Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Dear Friends of Gateway:
May 6 – 12 is National Teacher Appreciation Week. If you can read this newsletter, thank your teachers!
Here is this week’s installment of Gateway’s weekly e-newsletter. As always, your feedback and suggestions are invited.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “The Commonwealth requires the education of the people as the safeguard of order and liberty.” - Inscription on the Boston Public Library
COMING EVENTS: A schedule of activities for the week ending May 19, 2007 is now posted. (Items for this calendar should be submitted at least two weeks ahead of time!)
BUDGET UPDATE: The towns of Middlefield, Worthington and Blandford have passed the adopted budget (Version 2.0 - level service). The town of Huntington approved the above-minimum portion of the budget, contingent upon an override of $83,334 passing. If the override does not pass, the Huntington vote does not count toward the 5 votes needed to pass the budget. Russell votes next week; Chester and Montgomery vote in June.
UPCOMING MEETINGS: The next regular meeting of the Gateway Regional School Committee will be on May 9th at 7:30 p.m. at Chester Elementary School. The School Committee will be considering whether or not to adopt Version 3.0 (which closes 3 elementary schools) as a fall-back budget if the current budget fails. 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.
SPRING CONCERT DEBUTS COMMISSIONED WORK “THE DAM”: The High School Spring Concert will be held on Thursday, May 17th at 7 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. A newly commissioned choral piece – “The Dam” - will be performed for the first time publicly, and will feature the composer Allen Bonde, student fiddler Leland Martin, and the Gateway HS Chorus. Read more in the complete article.
RETIREES, P.V.E.T. NOMINEES TO BE RECOGNIZED ON MAY 23RD: Seven retiring district staff members will be honored by the Gateway Regional School Committee at a reception in the Gateway MS/HS entryway, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Former and current students, parents, community members and colleagues are invited to attend and wish them well. The School Committee will be honoring Ollie Allaire, Marilyn Cangro, Jeff Fisk, Jeff Samson, Kathy MacLean, Nancy Bean and Peter Curro at this event. Details on recognizing the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching nominees in the complete article.
THREE GATEWAY TEACHERS HONORED BY GRINSPOON FOUNDATION: Ashley Brogan, Linda Stephens and Mary Jo Bender were honored last week at a the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards dinner at the Log Cabin Restaurant. The three were nominated by their peers and selected from a pool of stellar candidates by the Gateway administration. Read on for more information, photo.
GATEWAY STAFF ATTEND 2ND EXPANDED LEARNING TIME TRAINING: A team of 10 staff members attended an Expanded Learning Time (ELT) training at the University of Massachusetts last week to learn more about planning requirements and to study common challenges and potential solutions to becoming ELT schools. Click here for details.
RECESS FUN AT LITTLEVILLE: Littleville parents and grant parents are invited to come spend time with their children this week and learn some great new games that are perfect for birthday parties! For those interested in attending, please arrive by 11:45 for a quick review of the game of the day. It’s all part of our Play Fit program, which emphasizes cooperative learning. So whether you want to learn to play Frozen Bridge Tag, Hoop Guard, Kan Jam, Parachute Games, or more stop by! Call Colleen Doyle if you have questions: (413) 848-2554.
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.
NEW STUDY TIES SLEEP DEPRIVATION TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY: We all know that children’s lack of sleep leads to moodiness and difficulty concentrating, but a study from Northwestern University has identified a new reason to help kids get their “zzzz’s”. Emily Snell, co-author of the study reports that inadequate sleep in children increases the risk of childhood obesity, and found that the trend could begin to reverse even with one extra hour of sleep.
REMINDERS:
- S.A.T. EXAM STRATEGY SESSION: The Gateway Regional High School Guidance Department is hosting a free SAT Strategy Session by The Princeton Review on Monday, May 14 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Interested students should sign-up in the high school guidance office. Parents/guardians are invited and encouraged to attend.
- TONIGHT'S BUDGET QUESTION/ANSWER FORUMS IN RUSSELL: Whether you are concerned over the 2007-08 school budget and the possibility of closing 3 elementary schools, or your tax rate, you’re not alone and you can join other area residents at Q & A forums ON May 8th at Russell Elementary School (7 p.m.). Child care will be provided by National Honor Society students. Read more in the attached article or click here for an informational flyer. (You must have Adobe Reader to open this file; software can be downloaded free from the Internet.)
- ACCREDITATION VISIT FOR GATEWAY: The visiting team from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges is at Gateway Regional High School until May 9, as part of the school’s decennial accreditation. Read more in the complete article.
- BAND PANCAKE BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER ON MAY 12TH: The Gateway High School Band is holding a pancake breakfast on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the high school cafeteria. Advanced tickets are available through any band member or by calling Deb Porter at 238-5820. While advanced ticket sales are preferred, tickets will also be available at the door. Tickets are $5 per person and funds will be used for the band trip to a competitive music festival next year. Take Mom out to breakfast and help the band!
- “TALENT ROCKS” AT GATEWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL: Middle School students are presenting a talent show entitled “Talent Rocks” on Thursday, May 10th in the afternoon and on Saturday, May 12th in the evening. This is a fundraiser to benefit the afterschool program, whose grant is substantially shrinking next year. The public is invited to attend. Details in the complete article.
- 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! (You must have Adobe Reader to open this file; software can be downloaded free from the Internet.)
- SPRING SPORTS BANQUET REMINDER: The Gateway Athletic Booster Club is pleased to announce that the annual sports banquet will take place on Tuesday, May 29th from 6 – 10 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel in Northampton. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for athletes and children under age 12. Tickets are available through Patti Trzasko at the high school or by calling Deb Lariviere at 667-3121. All Gateway athletes, coaches and families are invited.
- SUMMER PROGRAMS OFFERED TO BOOST STUDENT MCAS PERFORMANCE: 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 next “town” meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9th at Chester Elementary School. 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. This week, Dr. Hopson answers readers’ questions about administrative positions in the district and the rationale behind merit pay and salary levels. Read the entire column for details.
Have a great week!
Wendy V. Long, Editor
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