Reopening Leadership Team Update – Memo #3 - Reopening Leadership Team Update May 31, 2020 The HPS Reopening Leadership team met on Thursday, May 28th. Dr.… Read More
Celebrating our Rising Stars – Students and Ceremony Info. - 2020 Rising Stars - Congratulations Students! Way to go! We are very proud to announce the 2020 Holyoke Public… Read More
5-29-20 Holyoke Update - Dear Families, Partners, Colleagues, We would like to share information with you about the following topics in this week’s… Read More- High School Fall Sports Signups - Dear Families of Holyoke High School Students (& Rising Ninth-graders), I hope you are all doing well! It… Read More
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Updates
Learn more about COVID-19 on our Health, Wellness, and Nursing webpage.
HPS is closed through the rest of the year and all school-related activities listed below are canceled during this time.
Future Teacher Signing Day Ceremony
53%
decrease in dropout rate
85%
Increase in number of students enrolled in
college prep programming
10 Point
increase in graduation rate
Congratulations to this week’s Cone of Excellence winner, Brittany Morin Makowski, ABL teacher at Donahue. Ms. Makowski has done an exemplary job of communicating with her students and families about remote learning opportunities. From the moment that school closed in March, Ms. Makowski has maintained weekly contact with students and parents through zoom, text, and phone. In all interactions, she is kind, patient, and focused on helping students to make progress in their learning.
The state has released guidance recently that school districts can hold in-person graduations which will take place with restrictions. The HHS graduation will take place on Sunday, August 2nd. Stay tuned for more information!
Additionally, Eighth grade moving on ceremonies will be scheduled for the week of August 17th. Schools will be reaching out with specific dates and times.
Although we are happy that Dr. Zrike has found a new Superintendent position closer to his home, Holyoke will miss his leadership. If you are interested, here are a few ways that you could show your appreciation and offer well wishes:
1. Submit a short video (30 seconds or less) of yourself/family expressing your gratitude to webmanager@hps.holyoke.ma.us. We will combine these into a farewell video.
2. Submit a picture of yourself/family with a thank you sign to webmanager@hps.holyoke.ma.us. We will post these on Facebook and add some to the farewell video.
3. Send a letter to Dr. Zrike, c/o Sam Garcia, 57 Suffolk Street, Floor 3, Holyoke, MA 01040. Letters will remain in the envelope and be added to a memory box.
Please submit items by Friday, June 5th. Both English and Spanish submissions are strongly encouraged! Thank you.
Enrichment for Every Student
HPS is taking learning outside the classroom. Thanks to partnerships with many local and national organizations we have doubled enrichment opportunities each week to engage and inspire students. The full school day in our elementary and middle schools provides expanded opportunities for students to explore their interests in the sciences, the arts, sports, and local and world cultures
Access to Technology
Today’s students are tomorrow’s engineers, scientists, researchers and programmers. Through new technology and online programs, we’re connecting students with the opportunities that await them beyond high school.
Improved High School Experience for All
HPS’ redesigned high school experience focuses on providing real-world learning opportunities for every student. We’ve quadrupled the number of college courses HPS high school students can access on and off campus through partnerships with HCC, Westfield State and UMass.
9th grade students have the opportunity to explore a range of college and career pathways. In 10th-12th grade, students focus on their interests and develop plans for success beyond HPS. We welcome and support overaged and under credited students back to school with new pathways to the diploma.
Expansion of Choice Programs
At HPS, we understand that each student has different strengths and interests. We’ve expanded choice programs, including dual language immersion, the health sciences, STEM, and P3 (a personalized learning program). Free Preschool programs are now in every neighborhood school and boast family friendly scheduling options
High Quality Teaching and Learning
We’ve invested in recruiting and retaining top quality educators who inspire bold thinking, recognize student potential, and encourage all students to work towards their goals. The full school day increases time for teacher planning and development. New curriculum materials in math and ELA along with a laptop for each teacher will support engaging instruction.
