaran juntos para crear eventos que combinan la celebración anual de los Reyes Magos con la música tradicional, la comida y el baile en un nivel más personal, basado en la escuela. Esta nueva forma de construir relaciones y el apoyo a nuestras familias es más eficaz que la celebración centralizada tradicional. Como parte del programa, los maestros, estudiantes y miembros de la comunidad vestidos como los Reyes Magos distribuyeron regalos y libros a los estudiantes en las escuelas. Los juguetes fueron donados por Toys for Tots y libros fueron donados por Reader para Reader. Para obtener más información acerca de esta celebración, visite nuestro sitio Web del distrito (ver dirección abajo). Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke ha sido anfitrión de la celebración del Día de Reyes desde hace 10 años. Celebrating Three Kings Day at Kelly School Three Kings celebrated at Kelly School. Inglés para los que Hablan Otros Lenguajes (ESOL) Por Jessenia Ramos Fiestas de Alfabetización de la Escuela de Servicio Completos a la Comunidad Kelly Por Rebecca Masters Por qué debería usted aprender inglés? '' Cuando un padre no habla Inglés, crea una tremenda incapacidad de participar realmente en la educación de un niño'', dijo Joanne Appleton Arnaud, Directora Ejecutiva del Fondo de Alfabetización de Adultos de Boston. Tareas como la lectura de las notas de los maestros de sus hijos, participando en conferencias de padres y maestros y ayudar a los niños con sus tareas escolares se convierten muy difícil cuando los padres no entienden el idioma. Entre más los padres se involucran en la educación de sus hijos, mejor será el rendimiento académico. Con esto en mente, la Escuela de Servicio Completos a la Comunidad Peck-Lawrence ha iniciado con éxito las clases de ESOL para las familias interesadas en mejorar sus conocimientos de inglés y habilidades para hablar en público. Para este primer semestre, los estudiantes adultos fueron capaces de aprender y practicar conversaciones cotidianas en inglés. Nos quedamos encantados de ver 9 de nuestros padres de Peck-Lawrence usando sus nuevas habilidades mediante la creación y luego la presentación de un hermoso cartel que representa su vida cotidiana. El próximo semestre se centrará en la manera de comunicarse con los proveedores de salud y los asuntos legales. Se anima a los padres interesados de Peck- Lawrence a contactar la escuela. Estas clases de padres también se ofrecen en las siguientes escuelas: Kelly, EN White y Morgan. La Escuela de Servicio Completos a la Comunidad Kelly está emocionada de anunciar nuestro más reciente esfuerzo de participación de los padres...fiestas de Alfabetización en el Hogar! (Literacy House Parties!) Esto es un programa de 45 minutos que tiene lugar en la casa de un estudiante de Kelly para ayudar a los padres de Kelly aprender cómo apoyar a la lectura de sus hijos! Un padre de Kelly o familiar invita a otros padres de Kelly en su casa para la Fiesta de Alfabetización y recibe una tarjeta de Shop N Stop de $50.00 por ser anfitrión. Durante la fiesta, el intervencionista de Lectura de la escuela Kelly discute con los padres la manera de entender los niveles de lectura, consejos para el apoyo a la lectura en casa, y juegos de diversión que pueden ayudar a los jóvenes lectores. Todos los padres participantes reciben también una mochila de alfabetización llena de suministros para Juegos, útiles escolares, y un libro! Asistentes a la fiesta también pueden disfrutar de la comida y tienen la oportunidad de inscribirse como anfitrión de una fiesta de Alfabetización próxima!

16 Page 16 Holyoke Public Schools A community working together/ Una Communidad trabanjando juntos Holyoke Public Schools Media Center c/o Judy Taylor 500 Beech Street Holyoke, MA 01040