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 on the News Archive (under “general information” on the district website). As always, your feedback and suggestions are welcome.   

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  “Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.” – Andre Gide

 

COMING EVENTS: A schedule of activities for the week ending February 19, 2010 now posted.  (Items for this calendar should be submitted at least two weeks ahead of time!)

UPCOMING MEETINGS:  The Gateway Regional School Committee will meet next on Wednesday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the high school library (2nd floor). Agenda items include the 7th grade trip to the Bronx Zoo, the Junior High School Mission Statement, One Man/One Vote options; the 2010-11 School Budget, and transitional planning. The Friends of Gateway group is changing their meeting time! Starting February 2nd, the group will begin meeting on the FIRST TUESDAY of each month, at 9:30 a.m. in the Superintendent’s Office. We are holding an extra meeting on February 23 at 9:30 a.m. (Superintendent’s Office) to continue plans for the Annual Volunteer Dinner. We welcome new members to this group, whose goals include improving communications, parent involvement, and volunteerism in support of student achievement. The public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings.

 

SIXTH GRADERS ‘OFF TO COLLEGE’: Gateway Middle School’s sixth graders visited UMASS two weeks ago for early college awareness activities, with Ben VanHeynigan winning for best essay, among all 6th grades present.

Left to Right: Jordan Roberts, Brennan Foley, essay winner Ben VanHeynigan and Dylan Berthiaume visit with the UMASS mascot.

SCHOOLS TO CLOSE FOR WINTER VACATION: All schools in the Gateway Regional School District will be closed February 15 – 19 for winter vacation. Read the full article for details on the Gateway Wellness Center and Littleville Wrap Around Program.

ONLINE STUDENT GRADES FOR GRADE 5-8 PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Parents/guardians of students in grades 5 – 8 can now join high school parents in monitoring their student’s assignments, homework, grades and attendance online.

GATEWAY SCHOOLS UNAVAILABLE FOR OUTSIDE GROUPS THIS SUMMER: Gateway schools and facilities will not be available to outside groups this summer.

HIGH SCHOOL SCHEDULING FOR 2010-11: The Course Selection Sheets and the 2010-2011 Program of Studies will be distributed to students in grades 9 – 11 during Advisory on Wednesday, February 10. Arena-style scheduling will take place for those students on Thursday, February 11 in the gymnasium. Students will be called down during a special 1:00 p.m. Advisory. Eighth grade students will review their scheduling process at this Thursday’s meeting at 6 p.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center (See Transition To High School, below).

ELEMENTARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECONVENES: The Gateway Regional School District has reconvened its Elementary Advisory Committee to focus on communicating with parents and the public about transitioning from five elementary schools to two.

ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB TO MEET: The next meeting will be held Sunday, February 14 at Stanton Hall at 7 p.m. New volunteers are sought; please see details in the complete article.

TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL REMINDER: A reminder that the high school transition meeting will be held this Thursday (February 11) for eighth grade students and their parents/guardians. Click here for a flyer. This event will focus on the process and timelines for selecting courses for freshman year. (See also, the article on on-line grade book access, above.) Eighth grade parents can stay after this event for a training on looking at student grades. If planning to attend that training, please RSVP to 685-1023 in order to receive your user name and password at the training.

CLASS OF 2012 NINTENDO WII RAFFLE: The Class of 2012 is raffling off a Nintendo Wii over the next few weeks. Raffle tickets ($1 each) will go on sale on February 10, with the drawing on March 1. Tickets will be sold during lunch and can also be purchased from any Class of 2012 member at any time.

GATEWAY REVERSIBLE WINTER HATS FOR SALE: Warm, reversible winter hats are available for sale in the high school, middle school and Littleville offices. They can be purchased during lunch or after school for $13. Click here for a photo. This is a fundraiser for the Class of 2013.

SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP SHIRTS AVAILABLE: Anyone wishing to purchase a "Gateway Regional 2009 Western Mass Champs" shirt may click here for an order form. Orders should be turned into Gary St.Peter at the Wellness Center by February 26.

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK: Dedicated to helping Gateway parents raise strong, safe, healthy and high-achieving kids!

