UPDATES FROM MS. MARTIN
2023-2024 School Year
Dear Silver Hill Community,
I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend! The weather certainly cooperated! Speaking of weather, it looks like it will be very warm this week. Please be sure to send your children to school with water bottles so they may stay hydrated throughout the day.
We had a wonderful first week of school, and are very much looking forward to the Kindergarten students joining us tomorrow! Everyone is adapting to the routines and getting used to school again, hopefully going to bed earlier, and coming to school ready to learn and see their teachers and friends!
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions – I look forward to connecting with you all!
Sincerely,
Donna Martin, Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS/INFORMATION
ChromeBooks and Technology Information
Haverhill Public Schools is a one-to-one district, with each student receiving a ChromeBook. Students new to Haverhill Public Schools will be issued a ChromeBook the first week of school. Kindergarten students will receive a ChromeBook at the kindergarten screening.
HPS Student Device (Chromebook) Insurance: Haverhill Public Schools has chosen School Device Coverage (SDC) to insure the devices that will be given to your student as part of this year’s 1:1 device program. For only $20 per student, this insurance program will protect you and your student(s) in the event that your device is lost, stolen, or damaged accidentally over the course of the school year. Please follow this link for more information and to sign up. Haverhill Student Device Insurance
This information is also posted on the Parent and Student Resources page, Our Technology page, and the HPS Student Technology Device Policy (Spanish Version) document.
Qustodio, a FREE student safety, digital wellbeing platform that helps parents/guardians control their child’s access to the internet on their school issued devices. Qustodio is FREE for HPS Students/Families. More information and how to sign up for Qustodio can be found on our website at:
https://www.haverhill-ps.org/technology/athome/student-safety-and-digital-wellbeing-platform/
School Supplies
Silver Hill will be providing classroom supplies for all students. We ask that all students, if possible, come to school with a backpack, water bottle, lunch box/bag, and inexpensive headphones for the Chromebook. If your child needs any of these items, we can provide them, please let us know.
Before and After School Care
YMCA General Information:
Before School: opens at 7:00 a.m.
After-School: open until 6:00 p.m.
They are open on all early-release days. They are also open for full days (including 9/6 and 9/28) at separate sites, and families will be informed.
- All children in the program receive a free Youth membership at the Y
- They serve dinners to all children daily
- They are open vacation weeks (at two designated sites)
- Flexible Pricing is available to families that qualify to help with the cost of the program
- They do accept state vouchers
They will have an information table at Open House.
Discovery Club
We are pleased to announce that we received a grant to have Discovery Club at Silver Hill! This will provide free programming opportunities both before and after school for Silver Hill students. The programs will begin in October, and more information about Discovery Club will be coming soon.
JAGUARS ON THE PROWL!
Mr. Murphy, PE Teacher, will be doing the “Jaguars on the Prowl” bulletin board again. He would like students to bring a photo of them being active and healthy outside of school. This could include anything from sports, organized activities, dance, martial arts or just walking, bike riding, or hiking with friends and family.
If students do not have the photo printed, please email him at (kevin.murphy@haverhill-ps.org) and he will print it for the students!
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL INFORMATION
Arrival
- Please do not begin to line up for Car Drop Off before 8:30 am due to the new Consentino Traffic Patterns.
- Students may be dropped off beginning at 8:45am. Unless they attend the YMCA program before school, students should NOT be dropped off before 8:45 am as there is no supervision at that time. Thank you for your cooperation with this.
- 8:45 am – Students enter the building and proceed to their classrooms. Breakfast is available (free of charge) for all students.
- 9:00 am – Instruction begins
- Students arriving after 9:00 am will be considered tardy and MUST be signed in at the office by a Parent/Caregiver.
Morning Drop Off
- For safety reasons, we are asking parents to pull to the right side of the road once entering the parking lot. Cars will drive around to the back of the school and will be met with school staff to escort students into the building. Please be mindful of staff that are helping to direct traffic – their priority is student safety!
- Reminder – ONLY buses pull through the bus loop – no exceptions. Please remember that buses have the right of way.
- Drop off is a moving line, please no parking.
After School Car Pick Up
- You will NOT be able to line up for Car Pick Up before 3:00 pm due to the new Consentino Traffic Patterns.
- Pick up students and walkers get dismissed starting at 3:15 pm. Walkers are dismissed from the front of the school. Kindergarten will be dismissed first and then all other grades. Please make sure to check in with one of the teachers that is supervising so they know when a student is picked up.
- Our parking lot is a busy place and your child’s safety is our top priority. Please be patient and do not block the buses or other vehicles. Please DO NOT park in the Staff Parking Lot to pick up your children.
- Follow the same procedures as the morning routine – pull to the right once you enter the parking lot. Form two lanes – Cars picking up grades K-2 (along with older siblings) should be in the inner lane and cars picking up grades 3-4 only should be in the outer lane. Drive around to the back of the school and staff will be available to support students getting to their cars.
- Each student will be assigned a number that will be attached to their backpack – and the Parent/Caregiver will get a matching number for the car. A staff member will call into the gym where students will be waiting to be picked up.
***We would like to know how your child is getting home/to aftercare each day so we can help with the process and keep everyone safe. Please be sure to let your children’s teachers know how they are getting home.
Consentino Traffic Patterns Update – To see how the pending construction is affecting Consentino traffic patterns as well as Silver Hill traffic patterns, and to view the recording of the meeting from Tuesday, August 15th, please click here: https://consentino.haverhill-ps.org/2023/08/18/updated-traffic-pattern-arrival-dismissal-procedures/
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
Monday, September 4 – NO SCHOOL – Labor Day
Tuesday, September 5 – First Day of School for Kindergarten
Wednesday, September 27 – Early Release Day for Students 11:35 am
Thursday, September 28 – Picture Day
Monday, October 9 – NO SCHOOL
2023-2024 STUDENTCALENDAR (English)
2023-2024 STUDENTCALENDAR (Spanish)
A Message From The JGW Drama Club to all HPS Students in grades 3-8
Thanks again for a great year last season!! The JGW Drama Club was able to gross profit over $10,000, and we’ve earned an additional $10,000 grant to pursue theatrical performance opportunities for our g. 3-8 kids in Haverhill.
We will begin the 2023/2024 season with a social event at JGW from 2:45pm – 3:45pm on Thursday, September 7th 2023 in the Cafeteria (256 Concord Street), snacks provided, for ANYONE interested in joining our family this year.
There, we will discuss many upcoming events and exciting opportunities that are on our radar. There are many ways to participate in our program this season, so please make sure you set aside some time to visit if this interests you.
***One of the most important points of order this fall is that, due to timing and scheduling reasons, our upcoming fall production of The Addams Family will be limited to JGW and PLS students at the first round of auditions.***
From there, if additional cast help is needed, we will reach out to all other elementary/middle schools in Haverhill like we always do every spring, to hold an additional casting call.
HOWEVER, ALL STUDENTS FROM ALL SCHOOLS g. 3-8 ARE INVITED TO PERFORM IN The Addams Family Choir (AFC) FOR OUR PERFORMANCES IN NOVEMBER!! You WILL need permission from your chorus/choir teacher at your home school, if there is a chorus/choir program at your school, to participate in our club, so please be prepared for this.
Information on all of these exciting things, including permission slips for the AFC and posters for auditions, will be available at the September 7th meeting at JGW. You may also speak to your music teacher at your school, who will have more information for you, if you need it. We look forward to seeing you!!
Mr. Bobby Gariepy, Exec. Director & JGW Music Teacher
Ms. Maddie Hanson, co-Director of Student Social & Emotional Support