The Runner Blog

Eagles Flying Higher at Elmwood School Meeting

2011-06-05T17:04:00.008-04:00

Elmwood School's Meeting of the Eagles on May 25 truly demonstrated its strong American spirit. From fundraising awards to patriotic songs, there was much enthusiasm and pride among students and attendees.

Results for “Coins for Cures”, a program to raise money for Children’s Hospital, were greeted with cheers when the students heard Elmwood School had raised more $3,000.

With 1,200 New England classrooms participating, Elmwood had four of the top six ranking classrooms with highest donations. Mrs. Mack placed first at Elmwood with $429 raised, and second in New England.

She was followed by Ms. Winter’s class ($326), Mrs. Oldach ($284), and Mrs. Prior ($233). Mary Callahan of Children’s Hospital thanked the students for their wonderful contributions.

The top students who participated in the American Heart Association's Jump Rope For Heart program also were recognized for their outstanding contributions. Francesca Shay raised $1,112, Brady Murphy $1,100, Liam Hartson $800 , Caitlin Thomas $670, and Desarae Cioppa
$450.

Elmwood placed second in Massachusetts by raising a total of $14,000. AHA representative Astrid Bigham presented plaques to the top students and said that all of the students’ efforts were truly amazing.

In the true patriotic spirit of the meeting, Mrs. Dixon, a former member of the U.S. military, led the children in a proper salute. David Quinones ,who wore a relative's U.S. military uniform, gave a symbol solo as the students sang “God Bless the U.S.A.”

Other highlights included the Hopkinton Education Foundation's grants presentation of 18 new iPads, Boxtops for Education winners (Mrs. Mortarelli for second grade, and Mrs. George for third grade), and Mrs. Silver and school mascot Swoops presenting Mrs. Diamond with her
marathon T-shirt.

Article and photos by Sally Chambers

HPTA Hosts Hopkinton’s First Green Expo

2011-06-05T16:24:00.005-04:00

On Sat, April 30 the HPTA held the Hopkinton’s first Green Expo. State Rep. Carolyn Dykema kicked off the Earth Day celebration that brought together artists, conservationists, green vendors, entertainers and educators to promote earth-friendly choices and raise awareness about sustainable, green living.

The Expo also hosted a recycling center staffed by the Small Hands Big Hearts kids of the Hopkinton Moms Group and the Annual HPTA HopSwap.

On March 23, 2011, the Massachusetts nonprofit organization, Green Schools, awarded Green Expo chair and creator Jayashree Dattar, and local artist Robin Batchelder, owner of SPARKS! Art Studio, certificates of recognition for making the green difference.

Dattar accepted the award for Outstanding Commitment to Environmental Education, Green Leadership, and Green Community. Batchelder accepted an award under the category of Green Art for her and Dattar’s Bottle Tower project.

The Bottle Tower was the result of a collaborative effort between Dattar and Batchelder, and was not only a work of art, but also a symbol of personal action. Expo attendees were asked to sign a pledge to stop using bottled water. In a blind taste test at the Green Expo, filtered tap water was preferred over Dasani and Poland Spring water by the majority of testers. This demonstration helped the water tower pledges grow.

Keep your eye out for the second annual Green Expo in 2012!

Green School creates greener and healthier learning environments through education and awareness. It offers a number of educational programs and resources to help schools and communities go and stay green. For more information, see www.projectgreenschools.org

Article and photos by Esther Driscoll

Two Hopkinton Students Win Awards at National Level of Reflections Program

2011-05-22T14:28:00.001-04:00

Winning piece by Gao

Hopkinton never had a winner at the national level of the PTA Reflections Program until this year when two students earned national distinction.

Hopkinton High School student Helen Gao won an “Award of Excellence” in visual arts, while Hopkins student Zachary
Ritterbusch won an “Award of Merit” in Film Production.

The Reflections program accepts creative entries in six categories - dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts. Competition takes place in four grade divisions - primary, intermediate, middle/junior, and senior.

This year’s entries followed the theme, “Together we can.”

The students progressed through a local competition then won at the state level before moving onto the national competition. Twenty-five Hopkinton students had submitted 28 entries at the local level and eleven of those had advanced to the national level.

Gao’s painting depicts a girl holding a bouquet of balloons decorated like flags from many nations. Ritterbusch’s entry, a short animated film called “Mission 5,” features battling Lego figures. See his film here.

Zachary Ritterbusch

The HPTA congratulates Gao and Ritterbusch and thanks HPTA Reflections co-chairs Deb Kelly and Selina Paolucci, as well all the students who entered the Reflections Program this year.

Article by Jean Cann

Kickball Tournament Grand Slam Fundraiser for HPTA

2011-05-22T14:15:00.000-04:00

The team “Stealing Bases” won the HPTA’s first annual kickball tournament title, but Hopkinton schools took the biggest prize with more than $2,000 raised at the May 7 event.

Eight teams participated, including several neighborhood teams, a group of Hopkinton teachers and a team from Let’s Sing! Dance! Act!, who also contributed to the raffle.

“It was such a fun day and even with the weather all of the teams expressed enthusiasm and said they had a blast,” said event chair Shannon Hedstrom.

The “Stealing Bases” team included six couples: Heather and Gregg Butler, Kathy and Scott Fraser, Annabel and Bob Champlin, Paige and Tim Lind, Natasha and Sean Clarke, and Christina and Pavel Perlov.

Many children came to watch and cheer for their parents and teachers.

$1,600 of the funds raised came from entry fees, while the other $600 came from the raffle tickets sales.

The HPTA would like to thank Hedstrom for coordinating the event and all participants, raffle donors and sponsors.

Event sponsors include: Cornell’s, Hiller’s Cleaners, Comolli
Construction, Scott’s Landscaping, and Panera Bread.

Cornell’s donated use of the fields as well as the post-game pizza party.

Article by Jean Cann. Photo by Shannon Hedstrom.

HPTA Recognizes Thirteen Hopkinton Heroes Nominated by Local Students

2011-05-22T14:02:00.001-04:00

The fourth annual Hopkinton Heroes essay contest will recognize 13 heroes who were nominated by Hopkinton students. The heroes include teachers, coaches, a principal, a librarian, a fire fighter, a bus driver and a big sister.

Students who nominated heroes all submitted thoughtful essays with many words of praise.

“I chose this lady because she has made a difference in the community, particularly the children," Rebecca Wood said of her hero, children’s librarian Denise Kofron.

Andrew Zaharis said about Elmwood Elementary School principal, Ilene Silver, "Mrs. Silver teaches us about the world and encourages me to be healthy.”

The HPTA will be inviting the heroes and their nominating students to a reception at Marathon Restaurant at the end of May. It wishes to thank the heroes for their service to the community, the students who took the time to write essays, and Jane Wojcik and Celine O’Rourke for coordinating the program.

The 2011 Hopkinton Heroes and the students who recognized them include:

Elmwood School's Mrs. Prior by Alyssa Souza

Coach Ray LeBlanc by Andrea Gendron

Elmwood School Principal, Ilene Silver, by Andrew Zaharis

Meghan Krueger by Hannah Krueger

Elmwood School's Mrs. Prior by Jason Zaharis

Joe Hattabaugh, teacher of “High Flight,” by Jenna Bogan

Hopkins School's Mr. Bernstein by Madeline Holden

Sarah Kinney, Center School, by Maura Souza

Erin Mahoney, teacher of “Girl Power,” by Mirabella Paolucci

Mrs. Diamond, Elmwood School, Paige Stephan

Denise Kofron, Librarian, Rebecca Wood

Ms. Jill Kaufman, Hopkins School, Zara Ali

Article by Jean Cann

Gracias! – A Festive Cinco de Mayo Appreciation Luncheon at Elmwood School

2011-05-08T14:01:00.002-04:00

On May 5, 1862, Mexicans and Americans worked together to defeat the French, who outnumbered them two to one, and prevented them from occupying Mexico. This started a collaborative, supportive relationship between Mexico and the U.S.

Since then May 5, also known as Cinco de Mayo, has become a day of celebration and recognition of the success working together can bring.

It seemed like the perfect day for the HPTA to show its support and appreciation for the 60-70 staff members at Elmwood School. A colorful buffet of Mexican food, brightly decorated tables and sombreros created a festive environment in the school's conference room.

Faculty and staff walking into the room were heard saying, “This is awesome,” and “I love Mexican.”

There were many enthusiastic comments.

Mrs. Prior said, “We are so lucky to have events like this!”

The HPTA's response: We feel very lucky to have wonderful faculty and staff at Elmwood School!

Thank you to Megan Covino and Allison Murphy for organizing the appreciation luncheon and to the many parents who contributed to making this event a success with your kind donations.

Article and photos by Sally Chambers

Center School Gives to Senior Center, Soldiers in Afghanistan

2011-05-08T13:38:00.001-04:00

Hopkinton kindergarteners and first graders completed their community service project before the April break. All kids were asked to do some extra work around the house to earn a dollar to donate.

The kindergarteners were working to buy items off the Senior Center Wish List, and the first graders wanted to buy things for a our troops in Afghanistan, where the husband of Mrs. Saldana, a Center School math tutor, is stationed.

The kids must have done a lot of chores! The kindergarteners earned $300 while the first grade students earned $236.

Thanks to them, soldiers will receive shaving cream, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soups, goldfish, chips, and crackers. The Senior Center will get wild bird seed, hand sanitizer, poster board, Lysol wipes, paper towels, tissues, hard candy, and microwave popcorn.

Many thanks to the students and families for their hard work!

Article by Amy Mick
Photos by Maureen Belger

Hopkinton Students Place at State Level, Five More Move on to National PTA Reflections Program

2011-05-01T09:04:00.003-04:00

Art by Helen Gao, Grade 9

Students from schools across Massachusetts were honored on April 10 in Swansea for placing at the state level of the National Reflections Program competition.

Eleven Hopkinton students placed at the state level and received awards for arts excellence and achievement through the National PTA Reflections Program.

Five students placed first in their categories: Helen Goa, Melanie Cole, Jesse Chambers, Zachary Ritterbusch and Mirabella Paolucci (2 entries).

These five will move onto the national level of competition. It's the first year Hopkinton has had this many students competing at this final level.

We are very proud of all our state winners and excited for those competing at nationals. Results should be available by the end of May. We wish them the best of luck during this competition.

Reflections is a national, arts-based program that encourages students to express their creativity across a theme and through a variety of venues.

This years' theme was "Together We Can." The program competition begins at the local level with winners moving onto state and then the final, national level.

Center School State Winners

Visual Arts: Primary Division

1st Place: Melanie Cole

Literature: Primary Division

3rd Place: Sean Walker

Music: Primary Division

3rd Place: Bridget Walker

Elmwood School State Winners

Literature: Primary Division

1st Place: Mirabella Paolucci

2nd Place: Vivek Dattar

Visual Arts: Primary Division

Honorable Mention: Jack Brady

Photography: Primary Division

1st Place: Mirabella Paolucci

Film: Primary Division

1st Place: Jesse Chambers

Hopkins School State Winner

Film: Intermediate Division

1st Place: Zachary Ritterbusch

Middle School State Winner

Visual Arts: Middle Division

3rd Place: Sean Kelly

High School State Winners

Visual Arts: Sr. Division

First Place: Helen Goa

Literature: Sr. Division

3rd Place: Evan Katz

For more information regarding the Reflections program, visit the HPTA webpage at http://www.hptaonline.com/reflections.html, the Mass. PTA webpage at www.masspta.org, or the national PTA webpage at www.pta.org.

HCAM captures Elmwood Celebration of Kenyan Marathon Runners

2011-04-24T18:46:00.001-04:00

Hopkinton's television station, HCAM, captured the wonderful ceremony Elmwood students enjoyed with Kenyan runners before the Boston Marathon.

You can see the video here: http://www.hcam.tv/videos/kenyan-runners-visit-elmwood-school

Read below for a recap of the event.

It is no wonder the Kenyan marathon runners look forward to coming to Elmwood School every year before the Boston Marathon! This 19th year of the pre-Marathon celebration was filled with anticipation, wonderful speeches, songs, dancing and lots of excitement.

As four-time marathon winner Catherine “The Great” Ndereba put it, "you have no idea how much joy and energy the Elmwood School gives the runners.”

Catherine Ndereba addresses the crowd

The students, faculty, guests and the John Hancock sponsors who filled the gymnasium were wowed with the dramatic entrance of the seventeen runners through fog, flashing lights and confetti.

The children sang the Kenyan National Anthem – it was so moving it brought some members of the audience to tears. And everyone was on their feet clapping when the runners joined Mr. Keane’s class as they sang and danced together to the song “Jambo, Jambo” (loose translation: How are you? Everything in Kenya is fine)

Dr. Phelan welcomed our “extended family” from Kenya, followed by RJ Dourney delivering the message to students to “do your best.” Mrs. Silver hosted the event and presented each runner with a print of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton. Be sure to look for the banner with signatures of the
Kenyan runners that John Hancock presented her.

Heart-felt speeches given by Kellie Lodge and Kim Bolick of the high school track team revealed how memories of meeting these amazing athletes remain long after leaving Elmwood School.

Kenyan Runners Dance with Elmwood Students

Apparently the memory remains with the Kenyan visitors too. Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (last year’s
winner setting a course record) told the audience, "In Kenya I think about Boston and I can’t let you down."

Katherine Ndereba inspired us all with her message to Elmwood students, “Work hard, have determination and fly like the eagles...let the sky be your limit.”

There was no doubt Elmwood School was in the company of truly special marathon runners starting their race on a very happy foot.

Article and photos by Sally Chambers

HPTA Auction Raises Between $40,000 and $50,000 for Schools

2011-04-10T09:25:00.000-04:00

With its new format and location, this year’s HPTA auction remained a popular fundraiser and family fun event.

The online portion of the auction raised approximately $30,000, with the encore auction still ongoing, the Children’s Gallery held at Hopkinton High School took in between $5,000 and $8,000 and sponsors added another $10,825, according to HPTA president and auction chair Cindy Bernardo, for a still growing total between $40,000 and 50,000 dollars.

The auction, with the theme “Be Smart – Support Our Schools,” mixed a combination of traditional favorites with the new venue and new games. New activities and wares this year included cookie decorating, Booger Wars, Lazer Tag, Hamster balls, Games2U van, and free Starbucks hot cocoa and coffee.

The four hour event saw a constant crowd with many enjoying free ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery.

“There was a line for Hamster Balls every time I looked that way,” said Children’s Gallery co-chair, Kathy Reynolds. “In the cafeteria with the baskets: obviously the ice cream was a hit, Blinkee the Clown had a line all day for balloon animals, most kids stopped at least once at the ‘lollipop tree,’ and big smiles were all around Swoops and Cubby whenever they appeared.”

The Ticket Tornado, a plastic enclosure with a high powered fan that swirled tickets quickly around children trying to grab them, drew a line like last year. The most sought-after baskets according to Children’s Gallery co-chairs Mary Holden and Kathy Reynolds were:

Hillers Themed basket donated by high school classes and the Boosters Store
Kindergarten Legoland and Mario Bros. Mania
1st Grade Red Sox Nation
2nd Grade “Accessories are a Girl’s Best Friend,” including a basket of accessories donated by Jenny Boston of Westborough
3rd Grade Wands and Wizards
4th Grade “Sweet Tooth”
5th Grade “Beauty Makeover”
Middle School “Extreme Room Makeover”

Thirty adult volunteers and many middle school and high school students helped run the event. The HPTA would like to thank all volunteers and committee members, including Bernardo, Holden, Reynolds, as well as online auction chairs Shelly Carbonneau and Laurie Fromer, volunteer coordinator Nancy Cavanaugh, food coordinator Colleen Souza, autographed items coordinator Kristen Kane, PR coordinator Amy Ritterbusch, and Colleen Barnes, who made the first grade quilt.

The HPTA also appreciates each sponsor, including Phipps Insurance Agency, Hurricane Roofing & Construction, E. L. Harvey & Sons, Hopkinton Drug at the Genius Sponsor level, and Chuck Joseph & Mary Korbey RE/MAX Executive Realty, Main Street Pediatrics, Legacy Farms and Mirick O’Connell as Brilliant Sponsors.

A full list of sponsors is available at www.biddingforgood.com/hopkinton

By Jean Cann

Elmwood School Science Fair Fantastic Success

2011-03-27T13:20:00.000-04:00

The science fair held from March 15 to 17 at Elmwood School was a fantastic success according to Jesse Chambers, a second grade student in Ms. Winter’s class.

Other students, parents and faculty seemed to agree. The event, which began 15 years ago, serves as a chance for all second graders to get their feet wet with fun experiments they choose. They learn how to prepare a presentation board and actually discuss their hypotheses and findings.

Those fascinating experiments run the spectrum from "what juice cleans pennies best," to "what are crystals," and “how launching a catapult affects launch distance."

Some of the experiments, such as Matthew Cooper’s “How do whales stay warm in icy waters” were very hands-on demonstrations. Matthew had a bucket of ice and gloves made out of “blubber” so you could actually experience how the whale stayed warm!

The students thoroughly enjoyed walking around the cafetorium and seeing other experiments, as well as describing theirs to on-lookers.

The many proud parents and faculty attending these three days showed the children the importance of this event.

Elmwood School principal Iene Silver explained that the science fair aims to help second graders find projects they can understand and interest them.

"We strive for children to do their own work, while recognizing parents play an important role (in the project.)” Silver says.

Many students were heard saying the best part of the science fair was the chance to work with their parents on the experiments.

And it was great to hear children and even adults say “I didn’t know that" as they listened patiently to a child’s conclusion and learned something new.

Article and photos by Sally Chambers

Harlem Wizards Entertain and Help Raise Nearly $7000 for Schools

2011-03-27T13:12:00.001-04:00

A packed house in the Hopkinton High School Athletic Center enjoyed an entertaining afternoon of basketball on March 13 as the Harlem Wizards faced the Hopkinton Hot Shots, a team of Hopkinton teachers, administrators, students and community leaders.

