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The Student Opportunity Act (SOA) Public Survey
The Student Opportunity Act (SOA), (Chapter 132 of the Acts of 2019), signed into law by Governor Baker, provides additional Chapter 70 school funding to districts with a set of specific goals/requirements including the reduction of academic achievement disparities among student groups such as English learners and low-income students. The SOA requires the Haverhill Public Schools to develop and submit a three-year, evidence-based plan to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) by April 1, 2020.
To help provide a strong foundation for the development of the plan, the District is asking faculty, parents, and other members of the school community to complete a brief survey below, based on the set of specific criteria/goals provided by the SOA and the DESE.
Your feedback is important. Thank you in advance for helping the District understand the priorities and perspectives within our community as we begin the process of developing a relevant, focused and an effective three-year plan.
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School Safety Information Nights
11/15/19-The ALICE curriculum will be rolled out in the coming weeks in all district schools. The curriculum is designed for specific age and grade levels. You will see the coloring book that will be used for Pre-K students, the “Stranger Danger” video that will be used for K-6th grade and the “Basic Concepts of ALICE” for grades 7-12. If you have questions relating to the ALICE roll out, please review the School Safety Information Night video located on the district webpage.
Stranger Danger K-6 Video | Basic Concepts of ALICE for 7-12
Pre-K Coloring Book: English | Spainish
The video above was taken at the Consentino Middle School ALICE Presentation.
The safety and security of our students is of the utmost importance. To that end, we continuously review our policies and practices to ensure that recent research and data support the policies we employ. The US Department of Education, International Association of Chiefs of Police, FEMA and the FBI all recommend having active plans that include decision making and options rather than traditional school lockdown in the unlikely event of a school intruder.
As you may know, Haverhill Public Schools has adopted ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate), a nationally recognized program. ALICE is a proactive set of responses to an active school intruder event which empowers individuals in crisis situations to be prepared to consider all options.
The school district will be providing two School Safety Information Nights that will give parents and community members an opportunity to learn about ALICE. These forums will include timelines on the implementation of educating our students prior to conducting our first student drill in November 2019.
If you have questions or would like more information, please consider joining us at one of our Informational Nights. Spanish interpreter services will be available on both Informational Nights. More information about ALICE is also available at: https://www.alicetraining.com/ Sincerely,
Margaret Marotta, Ed. D
Superintendent of Schools -
Superintendent’s Corner | Fall 2019
A Message from the Superintendent:
In this edition of the District’s quarterly newsletter, you’ll find features on Commissioner Riley’s visit to HHS, details and information for the Parent Portal, Athletics News, Upcoming Events and more! Download the full newsletter below.
HPS District Fall Newsletter | 2019-2020
HPS District Fall Newsletter | 2019-2020 -Spanish
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A Message from the Superintendent about Internet Safety – Momo Challenge
Dear Families,
I would like to alert you to what seems to be the latest viral challenge targeting children. It is called the Momo Challenge and it centers around a disturbing character that suggests dangerous tasks for children to perform. It is unclear how much truth there is to the rumors about the craze, however it is clear that children in Haverhill are aware of it and frightened by the message. From what is being reported in the media, suggestions of self-harm are being spliced into some YouTube Kids videos, as well as accessed by children using Whatsapp, which functions on both phones and tablets. Both companies deny any such content has been located.
Please know that the our staff is aware of this trending issue and we are working to ensure your children will not be exposed to any reference to this disturbing challenge in school. Throughout our school district, there are many security measures in place to keep students safe while using the District’s technology devices. Students do not have access to sites that have been deemed dangerous and students are monitored by school staff while using technology devices.
Regardless of the truth behind the Momo Challenge, it is clear that the word is spreading and frightening children. I recommend that you talk to your child about these kinds of challenges, in a way that you feel is appropriate for their understanding. Given the concern with the messages being unknowingly embedded within children’s videos, it is recommended that you increase efforts to monitor what your child is doing online. I also strongly encourage that you take advantage of this opportunity to to speak with your children and remind them not to talk to strangers online or open links or documents from unknown sources.
Thank you for your partnership in supporting our students and their safety.
Sincerely,
Margaret Marotta
Superintendent of Schools -
Superintendent Marotta announces Entry Plan
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HPS Staff Announcements – August 2018
Superintendent Margaret Marotta is pleased to announce the following appointments to the District Leadership Team for the 2018-2019 school year:
Leadership Highlights- August 21, 2018
