ADRENALINE COOKIE FUNDRAISER: We have exciting news….This coming Monday, January 23rd we are launching our 1st cookie fundraiser with Adrenaline Fundraising. This fundraiser will run until Monday, February 6th and it is very easy to participate! By selling boxes of cookies you will not only earn money for our school, but you will earn great prizes for yourself so listen up. If you sell between 10-19 boxes, you will receive a custom long sleeve shirt with our school logo on it. If you sell between 20-24 boxes you will earn a $50 amazon gift card, and for anyone who sells 25 or more boxes you will earn both a $25 amazon gift card AND a custom backpack with our school logo on it.
You DO NOT want to miss out on this fundraiser. The cookies are delicious, the prizes are amazing, and it is easy to do!
See the attached flyers and more information below in our PTO section to sign up and start selling!!
Hunking School Cookie Fundraiser Instructions 2023
Hunking Cookie Fundraiser Prizes 2023 Updated
HUNKING’S 1ST ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL CELEBRATION: Hunking’s 1st annual multicultural night is scheduled for Wednesday, March 8th! This event is meant to celebrate our diverse community by having students & families volunteer to share pieces of their culture with others.
Please sign up to let us know if you’d like to participate:
https://hunking-s-multicultural-night.cheddarup.com.
Please note that a separate registration for families that want to attend the event will follow in a couple of weeks, but right now we’re looking for volunteers to help bring this event to life.
Help us bring our community together and celebrate the diversity and what makes Hunking so great!!
JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH: James and the Giant Peach is TODAY (Friday, January 20th @ 7pm) and tomorrow ( January 21, @ 12 PM and 4 PM). Tickets are still available and are only $5.00. Tickets for all performances can be purchased online (see the link below) or at the door. Doors open an hour before the show and snacks will be on sale as well.
https://james-and-the-giant-peach-jr.cheddarup.com
HUNKING THEME OF THE MONTH: Hunking will be embracing a theme of the month which will be focused on in and around our School building throughout each month. Hunking staff will promote and nominate students each month who they feel have personified the monthly theme on a consistent basis. Based on those nominations, one boy and one girl in each grade will be recognized as a “Hunking Hero” and receive a t-shirt.
This month’s theme is Commitment which is the quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc. It is an agreement or pledge to do something….in this case it is a new year and it is our hope that all students can show commitment to school. We are looking for students who are committed to showing what it means to be a Hunking Bobcat. We are looking for students who commit to following school rules & expectations, students who commit to getting their school work done, and students who take pride in Hunking. Staff will be on the lookout for all of the students who personify commitment throughout the month of January.
Future themes will include:
February – Kindness and Respect:
March – Patience:
April – Peace:
May –Honesty:
June – Pride:
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS:
MAKE IT HAVERHILL ELL CLASSES: In-Person English Classes Schedule
LATINO COALITION:
Latino Coalition of Haverhill will be held this Sunday, January 22nd, at the Citizen Center, 10 Welcome Street, from 2-5 pm.
Latino Coalition Jan 22 Invitation-ENG[51].jpg.pdf
Latino Coalition Jan 22 Invitation-SPA[47].jpg.pdf
VACATION ACADEMIES:
For the 3rd year, along with our partners at the YMCA, YMCA and the BGC, Haverhill Public Schools will be offering February and April Vacation Academies. Academies are open to all students in grades K-8. If you are interested in registering your student for either one or both of these academies, please contact the YMCA, YWCA or the BGC directly at the numbers provided below.
Boys & Girls Club – 55 Emerson Street – Jessi Feiner – 978-374-6171
YMCA – 81 Winter Street and Pentucket Lake School – Cathay Wolf – 978-374-0506
YWCA – 107 Winter Street – Amy Desimone – 978-374-6121
Please see the attached flyer here:
February 2023 Vacation Academy.docx
Spanish – February 2023 Vacation Academy.docx
Portuguese_February 2023 Vacation Academy.docx
Arabic February 2023 Vacation Academy.docx
PTO NEWS:
- We will be holding an Adrenaline Cookie Sale from Jan 23-Feb 3! Sign up at: www.launch.fund. Click ‘Join Fundraiser’ and enter code: SHVTQK. Then share the link and start earring prizes! (See attached for more)! Hunking makes $10.00 on every box sold!
- The next PTO meeting is scheduled for Thurs, Feb 9th at 6:00 p.m. in the school library. The meeting will last about an hour and we will have babysitters available. Our spring calendar can be viewed here.