After an opening act by two Let’s Sing! Dance! Act! dance groups, players from the Wizards basketball show team engaged the crowd with trick shots and challenges. The game itself was punctuated with physical and comical antics from the Wizards’ players targeted at opponents, the referee and members of the audience. At half-time many purchased refreshments, including Cold Stone Creamery ice cream. At the conclusion of the game, the Wizards signed autographs for the fans.

The event sold 962 tickets, but volunteers and cheerleaders helped to push the numbers over 1000. According the event chair Lauren Thomas, “Our fundraiser figure for the event is not final but we made in the range of $6700.”

The HPTA would like to thank Thomas, ticket sales coordinator Susan Nigrosh and birthday party coordinator Cathy Schaefer, as well as all the other volunteers, the good sports on the Hopkinton Hot Shots and all who bought tickets to support the schools.

By Jean Cann

Expanded Children’s Gallery to Take Place in Hopkinton, Complimenting Online Auction

2011-03-27T13:09:00.001-04:00

The HPTA’s annual auction will take place mostly in cyberspace, www.biddingforgood.com/hopkinton, with no evening event scheduled.

The online auction has opened with bids taken through March 31. The Children’s Gallery portion of the auction will move to Hopkinton this year. The event will take place on April 2 from 12 noon until 4 p.m. in the Hopkinton High School athletic center and cafeteria.

Children may try to win one of the popular themed baskets or other priceless prizes, as well as take part in a variety of interactive games and fun activities.

“Our hope is that by bringing the event into town (as opposed to past year's Westboro Doubletree venue), it will be easier for more people to attend,” said event co-chair Mary Holden. “And of course utilizing our own town’s high school will be a huge cost savings...more money for our schools! The abundance of space now allows for us to offer many more new and exciting entertainment options for kids of all ages.”

Some of the entertainment options that may appeal to many ages include interactive games Booger Wars, Hamster Balls and Lazer Tag, and a Games2U Van with Wii and Playstation games. Other draws include many free offerings, including coffee and hot cocoa from Starbucks, ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery, a free pack of silly bands to the first 200 kids, face painting from the Vineyard Church, crafts with Sparks Art Studio and ballon characters from Blinkee the Clown. Swoops the eagle and Cubby the bear will also visit.

Children will have a chance to grab as many raffle tickets as they can in the Ticket Tornado. The tickets may be used to try to win one of the themed baskets, a Kindergarten Ice Cream Stroll and autographed K-3 class items.

Tickets are also available for purchase for $2 each or three for $5.

“The many themed baskets are a huge source of excitement for kids and parents alike,” said Holden. “With the many generous donations from parents and students throughout all the grades of our school system, our team of volunteer basket makers create as many as 31 awesome, eye-popping baskets that are sure to excite many potential basket raffle winners.”

Children’s Gallery Sponsors include Phipps Insurance Agency, Hurricane Roofing & Construction, E. L. Harvey & Sons, Hopkinton Drug at the Genius Sponsor level, and Chuck Joseph & Mary Korbey RE/MAX Executive Realty, Main Street Pediatrics, Legacy Farms and Mirick O’Connell as Brilliant Sponsors.

By Jean Cann

Legacy of Helen Keller Comes Alive at Center SChool

2011-03-27T12:44:00.001-04:00

On Monday, March 7, the HPTA sponsored a presentation on the life and legacy of Helen Keller.

All first grade classes enjoyed this one-woman-show from Historical Perspectives, whose focus is to present strong character role models to children by portraying the lives of famous historical men and women.

Helen Keller’s story is a wonderful testimony to the power of hard work, determination and belief in oneself.

By watching this actress portray the early years of Helen Keller’s life, the children learned how she overcame the many challenges that she faced without the senses of sight and hearing to become an accomplished author and advocate for the hearing and vision impaired.

It was Helen Keller’s wish that people understand the blind and deaf can live life just as seeing and hearing people do; they just live it in a little different way. At the end of the show, the actress (as Helen Keller) encouraged children to reach out and shake her hand, as she stated, “I won’t know you’re there if you don’t touch me.”

This helped the children understand how to better interact and be comfortable with those who are deaf and/or blind. Once she broke from her character, the actress fielded a variety of questions from the students, and finished by teaching the students a few letters in sign language.

The students were also given the opportunity to check out a braille book at the end of the show.

Article and photos by Sonia Cleven

Big Thanks to Student Volunteers

2011-03-27T10:00:00.002-04:00

On behalf of the HPTA I would like to send out a huge thank you to the wonderful student volunteers who helped with the babysitting during the March 21 Special Town Meeting. Students from the National Honor Society, the Hopkinton Leo’s Club, CommuniTeen, St. John’s and elsewhere helped take care of almost 50 children throughout the evening.

Thank you to the volunteer organizers, nail painters, toddler walkers, infant rockers, movie guys, allergy police, gimp master, duck-duck goose players – you all know who you are.

Every one of them was patient, kind, creative, fun – simply amazing. Parents, you should be very proud of your children, as I was proud to have them with me. I am not exaggerating when I say I could not have offered this service without them.

I also want to thank Gretchen Stephan from Art on Wheels, who helped keep the children inspired, happy and busy with a mural project. I can’t wait to see the finished project.

Thank you, thank you!

Respectfully,

Beth D’Alleva, HPTA Secretary

Volunteers
Shawn Carl
Liz Clark
Jacqueline Disch
Ben Faletro
Lila Gilbreath
Sara Hargrave
Casey Holt
Jamie Horrigan
Emma Johnson
Alee Leteria
Marissa Mahoney
Andrew Marceau
Erin Marceau
Jake Mokler
Shannon Moffat
Stephanie Moffat
Brittany O’Loughlin
Megan Schmit
Erica Stefano
Andrew Stella
Nick West
Kyle Wolfe
Jeremy Woodward
Zachary Woodward
Qiuwei Yang

Six Place First in State Reflections Competition

2011-03-13T09:34:00.003-04:00

Twenty-five students submitted a record 28 entries to the 2010-11 HPTA Reflections competition. Twelve of the Hopkinton entries placed at the state level of judging, and six of those placed first.

Reflections, an art enrichment program started in 1969, encourages students from preschool through grade 12 to create and submit works of art for enjoyment and for judging.

Areas of judging at local, state and national levels include dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and the visual arts (which includes art forms such as drawing, painting, print making, and collage).

Entries for the 2010-11 Reflections program used the theme “Together We Can.”

The six entries from Hopkinton’s first-place state-level winners—Jesse Chambers, Melanie Cole, Helen Goa, Mirabella Paolucci (two entries), Zachary Ritterbusch—will all move onto the national level of judging.

All entrants who placed at the state level have been invited to a Reflections State Awards Ceremony to be held April 10.

Hopkinton’s state level award winners include Jack Brady, Vivek Dattar, Evan Katz, Sean Kelly, Bridget Walker and Sean Walker, in addition to Chambers, Cole, Goa, Paolucci and Ritterbusch.

“Congratulations to our state winners! We are very proud of you,” said Deb Kelly and Selina Paolucci, who have co-chaired the HPTA Reflections for four years.

All Hopkinton students who submitted entries will be recognized with an award at the year-end HPTA General Assembly and will receive a free ice cream cone from Golden Spoon.

Artwork and videos from the Reflections competition can be viewed at the HPTA website.

By Jean Cann

Selectman, Principals, HPTA Support Fruit Street School and Ask Town for Yes Vote

2011-03-13T09:07:00.007-04:00

At its March 8, 2011 meeting, the Board of Selectmen voted 4-1 in support of the new K-5 Elementary school on Fruit Street.

"Having started on the other side of this issue, I have come to believe that districting offers the opportunity to make our schools even better," said Selectman Ben Palleiko. "The simple facts are that we need a new school, there are no benefits to come from delaying, and moving to districted schools makes a lot of sense. Change like this is not easy, and we are all correct to be concerned about making sure this works out the way we want it to"

Palleiko urged residents to support the new Elementary School as well.

At the March 7 forum on the new elementary school and districting plan, Principals Jen Parson, Ilene Silver, Greg Martineau, and Alan Keller expressed their full support for neighborhood schools.

According to The Metrowest Daily News, which covered the event:

"School leaders say longer grade spans mean fewer transitions between buildings, which can be stressful for students, particularly those with special needs. And since students move to a different school every two years under the existing system, that leaves staff with little time to develop relationships with students and help them do their best work.

"Sometimes it really does feel like children are visitors in our schools," said Principal Ilene Silver of Elmwood School, which now hosts all second- and third-graders.

"With students transitioning outside of school between daycare, activities and - frequently - parents living in separate homes, the school should provide a refuge," said Principal Jennifer Parson of Center School, home of kindergarten and first grade.

"Elementary school-age children thrive on consistency and routine," she said.

"All three elementary school principals support districting, as does the middle school principal. During the forum, Superintendent Jack Phelan suggested the switch could also boost already high test scores."

Middle School Gets Groovy at Kids Night Out

2011-03-13T08:48:00.000-04:00

The Class of 2017 rocked another Kids Night Out last month. About 160 sixth-grade students attended the event hosted by the HPTA. Eighth grade Ignite leaders joined in the fun as well, once again volunteering their time to help the younger kids have a memorable experience.

The theme honored the 1960s with a groovy jive. The kids danced, sang and applied tattoos, tried out finger knitting, and played games in the cafeteria. As they enjoyed the activities they listened to music provided by DJ Carl Adams and live entertainment from some of the sixth grade students. These
students proved they can entertain a crowd and get them dancing!

In the gym, Eric Robinson organized a great game of dodgeball, including a rematch between the sixth graders and Ignite leaders. We were also lucky to have some dads who took control of the basketball courts.

The kids were able to purchase snacks and water during the event provided by the HPTA. Dianne Goolgasian, one of the HPTA organizers, said she was happy to see the kids laughing, smiling, and all in all just having fun.

Thanks to all the parents who volunteered their time, and making the event possible. More volunteer opportunities are coming up, and we can’t run them without volunteer help.

By Dianne Goolgasian

Elmwood Racks Up Box Tops, Printer Cartridges

2011-03-13T08:42:00.000-04:00

Elmwood students have been busy collecting box tops and used printer cartridges this year, helping to earn money for purchasing useful teaching tools, such as SMART boards and other educational supplies.

The last collection deadline in February brought in 6,523 box tops to be sorted and clipped by HPTA Cash Back for Schools Coordinators Cathy Schaefer and Holly DiNicola.

The payoff for this round of collection will be $652.30. Since the beginning of the year, Elmwood students
have sent in 12,719 box tops. That translates to $1,272 dollars that the HPTA can give back to
Elmwood.

Students have also been bringing in used printer cartridges. Although the February totals have not yet been tabulated, the proceeds from ink cartridge collection already stands at $134.20 for the school year.

Despite these impressive totals, the HPTA is hoping that this last collection cycle will be the best yet for the school year. Totals thus far for both box tops and printer cartridges are lower than the collection numbers for the same time period last year.

By the end of the last school year, box top collection raised $2,040 and ink cartridges brought in $615.

"There are many more classes at Elmwood that still need SMART Boards," says Schaefer. "The
next collection is in May, so please save and send in your boxtops and ink cartridges to Elmwood."

By Laura Schnur

Kindergartners Entertained by Cabrel's Magical Storytelling

2011-02-27T12:23:00.000-05:00

On February 4, all kindergartners were treated to the tales told by famous storyteller Len Cabrel. He told his stories to six kindergarten classes in the morning and then to five more in the afternoon.

Cabrel has a wonderful style and easily engaged the children as he told tales of Anansi the Spider, why a rabbit has a short tail, the Cornbread Man, and one of a coyote and Old Man winter along with many others, all with his own spin on the stories.

He explained that Anansi stories were African folktales. He had the children name animals with horns for the story. The children impressed Cabrel with their answers which included goats, moose, buffalo, wildebeest, long horned sheep, and even an ibex!!

He told the children that the fox eats the cornbread man in the Cornbread Man story because he had a plan. They talked about how important it is to always have a plan, even if you end up not following it exactly.

The children laughed at parts of stories, did some hand and feet movements, and even sang in some stories, and overall enjoyed themselves while having some social lessons reinforced.

Articles and photos by Maureen Belger

Jurassic Junior Roars into Elmwood

2011-02-13T17:31:00.000-05:00

Can you say "paleontology?"

That is how the children in second grade classes at Elmwood School began a special session called “Jurassic Junior,” which was all about dinosaurs and the world millions of years ago.

HPTA sponsored the interactive one and a half- hour sessions for each second grade classroom February 3 through 9 as part of the enrichment programs supporting current curriculum.

The children loved how paleontologists are like detectives as they offered their own theories about why the dinosaurs were extinct. Led by “Radiant Rita” from High Tech High Touch, the company delivering the sessions, students learned all about what paleontologists study and why.

The young student paleontologists happily engaged in several experiments, such as making their own fossils in clay and examining miniature replicas of dinosaurs to draw conclusions about them.

Their favorite experiment was the one conducted inside a baby food jar that simulated an asteroid's impact hitting the earth.

A discussion about dinosaur extinction followed.

The students even learned about a unique dinosaur that ate plants and stones found only in New England!

Elmwood teachers welcome these programs.

“Jurassic Jr. was a great way to introduce our upcoming fossil unit," says Elmwood teacher Ms. Winters. "Composed of interesting and exciting facts about dinosaurs and fossils, the program left the students feeling both enthusiastic and eager to expand their knowledge of dinosaurs and what life was like millions of years ago.”

A sincere thank you to Enrichment Program Coordinators, Joanna DeMartino and Jayashree Dattar, for organizing a great program.

By Sally Chambers

Pyramids and Pharaohs at the Middle School

2011-02-13T17:30:00.000-05:00

Middle School students had a chance to see what life was like during the time of the pharaohs during the Pyramids and Pharaohs event that took place on January 25.

New SmartBoard for Elmwood

2011-02-13T17:28:00.001-05:00

Elmwood students enjoy the new SmartBoard procured with HPTA funds for Mrs. Calrson's second grade class.

Elmwood's Wee Deliver Starts Second Session

2011-02-13T17:24:00.000-05:00

Another group of eager postal workers was sworn in to the Elmwood School's post office on February 3 for the second session of the Wee Deliver Program.

Zagame answered student questions about how mail is delivered in snowy conditions, and delighted the children when they learned that snowmobiles are used to deliver mail in Alaska.

The new postmasters, third graders Hannah Ianelli and Jack Breslin were sworn into office along with 28 postal workers from second and third grades. If this session is anything like the last one, the postal employees will be very busy delivering thousands of pieces of mail!

Elmwood students enjoy writing to each other at their own unique addresses in the school as well as receiving letters from family and friends outside of school. Families and friends can mail letters in the post box in the lobby of Elmwood School, or at the specially painted mailbox at the Hopkinton Post Office or at Colella’s supermarket.

The Wee Deliver Program runs from February 1 to March 17. Please encourage your child to write letters, and also take the time to write to your child.

Stamps are available in the school office if you need them. The program is a terrific way for all children to learn how to write a letter, practice penmanship, and learn about the postal process, and it brings joy to the students as they open their letters!

Thank you to the HPTA coordinators Carol Quinlan, Niki Battikha, and Christine Tourigny for their management and guidance to make Wee Deliver successful.

Variety of Activities Keep Preschoolers Busy and Warm

2011-02-12T10:00:00.010-05:00

The Hopkinton Integrated Preschool has been keeping busy during these freezing months. Whether the children are using their new slate chalkboards to practice their letters, listening to the amazing Mrs. Grady the Music Lady, or just playing with their friends, they are certainly staying warm!

The HPTA held a Professional Picture Fundraiser in December, which raised $305 for Mrs. Grady’s music enrichment program. There were nine families that participated; some even brought their dogs with them!

We would also like to extend a warm welcome to Lydia Munger, who has stepped in to fill in until Kim Sullivan returns from maternity leave.

By Marsha Birtwistle and Michelle McGowan

Myth Masters Entertain Middle School

2011-01-30T13:45:00.004-05:00

Eighth graders at Hopkinton Middle School were treated on October 28 to an entertaining and compelling retelling of several classic Greek myths by the Myth Masters troupe. But these were not your parents’ myths.

The ancient tales had a modern twist with references to Justin Bieber and iPods sprinkled among stories of timeless Greek figures. The one-hour presentation sponsored by the HPTA reinforced recent classroom lessons on Greek Mythology, but in an interactive and interesting forum.

Props, masks, puppets and mime were among the tools the presenters used to engage the students in a fresh approach to three Greek myths.

"A myth is a story to explain things we don’t understand," they explained, shedding figurative light on an ancient story about the Sun god, Helios, and his son, Phaeton.

Then, donning wigs and using creative props the actors portrayed the fate of Narcissus and Echo, his admirer. Next, the two performers called up students from the audience to help tell their final tale about Orpheus and his journey into Hades.

The comedic, high-energy approach of the presentation captivated the audience, keeping them laughing and singing, and performing the wave and getting them engaged in the skits.

Students left the auditorium smiling and animated, swapping recollections of their favorite moments in Greek mythology.

Photos and article by Laura Schnur

Plimoth Plantation Comes to Elmwood

2011-01-30T13:44:00.000-05:00

Native American educators from Plimoth Plantation visited third graders at Elmwood School this past week, reinforcing recent classroom lessons about the Wampanoag tribe. The one-hour HPTA program brought artifacts to each classroom, giving students hands-on exposure to everyday Wampanoag items.

Beginning with a slide show, presenters Summer Coblyn and Elisha King explained how the Wampanoag raised crops, caught fish, constructed wetus (homes made from cedar saplings) and adjusted their daily life depending on the seasons. The pictures showed how the Wampanoag constructed wetus as well as mishoons, which were the boats made from dug out tree trunks.

