Gator Bites
October 28, 2022
Upcoming Events at Gateway!
NO SCHOOL Nov. 8
NO SCHOOL Nov. 11
Half Day of School Nov. 23
Spooky Spirit Day at GRMS/GRHS will be on Monday, October 31. Students can wear their costumes (no face masks) or show their spooky spirit by wearing black, orange and/or purple.
Chester's Annual Boo Bash! This spookily fun Chester Elementary School family dance will be held on Friday, Oct. 28 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm in the school gym. Admission is $3 per person at the door. Pizza chips and drinks will be available as well as fun games ($1 to play each game) and music.
Littleville's make up picture day is Nov. 7
Last week to donate items for It Takes a Village donation drive is next week. Our 7th grade Service Learning class has set up a drive for personal care items for the satellite site of It Takes a Village at GRHS. Their wish list includes: Deodorant, new underwear/boxers, new socks and showering essentials. There is a box in the main lobby for donations.
The Hilltown Holiday Help Campaign is gearing up to start collecting to help our Hilltown families in need. Please see the flyers below. More information will be coming out soon.
Help support the GRSD class of 2023
Use the link below to shop for Little Ceasers pizza kits and more. In fact, Pizza kits, breadsticks, and cookies will be delivered right to your door! Here is the link:
https://fundraising.littlecaesars.com/fundraisers/support/892a14df-b646-4f0e-ada0-7e57fa70a23e
GRMS student is awarded the 2022 Meg Robertson Mobility Award
We are excited to announce that during the presentation, Gabby Mann, a Gateway Middle School student, was announced as the winner of the Youth Award for the 2022 Meg Robertson Mobility Award. This award is given to one student in Massachusetts based on their growth in orientation and mobility and their motivation to succeed. Congratulations Gabby!
Littleville's Kindergarten classes celebrate the culmination of their nursery rhyme and fables unit
Littleville's Kindergartners have been learning about nursery rhymes and fables as part of their reading program. On Friday, Oct. 14th they celebrated the completion of the unit by having a dress up day and participating gin several activities. Many students as well as staff dressed up as one of the characters in the nursery rhymes and fables that were covered in the unit. Students began their celebration day by parading through the 1st and 2nd grade classroom to share their costumes as well as some of the nursery rhymes that they learned. They then returned to their classes and had a special nursery rhyme snack as they completed a Humpty Dumpty craft and a nursery rhyme math activity.
On the GRSD fields
Soccer: Both our girls' team and boys' teams are now playing in the play-offs. Unfortunately, their games are away. If they advance, they may have a home game and we will certainly post that information!
Winter Sports Signups just went live Our wrestling and basketball coaches are getting geared up for a great season. All sign-ups are online on our Gateway Regional School District website. The sign up deadline is Nov. 18th and practices will start on Nov. 28 Go to the site, click on Departments, click on Athletics and you'll find the link. It's right here as well: https://grsdorg.finalsite.com/fs/form-manager/view/480e96a4-2328-411b-8729-151f89582e8b
Link to the Winter Sports Calendar of Games/Matches: Come and support our Gators!!! Here is the link to our Winter Sports Schedule: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1b9xWbUdcIa5lN2gQ4OZ2J2uhZFEKY5cFvzEBRxeQi80/edit?usp=sharing
Progress on the Transformation of our State of the Art Welding Shop
Not only will our students be benefiting from this grant but adults in the area will as well. We will be offering evening welding classes to adults in and around our community. Keep reading Gator Bites and watch the transformation.
Did you know that we have Dual Enrollment and Online Options for GRHS students?
We have a Dual Enrollment agreement with Holyoke Technical and Community College. In the past three years our students have taken advantage of taking free college courses at HTCC as well as getting a jump start on earning college credits that can transfer if a senior decides to go to a different college upon graduation. The courses that our students have taken include: English Composition, Statistics and Introduction to Psychology.
