Latest News

May 6, 2022

Dear Families, Caregivers, and Staff,

We are very excited to begin our new 2022-2027 Strategic Pan that was voted on at last night’s school committee meeting. Please see below a link to the presentation given by the fabulous strategic planning team members, as well as a link to the actual draft strategic plan, which will soon be linked on our website. We have a lot of exciting work to do in our quest for equity and with our vision statement of, “Embark on Your Journey: Personal. Local. Global.”

Strategic Plan

Take a moment to peruse our 2022-2027 Strategic Plan and last night’s presentation summarizing some key point’s of the plan.

COVID-19 Updates

In the most recent full week through May 4th, HPS was notified of a total of 38 positive cases. This is included in a total count of 87 positive cases district-wide in the two-week look back from April 21st- May 4th, as is updated on the  HPS COVID Dashboard. We are likely seeing the uptick from travel and events over the April vacation. Please be diligent with pooled testing and at home testing, as we have seen an uptick in cases recently; and we have also embarked upon allergy season and common cold symptoms can mimic COVID, too. Students may be enrolled and staff may still consent to All COVID Testing.

Holliston Schools Good News

• 21-22 S&S Community Ed Series _ Bullying_Screen Time.pdfPlease join Holliston PTO, Holliston Public Schools, Holliston MindShare, Holliston SEPAC, and the Diverse Holliston Education Committee as we welcome Bridgewater State College, MARC center (Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center) as they share with our families a presentation on: SCREEN USE, ANXIETY, and SOCIAL CHALLENGES.

 

 

Enjoy the weekend!

Yours,

Susan E. Kustka, Ed.D.

Dear Families, Caregivers, and Staff,

As we notice daffodils and tulips bursting through the soil all around town, it is a sign of warmer weather and brighter days to come. Field trips and school events are increasing in number and athletic events are well underway. This is wonderful to see, but still we continue to focus on the important teaching and learning taking place each and every day, throughout the school district.

Strategic Planning Update

Please join us on Cinco de Mayo while we present our 2022-2027 Strategic Plan at 7:00 pm at the school committee meeting in the HHS Library.

COVID-19 Updates

In the most recent full week through April 29, 2022, HPS was notified of a total of 40 positive cases. This is included in a total count of 59 positive cases district-wide in the two-week look back, as is updated on the  HPS COVID Dashboard.  Please be diligent with pooled testing and at home testing, as we have seen an uptick in cases recently; and we have also embarked upon allergy season and common cold symptoms can mimic COVID, too. Students may be enrolled and staff may still consent to All COVID Testing. Students who are opted-in received two tests which will allow them to test prior to the return from the break as well.

Holliston Schools Good News

•  On Wednesday, I attended the Miller Transition Night where families of incoming grade three students were welcomed and learned about what to expect for their children as they enter a new school in September.
• We are very excited to start “Building BridgesTogether” as students and staff ready to, “Embark on Your Journey: Personal, Local, Global” @ Holliston Public Schools through our work on the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan PreK-12+.
• HHS seniors will be attending Gillette Field Day on Friday, May 6, 2022 as a thank you and apology  for having to reschedule the Senior Prom due to the Garth Brooks Stadium Tour change.
• It was so nice to see our 3rd grade students making candles and Johnny Cakes, attending class, etc. on the Holliston Historical Society Field Trip last week. Their excitment and enjoyment were very apparent to this onlooker.
• HHS students attended a Teen Truth assembly and follow-up discussions with staff last Thursday while a group of 50 students attended a leadership summit following the assembly. This work is important  as we strive to support the social-emotional well-being of our students.

 

 

Have a good night!

Best regards,

Susan E. Kustka, Ed.D.

April 14, 2022

Dear Families, Caregivers, and Staff,

I hope families and staff get an opportunity to relax and enjoy a safe, productive, and rejuvenating April Vacation week. We will look forward to seeing everyone back to school on April 25, 2022.

