Roland Hayes School

Our North Star

“When children and teachers feel engaged, safe, and supported we have room to grow and learn through collaboration and risk-taking with our peers.”

Previous "Community Notes" can be found here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718

The "Community Notes" is sent every other week. Thanks for reading!

Learn more about Roland Hayes here, from our own Young Scholars!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MyhdW04fd4

International Night – Thank You!!!

I have been to quite a few International Nights, and this year's was one of my favorites. The event was so expertly planned out, and the good cheer and abundance of great people made the night so incredible. There were so many volunteers that we could not have pulled this off without including Paola, Yen-Lin, Jon, Lisa, and Theodora. And countless others, like Pam, Erica, Karli, Tiffany, Ana, Julie, Avery, Nathalie, Heidi, and the many, many of you who hosted tables. (I apologize if I have left you off the list! The evening was a bit of a joyous blur.)

This event is one of the much needed markers along the school year journey that reminds me of just how much I love it here. I hope you all left with the same feeling.

👉👉👉 https://forms.gle/dYEoT3i3GrX4ZJQA9 👈👈👈

Deadline: Sunday, April 13th

It is time for us to look ahead and begin planning for the 2025-2026 school year. Parents often ask how class placements are made and what role families may play in the process. This google form is meant to answer those questions, explain the process used at our school, and gather feedback from you.

Each spring, teachers, staff, and administrators work to form classes for the following school year. We invite you to join this process at home. While it is not necessary, nor is it expected that parents communicate regarding class placement, if you have information about your child’s social-emotional or learning needs that you think we do not know, please complete this google form by Sunday, April 13th.

We are unable to honor requests for specific teachers; letters that name a teacher will not be considered.

This feedback can help us get as much perspective as possible during this process. Additionally, this information can be helpful to next year’s teacher as they work to gather information about their students prior to the start of the school year. If you want to remind us of any past concerns you’ve had, please take a minute to do that in this questionnaire, too.

After we receive this information, teachers, specialists, our guidance counselors, and administrators will work together to form new class cohorts. We consider many factors while doing this important work. While making these classes, we consider the academic strengths, learning styles, academic needs, friendships, level of independence, and collaborative skills of the individual child and the group as a whole. Please know we give this process protected time and great consideration. It is our goal to form classes of learners that support and challenge each other. Moreover, although our teachers employ a range of styles, they teach under the same umbrella of shared core values, curriculum, and best instructional practices. You can be sure that professionals who know your child well will be putting great thought into their learning environment and peers for the upcoming school year. It is important that we respect this multi-step process and the outcomes that result.

Barring unforeseen situations, changes to class placements will not be made after they are announced.

We appreciate your and your child’s input and value your collaboration as we build our learning communities for the upcoming school year.

👉👉👉 https://forms.gle/dYEoT3i3GrX4ZJQA9 👈👈👈

Deadline: Sunday, April 13th

Dear Hayes families,

Our next teacher and staff appreciation luncheon will be given on Tuesday, May 6th. Please sign up to donate funds, bring in an item or volunteer your time. You can cook, bake, purchase or donate. You can also support your favorite local restaurant by ordering a dish to contribute. Please sign up using link below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA4A62FA0FECE9-56099027-mayappreciation

All items should be delivered to the Hayes Lobby 8-10am on Tuesday, May 6th. Please add a label with ingredients if needed for allergies. Also, write your name on the bottom of the dish if you would like to claim it after the luncheon. Clean platters and bowls will be available for pick up in the lobby at dismissal.

If you would like to donate funds to help us buy food and supplies for this luncheon, please submit through Pay Pal or Venmo to one of us:

Venmo: @anabelle-skalleberg Venmo: @Robin-Gilula or @Anabelle-Skalleberg

Pay Pal: anabelle.desangles@gmail.com

Thank you!

Anabelle Skalleberg (K and 3rd) and Robin Gilula (6th and 7th)

For more PTO news and events, please visit: https://www.hayespto.org/newsletters/22351

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Let’s Raise for the Kids of Hayes, #Hayeshawkfund

The PTO’s annual fundraising campaign has begun. Every year, the PTO spends ~$175 per child on programming, enrichment, and support. Help us make sure we support Hayes’s success, especially this year! Venmo (free), the website (3% cost to PTO) or cash / check at front office

Calling all K-3 students: Join us on Sunday 4/13 at 10-12p in the Eliot playground for snacks, games, and chats about the PTO’s work!

