4TH ANNUAL BLOCK PARTY: Hunking’s 4th Annual Block Party is fast approaching!! We will be hosting this event on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, from 5:00-7:00PM. Stay tuned to next week’s bulletin for more details!
SITE COUNCIL: Are you interested in improving the student experience at Hunking school? Would you like your ideas and voice to be heard? Can you commit one hour per month on a Thursday evening? We are looking for parents and community members who are interested in joining the Hunking School Site Council.
If you are interested, you can email Mr. Betty @ tbetty@haverhill-ps.org
Please add into the subject line “Site Council” and state your interests in becoming involved.
The number of volunteers interested will then determine how the selection process is conducted.
There will be a district-mandated site council training on Tuesday, September 23rd, from 5:30-6:30pm in the HHS library (please see flyer attached).
Thank you.
2025-2026 Council Training Flyer English_Spanish
STUDENT SAFETY REMINDER: It is imperative that everyone please continue to follow the traffic pattern for morning and afternoon drop off. In an effort to ensure student safety, please do not drop off anywhere where students need to cross lanes of traffic. We have noticed that this is happening at the upper school walker entrance. (Please see the picture below, where this most often happens.) We appreciate your support and cooperation with this.
Lower School Drop Off and Pick Up Reminders:
- Please practice buckling and unbuckling the seatbelt or carseat buckle with your student this weekend! The quicker students can buckle and unbuckle themselves really makes the arrival and dismissal procedure run smoother and means less time that you will have to wait in the line.
- Please switch your younger children’s car seats to behind the drivers side and your students car seat/booster to the passenger side where they will be getting in and out of the car during arrival and dismissal. This makes it safer for students and staff to get your student in the car and not have to walk in the parking lot in order to get into or out of the car.
- Parents please STAY IN your cars and DO NOT exit your cars during arrival or dismissal. We have staff members strategically placed along the route to ensure your student arrives and leaves school safely.
Theme of the Month: We celebrate and focus on a theme each month here at Hunking. Our first theme of the school year captures our number one rule: KINDNESS. Kindness is the quality of being generous, considerate, and compassionate toward others, often involving acts of help or service without expecting anything in return. Kindness can be practiced through actions like sharing, listening, or offering support. Practicing kindness can improve one’s own mood and well-being, strengthen relationships, and create a positive chain reaction here at Hunking and in the world in general! It is treating others the way that you want to be treated. Staff will be on the lookout throughout this first month for the students who best personify this theme.
At the end of the month, we celebrate by conducting brief grade-level assemblies to recognize those students who have best personified the theme of the month.
Food Services has changed the menus this year. When you go to https://www.fdmealplanner.com/, and type in “Hunking” for the school location, you will see a WEEKLY menu. You will see the main lunch and other options available for the day. You will still be able to filter according to food allergens. Any questions, please contact Food Services at anna.perracchio@haverhill-ps.org.
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS:
Haverhill SEPAC: 2025-9-22 SPED Flyer_1 All Translations Combined PDF
PTO NEWS:
- Our first PTO meeting of the year is September 11th from 5:30-6:30pm at Hunking! Grab a friend, bring your ideas and help us hit our 2025-2026 fundraising goal of $45,000! Questions? Join our Facebook group (C.D. Hunking School PTO) or email HunkingPTO28@gmail.com!
- Spirit Wear is on Sale! Order now and save 25%: https://1stplace.sale/40727
Sale Dates: 8/18/2025 – 9/23/2025 25% off all merchandise Free shipping on orders over $75
NEWS FROM GUIDANCE
Parents of 8th Graders: Planning Ahead, High School Options
Private school application windows open VERY soon! If you are planning to attend a private school for 9th grade, be sure to look at their websites for important information about applying!!
HHS Career Technical Education (CTE) will begin accepting applications on November 1st.
HHS Classical Academy will post when their application window opens soon.
WVT application window opens on November 1st, and their open house is on November 2nd.
DEADLINES: applying to various programs and schools has become super competitive! Apply early. Applications are NOT accepted if you miss the deadlines. Deadlines will be shared as soon as they are released for HHS programs and WVT.
For all parents and caregivers!
Massachusetts Partners for Youth has a wonderful resource for parents! Check out the Parenting Solutions Library!
https://peaceathomeparenting.com/mpy-solution-libraries/
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES:
In case you missed this section at the Open House, here are some helpful informational links.
DESE Learning Standards for Families: learning benchmarks for math and ELA per grade level.
Technology Webpage: How to Access Parent Portal (PDF), Google Classroom, Parent controls (Qustodio), and basic iPad and Chromebook usage tips.
Remind app: How to download and use Remind to communicate with teachers.
EDUCATIONAL HAPPENINGS:
Math Drop-in Center
Need extra help in math? The math drop-in center welcomes grades five through eight students from 8:00 – 8:30 A.M. Monday – Friday in room 307. (They do not have to come every day.) Some students come in for more challenging math, some for help with homework, and some just to have fun. Please note that students must provide their own transportation.
