There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, October 10th.

Wednesday, October 12th will be an early release day for all students. Dismissal time will be at 11:05am. 

PTO NEWS: 

• The Hunking Spirit Wear Sale is open and will run through October 19th: Hunking School | Show Apparel. If you select “Pick up in store” as a delivery method, all items will be delivered to the PTO and they’ll coordinate pick up/drop off! All items should arrive before the holidays!

• The next PTO meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday, October 12th at 6:00 p.m. in the school library. Please note the originally scheduled date has been changed to accommodate the School Committee Meeting that evening. This will last about an hour and babysitters will be available.

• The Halloween Extravaganza at Kimball Farms on October 23rd is fast approaching! Buy your tickets here: my.cheddarup.com/c/hunking-corn-maze-event. With admission, you’ll have access to the maze, the slide (ages 8 and up), receive a small pumpkin (while supplies last), plus cash concessions, raffles and more!

• Middle School Halloween Dances are happening! Mark your calendars for Friday, October 28th: Grades 5 & 6 will take place from 3:15pm – 4:45pm; and Grades 7 & 8 will be from 5:30pm – 7:00pm in the school gym. Stay tuned for more info!

• Rock & Roll Bingo is back! Purchase your tickets at: my.cheddarup.com/c/rock-n-roll-bingo-2022-88200 for a fun adult-only night out of Bingo, late-night snacks, and plenty of raffle and auction items to help raise money for Hunking! There will be a cash bar. We’re still looking for donations for raffles and auction items (at least $20 values). If you’d like to donate to the cause, please drop any items off at the school. All questions can be directed to varaftery@comcast.net.  

EDUCATIONAL HAPPENINGS: 

**Math news!**  We are expanding our program to include a grade 7 and 8 drop-in math center on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:00am – 8:30am in the library with Mrs. Corcoran. If your child would like to participate, please have them join the Grade 7 and 8 Drop-in Math Center Google Classroom, code ubuhlz7. Please note that students must provide their own transportation. Any questions, please email me at tcorcoran@haverhill-ps.org

ST Math: Be sure to check out our ST Math Progress outside the main office. Our Bobcats are working hard solving puzzles to get Jiji across the bridge to 100%!

KINDERGARTEN NEWS: Kindergarten students will attend our annual fire safety field trip Thursday, October 13th. They will attend the program with kindergarten students from around the district and become honorary junior firefighters! 

NEWS FROM OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS TEAM:

HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15 in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements for the United States.

NEWS FROM OUR NURSES: We are continuing vision screenings next week at our school for 2nd through 5th grade and the 7th grade. 6th and 8th grade are not required to be screened per Massachusetts guidelines. If your child wears glasses, please make sure they bring them to school. If a student does not pass screenings, we will be sending home referrals to be seen by providers/specialists. Please call the office at 978-420-1913 if you have any questions or concerns.

LOST AND FOUND

The lost and found is already overflowing with sweatshirts, lunch boxes and water bottles. If  your child is missing something please remind them to check the lost and found behind the security desk at the main entrance. We will be donating any items left over this coming week.

ATHLETIC NEWS: 

Soccer:  Practice for both the boys and girls teams will take place on Tuesday, October 10th after school from 3:00-4:15pm. There is NO practice on Monday due to there being No school. 

The next game for both teams will be vs. Whittier on Thursday, October 13th. The girls will be playing first. 

Cross Country: 

PRACTICE MEET FOR GRADES 6-8 on TUESDAY, October 11,2022! Coach Maguire and his high school cross country team will be facilitating this meet for us at Winnekenni! If you have any questions, please contact our XC Coaches via the Remind app. If you haven’t already, please join us https://www.remind.com/join/hunkingx?utm_medium=ios 

DUE TO THE UPPER SCHOOL MEET DATE- GRADES 3 & 4 WILL HAVE PRACTICE ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2022 THIS WEEK! 

CLUB NEWS:

LEAD Program (Formerly VIP): Next meeting is Thur. Oct 20. The group is full and cannot accept new members.

GRIT:  Since there is no school on Monday we will be meeting on Thursday, Oct 13 from 2:45 – 4:30

GSA: The next GSA meeting will be on Friday, 10/21 from 2:50-3:50pm

MODEL UN:  Please join the Model UN Google Classroom .  The code is posted on the door of  Room 117 (code :  byvdnyb). Stay tuned for the next meeting date. 

CHORUS: The first rehearsal for chorus will be after school on Tuesday, October 10th. Please make sure to turn your permission slip into your homeroom teacher or Mrs. Rico.

ART CLUB: Students grades 4-8 interested in Art Club, sign up sheets are available in the art room. Please see Ms. Cerullo or Ms. Marte with questions. The first meeting will take place on Monday October 24th 3pm-4pm. You must be at this meeting to attend the art club. Please sign up by Friday October 21st. 

