Thursday, May 25 and Friday, May 26 - Pre Kindergarten Screening (see below for details)

Friday, May 26 - High School Prom

Monday, May 29 - Blandford Memorial Day Parades - 7th - 12th grade band will be marching in the parades

Tuesday, May 30th 6:30-8:30 - Gators 2022-23 Sports Banquet. The banquet will be held in the GRHS cafeteria and more details will be coming out soon. Please send sports photos to the Gateway Athletics Booster Committee: gateway.athletics.booster@gmail.com

Friday, June 2 - High School GRADUATION

Tuesday, June 6 6:30pm- Middle School Concert Come and hear our 6th , for the 5th, 6th , 7th , and 8th grade band students as they put on a spectacular show. The concert will begin at 6:30 PM. Students should arrive at 6:00 PM in concert black and white.

Sunday, June 11 5:00pm - Gateway Night at the Westfield Starfires Baseball Games - Come to the game at Bullens Field in Westfield on June 11th to celebrate the end of the year at Gateway Night!! Tickets are $10. Use the QR code above to purchase your tickets in advance. Our band will be playing, our chorus will be singing, there will be lawn games between innings for the kids and our baseball and softball teams will be with the Starfires team during the National Anthem.

• Band parents, please use this link to let us know if your child will be coming and participating in this fun event. Their entrance fee is covered by a grant. Link: https://forms.gle/sk1WGrZfRDf12rcXA

Banking Day

• GRMS and Littleville Elementary - the first and third Wednesday of the month.
• Chester Elementary - the first and third Tuesday of the month.

Superintendent Kristen Smidy announced last week that that Ms. Melissa McCaul has accepted the position of Interim Principal at Littleville Elementary School for the 23-24 school year.

Ms. McCaul is a graduate of Gateway Regional School District and has worked in our district for 20 years as a support staff, teacher, coach, and currently she is filling in the role as the Student Support Leader, which is a one-time grant funded position supporting all students at Littleville Elementary School. She is very well respected amongst her colleagues and the families within the district. She has her emergency license as an elementary principal and will be working on obtaining her initial license this upcoming school year. Mrs. Smidy commented, "I am thrilled and will be working closely with Ms. McCaul to support her leadership alongside her and her principal mentor."

All parents interested in Pre School at Gateway for their child(ren)Screening, must sign their child(ren) up for screening. Screenings will be held on Thursday, May 25, 2023: Appointments every 45 minutes between 9:15-11:30 & 12:45-3:00 and on Friday, May 26, 2023: Appointments every 45 minutes between 9:15-11:30. All screenings will take place at Chester Elementary School. To sign up please contact Stephanie Conway in the Pupil Services Office at 685-1017 between Monday, May 1, 2023 and Wednesday, May 10, 2023. NO EARLY CALLS PLEASE.

All children interested in enrolling in any of Gateway’s Integrated Preschool Programs must participate in preschool screenings as part of the registration process to be considered for a peer partner slot.

Summer camp is quickly approaching. We're so excited for camp this summer and have a great agenda of activities, experiences and field trips planned. Camp runs from Monday, July 10 - Thursday, August 10. Field trips are every Thursday and campers must bring a packed lunch from home on Thursdays. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Melinda Slowey for questions regarding Wrap Around/Jr. Explorers (upcoming Kindergarten to 4th grade) at mslowey@grsd.org and Mrs. Martha Clark for questions regarding the Explorers Camp (upcoming grades 5th - 9th) at mclark@grsd.org. Please click below for our bus routes:

The Gateway Education Foundation Trivia night on Saturday, May 13 was a fun-filled evening for all who attended! There was great competition during trivia, wonderful raffles and a 50/50. Over $1600 was raised to fund innovative programming for students designed by our Gateway Staff. Thank you to everyone who attended. In addition, thank you to all who donated items for our raffle for your generous support:

Comfort Kitchen

Chester Common Table/Carms

Moltenbreys Market

Gateway Farm and Pet

Montgomery Grill

Grey Catbird Gift Shop and Art Gallery

Sarah Foley Photography

Junebug Rocks

Huntington Country Store

Laurie Martell'Nick Balboni

Basketball Hall of Fame

Wilderness Experiences Unlimited

Cinemark Theaters

The Tavern Restaurant

Stop N Shop

Rockinghourse Ridge Farm

Deborah Phillbrook Snape

B and D Variety

Kristen Smidy

Lisa Goding

Lindsey Papillion

Center City Auto

Our high school counselors will be holding a Post Secondary Planning Night workshop for students in 9th, 10th and 11th grade and their parents/guardians on Wednesday, May 24th, starting at 6:00pm. The meeting will take place in the distance learning center across from the main office. We will be discussing topics regarding creating a list of colleges, the college application process, financial aid, SAT/ACT information, personal essays, teacher recommendations and college visits. Feel free to contact us with any questions at 413 685 1108. See you there!

