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: “Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you.” – Langston Hughes

 

UPCOMING MEETINGS:  The Gateway Regional School Committee will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23 in the Gateway Library Resource Center. Agenda items include Middle School Assessment Results, a request to form a private school in Worthington, a recommendation to approve the Superintendent’s FY ’10 Final Evaluation Document, a recommendation to delete the Pregnant Students Policy, budget update, minutes discussion, One Man One Vote Options, transitional planning, annual votes to incur temporary debt and allow school choice, and a request from Worthington to form a school union. The public is invited and encouraged to attend all meetings   

STUDENTS ORGANIZE SUPPORT FOR HUNTINGTON FOOD PANTRY: Seventh grade students at Gateway Jr. High School conducted a successful drive to support the Huntington Food Pantry.

Left to Right: Thomas Dunphy, Caroline Booth, Megan Pont, Amy Pont, Morgan Cloutier, Conner Griffin, Katrina Piangerelli, Caitlyn Geary, Berta Warner, Jordan Cooper and Mackenzie Graham—7th graders who completed a fundraiser for the Huntington Pantry.

'PRIMATE FIASCO’ JOINING ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AT “GATORROO” MUSIC FESTIVAL: “Primate Fiasco” will be performing with Paul Sawyer and the Harmonic Evolution and all of Gateway’s elementary students at the GatorRoo Music Festival on Booster Field on June 22.

SCHOOL CLIMATE EVENT DRAWS INTEREST: By one estimate, over 100 parents, students and staff attended Gateway’s “School Climate Night”—intended to inform the entire school community on work underway to curb bullying, promote health and safety and, ultimately, support student learning.

EAC STILL MEETING ON ELEMENTARY TRANSITIONS: Gateway’s Elementary Advisory Committee continues to meet, with its purpose now focused on communicating with parents and the public about the transition from 5 to 2 elementary schools for the fall. A flyer was sent home last week to all elementary parents, with an overview of Chester and Littleville Elementary Schools for September.

 

SCHEDULES HAVE GONE HOME: Principal Kathleen McSweeney has announced that schedules for the 2010-11 school year went home with high school students recently, and with students entering grades 7 and 8 earlier this week. Questions or concerns should be directed to the Gateway Guidance Department as soon as possible (685-1107).

 

SAVE-THE-DATE FOR CHILDREN’S TAG SALE: The Chester Parent Center is sponsoring a huge Children’s Tag Sale on July 24 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Chester Town Center playgrounds, to benefit Chester Elementary School. Read the complete article for how and where to donate gently used items NOW!

SIXTH GRADE TACKLES SOUTH AMERICA: In a project that demonstrated how learning can be fun, 6th graders at Gateway Regional Middle School studied the countries of South America this month in their geography classes.

FALL SPORTS SIGN-UPS HAVE BEGUN: Any student entering Grade 7 – Grade 12 in September is eligible to sign up for Boys and Girls Soccer, Gymnastics and Cross-Country Running at Gateway Regional High School. All interested students can sign up at the Gateway Wellness Center with Mr. St.Peter, weekdays from 3:30 – 7:30 p.m.

RE-USABLE SHOPPING BAGS FUNDRAISER: The Blandford Elementary School PTO is selling cute, re-usable shopping bags as a fundraiser. Click here for an order form.

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS: Click here for a flyer on state programs that help Massachusetts residents, what they do, and how to contact them.

REMINDERS:

• WELLNESS CENTER SUMMER SCHEDULE: Summer hours for the Gateway Wellness Center will begin on Monday, June 21. The new schedule will be Monday - Thursday: 5:30 - 7 a.m. and 3:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Friday: 5:30 - 7 a.m. and 3:30 - 8 p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m. to noon.  The Gateway Wellness Center will be closed from July 2 through July 5 for the holiday weekend.
• JUNE CALENDAR NOTES: The final day of preschool and reminders of the last three half-days of school in this article.
• ELEMENTARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES NEW WEBSITE: Gateway’s Elementary Advisory Committee, which has transformed itself into the Elementary Transition Communications (or ETC) committee this spring, announces a new website for parents and community members about the transition from 5 to 2 elementary schools this fall.
• JUNE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS: The Gateway Regional School Committee will meet in the Gateway Library (2nd floor) on June 9 and June 23, at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to all school committee meetings.
• FINAL DAY OF SCHOOL IS JUNE 23: At their May 12 meeting, the Gateway Regional School Committee affirmed that the final day of school for the 2010-11 school year will be June 23. They also voted to make the last three days of school half-days. The final day of preschool will be June 18. The Middle School Afterschool Program ends on Friday, May 28. Late buses will continue for high school activities until June 17.
• LITTLEVILLE SUMMER WRAP AROUND PROGRAM: Parents of students who are, or will be, attending Littleville Elementary School can register for the summer wrap around program, which will offer a safe environment for students at a minimal cost. Read the complete article (click on the article title) for details. Click here for registration forms.
• GATEWAY IS OFFERING SUMMER ACADEMIC HELP: Students in grades 5 through 12 are invited to attend Gateway’s annual Summer Academic Support Program, which helps students prepare for MCAS exams and retests in English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science and Technology/Engineering. Don’t worry – it’s fun, too!
• CHANGE IN BUSING TO DAYCARE FOR 2010-11 SCHOOL YEAR: Effective September 2010, there will be a change in the district’s transportation policy for daycare. In past years, a student could either be picked up or dropped off at a daycare provider different days of the week. Now with a reduction in buses and a recommendation from a transportation study group conducted in November, the daycare policy will have to be consistent Monday-Friday, 5 days a week in the morning and/or afternoon. This was also a suggestion of a transportation audit that was conducted in November 2009. Buses will no longer be making unscheduled stops along their route to drop off students at a different location along their route.  (If a student were going to an address at 14 Littleville Rd but the bus stops at 16 Littleville Rd, then the student would be dropped off at the 16 Littleville Rd location.) Click here for a copy of the daycare request form, which will be available on the Gateway Website. Daycare forms should be returned to the school secretary before the close of school ON June 4.
• REMINDER ON SUMMER USE OF SCHOOLS: Gateway schools and facilities will not be available for outside groups this summer.
• SCHOOL SAFETY HOTLINE AT GATEWAY: As part of the district’s ongoing commitment to school safety, a safety hotline is in place for the Gateway Regional School District. In the final report compiled by the US Secret Service, researchers found that in 81% of instance of school violence studied, at least one person had information that the attacker was planning the school attack. In nearly two thirds of incidents, MORE THAN one person had information.
• ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WILL CLOSE INTRA-DISTRICT SCHOOL CHOICE FOR 2010-11: Students will be assigned to Littleville and Chester Elementary Schools next fall on the basis of their town of residence, so that staff and materials can be distributed in a planful way for the fall.
• 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).
• 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 now posted. This week, Dr. Hopson reports on the changes—and the opportunities—underway for the district. Read the entire column for details!

                                                                                           Wendy V. Long, Editor