Tuesday, October 17, 2006
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: “The principal goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done.” - Jean Piaget
COMING EVENTS: A schedule of activities for the week ending October 27, 2006 is now posted. (Items for this calendar should be submitted at least two weeks ahead of time!)
UPCOMING MEETINGS: If you missed last week’s school committee meeting, you missed an update on the curriculum development work underway throughout the district, an early forecast of the 2007-2008 budget outlook, and a discussion of the use of the Gateway complex as an ISCU (Influenza Specialty Care Unit) in the event of a pandemic. The next meeting of the Gateway Regional School Committee will be on October 25th at 7:30 p.m. at R. H. Conwell Elementary School in Worthington.
The Friends of Gateway are seeking new members, who are interested in helping promote community involvement in education. Their next meeting is Tuesday, November 7th at 7:00 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings.
SEVEN VOCALISTS NAMED TO HONOR CHOIR: Vocal Music Director Jerilyn Beauregard is pleased to announce that seven vocalists from Gateway High School were accepted into the 2006 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Massachusetts High School Honor Choir, and will perform at the UMASS Amherst Fine Arts Center on October 21st. Read more in the complete article.
NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK: This week marks National School Bus Safety Week, and drivers who bring students to and from Littleville Elementary School received cards and pins from the school on Monday. Inscribed, “School bus drivers – delivering the future”, the pins were worn proudly on Monday afternoon by the drivers. Details in the complete article.
DISTRICT SAFETY HOTLINE: In the final report compiled by the United States Secret Service and the United States Department of Education (“Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States”), researchers found that in 81% of instances of school violence studied, at least one person had information that the attacker was planning the school attack. In nearly two thirds of the incidents, more than one person had information. That’s just one reason why the Gateway Regional School District has a confidential Safety Hotline in place, for students and community members to share their concerns. Read the complete article for details.
LITTLEVILLE LITERACY NIGHT: The staff at Littleville Elementary School are hosting a Family Literacy Night on Wednesday, November 1st from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Parents of Littleville students in grades K, 1 and 2 will participate in reading activities and learn about simple ways to help their children read at home. Refreshments and prizes will follow a question and answer period. Childcare will be provided.
ANNUAL BANDSTER BASH COMING UP: Band Director Beth Guertin is pleased to announce that the 7/8 Grade Band will be holding their “Bandster Bash” again this year. This popular concert and fundraiser will take place on Friday, October 27th at 7:00 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. The 7/8 band—dressed in Halloween costumes—will perform, followed by dinner with band families. Fifth and Sixth grade band members are also invited to attend, observe the concert and participate in games that will take place afterward. Band members have order forms for dinner and will be taking orders up until October 19th.
ANNUAL MEETING AT GATEWAY FAMILY CENTER: The Gateway Family Center will hold its Annual Meeting and Open House on Tuesday, October 24th at the Family Center, located at 9 Russell Road in Huntington. Director Kim Savery writes, “We have had a very exciting year, with some great new programs and many, many new families of young children. Please come and see what all of the buzz is about and meet some of our families.” The Parent Advisory Council will hold their Annual Meeting with the election of new officers at 5:30 to be followed by the Open House and refreshments from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Obviously, children are ALWAYS welcome. For more information, or directions, please call Kim Savery at 667-2203 x3. “We look forward to meeting new friends and welcoming familiar faces.”
NO PARENT LEFT BEHIND: As parents begin receiving their children’s MCAS scores from last spring, a new report has also just been released by Appleseed, detailing the important role that parents must play as school districts strive to reach higher and higher standards of achievement. The report is based on interviews with federal, state and district officials, community groups, and focus groups of parents. Recommendations include providing timely and meaningful information to parents, pursuing multiple communication strategies, and recognizing parent involvement as central to school improvement. Read the full report online.
REMINDERS:
- OCTOBER LATE-START DAY: Gateway students will have a two-hour delay on Thursday, October 19th for teacher professional development. There will be no morning preschool on that day. The days work like a late start for snow days: students will be picked up at their regular bus stops and arrive at school two hours later than usual. Staff will report at their regular time and will participate in training planned for that morning.
- 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, October 25th at R. H. Conwell Elementary School. Read the complete article for details.
- PSAT EXAMS ON OCTOBER 18: A reminder that juniors and sophomores who have pre-registered will be taking the PSAT exams at Gateway Regional High School on October 18th. The PSAT exam is a practice test for the SAT, a national admissions exam required by most 4-year colleges in the Northeast.
- BLOOD PRESSURE CLINICS SCHEDULED AT SBHC: As a service to Gateway staff members, the School-Based Health Center will be holding free blood pressure clinics once a month. The first clinic will be held on Wednesday, October 18th from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Upcoming dates include November 16th and December 13th, from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
IN CLOSING, the Superintendent’s Corner for this week is attached. Here is a reasonable question from a Massachusetts superintendent: with elections just around the corner, why aren’t candidates discussing their views on the late timing of state budget development (and its resulting impact on communities and schools), the lack of government resources to fund the requirements of No Child Left Behind, and regional school transportation reimbursement? Read the entire column for details.
Have a great week!
Wendy V. Long, Editor
|