The slideshow depicted many aspects of Wampanoag culture, and the children were able to make connections with many things they had already read and discussed in class during recent weeks. Although it was clear that many of the topics were familiar to the students, it was an opportunity for them to ask questions and deepen their knowledge and understanding of Wampanoag culture.

A highlight of the presentation was at the conclusion of the slideshow, when the children were given an opportunity to pass around an array of Wampanoag items. They were fascinated, and in some cases wary, of the many animal skins they were able to touch, including those from moose, deer, beaver, raccoon and skunk.

The students were also able to explore other parts of the animals that were used as tools, such as jawbones. The other artifacts they handled included clothing and bedding, bags for storage and travel, carved wooden bowls, dolls, a tomahawk and instruments.

Photos and article by Laura Schnur

High School Lecture Series Welcomes Argentinian Guest

2011-01-30T13:24:00.000-05:00

As part of its enrichment budget, the HPTA sponsors an Hispanic lecture series and a French lecture series for Hopkinton High School.

This year, Claudia Marchetti of Tucuman, Argentina returned to Hopkinton High School to talk with Spanish class students.

Don't Wait for the Snow to Melt to Think About Summer Camp

2011-01-30T12:47:00.000-05:00

With all of this year's snowfall, many New Englanders are eager to welcome summer back to the region. While the lazy days of summer may seem like nothing more than a glimmer in the distance, now is the time to start the process of choosing a summer camp for the kids!

To help families shake off the winter blues and jumpstart that search, the American Camp Association, New England is co-sponsoring The Summer Activity Fair on Saturday, February 12 at Hopkinton High School.

The fair, hosted by the Hopkinton Parent Teacher Association, will feature directors and representatives from more than 50 ACA-accredited day and sleepaway camps from across New England. Camp professionals will be on hand to answer questions and provide insight into what each camp offers for kids and their families.

All kinds of camps will be represented: specialty, traditional, adventure, family, trip/travel, general, religious, and community service.

For more tips on how to navigate the camp search process or to make the most of a camp fair, parents can visit www.ACANewEngland.org.

WHEN: Saturday, February 12, Noon – 3p.m. (snow date: March 5)

WHERE: Hopkinton High School Cafeteria, 90 Hayden Rowe St. Hopkinton, Mass.

For more information contact:

Wendy Scheman
wendyscheman@gmail.com
508-625-1169 or

Laurie Collins
lmdrcollins@verizon.net
508-625-1558

Formal Fashions at a Fraction – The Perfect Dress Fundraiser

2011-01-30T10:00:00.025-05:00

On February 12, women and teenage girls looking for the perfect dress can purchase new or nearly new frocks for $20 to $40 in a sale that drastically cuts the high cost of attending a formal event, while benefitting a worthy cause in the process.

The Perfect Dress event will be held at Hopkinton Middle School from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

All proceeds benefit the HPTA's efforts to enrich the educational experience for Hopkinton’s students, as well as the H.S. Leos Club and its focus on community service.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the amazing number of new and nearly new dresses we’ve been able to collect for this event,” says Hopkinton resident and HPTA member, Jane Wojcik, who is helping to organize the event. “We have lots of gorgeous dresses this year. There really is going to be something for everyone.”

Now in its fourth year, The Perfect Dress serves as the source for anyone looking for formalwear for a prom, wedding, bar or bat mitzvah, cotillion, school dance, cruise, or other dressy event.

The Perfect Dress features more than 200 new and nearly new dresses of all sizes and colors that have been collected over the past several weeks by the Leos and HPTA volunteers.

Several local artisans and vendors will also have tables selling jewelry, handbags and wraps. Hopkinton seamstress Mary Byrnes will also be in attendance to help with alterations consultations.

Those wishing to donate a dress can make their tax-deductible donation at Platinum Day Spa (77 West Main St, Hopkinton) or at Threads (1 Claflin Commons, Hopkinton).

When: Saturday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m. -2 p.m. Snow date: Feb. 19, 10-2.

Where: Hopkinton Middle School cafeteria, 88 Hayden Rowe St. (Route 85)

The Goods: New and nearly new gowns and dresses, sold at $20-$40; accessories at similar savings

Other Highlights: Vendors selling jewelry, wraps and handbags; alterations consultant.

Beneficiaries: Hopkinton PTA and the Hopkinton HS Leos Club

Contact: Jane Wojcik 508-435-9425 or jane.wojcik@yahoo.com

Document Cameras at the Middle School

2011-01-30T10:00:00.020-05:00

Earlier this month the Middle School's English department received eight new ELMO Document Cameras funded by the HPTA.

These cameras are more than next-generation, digital replacements of overhead projectors because they allow users to display transparencies, 3-D objects, microscopic images, moving objects, textbook pages, student worksheets, slides, and more.

With the ability to connect to a multimedia projector, monitor or television, a document camera can display a presenter’s thoughts, ideas, lessons and examples on a large screen format, live in vivid color and detail.

It also enables teachers to provide a more dynamic and interactive classroom.
For instance, a teacher can place a sample writing project on the document camera and instantly project it for the whole class to see. Using a remote control, important points can be emphasized with real time editing tools.

Ask your middle school students if they have seen a new document camera in one of their
classrooms!

By Liz Pomeroy

HPTA Volunteers at Center School Library

2011-01-30T10:00:00.018-05:00

This year approximately 30 HPTA members have volunteered to help in Center School's library.

Lauren Morse, the library volunteer coordinator, says that “due to the abundance of volunteers, most people come in once a month. Many have offered to come in more.”

There are about six shifts per week where the HPTA has volunteers help out. The responsibilities include helping children find the perfect book to take home for the week; helping students with table work; organizing the books kids return; and assisting librarian Mrs. Mello and Mrs. Jennings with
special projects throughout the year.

By Maureen Belger

First Graders Meet with Author and Illustrator Michael Glaser

2011-01-16T08:00:00.007-05:00

Through the HPTA's enrichment program, author, illustrator, and marine educator Michael Glaser visited Center School to talk to first-graders about the process he went through when writing his book, "Does Anyone Know Where a Hermit Crab Goes?"

Glaser showed the children his original notes and told them how he started with words, then read it, revised it, and read it again.

He admitted that he told himself, "I don't know if I can do this," but he kept revising his story. One student spoke up and recommended that he add some pictures to the story.

“That is just what I did,” Glaser responded.

He then shared with the first-graders his different sketches, and how he tried crayons, pencils, and different colors before decided on his final ones.

The children got to see the many iterations of the illustrations and then the final ones. Glaser said he then brought his words and sketches to people who knew how to make it into a book.

Next he pulled out a big sheet that had been printed by the printer. The children were amazed as he folded it up to make a book.

“How do you get ideas,” one student asked.

Glaser said most people write about what they like, or what they want to share with friends. Since he is a marine biologist he likes to write about the sea and sea animals. He writes both fiction and non-fiction.

The children were thrilled by the sea creatures that Glaser brought with him. They included horseshoe crabs, a moon snail, and a starfish. He told them many facts about each of these animals and he let the children touch them

Glaser finished the day by reading his book to them.

Articles and photos by Maureen Belger

Hopkinton students express themselves through Reflections program

2011-01-16T07:30:00.005-05:00

Abigail Furlong, Grade 4, Intermediate Visual Arts

Congratulations to all of the Hopkinton students who submitted an entry for the 2010-2011 PTA Reflections program. This year's theme was "Together We Can." The HPTA Reflections chairs were Selina Paolucci and Deb Kelly.

Students representing each of Hopkinton's schools submitted their work in different categories, which included literature, photography, music, film and visual arts.

Melanie Cole, Grade 1, Primary Visual Arts

Helen Gao, Grade 9, Senior Visual Arts

National Reflections program award winners will be announced in May.

Primary Division - PreK - 2nd grade
Literature
Sean Walker
Isabella Simes
Mirabella Paolucci
Timothy Tourigny
Ailene Barry
Catherine Barry
Vivek Dattar
Tara Joshi

Photography
Mirabella Paolucci

Visual Arts
Melanie Cole
Allison Chen
Casey Tourigny
Lily Tourigny
Jake Chirco
Vivek Dattar
Jack Brady

Musical Composition
Bridget Walker

Film Production
Jesse Chambers

Intermediate Division - grades 3-5
Film Production
Zachary Ritterbusch

Literature
Mira Chadha
Abby Furlong

Visual Arts
Abbey Kelley-Lanser
Devin Kelly
Abby Furlong
Ethan Ritterbusch

Middle/Junior Division- grades 6-8
Visual Arts
Sean Kelly

Senior Division - grades 9-12
Literature
Evan Katz

Visual Arts
Helen Gao

Wee Deliver: The Mail Must Go Through!

2010-12-12T12:50:00.000-05:00

Normally, swearing is not allowed at Elmwood School – except when you are one of Elmwood School’s newly-selected Wee Deliver postal workers taking an oath at a ceremony held November 30.

Wee Deliver, a program created by a teacher 13 years ago and now managed by the HPTA, is a letter-writing and delivery program designed to teach children about the postal process. The Elmwood Post Office opened with Mrs. Silver officiating the ceremony and Hopkinton Postmaster Carl Zagame swearing in the two student Postmasters, Jack Nowlin and Tim Fargiano.

Zagame led all of the postal employee students in the oath to “execute duties of the office and render the best service to their customers.”

Their customers, Elmwood students, enjoy writing to each other at their own unique addresses in the school as well as receiving letters from family and friends outside of school.

A letter with a special Elmwood stamp may find its way from Mrs. Long’s classroom at Yertle the Turtle Way in Whoville to Mrs. Mack’s classroom at Hullabaloo Avenue in Clearyville.

Families and friends can mail letters using the post box in the lobby of Elmwood School, or at a specially painted mailbox at Hopkinton Post Office or Colella’s.

It is all part of learning about how a letter goes from one point to another. Students also have fun learning to write a properly formatted letter while improving their writing and penmanship skills.

Wee Deliver runs for two sessions lasting six weeks each from November 30 to January 20, and from February 1 to March 17.

“Remember the motto, ‘Write a letter, get a letter,’” says Mrs. Silver, Elmwood School principal.

HPTA wishes all Wee Deliver participants lots of joy opening their mail.

Article and photos by Sally Chambers

Center School Focus of School Committee, Town Selectmen

2010-12-12T10:00:00.066-05:00

Over the last couple of weeks, Hopkinton's selectmen have toured Center School and met with the school committee and Superintendent to ask questions about the need for a new Elementary School. One concern is that with the cold weather setting in, six classrooms at Center School will not warm above 60 degrees.

To read recent articles about the Center School issue, please read the following articles by Metrowest Daily News reporter Michael Morton.

Hopkinton's Center School building called 'obsolete'
Creating a trio of neighborhood elementary schools is not the impetus for replacing Center School, the School Committee told selectmen last night, but will remain a goal should funding votes fail.

"The reason the statement of intent was submitted had nothing to do with redistricting," Superintendent Jack Phelan said, referring to an application for state project aid. "The major issue at hand is (that) the building is obsolete."
For the full article click here:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/hopkinton/news/x457321463/Hopkintons-Center-School-building-called-obsolete

Hopkinton selectmen seek meeting on proposed new school
Selectmen want to meet with the School Committee Tuesday to discuss a proposed replacement of Center School and talk about questions board members have from a recent building tour.

The School Committee and the state have deemed the facility outdated and the classrooms too small, with a number of other shortcomings. Working with an architect, the two groups have determined that building anew on Fruit Street presents the cheapest option and avoids long-standing traffic and safety issues at Center School.
For the full article click here:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/hopkinton/news/x1621194535/Hopkinton-selectmen-seek-meeting-on-proposed-new-school

Science Fair Sees New Enthusiasm Among HHS Students

2010-12-12T10:00:00.037-05:00

Head coordinator of the HHS science fair program,
Mrs. Lechtanski

Hopkinton High has historically been an avid competitor in the Worcester Regional Massachusetts State and Intel International Science and Engineering Fairs. Science fair was always a graded project exclusively for students taking Pre-AP Physical Science and AP Chemistry until last year when it was made an optional extracurricular activity.

Since it was no a longer required project, the amount participation drastically fell, with only 5 projects being sent to the fair. The majority of these projects went on to the state fair, and two ended up making it to the International Science Fair in San Jose, California.

This year, however, fervor for the fair has increased due to the new class titled “Honors Research Methods in Science,” which is dedicated to the preparation involved in the science fair process. Read more at the HHS Blog

Article and photos by Swati Sharma

School Committee December and January Meetings

2010-12-12T10:00:00.033-05:00

As a new addition to The Runner, the school committee meeting dates and times will be listed. As always, residents are welcome to attend and comment at the public comment portion of the meeting.

The agenda is also available on the school committee website (http://www.hopkinton.k12.ma.us/newweb2/school_committee.php)
the Monday prior to the meeting:

You can also watch from home by tuning into HCAM’s channel, Comcast: Channel 8; Verizon Channel 30, or watch the recorded video on your computer at another time by going to http://hcam.tv/

Residents are also encouraged to email school committee members directly with any questions or
concerns. Your input and feedback is very important and will help shape our schools.

School Committee Contact Information:
Jean Bertschmann : jeanber65@hotmail.com
Rebecca Robak: rebeccarobak@aol.com
Nancy Burdick: nancyb88@hotmail.com
Richard Demont: demont@demontlaw.com
Troy Mick: troymick@verizon.net

Meetings for December and January:

Meetings to be held at the Middle School Library
December 16, 2010 - Regular Meeting - 7:30 p.m.

January 6, 2011 - Regular Meeting - 7:30 p.m.

January 13, 2011 - Working Session/Budget - 7:30 p.m.

January 20, 2011 - Regular Meeting - 7:30 p.m.

January 27, 2011 - Public Hearing on FY11Proposed Budget - 7:00 p.m.

By Esther Driscoll

Homework Workshop Offers Stress-Free Solutions to Parents

2010-12-12T10:00:00.005-05:00

On November 30 at the HCAM-TV studio, the HPTA hosted education specialist Ann Dolin for a presentation: Homework Made Simple: Solutions for Stress-Free Homework. Forty-five people attended the workshop, according to organizer Esther Driscoll, and most bought copies of Dolan’s book, Homework Made Simple—Tips, Tools, and Solutions for Stress-Free Homework.

“She was a very engaging speaker,” said Jen Joyce, a Hopkinton mother who attended Dolan’s workshop. “She had a lot of practical suggestions that were very easy to try.”

While Joyce had already tried many of the tips Dolan suggested, she gained some new ideas and appreciated Dolan’s emphasis on flexibility and patience.

Dolan generally categorizes children with homework issues in six ways - disorganized, rusher, procrastinator, avoider, distractible and easily frustrated - yet doesn’t suggest just one solution for each category.

For example, while she suggests having places set aside for homework, she stresses that the place could vary from day to day and that some children may be more comfortable working at a desk, while some might work better lying on the floor.

“It’s all a matter of tuning in to your own kid and finding out what works for them,” said Joyce.

“Her book also delves into parenting tips and offers many more strategies and tools,” said Driscoll. “It was interesting to note that some of her suggestions are already used in our schools, but I think her book brings tips and tools home to parents. We parents may pick up on subtle issues that slip by the school system, but we don’t necessarily know how to handle it. As I read her book and listened to her presentation, I had a number of ‘Aha’ moments.”

Dolan’s presentation is available on HCAM at http://www.hcam.tv/media, and the HPTA has posted a link on its website, http://www.hptaonline.com/parentprograms.html, to purchase copies of her book.

By Jean Cann

Fifth Graders Challenged to Build Bridges

2010-12-12T10:00:00.004-05:00

Build a bridge structure in less than an hour; this was the test Techsploration founder Tom Wahle put forth for Hopkins 5th graders during the “Exploring Structures and Technology” program.

Students were placed in groups of four and five to cohesively work together building various bridge structures including the truss, beam, suspension and arch. The structures were successful if they passed the "Godzilla Test," which ultimately meant that if the bridge could withstand students shaking it, it would be considered sound.

The class was challenged to apply what they had learned from the program and build the biggest and tallest bridge with the supplies given. So the races were off, with the winning bridge standing eight towers high!

Tom Wahle is a certified technology education teacher with ten years classroom teaching experience. He has been traveling extensively to schools throughout New England since 1997. His unique program brings science and technology concepts to real life situations in fun and exciting ways. The fifth graders had a blast while they explored the world of bridge engineering.

Article by Beth Herlihy and Kelly Asherman

First Graders Experience Animal Adventures

2010-11-14T09:18:00.010-05:00

On Monday November 8, Ed LaQuidara of Animal Adventures came and spoke to the children, in two different sessions, about different animals. There was much excitement in the room when Mrs. Parson, introduced and said the children would get to touch some animals. There are more than 700 animals at Animal Adventures in Bolton, Mass. many of them being exotic pets people can no longer keep. LaQuidara brought several with him to Center School.

The first animal he brought out was a Florida King Snake. He asked the children if they thought snakes was slimy or dry? Most responded dry. Then he explained that he was a scientist by training and as such likes to test his hypothesis. So he asked for two volunteers, Evan and Brooke, to perform the test.

The test consisted of having the snake rubbed on the volunteers faces – if the snake left slime on the children's faces then the snake skin was, in fact, slimy. Evan and Brooke were very brave and even laughing as the snake was rubbed on their face and hair and not a bit of slime was anywhere. During the experiment, LaQuidara pointed out that people should never put their face near a wild animals face.

The next animal up was Baby Bob, a chinchilla. Living in the Andes Mountains, chinchillas are nocturnal animals with extremely soft fur. They are able to protect themselves from owls and other birds of prey by huddling together, flattening themselves out or squishing their bodies so that they can fit into a crack of a rock. LaQuidara asked for a volunteer to meet Baby Bob up close and personal.

A brave young man named Owen was selected, and LaQuidara placed Baby Bob on Owen's head. Baby Bob did not stay there too long! LaQuidara then walked around with the chinchilla giving all the interested children, and teachers, a chance to pet him and feel his extremely soft fur.