- The Lower School “Someone Special” Dance is back! Please join us on Saturday, February 11th in the Hunking cafeteria! Register at: https://2023-someone-special-dance.cheddarup.com.This is for Hunking students and the someone special in their lives. Students must be accompanied by an adult. Please register in advance to help us get an accurate headcount. Pizza and concessions will be available for purchase.
- Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade will be from 1:00-2:30pm
- And 3rd Grade and 4th Grade will be from 3:00-4:30pm
- The PTO is still looking for parent volunteers who are interested in transitioning to Board Members for the 2023-2024 school year. Specifically, we’ll need a new Vice President (to eventually take over as President). If you want to learn more, please reach out to HunkingPTO28@gmail.com.
NEWS FROM GUIDANCE:
We are introducing a new avenue for you to access all information regarding applications and the transition to high school. We recommend you utilize this resource as often as possible, as we will consistently update this site throughout the week. We at Hunking believe that working together to support student success is paramount.
https://sites.google.com/haverhill-ps.org/roadmaptohighschool/hunking-home-hnk
EDUCATIONAL HAPPENINGS:
SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE: Our first school-wide spelling bee was held on Thursday, January 19th, featuring a total of 44 finalists representing each middle school ELA class. We are pleased and proud to announce that Omair Q. (5A) is our spelling bee champion! Omair will have an opportunity to qualify for the regional spelling bee, which takes place in Lynn in March. The winner of the regional bee will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will be held in Maryland in May. Congratulations, Omair!
We are also pleased to recognize our first runner up, Yelianny G. (6B) who competed valiantly against Omair for six rounds before being eliminated. Congratulations, Yelianny!
We brought back the last four contestants to be eliminated (Ashton K., MIa B., James H. & Caleb D.) for an epic spell-off that resulted in Caleb D. (7F) earning the third spot on our roster as second runner up. Congratulations, Caleb!
Thank you to all of our student finalists for participating and for being positive and respectful audience members throughout the competition. We are so proud of all of our participants for their courage and hard work.
Correction: The 5th grade spell-off that occurred during classroom competitions was between Ashton, Gavin & Cash in 5F (Ms. Hatch’s homeroom), not between students in 5A as previously reported.
Hunking’s ST Math Puzzle Clubs!
ST Math “We Love Jiji” Challenge!
Beginning next week, grade 1 is starting a Jiji Heart Challenge! If students solve at least 40 puzzles per week, they will be able to put a personalized heart up on the Jiji bulletin board! Let’s go grade 1!
i-Ready
Hello families,
It’s hard to believe that we’re already preparing for the second i-Ready® Diagnostic. The second Diagnostic is an important benchmark for understanding your student’s growth, which is why it’s so important they try their best. These results allow us to better support them in achieving their goals for the year. Math will test January 23rd – February 1st.
The most important thing we can do is prepare students and motivate them to put forth their best effort.
Here are a few things you can do to help support your student:
-
- Make sure they get a good night’s rest before taking the Diagnostic!
- Talk to your student about why the second Diagnostic is important. You can say things like:
- The second Diagnostic helps you find out how much progress you’ve made since the beginning of the year.
- It allows your teacher and I to celebrate your accomplishments!
- Try your best, and do not rush—but don’t spend too much time on a question either.
- Remember, questions on the Diagnostic change based on your answers to earlier questions. You will see some questions you don’t know. That is okay! Just try your best.
- Let them know you’re excited to celebrate their progress.
Thank you for your continued partnership in your student’s learning. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at tcorcoran@haverhill-ps.org.
Tiffany Corcoran
Hunking Math Coach
NEWS FROM OUR NURSES: The Health office will be starting mandatory Postural screening for 5th through 8th grade in February. The screening will be held during gym class. The purpose of the screening is to detect possible curvature of the spine in children. The school nurse will check your child’s back by observing it while your child is standing and bending forward. To assure a view of the spine, we will request that students expose their backs during screening. It is recommended that boys wear a shirt that can be easily removed. Girls should wear a bathing suit top or sport bra or halter top under a shirt or sweater. If you would like to opt your child out of the screening, the health office will require written notification. If your child has an issue with Scoliosis or posture, please provide information from the doctor so we may update your child’s health record.
LOST AND FOUND: Our lost and found for any clothing items is located in the locker room area in the main hallway of the school. Any lost lunch boxes or water bottles can be found on the shelves in our cafeteria. We encourage you to have your students check frequently, as all unclaimed clothing at the end of each month is then donated by the school.
ATHLETIC NEWS:
HOME GAMES: Please be advised that Hunking is changing its home game protocols. Moving forward, for all home games, it is our expectation that students who plan to attend games go home or leave school grounds at dismissal time. They will be allowed to return to school for the games at 3:30pm. We are acting in a proactive manner to ensure the safety of all of our students and families. We appreciate your cooperation and support with this.
