During today's monthly central office birthday and anniversary celebration, we realized something exciting...
One of today's celebrated employees is Bill Welch. Mr. Welch is a help desk computer technician who has been at HPS for 43 years! With a few upcoming retirements, Mr. Welch will be the most senior employee at HPS during the 2025-26 school year. Thank you for choosing Holyoke Public Schools, Bill. Congrats!
Our four-year graduation rate has increased significantly: from 62% in 2015 to 77.1% last year. 🎓 Among Hispanic/Latino students, the rate has increased even more: from 55.6% to 76.2% during the same period.
Summer is just around the corner! ☀️
Before you hit the beach, make sure the following important dates are in your calendar:
• Thursday, May 29: HHS Dean graduation
• Friday, May 30: HHS North graduation
• Friday, June 13: OA graduation
• Wednesday, June 18: Last day of school!
The last day of school will follow the regular Wednesday schedule.
Academic celebrations, budget planning, and neuroscience at Kelly School in this edition of Together for Holyoke: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-may-19-2025
Holyoke educators join the B-U-Z-Z! 🐝
Five teams of Holyoke educators participated in Homework House's 10th Annual Adult Spelling Bee at the De La Luz Soundstage on May 1. While none of the HPS teams made it to the winner’s circle, they all had a lot of fun participating in the good-natured competition while also helping to raise funds to support Homework House’s free tutoring and mentoring programs.
HPS’s teams included:
🐝 The Beech Boys: Aaron Morris, Danny Loughlin, and Carlos Quiles
🐝 Bee Afraid, Bee Very Afraid: Stephen Mahoney, Jackie Glasheen, and Shaena Gubala
🐝 BeeFit: Amy Burke, Amy Piedra, and Abigail Serrano
🐝 Un-Bee-Lievable Wildcats: Katie Bourque, Siobhan Brennan, and Caitlin O’Hare
🐝 The McMahon Cheetahs: Melissa Robert, Erik Spracklin, and Katie Plasse
Head to the Holyoke Public Library on Saturday, April 12, from 9:30-3:30 to play 18 holes of miniature golf for FREE inside the library and "Human Foosball" outside! ⛳️📚
April Acceleration Academy: Enroll today! ⏰
HPS has scheduled FREE Acceleration Academies for Monday, April 21 through Friday, April 25, designed to provide enriching learning experiences as well as math support for elementary, middle, and high school students during April break. Families of interested students can enroll online. Space is limited so families are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible to ensure their children can participate. For assistance with enrollment, please call (413) 534-2000, option 1. https://enrollholyoke.schoolmint.com/login
Excellence award spotlight ✨ Morrison Duffy, a sixth grade student at Metcalf School, recently received a surprise visit from Superintendent Soto. Morrison was nominated by school adjustment counselor, Mauricio Tobar, for his outstanding critical thinking skills and connectedness with his peers, especially newcomers. He genuinely cares about and shows interest in the backgrounds of his peers, while also being very proud of his own.
Congrats, Morrison!
Meet one of the stars of Little Shop of Horrors: Audrey II! 🌱☠️ This carnivorous plant puppet—along with two other sizes to show her growth throughout the show—was designed and created by Phil Christofori. A retired art teacher and department head from HPS, Mr. Christofori has been the prop designer for HHS musicals for “a very long time.” For this production, Mr. Christofori created three puppets to show the plant’s growth throughout the show. He utilized unlikely and recycled materials, including a foam mattress, to make the puppets with support from student designer Chris MacLaughlin and set painter Bill Greaney 🎨 See all of the Audrey II puppets—and a talented cast of real-life student performers—in the HHS Theater Company production of ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ opening TOMORROW, April 3, and playing for one weekend only. Tickets available online or at the door. https://v6.click4tix.com/event-details.php?e=431721
Meet one of the stars of Little Shop of Horrors: Audrey II! 🌱☠️ This carnivorous plant puppet—along with two other sizes to show her growth throughout the show—was designed and created by Phil Christofori. A retired art teacher and department head from HPS, Mr. Christofori has been the prop designer for HHS musicals for “a very long time.”
For this production, Mr. Christofori created three puppets to show the plant’s growth throughout the show. He utilized unlikely and recycled materials, including a foam mattress, to make the puppets with support from student designer Chris MacLaughlin and set painter Bill Greaney 🎨 See all of the Audrey II puppets—and a talented cast of real-life student performers—in the HHS Theater Company production of ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ opening TOMORROW, April 3, and playing for one weekend only. Tickets available online or at the door. https://v6.click4tix.com/event-details.php?e=431721
Careers at HPS, Ignite Reading’s impact for young readers, and ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ in this edition of Together for Holyoke: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-march-31-2025
Impactful Student Summit, Read Across America, and cooking with confidence in this edition of Together for Holyoke: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-march-17-2025
A visit from Governor Healy, Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Awards, and more in this edition of Together for Holyoke: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-march-4-2025
HPS schools will open two hours late today due to weather. Delayed opening schedule here: http://bit.ly/3H3sTG1 | Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke abrirán dos horas más tarde hoy debido al clima. Consulte el horario de comienzo de clases retrasado aquí: http://bit.ly/3H3sTG1
Black History Month, grant awards in action, and a tour of the new Peck Middle School in this edition of Together for Holyoke: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-february-10-2025
Congratulations to our Q2 attendance award winners! 📆🏅 More than 50 students were honored for their excellent or improved attendance during last Thursday’s community dinner celebration at Kelly School. Honorees enjoyed food, a prize raffle, and commendations from the Mayor and Superintendent for modeling excellent attendance for their peers.
Holyoke Public Schools will be closed tomorrow due to weather conditions. There will be no after-school activities. Note to 12-month staff: Offices will be closed. As possible, 12-month staff are expected to work remotely and be available to their supervisor and colleagues by phone and/or email. | Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke permanecerán cerradas mañana debido a condiciones climáticas adversas. No habrá actividades extraescolares. Las oficinas estarán cerradas.
HPS schools will open two hours late today due to weather. | Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke abrirán dos horas más tarde el día de hoy/mañana debido al clima.
Look inside at the ongoing construction of the new Peck Middle School. Construction is moving along steadily, with the building expected to open in fall 2025 for approximately 550 students in grades 6-8. https://youtu.be/6Wpdp94zuj8?feature=shared
