HUNKING SPRING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY LINK
Earlier this year many of you took time to complete our fall family survey. Your feedback was incredibly helpful and has already guided some of the work we’ve done this year, including prioritizing student activities and family events, reflecting on how we communicate with families, and reviewing how Chromebooks are used at school.
As we head into the final stretch of the year, we would appreciate your help once again. This short spring survey (about 3–5 minutes) will help us understand how we are doing and where we can continue to improve.
Our Site Council will review the results and compare them with our fall survey data as we plan for the remainder of this year and begin preparing for next year.
Thank you for partnering with us and for taking the time to share your feedback.
HUNKING’S 4TH ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL NIGHT: We are less than 1 week away from our 4th Annual Multicultural night! We will be hosting this event next Thursday, March 26th from 5-7pm. Join us for food, music, and fun from around the world! Enjoy a cultural fashion show, a performance from our all city jazz band, a showcase of your students work, and more! This event highlights the many cultures that make our school community so diverse, you don’t want to miss it!! We hope to see you all next Thursday!
🗓️ Event Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026
🕔 5:00-7:00 p.m.
📍C.D. Hunking School
SPIRIT WEEK: To help prepare for and celebrate our Multicultural night, we will also be participating in a spirit week throughout all of next week. Here are the themes for you to look forward to (see flyer)
Literacy & Math Night!
We are excited to invite our families to a K–8 Literacy and Math Family Game Night on Thursday, April 16th from 4:30pm – 6:00pm! Join us for an evening of Bingo for Books (K-5) and this year we’re adding hands-on games that support important literacy and math skills while bringing students and families together. This event is designed to show how learning can be engaging and playful, and it’s a great opportunity to connect with your child through interactive activities. We hope you can join us for a night of learning, laughter, and family fun! Since this is a fun event for the whole family, we kindly ask that parents stay with their children throughout the activities.
Please sign up here to let us know you’re coming!
https://math-and-literacy-night-30188.cheddarup.com
Theme of the Month: We will be embracing the theme of GRIT throughout the month of March. Grit is courage or resolve; strength of character. Grit is courage and determination despite difficulty. Grit is a personality trait characterized by perseverance and passion for achieving long term goals. Grit entails working strenuously to overcome challenges and maintaining effort and interest over time despite failures, adversities, and plateaus in progress. Staff will be on the lookout throughout this month for the students who best personify this theme.
Food Services has changed the menus this year. When you go to FD MealPlanner, 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 justin.hodgkins@haverhill-ps.org.
PTO NEWS:
-The next meeting is April 9th from 5:30-6:30pm. Babysitting and homework help will be available by NJHS.
-PTO is planning its second school-wide fundraiser for the 2025-26 year. The fundraiser will include an online auction, adult event Bobcat Bingo and Band with a chance to win diamond earrings, raffle items, dancing with Magnus Boston. If you have a business that would like to sponsor, or would personally like to offer raffle, auction item, or monetary donation please email nicole.kelly@haverhill-ps.org
-YMCA is partnering with PTO for an Easter Egg Hunt. Sign up here to attend.
NEWS FROM GUIDANCE
Terri Carney, School Counselor, grades 5-8
Eighth Grade Parents: Was your student accepted to more than one school or program?
Please make a decision as soon as possible for one school! There are a lot of students on the wait list for all programs waiting for a spot to open up!
(This does not include students who were accepted to both CTE and Classical Academy and plan to do both programs at HHS.)
If your student has been accepted to a private school or to WVT, please let us know so that we can direct records and transcript to the appropriate place at the end of the year and remove their enrollment to HHS. Email address above. Thank you!
For all parents and caregivers!
Massachusetts Partners for Youth has a wonderful resource! Check out the Parenting Solutions Library! https://peaceathomeparenting.com/mpy-solution-libraries/
EDUCATIONAL HAPPENINGS:
7th Grade: This week, all 7th grade students worked on a week-long research project in their Science and Social Studies classes. Students were paired up and assigned a topic under the umbrella of Industrialization in Massachusetts. The science topics placed an emphasis on Industrialization’s impact on the local environment. The social studies topics focused on the societal changes caused by Industrialization. The trifold posters will be on display at next week’s Multicultural Night.
