High Plain Elementary Corner
Ms. Leveque's and Mrs. Lyons' Weekly Newsletter
From the Desks of Ms. Leveque and Mrs. Lyons
Weeks of April 12, 2026 through May 2, 2026
Dear HPE Families,
There are many upcoming dates and opportunities listed below. The High Plain Heritage Celebration of Our Cultural Diversity is set for Thursday, April 30th from 5:30 - 7:30 PM. We love this community-wide end of year event and are still looking for participants. Please take a look and show your interest by signing up below. We have representation so far from Canada, India, Sri Lanka, Russia, Greece, Cambodia, China, Ireland, and England. We have a variety of craft activities, performances, games, and food. We encourage sharing your culture in any way that highlights you!
As another wonderful celebration, Ms. Marisa Merchan, our music teacher, will be welcoming a baby anytime now. We are thrilled for her growing family and wish her a wonderful maternity leave. We are fortunate that we are welcoming back Mrs. Martha Giguere, our music teacher who retired at the end of last year.
Our fourth graders completed MCAS this week and our third graders will take it on Monday and Tuesday. That will conclude the ELA testing. We are extremely proud of the focus and determination that our students have shown. A few reminders about MCAS. There are no smartwatches or phones allowed when students are taking MCAS. We encourage students to leave them at home on these days. Our student should get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, arrive on time, and try their best is all they need. All Smartwatches should be kept at home on testing days as they cannot be worn during the assessment. The rest is up to them and we have full confidence they will succeed.
As shared in the fall, this school year we will participate in both Fire Drills, supported by the Andover Fire Department, and A.L.I.C.E drills. During the next few weeks, we will hold our second unannounced A.L.I.C.E drill, supported by the Andover Police Department. We will provide families with an update after our drill is complete. If you wish to review the A.L.I.C.E. drill with your children, we wanted to share this resource. Our teachers do an incredible job making sure that these drills are explained in child friendly terms. After a drill, teachers discuss with the students how it went and answer any questions.
Last night the school committee voted, and Andover Public School students will have their last day of school on Wednesday, June 17th with an early release (12:15). Staff remain until Thursday, June 18th.
Finally, April vacation is from Monday, April 20 through Friday April 24th. We wish you all a pleasant break and hope for the sun to finally appear! Our next newsletter will take place for the week of May 3rd.
Enjoy,
Ms. Leveque and Mrs. Lyons
-Sunday, April 12: Orthodox Easter
-Monday, April 13: Grade 3 ELA MCAS
-Tuesday, April 14: Grade 3 ELA MCAS
-Friday, April 17: HPE Spirit Day- Dress Up Like a Teacher Day
-Monday, April 20 - Friday, April 24: Spring break; no school
- Monday, April 20: Patriot's Day
-Tuesday, April 28: Optional Spring Picture Day (see below, additional information to be sent home)
-Thursday, April 30: HPE Cultural Heritage Night, 5:30-7:30pm
-Friday, May 1: Vesak Day
-Tuesday, May 5: Grade 5 Math MCAS
-Thursday, May 7: Grade 5 Math MCAS
-Wednesday, June 17: Last day of school for students; early release (12:15)
School Year Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8:45-3:30
Andover Public School 2025-2026 Calendar
As part of our HPE Student Council, we have a news team that has a weekly report for our students. Here is the latest news.
Mark your calendars!
The testing window has been set by DESE and we are planning for the following MCAS test dates at HPE. Please note that students will take 2 days of tests per content area. Please refrain from vacations or unnecessary absences on these dates.
Grade 3
-English Language Arts (ELA) Assessments: Monday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 14
-Mathematics Assessments: Tuesday, May 12 and Thursday, May 14
Grade 4
-Mathematics Assessments: Friday, May 8 and Wednesday, May 13
Grade 5
-Mathematics Assessments: Tuesday, May 5 and Thursday, May 7
-Science, Technology and Engineering (STE) Assessments: Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20
By Jodi Slomsky
During March, the High Plain students checked out 2,563 books from the library. There were 37 books put on hold during March. As the books become available, they are delivered to the student’s classroom. The number of overdue books has decreased from 329 to 211 books. However, many of these books have been out for several months. Please ask your students if they have any library books that need to be returned. The library only has 1 copy of several popular books that have holds, so returning books on time allows more students to read the same book. 62 fourth and fifth grade students read at least 5 Massachusetts Children’s Book Award books and voted for which book should win this year’s award during a celebration in the library last week.
