UPCOMING MEETINGS:  The next meeting of the Gateway Regional School Committee will be March 12th at 7:30 p.m. in the MS/HS Library Resource Center (2nd floor). The School Committee is scheduled to vote to adopt the 2008-09 Budget at that meeting. Extra agendas and handouts will be available for visitors. The next meeting of the Friends of Gateway will be April 1 at 7 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Office. The public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings.

NEXT WEEK IS A SHORT WEEK FOR STUDENTS: With an early release day on Tuesday, Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, and a holiday on Friday, students may well appreciate the coming week! Read on for details.

FOURTH GRADE PARENTS/STUDENTS—SAVE THE DATE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL ORIENTATION: Gateway Regional Middle School will be welcoming current fourth graders in June, as they prepare to transition from their elementary schools to the regional middle school next fall. Students will visit the Middle School for a morning of activities that includes tours, sitting in on fifth grade and special subject classes, a scavenger hunt, having lunch, and being treated to a brief concert by the current Grade 5 band. Blandford and Russell visits will take place on June 9th. Chester, Conwell and Littleville students will visit on June 10th. Students will be bussed from their elementary school, and the visits will take place from 9:30 to noon. The week’s activities will conclude with a student and parent/guardian orientation on Thursday, June 12th from 6:30 – 8 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. Save the dates for these fun and informative events!

BAND BOOSTERS MEET TONIGHT: The Gateway High School Band Boosters will meet this evening at 6 p.m. in the band room. All band parents are welcome to attend.

HIGH SCHOOL TALENT SHOW FUNDRAISER: Students from the Gateway Regional High School will demonstrate a range of talents—song, dance, comedy, film, and much more—at the annual Talent Show on Friday, March 14th from 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. Admission prices are $5 for adults, $4 for students and the event is open to the entire community. Proceeds will benefit the Yearbook and the Class of 2008.

CHESTER ELEMENTARY BOOK FAIR: Chester Elementary School will host a Scholastic Book Fair on March 20th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year’s theme will be “Take a Reading Road Trip.” The fair will offer specially priced books, including new releases, children’s classics, adult books, and current bestsellers. The public, families and teachers are invited to participate. Proceeds will help the school purchase books for the library and classrooms. Call 685-1360 for more information.

LITTLEVILLE PTO FUNDRAISERS: The Littleville PTO has several new fundraisers to announce. First, the school is participating in the Funding Factory® Recycling Program and the school will earn money for collecting and recycling printer ink and cell phones. Businesses can participate and support the school, as well (call Lori Bednarz at 685-1301 for details). Second, the school is participating in an on-line shopping program called SchoolPop. Patrons can go to www.schoolpop.com to join and shop from hundreds of leading merchant websites, stores and catalogues. The school will earn a percentage of each purchase made through SchoolPop. Finally, Littleville will also host a Scholastic Book Fair during parent teacher conferences on March 20th.

• PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN SCREENING COMING UP: Any hilltown family with a child who will be 3 or 4 years of age by April 28th is eligible to participate in the district’s annual Preschool Screening. Children who will be five years old on or before September 1st should participate in the district’s Kindergarten screening. Details on dates, times, and how to schedule an appointment in the complete article.
• 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.

• 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