UPCOMING MEETINGS:  The next meeting of the Gateway Regional School Committee will be February 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the MS/HS Library Resource Center (2nd floor). If school is cancelled due to weather, the school committee meeting will also be cancelled. Agenda items include presentations on the Senior Class Trip to Walt Disney World for 2010, the high school dropout rate, and the 208-09 Program of Studies. Extra agendas and handouts will be available for visitors. The next meeting of the Friends of Gateway will be March 4 from 7 – 9 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Office. The public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings.

OVER 100 GATEWAY VOLUNTEERS FETED: The TEAM theme (Together Everybody Achieves More) was taken to heart by Gateway district staff and students, who joined forces to put on the annual volunteer appreciation dinner last Friday night. Click here for details.

SCHEDULING UNDERWAY FOR NEXT YEAR’S FRESHMAN CLASS: Officials at the Middle and High Schools are working hard this month to schedule 8th grade students in their courses next year. Students will receive course selection sheets by the end of February, which must be signed by parents/guardians and returned no later than March 6th. Read more on what’s going on behind the scenes.

SCHOOLS CLOSED FOR WINTER VACATION: All schools will be closed for Winter Vacation the week of February 18 – 22. Click here for the Littleville Wrap Around and Gateway Wellness Center schedules.

SHOW CHOIR SELLING EASTER PLANTS: The Gateway High School Show Choir is taking orders for Easter plants until February 25th. Plant selections of lilies, tulips, hyacinths and pansies will be delivered on March 17. Download and print out an order form and return with payment to the high school office, attention Ms. Beauregard. Please make checks payable to the GRHS Music Department.

LITTLEVILLE JOINS “SEARCH AND GIVE” PROGRAM: Littleville Elementary School has become part of the Search and Give program through Microsoft. Anyone who searches the Internet can support Littleville Elementary School by signing up online at www.searchandgive.com. Once registered, Microsoft will donate a “ticket” to Littleville’s account. Later this school year, the tickets will be converted to cash and the school will receive a check from Microsoft in the mail. Enrollment is free and there is no cost to the school or people who register. Each supporter can earn a maximum of 10 tickets per day.

CONWELL PTO LAUNCHING LITTLE CAESARS FUNDRAISER: The R. H. Conwell PTO is running a Little Caesar’s fundraiser until February 25, 2008. Items will be delivered on Wednesday, March 5th. If you do not know an R. H. Conwell student or family but wish to order, please contact Lynn Archambault (238-8038) or Kelly Wolf (238-5569) for assistance.

NEWS FROM THE GATEWAY FAMILY CENTER: The Gateway Family Center is offering an Introduction to Spanish language and Latin culture for preschool and kindergarten-aged children and their families, beginning Thursday, February 21 at 4 p.m. Children will learn the Spanish alphabet, how to count, simple phrases, colors, Latino traditions and customs through art, games and song. A new theme will be introduced each week. This program will be taught by Kathleen Skerry, formerly the Spanish teacher for the Family Center’s School Readiness program. Kathleen began speaking Spanish in preschool as a student in a two-Way bilingual program, which she pursued through high school. She has most recently completed a course of study at the University of Salamanca in Spain. This course is free and open to the public. Families may register by contacting Kim Savery at the Gateway Family Center at 667-2203 or by emailing familycenterkim@aol.com

SEVEN MINUTES THAT WILL BENEFIT YOUR FAMILY: National Public Radio aired a story on February 7th about the importance of family dinners. Food for thought (as prevention expert Ruth Ever says) for today’s busy families. Click here to listen.

• GATEWAY CALENDAR CHANGES FOR PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE AND EARLY RELEASE DAYS: This article outlines three major calendar changes that will be taking place in March, May and June. Read more about the dates in the complete article.
• MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL POSTER CONTEST FOR MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER DAY: The Massachusetts Coalition of School-Based Health Centers is sponsoring a poster contest with the theme “School-Based Health Centers: A Key to Student Success.” Students are invited to submit a design to the Gateway School-Based Health Center by February 13th. The Gateway Center staff will forward all student artwork to the Massachusetts Coalition, who will pick the winning design to be used in their annual logo. The Gateway School-Based Health Center will also hold a drawing and award a prize to one of our students who enter. All of the posters will be displayed at the State House on March 3, 2008, where the winning artist and finalists will be recognized. Click here to download a flyer of contest rules and additional details.

• HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY: Make sure you check out the February Flyer of tests, deadlines, vacations and other items of interest from the Gateway Regional High School Guidance Office!

• DEADLINE FOR VOCATIONAL SCHOOL APPLICATIONS IS LESS THAN ONE MONTH AWAY: Any Gateway 8th grade student or Gateway High School student who is interested in applying to Westfield Vocational-Technical High School or Smith Vocational-Agricultural High School program must apply before the cut-off date of March 1, 2008.  Applications received after this date will not be considered. Interested students should contact either the Middle School or High School Guidance Office for an application. Please contact Jeanene Iglesias at 413-685-1107 if you have questions or need any additional information.

• SNOW DAYS COULD IMPACT APRIL VACATION: Spring Break for Gateway students and staff is scheduled for April 21 – 25th, but not if the district incurs too many more snow days.  Read more in the complete article.

• FAFSA REMINDER FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS: The Gateway Regional High School Guidance Office reminds parents and high school seniors that any student seeking federal financial aid can now fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov (*only use this government site: don’t be fooled by ANY site that asks you to pay to fill the form out!) In addition, there is an opportunity to get FREE assistance in filling out the application on January 27th, 2008 at an event called College Goal Sunday:  see www.FAFSAday.org or call 877-4CGSMAS for more information! The Guidance Department can also assist with questions about the financial aid process.

• GATEWAY PHONE DIRECTORIES ON SALE AT ALL SCHOOL OFFICES! You can still purchase a Gateway Phone Directory at any school office. Get one and keep it by your phone the next time you want to know if school is cancelled due to bad weather, report your child as absent, or follow-up with the school nurse on a playground injury. Read more in the complete article.
• GATEWAY SCHOOL SAFETY HOTLINE: As part of Gateway’s School Safety Plan, the school safety hotline (685-1050) will remain in place for the coming school year. Monitored by the district’s Security Monitor, the hotline is a voice mailbox that can be used to report harassment, drug or alcohol concerns, vandalism, and school safety issues. The purpose of the hotline is to help keep Gateway schools safe for all.

                                                                                           Wendy V. Long, Editor