LaQuidara also brought a German Bearded Dragon, a type of lizard, for the children to learn about. They are omnivores so they eat plants and meats. They live in the sand and can be smelly. Their skin is dry and scaly. Halle was the brave volunteer who willingly encountered the bearded dragon as LaQuidara showed all the things that the lizard would do to make itself appear scary to something approaching it.

Crash, the Boa Constrictor, was so large that it took 8 first graders to hold him! Not one was frightened! Ed then brought out an owl in training. The Eurasian Eagle owl, only four months old. He told the children lots of exciting facts about this owl. On the way out of the cafeteria, all the children had the opportunity to pet Victor, a Nile Crocodile!

Article and photos by Maureen Belger

Globes, Tubes and Racetracks Thrill Elmwood Students

2010-11-14T07:46:00.001-05:00

Experiments such as "Plasma Globes," "Tornado Tubes," and "Molecule Racetracks" delighted Elmwood School second grade students as they participated in the "What’s the Matter" science program delivered by a company called High Tech High Touch.

During the week of Nov 1, the HPTA sponsored these highly interactive, 1.5 hour sessions for each second grade classroom as part of the enrichment programs that support current curriculum. The children, who had been learning about matter, were thrilled to see those concepts come to life.

They experimented with inflating balloons with gases emitted from vinegar and baking soda bubbling together, raced water droplets around a roadmap to learn about cohesion, and saw densities as liquid and gas mixed in Tornado Tubes.

Working together in groups, they hypothesized, experimented, and drew conclusions under the guidance of Jeff Unger from High Tech High Touch.

According to Elmwood second grade teacher, Amelia Long, “The program was definitely hands-on and engaging for the students, and increased their interest in matter.”

And with students shouting, “This is so cool!” and “I love Science,” we may have several future scientists who conducted their first experiments at Elmwood School!

A sincere thank you to the Enrichment Program Coordinators, Joanna DeMartino and Jayashree Dattar, for a very successful program.

Entertainment Cards Are Coming!

2010-11-14T07:33:00.000-05:00

New this year, the HPTA presents the Entertainment Card Sale to help raise funds for Hopkinton Schools, and to support local businesses while helping supporters save money. The Entertainment Card costs $20 and offers money-saving deals at businesses like Six Flags New England and Regal Cinemas. It also offers printable coupons for other area businesses.

Students will sell the cards from November 19 through December 1.

Card purchasers will receive discounts or specials, including buy one get one free and 20 percent off deals, at 16 different businesses. Participating Hopkinton businesses include Bill’s Pizza, Threads, Ciao Time, Playtown Express, Café Mocha Express, Golden Spoon, Snappy Dogs and Hillers Cleaners.

The HPTA suggests buying Entertainment Cards as stocking stuffers, or as holiday gifts for bus drivers, teachers and mail carriers. Students are asked to sell only to people they know.

Every student who sells at least five cards will have access to the GAMES2U Mobile Entertainment Van on Saturday, April 2 from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. at the high school gym during the Children’s Gallery Family Fun Event.

With GAMES2U each student will be able to play in the mobile video game theater with Wii and Xbox gaming systems, plus enjoy activities such as laser tag, hamster balls and booger wars.

Entertainment Fundraising will give the schools at least $10 for every Entertainment Card sold. All money raised will help the HPTA to continue offering quality enrichment programs, purchase classroom technology such as SMARTBoards™, and support teachers and the school district.

For any questions about the program please contact Heidi Holbrow at heidi_holbrow@hotmail.com or 508-435-8004.

Poet Lyn Hoopes Visits Hopkins

2010-10-31T10:02:00.000-04:00

Fourth graders at Hopkins had a special treat this week with the visit of poet and author Lyn Hoopes. This HPTA-sponsored enrichment program, brought the children a very unique and inspiring chance to tap into the poet inside of themselves.

Hoopes is the author of a number of picture books including "Wing a Ding," "Freefall" and the award- winning "The Unbeatable Bread."

She has been visiting schools and motivating future poets for more than twenty years. Hoopes uses nature, music, art and photographs to create workshops that tie into the curriculum. At Hopkins, she chose to bring in pictures of Vincent van Gogh paintings. The students created poems based on the emotions and imagery that were evoked from these paintings.

Students were also mesmorized as Hoopes used a ball and jacks to teach tempo.

One teacher said she was truly moved by some of the poems that her students had created.

Please visit www.lynhoopes.com for more information on this very special poet.

Article and photos by Beth Herlihy

Opinion - Why Retiring Center School is the Best Option

2010-10-31T10:01:00.001-04:00

Editor's Note: This article was submitted by the Hopkinton School Committee.

In August of 2010, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) endorsed votes by the Hopkinton Elementary School Building Committee and the Hopkinton School Committee to retire the Center School and replace it with a new facility on Fruit Street. The MSBA reached its decision after reviewing the results of a comprehensive Feasibility Study that was originally authorized by the MSBA in December of 2007 and supported by the voters at the Annual Town Meeting in May of 2008.

The Feasibility Study was conducted by the architectural firm of Design Partnership of Cambridge (DPC), the same firm that designed and oversaw the construction of Hopkinton High School. DPC primarily focused on three options for the Center School study: renovating the existing Center School, constructing a new school on the Center School site, or building a new school on Fruit Street. After DPC presented its findings, the MSBA concurred that any option involving the renovation or replacement of the Center School on its present site was the least viable and most costly option.

The Center School is an obsolete school building. The original facility was built in 1928. A twelve room classroom addition was built in 1950, and another six classrooms and a gymnasium were added in 1986. Current classroom spaces are grossly undersized and do not meet current MSBA standards. MSBA guidelines recommend, for example, that kindergarten classrooms should range from 1,100 to 1,300 square feet and grade 1 to 5 classrooms should range from 900 to 950 square feet. Classrooms at the Center School, by comparison, generally range from 600 to 700 square feet in the original building and 800 to 900 square feet in the other areas of the school.

These small classroom spaces impede teachers’ ability to deliver instruction. Opportunities for center-based instruction, student movement within the room, and the use of space for social skills development are limited. In addition, small classroom spaces make it difficult for specialized staff such as special education teachers and reading specialist to offer small group instruction in a room. Educational services are further compromised by the unavailability of small group spaces for pull-out instruction and a lack of private testing and meeting space. The library is also grossly undersized at 816 square feet versus the MSBA standard for an elementary school of 3100 square feet.

The school also presents a number of safety, health, and accessibility concerns. Primary among them are proper heating, air flow, and ventilation. While the boiler was replaced in 2007, the HVAC distribution system and piping remain outdated. Proper ventilation remains a concern in the seven classrooms in the original building. These rooms have no fresh air circulation since stormed windows were placed inside the metal framed awning windows many years ago. The school similarly has inadequate distribution systems for gas and electricity. The shortage of electrical outlets in the school limits the amount of technology that can be used in the classrooms and often results in tripped circuits. The entire third floor is also inaccessible to anyone with mobility issues.

Site constraints also interfere with the operation of the school. Site access is limited by narrow passageways on both sides of the building, which interferes with the cueing of busses, restricts the number of parking spaces on site, and allows no separation of bus traffic and students’ play spaces. As a result, a high degree of student supervision is needed to ensure student safety. Traffic congestion around the Town Common from bus transportation and parent pick-ups is a well documented problem and has been consistently acknowledged as a safety concern by the town’s public safety officials.

While the MSBA prefers school renovation as its first alternative, the Feasibility Study convincingly demonstrated that the estimated $41 million dollar cost to renovate the Center School was not a viable solution. This cost estimate did not include monies for the temporary relocation of students, which would have been needed as part of a phased school renovation project.

With the MSBA’s approval to proceed with a new facility at Fruit Street, Design Partnership of Cambridge is currently working with the Hopkinton Elementary School Building Committee, the School Committee, and other town boards and officials on the schematic design for a new school on the Fruit Street site. In January of 2011, we will be seeking final approval from the MSBA for the design of the new school and intend to bring a request for full design and construction to the voters in March at a Special Town Meeting and election. The timing for this approval has been established by the MSBA.

While the exact cost of the school will not be known for a few weeks, the initial estimate for the project was approximately $30 million dollars. We anticipate that the MSBA will fund approximately 50% of the project cost. This funding will lessen the cost to taxpayers who would ultimately bear the full cost of Center School renovations in the absence of an MSBA funded project.

Additional information on the Center School project will be disseminated during the upcoming weeks and months. We anticipate many questions from citizens about the project and its impacts. We look forward to this discussion and thank you in advance for your attention.

Content Contributed by the Hopkinton School Committee, October 2010

Cara Filler’s “The Power of Choice”

2010-10-31T10:00:00.002-04:00

Editor's Note: This article was written by Lily Augustini for the High School's Blog, HHSPress.org. The program Augustini writes about was funded by the HPTA.

On October 6th, 2010, “America’s Next Top Role Model” Cara Filler arrived at Hopkinton High School in hopes of educating students on the power of choice. Cara travels throughout the world visiting over 200 schools a year, and she has spoken at over 1,500 school assemblies.

According to Carafiller.com, she has been North America’s leading female motivational speaker since 1994, and “Her ‘Power of Choice!’ message has moved and inspired over a million young lives across Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand.”

Stacey Place, a wellness teacher at Hopkinton High School, heard about Cara Filler at a conference and recommended her presentation to Ms. Geary, HHS principal.

The main goal of the assembly was “getting a good message out to the kids”, explained Ms. Geary. “We’re hoping for this to create a starting point for more conversation.”

Administration feels that the school needs to come together and talk about issues involving the decisions we make and their negative consequences.

Cara Filler began her motivational speaking at a young age. Her strong passion for decision-making resulted from the tragic death of her identical twin sister, Mairin, which occurred the day after their eighteenth birthday.

That day, Mairin made the decision to ride in a car that was traveling at 110 mph without speaking up for herself. This decision was life-changing, not only for Mairin, but for the people involved in her life.

One of those people was Cara, whose life would never be the same without her best friend. Cara does not demand people to make good decisions; instead, she hopes to influence them on making strong choices for themselves and the lives of others. HHS students had a lot to say about Cara’s presentation.

Sam Chirco, a junior at HHS, stated, “I liked it a lot. It was very informative and it hit home. It had an impact on everyone, not just me.” Mitch Seagars, a senior at HHS, joked, “I liked it…I thought it was a lot like a bear, because whenever there’s an assembly it seems really large and intimidating, but when it comes down to the core of it, it’s warm and fuzzy.”

Although Cara’s visit was appreciated by many students at HHS, there are some students who chose not to benefit from her message.

When asked if Cara had a significant effect on our high school, Sophie Doherty, a junior at HHS, revealed, “I’m kind of on the fence about that because there’s a lot of people that never listen.” Officer

Powers also brought up an important point when he said, “I hope this lasts longer than the one day period…where afterward people forget. So I think it should be brought up at a later date”.

Did Cara Filler have a significant effect on you? Do you think your peers will be influenced by her? How can we be sure?

Visit Cara Filler- The Drive to Safe Lives on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/DrivetoSaveLives to see how Cara has impacted more than 200 other schools around the world.

Editorial - Vote on State Election Day, Tuesday, November 2

2010-10-31T09:59:00.006-04:00

In making evaluations of who to vote for, we encourage our members to consider which candidates genuinely support public education, as well as other children's issues.

The Massachusetts State PTA, of which the HPTA is a chapter, has asked us to let our members know that the Massachusetts State PTA Board has voted unanimously to oppose Ballot Questions 1 and 3.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association is also opposing Ballot Question 3. Please note that our local organizations, the Hopkinton PTA and the Hopkinton Teachers Association (HTA), have NOT taken a position on the state ballot questions, but we would like to encourage our members to research these issues and make their own informed decisions.

Please visit the Secretary of State's website for more election information http://www.sec.state.ma.us/.

All Hopkinton precincts vote at the Middle School Gym, 88 Hayden Rowe Street (enter by Grove Street). The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Absentee ballot applications are due by noon on Monday, November 1.

Please see the Hopkinton Town Clerk's website for more information http://www.hopkinton.org/clerk/

Author Watkins Returns to Thrill Middle School

2010-10-31T09:51:00.001-04:00

For the 16th year, the HPTA brought Yoko Kawashima Watkins back to Hopkinton
Middle School this past week. Once again she delivered her message of peace and kindness to others, introduced her audience to Japanese traditions and dress, and entertained with her captivating stories of love, loss and survival.

Watkins is the author of “So Far from the Bamboo Grove,” her autobiographical story about fleeing Korea as a Japanese child during World War II, which is the required summer reading for incoming seventh grade students. Her annual visit provides an opportunity for students and parents to ask questions and hear firsthand from the author.

During the course of three days Watkins met with small groups of seventh grade students. She also met with parents during an evening session on Wednesday night.

Now 77 years old, Watkins recalls poignant moments from her youth, such as the reunion with her father after years of separation. The emotion is still palpable, bubbling up as she recounts with humor and tears the struggles and the triumphs she navigated as a child.

Although Watkins’ book describes a time and circumstance that many students can barely imagine, her words of advice to the students cross the generations. Her words and stories espouse a respect for parents, the importance of family, a sense of tradition and an appreciation for intangibles over material goods. She also spoke to the children about bullying, and described her feelings as a child when others called her “ragdoll” or “trash picker” as she fought to survive.

In recent years she has faced criticism from some who question the veracity of some of her memories. It’s clear that she takes this to heart, pointing out that her book is what she remembers, and not a history book. Nonetheless, she has devoted herself to investigating these discrepancies, and described with great emotion how she has been able to find evidence to back up her memories.

In the end, however, her book is as much about communicating to young people, as she says in the forward to her book, an understanding of the cruelty, the horror, and the human cost of war.

“Mine is a story to stay in their hearts forever,” Watkins said. “That’s the type of writer I am.”

By Laura Schnur

Learning and Fun Continues After School Day Ends

2010-10-31T09:34:00.002-04:00

For many students at Elmwood School, the school day doesn’t end at 2:30. In the course of a week, nearly 200 students stay after the buses pull away to participate in extracurricular classes offered by the HPTA.

Earlier this month the fall session began, offering students a way to extend their learning and explore new interests.

"Extracurricular programs at Elmwood School provide our students with a wide variety of activities from which to choose," says Elmwood Principal Ilene Silver. "There is sure to be at least one that appeals to every student."

For those looking for sports, the Elmwood HPTA offers instruction in both specific sports, as well as an all-around "Super Sports" class that touches on a new sport each week, such as soccer, basketball, flag football, dodgeball, baseball and kickball.

Third grade teacher, Tom Keane and Henry Edwards

For those looking for a more specialized class, they can enroll in basketball, karate or flag football.
Aspiring artists can take the stage with “Amazing Actors,” or create original artwork in the clay or painting classes.

The extracurricular programs are extremely popular, and all but one of the classes were filled to capacity for the fall session.

“We wish we had more space at the school so we could offer additional classes,” says Kim Cooper, an Elmwood extracurricular coordinator.

HPTA members have a distinct advantage if they want to enroll in the classes. Not only are the classes $15 less expensive, but HPTA members are eligible for Early Bird registration, which opens up one week before the general registration.

Students enjoy a karate class

During the fall, most of the classes were filled during the Early Bird enrollment period. In September, the basketball class, taught by third grade teacher Tom Keane and members of the Hillers team and coaching staff, was filled by 8:45 a.m. on the first day of Early Bird registration. Elmwood art teacher Bonnie Muir’s clay class also filled on the first day.

Classes for the winter session will not begin until the week of Jan. 18. Early Bird registration for the winter session will open on Dec. 8, with general registration following a week later on Dec. 15.

Clay Creations with art teacher Bonnie Muir

Make sure you have paid your HPTA membership in order to take advantage of savings and early enrollment. Both HPTA membership and class enrollment are available online at the HPTA website.

Aside from the enjoyment the kids get from participating the classes, HPTA extracurricular programs are also a great way to support the Hopkinton schools. The revenue generated from extracurricular programs at the three elementary schools last year was nearly $13,300.

Article by Laura Schnur. Photos by Sally Chambers.

Disability Awareness Parent Program Well Received

2010-10-31T09:17:00.003-04:00

At a parent program during Disability Awareness Month, parents learned tips to educate their children about friends and classmates with disabilities, as well as ways to help others understand their own children’s disabilities. Approximately fifteen parents attended the disability awareness program at the Hopkins School on October 19.

The program, co-sponsored by the HPTA, SPEAC and the Hopkinton Moms Group, included discussion about all sorts of disabilities. Speaker Molly Myers, who has a daughter with Down Syndrome, received many positive e-mails following the program.

The evening included a question and answer session, brainstorming and informative speakers, including Myers, Center School psychologist Kelly Pickens and Hopkins learning specialist Marissa Keller.

“When talking with someone who has a disability, speak directly to him or her, rather than through a companion who may be along,” said Meyers, as one of her informative tips.

Parents learned of ways to help their children understand classmates with disabilities ranging from behavioral issues and learning disabilities to autism and Down Syndrome.

Myers said, “My daughter’s face is her label, but not everyone’s disability is as easy to
see.”

She speaks to her daughter’s classmates each year to explain her quirks and needs, but would like to reach a wider audience. During the brainstorming session, parents discussed the possibility of the HPTA and SPEAC co-sponsoring school enrichment programs.

The program highlighted some ongoing disability awareness programs and activities in the Hopkinton Schools - the Integrated Preschool reads some books about disabilities during circle time, Center School holds the Walk a Mile program, Elmwood partners with the Respite Center, Hopkins’ themes are respect, responsibility and tolerance, and the Middle and High Schools have Best Buddies program.

The speakers also recommended many books donated to the public library by SPEAC, including a series called “Taking_____ to school” (with topics ranging from anxiety disorder to Down Syndrome).

They also made attendees aware of the assistance available from school guidance counselors and learning specialists.

