Excellence award spotlight 🌟
Colleen Dorsey, an inclusion coach at Peck Middle School, was recently surprised with an Award of Excellence from Interim Superintendent Anthony Soto. Ms. Dorsey was nominated by parent Sharilyn Garcia, who wrote this about her son’s teacher:
“Colleen went above and beyond to support us. During moments when we felt worried or uncertain, she made time to speak with us, even on days when she was not working, just to make sure we felt heard and supported.
“Colleen truly has a heart for inclusion. She consistently finds thoughtful and creative ways to make sure ABL students and students in sub-separate classrooms are included in school activities and feel like valued members of the Peck community. Her commitment ensures that every student is seen, respected, and given the opportunity to participate and belong.
“For families like ours, that kind of dedication means everything. Colleen’s compassion, leadership, and unwavering belief in inclusion have made a lasting difference for my son and for many other students at Peck. She is exactly the kind of educator who represents what true inclusion should look like in our schools.”
Congratulations, Ms. Dorsey!
Colleen Dorsey, an inclusion coach at Peck Middle School, was recently surprised with an Award of Excellence from Interim Superintendent Anthony Soto. Ms. Dorsey was nominated by parent Sharilyn Garcia, who wrote this about her son’s teacher:
“Colleen went above and beyond to support us. During moments when we felt worried or uncertain, she made time to speak with us, even on days when she was not working, just to make sure we felt heard and supported.
“Colleen truly has a heart for inclusion. She consistently finds thoughtful and creative ways to make sure ABL students and students in sub-separate classrooms are included in school activities and feel like valued members of the Peck community. Her commitment ensures that every student is seen, respected, and given the opportunity to participate and belong.
“For families like ours, that kind of dedication means everything. Colleen’s compassion, leadership, and unwavering belief in inclusion have made a lasting difference for my son and for many other students at Peck. She is exactly the kind of educator who represents what true inclusion should look like in our schools.”
Congratulations, Ms. Dorsey!
With help from our friends, we packed 25,000 meals for our Weekend Backpack Program! 🎒🥫🫘
A heartfelt thank you to our friends and supporters who helped Holyoke Public Schools with our recent large-scale meal packing event in support of our Weekend Backpack Program. This initiative was made possible through a generous $15,000 donation from the Feed The Kids Golf Tournament, which we used to purchase food items.
In partnership with End Hunger New England / The Outreach Program, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing food insecurity across the region, volunteers from the community came together to organize and pack 25,000 meals for students and their families. The event brought together volunteers of all ages, whose time and effort played a critical role in expanding access to food for those in need.
A heartfelt thank you to our friends and supporters who helped Holyoke Public Schools with our recent large-scale meal packing event in support of our Weekend Backpack Program. This initiative was made possible through a generous $15,000 donation from the Feed The Kids Golf Tournament, which we used to purchase food items.
In partnership with End Hunger New England / The Outreach Program, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing food insecurity across the region, volunteers from the community came together to organize and pack 25,000 meals for students and their families. The event brought together volunteers of all ages, whose time and effort played a critical role in expanding access to food for those in need.
Families are invited to join Holyoke Public Schools and the Holyoke SEPAC for an upcoming information session on the 2026 ESY and Summer Learning programs. The meeting is Wednesday, April 15, at 6 p.m. via Zoom. To register: https://bit.ly/4sj9dDJ
Library cards for young learners, improved graduation rates, and more inside! | ¡Tarjetas de biblioteca para los estudiantes más pequeños y mejores tasas de graduación, entre otras noticias!
https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-april-7-2026
https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-april-7-2026
Reminder: The Holyoke Public Schools District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) meets tonight via Zoom from 6-7 p.m. We’d love for you to participate. https://hps-holyoke-ma-us.zoom.us/j/84849886901?pwd=wKYP4mdENWanagg1NP833aoJHYkQNC.1
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Recordatorio: el Consejo Asesor de Padres del Distrito (DPAC) de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke se reunirá esta noche vía Zoom de 6 a 7 p. m. Nos encantaría que participara. https://hps-holyoke-ma-us.zoom.us/j/84849886901?pwd=wKYP4mdENWanagg1NP833aoJHYkQNC.1
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Recordatorio: el Consejo Asesor de Padres del Distrito (DPAC) de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke se reunirá esta noche vía Zoom de 6 a 7 p. m. Nos encantaría que participara. https://hps-holyoke-ma-us.zoom.us/j/84849886901?pwd=wKYP4mdENWanagg1NP833aoJHYkQNC.1
HPS schools will open two hours late today due to weather. Delayed opening schedule here: https://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/o/hps/page/cancellations-delays-early-releases | Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke abrirán dos horas más tarde hoy debido al clima. Consulte el horario de comienzo de clases retrasado aquí: https://www.hps.holyoke.ma.us/o/hps/page/cancellations-delays-early-releases
Excellence award spotlight ✨
Interim Superintendent Soto recently surprised Jennie Oesterreicher, our director of communications, with an excellence award. She was nominated by Chief of Strategy Erin Linville, who noted Ms. Oesterreicher’s communication expertise and calm guidance during challenging situations.
