MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL & MAIN OFFICE NEWS
JANUARY NEWS: Congratulations to all Star Poet Society winners chosen for the month of December, based on the theme of responsibility! The winners are: John Z., Waldemar M., Isabella A., Niuris R., Yeselin A., Cameron M., Mariana R., Jericho M., Valeria A., Chris J., Lauryn C., Abigail P., Keria D., Colby S., Ryan M., Joelyn V., Jacob C., Patience P., Sany B., Nate M., Bryanna R., Sophia M., Ryan F., Erin C., Colin S., Lucas F., Isaac D., Michael L., Anushka S., Maria A., and Alesha O.
For the month of January, the new school theme is growth. Growth is about making progress. Progress looks different for everyone. With the start of the new year, set a goal and work hard to achieve it! Once you set your goal, you can plan steps to achieve it. Making progress toward your goal demonstrates growth. Earning higher grades than you did before is an example of growth because it means making academic progress. Improving your behavior is an example of growth because it means making progress with your actions. Developing better habits is an example of growth because it means making progress with your day to day routines. All students are encouraged to share their goals with their teachers and families.
VACCINE CLINIC: HPS GLFHC Vaccine Clinics
HAVERHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS HANDBOOK (K-8): Please click on the link below to be connected to our up to date handbook for grades K-8: https://www.haverhill-ps.org/hps-student-handbook/
MASKS: As we continue to adhere to the Massachusetts’s State Mandate that all people (students, staff, visitors) are required to wear a mask in the school building, we ask that you please send your students to school with a spare mask. Many students have been breaking their masks and need new ones throughout the school day. We would appreciate families sending students with an extra mask each day. Thank you!
LOST & FOUND: Our lost & found is full of clothing. If your student is missing anything, please have them take a look!
Chromebooks: PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR STUDENT IS COMING TO SCHOOL DAILY WITH THEIR CHROMEBOOKS FULLY CHARGED. THANK YOU!!
JGW Chromebook Policy
We understand that “things happen” and from time-to-time students will forget to charge their Chromebook or leave it at home. Unfortunately, this is becoming a habit for some students and is happening far too often overall. Students were made aware at the beginning of the school year that the expectation is for ALL students to bring their fully-charged Chromebook to school each day.
The supply of extra Chromebooks is limited. Because of this, we are implementing a borrowing policy here at JGW for Chromebooks and chargers. Students who forget their Chromebooks, bring them to school uncharged, or do not return a borrowed Chromebook the same day will be given consequences as follows:
First Offense: Student will be issued a warning
Second Offense: Parents/Guardians will be called
Third Offense or More: Student will be given after-school detention
**These consequences will reset for all students each trimester.
If a student loses or damages a Chromebook or charger and the student needs to be issued another device, the family will be charged a fee for the replacement. Typically, the Chromebook replacement fee will be $199.00 and the charger replacement fee will be $39.00.
It is very important for students to come to school with charged and functioning Chromebooks. The devices are used in most, if not all classes; including music and art. We are asking families to be partners with the JGW in this, and remind your children to charge their Chromebooks and bring them to school every day.
Attendance: A reminder to all families that if your student will be absent for the day, please make sure to call the main office (978-374-5782) to notify the school. Thank you.
Dress Code: Please be aware that students are not allowed to wear pajamas or pajama pants to school. We receive many questions about our school’s dress code. We would ask that all families please review the Haverhill Public Schools Dress Code Policy with their students in order to ensure that it is properly being followed. Thank you for your attention to this. Please find a copy of the HPS Dress Code Policy below: Dress Code Policy (HPS)
PTO UPDATES
The PTO has agreed to change future meeting dates to the 2nd Thursday of each month from 6:00pm-7:00pm in the JGW Teacher’s Room. The dates are as follows:
2001-2022 PTO Meeting Dates · January 13th · February 10th · March 10th · April 14th · May 12th · June 9th
SPORTS:
BASKETBALL: Given the Covid-19 situation in our schools, we are going to pause the restart of middle school sports for an additional week. We will plan to restart January 17 and add an additional week to the end of the season. There will be no Basketball practices or games during the week of 1/10-1/14.
SKI CLUB: Due to unfavorable ski conditions, this past week’s Ski Club session was postponed. Ski club will resume this Friday, January 14th. If you have any questions, please email amiemoscaritolo@gmail.com.
CLUB NEWS:
NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY: Great job on the pajama fundraiser! We raised over 300$ that will be given to the MSPCA on the 11th of January. Thank you to Kaelie McCracken and Kayleigh Pettingil for a fantastic idea. Stay tuned for our meeting in January.
