Hello November! It is hard to believe that November is already here. We have had some AMAZING events during October; at Haverhill High School, Mr. Ashworth’s AP Government & Politics class hosted candidates running in the Haverhill November election with a City Council Forum and a School Committee Forum. On November 1, 2023, they are hosting the two candidates running for Mayor in Haverhill, Melinda Barrett and Guy Cooper! We are sure the Mayoral Debate will be as successful as the first two forums! Click here for more information.

The Moody School is now offering a FREE developmental playgroup for children in Haverhill ages 3-4. The program’s curriculum will provide opportunities for fine and gross motor development, social and emotional development, language and communication development, and pre-reading skills. The playgroup will run from 9:30 – 10:30 AM. For more information and dates, visit their website.

The Health & Wellness Department offers Part 2 of the Fall Caregiver Series on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, from 7:00 – 8:30 PM. This series will focus on Mental health Essentials for Parents and Caregivers. Visit our website for information, translations, and how to sign up.

Finally, the JGW Drama Club will be presenting The Addams Family from November 3, 2023 – November 5, 2023. Our students have been working hard, and this show is an action-packed comedy that will rattle your bones and give you goosebumps! For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the NEW JGW Drama website!

We have many great events coming up in November, including some Thanksgiving Feasts! Make sure you visit your school’s website for more information!

Important Dates

November 1, 2023 – 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
AP Government Mayoral Debate – HHS Auditorium

November 3, 2023 – 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Moody School 3-4 year Playgroup

November 3-5, 2023
The Addams Family presented by JGW Drama

November 7, 2023 
Election Day – No School/Students
Staff Professional Development

November 10, 2023 
Veteran’s Day – No School

November 13, 2023
Report Cards Issued – HHS/Term 1

November 13, 2023 – 6:00 PM
Haverhill Promise – Right to Read Literacy Event

November 15, 2023 – 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
JG Whittier Thanksgiving Dinner

November 15, 2023 – 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
7th & 8th Grade Open House at HHS

November 15, 2023
YMCA Educators of the Year Awards – Haverhill Country Club

November 15, 2023 – 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Fall Caregiver Series Part 2 – Mental Health Essentials for Parents & Caregivers

November 16, 2023 – 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM 
Hunking 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Feast

November 16, 2023 – 7:00 PM
School Committee Meeting – Regular

November 17, 2023 – 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Moody School 3-4 year Playgroup

November 19, 2023 – 1:00 PM
Santa Parade

November 22, 2023 
Early Release – Thanksgiving Break

November 23, 2023
Thanksgiving – No School

November 24, 2023
Thanksgiving Break – No School

November 29, 2023 
Early Release – Students/Professional Development Day

November 29, 2023
Marks Close – PreK-8/1st Trimester

YMCA Freight Farm at Gateway Academy

October 4th was the Ribbon Cutting for the YMCA Freight Farm located at Gateway Academy! What is a freight farm, you ask? The freight farm is a 40 x 8-foot shipping container that operates on a hydroponic system. The farm is a teaching tool to help students learn about local food systems, sustainable agriculture, biology, chemistry, business, and other STEM topics. Vegetables produced will be shared among the community through the school system, families of the YMCA, and food banks/pantries. Thank you to the Haverhill YMCA and Beth Israel Lahey Health, who made this adventure possible, and our community members for supporting us!

Career Technical Education

Great news! Our Haverhill High School Career Technical Education students attended the Haverhill School Committee meeting. They did an outstanding job representing the CTE program. They expressed their joy of being a part of CTE, with all the distinctive experiences it has brought them—including internship opportunities. We are so proud of their hard work and dedication. Way to go, CTE students! For more information. About the Haverhill High School Career Technical Education Program and Work-Based Learning opportunities, please get in touch with Lisa Hunt Work-Based Learning Specialist lhunt@haverhill-ps.org or visit us at https://cte.haverhill-ps.org.

