Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Dear Friends of Gateway:
Here is this week’s installment of Gateway’s weekly e-newsletter. As always, your feedback and suggestions are invited.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. THAT'S relativity” – Albert Einstein
COMING EVENTS: A schedule of activities for the week ending February 24, 2007 is now posted. (Items for this calendar should be submitted at least two weeks ahead of time!)
UPCOMING MEETINGS: The next meeting of the Gateway Regional School Committee will be on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Library Media Center (2nd floor) of the middle/high school campus. Version 1.0 of the 2007-2008 budget will be presented. Other agenda items include a presentation on the High School Advisory program, an out-of-state field trip request, and consideration for changing the parent-teacher conference date from 3/19 to 3/26. We wish to hold school on 3/19 because the state has scheduled the composition portion of the MCAS exam for March 20th, and we want to do everything possible to ensure the best possible performance by our students. PLEASE NOTE: if school is cancelled Wednesday due to weather, the School Committee meeting will also be cancelled. The Friends of Gateway are now meeting the first Tuesday of every month. Their next meeting will be March 6th at 7 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Office. They will begin working on Articles of Incorporation to become an education foundation for Gateway. New members are needed and should feel welcome to attend. As always, the public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings.
170 ATTEND 3RD ANNUAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DINNER: With the theme “It Takes 7 Villages to Educate Our Children” reflected in student artwork on the walls and tables, 170 guests attended the 3rd Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, which featured a lasagna dinner, child care, dinner music, and door prizes. Click here for details, pictures. Don't miss more event photos by teacher Sue Henson!
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR KINDERGARTEN SCREENING: Parents of children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2007 are advised to call the Pupil Services Office (685-1017) by Friday, March 2nd to schedule an appointment for Kindergarten screening. Read the complete article for the schedule.
MASS STATE POLICE K-9 UNITS CONDUCT SEARCH OF MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOLS: If you noticed a number of state police cars in front of the Gateway complex last week, you probably wondered what was going on! At the invitation of Superintendent David Hopson, the Massachusetts State Police K-9 Units swept through the Middle and High Schools and the parking lot on Tuesday, February 6th. Click here to learn more.
DENTAL OUTREACH TASKFORCE UNDERWAY: Did you know that approximately 400 children in the Hilltown Community Health Centers’ service area have never received any dental services? Want to know what they are doing to address this? Read on for more information.
SCHOOLS CLOSED FOR WINTER BREAK: Gateway schools will be closed from February 19 through February 23 for the winter break. The Gateway Wellness Center will be open from 3:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Monday. Tuesday through Friday, the Wellness Center will be open from 5:30 – 7:30 a.m. and from 3:30 – 8:30 p.m. (Regular hours on Saturday – 8:00 a.m. to noon). The Littleville Wraparound Program will be open all week as well, from 7 – 5. Parents must pre-register and a minimum number of registrations must be made or the program will be cancelled. Lunches will not be served that week, and parents are reminded to pack a bag lunch for their children.
VOKE SCHOOLS APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 1ST: Students and parents are reminded that the deadline for applying to Westfield Vocational-Technical High School or Smith Vocational Agricultural High School is March 1, 2007. Applications received after this date will not be considered. Applications are available in the Guidance Office; please contact Jeanene Iglesias at 685-1107 for more information.
GO RED FOR WOMEN: February is American Heart Health Month and the American Heart Association (AHA) has lots of resources for you. Their website includes information about preventing heart disease and stroke. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America, and the AHA is running a special campaign with a goal of having 1,000,000 women in the U.S. commit to fighting heart disease—their own. The “Go Red For Women” website also has an on-line test that can tell women their risk of a heart attack over the next ten years, and what they can do to prevent one. (If you’ve had a recent physical, have your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers handy!)
REMINDERS:
- MUSIC DEPARTMENT EASTER PLANTS SALE: Easter lilies, tulips, hyacinths and pansies are all on sale through February 26th to benefit the Gateway Music Department. Plants may be picked up in the choral room (room 125) on April 2nd from 2:30 – 5:00. Click here for a printable order form and instructions.
- SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER MONTHLY BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING: This month’s free blood pressure clinic will be held on Valentine’s Day, February 14th from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. in the School-Based Health Center. Park in front and enter through the main entrance. The SBHC is located off of the main foyer.
- MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE EVENT TO BENEFIT ALPINE SKI TEAM: If you can’t get away on that dream cruise this winter, consider the next best thing. Come to the “Murder on the High Seas” mystery dinner at The Rapids restaurant on Friday, March 2, 2007. The play will be presented by the Comical Mystery Tour, which describes this play as having a “love boat gone awry” plot. Read on for details.
- WINTER WEATHER CLOSINGS AT GATEWAY: Will tomorrow be the day? Parents and students may wish to review our procedure for announcing school delays and cancellations. Whether you use the telephone, Internet, or other media—you’ll want to take note. Also, be advised that these same systems will be used in a school emergency. Click here for details.
- GATEWAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE COMING TO A TOWN NEAR YOU: The Gateway Regional School Committee has announced that it will again hold meetings in all seven district towns during this school year, so that town officials and area residents will have greater access to those meetings. The next “town” meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14th at Littleville Elementary School. In the meantime, the School Committee will meet at the Gateway complex on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of January and February. Read the complete article for details.
- DISTRICT SAFETY HOTLINE: A reminder that the Gateway Regional School District has a confidential Safety Hotline in place, for students and community members to share their concerns. Just call 685-1050 and leave a message.
IN CLOSING, the Superintendent’s Corner for this week is attached. This week, Dr. Hopson outlines the complexities and inconsistencies in the DOE report on high school graduation rates. Read the entire column for details.
Have a great week!
Wendy V. Long, Editor
|
