High Plain Elementary Corner
Ms. Leveque's and Mrs. Lyons' Weekly Newsletter
From the Desks of Ms. Leveque and Mrs. Lyons
September 21, 2025
Dear HPE Families,
This year, our school community is embracing three beautiful themes from the inspiring book Why Not? by Kobi Yamada: Possibility, Wonder, and Joy. These words help us nurture curiosity, creativity, and connection — both in the classroom and at home.
Possibility
We’re encouraging students to ask big questions and imagine what could be. Possibility is about dreaming, trying new things, and believing in what’s not yet seen. At home, you might ask your child, “What’s something new you’d like to try?” or “What’s a dream you have?”
Wonder
Wonder is the spark that leads to discovery. Whether it’s watching clouds, exploring nature, or asking “why,” we’re celebrating the joy of being curious. Try taking a “wonder walk” as a family — notice the little things and ask questions together!
Joy
Joy is found in laughter, kindness, and shared moments. We’re helping students recognize what brings them joy and how they can share it with others. A simple way to bring this home is to ask, “What made you smile today?”
Try It at Home:
- Draw or write about something that fills your family with wonder.
- Start a “Wonder” or "Possibility" jar — fill it with ideas your child wants to try or explore.
- Celebrate joy by doing something fun together — a dance party, a game night, or a cozy story time.
Let’s keep the spirit of Why Not? alive by encouraging our children to dream big, stay curious, and find joy in everyday moments.
Enjoy,
Ms. Leveque and Mrs. Lyons
-Monday, September 22: Navaratri
-Tuesday, September 23 & Wednesday, September 24: Rosh Hashanah (days 1 & 2)
-Thursday, October 2: Yom Kippur & Dasera / Dussehra
-Tuesday, October 7 - Thursday, October 9: PTO Sponsored Scholastic Book Fair
-Tuesday, October 7: First Day of Sukkot
-Wednesday, October 8: Early Release day for students; 12:15 dismissal
-Friday, October 10: School Picture Day. Details coming soon.
-Monday, October 13: Fall Recess (No School)
HPE 2025-26 School Supply Lists
School Year Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8:45-3:30
School is back in session. With the start of school, it's important that we are all aware of the school bus laws that are in place to protect our students.
In Massachusetts, it is illegal to pass "When approaching a vehicle which displays a sign bearing the words 'SCHOOL BUS' and which is equipped with front and rear alternating flashing red signal lamps which are flashing." School vans that transport students will also have flashing lights and the same rules apply.
If a school bus or a school pupil transport vehicle has its red lights flashing and a stop sign extended, you must come to a complete stop. It is the law. It does not matter which side of the road you are traveling on. Remain stopped until the lights stop flashing or the stop sign folds back. The only exception to this law is if a school bus has stopped on the other side of a divided highway with a solid barrier between travel directions. In this case, you do not have to stop.
For more information, please follow the below links:
1. Students are offered breakfast and lunch free of charge. It is crucial that you order lunches for them IN ADVANCE if they plan to have lunch from the school cafeteria. Our kitchen staff prepares lunches based on the number of orders received, so accurate and timely ordering is essential. Breakfast does not need to be ordered in advance.
2. Memorize PIN : Please help your child memorizes their PIN to get their lunch. This number stays with them year to year. Knowing it by heart will expedite their lunch experience. It allows for quicker and more secure access to their account, making lunchtime smoother for everyone involved.
If you have any questions or require assistance with lunch orders or PIN-related matters, please do not hesitate to reach out to our school office.
3. Students should bring snacks from home each day. We do not provide snacks as a school.
We are fortunate to have Ginny the therapy dog on campus a few days a week. Ginny was certified as a therapy dog back in the fall of 2022 and has dual-certification with both Mrs. McLaughlin, her owner, and Mrs. Celata, our school social worker. Ginny spends some of her time with Mrs. McLaughlin who is an instructional assistant in fifth grade, but she spends most of her time with Mrs. Celata in her office and visiting classrooms around the school.
Ginny is a 8 year old Australian Labradoodle. She is non-shedding and considered hypoallergenic to most people with dog allergies. When Ginny is around students, she is under the direct supervision of Mrs. McLaughlin or Mrs. Celata. We take the health and safety of our students seriously and know that while Ginny may be supportive to some students, we understand that some students are not comfortable around dogs. Before entering a new classroom, Mrs. Celata and Mrs. McLaughlin always ask first if there are any students who would like to have Ginny stay away from them. No student will have to be close to Ginny if they do not want to be.
We wanted to share the video we have shown to the students about how to approach a therapy dog and to explain the difference between a therapy dog and a pet. When Ginny is in school, she is working and takes her role seriously. She has provided great comfort for many students. You can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axLBd_4IKdE
Ginny is a well known and beloved member of our community, and we hope that your children are enjoying their interactions with her. Please let us know if you have any concerns, questions, or reasons as to why your child cannot interact with Ginny by emailing me at Sarah.Leveque@andoverma.us.