MEDIA LITERACY FOR PARENTS AND KIDS: If you watched last weekend’s Superbowl with your kids, you saw a lot of beer commercials. For parents who are trying to delay the age at which their child starts drinking, take a look at the SAMHSA Website on Media Literacy. Parents are children’s most effective teachers on drugs, alcohol and other high-risk behaviors. Doing the 5 simple media literacy steps with your child can help you challenge some of the messages you DON’T want children to take in just yet.

REMINDERS:

• NEW SCHOOL START TIMES ANNOUNCED FOR 2010-11 SCHOOL YEAR: The Gateway Regional School District voted to approve a change in school starting and ending times for the 2010-11 school year, at its January 27 meeting. The changes were made in accordance with recommendations from an independent transportation audit, conducted by the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials (MASBO).

• HIGH SCHOOL ORIENTATION ON FEBRUARY 11: The Gateway Regional Guidance Department invites area eighth grade students and their parents/guardians to an informative presentation on the transition from junior high school to Gateway Regional High School.
• NEW DATE FOR LEGISLATORS MEETING: The annual meeting between district and town officials and our state legislators has been changed from February 4th to March 15. The House will be in session on February 4th.
• FEBRUARY SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETINGS: Principal Kathleen McSweeney has announced the February School Council meetings for the high school and junior high school.
• PARENTS, STUDENTS REMINDED OF VOCATIONAL APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Any student living in the Gateway Regional School District who plans to attend either Smith Vocational or Westfield Vocational High Schools in the 2010-11 school year, are reminded of the March 1 deadline for vocational applications.
• ELEMENTARY TRANSITION UPDATES: Transition planning is now underway regarding the consolidation of Gateway elementary schools. Details will be announced as they occur, and we are building a new website for parents, staff and community members. Information will also be announced in Breaking News each week, so please encourage every elementary parent you know to subscribe! Please email subscription requests to gatewaynews@grsd.org.
• MID-YEAR REPORTS FOR SENIORS APPLYING TO COLLEGES: All seniors applying to college should bring one standard envelope with a 44-cent stamp for each school they are applying to. Guidance counselors will mail out their mid-year grade report.
• COLLEGE SEARCH PROGRAM FOR JUNIORS AND PARENTS/GUARDIANS: The Gateway High School Guidance Department has scheduled the “Making Your College Search Count” presentation for its junior class and their parents/guardians, for Wednesday, February 10 at 10:45 a.m. in the Gateway Performing Arts Center. Click here for the parent/guardian letter.
• SEASONAL FLU VACCINE AVAILABLE AT SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER: The Gateway SBHC has 15 doses available of seasonal flu vaccine for Gateway staff members. Those staff who have a history of chronic illness are a priority. Please call June Tanski at 667-0142 ext. 1 to schedule an appointment.

• FRIENDS OF GATEWAY TO THANK SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS: The Sixth Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner for all parents and community members who serve our schools will be held on Thursday, March 11, with dinner served from 5 – 7 p.m. in the MS/HS cafeteria.

• SOME GATEWAY BUSES HAVE NO ROOM FOR GUEST RIDERS: Due to changes in several bus routes this year, a number of school buses are now at full capacity and can no longer transport friends of students in grades 5 – 12.
• SAVE THE DATE FOR ANNUAL SPORTS BANQUET: Students and parents who participate in Gateway Jr./Sr. High School athletic programs: the Gateway Athletic Booster Club has announced the date of the Annual Sports Banquet. This year, the banquet will be held at Tekoa Country Club in Westfield on June 2. Ticket information will be coming later in the school year. Please save the date for this special event!
• APPLICATION FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH: The application form is posted to our website. If you need assistance, please contact John Bergeron or Diane Meehan at 667-2203, who would be happy to help.

In closing, the Superintendent's Corner for this week is attached. This week, Dr. Hopson highlights some of the improvements that are funded in the 2010-11 budget, to be presented to the School Committee at Wednesday night’s meeting (Feb. 10). Read the full column for details!

 

                                                                                           Wendy V. Long, Editor