At Roland Hayes, our students do amazing things each and every day. Here you will find a showcase of student work in various forms, as a way to share a piece of our Hayes community with all of you.

Check out our "projects" page, here:

https://sites.google.com/psbma.org/projects/home

Our website keeps a catalog of these great products, which you can find here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/807

• April is National Autism Awareness month
• Passover, also called Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday and begins tomorrow. Chag Pesach Sameach!
• The Easter holiday is also coming up on April 20th. Happy Easter to those who celebrate.

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MCAS testing for students in Grades 3-8 begins March 31 and goes until June 3. The testing schedule is here: link

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• Monday, April 14th: MCAS: ELA Makeups

• Monday, April 14th: Rainbow Club, Grade 5, 11:20-11:50am

• Monday, April 14th: Grades 6-8 Student Council, 11:20am-12:00pm

• Tuesday, April 15th: MCAS: ELA Makeups

• Tuesday, April 15th: Student Council (4th-5th), 8:00-8:45am

• Tuesday, April 15th: GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, April 16th: PreK-6 Early Dismissal @ 12:40pm

• Wednesday, April 16th: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Wednesday, April 16th: Term 3: Grades 6-8 Report Cards Published

• Thursday, April 17th: MCAS: ELA Makeups

• Thursday, April 17th: Evening Conferences, 12:40-6:00pm

• Friday, April 18th: School Closed: Good Friday

• Monday, April 21st - Friday, April 25th: School Closed: April Vacation

• Monday, April 28th: Rainbow Club, Grade 4, 11:20-11:50am

• Monday, April 28th: Grades 6-8 Student Council, 11:20am-12:00pm

• Tuesday, April 29th: MCAS: Grade 5 STE Part 1

• Tuesday, April 29th: MCAS: Grade 8 STE Part 1

• Tuesday, April 29th: Student Council (4th-5th), 8:00-8:45am

• Tuesday, April 29th: GSA, 10:50-11:20am

• Wednesday, April 30th: Model UN, 11:20am-12:05pm

• Thursday, May 1st: MCAS: Grade 5 STE Part 2

• Thursday, May 1st: MCAS: Grade 8 STE Part 2

• Thursday, May 1st: PreK-6 Early Dismissal @ 12:40pm

• Friday, May 2nd: MCAS: STE Makeups

• Friday, May 2nd: PEP, 8:05-8:30am

Field Trips:

• Wednesday, April 30th: Science Fair Field Trip (MIT), 9:00am-1:30pm

Two amazing event that we hope you'll consider joining!

I feel very fortunate to be a recipient of a BEF Grant. David Chaet (Guidance), Sara O'Shea (6/7 ELA), and I are currently at a conference in Las Vegas, where it is currently 94 degrees! We are thankful for the BEF for allowing us this amazing opportunity to attend the 2025 LGBTQ+ Conference and we look forward to bringing back what we learn to further enhance the support we give to our Hayes community.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead!

~ Asa

This parcel of land that our school sits upon is a special and sacred place.

Before this place was a Town, before our school was here, before this neighborhood was called “The Settlement” or “Chestnut Hill,” and before this land was a farm, this land was held by the Massachusett, the people Indigenous to this place. The Massachusett were the caretakers of this site, living full lives, raising families, and burying their dead right here. We recognize and honor this history, and seek to create thoughtful land stewards and citizens for generations to come.

As a public school, our primary objective is to ensure access, membership, and participation of all community members in our care; with this land acknowledgment we state our willingness to work towards that vision where all feel a true and abiding sense of belonging.

Roland Hayes School

The Public Schools Of Brookline | A METCO Partnership School

Dr. Asa Sevelius, Ed.D. | Principal

Email: asa_sevelius@psbma.org

Pronouns: he/him

Mr. Kirtan Patel | Vice Principal

Email: kirtan_patel@psbma.org

Pronouns: he/him

Website: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/Page/17
Location: 100 Eliot Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467
Phone: 617-879-4570