JR VIP: Jr VIP will have another meeting Thursday 1/20 to finish our MLK poster and discuss diversity is our school community.
NEWS FROM OUR NURSES OFFICE:
With a recent uptick in COVID19 cases, we want to thank everyone for being so patient and understanding. Please reach out to the nurses if you have any questions or seek clarification on quarantine or testing protocols. If possible, please send students to school with their own masks. We do have masks here but our supply is going fast
MEDICATIONS/INHALERS: A reminder to all parents that students cannot self carry medication of any kind without physician orders and an active administration plan in place developed with the school nurse. Please reach out to our nurse’s office with any questions.
CLASSROOM NEWS:
GRADE 5:
Ms. Simes: Grade 5 Math/Science Happy New Year! In math, students have completed Topic 5 – Use Models and Strategies to Divide Whole Numbers and have shown understanding. Students will use this knowledge to divide decimals within Topic 6 lessons. All students should continue to work on their math facts fluency, as this is an important component to our lessons. In science, students completed their engineering feat and presentations are ongoing. They also will begin to explore, “How can we identify an unknown substance?” After school help will be Monday and Tuesday this week from 2:45 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me at michele.simes@haverhill-ps.org. Have a wonderful weekend.
Ms. Marciano: ELA: We have started our poetry unit! The focus for the next week will be on analyzing poetry and figurative language. We will also be trying to determine the theme of each poem we read.
SS: We will be completing Unit 3 this week, as student finish their 13 Colonies projects.
Ms. Hogan: This week in social studies, we learned all about the French and Indian War! We discussed why the war started, major events in the war, and the results of the war. On Thursday, we had fun creating maps that showed how land ownership in North America changed after the war. Next week, we will discuss how the French and Indian War and other events led to the American Revolution.
Ms. LaCoste: Welcome back to all of my fifth graders! I hope that everyone had an enjoyable winter break and got some quality relaxation time with family. This week students have been working on identifying the different parts of the plot of a fiction story within their guided reading books. Before practicing on their own, we worked together and identified the 5 parts of plot in this week’s read aloud; The Raft by Jim LaMarche. We also continue to work on improving basic grammar skills by editing paragraphs. Parents of students who have been absent- please check our ELA Google Classroom. Though the components of most lessons are easier taught in person, I’ve included what I could for your students. I would be more than happy to meet after school to help catch your students up upon return to school.
Ms. Consolazio: In science, the students are finishing Matter Everywhere scope and taking a quiz Monday. In class, we watched Science Max, BrainPop, and reviewed vocabulary words. Next week, students begin a new scope, Properties of Matter. Please make sure students bring their Chromebooks in everyday charged.
Ms. Lees: The students in Fifth grade Orange and Green Groups are taking benchmark reading time, revisiting reading group books, and doing creative word work. Their next writing will be a narrative which should be fun and creative. In Math class long division continues to be practiced. Those students with individual goals continue working towards achievement. Students who have LEXIA accounts are encouraged to work at home with their reading online as well as to read everyday out loud with someone at home or to themselves. It will help all students to log into iReady for reading or math to strengthen their skills. Please reach out if after school or before school help will support your student.
GRADE 6:
Ms. Hamel: We have come back strong and ready to learn!
I want to Congratulate Ryan M. from Homeroom 9 for winning the Responsibility Award! WAY TO GO RYAN!!!!!!!!
ELA: Students are working on stories from the Unit “In the Dark” and asking ourselves “How do you know what to do when there are no instructions?” Students are reading stories, excerpts and poems with this overriding theme; such as Heroes Every Child Should Know: Perseus / The Lightning Thief/ Hatshepsut: His Majesty, Herself,/ I,Too/ and Hoot.
We have also begun our next book and project on the book HOLES by Louis Sachar.
SS: We have moved into Africa and our students are thrilled to learn about this amazing continent! We are exploring the physical geography as well of the vast continent as well as the diverse cultures. Students are exploring the Savannas, Deserts, and Rainforests of Africa. We are also learning about the poaching of animals and creating our own commercials to bring attention to this terrible and ongoing travesty.
Ms. Lane: Science: Do Physical properties of matter change? The simple answer is that it depends on the property. Pretend you have a big piece of wood and a small piece of wood from the same tree. The masses and the volumes of those two pieces of wood will be different because they depend upon the sizes of the samples. However, the densities of both pieces will be the same because the ratio of mass to volume remains constant. The students will finish this work and do Reading Science and take a test on Density and the Physical Properties.
Social Studies: The students finished their research paper about Countries. This is a project that has made me VERY PROUD of them. They will move onto Africa on Monday!