Our PTO plans lots of fun for our students and families. Please sign up for the PTO Newsletter at www.highplainpto.org so you don’t miss out on fun events. We will be at the Open House Curriculum Night so come say hello!
SCHOOL BUS
Bus transportation to and from school is provided free of charge to elementary students. Kindergarten students must be met by a known adult at the bus stop. Bus routes will be listed in the Aspen portal.
NAME/BUS TAGS (For Kindergarten and Grade 1 Students)
Your child’s teacher will give you a name tag necklace on the first day. Please have your kindergartner or first grader wear the nametag until further notice. The information on the tag is based on what families have entered on the back to school forms.
CAR PICKUP/DROPOFF
Please note that there are differences in morning arrival and afternoon car pick up. In the morning, you may arrive between 8:45-9:00 by using the High Plain Rd. entrance or the Cross St. entrance. In the afternoon, you can only arrive through the Cross St. entrance. The High Plain Rd. entrance is closed to allow buses. In the afternoon, dismissal begins at 3:30. Both morning and afternoon arrival, all vehicles must turn right when leaving the drop off/pick up line.
WALKERS & BIKE RIDERS:
· For morning arrival, a school crossing guard will be at the Cross Street/Brady Loop entrance.
· All AM walkers and bike riders should use the Cross St. entrance and the sidewalks that follow the front side of the school.
· Bike Riders: Only students in grades 3, 4, and 5 may ride a bike to and from school. A permission form must be completed with the main office.
Communication with our families is essential to the success and wellness of our students. To assist our families and help them connect with the appropriate staff who is best suited to answer questions, we have updated our “Who We Are” page on our website. The information will guide families to resources on how to reach staff with concerns and how to stay connected to news and events across the district.
This is a reminder that the High Plain Road entrance is closed to cars at dismissal. It is the access entrance for buses only. The Cross Street entrance is how cars enter for car pickup. This is a safety concern. We have seen cars try to sneak in daily and it's simply not fair to those who are following the dismissal procedures. We ask you to be respectful of your fellow HPE community members and abide by this rule.
Breakfast and lunch are once again free to all students. Breakfast is served from 8:45-8:55 each morning and no advanced ordering is needed.
Lunches will need be preordered. Lunch requires families to order in advance to ensure we have the correct allergy-friendly lunch for all our students. It is very important that our cafeteria has an accurate lunch count each day. Please review with your children each morning what you have ordered for them.
Information about the Andover Public Schools lunch program, as well as menus and instructions for online ordering, may be found on the website here: http://www.andoverschoolnutrition.com/
We are all working to manage the age of technology and are looking for support between school and home. Many children have new smart devices and the elementary schools have some guidance.
A kind reminder to our families that cell phones must be turned off and in students’ backpacks at the start of the school day. Smartwatches may be worn as regular watches, however, students are not allowed to text, communicate with others, use applications, take pictures or videos, or access social media services and websites.
Should parents/guardians urgently need to reach their child during the school day, we ask that you call the main office. Students are also allowed to come to the main office if they need to contact someone at home. If a cell phone or watch becomes a significant distraction, school administrators will reach out to parents/guardians. The Andover Public Schools is not responsible for lost, stolen, damaged, or broken devices.
To promote healthy digital habits during the school day, the resources below may be helpful to use. We appreciate your partnership as we work to keep interruptions to the school day at a minimum.
Resource for Apple Watches:
How to set a School Time schedule
Open the Watch app on your iPhone. Tap All Watches, then tap your child's watch.
Tap Done, then tap Schooltime.
Turn on Schooltime, then tap Edit Schedule.
Choose the days and times when you want Schooltime to be active.
Tap Add Time if you want to set up more than one schedule in a day.
Resource for Gizmo Watches:
How to set up School mode
Open the. Gizmo Hub app.
Tap the. School mode switch. turn on or off. If necessary, set up a School Mode schedule.
In School Devices
K-3 Devices will stay in school.
4-5 Devices can be brought home if directed by the classroom teacher to complete an assignment. Otherwise, they will remain in school.
Please make sure that you arrive with your license. We cannot check you in and let you enter without your license or state issued ID. You also need to have a valid CORI form on file. Please help us with these required safety steps.
School Hours of Operation
8:30 am: School office opens
8:45 am: School drop off
9:00 am: School day begins
After 9:00 am: Children are tardy and must be accompanied by a parent into the office
After 2:00 pm: Unless it's an emergency, no dismissal changes
Students must be dismissed before 3:00
3:30 pm: School ends
Ms. Sarah Leveque, Principal
Email: sarah.leveque@andoverma.us
Website: https://aps1.net/212/High-Plain-Elementary-School
Location: 333 High Plain Road, Andover, MA, USA
Phone: 978-247-8600