Beth Gage
Chief Talent Officer
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Human Resources

Holyoke Public Schools
57 Suffolk Street
Holyoke, MA 01040

About Holyoke Public Schools

• Who We Are

• What We Stand For

• Our Strategic Priorities

• Why We Are Rezoning Our Schools

Excellence in Teaching

• Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards

Holyoke Public Schools is a PK-12 public school district serving 5,100 students, of whom 80 percent are Latino/Latina, in 14 schools within the City of Holyoke, which has about 38,000 residents. Holyoke is in Hampden County within the Pioneer Valley region of western Massachusetts.

HPS employs nearly 1,300 people who together educate and support a richly diverse community of learners. 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.

We’re also committed to Equity and Diversity – building and retaining a workforce that is not only the most qualified to teach the students of Holyoke but also celebrates and reflects the rich diversity of its students.

Our Equity Commitments are pledges we are making to address systemic equity challenges. 

• We intentionally build a community that is anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally responsive.

• We ensure that students, families, and staff get the support they need to be successful.

• We seek out and incorporate the voices of those impacted, with a commitment to include those who have been excluded in the past. 

• We promote access and inclusion for all students, staff, and families.

• We respect, embrace and honor the diversity of our students, families, staff, and community.

• We reflect on our own behavior to minimize harm to others.

• We create a culture of acceptance and empathy so that everyone feels valued and is able to contribute to our community’s success.

HPS was placed into receivership by the State of Massachusetts in Spring 2015 because of struggling performance. We have since implemented a Turnaround Plan that has led to expanded opportunities for students to explore the arts, sports, sciences, local and world cultures, early college and work-based learning. Since 2015, HPS has experienced numerous accomplishments for instance: 

• A 14-point increase in the district’s graduation rate;

• Doubling access to PreK programming; 

• An 85 percent increase in access to early college programming; and

• A 15-point increase (to 28%) in teachers of color