The Hopkins School Hawk Squawk
Principal's Updates - 4/10/22
From the Hopkins' Office...
Dear Hopkins’ Families,
As students across Massachusetts begin standardized testing season, Hopkins School starts MCAS ELA tomorrow (Monday) for our 5th graders and Tuesday for all 4th graders. Please look closely at the dates below, so students are present and on-time for testing days. Student drop off now begins at 8:40AM - it is much better to be on the earlier side of arrival, versus 8:50 or 8:55, to give your child time to unpack and get settled in their room. I know that your classroom teacher has reached out with details, but here are a few last minute MCAS reminders:
Sessions are untimed for all students. Students have as long as they need to complete the test. Traditionally, these sessions can run long for some students. Tests must be completed on the day they begin, and completed by the end of the school day.
To ensure students have as much time as needed, we do begin promptly in the morning. If your child arrives to school after our tardy bell at 9:00, he/she will need to take the test on a make-up day. Students who are late will not be allowed to go to classrooms and will need to spend the testing period in an alternate location.
If you must dismiss your child on a test day, we recommend a dismissal time much later in the afternoon to avoid dismissing your child while testing is in progress. Again, tests must be completed on the day they begin.
Students are not allowed to have any electronic devices of their own during testing. This includes phones, "Smart watches" like Apple Watches, e-readers, etc. Please have students leave these at home or know that they will be asked for them to be put in lockers or on teacher desks while students are taking MCAS.
Make sure that your child gets good sleep and has a healthy breakfast and snack. Students will have their normal lunchtime, regardless of whether or not they are finished with the test by lunchtime.
Please, do NOT send in candy for during testing. We will have a few lifesavers/mints available for students to have each day, where there are not allergy/health concerns. However, the purpose is not to "sugar" our students up. Since we are using computers and there are classroom allergies to consider, it is especially important that students only bring in their normal healthy snack/water bottle for testing days.
MCAS is aligned to our Massachusetts learning standards and measures critical thinking skills students need for success in the 21st century. The English Language Arts assessment includes both Reading Comprehension and Writing components. Math will continue to include Multiple Choice, Short Answer and Open Response question types. 5th graders will also take the Science/Engineering/Technology MCAS. There is a heavy focus in Massachusetts on comprehension and analysis, rather than rote learning. Families interested in learning about the format and test design of MCAS in greater detail, can visit DESE's MCAS Resource Center on their website.
Parents and educators are all over the map on the purpose and value of standardized testing - and I won’t engage in that debate here. I do think there is an important message in this spoken word poem/TED Talk entitled, Children are Not Standardized, from Principal Carl Perino. However, the current reality for children in public schools in the U.S. is standardized tests, and so I find that our children often take on the attitude that we model for them. Focus your conversations at home on your child and his/her behaviors, and not on the actual tests themselves. Encourage your child to work hard and do the best they can. Remind your child that you believe in him/her and his/her abilities. I think we can all agree that we want our kids to feel positive and confident in their abilities, and give their best efforts on whatever tasks and obstacles are in front of them. Remind them they are more than a test score. And remember, standardized testing is just one more way that we can build perseverance and resiliency in our children.
As a parent to two high school daughters, I am well aware that standardized testing can provoke anxiety and stress in some students, while for some it is ‘no big deal.’ I've included some additional resources for families below in the SEL section. I do think the key to helping your child at home is to keep things as routine as you can. Treat these testing days as typical days of school. The most important role families can play is ensuring that students are well-rested, on-time and fueled with healthy energy for these days at Hopkins, just like any other school day!
Finally, one last reminder that any parent placement "consideration" letters for next year are due by this Thursday, April 14th to your child's current principal. Please see the letter from the HPS elementary principals, sent to families April 4th, for all details. The Elementary Leadership Team has committed to this deadline in order to ensure that we can effectively move forward with our placement process. Any communications after this deadline cannot be considered. We appreciate your understanding of the complexities of this process.