Parents can find information about disabilities at the following links:

Parent Handbook: http://hptaonline.com/pdf/parent_handbook_final.pdf

Books: http://hptaonline.com/pdf/SPEAC_books.pdf

Tips for interacting with someone with a disability: http://hptaonline.com/pdf/
Disability_Awareness_Outline_Oct2010.pdf

By Jean Cann

HPTA Carnival Raises More Than $17,000

2010-10-17T10:22:00.006-04:00

The HPTA Carnival drew large crowds to the Hopkinton Common throughout the day on October 2. The event raised between $17,500 and $18,000 for the Hopkinton schools, as well as provided a day of fun for everyone involved.

“The highlight for me was the sheer number of families that came out to support the Carnival,” said event chairperson, Joanne Lucas. “To look out over the Town Common and see it filled with people, young and old, enjoying the inflatables, games, food, music, stories, and Arts and Crafts made all of the months of planning worth it.”

Radio talk show host Michael Graham from 96.9 Boston Talks and local personality Robert Kirshy entertained the crowds as they moved between activities. Both drew attention to the good sports serving as dunk tank victims.

At lunch time, many people sat near the gazebo to listen to pop band Girls Night Out, with some enjoying pizza from the Pizzeria Uno’s booth.

The HPTA held a carnival in May, which raised $16,000, but decided to move the event to the fall permanently.

“The biggest difference that this Carnival had over the May event was the number of volunteers that donated their time to the event,” said Lucas. “The Carnival requires hundreds of volunteers to operate smoothly. Every aspect of the carnival ran exceptionally well because we had the support of so many people creating an even flow across all of the activities. I cannot thank the volunteers enough for their support.”

The HPTA thanks Lucas and the rest of the carnival committee: Liz Murchie, Shari Matza, Laura Wauters, Betsy Crawford, Leda Arakelian, Linda Picozza, Beth Anne

Carrier, Holly Miller, Jodi Palmieri, Lauren Thomas, Celine O’Rourke, Mary Pawela,
Marie Boyle, Gretchen Stephan, Aimee Graeber.
By Jean Cann

Robotics at Hopkins!

2010-10-17T10:01:00.014-04:00

The popular HPTA extracurricular program "Robotics" has swung into full motion this week at Hopkins.

Ed Harrow teaches this educational, yet extremely fun, course where every child gets to assemble and bring home their own robot. Both boys and girls alike enjoy the challenge of building these brightly colored and fully mobile robots.

While the children are having fun, they are also learning about circuit boards and infrared sensors and improving their fine motor skills.

Who knows, maybe there is a future roboticist in the group!

By Beth Herlihy

SMART Boards – The Smart Thing To Do!

2010-10-17T10:00:00.041-04:00

If we could give our teachers and students tools that would help them to be more efficient, tap into new worlds, and encourage learning and enthusiastic participation in class, wouldn’t that be great?

Elmwood School is finding SMART Boards, interactive whiteboards connected to computers and the Internet, to be powerful teaching aides. The child simply writes on the SMART Board with a finger and lessons of spelling, math, grammar, and virtually any subject, come alive with colors, pictures and instant feedback.

Second grade teacher,
Mrs. Altavilla, with Tobin Loch

Lessons can be augmented with videos to reinforce concepts: for example a penguin story read in class becomes an exciting adventure when linked to a website in Antarctica to see penguins.

Probably the biggest benefit the SMART Boards offers is that children are more likely to engage in learning no matter what their learning style may be.

“Kids are eager to participate and volunteer,” says Elmwood school second grade teacher, Tim Kearnan. “They don’t always realize they are learning because they are also having fun.”

Kathi George, a third grade teacher who received the first SMART Board five years ago, is passionate about her SMART Board.

“More than just white chalk on the blackboard, the SMART Board creates images in the children’s minds and they stay tuned in," she says

From a teacher’s perspective, SMART Boards are a tremendous attention aide, but also free up their time to do more creative teaching and share resources with other teachers. They can tap into a wealth of resources around the world via the Internet and bring those experiences and tools into their classrooms.
Elmwood Principal Ilene Silver would like to see SMART Boards in all of the classrooms at Elmwood School.

The HPTA is sensitive to these technology requests and hopes to assist her in reaching this goal. SMART Boards have been purchased with HPTA funds, the Elmwood Gift Account, HEF Grants and parents’ generous donations. The newest boards were installed this year in Mrs. Altavilla’s second grade classroom and Mrs. Martin’s third grade classroom. An additional SMART Board, funded by the HPTA, is slated to go into Mrs. Carlson’s second grade room in the near future.

By Sally Chambers

Extracurricular Program in Full Swing at Center School

2010-10-17T10:00:00.030-04:00

The Extracurricular Program activities, sponsored by the HPTA, are in process at Center School, and the children are having a ball! The program offers a variety of afterschool classes during the fall season.

The classes, which take place after school from 3:10 to 4:00 p.m., are available to first grade students, and include Little Actors, Super Sports, Karate, and Spanish. Extracurricular classes are also available at Elmwood and Hopkins schools.

The Little Actors class is an 8 week introduction to acting. According to the HPTA, "children will be introduced to basic acting and improvisational games for the theater. They will expand their imaginations and build confidence by bringing stories to life while practicing listening, turn‐taking, and cooperation skills. Students will present a short performance to family on the last class."

Lucy, Kyla, Caleb, Owen, and Brooke practice
acting really excited about some news!

Students in the Little Actors class, taught by Tina Grady, have had a wonderful time talking about emotions and expressions. Students have learned how to pretend or act to make a face. They practiced being excited, sad, mad, and more. Ms. Grady told students, "we're not really sad, we're just acting sad." and the students put that into practice. Students also acted as if they were walking through thick mud and skating across a slippery pond.

Students play 'Capture the Flag' in Super Sports

In the Super Sports program students are offered a variety of sports such as soccer, basketball, mat ball, dodgeball, and kickball. Programs also include proper stretching and warm-up games as well as learning basic skills of each sport.

This program is coached through F.A.S.T. Athletics. The company was created by three former athletes who wanted to make a difference in each and every school they work with. F.A.S.T. Athletics offers a variety of top-notch programs for children of all ages in mostly afterschool and weekend programs.

This week, students in the Super Sports program played Capture the Flag among other games. Many students said they loved all the games and several said dodgeball was their favorite. The energy in the gym while the students played was contagious!

The next session of extracurricular programs begins in mid-January with sign-ups offered mid-December. Early registration starts December 8.

Popular classes such as Super Sports, Karate, and Little Actors will continue to be offered, while several other classes, such as Chinese, may be an option as well. Look for the E-Flyer for registration news to secure your spot!

By Jamie Weeden

Techsploration Returns to Elmwood

2010-10-17T09:16:00.000-04:00

Simple machines came to life on Oct. 4 for third grade students, thanks to the return of Techsploration, a popular HPTA enrichment program at Elmwood School.

With the aid of Stinky the Stuffed Lion, Techsploration founder Tom Wahle gave the students an exciting presentation that quite literally elevated their understanding of simple machines such as levers, pulleys, wedges, screws, wheels and inclined planes.

Wahle’s engaging presentation included “super” feats by students, such as lifting their teachers and winning tug-of-war when outnumbered by three to one. They saw for themselves how to use simple machines to make tasks easier.

Techsploration combined a slideshow, demonstrations and audience participation to create a powerful learning machine that drives home what many students have been talking about in their classrooms.

Second grade teacher Mary Oldach said she teaches the simple machine unit at the beginning of the school year.

“This is due, in part, to the fact that the Techsploration program is such an effective reinforcement to the concepts the children are learning in class,” said Oldach. “I find the timing of the program during this science unit to be a real plus for the children’s learning because the presentation is so visual and
highly engaging.”

Wahle started with one simple machine, then added a series of wheels, gears, belts and levers. Students were enthralled by the finished result: a complicated catapult system to feed Stinky.

Last, but not least, some third grade teachers donned sunglasses and hats to perform a bluesy song about simple machines that would have made Blues Brothers Jake and Elwood proud.

By Laura Schnur

Standing-O for the Class of 2017

2010-10-17T08:43:00.000-04:00

Nearly 200 sixth grade students attended the HPTA’s Kids Night Out on Friday, Oct. 16, a great turnout for the grade's event at the Middle School this year.

In the cafeteria students spent their time dancing, singing, painting nails, finger knitting and playing games. They were treated to music by DJ Carl Adams, as well as live entertainment from fellow sixth graders Eric Olafson, Raj Dandekar, Jacob Rosenzweig and Jeremy Szczepankiewicz. The boys proved they can entertain a crowd and get them dancing!

Cheering on the band

HPTA volunteers chaperoned the event, checking students in and making sure the evening ran smoothly. We also were very pleased to have 15 Ignite leaders attend the event to help run the activities and welcome the sixth graders to the Middle School community.

Dodgeball with the Ignite staff

In the gym, Eric Robinson organized a great game of dodgeball, including one game between the students and the Ignite leaders. Meanwhile, the HPTA sold pizza, candy, chips and water at the event.

While watching and interacting with the students, we were pleased to hear them laughing, seeing them smile, and just having fun! This was a wonderful way for the sixth graders to build some class spirit in

preparation for the upcoming Nature's Classroom event.

Mark your calendars now for the next Kids Night Out on February 4, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. A special thanks to all the parents for volunteering their time as well!

We could not have had this amazing event without their help!

Article by Dianne Goolgasian. Photos by Laura Schnur

Elmwood Students, Staff and Swoops Enjoy First Meeting of Eagles

2010-10-03T17:39:00.009-04:00

School spirit soared high this past Wednesday at the year’s first Meeting of the Eagles at Elmwood School.

Elmwood Principal Ilene Silver led the gathering, joined by the Elmwood mascot, Swoops.

Dozens of second and third grade students were recognized for their reading success in the Passport to Summer Reading program, in which they earned Bronze, Silver and Gold Passports that were stamped around town for reading between 10 and 22 hours during the summer.

As always, the Meeting of the Eagles was filled with music, including beautiful

performances by the Elmwood Handchime Choir and the student orchestra. Second

graders were initiated to the traditional Elmwood “Coming and Going of the Rain.”

By Laura Schnur

Middle School Parents Go Back to School

2010-10-03T17:26:00.004-04:00

Hopkinton Middle School parents went back to school on Sept. 22 meeting classroom teachers and the school’s new principal, Alan Keller. Keller welcomed parents of sixth, seventh and eighth grade students before sending them off to follow abbreviated versions of their students’ class schedules.

Middle School HPTA Co-Vice Presidents Kathleen Karpe and Liz Pomeroy also addressed the parents, as Karpe reported on recent technology donations to the school, including some document cameras and the monitor outside of the main office that is used for broadcasting announcements. Karpe also previewed the many enrichment opportunities the HPTA will bring to Hopkinton Middle School this year, such as the upcoming visit by author Yoko Watkins.

As parents toured the classrooms and met teachers they also had the opportunity to stop at the library for the HPTA Scholastic Book Fair. Parent purchases that night, combined with purchases by the many students who visited the book fair throughout the week, helped to make this year’s book fair a tremendous success.

Total sales at the Middle School book fair were $5,700, a significant increase over last year’s total of $3,700. All of the profits from the book fair go to the HPTA, while the Middle School directly receives sale bonuses and credits with Scholastic. The school librarian, Diane Norby, is able to use these credits and bonus dollars to purchase more books and equipment.

The perennial book fair favorite, the Book of World Records, was one popular item, as well as the books in The Hunger Games series.

“I can’t say that there was any book in particular that sold more than others, but I would say that the selection of books from Scholastic was excellent this year,” said Amy Satterfield, HPTA Book Fair
coordinator at the Middle School.

By Laura Schnur

Hopkins Heads Back To School

2010-10-03T17:19:00.001-04:00

Curriculum night at Hopkins for the parents of fifth-graders assembled in the cafeteria where Principal Greg Martineau and Assistant Principal David Ljungberg led the evening with a warm welcome and introductions followed by a sampling of specials in strings, band, art, and health.

Parents then moved into their child's classroom and listened to teacher presentations on the curriculum that will be covered throughout the year. There was also an opportunity to sign up for teacher conferences later this fall, and to volunteer for various classroom activities.

The Scholastic book fair was well attended and as always, the bestselling books quickly flew off the shelves while HPTA volunteers handled the transactions. HPTA Vice President, Esther Driscoll and Co-Vice President of Hopkins, Michelle Weilding, were on hand to enlist new recruits and sell school spirit wear.

By Kelly Asherman

Adults Get Their Education at Elmwood's Curriculum Night

2010-10-03T17:07:00.000-04:00

Curriculum Nights for second and third grades at Elmwood School were a huge success! Hundreds of parents, both new to the school and those who had returning students, poured into the gymnasium and classrooms for the informative evening.

Elmwood principal Ilene Silver welcomed parents to the curriculum night and provided an overview of programs and activities at the school. She also introduced Elmwood’s new assistant principal, David Ljungberg, who addressed parents and expressed his enthusiasm for being assistant principal at both Elmwood and Hopkins schools. The evening continued with the specialists providing engaging presentations in their areas of expertise.

Joanne Lucas and Kristin Kane, HPTA Co-Vice Presidents, also had an opportunity to share upcoming events & activities organized by the HPTA for Elmwood.

The attendees then had the experience of meeting their child’s teacher and hearing presentations in individual classrooms. Teachers had detailed presentations of "life in the classroom," which included expectations, suggestions on how to help your child have the best experience and, of course, clear insight into the curriculum itself.

The participants had a wonderful opportunity to also make introductions amongst themselves and start to become a part of the classroom community. The incredible spirit of Elmwood school and the dedication of its teaching and support staff was evident on curriculum night- a sincere thank you to everyone for the effort that went into preparations for the evening!

By Sally Chambers

Square 1 Art Fundraiser - now available for Holiday Gift-Giving!

2010-10-01T10:00:00.012-04:00

Example of Square One Art

Square 1 Art has been a popular fundraiser in the Hopkinton schools of Center, Elmwood, and Hopkins for years. This year, the highly anticipated products will be available for holiday gift-giving.

Square 1 Art is a family business that was founded and designed by a former art teacher in 2000. The company is committed to helping everyone recognize that better family-focused fundraising options exist that do not require door-to-door selling but can offer lasting, quality products to treasure for years.

This project is coordinated by the HPTA and carried out in the classroom by the art teacher. The art teacher guides students through creating their masterpieces on a special paper that is then submitted to Square 1 Art. The company then turns that artwork into magnets, key chains, framed ceramic tile, cards, hot plates, pot holders, mouse pads, calendars, aprons, mugs, t-shirts, journals, puzzles, bags, and more! Parents will have the option to purchase these items for home use or for gift-giving.

Center School students started their artwork in September guided by their art teacher, Stacey Avril, to create a masterpiece based on their family. Students were instructed to draw the members of their family that live with them (along with animals if they can fit on the page!). Ms. Avril gave several lessons to the students about how to draw people (without using sticks)! The children learned how to use ovals, rectangles, and other shapes to draw a person in addition to learning where certain body parts meet and how long they are. For example, if a person is standing with their arms at their sides then their arms will fall all the way down to the tops of their legs.

The students were extremely enthusiastic about drawing their families and sharing information with their teacher, as well as the many volunteers who helped with this phase of the fundraiser.

Jennifer Nolte, Center School art room coordinator, stated that so far 22 parents have signed up to volunteer in the First Grade art classrooms, and that during the last week of September there was a parent volunteer in every classroom. In addition, Stephanie Whalen, the Square 1 Art coordinator at Center School, has been on hand to help students, answer questions, and make sure the process runs smoothly.

Students will be completing their projects by mid-October, and order forms will go home in backpacks late October with a due date of early November. Items will be returned to families before the holiday gift-giving period.

Libby Skiba, the Square 1 Art Chairperson for Hopkinton, says, "It's a great fundraiser! It's a lot of fun and you get a great keepsake for the kids. Anytime someone sees [one of the products] they love them!"

By Jamie Weeden

Source Book Tips and FAQ - Syncing, Printing and more

2010-10-01T10:00:00.002-04:00

Have a question about using the online only Source Book?

We've compiled the answers to some of these frequently asked questions and also offered some tips for syncing the calendar. They are all available at http://hptaonline.com/webcalendar/sourcebook-tips.html.

Can I sync the Source Book with my own online calendar and/or smartphone?

Yes, the Source Book is compatible with iCalendar-compliant calendar programs (such as Apple's iCal, Google Calendar, Mozilla Calendar, Sunbird, Windows Calendar and Yahoo! Calendar Beta).

This takes a few steps to set-up, but may be well worth it to do at the beginning of the year if you use an online calendar yourself. Use the chart found at http://hptaonline.com/webcalendar/sourcebook-tips.html to find the calendar layers you want to import and then one at a time import (or subscribe to) the appropriate "feed" address in your calendar program.

There is a separate calendar layer for each school, as well as separate layers for district-wide and HPTA dates. On the tips page you will find detailed instructions for syncing the Source Book with many common calendar programs. If you find another way to sync that you would like to share with others, please contact webmaster@hptaonline.com.

Watch a video tutorial on how to sync the Source Book calendar with your own calendar on the HCAM-TV website
How Do I Print Calendar Pages at Home? Read more...
How Do I Search the Calendar for a Specific Event? Read more...
I'm Having Problems Viewing Only the Secondary Calendar. Read more...

If you find date/time errors, missing information or typos in the Source Book, please contact Christine Salois at sourcebook@hptaonline.com. If you any technical problems, please contact Amy Ritterbusch at communications@hptaonline.com.

Back to School for Hopkins Parents

2010-09-19T14:34:00.003-04:00

Monday, September 13, was back to school night for parents of Hopkins students. The night started out with the HPTA Book Fair where parents had a chance to buy great books for their children and books for the classrooms from their teachers' wishlists. A big thank you goes out to Tanya Abbott and Alice Crochiere for running the book fair!

Stephanie Whalen and Tanya Abbott at the book fair

Parents then proceeded to the cafeteria where many got their first chance to meet new Principal, Greg Martineau. The various teaching specialists also presented brief overviews of their curriculums.