Ms. Tarbox: Yellow and Orange groups are working on character development using StudySync and this will continue into next week. Both classes have also begun reading “Holes.” We are about to begin a creative writing assignment. Be on the lookout for emails regarding updated Fountas & Pinnell reading levels! We have started our mid year benchmark assessments. While only a few have been tested, I am already so impressed with the progress students have made with their reading and comprehension skills! In math, both Yellow and Orange groups will be taking their Topic 3 assessment next week, working with algebraic expressions. Students have made strong gains with their understanding of math vocabulary during this unit. As always, please reach out to Mrs. Tarbox with any questions or concerns regarding any subject area, mtarbox@haverhill-ps.org.
GRADE 7:
Mrs. Berthiaume: Happy New Year! In ELA, we have started our new unit, “Chasing the Impossible.” In Social Studies, we are studying Korea and Japan. Please be sure to look in Google Classroom and SchoolBrains to be sure your student is caught up with assignments. Chromebooks should be charged overnight at home and ready for use the following day. Thank you!
Mrs. MacKinnon: We have begun our unit on weathering and erosion. Students will construct an explanation based on evidence for how Earth’s surface has changed over scales that range from local to global in size. Some examples of processes occurring over large, global spatial scales include plate motion, formation of mountains and ocean basins, and ice ages, and examples of other amounts of changes occurring over small, local spatial scales include earthquakes and seasonal weathering and erosion.
Ms. DiGloria: Students in Grade 7 Blue and Green ELA will be continuing with our new unit, Chasing the Impossible. They will be finishing up our work on We Beat The Street by writing a short response and continue on to our next text, First Americans. In Social Studies, students will be learning about early Korea. Students will complete a short writing response about the influence that Japan and Korea had on one another. This will close out our second unit (East Asia). After this, we will be moving onto our third unit focused on Ancient Greece.
Mr. Auger: Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday break! This week in my 7th grade science class, students began learning about our next unit, weathering and erosion. Students performed a great hands-on lab experiment this week which simulated stream tables. This experiment demonstrated the powerful effects that wind and water can have on the Earth’s surface. Next week, we will expand our knowledge and understanding of the processes of weathering and erosion. In my 7th grade social studies class, we completed the unit on China and will begin learning about Japan and Korea next week. Have a great weekend!
Mr. Harris: Green – Students are finishing up our unit on generating equivalent expressions. Students are working on adding and subtracting expressions from each other, before the last section where they must generate different types of expressions.
Blue – students are working on factoring expressions, the opposite of the distributive property. After this, they will work on adding and subtracting expressions.
Ms. Bilmazes & Ms. Holmes: It’s great to see everyone again after vacation! Mrs. Holmes and I have been meeting, during the success block, with those students who have pull-out support in Math and ELA. This time is spent working on a variety of interventions, such as iReady, additional practice, help with homework and classwork support. In addition, students are receiving support in the classroom from myself, Mrs. Holmes, and/or Ms. Credit. In ELA, students have begun the Chasing the Impossible unit in StudySync and have been involved in a discussion about chasing your dreams and attaining goals. In Math, students are working on the distributive property using variables. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions.
GRADE 8:
Ms. Deblasis: We will begin Topic 4: Investigating Bivariate Data. We will be constructing & interpreting scatter plots, analyzing linear associations,
and using linear models to make predictions.
Mr. Marinella: ELA– Blue and Purple English has started a new novel that we are going to be reading and dissecting; The Call of the Wild. This story is about a dog named Buck who experiences hardships at the hands of his masters and must ultimately find freedom in the Yukon. While men fight and search for gold, Buck will be fighting and searching for his true identity, one that is tied to his wild ancestry. This book is overcoming hardship, connecting with your past, and becoming who you truly are.
Civics– Moving forward from our lengthy discussions on the Bill of Rights, the 8th grade is now moving forward in history and looking at how new Amendments were added to the Constitution and how they brought new protections to the citizens. We will be looking at the freeing of the slaves, widening the parameters on who can cast a vote, and how the nation sought to protect those previously forgotten. The Civil War and Civil Rights are deeply connected and will be focus of our next several classes!
Ms. Sullivan: This week we will be starting our chemistry unit. We will be learning about the periodic table of elements and the differences between atoms, molecules and compounds.
Mr. Blaustein: We completed the lesson on the First Amendment before vacation with a Quiz. This week we are working on Lesson 2 Other Bill of Rights Protections and are planning our quiz for Friday. Next week we will be studying Lesson 3 The Civil War Amendments.
Mr. Harris: Purple and Blue – students have jumped back into looking at proportional relationships and linear equations. Students are working on finding the slope of lines from tables, graphs, and equations. We will be moving into adding in the last part of the equation, the y-intercept, and learning about how this changes these linear equations into non-proportional relationships.
