HRHS Faculty Newsletter
December 10-14
This Week's Calendar
Day 1
Tuesday 12/11:
Day 7
Progress Reports Printed (please have grades updated and ready for printing)
Faculty Meeting 2:30-3:30
Wednesday 12/12:
Day 6
Progress Reports Distributed
Thursday 12/13:
Day 5
Friday 12/14:
Day 4
Safety
AEDs: The Kev's Foundation, through a donation from the Bisbee family, has provided two new AEDs to be housed on the second and third floor. Until cabinets are ordered, one AED will be housed in the library and one will be housed in Mark Biagini's office. Once the cabinets are received and installed, you will be notified of the location of their permanent locations.
Safety Survey:
Students were asked to take a survey on locker use and safety at HRHS during advisory on November 28. We got 415 total responses (57% of our student population).
Out of the 415 student responses, all teachers/counselors/admin were identified as people who are safe contacts for students. Congratulations!
Out of the 30 students who put that they did not have anyone in the building that they felt safe talking to:
- 7th grade: 5
- 8th grade: 6
- 9th grade: 9
- 10th grade: 3
- 11th grade: 7
- 12th grade: 0
Do you feel safe at HRHS?
Do you have adults who you feel comfortable talking to at HRHS?
For Your Information & Action:
Cleaning Classrooms: To help with the cleaning of your rooms, please do not leave anything on the desk tops. If you would like the white board cleaned, please erase it (if you need to leave writing on the board that is fine, we will not erase it).
Para-Educator Training: Para educators will receive information from Exceptional Child and Kate Messmer early next week for an online training that they are assigned to complete on the half day professional development time for December 14.
Technology: Please be sure to lock up all technology at the end of each night. Laptops should be returned to COWs and Calves and properly locked. Teacher laptops should be put away before leaving. With winter sports and classrooms used from time to time for evening events, it is in your best interest to be sure that everything is properly secured!
Microwaves in Cafeteria: The Health Inspector informed admin that we can no longer have microwaves available for student use in the cafeteria. Students were not cleaning up their spilled food after each use even with consistent reminders, so the health inspector determined that the microwaves need to be removed.
Curriculum Maps: Please see the Curriculum Maps Expectations overview for a reminder about curriculum maps.
Grinspoon Award Nominations
The Hampshire Regional administration has the privilege of selecting one Harold Grinspoon Teacher of Excellence Award Winner each year. Award winners are honored at a ceremony at the Log Cabin, given a monetary prize, have their names engraved on a plaque in the main office, and most importantly, receive the acknowledgment of being exceptional in the field of teaching. After consideration, we have decided to open up the selection process to include nominations from colleagues. It is important to us to get your feedback before we decide on the HRHS recipient.
Please consider nominating a colleague for this prestigious award.
When administration decides on the winner, we must take the following into consideration. Recipients must:
- have a valid Teaching License from MA
- Be employed full time
- Have a 95% attendance rate
- Have an overall proficient summative evaluation
- Have subject mastery and creativity
- A strong impact on students
- Support of and have a positive impact on other teachers’ practice
- Participate in professional development
- Show evidence of going “above and beyond: in the classroom and school community
Please submit an email with your nomination to Kristen, Mark AND Lauren by Friday, December 21st. Nominations will be kept confidential. The Grinspoon winner will be announced at our half day PD in February at lunch.
Reminders
Spirit Week:
Monday, 12/17: Pajama Day
Tuesday, 12/18: Twin Day
Wednesday, 12/19: Leg day/Workout Day
Thursday, 12/20: America Day
Friday, 12/21: Color Wars
Class Colors:
- Pinkham's team: Blue
- Czarniecki's team: Black
- Butler's team: Red
- Green's team: White
- Freshmen: White
- Sophomores: Blue
- Juniors: Red
- Seniors: Black
- Faculty: Green! Let's go!
Staff Shout Outs!
Please send staff shout outs to Lauren by 10am every Friday!
- Shout out to Andrea Belanger and Kim Florek for organizing the Evening of Code in partnership with the Westhampton Public Library. The event was held in the HRHS Library last Tuesday and over 20 students and parents from the district participated.
- Michelle Tola has taken it upon herself to do additional professional development to get Wilson trained!
Responsibility and Perseverance:
- Huge shout out to Dara Adams-Smith and Aidan Talbot for putting together a spirited and engaging show with a dedicated and talented crew. It is a giant undertaking and they handled it like pros! The students and staff at Norris were also hugely impressed with the concert in Southampton on Thursday!
- Thank you to Mike Marchetti and Patti Richmond for organizing tours and classroom visits for students from the Clarke School!
- Thank you to Tobin Ritt and Tara O'Brien for hosting students from the Clarke School in your classrooms, and Dan Korpita who spoke to the students about PE and gave them a tour of the fitness room.
- Shout out to Cinde Messer who has been great in supporting students who need extra help and support in algebra 2!
- Susannah Branch has written many excellent college recommendation letters in addition to having four preps and having a student intern!
- Shout out to Nancy Parlakulas, special ed director, who worked creatively to bring a student back from out of district, doing what is best for the student and saving the district some money.
Collaboration and Engagement:
- Shout out to John Plourd for putting on the Fall Sports Awards Night on Wednesday, and to all of our fall coaches (Dan Moynahan, Steve Croft, Dan Korpita, James Belcastro, Sue Tracy, Billy Broaddus, and Jeff Carreiro) for great seasons!
- Thank you to Deena Lashway for a great field hockey season and for devoting a ton of time to this new program!
- Rachel Sylvester noticed that a student needed extra support and stepped in without being asked. Thank you Rachel!
- Sue Bresnahan has put a ton of time and effort into planning the Christmas party! Thanks Sue!
- Thank you to Lyndsey Oppenheimer for being super organized and always having kids' best interests in mind!
Gail Mailhott-Foster met with Patti Richmond, a student, and his parents to teach them how to use Google Dictation and other Google apps/extensions to help with writing. The student and parent were very appreciative of her time and knowledge.
Respect and Compassion:
- Shout out to Kelsey Cropp for her mindful and informed work with students in our GSA. We are so lucky to have you, Kelsey!
- Thank you to Laura Bean for being supportive of a student observer from Westfield State!
- Shout out to Dana Doolittle who has gone above and beyond to provide resources and support for a student.
- Thank you to Allison Labrecque and Julie Abel for going the extra mile for a student.
- Thank you to Jason Threlfall for being unfailingly optimistic, kind, and compassionate!
- Shout out to Stacy Camp, Bill Randolph, and Kristen Smidy for helping out when a ride was needed.
- Shout out to Patti Richmond for her thoughtful compassion and assistance in navigating a difficult family situation for a student.
Student Spotlight
Senior of the Week: Sam Piper has pushed himself academically and has taught himself everything there is to know about computer programming. Way to go, Sam!
Junior of the Week: Javier Hernandez volunteered his time to give a tour and speak to Clarke students about HRHS on Wednesday! Javier goes out of his way to be friendly and kind all the time.
Sophomore of the Week: Fred Murray is an outstanding leader. He is a strong athlete, diligent student, and thoughtful member of our community. He recently gave a tour to potential future Raiders from the Clarke School and was a great host. Keep it up, Fred!
Freshman of the Week: Will Rukakoski volunteered his time to give a tour and speak to Clarke students about HRHS on Wednesday! In addition, Will has perfect attendance so far this year with zero tardies or absences.
Greylock Student of the Week: Abby Hennessy warmly welcomed a new student to the classroom. Abby took it upon herself to prepare a work space for the new student at Abby's table group. This is an example of Abby's thoughtfulness and caring.