We are also currently working with Springfield Technical and Community College to create a partnership . In fact, we are enrolling the six seniors in our Water Treatment Operator pilot pathway in STCC's Water Treatment course that will prepare them to take the "T1" exam and be certified as a Water Treatment Plant Operator In-Training once passed.
In addition, if a high school student wants more rigor and to learn about a topic that we don't currently offer a course for, they can an enroll in on-line courses. Students can also have a block scheduled during the day to work on the course. Online courses that have been taken by our high school students in the past include: French, AP French, AP Spanish, Chinese, German, Graphic Art, Art History, Video Game Design, Police Field Service, Intro to Coding, Latin and many more.
Thank you Hilltown 6 Collective
Over the past 3 years the Hilltown 6 Pottery Tour has donated funds to help support the Littleville and Chester Art programs. The Hilltown 6 Collective is a group of nationally recognized potters based in the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. Each summer on the last weekend of July, they open their studios for a coordinated tour, inviting neighbors, friends, collectors, and the curious to see their workshops, kilns, showrooms, as well as their new work. Initially, the group wanted to ensure that, during remote learning, students were still able to access supplies for their art classes. Now that remote learning is over, The Hilltown 6 Collective is continuing their support of our elementary school art programs. We are so lucky to have such a caring and supportive arts community that surrounds us! For more information of the Hilltown 6 Collective click here: https://www.hilltown6.com/
GRHS Starting A Robotics Team
Pictured is Rosie, the Agawam High School robotics team's competition robot. Earlier this week, members of our team visited Agawam's team to learn about their program, collaborate with members of the Agawam team who have built and competed in national competitions with Rosie and to meet Rosie.
We need YOU for School Council
Principals Jason Finnie, Gateway Regional Middle/High School and Andrew Samuelson, Littleville Elementary School invite you to help shape the vision and future of our schools by joining their School Councils. Each of our schools has a School Council. At each school, this group is a representative, school-based committee composed of the principal, parents and community members, teachers, and students. The council meets monthly, and plays a vital role in shaping our School Improvement Plans. The focus of our schools for the 2022-'23 school year will be the development of school level improvement plans based on our newly developed district strategy plan.
If you are interested, please complete the form for the school of your interest.
Gateway HS/MS please complete this Google Form by Friday, October 28th.
Littleville Elementary School please use this link to complete the form: https://forms.gle/tQVw3Wj7qPwnsZ166
Please feel free to contact either Principal, Mr. Finnie at 413.685.1105 (jfinnie@grsd.org ) or Mr. Andrew Samuelson at 413.685.1300 (asamuelson@grsd.org) if you have any questions.
At Chester the PTO recommended parents and guardians for Chester's School Council in the beginning of the school year. Members were confirmed during Chester's September PTO meeting. On November 29 the School Council will meet virtually. Invites will be sent out the first week of November. Chester's School Council will meet four times a year: November 29, January 17, March 7 and May 9. Please reach out to vmaffuccio@grsd.org with any questions.
Banking at School program coming to Gateway
Homecoming 5K results and Alumni Band Concert
It was a beautiful day to run through the fields and forests of Littleville Dam. We had 23 runners and 3 walkers for our annual Homecoming 5K.
The top females were: 1-Anya Niles, 2- Alexandra Henrichon and 3- Lucy Pitoniak. All are students at Gateway Regional Schools.
The top males were: 1- Steve Pitoniak, 2- Mark Green, and 3- Jason Niles. Two of the top males are parents of GRSD students and one is a 7th grade teacher.
The Alumni Band was fantastic!! Thank you for everyone that attended. The band played an assortment of songs and sounded great.
The Littleville Holiday Bazaar is Back!
Come join us for a fun-filled day of crafts, food, and community building on Saturday, November 19th from 10am - 3pm in the halls of Littleville Elementary School. Events for this day will include: crafts, a variety of vendors with items for sale, a silent auction, raffles, a bake sale and baked potatoes and homemade hot soups for lunch
If you are a crafter or a vendor and would like to join us, please contact Anne Fisk at afisk@grsd.org for a registration form. Act quickly as spaces are limited and filling up fast.