After, everyone headed to their children's classrooms where they were introduced to the teachers and listened to presentations of the 4th grade curriculum for the upcoming school year.

Mr. Martineau speaks at 4th grade Curriculum night

Parents also were able to sign up for the fall parent-teacher conferences, room parent and various other volunteer opportunities.

Welcome back to Hopkins, mom and dad!!!

Article by Beth Herlihy

Wish List for Schools Updated

2010-09-19T14:26:00.000-04:00

Each year, Hopkinton schools create wish lists full of needed supplies, which range from art room supplies to toys for the preschool and everything in between. Please review the lists prepared by each school to see the needed items.

Click here http://www.hptaonline.com/wishlist.html for more details.

Middle School Sixth-Graders Enjoy Cookout

2010-09-19T14:07:00.000-04:00

The skies were dark but the mood was bright Friday, September 17, as students at Hopkinton Middle School enjoyed the annual All-School Cookout.

Although the event is typically held outside, rain showers forced the move inside to the cafeteria. Nonetheless, students were still able to choose a hamburger or hotdog, plus chips, a slice of watermelon and a frozen pop.

Volunteers from the HPTA were on hand to help the school staff run the event, providing a festive atmosphere with music and a piñata for the newly arrived sixth grade class.

According to HPTA Volunteer Coordinator Dianne Goolgasian, “despite the rain the sixth grade class managed to have a good time listening to music and a few even had a chance to hit the Dora piñata!”

Throughout Friday the halls and classrooms were a sea of green as the sixth graders donned their “Class of 2017” t-shirts, which are certainly a rite of passage in the Hopkinton public schools.

Seventh and eighth graders got a chance during the cookout event to see friends they may not usually see during lunch, as each grade abandoned the usual lunch schedule in order to eat as a grade.

Middle School Book Fair, Week of September 20th.
Next week, the HPTA brings the Scholastic Book Fair to the Middle School, a great opportunity for students to pick up some reading for their Sustained Silent Reading blocks. Students will get an opportunity during the week to visit the book fair, and the book fair will be open to parents during the Back To School night on Wednesday.

Purchasing books at the HPTA book fairs is a great way to build your home reading library and simultaneously help fund HPTA programs and donations to the schools.

By Laura Schnur

School Committee Highlights

2010-09-19T13:02:00.003-04:00

Below is a review of various Hopkinton School Committee projects and meetings.

Enrollment Continues to Increase - New First Grade Teacher Added

For the second year in a row, Hopkinton received an unexpected influx of new students, many at the end of the summer. Faced with the prospect of five first grade classrooms as large as 24 students, the School Committee hired a new first grade teacher, bringing class sizes down to 22 students maximum. Consequently, the Teachers' Lunch Room will now become a first grade classroom, and Art and Music will now share the same room.

Principal Jennifer Parson and the School Committee discussed that, in light of the inaccurate projections given to the district for the last several years, they need to take a close look at how the projections are calculated, and may not be able to offer as many sections of full day Kindergarten next year in order to leave some flex room for unexpected August enrollments.

Enrollment numbers will not be finalized until October.

Current estimates are below.

Grade	Projected 2010	Actual Enrollment	Increase
K	196	232	36
1	220	229	9
2	274	285	11

Plans for New Fruit Street Elementary School

The schematic design phase for the proposed new elementary school at Fruit Street is underway. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) will determine exact square footage Hopkinton should have. Currently the Elementary School Building Committee is meeting with town boards and school district staff to receive input on the proposed schematic design.

The proposed design will house the public preschool, with a separate entrance, as well as grades K-5. The targeted open date is September 2013.

The Elementary School Building Committee will likely request a special town meeting and election in March 2011 to vote on whether or not to support funding the new school. By getting started early and not waiting for a May town meeting to vote on the new school, the town is expected to save a considerable amount in construction costs, which will make up for any additional costs associated with holding a special town meeting and election. A project milestones document should be available shortly from the Elementary School Building Committee.

The School Committee will be creating a FAQ sheet and will hold public hearings to present the planned elementary school. Specific details will be forthcoming in mid-October.

Center School Playground

The Center School playground recently failed inspection, but plans for renovations are underway. The current targeted completion date is November. All the new equipment and the new fence can be moved to the new school at Fruit Street once Center School is decommissioned as an elementary school.

Part of the funding will come from the HPTA and the Center School gift account. Some new equipment to accommodate IEP needs will be paid for out of Circuit Breaker funds, and the remaining amount will come from the school budget.

Bus Pass Delay Caused by Confluence of Events and Staff Shortage.

The Superintendent indicated that the delay of bus passes was caused by a series of events including a temporary network failure over the summer, during which several bus pass requests were lost.

Additional last minute requests also occurred because of an unusually large number of late registrations, an influx of new residents, and a software update that corrected the distance of some homes and identified them as being within the 2 mile radius of a school.

Compounding the unusual number of late bus pass requests was District experiencing a staff shortage along with its limited number of licenses to access the software that generates the bus passes. Both of these limitations were due to budget cuts.

However, the District will consider a procedure to reallocate staff resources and responsibilities for the late summer months to manage the bus pass process, and will consider a system upgrade to avoid a backlog in the future.

Facilities Update

Over the summer, repairs and updates were made to school buildings and grounds.

Loop Road: Repair to the loop road behind the High School was completed. The cost was less than projected due to favorable construction bids.

Elmwood:

Repairs were made to the building's roof. However, the Elmwood School actually requires funding for an entirely new roof, rather than patches to the current failing structure.
The boiler project is ongoing. The goal is to have two functioning boilers to avoid complete shutdown should one fail.
Elmwood also had badly worn carpet replaced.

Middle School: The Middle School received a fresh coat of paint throughout the building.

High School: Over the summer the water heater at the High School failed, and was replaced in time for the opening of school.

Fiber Network: The Fiber network installation for the schools and the town will be completed September 25. This significant technology upgrade will create great improvements and stability to Hopkinton’s infrastructure, and will allow voice over internet protocol in anticipation of Virtual Learning and future applications of technology in education and town operations.

By Amy Ritterbusch and Esther Driscoll

News about Federal Funding for Schools and School Superintendant Retirement

2010-09-19T13:00:00.002-04:00

To find out more about the proposal the Hopkinton School Committee must submit to receive federal funds for schools, read this article, Hopkinton must submit spending proposal before tapping federal funds, by MetroWest Daily News reporter Michael Morton.

Read more about Superintendent Phelan's retirement here:
Hopkinton superintendent to retire at end of year
By Michael Morton, The MetroWest Daily News

Elmwood Book Fair Huge Success

2010-09-19T12:37:00.002-04:00

Reading is a big part of the curriculum at Elmwood School, and this past week’s Book Fair by the HPTA was a great opportunity for students and parents to stock up on reading, while also supporting fundraising efforts for the HPTA.

Dozens of HPTA volunteers staffed the book fair during the day so students could visit during their library periods, some of them bringing money to make their own purchases, and some compiling wish lists for their parents.

Many parents visited the book fair in the evening during curriculum nights for third grade on Tuesday and for second grade on Wednesday.

One high demand item was the next book of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, which will be released in November.

Perennial series favorites were back again, such as the Puppy Place series, Geronimo Stilton and the Party Fairy books. Some titles parents remember from their own childhoods were popular as well, such as Beezus and Ramona, Judy Blume books, and anything Star Wars.

“The fair was a huge success, and the kids really enjoyed looking at books and the independence of being able to make their own decisions,” said Shannon Hedstrom,
an HPTA book fair coordinator.

In total, sales from the Elmwood School book fair totaled more than $13,000, which is about $2,000 more than the sales of last fall’s book fair. Of the total sales, more than $3,000 will go to the HPTA.

By Laura Schnur

Appreciation Goes Both Ways

2010-09-19T11:31:00.003-04:00

The Cafetorium in Elmwood School was filled with smiling teachers and Elmwood staff on Monday, August 30 as they attended the annual HPTA-sponsored Teacher Appreciation Luncheon.

The 70-plus attendees enjoyed a beautiful presentation of focaccia sandwiches catered by Oliva’s in Milford and an array of delicious desserts, salads and drinks donated by HPTA parents in honor of the teaching staff.

HPTA developed the luncheon to make the day before school easier for teachers and staff who might have been too busy for lunch as they prepare for our children to start school. It has long been a favorite event among current teachers and a success with our newer teachers as well.

“The luncheon provided by the HPTA on Monday is just one example of how the parents in the Hopkinton community go above and beyond to show their support, involvement, and appreciation of their children’s education," says Meahgan Winters, a second-grade teacher new to Hopkinton. "Aside from delicious food, it was really great to feel such a strong sense of community between the teachers, staff and parents. I feel really fortunate to be a part of a school system where there truly is a solid partnership between the educators and the parents."

The HPTA looks forward to continuing the tradition of showing its appreciation for the terrific Elmwood teachers/staff members and all the work they do!

A sincere thank you to Allison Murphy and Megan Covino, the coordinators of the Appreciation luncheon, and to the many parents who contributed the tasty dishes for this special lunch.

By Sally Chambers

Johnny the K plays Center School

2010-09-19T10:00:00.015-04:00

Center School was the place to be Friday night, September 10, as Johnny the K entertained students and their families! Johnny the K (aka John Kelleher) played his 12-string guitar and led the crowd in the gym in a zany, silly sing-a-long.

Their was much audience participation required and no shortage of participants!

Johnny the K sings songs relaying wonderful messages of respect for others, the earth, animals, ecology, manners, and acceptance. While singing each of these energetic songs, Johnny dons a different hat, and sometimes more than one. All the children were dancing and singing as were some of the parents and grandparents.

Some of the big hits were “It's a Grand Old Flag,” “This Land is Your Land”, and “ I Am a Pizza.”

Johnny encouraged the kids, and told them it is okay to be different. Johnny also pointed out the two posters he had with him.

The first said “Together We Make It Better,” and the second “Stand Tall, Be Strong, Be Confident."

In a very fun way Johnny the K impressed upon the children these important social messages. For Johnny's finale, he went through 10 hats in one song, “Down by the Bay.”

Center School principal, Jen Parson, first heard Johnny the K at her daughter's school a few years
ago. Impressed with Johnny's message and style, Parson worked with the HPTA to have Johnny
perform for Center School. This was the 3rd Annual Johnny the K night.

By Maureen Belger

Calling All Volunteers!

2010-09-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

Our Hopkinton schools need YOU!

If you are considering contributing some of your time and talent as a volunteer at your child’s school, the HPTA has now made it even easier for you to sign up!

Volunteering comes in many different forms, from town-wide HPTA-run programs, school-specific activities, to individual classroom needs. You can now volunteer through the HPTA website at http://www.hptaonline.com/volunteer.html. You can choose your preferred activities, and coordinators will match those interests with what the schools need.

Volunteer forms are due FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17. However, if you are not sure of your schedule at this time, volunteer opportunities and the online sign process ongoing throughout the year. Volunteering is fun and extremely rewarding! The HPTA offers many avenues for volunteering in roles that involve a small commitment, to ones that entail leadership responsibilities.

There is something for everyone! At Elmwood, for example, school-wide opportunities include:
Art Room Assistant, Co-coordinator or member of the Math Tutor Task Force, Library support, and the WEE Deliver mail program.

Special Events include: Faculty appreciation (donations of food/drink and paper goods), Field Day (an outdoor activity half-day for children), height/weight screening, and playground/grounds cleanup. Individual teachers may also want volunteers to help with reading/comprehension skills, math games , or special projects. Look for these opportunities on your Curriculum Night or ask your child’s teacher.

Volunteering is open to all qualified individuals interested in engaging in their child’s school environment or in helping to ensure the success of programs that support our schools.

You do not need to be an HPTA member to volunteer, but you do need to complete and submit to your school a CORI form. You can get and learn more about this form at your student’s school office.

The HPTA would like to have as many volunteers as possible sign up by September 17.

Go to http://www.hptaonline.com/volunteer.html to learn more about opportunities and to see a list of volunteer coordinators.

A special thanks goes to HPTA member Shelley Carbonneau and her team for automating the volunteer signup process.

Article by Sally Chambers

School Council Elections for 2010-11 School Year

2010-09-04T08:50:00.002-04:00

School Council elections will be held in the next few weeks for each school.

School councils were established by the Education Reform Act of 1993 to increase collaboration among school and community stakeholders and to strengthen teaching and learning for students.

Parent representatives to the Council meet regularly with the principal, selected teachers, and a community member to formulate a plan for improving our schools. These are two-year positions, unless otherwise noted.

Candidates for these positions are listed below. Full candidate biographies are available at http://www.hptaonline.com/schoolcouncil.html.

**1st Grade - Candidate Needed**
One position is open unexpectedly. If you are interested, please submit your biography by September 14 to visdoherty@yahoo.com. This is a one-year position. If needed, the Election will be held Tues., Sept. 21 at the Open House.

2nd Grade Candidates (Vote for Two)
The Election will be held Wed., Sept. 15 at Curriculum Night.
Alicia DiPietro
Elizabeth Guerra
Brian Harrigan

4th Grade Candidates (Vote for Two)
The Election will be held Mon., Sept. 13 at Curriculum Night.
Diane Bird
Elizabeth Guerra
Beth Herlihy

5th Grade Candidates (Vote for One)
If needed, the Election will be held Mon., Sept. 20 at Curriculum Night. This is a one-year position.
Beth Herlihy
Martha Huebner

6th Grade Candidates (Vote for One)
The Election will be held Wed., Sept. 22 at Back to School Night.
Lori Glover
Kim Pucci

9th Grade Candidates (Vote for One)
The Election will be held Thurs., Sept. 23 at Back to School Night.
Mary-Beth Elliot
Linda Katz

For more information, contact:
Cate Doherty-Waldeck
HPTA School Council Coordinator
visdoherty@yahoo.com
508-625-1429

Be a Star, Be a Middle School Volunteer!

2010-09-04T08:46:00.004-04:00

Don’t wait for your kids to tell you what’s going on at the Middle School! There are plenty of opportunities to get in there and find out for yourself!

Volunteer registration is now open online at www.hptaonline.com/ms-board.html to help with ongoing projects or organize specific events.

Parents are needed throughout the year to assist in the library and the computer lab. The computer lab is only available to students to work on projects and homework if adult supervision is available, so volunteers can really help students get the computer time they need.

Are you a shutterbug? Sign up as a photographer and help fill the school website, bulletin boards and local publications with images from various Middle School events and activities. The online volunteer page is also the place to sign up to be a room parent at the Middle School, help with enrichment programs, or assist with Field Day in June.

Grade-specific opportunities also are available.

Parents of sixth graders are needed for Kids Night Out to help with ticket and refreshment sales. There are three Kids Night Out events - one in October,February and May. You don’t have to help with all three, just pick the ones that work for you.

Sixth grade parents are also needed to help with the Elder Tea, a wonderful celebration in which students recognize adults who have had an impact on their lives.

Seventh grade parents are needed to help with the dances held throughout the year in October, January and March. Parents help with collecting tickets and signing the students in and out of the dance.

Eighth grade parents are also needed to help with the dances, but the biggest need during the year is for the end-of-year “8th Grade Celebration.” This is a semi-formal dinner and dance for the outgoing class to celebrate their time at the Middle School. The HPTA needs volunteers to decorate, donate supplies, chaperone, set up and clean up for the event.

We can’t run these wonderful events and activities without volunteers, so sign up today! Volunteer registration runs through September 17. Click here for more information - www.hptaonline.com/ms-board.html

By Laura Schnur

Get Ready, Start, Go...

2010-09-04T07:57:00.000-04:00

Events got underway at Hopkinton High School on August 24 with Freshmen Orientation, where 300 students received their “Class of 2013” water bottles, became familiar with their new school, enjoyed a pizza lunch, and ended the day by having their official "Class of 2013" picture taken. In conjunction with the High School staff, the HPTA Freshmen Orientation Committee helped coordinate and run this event.

Also on August 24, the entire student body had their school picture taken.

Thank you to the HPTA volunteers who helped manage the flow of students during the course of the day.

By Barbara Henise

High School Welcomes New Mandarin Teacher

2010-09-04T07:51:00.000-04:00

Hopkinton High School is pleased to welcome Jiling Pan, an exchange teacher from Pingxiang China, who will teach Mandarin Chinese at the high school this year. Ms. Pan has been teaching English to Chinese students for 17 years, and she is currently a teacher at Pingxiang High School, a school with more than 3,000 students, in the Jiangxi province of China.

Ms. Pan comes to Hopkinton through the Teachers of Critical Languages program, which is funded by the U.S. State Department. This programs advances critical language study in the U.S. and promotes diplomacy between the U.S. and China.

Only 15 schools in the U.S. were selected for this special opportunity to host a Chinese teacher. Hopkinton High School feels very fortunate to have Ms. Pan this year, and looks forward to her contributing immensely to building its Chinese language program.

A community reception to welcome Ms. Pan was held on Thursday, August 26, at the high school. In addition to the HPTA helping to fund the reception, the High School HPTA Appreciation Committee coordinated and set-up all the refreshments. They did a terrific job and received rave reviews.

By Barbara Henise

Integrated Preschool Begins Year with New Laminator

2010-08-29T17:21:00.001-04:00

Welcome back to school all HIP students, faculty and staff! The HPTA is anxious to start the year and excited about all the things to come in 2010-2011!

One item that will make things easier for all at HIP is the new laminator purchased from HPTA funds during the summer.

“Every staff member uses the laminator to protect materials that are made for student instruction and skill reinforcement,” says Kim Sullivan, Preschool Coordinator “especially in the beginning of the school year, the laminator is on and functioning more than not.”

With additional HPTA funds the students at the preschool will benefit from various enrichment programs planned throughout the year. Mrs. Grady the Music Lady is scheduled to come into each class on a monthly basis. This preschool music program provides children with early exposure to an active, participatory musical experience that can help them establish a foundation of creative beginning music skills. The development of these music skills also assists and enhances the child's social, cognitive, and emotional development, as well as encourages phonemic awareness and memory.

