Hanson Middle School

https://hms.whrsd.org/

(781) 618-7575 – Main Office

(781) 618-7375 – Absentee Line

(844) 440-2346 – Fax

Dear Parents,

April is shaping up to be a busy month for our students! We have a lot to look forward to, and I'm excited to share some key updates with you.

First and foremost, Quarter 3 ends on April 3. The parent portal is closed to viewing in preparation for report cards. It will reopen on April 9, at which point Semester 2 Progress Reports will be available.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled for April 17. Virtual conferences will be in the afternoon and in-person conferences will be in the evening. This is a valuable opportunity to connect with your child's teachers, discuss their progress, and collaborate on their continued success. Please see more detailed information below.

We are incredibly proud of our Project 351 Ambassador, Elsie Sewall, who is leading a Cradles to Crayons Clothing Drive. Your generous donations will directly support local children in need, and we encourage everyone to participate in this important initiative. More details on how to contribute are included within this newsletter.

Spring sports are officially underway! Our Track and Field season has begun, and we are thrilled to see our athletes pushing their limits and demonstrating incredible teamwork. Please come out and support our students at their upcoming meets.

Finally, April Vacation is scheduled for April 21 - April 25. We hope you and your families enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating break.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to a productive and meaningful April.

Sincerely,

Josh Belvis

Friday, April 4 - Early Release-PK-12-Grading Day

Thursday, April 17 - Early Release - Middle School ONLY Parent Conferences

Virtual Afternoon, In-Person Evening

Friday, April 18 - Good Friday - Early Release PK-12

Monday, April 21 - Patriot's Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL

Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25 - Spring Recess No School (4/21-4/25)

Wednesday, May 21 - Washington, DC Meetings

• 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - 7th Grade
• 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM - 8th Grade

Whitman-Hanson WILL Community Event - April 8

School Committee Meeting - April 16

Tentative School Committee Meeting (Budget Related) - April 30

Parent teacher conferences are on April 17.

You will need to use your Parent Portal credentials to sign into PTC Wizard to schedule conferences. PTC Wizard will open to schedule conferences on April 10 at 8:00 AM and close will on April 17 at 10:00 AM Here is the website: https://app.ptcwizard.com/ptc1742825183

Project 351 Ambassador, Elsie Sewall, is leading a clothing drive to support Cradles to Crayons in ending clothing insecurity. Hanson Middle School will have collection boxes available through April 4. If you have new or gently used clothing that no longer fits, please consider sending them in. All sizes are welcome.

April is Autism Acceptance Month. While many know April as Autism Awareness Month, in recent years there has been an initiative to not only spend the month promoting education and awareness, but also understanding and respect. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability characterized by differences in, or challenges with, communication and social interaction, as well as, repetitive or restricted patterns of behavior and interests. As a spectrum, the extent of the characteristics and presentations of autism can vary widely from person to person. Presently, it is estimated that 1 in 36 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with ASD. Take the opportunity this month to learn more about the autism spectrum and ways to make our everyday environments more inclusive and accessible to all types of individuals.

I am excited to introduce myself as the interim assistant principal while Mrs. Pietrasik is on maternity leave. It has been a pleasure getting to know the students, staff, and families of Hanson Middle School, and I am truly grateful for the warm welcome I’ve received. The energy and enthusiasm of the students, along with the dedication of the staff, have made my time here incredibly rewarding. I look forward to continuing to build relationships and supporting the great work happening in our school. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be of any assistance—I’m always happy to connect!

WH Will Event

Whitman Hanson Will, our local substance use prevention coalition, will be hosting a community meeting on Tuesday, April 8th from 6-730pm at the high school. The purpose of the meeting is to learn more about the prevention work going on in our community and to find out how you can have a voice in advocating for change. Dinner will also be provided! To register, please follow the link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/whitman-hanson-community-meeting-tickets-1253796301489?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thank you!

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mamma Mia’s and our amazing Hanson Middle School community for your support of our fundraiser. Your generosity and participation help us create meaningful opportunities for our students. We appreciate everyone who dined in or ordered takeout to contribute to this event. Thank you for being a part of our HMS family and making a difference!

Quick Safety Reminder

Just a quick reminder, as the weather gets warmer, many students will take advantage of the nice days, choosing to walk or ride bikes home rather than take the bus. Please remind your children to be safe as they head home and to be respectful of the businesses and residences they pass along the way. Students should try and stay on sidewalks and be careful when crossing any streets. They should also be aware that they should not use the playground behind Indian Head School until the elementary school is dismissed.

For any interested track and field athletes there was an informational meeting on Monday, March 31st for the 2025 season. This was a required meeting for potential athletes. All needed material went home with athletes. Sign-up forms are due back by the morning of Monday, April 7th at the latest! NO LATE sign-ups will be accepted. Our first practice will be that Monday (4/7) afternoon till 3:50. Reminders will be repeated on the school news for students. Contact Ms. Ashley (ashley.silvia@whrsd.org) with any questions.