8th Grade: End of the Year activities are getting planned! Canobie is booked for Friday June 12th from 9-4:30 with a return to Hunking around 5:00pm. Students with season passes will not pay the entrance fee.
NEWS FROM OUR NURSES: Happy Spring and the weather remains unpredictable in New England. Please make sure your child is wearing appropriate clothes for the weather and using good hand hygiene to prevent getting sick. We have noted an uptick in Influenza B and Strep cases in the past couple of weeks. Proper cough etiquette is important to keep from spreading germs so please sneeze or cough into your elbow or a tissue. If your child has an illness or medical issue, please let the health office know so we can make accommodations (if needed) for your child.
If your child has had a physical recently, please send a copy to the health office. It is important for the health office to have up to date information so we may keep your child safe and healthy while at school.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may reach the health office at 978-420-1913.
ATHLETIC NEWS:
Volleyball: Congrats to both teams for beating Nettle last week.
Schedule for week of 3/23-3/27/26:
Monday: Game at home vs Sacred Hearts (girls play first) & open gym 7:45am
Tuesday: No practice due to academic bowl semi finals
Wednesday: Game at Whitter (boys play first) & open gym 7:45am
Thursday: No practice due to Multicultural event
Friday: Boys’ practice 3-5pm
Spring Track: Ready to hit the track? Tryout sign-ups are officially open for students in grades 5-8! Lace up your sneakers and get ready to run, jump, and sprint into an amazing season of fun and teamwork!
Tryout dates will be announced at the beginning of April! Sign up HERE!
Hunking 26’ Track Remind Group Sign Up HERE
Tennis: The HHS Boys Tennis team has recently received a waiver that allows 8th graders at district middle schools to participate this season. The team meets Monday – Friday for practices and matches at 3:15. The practices are currently at HHS but will shift to the Winnekenni tennis courts once the weather improves. This will also be the site of most of our home matches. Athletes are responsible for their own transportation to and from HHS/Winnekenni. If you are interested in joining or have any questions, please reach out to the head boys tennis coach, Zach Eldridge at zeldridge@haverhill-ps.org .
CLUB NEWS:
Academic Bowl: Wow, how fun this season has been!
The teams had their last regular-season meet this past Thursday at Consentino School and are now looking forward to the playoffs. All playoff games are after school hours at Hunking School. Look out for a message from the coaches for exact times once the brackets are released.
The meet schedule can be found here:Hunking Academic Bowl Schedule 2026
Guitar Ensemble: We are continuing to work on our concert music and have added some rock and roll! Concert info coming soon.
Chorus: Chorus is busy preparing for our Spring Concert on May 7th, and our performance with the NH Fisher Cats on May 1st! Please stay tuned for more information, and check out some performances displayed during Multicultural Night!
Tri-M: The Tri-M Honor Society is hosting two Instrument Demonstrations at our annual Multicultural Night. If you have a cultural instrument you are willing to donate for demonstration only, please let Ms. Avalos know. We are also partnering with the Haverhill Public Library for a “Make Your Own Instrument” craft. We are in need to tissue boxes, elastics, and containers (such as coffee, breadcrumbs, etc.) to make drums. If you have any of these items and wish to donate, please reach out to Ms. Avalos!
Student Council: Monthly Meeting and Events Schedule can be found here.
Members are reminded to see Google Classroom to sign-up for service before, during or after Multicultural Night on Thursday March 26th. Any members unable to attend should contact Mrs. Mansour or Mrs. Corkum.
NJHS: The NJHS calendar can be found here. Next Bobcat Buddies is April 8th!
GSA: The GSA calendar can be found here.
Lego Club: The LEGO Club calendar can be found here.
Yearbook: We are looking for any photos of the 8th Grade class, past or present, to use for the yearbook. Upload your pictures using this Google Drive link.
Technology Resources:
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.
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 PROCEDURES: Please click on the link below to review Hunking procedures, including cell phone and pick up & drop off procedures:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u0UOrpoO9vRnMMJuYpeJmaSGKcywt29SX94AQmSHFzQ/edit?usp=sharing