
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.

Design and planning work for the new middle school building is continuing on schedule, while abatement of the William R. Peck Middle School is expected to begin later this month and demolition soon thereafter. Construction documents were 60 percent completed in late August, said Margaret Minor Wood of Anser Advisory. She serves as Holyoke’s project manager for the new middle school construction project. “We are pleased that both estimates came in $2.5 to $3 million lower than projected,” she said, after reviewing the 60 percent completed construction documents. “While we are not expected to bid the project until winter, they are reflective of an industry-wide trend of construction inflation dampening. They are also promising for Holyoke to keep the overall project cost within budget.”

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. on the following Thursdays: September 7 and September 14.
The office will reopen at 1 p.m. on those 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.”

📸 📸 📸 Some of our favorite pictures from students in grades 1-12 on their first day of school! https://bit.ly/3qVyaeY 🎒 🏫 🍎

Some of our favorite pictures from the first day of school at HHS Opportunity Academy, HHS North, and HHS Dean!











The first day of school for grades 1-12 is tomorrow, Wednesday! Don’t forget to share your back to school pictures with us! Tag our Instagram or Facebook profiles or use the hashtag #HolyokePublicSchools.

Our facilities and custodial summer team of nearly 100 people moved 3,000+ boxes across schools and cleaned 1.1+ million square feet of learning spaces! They also completed many improvement projects, including enhancing security in the front entrances, improving outdoor place spaces, adding LED lights, adding signage, painting, replacing flooring, installing lockers, and more. For the full list of projects, visit https://bit.ly/3ONADQz.

We're Hiring! Holyoke Public Schools offers a wide range of employment opportunities for job candidates who believe school is a joyful place of discovery, support, and belonging and want to work in an environment where students and staff hold high expectations for themselves and each other. For more information or to apply, please visit our TalentEd job portal here https://bit.ly/3KKOEuA. There are numerous teaching, paraprofessional, and substitute positions available. Sign-on bonuses and/or relocation assistance may be available.


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. on the following Thursdays: August 24, September 7, and September 14. The office will reopen at 1 p.m. on those days for in-person visitors and phone calls.

Pictures from the annual back to school event held this past Saturday. More than 2,500 students received backpacks filled with school supplies to start the new school year! Families and community members enjoyed games, food, and fun! Thanks to South Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative, Sodexo, Holyoke City Hall, PeoplesBank, Cradles to Crayons Massachusetts, Enlace de Familias, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Holyoke Health Center, OneHolyoke CDC, and so many more for making this event possible. Thank you!










The annual Backpack Back-to-School Fair is this Saturday, August 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at McNally Field, behind Kelly School. All Holyoke families are encouraged to attend! 2,500 backpacks filled with school supplies will be given away. There will be lots of free food and a wide range of fun activities for children of all ages, including a chance to win one of 50 bicycles. The event is organized by Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative.

There is still time to make plans to attend college this fall! The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) is holding events August 8-24 aimed at helping recent high school graduates make plans for continuing their education this fall. Go to https://www.mefa.org/yourfuture for more about these events and resources.

High school may be in the rearview mirror for our recent Opportunity Academy graduates, but their June 22 high school graduation ceremony can now be viewed in its entirety in this 95-minute video. English link here: https://youtu.be/04AZEQtlZAk Spanish link here: https://youtu.be/Wju6zo1m1FY

Summer programming and extended school year begin on Monday, July 10!

Join us at the Summer Eats BBQ kick-off event at Heritage State Park today from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. https://5il.co/1y9zn

Exciting news for HPS students in grades 6-12! Starting next school year, we'll be using Yondr pouches for cell phones. Following a successful pilot program, each student will receive a Yondr bag to store their phone during the day. Phones will be secured by staff, and students can carry them in their backpacks


Students who are new to Holyoke Public Schools can now enroll for the 2023-2024 school year. Enrollment is open for students at all grade levels at www.enrollholyoke.com. Families who prefer to enroll their children in person or over the phone may call Enrollment Center (413) 534-2000, option 1, to make an appointment.

Holyoke Public Schools offers exciting summer programs for all district elementary, middle, and high school students through four unique summer learning academies and Extended School Year programming. Register now at www.enrollholyoke.com to secure your spot! Limited availability.

For a detailed air-quality fire and smoke map in real time, please refer to this link: https://fire.airnow.gov/ You can zoom in to see specific areas, or zoom out to see the full United States and Canada, or more.