Strategic Planning Update

The Strategic Planning Committee met for a final, follow up meeting on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 to vet the drafted Strategic Initiatives. I cannot thank this incredible group of dedicated individuals enough, and I am excited that we will be able to present the 2022-2027 Strategic plan, focusing on improvements in the four arch areas of: Communication Practices, Social and Emotional Well-being, Teaching & Learning, and Talent & Resources. Join us on Cinco de Mayo at the HSC Mtg at 7pm as we present our 2022-2027 HPS Strategic Plan.

COVID-19 Updates

The most recent full week through Thursday, April 14, 2022, HPS was notified of a total of 33 positive cases This is included in a total count of 69 positive cases district-wide in the two-week look back, as updated on the  HPS COVID Dashboard.  Please be diligent with pooled testing and at home testing, as we have seen an uptick in cases recently; and we have embarked upon allergy season and the common cold symptoms can mimic COVID, too. Students may be enrolled and staff may still consent to All COVID Testing. Students who are opted-in received two tests which will allow them to test prior to the return from the break as well.

Holliston Schools Good News

●      The Understanding Teen Depression Virtual Workshop Holliston Youth and Family Services and Holliston Public Library presentation is being held tonight, Thursday, April 14th from 6:30 - 8:00 pm Registration info for the Zoom session is on the linked flier.

 

Happy Vacation!

Best regards,

Susan E. Kustka, Ed.D.

Please Support the School Budget!

We ask for your support to continue funding schools that provide an excellent education for Holliston children. The School Committee’s recommended budget (both operating and capital) will go to Town Meeting, which starts Monday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the High School auditorium. As with all local budgets, the school budget is decided by voters like you at Town Meeting, which has the final say on where our money goes.

 

OPERATING BUDGET

Our recommended FY23 operating budget, which aligns with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Susan Kustka’s budget request, is predominantly about providing what we call “level services” —that is, the amount of money we need to pay for the same staff, programs and services we are providing in the current school year without any cuts.

We are pleased we were able to settle multiple contracts this year, but because personnel costs make up the majority of the school budget (which is true across districts in Massachusetts), we have to spend more to keep our valuable staff. Personnel costs will account for about an estimated 81 percent of the budget for FY23. That means most of our costs are fixed.

We are requesting a budget of $39,004,314, which represents a 5.14 percent increase over the current fiscal year. Here’s the breakdown:

 

New Costs: $ 109,035 (0.29% increase)

Level Services:  +$1,796,756* (4.85% increase)

= FY23 Increase $1,905,791 (5.14% increase)

 

*It’s important to note that our estimate of what it will cost to provide level services has more unknowns this year than in the past. The cost of oil and gas is impossible to predict, and the schools have been impacted by increased competition for new hires. In past years, we have been able to count on favorability when we have to replace someone leaving the district mid-year. Usually when that happens, we are replacing a veteran teacher with an entry-level new hire, with a commensurate difference, or favorability, in the salaries. Because of the competition for new hires, that’s not frequently the scenario these days. With such a large budget, that favorability has been key in past years when we have unexpected additional costs. We can’t count on that for next year.

We tried to budget for only new costs that were essential and they reflect a 0.29% increase to our level service budget:

• We are asking for one additional full-time school psychologist so that we have a psychologist at each school. The School Committee and superintendent agree this addition is necessary to address the increased needs of students and the higher number of psychological assessments required at each building. Mental health issues have been more prevalent as a result of the pandemic, and we know that without support, students will miss out on learning.The cost is estimated at $83,295.
• We are recommending an additional 20 hours for an emergent bilingual tutor (ELL tutor) at Placentino. Over the past three school years, Placentino has seen a significant increase in the number and complexity of needs of students learning English. The additional services are required to meet state guidelines. The cost is estimated at $22,140.
• Finally, we are requesting funding to continue Seesaw, an app that allows families to be part of their student’s learning. This was a tool Placentino started using during the pandemic and we feel it has been a vital resource in supporting home-school communication. The cost is estimated at $3,600.