On Wednesday night, May 10, the school committee approved our updated bullying plan which will go into effect immediately. You can view it here and on our website.

Each year the members of the senior class nominate five of their peers for the prestigious Golden Achievement Award. After the five nominees are selected, the names go out to our middle and high school staff who then vote for one of the five nominees for the Golden Achievement Award. This prestigious award is presented to the one member of the senior class who best exemplifies 1. Outstanding Academic Achievement 2. Outstanding Leadership to School and Community 3. Outstanding Service to School and Community.

The May 5th edition of Gator Bites includes the narratives of each of the nominees.

Pictured below (left to right) the nominees are: Olivia Kanner, Olivia Dame, Liam Bowler, Lucy Pitoniak, and Nancy Mueller.

Gateway High School's 11th and 12th grade art students enjoyed a beautiful day of discovery at MASS MoCA Art Museum. MASS MoCA is the biggest contemporary art museum in the United States. This annual field trip ran for the first time since 2019(Pre-pandemic). Thank you to the Cultural Councils of Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, and Russell for their large support for this trip. Without their powerful support, this field trip would not have been possible. Our students had a wonderful time and were mesmerized by the beautiful and thought-provoking exhibits.

Nurse Heather came to talk to the half day preschoolers about germs and the importance of washing their hands. The preschoolers in Miss Sue’s just started a new unit on health and safety. Nurse Heather read the students a book about germs and then applied some pretend germs (glitter) to their hands via lotion to see if the children could thoroughly wash these visible germs away. They also discovered how easily the germs spread.

Caden Boeri, a 2019 graduate of Gateway is pictured to the left is seen conducting the band at Southwick High School. Retired teacher Mrs. Jeri Beauregard was at the concert and stated, "He directed the band and the choir with excellence on May 11th at the Southwick Middle/High School Spring Concert."

Last Saturday, May 20 Caiden graduated from Westfield University with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education. During his college career, he student taught with Mrs. Guertin and Mrs. Beauregard at Gateway, Ms. Clark at Westfield High and just finished his final student teaching assignment at Southwick Middle/High School.

** If you know of any Gateway High School graduates that we can feature in this new column, please contact Mrs. Clark at mclark@grsd.org.

https://www.collaborative.org/event/youth-mental-health-blended/

Our School Committee approved a revised 2023-24 School calendar. Click below to download and view the approved calendar for next school year.

From the Director of School Health Services for DPH:

The federal and state public health emergencies will end on May 11. What this means for school health offices:

• Isolation and quarantine guidance for COVID-19 will not change and will be in

accordance with previously issued state "Guidance for Children and Staff in Child Care,

K-12, Out-of-School Time and Recreational Camp/Program Settings."

• Facemasks will no longer be routinely required in school health offices.

• Facemasks in licensed school-based health centers are subject to Centers for Medicare

and Medicaid Services regulation, which is based on the Centers for Disease Control’s

"Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel

During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic" guidance.

• School health staff should continue to use appropriate PPE for management of known or

suspected cases of COVID-19, including where healthcare personnel perform testing.

Click here for great deals on your Gator wear: https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/massachusetts/huntington/gateway-high-school

Thank you to our entire community for coming out for the Senior Night Games for both our Varsity Baseball Team and our Varsity Softball Team. The stands were packed and we were all able to cheer our teams, and especially our seniors, on!

Congratulations to our senior players:

Baseball: Dominic Lucia, Jacob Tester, Liam Bowler, Zander Hicks, Rylie Heeter and Owen Przybyla

Softball: Olivia Dame and Olivia Kanner

Congratulations to Gateway Junior Eli Gilbert for making Second Team All-State Wresting! Way to go Eli!!

Congratulations to Alexandra Henrichon, a Freshman at Gateway, for making the All Western Massachusetts First Team for Girls Basketball!! Way to go Alex!!!