Qustodio

Did you know that children spend an average of 4 hours daily on apps unrelated to schoolwork? Do you want to know how to change that? HPS has teamed up with Qustodio, a FREE student safety, digital wellbeing platform that helps you control your child’s access to the internet on their school-issued Chromebook. For more information, visit our website

Silver Hill Elementary

Students at Silver Hill Elementary School had a weather presentation and then made an appearance on the WCVB Channel 5 Eyeopener! What a great way to start your day! To view the video, click here!

Health & Wellness Department

Grade 11 at HHS enjoyed a Newburyport Firehouse Center for the Arts production hosted by the Wellness Department at HHS. “Stat Geek in Natick” was a true and powerful story that focused on the journey of an individual who dealt with disordered eating. It encouraged students to live a balanced, healthy lifestyle and to seek help from appropriate sources when in need. Counselors were available following the performance.

Gateway Academy

It was an honor for Gateway Academy to attend the announcement of the Tax Credit Bill recently passed by the Massachusetts House and Senate and signed by the Governor. Gateway Academy’s very own, Sade Pimentel, delivered an impressive and thought-provoking speech supporting the new legislation.

September Attendance Awards

Schools celebrate attendance with a special breakfast for the classes with the best attendance. Some of the winners are:

JG Whittier’s Ms. Backstorms 6th grade class celebrated with Special Guest Dr. Marotta.

Mrs. Allard’s class at Tilton Elementary School with City Councilor Joe Bevilacqua and School Committee Member Paul Magliocchetti!

Ms. Prevost’s homeroom at Nettle Middle School. Mrs. Connolly, City Councilor Mrs. Barrett, and School Committee Member Attorney Rosa were kind enough to join us for breakfast. 

Consentino Middle School winners are Homeroom 1 and Homeroom 2! 

We are incredibly proud of all our students!

HHS AP Government & Politics Class

The HHS AP Government & Politics class will host a Mayoral Debate with candidates Melinda Barrett and Guy Cooper. Be an informed citizen and come see your candidates in action! The Mayoral Debate will be held at HHS Auditorium on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM. The public is invited.

YMCA Educators of the Year

Nettle Middle School

Students at Nettle Middle School had a “Whale” of a time this month! Mr. Lucas Manthorn, a 5th-grade science teacher from Nettle, pulled together a Whale presentation put on by the Blue Ocean Society. A local power company donated The program’s cost, so it was accessible to our school. They arrived and set up a 65-foot inflatable whale in the gymnasium. The whale was a life-size model of a Fin Whale. Our 5th-grade classes took part and learned about the life cycle of a whale, the food whales eat, how pollution affects whales, and the Physiology of whales. The blown-up whale had space for about 20 students and two teachers to go inside and look at the size of the organs and bones of the life-size whale. The program is directly related to the food webs and water cycle units for 5th-grade science. On the outside of the whale, educators talked about markings on the whale, the types of fins, and how they help whales. There were also pieces of real baleen that students could feel and see to understand how whales eat.

Gateway Academy

Gateway Academy has partnered with Bethany Communities to provide students with paid internships! This allows students to attend school while also earning an income! We love our Community Partners!

HHS G.E.M.S Afterschool Program

In the HHS G.E.M.S after-school program, Leydi Diaz and Eridania Nieves provide life-changing experiences for a group of Multilingual Girls. As part of civic engagements, they recently visited the Massachusetts State House in Boston. Senator Pavel Payano and State Representative (and former Hillie) Andy X. Vargas welcomed the girls as they took a tour and learned about our state government. It was an incredible opportunity for our multilingual young ladies!  #GirlsEmpoweredMeansSuccess   #HispanicHeritageMonth

Bradford Elementary School

Bradford Elementary School enjoyed some perfect Fall weather as they attended a Fire Safety Course with the Haverhill Fire Department at Sacred Heart School! Thank you to HFD for helping to keep our students safe!