Boys Basketball: Practice on Monday and Wednesday 3:15-5:15; practice on Friday 3-5. Home game on Tuesday at 4:30pm.
Girls Basketball: Practice Monday 3 – 4:00.
Game Tuesday At Hunking vs. Sacred Hearts School. This will be the final game of the regular season!
Cheerleading: Practice Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3-5. Final game is at home on Tuesday the 24th.
CLUB NEWS:
ACADEMIC BOWL: Our next meeting will be Monday, January 23rd for grades 5 and 6 only in Mr. I’s room (206)until 3:30. If you can not attend, let Mr. I or Mrs. Seed (Room 211) know as soon as you can. All grade levels will meet next Wednesday, January 25th until 3:30–we will be finalizing our roster for our first competition against Whittier on February 2nd.
LEAD Program (Formerly VIP): Next meeting will be Thursday, Jan 26 until 4 pm
GRIT: The next cycle of GRIT will be starting on February 6th. Any interested students should see Ms. Curry or Mr. Schaefer for more information about this program. We are planning on focusing on 7th graders for this cycle.
GSA: The next meeting of the GSA will be held Friday, February 3rd in room 300 from 3:00 to 4:00.
CHORUS: Chorus rehearsals will resume on Tuesday, January 24th for JUNIOR chorus and Thursday, January 26th for SENIOR chorus. Fifth graders will now be part of the senior chorus. New members are welcome! Can’t wait to get started!!
STUDENT COUNCIL: Thank you for all that donated to the Winter Warmth/Coat Drive. Your donations are greatly appreciated. The last two meetings have had a low attendance rate. Please have your child contact Miss Riley or Mrs. Pouliot if they will not be attending. The next meeting is Tuesday, February 7th, in room 110. Please ensure a ride is scheduled promptly at 4:00 p.m.
ART CLUB: The next art club day will be on January 23rd. The final art club day will be February 13th.
DRAMA CLUB: The Broadway Bobcats will be holding an information session, for the 8th grade class play and the end of the year musical, on January 30th from 2:45 to 3:45.
Auditions for the 8th grade class play will be held on February 6th from 2:45 to 5:00, this is only open for students in the 8th grade. The performance will be in March.
Auditions for the End of the year musical, Xanadu Jr. will be held only on February 13 and 14 from 2:45-5:00, this is only open to students in Grades 5- 8. Students should prepare 2 songs from the 1980’s. The performance will be in May.
GUITAR ENSEMBLE: Guitar Ensemble will meet this Thursday, January 26th. Please note our start time is changing to 8 am. We are welcoming new members (grades 5-8) so come and check it out!
YEARBOOK: The Yearbook Committee will meet every Monday at 2:45 in Room 213.
Additionally, the Yearbook Committee needs your help gathering photos! Any and all throwbacks, candids, group shots or selfies of the graduating 8th grade class will be considered. There are two ways to upload:
- Students can use this Google drive folder – Instructions
- Anyone without an HPS email account can use this link to TreeRing
- Note: This method requires creating a username/password
- SCHOOL PASSCODE: 101663874693208
Lastly, if you would like to pre-order your yearbook, click this link to create an account and purchase a yearbook. Here’s an informational flyer with all the same information.
ODDS & ENDS:
-All students in grades 5-8 have been issued school IDs. It is required that they bring and wear their ID badges each day.
-Please make sure that your student(s) are coming to school daily with a fully charged chromebook.
-Please make sure that you are sending your student(s) with a water bottle. We have a limited supply of cups and we do not have access to water fountains, only water bottle filling stations.
SCHOOL POLICIES:
UPPER SCHOOL DROP OFF: Parents and Guardians, please be aware that the safety and security of our students is the number one priority. We kindly ask that all parents/guardians who drop students off in the morning on the upper school side of the building, please follow the proper traffic pattern to ensure everyone’s safety. Please do not cut across the parking lot. We ask that you drive slow while on school grounds, and we appreciate your patience as we are aware that many people have places to be after dropping off. Again, we appreciate you prioritizing the safety of our students. Thank you!
CAR PICK UP & DROP OFF: Safety and Security of our students, staff, and families is our number one priority, so we would like to ask that those families who utilize car pick up and drop off be cognizant of our security guards directing traffic. Security would like to emphasize the use of turn signals when picking-up or dropping-off your student. If you are not turning, please flash your headlights so that they are aware that you are continuing straight. We want to make sure everyone remains safe and unfortunately, we have had a couple of close calls very recently. We greatly appreciate your attention and support with this matter.
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.
Student Dress Code: 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 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 bearing 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:
-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 phones 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.