July 2024

Dear HPE Families,

We hope that summer is treating everyone well. It's been a beautiful season thus far. Last week, we welcomed many of our own teachers and students as well as others from across the district at the Elementary Summer Academy. This week, we welcome many of our students for a Title I sponsored academic camp. Each camp has focused on making learning fun and we've heard wonderful feedback about the time spent at HPE. Thank you to all who made these opportunities happen for our students!

Ms. Leveque and Mrs. Lyons have returned from their summer vacations spent with their families and are excited to prepare for the 2024-25 school year. We are not quite there yet, with lots of time left to play and enjoy all that New England has to offer. We did want to keep you informed of a few upcoming dates and remind you that below you will find some summer resources, should you wish to engage with your children.

Class Placement:

All students will be learning about their class placement on Friday, August 9th. You'll receive an email stating you can login to the Aspen Portal to learn your child's teacher. This is the same portal that you use to access report cards and update emergency contact information.

Incoming Kindergarten Playdate:

We welcome all our incoming kindergarten families and students on Thursday, August 15th. Come early for a sneak peek at the HPE grounds from 9:30-10:00am. The playdate officially begins on the kindergarten playground at 10am and will run until 11am. You'll be able to meet some families in your class and enjoy a popsicle with new friends! If you are attending the playdate, please RSVP by emailing info@highplainpto.org.

We will be in touch again in August before school starts. Until then, keep having fun!

Enjoy summer,

Ms. Leveque and Mrs. Lyons

Sarah.Leveque@andoverma.us and Marika.Lyons@andoverma.us

The start of the 2024-25 school year:

-Monday, August 26: First day of school for all staff

-Wednesday, August 28: First day of school, students grades 1-12 (full day)

-Friday, August 30: No School; Labor Day Recess

-Monday, September 2: No School; Labor Day

-Tuesday, September 3: First day of school for Kindergarten and Pre-K students (full day)

Andover Public School 2024-2025 Calendar

School Year Hours:

Monday-Friday, 8:45-3:30

Andover Public School 2023-2024 Calendar

Looking for school supplies for your child? Look no further! You can find the supply list on the HPE website at this link: https://www.aps1.net/250/Student-Supply-Lists

We are pleased to announce the following general education teacher assignments for the upcoming school year.

Kindergarten: Mrs. Robin Dubois, Mrs. Kerri Gazda, and Mrs. Mandy Grzywacz

First Grade: Mrs. Karen Curran, Mrs. Heather Hart, Mrs. Patty Spring, and Mrs. Helen Waller

Second Grade: Mrs. Shanna Beal, Mrs. Meri Grimard, Mrs. Randi Little, and Mrs. Jill McCarthy

Third Grade: Mrs. Janet Bowen, Mrs. Maura Bresnahan, Mrs. Deidre Carty Forss, and Mrs. Ciara O'Keefe

Fourth Grade: Ms. Amy Bride, Mrs. Gina Chaves, Mrs. Laura Roussel, Mrs. Shannon Siviski, and Mrs. Tara Stuart

Fifth Grade: Mrs. Emily Allen, Mrs. Nicole Brezinski, Mrs. Marianna Wells, and Mrs. Lydia Wise

Looking for ways to keep your student engaged over the summer? Look no further! Thank you to our coaches and teachers who put this together to help beat the summer learning slide.

Learn more about our instrumental music opportunities, including how to sign your child up for instrumental lessons for the 2024-25 school year.

-Grade 3: Grade Three Strings Program

-Grades 4 and 5: Instrumental Program

Our elementary library media specialists and Memorial Hall librarians created a summer reading video and resources. Check them out!

Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M9ZK6XEJAxqO_toMi4PPG-JKajP_394N/view?usp=sharing

Community Resources: APS PreK-12 Summer Reading

The Social Justice Coalition of South Church in Andover has been working for the past 4 years to address food insecurity in the community. There are many families who are struggling to access and provide healthy meals in this town. This organization has just produced a Spring/Summer Food Resource List which provides information about area food pantries, farm stands (for use of HIP benefits) and the community refrigerator. As summer approaches and with the loss of school meals for students, food insecurity becomes a bigger issue for our beloved children and families. Please take a look at this list of options available to the community Local Food resources for SouthChurch.com/SJC and click HERE to find all the locations.

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new, free MPY Parenting Solutions Library. To date, over 2,200 videos have been borrowed. MPY is offering the MPY Parenting Solutions Library in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families and themselves. Through this new partnership, MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students’ families thrive.

Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being. When parents grasp the interconnection between the brain, body, and behavior, they experience reduced stress levels, resulting in less stress for their children.

The Peace At Home Parenting Solutions team, comprised of experts with advanced degrees, stays abreast of the latest advancements in child development. With more than 30 specialists focused on child and adolescent development, including specific issues such as difficulties in school, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity formation, handling racism, navigating grief, and other matters parents and our partners identify. These experts present easy-to-use strategies for long-lasting change.

Parents can watch or just listen to experts who get right to the point solving big and small challenges. The 24 library presentations focus on the topics below. Each presentation includes a 10-minute videos and handouts.

• Inspire School Success for Elementary, Middle and High School Students
• Parenting Principles for Progress Not Perfection
• Mental Health Knowledge and Skills
• Support Your Anxious Child Library
• ADHD and Autism: How to Help Your Child Thrive

The Home Parenting Library may easily be accessed using the link on MPY’s home page (www.mpyinc.org). No log in or passcode is needed. Please contact MPY Executive Director Margie Daniels at margie@mpyinc.org with questions.

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

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