Warmly,
Vanessa Bilello
Principal, Hopkins School
Key April Updates from Hopkins School
As you know, we will be holding our 5th grade Talent Show in just over a month on Friday, May 13th at 6:30 PM at HMS! I've heard from our HPTO volunteers that auditions went really well- there is a ton of talent in this class! Families of participating students should have received an update communication from the coordinators today. If you have additional questions, please email hopkins5thgradetalentshow@gmail.com. We hope the whole community will show up to support our talented performers and raise funds for our Hopkins' Gift Account, which supports all sorts of enrichment and programming at Hopkins!
Speaking of fundraising, Hopkins' Memory Books are on sale now - and only through the end of this week! In coming weeks, our Hopkins' student photographers and design team will be finalizing pages of this year's Memory Book with our parent volunteers - and a cover design will be selected! The Hopkins' Memory Book is a great way to remember your child's Hopkins experience and support our programming at the school. Information and ordering details are available on the HPTO's website.
Important Hopkins' Dates
HOPKINS' UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
- Monday, April 11th - MCAS Begins
- Monday & Wednesday, April 11th & 13th - Grade 5 ELA MCAS
- Tuesday & Thursday, April 12th & 14th - Grade 4 ELA MCAS
- Friday, April 15th - NO SCHOOL
- Monday, April 18th- Friday April 22nd - NO SCHOOL - SPRING BREAK
- Monday & Tuesday, April 25th & 26th- ELA MCAS make ups
- Friday, April 29th - Principal's Cabinet for Creativity Spirit Day - "National Park Team Spirit" - Students are asked to wear their assigned NP Team color, I AM Day Parade (for students and staff)
- May 2nd - May 6th - TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
- May 4th - "May the Fourth" Spirit Day
- Friday, May 6th- Staff Appreciation Breakfast, sponsored by the HPTO & Principal's Cabinet
- Friday, May 13th - EARLY RELEASE 1:00 PM Dismissal (LUNCH IS SERVED)
- Friday, May 13th - 6:30 PM - Hopkins' Grade 5 Talent Show @ HMS Auditorium
- Monday & Wednesday, May 16th & 18th - Grade 5 Math MCAS
- Tuesday & Thursday, May 17th & 19th- Grade 4 Math MCAS
- Thursday, May 19th - 9:00-9:45 AM - Hopkins School Council
- Friday, May 20th & Tuesday, May 24th - MCAS Math make ups
- Monday & Wednesday, May 23rd & 25th-Grade 5 STE MCAS
- Tuesday, May 24th & Thursday, 26th - MCAS STE make ups
- Friday, May 27th - EARLY RELEASE 1:00 PM Dismissal (LUNCH IS SERVED)
- Monday, May 30th - NO SCHOOL - MEMORIAL DAY
- June 1st - June 10th - Lyn Hoopes (Gr. 4) and CHP Field Trip (Gr. 5)
- Monday, June 6th - 7Pm - Hopkins June Music Ensemble Concert (@ HHS)
- June 23rd - Last Day - Tentative (Early Dismissal)
Email: hoffice@hopkinton.k12.ma.us
Website: https://hopkinselementary.hopkinton.k12.ma.us/
Location: 104 Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton, MA, United States
Phone: 508-695-5839
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HopkinsElementarySchool
Twitter: @HopkinsSchool
Community Reading Day at Hopkins (And Neon Day!!!)
Practicing Narrative Writing at 4th Grade
Social Emotional Learning Resources
Resources for Building Kindness and Empathy in Children
Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education- Kindness through Their Eyes
Great Kindness Challenge Theme Song- Playing this next Friday at WSM!!!
Social-Emotional Resources - Parenting in the Pandemic... and Beyond
Resiliency in Children:
- Helping Kids Face Obstacles
- Six Ways to Help Your Child Deal with Social Exclusion
- Podcast: Helping Kids Deal with Stress & Anxiety While Facing Adversity w/ Katie Hurley
- How Kids Learn Resilience
- A Different Way to Respond to When Your Child Does Something Wrong
Parenting in a Digital World:
Arrival/Dismissal Routines at Hopkins School
What are school drop-off/pick up procedures?
