12/1/2022 Principal Newsletter

Dear Families,

 

  • This newsletter is coming to you a day early because there’s a LOT of information related to Friday.

    • December 2nd is a half day of school with an 11:55 am dismissal.

    • Parent/ teacher conferences are scheduled for the afternoon.  

    • Please park at the front of the building, sign in and check out the tables where all lost and found items will be laid out to claim your child/ren’s clothing items.

 

  • On Tuesday, December 6 from 8:30-9:00 am Mr. April, our STEaM teacher is hosting a 6th grade student showcase in the cafeteria.  Please come check it out!Mr. April, our STEM teacher, invites you to a sixth grade student showcase on Tuesday, December 6th from 8:30-9:00 am in our cafeteria. Students have been working on a statewide STEM challenge where they explored careers in STEM fields through project based learning.   Come see their creative, multimedia products!

  • State police officers Carmichael and Gilbault came to our last staff meeting to review lockdown procedures.  We will have our first announced lockdown drill on Wednesday, December 7th at 9:30 am.  This drill is overseen by both state and local police officers.  Students will practice before the drill and feedback will be provided after the drill on our practiced procedures.

  • Save the date, our next PTA meeting will be held in the conference room on December 13th starting at 6:30 pm.  

  • We have openings in both our before care- BOKs and aftercare programs!!  Starting Monday, November 28 we’re extending our pick up time, at no additional fee, to 5:30pm!  Please contact the office at 247-5010 if you’d like a registration form for either or both of these programs.  

 

  • My name is Kate McCollough and I am currently a freshman at Smith Academy  representing Hatfield as the Project 351 Ambassador for the class of 2022. Project 351 is a statewide program that selects an 8th grader from every town in Massachusetts to lead service projects in their community. 

I am working with The Northampton Survival Center to collect Birthday Cake Kit Supplies. Since the pandemic food insecurity doubled leaving many struggling with food access and unable to celebrate their children's birthdays. The Northampton Survival Center helps improve the quality of low income people's lives from 18 communities in Hampshire County. They have a project that supplies families with a fun way to celebrate their kids' birthdays without having to worry about cost. These kits will be sent out to anyone in the community who can't afford a birthday cake. 

I am collecting box cake mixes, birthday candles, cans of soda,  sprinkles, 9" ×13" disposable aluminum foil pans (preferably with lids!), containers of frosting, and icing. 

Please consider donating November 28 -- December 9th, 2022. You can drop donations in the donation boxes at the Smith Academy front lobby and the Hatfield Public Library. 

  • It’s finally getting cold outside.  Per our handbook, all students will be outside for recess so long as the combined wind and air temperatures are 20 degrees or warmer.  Please dress your child for the weather.

  •  The HES Winter Concert is Wednesday, December 14 at 1:00 in our cafeteria.  Students in second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade will be performing, including the fifth and sixth grade students in the band program.  We encourage families to walk the halls to view our festive classroom doors! 

  • Our school picture retake day will be December 14, 2022.  If you need a picture form, please contact your child’s teacher.

 

Have a great weekend!

Warmly,

Melissa Pitrat