MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL:
UPPER SCHOOL Pick-up/Drop-off Procedure: Please be aware that Winchester St. is for buses only. No cars are allowed to use Winchester St. for upper school drop off and pick up. This procedure has been adopted for safety purposes. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation.
2ND ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL NIGHT:
I am very excited to announce that we are less than two short weeks away from our 2nd Annual Multicultural night, and it is once again shaping up to be an amazing event!
We have had many families sign up to participate to share their cultures, with over 15 different countries being represented!! We also have a schedule full of stage performances to look forward to as well!
What makes this event and night so incredible is that it is family facilitated, and with that being said, if you are still interested in participating and sharing your culture with the Hunking Community, we encourage you to sign up here:
Today, Friday, March 1st is the last day to register to participate in the event, so please do not miss out.
Next week, I will be sending out a link for families to register to attend the event on Thursday, March 14th from 5:00-7:00pm right here at Hunking.
Remember that this is an event that will be facilitated by our families and community members, who will share their culture and/or performances for our entire Hunking Community! This event will also include a showcase of student work across all grade levels, and opportunities for raffle prizes.
Also, if there are any families who have and want to donate postcards from around the world for our special Hunking Postcard display, we would greatly appreciate it. You can send the postcards in with your students to be submitted in the main office.
This will be a free family friendly event that we encourage all of our Hunking community to attend!
Please stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the event.
Literacy News!
- Read Across America is next week! Elementary Students will be bringing home a reading log on Monday. If it is completed each day next week, they will receive a prize the following week from the Elementary Literacy Coach.
- Mark your calendars! The Literacy Coaches and Interventionists are hosting a Literacy night on Thursday April 11 from 5:00-6:30. More information will be coming home soon!
MCAS: We are quickly closing in on that time of year again. Please click the link below to view the calendar with our MCAS schedule, to see and be prepared for when your student(s) will be taking MCAS: MCAS Calendar 2024
HUNKING THEME OF THE MONTH: We are embracing the theme of GRIT throughout the month of March. Grit simply means courage and resolve; and strength of character. To further explain, Grit is passion and perseverance for long term and meaningful goals. It is the ability to persist in something you feel passionate about and persevere when you face obstacles. This kind of passion is not about intense emotions or infatuation. It’s about having direction and commitment. Staff will be on the lookout this month for students who personify this theme of Grit.
Please stay tuned next week to find out who our winners were for the theme of Friendship throughout the month of February.
(If the links are not working, please go to https://www.fdmealplanner.com/ , and type in “Hunking” for the school location)
WASHINGTON, DC GRADE 8:
- Update: 117 students are registered!
- All registered students must have a signed District Permission Slip AND Student Participation Contract signed and returned to their homeroom asap.
- Next payment is due: March 8th $225
- Fundraising deductions- Student accounts are being updated as fundraising efforts and funds have been sent to Capital Tours. Check your account frequently over the next few weeks. Last chance to reduce your payments is the Adrenaline Cookies-coming soon!
- Rooming: Students were provided with a google form in their google classroom homerooms to list 3 other students for their room preference. Accommodations will be made as best as we can for students to room with their preferred choices. All groups will be reviewed by trip coordinator and/or admin and preferences will be taken into account, but can not be guaranteed.
Dates/Info to remember:
- May 22, 2024: Parent/Guardian meeting @ 6pm, Hunking. Please attend specifically for those students who will have medication distributed on the trip. Nurses will be available. Medication and doctors orders (that match the district permission form) are to be brought to this meeting.
- Chaperones- Please have your cori completed in the main office and fingerprints done.
Questions????- Megan.arivella@haverhill-ps.org
PTO NEWS:
- The next PTO meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday March 6th at 6:30pm in the Hunking conference room! We’re looking for more lower school parents to get involved, so grab a friend and bring your ideas!
NEWS FROM GUIDANCE:
Grades 5 and 6: Sarah Petrick sarah.petrick@haverhill-ps.org
Grades 7 and 8: Terri Carney terri.carney@haverhill-ps.org
NEED A WORK PERMIT?
https://www.haverhill-ps.org/work-permit-information/
Haverhill High School
Career Technical Education (CTE): Interviews at Hunking on March 8th and 11th during school day.
Whittier: Decisions will be made on April 1st. Students will receive an email from Whittier.
EDUCATIONAL HAPPENINGS:
ST Math News!
It’s March Mathness!
Homerooms will compete by calculating the highest percent of students that met the puzzle goal that week. This will level the playing field for all homerooms.
How were the brackets created, you ask? Using a random generator! Some homerooms got a week 1 “bye”. There is also a 3-way bracket in week 1 (because of the odd number of homerooms). Students in the two homerooms that do not advance will receive some Jiji stickers!
Find all the details here!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wc5G8fXm62qEwhDkl4m1A_Yra6ibSqaU9VB9MsQRsU4/edit?usp=sharing
7th Grade: Students spent the half day completing various team building activities. Some students were challenged to build a sky scraper while others completed round robin story writing. After specials, each homeroom competed in a friendly trivia competition.
7th Grade Social Studies- 7th grade students worked hard to create a poster about a specific topic on Ancient Greece. Each group made a poster on a different topic. The posters really showed off the creativity and artistic ability of the students.
8th Grade:
In math, students have begun module 5, Systems of Linear Equations. Stay up to date with the daily math agenda and homework in the math Google Classroom.
In science, Students have started the unit on Heat Transfer and Matter. We have also started our DBQ in Civics which is centered around the theme of Genocide, and its connection with the novel “Refugee”.
NEWS FROM OUR NURSES: Mandatory Postural/Scoliosis screenings will continue during the week of March 11th during gym class. The Purpose of the screening is to detect possible curvature of the spine in children. If the condition is detected early and appropriately treated, progressive spinal deformity may be prevented.