Food Service Department

We are pleased to announce that SK Ooi at Tilton Elementary and Elizabeth Berrios at Golden Hill Elementary have been chosen as our Employees of the Month for September for our department! This was such a hard decision to make as so many people stepped up to the plate during September.

Sk was asked to step into the kitchen manager position at Tilton Elementary just a few weeks into the start of school, and has impacted the students and the principals and teachers alike. We’ve gotten compliments about Sk’s willingness to step into this role, but how smoothly it has gone and how tasty the food is. Student enjoyed the new salads that SK and her team prepared! Well done, SK!

 Elizabeth has had the most changes in her staff at her school in the past several months and has handled training staff tremendously with patience and gratitude. Elizabeth’s calm demeanor in stressful situations demonstrates her strong leadership skills and how quickly she can problem-solve to get the students in her school fed delicious meals safely. Elizabeth has also been instrumental in helping our department recruit strong candidates, and we are so thankful for that!

Well done, Elizabeth!

Again- this was such a hard decision! Congrats to our Employees of the Month!

HHS AP Government City Council Forum

We are incredibly proud of our AP Gov students at HHS. They put together one of the finest City Council Forums we have ever seen! Shout out to Mr. Ashworth and his students! The event was optional for students; however, every single student attended the event! They ran a smooth forum rivaling any professional or organization doing the same. We encourage the Haverhill Community to attend the Mayoral Debate on November 1, 2023, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at the HHS Auditorium! Come and see our AP Gov Students and Candidates in action! These moments show what our school community truly is!

Haverhill High School

What a team! Detective Conor Clark, HPD, School Resource Officer Donnelly, HPD, Maureen Irons, Safe and Supportive Schools Liaison, and Megan Arivella, District Coach Health & Wellness, collaborated on educating on tech safety. Officer Donnelly spoke to Health I & II classes at Haverhill High School about cyberbullying and the importance of appropriate technology use and how to stay safe online. Coming soon to middle school!

J.G. Whittier Poets

YWCA collaborated with a JG Whittier 7th Grade Health class learning about active bystanding and bullying. At the end, students took an anti-bullying pledge. We are proud of our Poets!

Fall Fun at Haverhill Public Schools

Career Technical Education

HHS CTE Biomedical Science and Healthcare Occupations Seniors were fortunate to have guest speakers from Parkland Medical Center!  Randy DeLee is the VP of Operations and was involved with planning and design for the new free-standing Emergency Room in Plaistow, NH; Dylan Brothers is the Academic Partnership Coordinator and shared information about their internship programs (for school year and summer opportunities).  This was perfect timing as the Biomed students had just completed their project on ER Design and were able to share their projects with our guests – who were impressed with how thorough they were!  If you are interested in hearing more about the CTE programs at HHS or getting involved with our students, please contact Lisa Hunt, Work-Based Learning Coordinator at lhunt@haverhill-ps.org.

Tilton Elementary School

The family of Kathryn (Kay) Sample, a longtime educator at Tilton (1968-2003) in room 115, reached out over a year ago, looking to donate a bench to the school. It was installed over the summer out front to be an excellent teaching spot for staff to have a place to sit when taking students outside for an outdoor lesson. On Tuesday, October 24th, the Bench Dedication took place. Students, her family, and friends joined us to dedicate the bench this lovely evening.

Haverhill High School

HHS students in Mr. Kempinski’s Holocaust and Crimes Against Humanity class participated in the pilot of a virtual in-school field trip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. The live tour was led by a guide-educator at the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum, and students were able to see Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau with their own eyes. It was a very powerful experience, and it aligns well with the work Haverhill is doing around genocide education. Thank you to Mr. Kempinski for bringing this partnership to HPS!

Moody Playgroup Open to the Community

HPS Wellness Fall Caregiver Series Part 2

HPS Wellness Caregiver Series Part 2: Mental Health Essentials for Parents & Caregivers.

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM.

