As summer begins to wind down, it is crunch time at Hunking. We are rapidly preparing for the start of school in just over a week. Please see some important information to be aware of below, and note that while some of it seems repetitive, that I have made necessary updates where needed:
Open House: We will be hosting an open house on Monday, August 29th. We will be staggering the times throughout the evening to help reduce traffic and any potential parking issues. We would highly encourage families who live close enough to walk to do so, and if other families want to carpool, that may also be beneficial. The timing of the open house is as follows:
4:00pm-5:00pm: 1st-4th grade families
4-4:15pm: Welcome/Introduction in the Gym
4:15-5pm: Classrooms
4:45-5pm: Q&A w/Mr. Betty in the gym (Optional)
4:30pm-5:30pm: 5th grade families
4:30-4:45pm: Welcome/Introduction in the Gym
4:45-5:30pm: Classrooms
5:15-5:30pm: Q&A w/Mr. Betty in the gym (Optional)
5:00pm-6:00pm: 6th-8th grade families
5-5:15pm: Welcome/Introduction in the Gym
5:15-6pm: Classrooms
5:45-6pm: Q&A w/Mr. Betty in the gym (Optional)
We have allotted the 5th grade their own time due to the fact that many of our 5th grade students are transitioning from Bradford Elementary and other schools within our district, and have yet to have the opportunity to get acclimated to Hunking
The open house will be conducted inside the building this year. We are asking that all families report to the gym when they arrive for a brief welcome/introduction. I will then release families to report to their student’s classroom where the teachers will be waiting. We will have staff available to guide/direct families to the appropriate locations. Forty five minutes after your arrival, I will be available in the gym for an optional Q&A session.
We will have additional information tables in our main hallway to include the PTO, YMCA (before & aftercare), additional Hunking information (sports, activities), etc.
We will likely have a couple of activities for students and siblings to participate in as well.
Looking forward to seeing everyone on August 29th!
First Day of School: Grade 1-8 is on Tuesday, August 30. Kindergarten is on Wednesday, September 7
1st ANNUAL HUNKING BLOCK PARTY: We welcome all Hunking community members to this event on Thursday, September 8th from 5-7:30pm here outside of Hunking! We will be having a BBQ and will also have the Kona Ice truck available. We will have plenty of games and prizes to include a basketball shoot-out, hockey shoot-out, soccer activity, kickball, tug-of-war, cornhole, can-jam, and much more. We will also have other activities to include face painting, sidewalk chalk, and a community arts & crafts project. Some final highlights will include a dunk tank, photo booth, and appearances from our Haverhill Police Department and Haverhill Fire Department. Please take a look at our initial flier and stay tuned for further details in the upcoming weeks, but make sure to mark your calendars!! We are also looking for parent volunteers to help our amazing Hunking staff facilitate some of the activities throughout the night. Please click on the link to be able to sign up to volunteer for an activity! Thank you!!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4EA5A823A5FD0-volunteers
1st Annual Hunking Block Party
Class Assignments: Class assignments will be shared through the community portal sometime early next week.
**Disclaimer: All classroom assignments are made with great care by our staff each May and June. In the case of students coming from Bradford Elementary or other Haverhill schools, our staff has collaborated with the staff of the sending schools to complete the best placement possible.
Based on our enrollment numbers, group changes or changes in classroom assignment cannot be accommodated in almost all cases.
To access school-related information, including grades and report cards:
https://haverhill.schoolbrains.com/comm
If you need help with this please email support at portalsupport@haverhill-ps.org. Please have the following included in any email to Portal Support:
- Full Name
- Full name of child(ren)
- Full email address (be sure to contact Portal Support from this same email)
- Your child(ren)’s Grade Level(s) and School(s)
- Detailed explanation of issue
Kindergarten News: The first day of kindergarten is Wednesday, September 7th!
Incoming kindergarten students participate in a screening prior to school beginning. This is an opportunity for the staff to get to know your child. Children will work with a staff member one-on-one while a family member completes important paperwork. Screenings will be held August 30, 31, and September 1 and typically last about 30 minutes.
If you have yet to sign up for a screening, please contact the school. A teacher meet & greet for all kindergarten students will occur on Friday, September 2nd from 9am-10am. Stay tuned for more information.
All incoming kindergarten students will receive a new LLBean backpack compliments of Children’s Health Care. Backpacks will be handed out at kindergarten screenings. Please see the attached flier. CHCBackpacks.pdf
Morning Announcements: A reminder that in order to streamline communication and make sure that all families have access to the most up to date daily information, I will be recording our morning announcements daily and emailing them to all families to view at your convenience.
Chromebooks: Haverhill Public Schools is a one-to-one district, with each student receiving a Chromebook. Students new to Haverhill Public Schools will be issued a Chromebook the first week of school. Kindergarten students will receive a Chromebook at the kindergarten screening.
HPS Student Device (Chromebook) Insurance: Haverhill Public Schools has chosen School Device Coverage (SDC) to insure the devices that will be given to your student as part of this year’s 1:1 device program. For only $20 per student, this insurance program will protect you and your student(s) in the event that your device is lost, stolen, or damaged accidentally over the course of the school year. Please follow this link for more information and to sign up. Haverhill Student Device Insurance
This information is also posted on the Parent and Student Resources page, Our Technology page, and the HPS Student Technology Device Policy (Spanish Version) document.
PTO: The Hunking PTO is actively looking for parent volunteers to join and become members. Please click the link below for more information and to also view a PTO welcome packet:
https://my.cheddarup.com/c/hunking-school-pto-communication-sign-up/forms
Before and After School Care: The YMCA provides before and after school care at Hunking. Information can be found at: https://www.northshoreymca.org/haverhill-ymca-after-school-childcare