From letter sounds, opposites and rhyming to counting and graphing, Mrs. Grady touches upon it all. The best part - the kids LOVE it!

The HPTA would also like to welcome back Laurie Ryan, whose stay as Speech and Language Pathologist was extended when Mary Lynn Freedman decided to remain on her maternity leave for the duration of this coming school year, and to Heather Woodruff, physical therapist at the Preschool, Middle School, and Center School, who is returning from an extended leave.

There will be plenty of volunteer opportunities during the year. Look for more details to come about baking at one of several bake sales planned at various HPTA events.

By Michelle McGowan

Back To School with SchoolKidz

2010-08-29T17:14:00.002-04:00

It was back to school at Hopkins Elementary cafeteria August 23-26, 2010 as HPTA sponsored the Staples Inc./SchoolKidz program, which provides parents an opportunity to purchase school supplies in advance for their child's designated grade.

Eager volunteers ready to assist

Participating schools included Center, Elmwood, Hopkins and Middle. With the majority of schools represented, HPTA saw an increase in school kit purchases and an overall total of $2,000 raised, of which HPTA was able to continue to donate grade specific kits to Project Just Because.

Jodi Furlong and Kelly Asherman, HPTA Chairs for Staples,Inc/SchoolKidz, say the reason for the increase is primarily due to how convenient it is for parents.

SchoolKidz supply kits in tow
for students, Ian and Charolette Cann

For the 2010-2011 school year, Clare Wood will join Jodi Furlong as a new Co-Chair. One of their goals includes creating an online pay ordering process, so stay tuned for information to follow in the spring.

On behalf of the HPTA, we are pleased with the tremendous support given from the administration and teachers regarding the Staples Inc./SchoolKidz program.

We would like to extend a thank you to the parent volunteers (and many eager children of volunteers) who provided their energy and time helping prepare for the start of the school year and to Mrs. Burdzel of Hopkins Elementary, who readily assisted the Chairs and volunteers throughout the entire program in order to make the event a huge success!

By Kelly Asherman

Kindergarten Playground Social

2010-08-29T16:59:00.002-04:00

Katarina Niss and Erin Belger

On the evening of Friday, August 27, the HTPA welcomed incoming kindergarteners by hosting a get-together at Center School's playground. The highlight for many of the children was the visit from the ice cream truck. Each child was given a ticket to redeem for a free ice cream.

The children had a wonderful time playing with friends from preschool and from their neighborhoods.

To add to the adventure of the evening the kindergartners searched for other children whose nametag design matched theirs.

Zach Hyman and dad Steve

Principal Mrs. Parson and Assistant Principal Mrs. Sheelan, along with HPTA Center School VPs Heather Kelley and Nancy Cavanaugh, welcomed the children and checked them in by class. Each class had a distinct nametag to help children identify others in their class.

Several kindergartners took a break from playing to answer a few questions about their expectations.

Derek Crowe and Luke Beaudet enjoy the playground

Katarina Niss, when asked what she thinks she will do in kindergarten replied, “I think there will be crafts.”

Anna Linde said, “It sounds fun to go to the library at school."

Derek Crowe and Luke Beaudet whole-heartily exclaimed that they were, “Looking forward to the new playground equipment!”

By Maureen Belger

New Staff, New Volunteer Opportunities at Elwmood

2010-08-29T16:31:00.005-04:00

The HPTA is geared up to hit the ground running as the halls at Elmwood once again swell with the bustle of students and teachers.

Among this year’s staff are a few new faces: Amy Long and Meaghan Winters in second grade classrooms, Lauren Mack teaching third grade, and Jeannette Allen as the new speech and language pathologist. The new Elmwood staff members were invited to a luncheon hosted by the HPTA this past week to welcome new staff to the district.

Joanne Lucas and Kristin Kane will co-chair the HPTA board at Elmwood this year, supported by a cadre of volunteers who will help organize dozens of events that include the book fairs, extracurricular programs, Wee Deliver, enrichment events and school-run events such as Colonial Craft Day and Field Day.

Elmwood offers many ways for parents to be involved with the school, whether they have an hour or two to help, or can find time for an ongoing opportunity.

Be sure to check out www.hptaonline.com/elmwood-board.html for more information about the opportunities available and to enroll online.

Bookmark the Elmwood HPTA Board website to make it easy to find contact information for board members, learn about programs at the school, and link to the district-wide online Source Book for the 2010-2011 school year.

We are looking forward to a great school year at Elmwood!

By Laura Schnur

MIddle School Welcomes New Principal, Adds New Technology, Looks for Volunteers

2010-08-29T16:13:00.004-04:00

The Middle School HPTA Board, chaired this year by Liz Pomeroy and Kathleen Karpe, is excited to extend a warm welcome to Alan Keller as the school's new principal.

Keller is not a stranger to Hopkinton’s Middle School. He has been in the district since 2007, as the director of humanities and more recently as the director of secondary education.

The Middle School HPTA board looks forward to working with Keller in the upcoming school year as they explore new HPTA offerings and continue to help with events such as the book fairs, the Elder Tea, extracurricular programs, enrichment programs, and school dances.

New Monitor, Smart Board

As students return to school this week, they will notice a new flat-screen monitor mounted on the wall outside the front office. The monitor, funded partially by the HPTA and partially as a gift in honor of Jean Bertschman, will broadcast school-related events as well as important current events.

The HPTA also infused some technology money into the Middle School over the summer for a new classroom Smart Board and contributed toward the
installation of a second Smart Board in the Lecture Hall.

Volunteer Opportunities

There are many volunteer opportunities available at the Middle School during the year.

It’s easy to sign up at the Middle School HPTA Board’s web page at www.hptaonline.com/ms-board.html.

Be sure to check the page throughout the year for information on events at the school.

Article by Laura Schnur

Welcome Back Hopkins!

2010-08-29T15:43:00.004-04:00

We are proud to report that Hopkins is off to a great start with new supplies and technology, thanks to the HPTA funds, and a generous grant donation from The Nowlin Family, which enabled a fifth grade team to purchase a Smartboard!

Two additional smart boards, which cost about $5,000 each, will also be purchased, one from the town technology budget and one from technical and supply money that has been carried over from last year.

We welcome our two Co-Vice Presidents for the 2010-2011 school year, Michelle Weilding and Lynne Auslander.

Michelle and Lynne say they are very excited about the year ahead, and are happy to be supported by the following members of the Hopkins School HPTA Board:

Appreciation - Jean Hanks, Kate Buckley, Melissa Connell

Book Fair - Tanya Abbott and Alice Crochiere

Bulletin Board - Renee Smith

Cash Back for Schools - Mary Pawela and Clare Wood

Enrichment - Kathy Laflash and Karen Umans

Extracurricular - Stephanie Whalen and Sue Lallier

Library - Maureen Belger

Reporters - Kelly Asherman and Beth Herlihy

Volunteer Coordinator (4) - Tracy Wells and Mary Mann

Volunteer Coordinator (5) - Liz Pomeroy and Stacy Burden

Memory Book - Theresa Brossi, Patti Ryan, Karen Umans and Heather Kelley

Square One Art - Sharon McCabe

Article by Beth Herlihy

Hopkinton Elementary Students Help Earn Money for Schools with Box Tops

2010-08-29T14:42:00.003-04:00

Competing for prizes within their grades, Hopkinton’s elementary school classes tried to collect the most Box Tops, small rectangular logos found on the packaging of General Mills and other products. While students in the winning classes enjoyed their prizes, the schools also won as each received more than $1,000 cash after redeeming the Box Tops for the 2009-10 school year.

At Center School Mr. Sanford’s first grade class collected an impressive 2,389 Box Tops with Mrs. Allen’s class a close second with 2,070. For Kindergarteners, Mrs. McCaw’s class gathered the most, with Mrs. Rufo’s morning class next. The winning classes earned a story time outside with Assistant Principal Janeen Sheelen.

At Elmwood, Mrs. Mortarelli and Miss Ferkler’s second-grade class brought in the most Box Tops and earned some extra outdoor fun—three games of capture the flag. Ms. O’Malley’s third grade class relaxed with an in-class movie for their top effort.

All winning classes at Hopkins, Rooms 111 and 112 for fourth grade and 103 for fifth, received an extra recess at the end of the year for their Box Tops contributions.

American schools have raised more than $320-million since 1996 through the Box Tops for Education program. In addition to clipping and sending Box Tops to school with students, supporters may sign up at the Box Tops website, https://www.boxtops4education.com, to earn automatic bonus points and to learn of more ways to benefit their chosen school.

Collection Dates for 2010-11:

Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday, February 11, 2011

Friday, May 13, 2011

Send your Box Tops and used printer ink cartridges into school with your Center, Elmwood or Hopkins student!

You can send them in any time during the year, but the HPTA tries to remind families at these three specific times. To be counted for the Box Tops contest, Box Tops must be brought in by May 13. There is no contest for the ink cartridges, which are collected in the lobby rather than in the classroom.

Article by Jean Cann

Elmwood School Board Year in Review

2010-06-21T08:54:00.001-04:00

Another exciting year has ended for the HPTA at the Elmwood School.

Once again, the HPTA has filled the minds of second and third graders with enthralling science programs like "What's the Matter," where students explored the properties of solids, liquids and gases as they weighed air and made ice-cream; "Jurassic Jr." where the students stepped back in time to the age of the dinosaurs and made a fossil; and Techsploration where it was demonstrated how all simple machines help us do work by trading distance for effort.

Other programs included events like; a visit from Plimouth Plantation, the Bee Man, and David Coffin and his incredible recorders. All told, the HPTA provided more than $10,000 worth of enrichment programs for the students of Elmwood that would not have been otherwise provided.

The HPTA also facilitates many, many volunteers throughout the year, coordinating such programs as Colonial Craft Day, and second and third grade field days. Hundreds of volunteer hours and supplies are gladly provided and donated to make the programs the best they can be for the students of Elmwood.

In total, the HPTA contributed more than $14,000 to the Elmwood School over the past school year. Next year, the HPTA will again provide funding and volunteers for the enrichment, appreciation and grade level activities. In addition, the HPTA will purchase one Smartboard for the school.

The HPTA appreciates the continued support from the Hopkinton residents and businesses. We could not maintain our constant presence in the school system without your support.

By Michelle Weilding and Joanne Lucas
HPTA Co-Vice Presidents, Elmwood School

HPTA Mini Marathon, Timlin Race Huge Success

2010-06-20T18:25:00.000-04:00

The HPTA Mini Marathon took place on Saturday, June 19 under bright, sunny skies in conjunction with the Seventh Annual Sharon Timlin Memorial 5k for ALS. The event, billed as a race for all ages, included a family fun day with food, games, live music and activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

Children aged two to eight could participate in races of age-appropriate distances on the track, while seven to ten-year-olds could opt for a mile race around the Loop Road. Some hearty soles chose both. Many of the racers displayed faces painted like cats, butterflies and other creatures—a sign they had taken part in some of the family fun activities.

At the family fun day, former Red Sox relief pitcher Mike Timlin, whose late mother is the race's namesake, signed autographs along with current Red Sox player David "Big Papi" Ortiz.
The teacher dunk tank drew many Hopkinton students.

Funds raised from the Mini-Marathon will support the HPTA. The proceeds of HPTA fundraising events go directly to the schools to be used for programs such as student enrichment, scholarships, communication, technology enhancement, and professional development programs.

The HPTA would like to thank the Mini Marathon volunteers Elizabeth Allen, Maureen Belger, Cindy Bernardo, Maddie Bertschmann, Samantha Bertschmann, Karen Bograd, Kait Brine, Shannon Donovan, Dave Franklin, Alexxa Holland, Will Karpenski, Maria Kennedy, Meghan Krueger, Mark McCluskey, Liz Pomeroy, Mary Rooney, Taylor Sokol, Laura Wauters, Allison Welch, Jessica Zent, Maya Zent and Emma Zent.

Thanks also to the Timlin Race Committee and volunteers, as well as race sponsors for helping to make this year's Mini Marathon a great success. Race committee members include Abbie Rosenberg: Event Director, Dave Krueger: Event Director, Colleen Allen: Volunteer Director, Cheryl Asselin: Registration Director, Margaret Kennedy: Kids Races Director, Dawn Mercier: Fundraising Director Stephanie Whelan: Race Director.

Please log on to sharontimlinrace.org for a complete list of sponsors as well as a link to 5k results. Results of the kids' races will be posted at a later date.

Article and photos by Jean Cann

Tim Tingle visits Middle School

2010-06-20T18:10:00.002-04:00

Tim Tingle visited the Middle School on May 27th to entertain seventh graders with traditional Native American folklore. As a storyteller, Mr. Tingle delivers lively historical and traditional stories, accompanying himself on the Native American flute and singing Choctaw songs to the rhythms of a whaleskin drum.

One of his stories had students on the edge of their seats until the very end, jarring them from their quiet anticipation with a loud creepy shout. The entire auditorium erupted in voices, as it would at the end of any ghost story.

Next time you are sitting with your child by a river or near a lake sneak up behind them and whisper in their ear "Hijos", and see his/her reaction.

Article by: Heidi Krapf

Honoring Elders

2010-06-20T18:10:00.001-04:00

Connecting the past and the future: this is what happens when you ask sixth graders to invite a special someone from a different generation to an event called "The Elder Tea."

Culminating a classroom project of poetry, biography, and journalism, the HPTA dedicated volunteers last week to help students deliver their projects to the subjects of their work. At the now infamous Elder Tea, sixth graders first honored their Elder with a dedication, and then presented him/her with a scrapbook specially designed for their Elder.

The students walked with their Elder to the cafeteria to share tea and snacks. Behind the scenes, parents decorated the hallway, baked coffee cakes and breads, cut up fruit, prepared trays for each table, served coffee and tea, lined the tables with stone planters and burlap runners, not to mention organized the very people, food and decorations that allowed the Elder Tea to proceed.

As one grandmother stated, "It's so important to honor one's elders. This event allows the children to really get to know us, to see our lives. I feel so honored. Thank you."

High School Board Year in Review

2010-06-20T17:38:00.001-04:00

For more than 200 freshmen August 25th, was the official kick-off to the school year. Freshmen Orientation actually starts several weeks prior to the event. HPTA Freshmen Coordinators, Cathy Cameron, Erin Cooney, Cathy McCrorey and Melissa Abate obtained volunteers to help on the day of the event, as well as, volunteers to contribute beverages and desserts. The day started with placing “Class of 2013” water bottles in each freshman’s locker and ended with serving a pizza lunch and the taking of the official Class of 2013 picture.

The High School HPTA Appreciation chairpersons are truly amazing, they organized several well-received events over the course of the year for between 80-120 staff and students per event. These events include the Back-to-School, Holiday, and End of the Year luncheons, as well as, coordinating the Transition Day luncheon for approximately 275 seniors and staff, all with rave reviews! Thank you to Ann Bettina, Jennifer Blake, and Jeanne Rodeck for all of their efforts.

The HPTA funded more than $15,000 in student activities and enrichment programs such as; Boys’ and Girls’ State, Foreign Language lecture series, Scholastic Art Awards, Visiting Artists, Student Government Breakfast, the Post-Prom party, Art All-State, Model United Nations who won Best Large Delegation and the Science Fair competition where three Hopkinton students earned a trip to the International Science Fair in San Jose, CA.

The Admission Game was a new program the HPTA sponsored in conjunction with the Guidance Department. It was an interactive and informative presentation for juniors, seniors and their parents pertaining to the selective college administration process. Many thanks to our long time Enrichment Coordinator, Lynn Bono.

The HPTA also recognized five graduating seniors; Megan Kruege, Lauren O'Loughlin, Cecily Boyce, Anthony DiMare, and Kate Richardson who demonstrated the spirit of volunteerism. They each were awarded a $1000 scholarship.

Over the course of the year, parent volunteers have been instrumental in helping the HPTA. In addition to providing food and beverages for various student and school activities, parent volunteers have assisted with MCAS testing, served as guides for college fairs, assisted with taking inventory in the library, and helped monitor the American Mathematics Competition testing. Parents, thank you for all your support.

The HPTA is honored to help fund the various programs the High School offers its students and to be a small part of their achievements. My personal thanks to everyone that made this year a success!

Barbara Henise
HPTA High School Vice President

Center School Board Year in Review

2010-06-20T17:15:00.004-04:00

As we wrap up the 2009-2010 school year, we would like to take this opportunity and share with you how the HPTA helped make a difference at Center School this year.

From welcoming the kindergarteners in August at the ice cream social through sponsoring the Kindergarten and First Grade field days, the HPTA was present throughout the school year.

All Center School students and their families were invited to share in the musical antics of “Johnny the K” in the spring. The HPTA was able to appreciate the Center School staff as well, through a few special lunches, small gifts for secretary’s day, principal’s day and cafeteria/custodial staff appreciation day.

The HPTA brought in several enrichment programs that entertained and educated students and teachers alike. Kindergarteners were treated to BugsWork and Blacksnake Traveling Medicine Dog. First graders enjoyed ocean animals and stories from storyteller Len Cabral and had Historical Perspectives, a story about Laura Ingalls Wilder, to name a few.

Center School was also able to make a few significant purchases with money given from the HPTA. Two document cameras and a new projector were purchased and there is $5,000 budgeted to purchase new playground equipment.

The HPTA looks forward to continuing its enrichment programs for the school year 2010- 2011. In addition, a new Smartboard will be purchased for the school.

Carol Quinlan and Allison Murphy, Vice-Presidents, Center School

SchoolKidz Fundraiser a Success!

2010-06-20T16:40:00.000-04:00

SchoolKidz Fundraiser 2010 was a success! This program continues to increase in popularity every year. HPTA raised more than $2,000, with a portion of these proceeds used to purchase back-to-school kits and supplies for Project Just Because.