Any questions, please contact Kim Surette ksurette@haverhill-ps.org.
https://classroom.google.com/c/Nzk2MzM2ODMyNTE1?cjc=igckb5wb
Class code igckb5wb
4th Grade: The fourth-grade team is excited to share that we will be providing differentiated math and ELA lessons and activities designed to meet each student’s individual needs during two daily WIN (What I Need) blocks. Beginning next week, we will launch “Walk to WIN.” Each day, students will participate in two WIN blocks—one focused on math and one focused on ELA. During these times, all fourth-grade students will be placed in a group and work with a grade-level teacher, an interventionist, or a special education teacher to strengthen their skills.
8th Grade: 8th Grade is off to a great start this year! We had a week of team-building activities and are now beginning academics in earnest. Students’ iReady tested this week, and families can expect to see iReady results soon.
- Our Penny Wars fundraiser was a great success, raising over $500 for the grade! The winning homeroom was Ms. Tsolakos’s homeroom!
- Science: Students are learning about the seasons and space science.
- Math: Walk-to-WIN cycles begin next week!
- ELA: Students are beginning the year with a study of poetry before jumping into StudySync later in the month. We are reading The Outsiders in WIN, but Walk-to-WIN will begin on October 14th. Families should check their Remind and emails for an invite to the ELA classrooms on Monday, September 15th, to join in some poetry writing with students.
If you want to be in the know for end all grade 8 activities, please join this parent-run Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1A5XUt5eKq/?mibextid=wwXIfr.
NEWS FROM OUR NURSES: If your child has any medications that are needed at school, such as Epipens and inhalers, please drop off the medication and forms in the health office. The Health Office needs an order from the student’s provider and parental consent for medication administration, and the medication should be in the original bottle/box with a pharmacy label. Please reach out to the Health office if you did not receive an allergy/asthma packet. You should have received an Annual Health Update and Permission form. Please complete and send back to school as soon as possible, if not already done. Please list the medications you do not want your child to have in school (This is a change from last year’s form) and sign the bottom of the form. Please remember to send your child in with a water bottle. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Health Office (978-420-1913).
ATHLETIC NEWS:
Soccer: Thank you to everyone who participated in the Boys’ soccer tryouts on Thursday. Girls’ soccer tryouts will be held on Monday, September 8th. Team rosters will be posted the following day outside the gym and Room 212. For any questions or further information, please contact Coach Thornton.
I am pleased to introduce Alyssa Clark, an 8th-grade parent, who will be volunteering as an assistant coach this season. Last year, she was an invaluable asset as the parent representative, assisting with transportation coordination and team support. This year, she will also be lending her time and expertise during practices and on the sidelines. I am thrilled to have her join us again. Welcome aboard, Coach Clark!
2025 Hunking Soccer Practice & Game Schedule
Looking forward to another great season!
Cross Country: Thank you to all of our families who have signed their athletes up for tryouts this season. Sign-ups will close @ 5pm this upcoming Monday, September 8, 2025. If you are interested in having your child try out this season, please sign them up via this link. While signing up please use/join us via the Remind Class link in there as well to connect directly to our group. The Remind app is the best way to get instant updates and reminders for all things XC.
I will be holding tryouts next week on Tuesday, Sept 9th (Grades 4&5) and Wednesday, Sept 10th (Grades 6-8). All tryouts will be held at Hunking from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Please see the sign-up sheet for all additional information on attire and expectations.
Important Reminder: Each and every participant, prior to tryouts, MUST have an up-to-date physical and athletic packet turned in. There are no exceptions to this policy. If you have any questions pertaining to your students current physical forms status, please reach out to our amazing nurses, Karen Casanova, R.N, or Ada Colon-Burdier RN.
Here’s to another amazing season with the hardest working kiddos around!
-Coach Law
CLUB NEWS:
Chorus: Chorus will be starting next week! If your child is in grades 5-8, we will meet on Monday, 9/8, and Thursday, 9/11. If your child is in grades 3-4, we will meet on Tuesday, 9/9, and Friday, 9/12. There is no chorus on Wednesdays. Please drop off your child at 7:45am behind the school at the music room door. It is the second-to-last set of double doors with a number “13” over the door. After 8:00am, students need to come in through the walker doors. Any questions, please contact Ms. Avalos!
Drama Club: Our first Drama Club meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 16th, from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. in the music room. Drama club is open to students in grades 5-8. We will review the winter show and audition requirements.
Student Council: All 2024-2025 student council members are invited to attend our first meeting of the year, Friday, September 12th. See the monthly meeting schedule here.
If students in grades 4-8 are interested in running for Student Council for this school year, applications for eligibility can be found here or picked up in room 301. Completed forms are due to teachers by Wednesday, September 17th (no late applications will be accepted). Eligibility and next steps for campaigning will be communicated Friday, September 19th. Direct any questions to Mrs. Mansour or Mrs. Corkum, advisors.
NJHS: There is an NJHS meeting today (9/5) after school. The NJHS calendar can be found here.
GSA: GSA will begin in October
Lego Club: Lego Club will begin in November
ODDS & ENDS:
-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 ensure 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. The HPS website (under technology) explains SDC and has instructions on how to sign up online.
-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 and pick up & drop off procedures:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u0UOrpoO9vRnMMJuYpeJmaSGKcywt29SX94AQmSHFzQ/edit?usp=sharing