To assure a good view of the spine, we will request the 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 a halter top under a shirt or sweater. Please make sure to have your child come dressed as recommended above on the day they are scheduled for gym.
If your child is currently under active treatment for a spinal problem, or if you have any objection to having your child participate in the screening program, please inform the school nurse in writing. A report from your healthcare provider is requested.
It is the cold and flu season. We also have had a rise in stomach bug cases this week as well as several cases of Covid and Flu. If your child is out for an illness please reach out to the nurses at 978-420-1913. Your child must be fever free and/or vomit free for 24 hours without medication to return to school. Good hygiene such as washing hands and covering your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing is a great way to prevent illness.
If your child was given a vision or hearing referral, please make sure it is sent back to the health office after seeing an eye or hearing specialist. Stay healthy.
ATHLETIC NEWS:
Volleyball: Please see the calendars below for both the girl’s and boy’s volleyball practice schedule.
EARLY SPRING TRACK SIGN UP
We know the snow has just begun, but we cannot wait for Spring! My fellow coaches and I are already excited for our upcoming 2024 track season! I am hoping to get a good idea as to how many kiddos are interested in joining us this year, so I wanted to create this form to make sign-ups easier. SPRING TRACK SIGN UP
(*This sign up link has also been added to our school website*)
Prior to the beginning of the season I will follow up with students/parents that have filled this form out to confirm if they are still interested. We will still have a “sign up” available in-person as we have in the past; however this form can expedite that process.
Last, but certainly not least, if your athlete took part in a school sport during this year (2023-2024) you do not need to fill out another health participation packet.Only the first and last page is needed. If not, the entire packet needs to be filled, current physical submitted, signed and returned before participation is permitted.
Our main office retains hard copies for students to take home, but I have also included the link below if you’d prefer to print out and return ahead of time.
HPS (Middle School) Sport Permission Packet
When our season officially commences I will provide practice dates, schedules, meet information and all things track via our Remind class link (see below).
As always thank you for your continued support and please reach out should you have any questions!
-Coach Law
CLUB NEWS:
Academic Bowl: Monday’s Meet with Nettle has been changed to an away meet. The meet will now be held at Nettle, it should still start at 9:30. Practices will be held Mondays from 2:45 – 3:30. Seniors meet in Mrs. Bizeur’s room and Juniors meet in Mr. Ivancic’s room. The schedule for competitions can be found here.
GSA (Gender-Sexuality Alliance): The GSA calendar can be found here.
LEGO Club: The LEGO club calendar can be found here.
NJHS: The NJHS calendar can be found here. Bobcat Buddies will take place on our next half day March 20th.
Student Council: The Student Council is collecting lines of poetry that reflect the family traditions of our Hunking community for Multicultural Night. Please, visit our Student Council Google Site for information, examples, and a google form to collect family entries. We encourage families to talk about their unique cultural identity and use those ideas to compose a line or two of poetry starting with the phrase, “I’m from…”
All entries will be used by the Student Council to arrange a poem titled “Where Hunking’s From” to celebrate our diverse backgrounds and foster a sense of pride. This crowdsourced poem will be on display March 14th during our Multicultural Night. We hope to see every family represented. [Should this go in the Multicultural night section?]
The Student Council will meet Tuesday March 5th in room 301 from 2:45-3:30.
*Please check Google Classroom for our meeting schedule and announcements.
Guitar Ensemble: We continue to meet Thursday mornings at 8 am in Mrs. Fairbrother’s room. We are doing great with our new material.
Drama Club: Due to elections on Tuesday, Mar 5, 2024 we will not have rehearsal. We will resume on Wednesday, March 6th. Tickets are also available for purchase please see a cast member or to purchase online click here
We will have a meeting for students interested in signing up for Tech Crew on Wednesday, March 6th from 2:45 to 3:45.
Chorus: The Hunking Bobcat chorus has some exciting events coming up! We are going to be performing a piece at the Multicultural Night on March 14th, and we will be sharing a concert with the band in May. We will also be performing at a New Hampshire Fisher Cats baseball game in May. If you are interested in coming out for a fun night at the ballpark and supporting our singing Bobcats, please see the attached flyer to purchase tickets!
YEARBOOK: ATTENTION ALL ARTISTS! The Yearbook Cover Contest is now open! Submissions will be accepted until April 12th. If you would like to submit a cover, please bring a letter-sized, colored drawing to Room 213 or email a detailed picture to Mr. Thornton (matthew.thornton@haverhill-ps.org)
ODDS & ENDS:
-All students have been issued school IDs. It is required that they bring and wear their ID badges each day. These badges are also used for breakfast and lunches as well as to “swipe” on & off the bus.
-Please make sure that your student(s) are coming to school daily with a fully charged chromebook.
HPS has chosen School Device Coverage (SDC) to insure the Chromebooks that students have been issued. The cost of coverage for the year is $20 and includes accidental damage, loss, fire, and theft. As of right now, families have the option to sign up during the month of September (we will let you know if it extends). After sign up closes, only new students will be given a special code to sign up at registration. Our website explains SDC and has instructions on how to signing up online:
https://www.haverhill-ps.org/technology/device-insurance/
Qustodio: a FREE student safety, digital wellbeing platform that helps parents/guardians control their child’s access to the internet on their school issued devices. Qustodio is FREE for HPS Students/Families. More information and how to sign up for Qustodio can be found on our website at:
https://www.haverhill-ps.org/technology/athome/student-safety-and-digital-wellbeing-platform/
-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: Please click on the link below to review Hunking policies including cell phone, dress code, and pick up & drop off procedures:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OOOIPyskLX9WyYSuAWqfyQCB0ZJZ8JFsTTgB_sNW8d4/edit?usp=sharing