Tuesday, May 29, 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: "Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes." -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
COMING EVENTS: A schedule of activities for the week ending June 9, 2007 is now posted. (Items for this calendar should be submitted at least two weeks ahead of time!)
BUDGET UPDATE: To date, the budget has passed in the towns of Blandford, Middlefield, Worthington and Russell. It also passed in Huntington, contingent upon an $83,334 Proposition 2 ½ override, which is scheduled for June 21st. The final two town meetings are Chester (June 9) and Montgomery (June 11). If one of those towns approves the budget, or if Huntington passes its override, the proposed budget passes.
UPCOMING MEETINGS: The next regular meeting of the Gateway Regional School Committee will be on June 13th at 7:30 p.m. at Middlefield Town Hall. The Friends of Gateway are now meeting the first Tuesday of every month. Their next meeting is June 4th to begin working on the fall fundraiser. New members are needed and should feel welcome to attend. As always, the public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings.
MONTGOMERY, CHESTER BUDGET Q&A'S THIS WEEK: Superintendent David Hopson will be in Montgomery and Chester to speak with officials and townspeople about the proposed 2007-08 school budget and answer any questions that people have. He will be at Montgomery Town Hall this evening at 7 p.m. and at Chester Elementary School on Thursday, May 31st at 7 p.m. All are invited and welcome to attend.
GATEWAY GRADUATION ON JUNE 8: In less than two weeks, a whirlwind of final exams, a class picnic, the senior banquet, and the senior awards ceremony will conclude with commencement exercises on Friday, June 8, 2007 at 6 p.m. on Booster Field. Read the complete article for details and weather contingency plans.
RETIREES HONORED BY SCHOOL COMMITTEE: Nancy Bean, Marilyn Cangro, Peter Curro, Jeffery Fisk and Jeffrey Samson were honored by the Gateway Regional School Committee at their annual reception for retirees on May 23, 2007. Click here for details about the event and the retirees’ service to the Gateway Regional School District.
MS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM TO HOLD END-OF-YEAR EVENTS: The Blue and Gold Committee is organizing two events on June 1: a Movie Extravaganza for fifth and sixth graders from 2:15 to 5 p.m. and the Triple Play (a movie, sports challenges and “feeding frenzy”) for seventh and eighth graders from 5:15 to 9 p.m. Tickets ($3 and $3.50) go will be on sale at lunches this week. There will also be a car wash going on that day from 4:30 – 6:00 as a benefit fundraiser. In related news, Blue & Gold is also selling bracelets for $1.00 to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.
THIRD ANNUAL MYSTERY DINNER IS COOKING SPOOF: With characters like Martha Stupor, Chef Day Ja-Vou (who thinks she cooked this before), and Chef Julia Chives, you know you are in for a deliciously fun night out at the 3rd annual mystery dinner at the Rapids Restaurant. This event will benefit the instrumental music program at Gateway High School. Details in the complete article.
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: The school committee has confirmed that the final day of school for Gateway students will be June 22, 2007; it will be a half-day. This will also be the last day of school of Gateway preschool students, except for Littleville's AFTERNOON Preschool class —which will end on June 21. Also, parents of any students who will be in preschool again next year are reminded to submit an updated physical and immunization record to their school their child attends.
APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE!: Middle School students are displaying art work at the Worthington Public Library in the month of June. Also, congratulations to Stephanie Fisk, Gateway’s Business and Finance Officer, who was recently elected to a 3-year term as a Director in the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials. (Applause, Applause is a new feature for Breaking News that celebrates student and staff successes outside of school. Send your good news to wlong@grsd.org)
WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY IS 5/31: The World Health Organization’s “World No Tobacco Day” will be this Thursday. This year’s theme is “Smoke-Free Environments” and countries throughout the world will be conducting education, prevention and stop-smoking programs. Policy changes (such as no smoking in public places) are also sought through this effort, which names smoking as the 2nd highest major cause of death in the world, with predictions that the 650 million regular smokers today will eventually be killed by tobacco. Read more on their website.
REMINDERS:
- HIGH SCHOOL TO PRESENT “THE OUTSIDERS” THIS WEEKEND: Gateway Regional High School students will perform “The Outsiders” on June 1 and 2 at 7 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. Tickets will be available at the door and are $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. This play is a modern classic that deals with some violent themes and may not be suitable for young children. Details in the complete article.
- CALLING ALL TAG SALERS: Littleville Elementary School is holding its first ever school-wide Tag Sale on June 2nd. Anyone wishing to sell items can purchase a prime tag sale spot for $10. The PTO will advertise in local newspapers and businesses; vendors price their own items and keep the profit! Set up will be 7:30 – 9 a.m.; the tag sale will run from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. For those who have items but don’t wish to man their own space, they can be donated and sold at the school table. For planning purposes, please call the school ASAP to let them know you are interested and planning to participate.
- NOW ACCEPTING MS SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATIONS: All students who will attend Gateway Middle School next year are invited to attend a 4-week summer camp at Gateway running July 9th through August 2nd. This is a great opportunity for rising 5th grade students to really get to know their way around the school! (And for grade 6 – 8 students to show them the way!) Students can attend Monday/Wednesday sessions or Tuesday/Thursday sessions. Check out the complete article and then download a registration form here!
- SUMMER PROGRAMS TO BOOST STUDENT MCAS PERFORMANCE OFFERED: Students in Middle and High School who have struggled to pass the MCAS exam in the past, have been invited to a attend a summer program designed to boost student achievement. A four-week program is offered for students currently in grades 8 and 9; a three-week program is available for all others. Read why.
- 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 final “town” meeting of this school year is scheduled for Wednesday, June 13th at Middlefield Town Hall. Read the complete article for details.
- GATEWAY SCHOOL SAFETY REMINDER: 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. Last week’s column looked at ways the district fulfills its vision statement. This week, Dr. Hopson continues this discussion and begins to look at what Gateway could be, if we had the will to change and make improvements. Read the entire column for details.
Have a great week!
Wendy V. Long, Editor
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