The first day of school is always special, but the “first” first day is a major milestone! 🥇
Today marked the first day of school for our PreK and kindergarten students: The future classes of 2037, 2038, and 2039. Despite some first-day nerves from students (and parents!), drop-off was filled with excitement for the days ahead. Here’s to a year of learning and play for our newest students!
Don’t forget to submit your reading log! ✍🏽 Students who tracked their summer reading time with a log are eligible to win prizes—if that log is signed by a guardian and submitted to school by Friday, September 6. One student from each grade level district-wide will be eligible to receive a tablet.
All Holyoke Public Schools students can eat breakfast and lunch for free, each and every school day 🥪🥗🌮 There’s no catch, no paperwork, and no exceptions. Under the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service’s Community Eligibility Program, all students are welcome to enjoy nutritious meals at school. Menus are posted on the district website, school homepages, and on our mobile app so students and families can plan ahead. Learn more: https://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/page/food-services
This is a reminder that this year, all our schools will release one hour early on Wednesdays, except Opportunity Academy which will follow its regular schedule.
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Free backpack event! 🎒 Join us tomorrow for Safe Neighborhood Initiative’s annual back to school celebration for Holyoke students, featuring free school supplies, activities, food, and a vaccine clinic, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at McNally Field behind Kelly School.
Backpack giveaway, elementary and middle school meet and greets, school bus routes, and more in this week's Together for Holyoke https://bit.ly/3WPqRkJ
Bus routes are now posted — Route information for large buses is available on the Transportation page of the district website. HPS will contact families directly with minibus route information. — https://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/o/hps/page/transportation
Flu shots are now available! Call your doctor or pharmacy to schedule this year's flu shot.
HPS has completed its switchover to the My Ride K-12 bus-tracking software, which was first introduced in the district last spring as part of a transitional phase in. Families are encouraged to learn more about how to use the software and to download the app prior to the start of the school year.
Looking for Summer Eats? Head to the library! All other locations will be closed due to thunderstorms ⛈️ Free grab and go meals for kids and teens will be offered today, July 31, at the Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut Street, from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., with other locations back to their regular schedules tomorrow.
Summer Eats changes today! Grab and go only 🥡☀️ Two free meals locations—Veterans Park Farmers Market and Holyoke Community College—are closed today because of the heat. Grab and go meals only will be available at: 🍎 Carlos Vega Park, Hamilton Street, 11–11:45 a.m. 🍏 Community Field, Community Field Road, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 🍎 Heritage Park, 221 Appleton Street, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 🍏 Holyoke Hills, Tokeneke Road, 11:55 a.m.–12:40 p.m. 🍎 Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut Street, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 🍏 Springdale Park, 844 Main Street, 12:50–1:30 p.m.
Two Summer Eats free meals locations—Veterans Park Farmers Market and Holyoke Community College—are closed today and tomorrow, July 15 and 16, because of the heat. Grab and go meals only will be available at:
• Carlos Vega Park, Hamilton Street, 11–11:45 a.m. • Community Field, Community Field Road, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. • Heritage Park, 221 Appleton Street, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. • Holyoke Hills, Tokeneke Road, 11:55 a.m.–12:40 p.m. • Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut Street, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. • Springdale Park, 844 Main Street, 12:50–1:30 p.m.
Hampden County is under a heat advisory from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. tomorrow, July 15, with temperatures that can feel as high as 100° F. Need to cool off? In addition to air conditioning at public spaces such as the Holyoke Public Library and Holyoke Mall, splash pads are open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at the following parks:
⛲ Carlos Vega Park
🏖️ Community Field
⛲ Pina Park
🏖️ Pulaski Park
⛲ South Chestnut Street Park
🏖️ Springdale Park
Too hot! Summer Eats will provide only grab and go meals at the eight community park locations for children to take home on Tuesday, 7/9. Regular meal offerings are expected to resume on Wednesday. Reminder: Children must be present to pick up their meals, and only one meal per child. Learn more: https://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/article/1662021
Breaking a sweat? Here are some places to cool down 👇🌡️ Hampden County is under a heat advisory from 12 p.m. today until 8 p.m. tomorrow, with temperatures that can feel as high as 96° F. In addition to air conditioning at public spaces such as the Holyoke Public Library and Holyoke Mall, splash pads are open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at the following parks: Carlos Vega Park, Community Field, Pina Park, Pulaski Park, South Chestnut Street Park and Springdale Park.
📽 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or5B8pkGaM0
Free meals for kids and teens this summer at eight community locations!
Holyoke children and teens can pick up free healthy meals each weekday at eight locations within the city this summer! Holyoke Public School’s Summer Eats program is offered in partnership with Sodexo from now through August 16.
Let's do some math with... games! 🎲
Games are a great way to sharpen your child's math skills while school is out. Some games (which you might already have at home!) that incorporate math include Monopoly, Rummikub, Yahtzee, Sequence Numbers, Tenzi, Phase 10, and Farkle. There are also several fun online resources that your child may have access to with their school login, including Zearn, Prodigy Game, Sumdog, and Splash Math. Math resources for families: https://www.mathrecovery.org/resources
What goes great with summer sun? Summer reading 🌞📚
Just 30 minutes a day makes a positive impact for reading comprehension, communication skills, and vocabulary acquisition. Remember to log your child's reading for a chance to win prizes when school resumes in August! Recommended reads from HPS and Holyoke Public Library: https://www.weareteachers.com/summer-reading-list-for-kids/
🎥🎥 https://youtu.be/r4O24lrHT8E?feature=shared As the year ends, congratulations to all the elementary, middle, and high school students who received recognition for their strong, improved, or perfect attendance during a districtwide celebration held at Kelly School! Attendees, including students, family, and friends, enjoyed a delightful dinner at the award ceremony. To cap off the evening, an ice cream truck made a sweet stop, treating everyone to cool desserts!🍦
Emma Shoup has officially committed to play soccer at American international College! ⚽️ Watch the press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ0dlPwJIvU