April is National Poetry Month and the library is decorated with pictures of poets. The students will all have the chance to explore different styles of poetry this month. In Kindergarten we talk about rhyming words that might be used in poetry. First graders will write acrostic poems and create animal poems. The second graders will create shape poems. Third graders will be writing poems where they merge an animal with an object and create something new. The fourth graders will create book spine poems, blackout poems and paint chip poems. The fifth graders will be participating in a poetry scavenger hunt and have the chance to explore poetry through stations. 5th grade is wrapping up their Capstone research projects.
April Update
Students did an excellent job during this year’s gymnastics unit, showing great improvement from the first week through the final week.
This week, students are putting their newly learned gymnastics skills to the test in a team obstacle course. The course incorporates a variety of gymnastics elements, allowing students to work in teams and compete for the best time.
It’s a fun and engaging way for students to showcase their skills while also building teamwork and cooperation.
Dear High Plain Families,
Please help us as we begin to plan for our classrooms and scholar supplies for next school year! If your family is moving out of the High Plain district, or if your student will be attending a private school next school year, please let us know by completing the form linked below as soon as possible. (This is not necessary if you are in a redistricted to West Elementary address.)
It is critically important information as we plan our classroom placements and scholar supply ordering for next year. The office will prepare records for transfer to the new school, but records will not be sent until we receive a request from that school. Thank you for your time!
We wanted to share information about some assistance programs available to Andover families through the Andona Foundation (https://andona.org/). Please let Jill Celata, High Plain School social worker, know if you need assistance or have any questions. You can reach her at: jill.celata@andoverma.us.
Clown Town:
2026 Clown Town sponsorship form - due May 4
The annual Clown Town carnival will be held in downtown Andover on May 15th through May 17th this year. Each year, Andover schools awards families with the Andona sponsorship for Clown Town. This packet includes rides, tickets and vouchers for Andona activities at Clown Town. Please pick up the packet at the "Information Booth" by the gazebo on any day of the event. Please reach out to your school adjustment counselor if you would like an alternative form of pickup.
Campership Assistance:
The campership assistance (up to $300) to help pay fees for a summer program of your choice. To learn more and apply for their program, please click the application below. Forms are due May 15th.
Please reach out to Gabrielle at camperships@andona.org with any additional questions about either opportunity.
As the Andover School Committee moves forward in the process of selecting a new Superintendent, we are excited to announce upcoming engagement opportunities and a dedicated webpage for students, staff, and the community.
Complete the Survey
The New England School Development Council (NESDEC), our search consultant, will provide, administer, and analyze a survey available to students, staff, parents/caretakers, and residents. This survey will help to identify the characteristics of a Superintendent that are most important to our community. The survey can be accessed by the embedded link or the QR code. The survey opens today and will close on Friday, April 10th.
Memorial Hall Library and The Robb Center will have computers available to take the survey. Paper copies are available by contacting shauna.murray@andoverma.us. If you need translation services to complete the survey, please contact shauna.murray@andoverma.us
Attend a Focus Group or Join a School Committee Informal Forum!
NESDEC consultants will facilitate five Focus Groups and the Committee will host two Informal Forums during the week of April 13th. Please feel free to attend the session that best fits your role. Sessions are shown below.
Selecting a Superintendent is one the School Committee’s most important responsibilities, and the School Committee is committed to a comprehensive, thorough, and transparent search for the best possible leader of our schools. We encourage your participation in this process. Thank you.
As some of our families and students go through the process of redistricting from High Plain to West Elementary, we want to ensure you feel fully supported. We know change brings many questions, and we share a common purpose, to make this transition as smooth and positive as possible for every family and child.
We encourage all families to reach out with questions as we welcome a conversation with you.
Ms. Leveque, High Plain Principal, and Dr. Carideo-Cobbs, West Elementary Principal
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