Holyoke High Opportunity Academy

Pictured here is Puerto Rican professional boxer Sixto Escobar. He became Puerto Rico's first world champion when he competed in the bantamweight division. His mainland debut took place here in Holyoke at Valley Arena on May 7, 1934.

Watch Superintendent Anthony Soto discuss National Hispanic Heritage Month and its significance at Holyoke Public Schools. “We respect, embrace, and honor the diversity of our students, families, staff, and community. And we intentionally build a community that is anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally responsive.” With 81 percent of the student population in our schools and 54 percent of people in our city identifying as Latino(a) or Hispanic, Hispanic Heritage Month is a valuable opportunity to celebrate and deepen our understanding of the rich cultural heritage in our community.

9-22-23 Together for Holyoke: Stories and Inspiration From Our Schools. What’s inside this edition: - ‘By celebrating our heritage, we are living out two important equity commitments’- First year of strategic plan shows progress; new benchmarks set for second year - Abatement work has begun on former Peck School site - Preserving the Peck School legacy - And more! https://bit.ly/3ZrIHLy.

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education has launched the Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship Program to address the state’s teacher shortage. College students in qualifying programs who want to teach in a MA K-12 public school could earn up to $25,000 annually towards their college education. The initiative is focused on communities needing diverse teachers. The application deadline is October 1, so apply soon! For more information visit: https://bit.ly/44ZyXJC.

HPS third-grader Mirabelle Hines won first place in the “Best Mixed Medium” category among entrants in grades K-5 for a painting she created and entered in a contest this summer sponsored by the Holyoke Preservation Trust to celebrate Holyoke's 150th anniversary.

As we continue preparing for the demolition of the old Peck School building, we wanted to share these pictures of the murals created by former students throughout the years. Holyoke Public Schools is finding ways to preserve the many memories and stories from Peck shared by many in the community and honor those who participated in making these murals. We have created a photo album gallery with more images of these murals here https://bit.ly/3EGXmce.

As we continue preparing for the demolition of the old Peck School building, we wanted to share these pictures of the murals created by former students throughout the years. Holyoke Public Schools is finding ways to preserve the many memories and stories from Peck shared by many in the community and honor those who participated in making these murals. We have created a photo album gallery with more images of these murals here https://bit.ly/3EGXmce.

Families from HPS experiencing food instability can seek assistance from their school's Family and Community Engagement member. By communicating their needs, students or families can receive a bag of essential grocery items every Friday at dismissal. This program is open all year long and is designed to provide support for the family over the weekend.

Families from HPS experiencing food instability can seek assistance from their school's Family and Community Engagement member. By communicating their needs, students or families can receive a bag of essential grocery items every Friday at dismissal. This program is open all year long and is designed to provide support for the family over the weekend.

This fall, our district's Health Services and Facilities teams are collaborating with the Massachusetts Asthma Action Partnership (MAAP) and Health Resources in Action. Together with four other Massachusetts school districts, they'll participate in the HEAL: Building Capacity for Resilient Schools cohort, focusing on addressing environmental and heat-induced asthma triggers. --- This fall, our district's Health Services and Facilities teams are collaborating with the Massachusetts Asthma Action Partnership (MAAP) and Health Resources in Action. Together with four other Massachusetts school districts, they'll participate in the HEAL: Building Capacity for Resilient Schools cohort, focusing on addressing environmental and heat-induced asthma triggers. Learn more here https://bit.ly/3Pj1wfu.

Today marks the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Holyoke Public Schools and schools and communities across the nation will commemorate this occasion with various classroom activities and integrated learning across all schools. This annual celebration is observed nationwide from September 15 to October 15. It highlights the culture, history, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors hail from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. 80% of HPS students and 20% of HPS teachers identify as Hispanic/Latino, so this is an especially meaningful celebration in Holyoke.

Holyoke High School students and families from all three campuses are encouraged to check out the College Counseling Corner newsletter. This newsletter offers tips and resources for college preparation, covering topics from admission tests to financial aid check it out at https://www.smore.com/es4rh.

In order to catch up on outstanding work items due to a busy enrollment season and ultimately best serve our families, the HPS Enrollment Center will be closed to the public from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, September 14. The office will reopen at 1 p.m. days for in-person visitors and phone calls. For the fastest response time, please email enrollment questions to enrollment@hps.holyoke.ma.us and transportation questions to transportation@hps.holyoke.ma.us.

Holyoke Health Center’s dental team is back in Holyoke Public Schools continuing to provide safe, quality preventive dental care and education to students through the free Oral Health Screenings Program. Families who would like their children to participate in the portable dental program at school should complete and sign the consent form sent home with children during the first week of school. Families may also contact their school nurse (list of school nurses https://bit.ly/3sWiB78) to request a consent packet.

Holyoke High School students from all three campuses and their families are encouraged to read the College Counseling Corner newsletter produced by HHS North College and Career Counselor Anna Rigali. Each edition includes timely resources and helpful hints to help high school students prepare for college, including meeting with college recruiters, taking college admission exams (looking at you PSATs and SATs!), financial aid, college field trips and so much more. Link to College Counseling Corner Newsletter https://www.smore.com/es4rh.

Listen to Donahue student Joelimar Brito talk about what she does to get ready and be on time for school. 🌟Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!🌟

Have you filled out your child’s back-to-school packets? Your child should have been sent one home in their backpack. Families also have the option to fill it out online at www.enrollholyoke.com by clicking on their student name and then selecting “back-to-school packet”. Thanks in advance for ensuring that we have the important information contained in the packet, like emergency contact information, their media release, and more.

🗓️ 🏫 Mark your calendars! Schools across the district will begin hosting their open houses. : Thursday, September 14, Lawrence School Open House, 4-6 p.m. | Tuesday, September 19, HHS Dean Open House, 5-6 p.m. | Thursday, September 28, Morgan School Open House, 5-6:30 p.m. | Thursday, September 28, E.N. White School Open House, 5:30-6 p.m. | Tuesday, September 26, HHS North Open House, 5-6:30 p.m. | Tuesday, September 26, McMahon School Open House, 3:30-5 p.m. | Wednesday, September 27, Sullivan Middle School Open House, 5-7 p.m. | Thursday, September 28, Metcalf Middle School Open House, 4-5:30 p.m. | Thursday, September 28, Donahue School Open House, 5-6:30 p.m. | Tuesday, October 3, STEM Academy Open House, 5-6:30 p.m. | Tuesday, October 10, Kelly School Open House, 4:30-6 p.m.

We aim to keep you up to date through our twice-monthly e-newsletter, which has been renamed “Together for Holyoke” as a reflection of the essential partnerships between our schools, our families, and our community. Together for Holyoke - Stories and Inspiration From our Schools https://bit.ly/3Z5vVSR.

Middle and high school students in Holyoke have a range of after-school activities 🎒. Middle schoolers can join the Play Ball program at the Boys & Girls Clubs 🏐🏀 for sports like volleyball and basketball, starting September 26 from 5:30-8 p.m. 📅. Interested students should contact their school 🏫 or Ann Mann at (413) 534-7366 ext. 126 and ensure they meet all necessary requirements ✅. Meanwhile, Holyoke High North and Dean students can explore extracurriculars like athletics and clubs 🏃‍♂️🎨 via their school's guidance department.