The Gateway Athletics Booster Committee in conjunction with the Gateway Athletics Department is hosting the Gateway All Sports Banquet on May 30. Please click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfz3RJdlF3iD7_Qd41KNRMUDdAIEkY2MEqrVkBkH1HIapelLw/viewform more details. You can also RSVP, sign up to volunteer/donate and upload photos of your student athlete right through the link. We hope to see you there!

Please see the attached Field Trip Fact Sheet to answer any questions that you have about medications, etc. on field trips.

You can still purchase a Middle School Memory Book, the yearbook for our middle school. The cost is $13. Make checks payable to Gateway Regional School District and reserve your Memory Book today with Mrs. O'Malley.

• Gateway Regional School District is looking for substitute teachers and nurses

• Gateway's Special Education Summer Camp is hiring for:
• Special Education Teachers: $50/hour (Sped and/or Early Childhood certified
• preferred)
• Special Education Paras: $25/hour
• Summer Camp Nurse
• Contact Kurt Garivaltis at 413-685-1019 if you are interested or for more information

• The Town of Huntington is seeking a full-time Highway Superintendent. Applicants must possess a Massachusetts Class B CDL with Air Brake Endorsement and 2B or higher & 4G Hoisting Engineer’s licenses. Application and complete job description are available online at https://huntingtonma.us/alerts.html#jobs or by emailing admin@huntingtonma.us. Position is open until filled. Town of Huntington is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
  

The Appalachian Mountain Club Western MA Chapter, The Russell Public Library & The Hilltown Family Center Event:

New Storywalk for the book, We Are Water Protectors.

Upcoming Russell Library Events:

Saturday, May 20 10:00am Signs of Spring! Come to Storytime, eat "ants on a log", create a bug and flower craft, and enjoy the fun!! Open to everyone, no registration required.

Saturday, June 17 - Summer Reading Kick Off Celebration- Families with students in grades K-5 please join us for the kick-off to our summer reading program, "Habitiat, Have It at Your Library". The schedule is as follows:

• Face Painting and a Bubble Tub from 10:00- 11:00

• Family Drumming with guest artist Ellen Clegg 11:00- 12:00

• Hands on Reptiles with Tom Tyning 12:00-1:00

• Snacks and fun included!

• Runs for 7 weeks (June 27th- August 15) at the library

• Kids earn Bonus Bucks for their weekly participation and for every book they take out during the summer.
  

• Tuesday afternoons K- 5th graders come from 3:00pm-4:00pm to join in the fun.
• Wednesday Afternoons Tweens and Teens come from 3pm-4pm to craft, play games and socialize with your friends.
• Tweens, Teens and Adults can also earn Bonus Bucks for every book they take out during the summer.
• Bonus Bucks are raffle tickets used for your choice fabulous prizes given out at the end of the summer!
• Tuesday Mornings starting at 10:30 all Preschoolers are invited to join us for an interactive morning of storytime in our “Merry Munchkins in the Summer” program
• Register at the Summer Reading Kick Off June 17th or Register by email rpldirector@townofrussell.us, call 413-862-6221 and leave a message, or come in and sign up at the library.

All of June: Do you love Steele, Baldacci, Evans and Patterson? It's spring, and we're weeding. Bag a Book, through the month of June. Come in and find a favorite book or books from those we've weeded out. Many of our titles are in large print for easy reading. Take them home and enjoy!

Past Gator Bites

May 12: https://www.smore.com/8jaw6

May 5: https://www.smore.com/f20zg

April 28: https://www.smore.com/v4efu

April 14: https://www.smore.com/1dxhb

April 6: https://www.smore.com/e63ps

March 20: https://www.smore.com/92xwb

March 2: https://www.smore.com/fwybx

February 10: https://www.smore.com/3n2tj

February 3: https://www.smore.com/ubjsq

January 9: https://www.smore.com/mu6h0

December 19: https://www.smore.com/hm943

December 7: https://www.smore.com/5yn3t

November 29: https://www.smore.com/4zs6ax

November 14: https://www.smore.com/u49t2

November 7: https://www.smore.com/mb78u

October 26: https://www.smore.com/gmqb5

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

Please reach out to us if you have questions or concerns!

Chester Elementary School:
Principal Vanna Maffuccio vmaffuccio@grsd.org

Littleville Elementary School:

Interim Principal Mark Folta mailto:mfolta@grsd.org

Middle School/High School:
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

Website: grsd.org
Location: 12 Littleville Road, Huntington, MA, USA
Phone: 413-685-1100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GatewayRegionalMA?mibextid=LQQJ4d