For more information, translations, and to register, visit our website:

Haverhill Unified Hillies

Haverhill Unified Hillies will be hosting a Mug Fundraiser to benefit their Banquet. Mugs are 15 oz., dishwasher safe, $15 each or 2 for $25. Let’s show them some Hillie Spirit and support their team!

Health & Wellness at Consentino Middle School

Students in Mr. Gibson’s grade 7 health class learned about traits that determine healthy relationships and what red flags may determine an unhealthy relationship. Mrs. Arivella, Coach of Health & Wellness and Ms. Rivera from the YWCA were guests that joined the class at Consentino

Career Technical Education – Biomedical Science

The HHS CTE Biomedical Science Freshman classes had the opportunity to tour Northern Essex Community College and spend time in their Forensics classroom!  Students had the opportunity to do hands-on activities related to fingerprinting, shoe print casting, blood spatter analysis, hair comparisons on a dual microscope and even spent time at a crime scene marking, tagging and bagging evidence!  What a great learning opportunity!  Thanks to the staff at NECC who shared their time with us!

JGW Drama 

JGWDrama presents The Addams Family! Opening night is Friday, November 3, 2023, at 6:00 PM, with other performances throughout the weekend! This show is an action-packed comedy that will rattle your bones and give you goosebumps! Purchase tickets online and save $2. For more information about JGWDrama and to purchase tickets to The Addams Family, visit their new website:

Haverhill High School Girls Varsity Volleyball

With a 3-1 win over Andover, girls’ volleyball clinches a share of the MVC regular season title. Third straight MVC Championship! Hillies finish the season 17-1 and are currently ranked No. 2 in the state. CONGRATULATIONS!

Haverhill High School Varsity Golf

Congrats to ⁩Tommy Murphy on winning the MVC Championship. Pictured here with his father Kevin Murphy Coaching Haverhill in his 25th Season

Big Dog Show

Once again, the John Greenleaf Whittier birthplace sponsored the annual “Big Dog Show” featuring American Dogs by Haverhill’s Artist Dale Rogers. This year’s best-dressed dog went to the “Van Gogh Dog,” decorated by Bradford Elementary. Second place went to the “Bobcat Dog” decorated by Caleb Dustin Hunking School!

 

School Device Insurance

Haverhill Public Schools has chosen School Device Coverage (SDC) to insure the devices that will be given to your student as part of this year’s 1:1 device program. For only $20 per student, this insurance program will protect you and your student(s) in the event that your device is lost, stolen, or damaged accidentally over the course of the school year. This will only be available until December 1, 2023 for current students. Students new to the District will receive a special code at registration. Click here to sign up!

Haverhill Girls Cross Country Team

Congratulations to the Haverhill Girls’ Cross Country team for claiming the 2023 Merrimack Valley Conference regular season title. This is the first MVC Conference title since 2011!

The Right to Read

On Monday, November 13, 2023, at 6:00 PM, Haverhill Promise presents “The Right to Read” documentary, followed by a panel discussion on literacy in Haverhill with Massachusetts State Representative Andy Vargas, HPS Superintendent Dr. Margaret Marotta, and YMCA Executive Director Tracy Fuller.

Haverhill High School Open House

Haverhill High School

Haverhill High School led by AIM/REACH students won the Metcalf and Wood Memorial Awards at the Topsfield Fair for Most Total Ribbons and most Blue Ribbons in the Junior Fruits and Vegetables category! They submitted entries for the Wall Hanging, Poster and Pumpkin Decorating contests (group and individual) in addition to fruits and vegetables which were harvested right here on campus. Haverhill High has had a history of success in the Junior Fruits and Vegetables category going back to 2019. Mr. Downs and Ms. Lu stopped by our Homeroom to celebrate the success of our AIM/REACH program and Haverhill High School. We are so proud of our students.