Ms. MacKinnon: We have begun our unit on Chemistry and the structure of matter. Students will do this by Developing a model to describe that (a) atoms combine in a multitude of ways to produce pure substances which make up all of the living and nonliving things that we encounter, (b) atoms form molecules and compounds that range in size from two to thousands of atoms, and (c) mixtures are composed of different proportions of pure substances. Examples of molecular-level models could include drawings, three-dimensional ball and stick structures, and computer representations showing different molecules with different types of atoms.
Ms. Senior: Welcome back and Happy 2022. Finishing “The Outsiders” in ELA class and in Math, scatter plots are being perfected by grade 8 students.
SPECIALISTS:
Physical Education: (Mr. Demarais): We are continuing with ort team sports unit. As always make sure all students dress for the weather as we will be going outside for our 1/2 mile warm up walk.
Art (Ms. Boulger): The students in 7,8 blue and orange groups are working a variety of mixed media art assignments such as murals, paintings, sculptures and drawings! Students in grades 5 and 6 are making pinch pots and small clay sculptures while learning the stages of clay.
The art department is looking for donations of the following:
new/used sports equipment (specifically footballs, and basketballs)
new/used frames
new/used/ unused plastic or glass jars to store mixed paint.
new/used T-shirts to use as smocks.
Artwork by Zoey and Carmen
Health (Ms. Reynolds):
grade 5 – We are studying Bullying, how to handle being bullied, and how to be better bystanders.
grade 6 – We have begun our first aid unit and will be looking at the Heimlich Maneuver, how to recognize the signs of Heart Attack and Stroke
grade 7 – We are continuing on in our Anger Management unit, focusing on conflict resolution skills
grade 8- Students will be working on their slideshow projects, focusing on a drug of abuse to research and discuss with the class.
Library (Ms. Michitson): Happy New Year!
We’re back to our book contest and things are going well. We continue to learn about the stock market, and reading the headline in the newspapers.
Technology (Mr. Gordon): Technology classes are taking the first few days of 2022 to catch up on and complete any and all work that has been previously assigned. This also gives students a chance to receive extra help with skills that they have not mastered yet.
SCHOOL SUPPORT STAFF
Guidance (Ms. Vlahos): This week I will be visiting all 8th grade classrooms and conducting a lesson on interview skills and preparation. Whether or not your 8th grader will have a high school admissions interview this school year, all 8th grade students will learn about this invaluable life skill through class discussion, modeling and mock interviewing and ongoing practice.
I continue to be available to connect with and support all students and families throughout the school week. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at jvlahos@haverhill-ps.org. I look forward to our continued work in support of a healthy, safe, and successful school year!
Student Support Coordinator (Mr. Newell): I am available to help support students and their families in any way possible. Please email me with any questions, thank you.
Student Adjustment Counselor (Ms. White): I hope everyone had a nice relaxing break and welcome back to school for the start of 2022! We will continue to work on taking care of ourselves and our relationships with others. As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns!
Middle School Support Program (Mrs. Leydon & Mr. Diffin): Great to see everyone back after break! We’ve spent the week sharing about our weeks and what we did over it, while asking each other questions or making comments. Hope everyone is feeling well-rested, and reach out with any questions or concerns.
Parent Liaison (Ms. Arias-Reyes): ¡Feliz año nuevo! Recuerden que mi horario es de 8:30am a 3:30 pm y mi número es 781-666-4085 y mi correo electrónico es maria.ariasreyes@haverhill-ps.org, me pueden llamar, mandar un mensaje de texto o enviarme un correo electrónico. También tienen la opción de llamar a la escuela directamente para contactarme o usar la aplicación Remind, esta aplicación manda los mensajes directamente a mi computadora. Si tienen una pregunta o preocupación y necesitan un intérprete no duden en contactarme. Estaré más que feliz de poder ayudarlos a comunicarse con los maestros de sus hijos y el personal de la escuela. ¡Que tengan un buen fin de semana!
ELL (Ms. Khakali & Corporan): All of our ELLs will be taking the mandated ACCESS test soon. Over the next few weeks we will be practicing reading, writing, listening and speaking academic English in the same format of the test. Our goal is for students to be comfortable with the test format so they can excel at demonstrating the English they have mastered.
Student Support Center (Mrs. Greenwood): Happy New Year to all. It has been great to have the kids back in school. We hope everyone has a great weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions to Mrs. Greenwood or Miss House.
Reading Intervention Team (Ms. Guthrie, Ms. Carney, Ms. Trovato): The literacy team has been busy preparing for and helping administer 5th grade benchmark assessments! Study Sync unit three is off to a great start! Stay safe and enjoy the snow!