DRAMA CLUB: We have a cast for James and the Giant Peach. We would like to thank everyone who auditioned. Hunking has a very talented group of students. Our first Rehearsal will be October 13, 2022 from 2:45 to 4:45 in the music room.  

The next ALL drama club meeting will be Thursday, October 20, 2022, from 2:45-3:45.  Parents can also join us on the Remind app: https://www.remind.com/join/cdhdrama

GUITAR ENSEMBLE:  Guitar Ensemble is a performing group open to all students in grades 5-8 regardless of experience level. We will meet Thursday mornings from 7:45-8:30 am.  I understand that students may arrive later than our scheduled start time and will be flexible about that; however,  students need to be in their homeroom by 8:30 for attendance.

Students do not need their own guitar.  We use the classroom instruments for both the rehearsals and performances.  

Guitar Ensemble performs at both the Winter and Spring concerts (dates to come) along with the band, jazz band and chorus.

Our first meeting will be Thursday 10/13 in Mrs. Fairbrother’s room.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me: kfairbrother@haverhill-ps.org

SCHOOL POLICIES: 

Lower school pick up: If you are walking to pick up your K student please wait near the kindergarten doors and if you are walking to pick up your grade 1-4 student please wait at the lower school walker pick up door. DO NOT come to the lower school playground to pick up your child. The students in the playground area are waiting for car pick up only. 

Chromebook Insurance Policy:  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.

 https://www.haverhill-ps.org/technology/device-insurance/

Student Dress Code: We have had several questions this week about the dress code policy at Hunking. I have attached the dress code policy that can be found on page 23 of the HPS student handbook for all families to review:

“The responsibility for the dress and appearance of the students will rest with individual students and parents. 

They have the right to determine how the student will dress providing that attire is not destructive to school property, complies with requirements for health and safety, and does not cause disorder or disruption. The administration is authorized to take action in instances where individual dress does not meet the stated requirements. 

This does not mean that student, faculty, or parent groups may not recommend appropriate dress for school or special occasions. It means that students will not be prevented from attending school or a school function, or otherwise be discriminated against, so long as their dress and appearance meet the requirements set forth above. 

Students are not permitted to dress in any manner that is distracting to teaching or learning, to other students or disrupting to the educational process or environment of the school. Clothing that is considered to be distracting includes but may not be limited to the following:

• Extremely short skirts or shorts rising more than 7″ above the knee.
• Shirts or blouses baring midriffs. 
• See-through clothing.
• Halters or tank tops with less than 1″ straps, tube-tops, or blouses with excessively  low cut tops. 
• Low rider pants and pants that do not cover underwear. 
• Clothing or jewelry that advertises or promotes products or activities that are illegal. 
• Clothing containing inappropriate or suggestive language or pictures. 
• Clothing that identifies students as members of a gang or an imitation of gang paraphernalia will not be permitted. This includes but is not limited to bandanas, pins, insignias, colors, jewelry, emblems, wave caps, etc. 
• Studded accessories such as belt buckles, bracelets, chains, etc. are not permitted.
• Any other dress that distracts, disrupts, intimidates or provokes can be deemed inappropriate by the Principal or Assistant Principal. 

The Principal and Assistant Principal have the final decision in making the determination that there has been a violation of the dress code policy. In the event that the Principal is unavailable, the Assistant Principal has the full authority to make the final determination on whether a student’s clothing is in violation of the dress code policy.”

CELL PHONE POLICY: 

It seems we are off to a positive start with cell phones. We would like to remind all students and families of our cell phone policy. 

-Cell phones are not allowed to be used throughout the school day. The expectation is that the phone is turned off and put away. 

-If students are found to be using their cell phone for any purpose the following policy will be followed:

-1st offense: Cell phone will be confiscated and submitted to the main office where the student can get the phone back at the end of the day with a warning. 

-2nd offense: Cell phone will be confiscated and submitted to the main office where a parent/guardian will need to pick up the phone.

-3rd offense: Cell phone will be confiscated and submitted to the main office where a parent/guardian will need to pick up the phone and the student will be issued an office detention. 

-4th offense: Cell phone will be confiscated and submitted to the main office where a parent/guardian will need to pick up the phone and a meeting will need to take place in order to establish a contract where phone can either be dropped off at arrival time and picked up at dismissal, or the phone is not allowed in school. 

-Students will not be allowed to have cell phones in the bathroom. Students will need to leave their phones face down on their desk when leaving for the bathroom. 

-We recognize the importance for students to have cell phones, but we respectfully ask for your support in reinforcing the cell phone rules. If there is ever a reason for a student to call home, I am happy to allow them to utilize my office phone. Also, if you have to get in touch with your student, we would ask that you please contact the main office during school hours.