Tuesday, January 16, 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: "Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.
COMING EVENTS: A schedule of activities for the week ending January 27, 2007 is now posted. (Items for this calendar should be submitted at least two weeks ahead of time!)
UPCOMING MEETINGS: If you missed the last meeting of the Gateway Regional School Committee, you missed a presentation on a new strategy to support the laptop lease program, an extensive discussion about next year’s budget, and approval to issue an electronic access card to allow the Chester Recreation Committee use of the Chester Elementary School gymnasium. The next meeting of the School Committee will be on January 24th at 7:30 p.m. in the Library Media Center (2nd floor) of the middle/high school campus. The Friends of Gateway group has begun meeting the first Tuesday of every month. Next up: finishing touches on the annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner and taking next steps to become an educational foundation. Their next meeting will be February 6th at 7 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Office. New members are needed and should feel welcome to attend. As always, the public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIKA HOWE AND COLIN POWERS: Who were named to The Republican’s highly prestigious All-Academic Sports Team for the Fall 2006 season. Students must be seniors, attend a public or parochial high school in Hampden, Hampshire or Franklin counties, have at least an A-minus average for the most recent marking period, and must have earned a varsity letter. (More on Fall Sports Awards in next week’s Breaking News).
HIGH SCHOOL ORIENTATION ON FEBRUARY 1ST: An orientation to the academic and enrichment programs at Gateway Regional High School will take place on Thursday, February 1, 2007 at 6 p.m. Students who are currently attending 8th grade, or high school students considering a transfer to Gateway, and their parents are invited to attend. The orientation will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center, and will include an overview of academic programs, enrichment activities, and athletics. Students will receive a program of studies and information about selecting their 2007-2008 school year classes. Course selections for next year's Freshmen must be returned to the school by February 8th.
HIGH SCHOOL SCHEDULES DUE FEBRUARY 1ST: All current Gateway students must return their course selections for the 2007-2008 school year by February 1st. Course selection forms will be going home with students later this week.
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.
HALF-DAYS COMING UP FOR STUDENTS: Students in the Gateway Regional School District will have two half-days of school on January 25th and 26th, to provide time for staff professional development. Dismissal times are detailed in the complete article.
IMPORTANT: VOCATIONAL SCHOOL DEADLINE: Any 8th grade or high school student interested in applying to vocational school for next fall needs to do so before March 1, 2007. Please read the entire article for additional information.
MASSACHUSETTS RANKS #1 IN NATION FOR ACHIEVEMENT INDICATORS IN “QUALITY COUNTS”: Education Week and the Pew Charitable Trust released the “Quality Counts” report last week, which showed Massachusetts leading the country in national test scores, and ranking 5th overall for operating a system of public education that was integrated from early childhood to the workplace. These, coupled with higher than average incomes and low unemployment rates, make Massachusetts one of the best places in the country to raise kids who will become successful adults. More on the overall report and Massachusetts results on the web. Check these links out today or tomorrow, as some of them are scheduled to “close” on January 19th.
REMINDERS:
- CALLING ALL GATEWAY VOLUNTEERS: Our Third Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner will be held on Friday, February 9th from 5 – 7 p.m. in the Gateway MS/HS Cafeteria. This event is free to all Gateway volunteers and their guests. So we can be sure to have enough food, please rsvp to your school office or to 685-1003 and leave your name, phone number and the number of people attending with you. Read the complete article for more information.
- DID YOU MISS A PREVIOUS ISSUE OF BREAKING NEWS? Don’t worry, they are all on the district website. Click News Archive under the “General Information” tab on the website.
- DENTAL OUTREACH PROGRAM COMING TO GATEWAY: Parent input is sought by the Hilltown Community Health Centers, who have won grant funding to bring dental services to our elementary schools. Read more in the complete article.
- LITTLEVILLE CAN COLLECTION TO SUPPORT INJURED ATHLETES: A reminder that Littleville Elementary School will be collecting rinsed returnable beverage containers as a fundraiser to support two young athletes who were paralyzed while training. Cans may be brought to the building before 8:30 a.m. or after 3:15 p.m.; no alcoholic beverage or glass containers please. Also, the school is using the Big Y Redemption Center, so can only accept name brand products (e.g. Coca Cola, Pepsi, Polar) and Big Y brands. Thanks!
- WINTER WEATHER CLOSINGS AT GATEWAY: So far, winter has been non-existent in the Gateway hilltowns! Winter is nonetheless approaching and parents and students may wish to review our protocols 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 shares his frustration with town officials over having to build school and town budgets without having firm revenue numbers from the state. Read the entire column for details.
Have a great week!
Wendy V. Long, Editor
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