2024-2025 HMS Yearbooks are on sale NOW!

The cost is $20 and orders are due by Friday April 18, 2025.

To order your yearbook, please visit: inter-state.com/order and enter this code: 91813C

There is an in-person meeting for parents on May 21 at 7:00 PM to go over information and answer questions regarding the upcoming Washington, DC trip. This meeting will be in the HMS auditorium.

For 8th grade students not going to Washington, DC, we have been able to secure two local trips for the week of June 2 to June 6. For more detailed information, please see the email from Mrs. Piestrasik from March 7 (this email only went to families of students not scheduled to attend the DC trip). Please be sure to complete the waiver for TreeTop Adventures and return permission slips and payment (checks made payable to Hanson Middle School) to Mrs. Tamulevich by Thursday, May 1.

We have Hilliard’s Chocolate bars available for student fundraising. This fundraising is for all grade 8 students. Students staying home from the D.C. trip are still able to sell chocolate bars to reimburse the cost of their two field trips. Selling two boxes of chocolate will reimburse the cost of the two local field trips in full. Students or parents can purchase a box of candy bars from Mrs. Laferriere in the main office for $50. Each box contains 40 chocolate bars which can be sold for $2.50 each. There is a $50 profit from each box sold and you may apply the profit directly to your students account or may use it for spending money while in D.C.

One of the focal points of the Renaissance Program is character development. One way the program recognizes this is with our Gold Star Spotlight. Members of our school community that display high moral character and contribute to the HMS environment in a positive way can be nominated for this award. Nominees are given a certificate, a small treat, and recognition on announcements and other public community platforms.

HMS community members that have been nominated and recognized in the month of March:

Ayva Earnest, Liam McDonough (two nominations), Quinn Varley, Dylan Leahy, Olivia Tracey, Catherine Powers, Kevin Brown, Amber Haley, Tyler Foster, Zack Foster, Brianna Guidaboni, Elsie Sewall, Rebecca Branconier, Cindy McGann, Ellen Galambos, Olivia Leonard.

Renaissance aims to celebrate students and staff for academic excellence, positive character referrals, attendance, and for all around being amazing! We encourage all families to participate by emailing us positive stories about your child's teachers. Your feedback helps us to acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional educators in our community. If you have something that you would like to share, please email us at hms.renaissance@whrsd.org.

Student Council presents the Spring 5th & 6th Grade Dance

Friday, May 2 from 5-7 at the HMS cafeteria.

Tickets will be $5 and available to purchase at lunch starting on April 28. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Please reach out to Ms. K or Ms. Drosos if you have any questions!

ILLNESSES:

Please continue to be cautious and keep sick children home. If your child is experiencing more than one symptom such as cough, sore throat, congestion, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or fatigue, they should stay home and be seen by their pediatrician as needed.

If your child has a fever of 100 or higher, they need to stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours without taking any fever-reducing medicine.

For vomiting and diarrhea, your child should stay home until they have gone 24 hours since their last vomiting or diarrhea episode.

Once these guidelines are met, children can return when they feel well enough to participate in school.

ABSENCES:

Please call the absence line (781-618-7375) or the nurse directly to report your student absent for an illness and be sure to include the reason for absence. Also, please be specific with the symptoms/reason for absence as this helps me to track and monitor illnesses among the students at school. I will be following up with phone calls home as needed regarding illnesses and absences.

If your child does see their doctor for an illness, please ask for a doctor's note for their absence(s) from school so your child’s absence can be marked as excused.

If your child is absent due to an illness/medical condition for 5 or more consecutive days, a doctor’s note verifying clearance for return to school is required.

INJURIES/RESTRICTIONS:

If your child has sustained an injury, we must have a note from the doctor stating the child’s physical limitations/restrictions, including a gym excuse note and order for the use of assistive devices such as crutches or a wheelchair

MANDATED SCREENINGS:

Scoliosis screenings will be completed by the end of the first week of April. If we notice positive findings with your child, you will receive a letter from me asking that you follow up with your child’s pediatrician. Letters will go out once all screenings are completed.

Thank you and as always please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Lisa Godbout, M.Ed., BSN, RN

lisa.godbout@whrsd.org

781-618-7575

Fax: 844-440-2316

The dates below are subject to change.

5th Grade:

ELA – March 27 and March 28

Math – May 1 and May 2

Science – May 15 and May 16

6th Grade:

ELA – April 7 and April 11

Math – May 9 and May 12

7th Grade:

ELA – March 25 and March 26

Math – April 29 and April 30

8th Grade:

ELA – April 2 and April 3

Math – May 7 and May 8

Science – May 21 and May 22

Civics – May 14