Gator Bites
November 7, 2022
Upcoming Events at Gateway!
NO SCHOOL Nov. 8
NO SCHOOL Nov. 11
Half Day of School Nov. 23
Picture Days:
Littleville's make up picture day is Nov. 7
Class of 2025 Fundraiser:
Help support the class of 2025 by order from Fun Pasta. There is pasta shaped as different sports, animals, college logos, and more. They also have soups, chilis, holiday gifts and gourmet packs. Boy, is it fun to shop and Fun Pasta! Click here to order: https://funpastafundraising.com/shop/gateway-class-of-2025
High School Trip Abroad in February
First Grade Doctors at Littleville
The first graders at Littleville celebrated the end of one of their Human Body Language Arts unit last week. The classes celebrated by dressing up like a doctor/surgeon for the day and participating in a variety of fun activities including: playing the game Operation, making x-ray hands, practicing word reading skills that they learned, and more! They thoroughly enjoyed learning all about the human body and how it works!
Respectfulness was the October character trait superpower celebrated at Chester
Chester held its first PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) Celebration Ceremony on October 27. Respectfulness was the trait of the month in October. The celebration started with a recognition of the ten students were selected for demonstrating respectfulness as their superpower by school staff. Each of the students received a superhero mask, cape, and certificate. Next, all the students at Chester received Superpower Squad bracelets since all students at Chester have character superpowers.
Staff are now searching for students who demonstrate responsibility as their superpower during the month of November. Who will power up with responsibility and earn their cape next month?
Their Character is their Superpower at Chester Elementary School!
On the GRSD fields
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
Chapter 74 Vocational programs Updates
Our Early Education and Care (EEC) program is thriving with our largest Freshman Class since its inception. Students enrolled in this program, study child growth and development as well as early childhood education. This is a four year, hands-on, vocational program where students leave eligible for a Professional Qualifications Certificate from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. With this certification, students that graduate can go directly to working as a preschool teacher in a child-care center. Students also obtain their First Aid and CPR certifications prior to graduation. In addition, we. have an articulation agreement with Holyoke Community College where students receive college credit for the work that they do in our EEC program at Gateway. Several past graduates of our program have secured positions teaching in local child-care centers while others have gone directly to college to study early childhood education, elementary education, special education, social work, child psychology, nursing, medical assisting and business.
Welding
EEC
EEC
High School Students Looking for Internships to get a Taste of Their Desired Career
Gateway Education Foundation - Funding educational endeavors that enhance and inspire our students at Gateway regional School District
Recent projects included:
- Kindergarteners gardening and hatching baby chicks
- Middle and High School students developing new skills through Broadway performance workshops and summer music camp.
-Brand new books and supplies making it into the hands of students during the pandemic
-Virtual field trips delighting and informing students when regular field trips were off limits during the pandemic
-Weekly subscription to Weekly News for Littleville's second grade students. Students thoroughly enjoy this "magazine" that includes many interesting topics, current news and online access to even more activities and extensions.
Please help the GEF continue to fund enhancing and enriching opportunities for students by participating in Giving Tuesday on November 29. Information is below:
Banking at School Program in Partnership with Westfield Band
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! 😊
What is It Takes a Village?
We provide free Home Visits to families with newborns, free baby and children's items from our Village Closet donation site, and several Parent Groups throughout the Hilltowns.
We rely on volunteers from all over Western Massachusetts.
To learn about our different volunteer opportunities, click here.
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 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.
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.
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.
Past Gator Bites
October 19: https://www.smore.com/w2fk5
October 10: https://www.smore.com/m9uke
October 3: https://www.smore.com/pnds3
September 23: https://www.smore.com/q0x4c
September 16: https://www.smore.com/bkwp3
September 9: https://www.smore.com/uyc4m
September 1: https://www.smore.com/vu28z
August 25: https://www.smore.com/k2jehc
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