HHS AP Government School Committee Forum

Once again, Mr. Ashworth’s AP Government & Politics Class hosted an AMAZING forum for the Eleven Haverhill School Committee Candidates! All questions were student-generated, and all candidates were timed on answers. Some questions answered were overcrowding in schools, mental health supports, early childhood literacy, and later start time for high school. We are incredibly proud of these Scholars and look forward to viewing their last forum, the Mayoral Debate, on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, from 6:00 – 7:00 PM at the HHS Auditorium; THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! To view the full event, visit HCTV!

DESE “Better Together Summit 2023”

A team from Nettle Middle School participated in the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s “Better Together Summit 2023 – Strengthening Family School Partnerships”.    The team participated in a variety of workshops designed to increase opportunities for families to become active partners with their child’s education, was entertained by the Everett Crimson Tide Marching Band and listened to words of encouragement from Jeffery Rile, Commissioner, MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Patrick Tutwiler, Ph.D., Massachusetts Secretary of Education.   HAverhill Public Schools strives to provide all families with the tools and resources to be engaged with their child/ren school.

Yeimy Urena, parent
Celia Villalba, parent
Adriana Guatzin, parent
Nimcy Guerra, HPS parent liaison
Angela McVery, Multi-lingual teacher
Eileen Doherty, Principal
Dianne Connolly, Director of Title I and Community Outreach

Career Technical Education

HHS CTE students in Biomedical Science and Healthcare Occupations were fortunate to hear from Medical Examiner Laura Foley.  The conversation highlighted the career, including education and experience that is required.  A focus was made to stress the importance of seatbelts and the dangers of drug use, as well as the sad realities of suicide.  We were proud of our students, their maturity receiving this information and the thoughtful questions they posed to Ms. Foley.  For more information about the Career Technical Education programs at HHS: https://cte.haverhill-ps.org/

 

ATTENDANCE MATTERS!

OUR SCHOOLS

Bartlett School & Assessment Center,  Grades K-12.
978-469-8735

Bradford Elementary, Grades K-4
978-374-2443

Caleb Dustin Hunking, Grades K-8
978-374-5787

Consentino Middle School, Grades 5-8
978-374-5775

Gateway Academy, Grades 7-12
978-374-3473

Golden Hill, Grades K-4
978-374-5794

Greenleaf Academy, Grades 5-12
978-374-3487

Haverhill High School, Grades 9-12
978-374-5700

J.G. Whittier, Grades 5-8
978-374-5782

Moody PreSchool, Grades Pre-K – K
978-374-3459

Moody PreSchool Ext., Grades Pre-K
978-420-1901

Nettle Middle School, Grades 5-8
978-374-5792

Pentucket Lake Elementary, Grades K-5
978-374-2421

Silver Hill Elementary, Grades K-5
978-374-3448

Tilton Elementary, Grades K-3
978-374-3475

Walnut Square, Grades Pre-K-2
978-374-3471

Haverhill School Committee

Haverhill School Committee Approved Meeting Schedule

Thursday, November 16, 2023
Thursday, December 14, 2023

Regular meetings of the School Committee are held at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month in the Theodore A. Pelosi, Jr. Council Chambers, 4 Summer Street in Haverhill. Citizens of Haverhill who wish to submit items  for a meeting agenda, should email the agenda item to the School Committee Office, Attn: Beverly McGillicuddy, Secretary to the Haverhill School Committee beverly.mcgillicuddy@haverhill-ps.org with a copy to both the Superintendent of Schools and the Mayor no later than the seven (7) days  prior to a Committee meeting is held.

For additional information please visit the School Committee Department on our website

Mayor, James J. Fiorentini, Chairperson
mayor@cityofhaverhill.com

Ms. Maura Ryan-Ciardiello, Vice Chairperson
mryan-ciardiello@haverhill-ps.org

Ms. Toni Sapienza Donais
tdonais@haverhill-ps.org

Mr. Scott Wood, Jr.
swood@haverhill-ps.org

Attorney Paul Magliocchetti
pmagliocchetti@haverhill-ps.org

Ms. Gail Sullivan
gail.sullivan@haverhill-ps.org

Attorney Richard Rosa
richard.rosa@haverhill-ps.org