Bus routes will be posted through the HPS transportation department website. Please be at your child's stop EARLY, but also be patient- there is no doubt that between construction in town/schools, as well as the new school start/end times, that busses could very possibly be running 15 minutes late.
Students being dropped off at the building should arrive at 8:40 AM, when supervision will begin in the front of school, for walkers/bikers and parent drop-offs (see map below). This is considered a “live drop-off,” meaning drivers must remain in their cars during drop-off time. Have your child seated in the back on the passenger side of the car and please say your goodbyes quickly, as others are waiting to drop off their children. This side will be closest to the curb when you pull up in front of the school, and will allow for the safest drop-off. The tardy bell is at 9:00 AM.
School dismisses promptly at 3:15 PM and parent pick up follows the same route as morning drop-off. It is necessary to stay in your vehicle when in the dismissal line- having your child's name printed in the dashboard is helpful and showing ID is required. This applies to all after-school enrichment programs, unless the instructor has arranged with families to meet at another location outside our building. This is not applicable for the YMCA Afterschool Care, which has their own dismissal protocols.
What are school office hours?
Our school office hours are 8:00-4:00. There is no supervision prior to 8:40 AM. At 4:00, the office closes and families will not be able to gain access to Hopkins.
How do I dismiss my child early from Hopkins - or different than their normal daily plan?
Families changing dismissal must complete the Hopkins' Dismissal Form. It can be found on our school webpage, as well. All dismissal changes MUST be completed by 2:00 PM! Please note, we cannot accommodate any early dismissals to occur beyond 3:00PM, as it interferes with our normal dismissal routines/traffic patterns.
What do I if my child is going to be absent?
Contact our absence line at (508) 435-0312.
Busses:
If your child will be taking the school bus, you can access bus route information on the school district website. Hopkins will be sharing busses this year with Marathon. Route times are approximate, not exact.
Parent Drop-Off and Pick-up Procedures:
For those of you not familiar with our process, please check out the map below, which can also be found on our website. Drop-offs in the morning start at 8:45. Please know that if you drop off your child prior to 8:45, we are unable to provide supervision or entry to the building. Therefore, we ask you aim for as close to 8:45 as possible. Our tardy bell rings at 9:00. The pick-up line will begin dismissing students promptly at 3:15. Be prepared with ID for all parent pick-ups at the end of each day.
Because we have so many buses picking up and dropping off at Hopkins all at once, we will continue using the ‘access road’ to queue waiting buses. That access road exits with a right turn next to the entrance into the front driveway/parking of Hopkins. If you are in the line of cars dropping off or picking up students, please do not block the access road so buses can exit.
Dismissal/Transportation Changes for Students:
It is critical to your child and our staff at Hopkins that we know your child’s dismissal routines, or, if there is a change to transportation at the end of the day. Any dismissal changes also need to comply with our District’s Transportation policies. To make changes to a dismissal, please use the form on the district website.
It is also important for your child to know their dismissal plans each day, especially if they have different routines on different days of the week. Children are sometimes confused or forget about the days of the week. Kids can also be on “auto-pilot” at the end of each day and not think about where they are supposed to go. If your child has different plans on different days, please review with your child their schedule and routine.
Quick Links
Communication
Our school website has static information, but it is also updated with current news, photos and bulletins. Every other week, you can expect a school-wide update from the Principal’s Office, the Hawk Squawk. This is distributed to families via email and can also be found on the school’s webpage. You can also follow us on Twitter: @hopkinsschool, Instagram (hopkins_elementary), and Facebook (HopkinsElementarySchool).
In addition to the above school-wide methods, please communicate openly with your child’s teacher(s). Each teacher has an email address and voice mailbox. Many also utilize a website and/or Twitter to share news. You can find their contact information on our school website or you can call (508)-497-9824 to reach teachers’ voicemail.