Back-to-school kit distribution will be held August 25th and 26th at Hopkins School. More details will be provided in a reminder notice this August. If you are unable to pick up your kit on either of these days, please make arrangements to have someone pick it up for you.

If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Asherman at kelly.asherman@ritzcarlton.com or Jodi Furlong at sjasfurlong@verizon.net. Thank you for your continued support.

Field Day Fun At Hopkins

2010-06-20T16:28:00.001-04:00

The highly anticipated Field Day Events for 4th and 5th grade classes were the perfect ending to a wonderful year! Each class enjoyed a mirage of outdoor games testing their abilities in a variety of relay races, trying to beat the clock and previous scores held by other teams. Many parents were on hand to volunteer at stations to lead the class through a particular race, while other parents acted as room guides circulating each class through the events.

The teachers and staff of Hopkins did an outstanding job creating a non-stop, fun-filled day for the students who were so appreciative with smiles on their faces and cheers and chants in their voices. As an observer, it sure brings back fond memories of many childhood field days and that sense of innocence and the impending summer approaching!

Article by Kelly Asherman

Another Fantastic Year at HIP!

2010-06-20T16:21:00.001-04:00

The Integrated Preschool concluded its year with a lot of fun festivities. A visit from Animal Adventures, beach day, pajama day, and the annual end of the year celebration where families were invited to come see a special performance and share some refreshments, all provided the children a nice break from their routine, and gave the opportunity to showcase some of what they have learned during the year.

An HPTA donation and numerous fundraising events proved to be of utmost importance in helping the preschool achieve its goals.

"Once again, the preschool staff would like to thank the HPTA for their ongoing support," said Kim Sullivan, Preschool Coordinator.

With the monies provided the preschool was able to continue its music program and purchase fine motor curriculum materials and a new laminator!

Sullivan went on to say "on behalf of all staff at the Hopkinton Integrated Preschool, we hope all of our preschool families have a happy, healthy and safe summer."

Hopkins School Board Year in Review

2010-06-20T16:14:00.000-04:00

Many thanks from the HPTA Hopkins School Board for the fantastic programming your donations to the HPTA supported this year. With this year's materials funds, we were able to support the purchases of teacher websites, study carrels, art supplies, and Digital Wish Flip Ultra 120 camcorders. We offered many valuable enrichment programs to enhance the curriculum in 4th and 5th grade, including Techsploration, High Touch/High Tech, James Gelsey, Biomes, and Art Quest. As always, the HPTA supported programs such as Immigration Day, Field Days, and staff appreciation events.

By combining technology funds and savings, the HPTA was able to purchase 5 document cameras for shared use amongst the Hopkins classrooms. The document cameras facilitate three dimensional, interactive learning opportunities for the entire classroom. For next year, the HPTA is very pleased to be the recipient of a grant from the Nowlin Family Trust, which will facilitate the purchase of a Smartboard for a 5th grade team.

The HPTA has revised it's budget format, to create a new technology category. These funds will cover the purchase of a Smartboard for a 4th grade classroom. In addition, the HPTA will offer two enrichment programs next year. A new Poet in Residence program will be offered to 4th grade classes, and Techsploration will be made available to all 5th grade classrooms. These hands-on, intensive programs offer crucial support to the curriculum in each grade.

The HPTA is excited to welcome Greg Martineau, the new principal of Hopkins School. As is customary, the HPTA will provide Mr. Martineau with a one-time gift of $1,000 to be spent at his discretion on an immediate need he identifies within the school.

Thank you to all of the volunteers and contributors who work so hard to raise these funds for the benefit of our students.

By Lynne Auslander and Jean Bertschmann
HPTA Co-Vice Presidents, Hopkins School

Thank you to the HPTA's 2009-10 Corporate Sponsors

2010-06-20T10:00:00.021-04:00

The HPTA would like to thank all of its Corporate Sponsors for the 2009-10 School Year without your continued support and financial aid we would not have been able to raise nearly $150,000 for our schools this year. From Colella's to donating Gatorade and chips for our Wizards event to Paul M. Phipps Insurance Agency sponsoring our 27th Annual Silent Auction amongst so many other things, we thank you so very much.

Corporate advertising was a new program this year and turned out to be highly successful. We brought in $5,951 through ads placed on the HPTA website, in HPTA Correspondence emails, and on HPTA e-flyers.

Thank you to HPTA President, Cindy Bernardo, for managing the Corporate Program this year. We are still looking for a Corporate Programs Chair for the 2010-11 school year. Interested persons should email Cindy at president@hptaonline.com for more information.

At this time, we would like to recognize all our of Corporate Sponsors for the school year. We hope they will all continue advertising with the HPTA in 2010-11. For more information about ad rates please visit http://hptaonline.com/corporate.html.

Action Copy Plus
Beth Jacobs (Pampered Chef)
Century 21 Commonwealth (Kathy Williamson)
Cornell's Pub
Country Plus

The Dentist at Hopkinton
Dr. Perryman
Dynasty Restaurant
First Beacon Group

E.L. Harvey and Sons

Frozen Ropes (Natick)

Healthy Paws Veterinary Clinic
Hiller's Cleaners

Hopkinton Country Club

Hopkinton Drug
Hopkinton Stone and Gardens

Hopkinton Wine and Spirits

Hurricane Roofing

Hunt Plumbing

Jackie and Co. Hair Salon

Legacy Farms/Baystone Development

Raymond J. Lucas Jr.

The Maids (Medway)
Main Street Pediatrics
Main Street Service - 96 Main St.

The Marathon Restaurant
Masters Touch (Medfield)

McIntyre Loam

Middlesex Bank
Mirick O'Connell

Montalto Communication Strategies

Music Go Round (Natick)

Outdoor Recreation
Phipps Insurance

RE/MAX Executive Realty

Scott Septic, Inc.

Sparks Art Studios
Star Realty
TLC
UNO Chicago Grill

Westboro Tennis and Swim

HPTA Awards Five Scholarships - “The Spirit of Volunteerism”

2010-06-20T10:00:00.001-04:00

The HPTA has awarded five scholarships this year to graduating seniors whose high school career have embodied “the Spirit of Volunteerism.” This year’s winners are Cecily Boyce, Anthony DiMare, Meghan Krueger, Lauren O'Loughlin and Kate Richardson. Each of these five students volunteered countless hours of their time to help, serve, and improve the lives and environments of those around them both within Hopkinton High School and the greater Hopkinton community. Furthermore these young adults have taken the initiative to begin and foster some of these activities. The scholarship winners were announced at Senior Recognition Night on June 3.

Cecily Boyce will be attending Brigham Young University. Anthony DiMare will attend Syracuse University. Meghan Krueger will be attending Notre Dame. Lauren O'Loughlin will attend Providence College and Kate Richardson will be attending Boston College.

The HPTA is proud to honor each of these students with a $1,000 scholarship. The HPTA’s mission is to support the enrichment and betterment of the Hopkinton Public Schools through direct volunteers and donations and by providing a forum of communication between parents, teachers, administrators and community.

HPTA Wraps Up 2009-10 Year, Looks Toward 2010-11

2010-06-06T12:01:00.002-04:00

HPTA President Cindy Bernardo receives a check for $1,600 from Dale Danahy

of Colella's Supermarket from the sale of Guida Dairy products.

Members of the HPTA gathered at Elmwood School on May 17 for the HPTA General Meeting, which included award and check presentations, 2010-11 budget approval, voting in of new board members and reviewing the year's accomplishments.

HPTA membership reached an all-time high of 609 members this year.

"Thanks to all of the volunteers who worked countless hours from the book fairs to the carnival to the libraries stocking shelves to helping out with field day," said Cindy Bernardo, HPTA president.

Members unanimously approved the new board, which includes new and seasoned members. Outgoing vice presidents include Karen Sylvester, Allison Murphy, Carol Quinlan, Jean Bertschmann, Leda Arakelian, and Pam Litchfield. While Lynne Auslander, Barb Henise, and Joanne Lucas will remain in their current VP roles. Michele Weilding will move from her VP position at Elmwood to one at Hopkins. Other new VPs include town-wide Esther Driscoll, Nancy Cavanaugh and Heather Kelley at Center, Kristin Kane at Elmwood, and Kathleen Karpe and Liz Pomeroy at Hopkinton Middle School.

At the meeting, Dale Danahy of Colella's Supermarket presented Bernardo with a $1,600 check from sale of Guida's products. In total, the 2009-10 funds raised surpassed projections by $41,000.

"I think this is due to the creativity and energy our fundraising team had this year," said Bernardo. "We had some events that really brought parents and families out to support the schools. Our Silent Auction was a HUGE success with the Children's Gallery and 2nd online auction bringing in over $44,000 and the carnival brought in over $15,000."

This year's fundraising will allow the HPTA to give $135,000 to the schools next year including:

*$38,000 in technology, including at least one SmartBoard to every school except the High School, which will be receive an Apple Laptop cart with 30 laptops.
*$11,000 for professional development to support the district's guaranteed and viable curriculum.
*$5,000 toward building a "green" curriculum in the schools.
*a continued $50,000 in enrichment programs to support each grade's curriculum.

"We want to thank each and every volunteer for making this year how amazing it has been and it could not have happened with them!" said Bernardo. "We want to wish everyone a happy and healthy summer too!"

Article by Jean Cann. Photo by Amy Ritterbusch.

HHS students attend UN conference

2010-06-06T12:00:00.008-04:00

On March 12-14, 15 members of the Hopkinton High School Model United Nations Club attended the annual 3-day Model United Nations conference at the University of Massachusetts.

The club was up against 20 other highly competitive public and private high schools, and for the third year in a row the club came home with a prestigious award. This year the club won Best Large Delegation, whereas for the last two years the club won Best Small Delegation.

In addition, six of the club members won individual awards: Molly Karg and Becca Govoni won Best Delegate, Elise LeCrone won Outstanding Delegate, Caroline Olney won Honorable Mention, Alyssa Carter and Dan Quigley were both verbally recognized.

Back row: Mike Wilander (Advisor), Brittany O’Loughlin, Allison Toth,
Caroline Olney, Max Vumbaca, Jake Mokler, and Dan Genkin.
Middle row: Dan Liberta, Dan Quigley, Alyssa Carter, Becca Govoni, and Karen Podorefsky.
Front row: Catie Maruska, Molly Karg, Elise LeCrone, and Meghan Smart.

Submitted by Barbara Henise.

Three HHS students compete in International Science Fair

2010-06-06T12:00:00.007-04:00

Three Hopkinton High School students earned a trip to the International Science Fair in San Jose, CA at this year's Regional Science Fair.

John Hinkel received the highest award of the fair! Chris Jarvis and Dan Lukason received the highest score of any team, placing 8th out of 110 projects. Additionally, Jess DiFazio received a 2nd award and Rachel Gottlieb a 4th award, earning them both a spot at the state fair in May. John, Chris and Dan each competed in the International Fair!

Article by Barbara Henise.

Thank you to the 2009-10 HPTA Board

2010-06-06T12:00:00.004-04:00

The HPTA would like to thank and recognize all of its Board Members for the 2009-10 school year. Their hard work and dedication to the HPTA mission was greatly appreciated. The HPTA wishes the best of luck to those who are moving on to new things and is happy to welcome back those who are continuing in a board role next year. Enjoy your summer! See you in the fall!

2009-10 Town-Wide Board Members
Adrienne McKenna
Amy Ritterbusch
Amy Watson
Bernadette Markey
Cate Doherty-Waldeck
Celine Chabot O'Rourke
Christy Mahoney
Cindy Bernardo
Clare Kirk
Deb Kelly
Deborah Dionne
Diana Lindon
Donna Hawkins
Esther Driscoll
Holly DiNicola
Jackie Potenzone
Jane Wojcik
Jayashree Dattar
Jean Cann
Jen Blake
Jen Joyce
Jenni Schroeder
Jill Delasco
Jim Montalto
Joanne Lucas
Jodi Furlong
Julie McNamara
Karen Sylvester
Kelly Asherman
Laurie Sullivan
Lee Burns
Lisa Hicks
Lisa Yaggy
Liz Pomeroy
Madelyn Joyce
Marsha Birtwistle
Meg Parduhn
Michelle McGowan
Robin Doherty
Selina Paolucci
Stephanie Whelan
Vicki Holt

2009-10 Center School Board Members
Allison Murphy
Becky Hakansson
Beth D'Alleva
Carol Quinlan
Christina Perlov
Christine Tourigny
Colleen Souza
Dena Pavone
Jackie Potenzone
Jayashree Dattar
Jen Nolte
Joanne Lucas
Judy McGrail
Kim Cooper
Kristin Kane
Laura Barry
Liz Jurasek
Liz Leighton
Liz Murchie
Marie Boyle
Meghan Lussier
Niki Battikha
Patty Hood
Sue O'Connor

2009-10 Elmwood School Board Members
Alice Crochiere
Andrea Hasbrouck
Ashley McNamara
Beth D'Alleva
Brian Karp
Cathy Schaefer
Cheryl McIntire
Christy Mahoney
Courtney Zaharis
Dawn Ronan
Deb Drechsler
Donna Orellana
Heather Kelley
Holly DiNicola
Jen Nolte
Jenni Schroeder
Joanne Lucas
Karen Sylvester
Liz Murchie
Lynn Hargrave
Mary Pawela
Michele Rogers
Michelle Weilding
Patty Hood
Sarah Donnelly
Sheri Cesnek
Stephanie Whelan
Susie Estella

2009-10 Hopkins School Board Members
Ann Andrews
Carol Quinlan
Diane Goolgasian
Jean Bertschmann
Jean Hanks
Jenn White
Karen Umans
Kathleen Dustin
Kathy Laflash
Kelly Asherman
Kelly Loring
Lisa Guarino
Liz Pomeroy
Lynne Auslander
Maria Karlis
Marilee Mackertich
Marilyn Dumas
Martha Huebner
Mary Pawela
Maureen Belger
Maureen Morse
Rene Smith
Sharon McCabe
Sue Lallier
Tanya Abbott

2009-10 Middle School Board Members
Allison Brookes
Allison Cofone
Amy Holler
Amy Satterfield
Barb Ludorf
Christine Salois
Diana Lindon
Donna Plunkett
Ellen Mace
Grace Roche
Heidi Krapf
Jennifer Blake
Julie Day
Kathleen Karpe
Kelly Burke
Kit Werner
Leda Arakelian
Lisa Cole
Liz Pomeroy
Mary Beth Elliott
Mary Beth Lavoie
Melissa Abate
Nancy Lagasse
Pam Litchfield
Patti Durr
Robin Bloomer
Teri Darkow
Theresa Brossi
Vicki Gresham

2009-10 High School Board Members
Ann Bettina
Barb Henise
Cathy Cameron
Cathy McCrorey
Erin Cooney
Gabrielle Giordano
Jackie Potenzone
Jeanne Rodeck
Jen Blake
Lynn Bono
Melissa Abate

First HPTA Carnival a Big Hit

2010-05-23T19:46:00.002-04:00

The HPTA Carnival, on bright and sunny May 15, drew crowds to the Town Common for hours with crafts, games, entertainment and food. The Carnival, sponsored by Outdoor Recreation and organized by the HPTA, raised approximately $15,000 for the schools.

Wagons and strollers started rolling into the Common at 9 a.m. with kids ready to get their faces painted, play games, make crafts, eat cotton candy and dunk their teachers, coaches and neighbors in the dunk tank. Some popular activities included an inflatable jousting ring, a Velcro climbing wall and bounce houses. Arthur O'Malley, the father of an Elmwood teacher, emceed the event, announcing acts like Magic Matt the magician and encouraging kids to dunk their favorite teacher or coach.

The Carnival enjoyed strong support from local businesses. Contributions from title sponsor, Outdoor Recreation, allowed many perks, such as a keepsake eco-friendly visitor bag. Uno's Chicago Grill provided fresh cooked pizza for the lunchtime crowd. The Joseph P. Keefe Technical School designed and built multiple colorful games. Karen McDermott, of RE/MAX Executive Realty, funded prizes for the games. For a full list of sponsors, please visit www.hptaonline.com.

The proceeds from the Carnival will directly benefit the HPTA in its mission to support the enrichment and betterment of the Hopkinton Schools through curriculum enrichment, parent education, communication and teacher support. For the 2009-2010 school year, the HPTA plans to contribute over $120,000 to the Hopkinton Public Schools.

Thanks to the hundreds of volunteers, chairperson Joanne Sabetti and committee members: Liz Murchie, Shari Matza, Aimee Graeber, Amy Montalto, Laura Wauters, Betsy Crawford, Leda Arakelian, Holly Miller, Beth Anne Carrier, Jodi Palmieri, Celine O'Rourke, Linda Picozza, Gretchen Stephan and Mary Pawela.

HopSwap Helps Community Go Green, Makes Some Green

2010-05-09T10:00:00.021-04:00

The gym and cafeteria at Hopkinton High School were overflowing with donations of gently used children's items on May 1. It was all for the 2nd Annual HopSwap, a green event co-sponsored by the HPTA and Hopkinton Moms Group.

Items were collected at various locations throughout town during April, then a group of very hard-working volunteers organized it all for shoppers.

Shoppers poured in with their reusable shopping bags in hand. They were allowed to fill their bags for $10, or, if they had made a donation, $5 per bag! Most of the larger items were less than $5.

"Kids grow out of their clothes so quickly," said Marsha Birtwistle, Hopkinton Moms Group President. "And they get bored with their toys too. HopSwap is a great source for all of us to switch our stuff!"

The event raised $1,555 for Hopkinton Public Schools.

Thank you to the many, many donors, volunteers, and shoppers who made HopSwap a successful event! And thanks to REI and Stroller Strides, both of Framingham, for their donation to our raffle. And congratulations to Jean Cann for winning that raffle -- a CoPilot single jogger stroller and 10 passes to Stroller Strides!

Article and photo submitted by Jill Delasco