We hope to see you there! 😊
Drive to help fill the Village Closet's satellite site at Gateway
The 7th grade Service Learning Class stepped up to the plate to help and is holding a drive through the end of October. Items on their wishlist include:
- deodorant
- new underwear/boxers
- new socks
- showering essentials
Please donate if you can. There is a box in the lobby for donations. Thank you in advance.
GRHS 2022-2023 Yearbooks on sale
High School yearbooks are now on sale! The current cost is $50. This is the LOWEST offer of the year. The price will increase in December, so buy now! Our students put a lot of energy and effort into this beautiful, hardcover, 124 page, full-color book. Students can pre-order online at JostensYearbooks.com, or can bring cash or check to Mrs. Wing in the high school to reserve their copy.
Here is a direct link to our sales page: https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A03474300
What's happening in the community?
Middlefield's Halloween Trick-or-Treat night will be held Saturday, Oct. 29 from 5-7. This same night and time Azure Green, 16 Bell Road Middlefield, will also be providing snacks and tables for families to gather, neighbors to chat, and for kids to play. Costumes are encouraged.
Drive-in movie and trick or treating in Huntington on Halloween night Monday, Oct. 31 BTA Auto in Huntington is again having its drive-in movie - The Charlie Brown Halloween movie and trick or treating on site. The movie starts at 6pm.
Middlefield Public library, in conjunction with The Children's Support Network, has set up a story walk of the book "Different Kinds of Hurts: Isaac's Story" along the walkway leading into the Middlefield Library. Any child who explores the story walk and also borrows a book can go to the treasure box and bring home a prize! Library hours are Monday 1-6, Tuesday 1-4, Wednesday 5:30-8 and Saturday 9-12.
November activities at the Russell Library
- Adults sign up at the Russell Public Library for Pastel Drawing with Greg Maichack on Thursday, November 17th at 6:30 pm . All materials and instruction will be provided to create a piece of art worthy of framing.
The Snowflake Holiday Craft Fair is back in Chester
This wonderful Holiday Craft Fair will be returning to the Chester Town Hall on Saturday, November 5th from 9am - 3pm.
American Mountain Club/ WMA Chapter Events at Noble View
* Saturday, Nov.12th from 10am-12pm - Is It A Tulip Tree? Family Tree Identification Hike at Noble View for all ages with your guide, Josh Minardi, an Environmental Scientist. Also, Join us for a leaf collecting and follow up activity at the "view".
* Friday, Dec. 16th from 6pm-9pm Join us at Noble View for "Eyes to the Skies," a family night to search the skies and welcome the coming of Winter. A self-guided StoryWalk® of “Look Up,” will also be available.
GYAA Sports, Games, Sign-ups and Events
Basketball:
Gateway Youth Athletic Association (GYAA) has opened registration for suburban basketball. The suburban basketball league is the competitive travel team. The season starts in November and runs into early March. Registration is open for boys and girls, grades five through eight. If interested visit the GYAA website ( https://clubs.bluesombrero.com/gatewayyaa ) or the GYAA Facebook page for registration links.
The recreational basketball program for kindergarten through sixth will open soon. For questions or comments contact Nick Balboni at nick_balboni@yahoo.com.
Annual Community Coat Drive The annual Hilltown Coat Drive will be benefiting It Takes and Village and the Hilltown Community Family Center. This drive was started in 2012 by Rachel LeBarron and is being continued by her younger sister Bella Lebarron who lives in the Hilltowns. There will be a box in the Gateway Regional HS/MS lobby for the coat donations.
Coming Up!
Contact Info!
Chester Elementary School:
Principal Vanna Maffuccio vmaffuccio@grsd.org
Littleville Elementary School:
Principal Andrew Samuelson asamuelson@grsd.org
Principal Jason Finnie jfinnie@grsd.org
Assistant Principal Will Sullivan wsullivan@grsd.org
Athletic Director Matt Bonenfant mbonenfant@grsd.org
Superintendent Kristen Smidy, ksmidy@grsd.org