May 15, 2012

Dear Friends of Gateway:

Here is this week’s installment of Gateway’s weekly e-newsletter.  Back issues of Breaking News and past Superintendent’s Corners are posted in the GRSD News Archive (under “News” on the district website).  As always, your feedback and any suggestions for improvements are welcome. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Whatever good things we build end up building us." - Jim Rohn

STUDENTS ATTEND CONSTRUCTION CAREER DAY: Ten students from Gateway High School traveled to Hopkinton, MA to attend the event, sponsored by the School-to-Work program.  Photo: Keith Choquette operates an excavator during the field trip.

GATEWAY TEACHERS WIN "EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING" AWARDS: Marilyn Durken, Terriann Emerson and Eileen Kos received Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards from the Grinspoon Foundation on May 2, 2012.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADES, NO SCHOOL: Beth Guertin, Gateway's instrumental music director, has announced a new rotating schedule for the Gateway band to perform in town Memorial Day parades. As usual, there will be no school on Memorial Day (May 28) and the Gateway Wellness Center and Littleville Wrap Around Center will be closed.

AP AND MCAS TESTING: MCAS testing continues this week with Math on  5/15 and 5/16 for grades 3, 4, 6 & 10. Science/Tech/Engineering: 5/15 and 5/16 for grade 5. Science: 5/16 and 5/17 for grade 8. Help your student(s) do their best with a good night's sleep and a good breakfast!

"STEP-UP" FOR CURRENT 4TH GRADERS, PARENTS/GUARDIANS: The annual "Step-Up" program will be held on Thursday, May 24 at Gateway Regional Middle School, with daytime activities for students and an evening orientation for parents/guardians.

ANNUAL "NIGHT OF MUSIC" SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER: The tenth annual "Night of Music" fundraiser for the Crane Memorial Scholarship will be held on Friday, May 25 at 7 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. Students, faculty, alumni and staff spanning the Gateway classes from 1970 - 2012 will perform. Admission (at the door) is $7 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.

DVD'S FROM SHIPMAN CELEBRATION AVAILABLE: For those who missed this incredible tribute to Rob Shipman--and for those who attended and want a recording--the GPAC Tech Crew is selling DVD's for $5, for a two-disc set. The recording includes tributes, performances and the slide show. (Please note: the recordings are quite audible, but do reflect the age of the video cameras!). All funds raised to this will benefit the Robert Shipman Memorial Fund for the Gateway Education Foundation. Please return an order form with payment to Wendy Long in the Central Office. DVD's are being made to order.

GatorRoo INFORMATION: GatorRoo will take place on Saturday, June 9th from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. This concert is free of charge, includes an outdoor picnic. Twenty two parent volunteers are needed. Click here for parent information and a volunteer form. We also have a Q&A About the GatorRoo Music Festival (updated 5/16/12).

STREP THROAT: Chester Elementary School has had several cases of Strep Throat among students in different classrooms. Strep infections appear as a very red, painful throat often accompanied by fever, tender and swollen lymph glands in the neck, headache and (sometimes) stomachache and coughing. Students who show these symptoms should be checked. If diagnosed with strep, students may return to school once they have been on antibiotics and fever-free for 24 hours. If your student is diagnosed, please let the school nurse know (all student health information is confidential).

CHESTER PTO FIELD DAY: Volunteers are sought to help put on this year's Field Day on June 12. Volunteers need to arrive at the school at 8:30 and stay through noon. Field Day Helpers will run various games and activities. Additional information is going home in red folders. Please complete and return on May 29th. 

ADULT EDUCATION UPDATE: The Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center is holding a Digital Photography Class on May 24 and May 31. This class will be taught by Steve Hamlin. An "Introduction to Power Point" workshop will be offered from 6-8 p.m. on May 17. Both classes take place at their Gateway site and are free of charge. To reserve a spot, or for more information, please contact Michele Klemaszewski at (413) 685-1052 or southernhilltownsaec@gmail.com .

RAISING HAPPY CHILDREN: Writing for "Psychology Today", Dr. Jim Taylor says that "the real causes of happiness are all within a child's control", meaning that there are things they can do to foster their own happiness.

• ART SHOW CELEBRATION FOR EMILY SAVERY: The community is welcome to join us on Thursday, May 17th from 6-9 p.m. for a celebration of the life and art of Emily Jean Savery, a senior who passed away on February 17th.
• STUDENT AND PARENT ORIENTATION FOR JUNIOR HIGH: Current sixth grade students, and their parents/guardians, are invited to an orientation at Gateway Regional Jr. High on Tuesday, May 15 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center.
• BLUE & GOLD CAN DRIVE FOR GATEWAY FAMILY: People can bring cans into the front entrance weekdays between 7:15 and 7:35 a.m., and Thursdays from 2-3:30 p.m. this month, to raise funds to defray medical expenses for a Gateway family. (Sorry, we cannot accept bottles and no alcoholic beverage cans.)
  
• ZUMBA CLASSES ON MONDAYS: Our own Cheryl Harper is teaching Zumba classes at Gateway on Mondays from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. These classes are open to the community and meet in the Middle School gymnasium. Each class is $5. Zumba is a fun way to get a great workout! Join us!
• MIDDLE SCHOOL GOES ON ELEMENTARY SCHEDULE THIS FALL. As announced at last month's Public Hearing for the 20120-13 budget, the Middle School, Littleville and Chester will all be under one principal and assistant principal, and will operate on the same schedule next year. 
• SHIPMAN MEMORIAL FUND: A dedicated fund has been established in memory of former Gateway teacher--and Tech Director of the Gateway Performing Arts Center--Rob Shipman. Rob was a history and social studies teacher who taught at Gateway Middle School from 1974 until he moved to the high school in 2002. He retired from his teaching duties in 2008, but stayed on to continue managing the auditorium. This fund will be used for improvements to the lighting and sound in the Performing Arts Center. Anyone wishing to donate may send a check, made payable to the Gateway Education Foundation (with Shipman Fund in the memo line), c/o Wendy Long, 12 Littleville Rd., Huntington, MA  01050.
• SCHOOL SAFETY HOTLINE: Students, parents and community members can leave a message on the Safety Hotline by calling 685-1050.
• GATEWAY SAFE SCHOOLS PLAN: In the event of an emergency at your child's school, please do not call or drive to your child's school. We need to keep phone lines and roadways clear in an emergency. Please remain by your phone and wait for information and instructions from school staff, which will be sent using our auto-dialer. It is important that parents keep school secretaries up-to-date with their contact information.

IN CLOSING, this week's Superintendent's Corner is now published. This week, Dr. Hopson discusses the process that the town of Worthington and district will need to take in order for the town to withdraw from the Gateway Regional School District. Read the entire column for details.

Have a wonderful week!

                                                                                         Wendy V. Long, Editor

To subscribe to this newsletter, send an email request to wlong@grsd.org. To unsubscribe, look for  information at the bottom of your e-newsletter.

“Breaking News From Gateway”
Is published weekly by the Gateway Regional School District
12 Littleville Rd.
Huntington, MA  01050

For questions or feedback, please contact Wendy Long @ (413) 685-1003 or email wlong@grsd.org