Hanscom faculty members prepare for new school year Published Aug. 26, 2008 By 1st Lt. Lisa Spilinek 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs HANSCOM AFB, Mass. -- The countdown to the 2008-2009 school year has begun. Students enrolled in Hanscom Primary and Middle School grades 1 through 8 will begin classes Sept. 2; kindergarteners will begin classes Sept. 3. While the HPS and HMS enrollment totals are not finalized due to ongoing registration and arriving and departing Hanscom families, the faculties at both schools are focused on numbers this year and are encouraging the same focus among their students. The Hanscom Primary School has a new mathematics program for students in kindergarten through Grade 3 and the theme for the 2008-2009 year is 'Math Matters!,' said Randy Davis, HPS principal. "We'll be connecting math to real-life events to show students how math connects to everyday events," she said. "As part of this, we'll be using the National Elections in November to show students the importance of voting." Other math applications planned at the primary school will include collecting and counting pennies for various fundraising and charity events, along with graphing the number of hours of sleep students get each night. Math Game Nights are also scheduled, Ms. Davis said. The emphasis on numbers won't be limited to the younger students, however. A new math program will be implemented for HMS students in grades 4 and 5, while the math program for grades 6 through 8 will be reviewed, said Mark Kaufman, HMS principal. "There is a new district-wide mathematics program for HMS grades 4 and 5 -- Everyday Mathematics. Parents will receive regular information about the program and things they can do at home to support their children's learning," Mr. Kaufman said. In addition to ensuring students have a strong understanding of math principles, another major goal for the HMS faculty will be to examine student academic performances in all subjects and identify areas for student support and program improvement. Academics won't be the only areas of emphasis at HPS and HMS, however. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in classroom community activities. The HMS theme for this year is 'Hanscom CARES,' which stands for Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy and Self-control. "As with our theme last year, 'Hanscom PRIDE,' the emphasis is on having students develop a sense of respect for themselves and others, responsibility for their academic success, and commitment to try their hardest and do their best in all areas of school life," Mr. Kaufman said. "As part of our goal to increase student engagement, there will be continued school-wide events and celebrations for students to build a sense of community. Also, each grade level team will hold community meetings at the team level," Mr. Kaufman said. "In the fall, we will engage in activities around the elections to help students better understand their civic rights and responsibilities." Ms. Davis said HPS community events will extend to members of the home-school community as well. "We aim to create caring classroom communities where we all work together to be safe, kind and hard-working. It is always our goal to form strong home-school partnerships on behalf of our students. We believe that together - home, school and community - we really do make a difference in the lives of our children," she said. One such partnership HPS will have with the home-school community is through the 'Schedules Matter!' project. "In today's busy world it is difficult to manage work, home life and children's scheduling," Ms. Davis said. "In an effort to support our home-school partnership, and assist students and families with this challenging task, we'll be offering our help to develop a variety of after school schedules to meet family's needs. We'll have templates and sample schedules on line at www.lincnet.org. Parental involvement can greatly benefit students and the school community, Mr. Kaufman said. Parents will receive timely information about school curricula and programs via e-mail and on the Lincoln Public Schools Web site. Additionally, the HMS faculty will address concerns about grade 8 students transitioning from HMS to Bedford High School. One way parents can get involved in their children's education and school community is by participating in the Parent Teacher Organization. "The PTO especially needs both membership support as well as active workers to continue to provide the types of student and family programs that we want to offer," Mr. Kaufman said. With just a few days of summer vacation left, parents are reminded to update and return all forms for the new school year and keep in mind the new school hours - 8 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 8 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. on Wednesdays. "We're counting the days until school begins and are excited about the year ahead," Ms. Davis said. "I'm looking forward to greeting students and families and beginning the new school year." The following individuals are new staff members at HPS and HMS: Kindergarten -- Stacey Foresman Grade 1-- Jeffrey Odell Grade 3 -- Rachel Glasser and Ariel Nierenberg Special Education -- Toni Ferrara-Reinstein Math Specialist -- Denise Richardson Grade 5 -- Jennifer McSorley Grade 6 English/Language Arts -- Allison Fisher Grade 4, 5, 6, 8 Spanish - Nancy Encalada Grade 5-8 Social Worker -- James McCarthy Important upcoming school dates and events: Sept. 2 First day of classes for grades 1-8. (This will be a full-day schedule, 8 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.; lunch will be served.) A Principal's Coffee is scheduled in the HPS Prep Room for parents of students in grades 1-3 after students are dropped off. Kindergarten Meet and Greet, 11 a.m. Sept. 3 First day of classes for kindergarteners. (This is a regular Wednesday half-day for all grades. Dismissal will be at 12:35 p.m.; no lunch will be served) A Principal's Coffee is scheduled in the HPS Prep Room for parents of kindergarteners after students are dropped off. Sept. 10 HPS Open House for Parents, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 Grade 4-5 Curriculum Night, 6:30 - 8 p.m. Sept. 18 Grade 6-8 Curriculum Night, 6:30 - 8 p.m. Sept. 26 School photos