“Ms. Oesterreicher holds incredibly high expectations for herself, yet supports others around her to meet high expectations, on behalf of students,” said Ms. Linville. “She has established really strong relationships with colleagues throughout the district, and people trust her advice and know that they can go to her and the communications team.”
Congrats, Ms. Oesterreicher! 🥳
Interim Superintendent Soto recently surprised Jennie Oesterreicher, our director of communications, with an excellence award. She was nominated by Chief of Strategy Erin Linville, who noted Ms. Oesterreicher’s communication expertise and calm guidance during challenging situations.
“Ms. Oesterreicher holds incredibly high expectations for herself, yet supports others around her to meet high expectations, on behalf of students,” said Ms. Linville. “She has established really strong relationships with colleagues throughout the district, and people trust her advice and know that they can go to her and the communications team.”
Congrats, Ms. Oesterreicher! 🥳
HPS schools will be closed tomorrow, Monday, February 23, due to weather. There will be no after-school activities. Offices will be closed. | Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke permanecerán cerradas mañana lunes de 23 febrero debido a condiciones climáticas adversas. No habrá actividades extraescolares. Las oficinas estarán cerradas.
Black History Month and more in this edition of Together for Holyoke: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-february-9-2026
🔔 Holyoke Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27, due to weather conditions. There will be no after-school activities. Office staff: Please check your email for further direction.
🔔 Holyoke Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 26, due to weather conditions. There will be no after-school activities. Offices will be closed.
Updates, stories, and a pop quiz in this month's Together for Holyoke newsletter: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-january-12-2026
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
HPS will release students three hours early tomorrow, Tuesday, December 23, due to weather. There will be no after-school activities. | Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke permanecerán cerradas mañana martes de 23 diciembre debido a condiciones climáticas adversas. No habrá actividades extraescolares.
We’re looking for your feedback about school lunch 🥗 If your child attends HPS, take a few moments to fill out this brief survey from Sodexo about their dining experience: https://bit.ly/4p4deu9
Holiday celebrations, Panorama survey, and a send-off to long-time School Committee members in this edition of Together for Holyoke: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-december-8-2025
Get to know our principals! ✨
Name: Mr. Kevin McGrath
School mascot: Phoenixes
Favorite subject: Math and computer science
Hobbies: Hiking, sports, and CrossFit
Best part of my job: Building something new with this dedicated team
Fun fact: I have two children, ages 7 and 4. Our favorite activities include playing sports, cooking dinner together, and exploring nature as a family.
Name: Mr. Kevin McGrath
School mascot: Phoenixes
Favorite subject: Math and computer science
Hobbies: Hiking, sports, and CrossFit
Best part of my job: Building something new with this dedicated team
Fun fact: I have two children, ages 7 and 4. Our favorite activities include playing sports, cooking dinner together, and exploring nature as a family.
Inside the new Peck Middle School, an interview with Lawrence FACE coordinator, and a student taking center stage in this edition of Together for Holyoke: https://holyokepsma.edurooms.com/engage/holyoke-public-schools/newsletters/together-for-holyoke-november-2025
Ready for an extra hour of sleep? ⏰ 😴 💤
Daylight Saving Time officially ends at 2 a.m. tomorrow, Sunday, November 2 in Massachusetts—so be sure to set your clocks back one hour late Saturday evening or Sunday morning!
While some digital clocks will automatically adjust for seasonal Daylight Savings Time changes, many won’t.
The annual fall back to standard time means there will be one hour less of daylight in the afternoons and one additional hour in the mornings
The School Committee meeting scheduled for October 27 has been cancelled. The next School Committee meeting will be Monday, November 3.