 

CAPITAL BUDGET

            The initial FY23 Capital Budget request totaled $580,000 and included technology infrastructure updates, custodial/landscaping, track resurfacing/replacement as the last resurfacing occurred seven years ago with a life expectancy of five to seven years. Cognizant of the community-wide requests, we reduced the Holliston Public School capital requests by approximately 50%. We seek $295,000 for the following prioritized FY23 needs:

• Indoor Security Cameras

            Unfortunately, our district, similar to other districts, has experienced an increase in hate speech and vandalism. We lack an indoor security camera system to deter and aid in the investigation of vandalism, theft, hate speech and other negative behavior and to promote safety. Surrounding districts have installed similar security camera systems for deterrence and investigation. The installation of indoor security cameras at the high school and middle school is estimated to cost $20,000.

• Technology Infrastructure Updates

We are in need of technology infrastructure updates to maintain reliable internet connectivity in support of digital instruction for our HPS community of over 2,800 students and staff in four buildings. The network infrastructure updates include replacing fiber cabling (+20 years old) at all schools, replacing and adding switches (seven to 10 years old) to maximize fiber connections, replacing core switches at Miller and HHS, consolidating and replacing servers and batteries, upgrading the phone system and purchasing a digital radio repeater for communication between HHS and the Woodland campus. HPS will obtain a grant via E-Rate, a federal program, for 40% of the total costs to replace switches, cabling, batteries and the wireless management system. The total cost of the technology infrastructure upgrades is $387,846, but this is reduced to $278,307.60 due to the 40% E-Rate reduction.

 

High School Update: Seeking to Partner with the State to Fund a Feasibility Study

Holliston High School opened in 1969. The last renovation project occurred 21 years ago and did not include an upgrade or replacement of the septic system installed 53 years ago. Current short-term infrastructure needs are approximately $11 million and include: (1) septic system replacement; (2) single-pane window replacement; (3) roof replacement; (4) roof HVAC unit replacement; (5) installation of second turf practice field; (6) renovation and repair of field house walls, bleachers and track; (7) renovation and repair of auditorium; (8) boiler replacement; (9) kitchen equipment replacement; (10) replacement of Kamitian field bleachers; (11) installation of tennis courts; (12) track replacement; and (13) air conditioning installation for second floor classrooms and library/media center. Holliston High School has outdated, inadequate science labs, classrooms, student and teacher collaborative spaces and athletic facilities. The Holliston community will incur substantial repair costs over the next few years.

Holliston has the opportunity to partner with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (funded by the state sales tax) to obtain a grant contribution of 31% to 50.16% of the cost of a new or renovated Holliston High School by submitting a Statement of Interest (Dr. Kustka’s presentation). With the support of the Select Board, Holliston has submitted an SOI for the last four years. In 2021, 118 SOIs were submitted state-wide, and only four school districts (Hopkinton, Lynn, New Bedford and Newton) advanced forward with a feasibility study based on their SOIs.The Massachusetts School Building Authority’s grant program considers the urgency and needs of all school districts’ SOIs, and a school district may be required to resubmit over several years. Holliston’s SOI costs nothing to submit, and there is no obligation to move forward. The SOI must be authorized by the School Committee and the Select Board. Holliston School Committee supports the 2022 Statement of Interest submittal in light of the substantial, current infrastructure needs and the pursuit of adequate classrooms, science labs, collaborative spaces and athletic facilities.

 

Strategic Planning Update

The Strategic Planning Committee has concluded its work! A 21-person team consisting of Holliston stakeholders, including school administrators, teachers, parents, students, and members from town boards, has been meeting monthly since September to develop a Mission Statement, Vision Statement, a set of Core Values, and, most importantly, a set of Strategic Initiatives based on a comprehensive review of multiple sources of data from the town. Our initiatives fall under what we determined to be four essential categories: Communication, Social and Emotional Well-Being, Teaching and Learning, and Talent and Resources. The initiatives defined in the plan will be implemented and reviewed over the next five years. Please join us for a more detailed presentation of the Strategic Plan at our May 5 School Committee meeting.

 

Feel free to contact any School Committee committee member with questions or comments:

 

Cynthia Listewnik, Chair                             ListewnikC@hsc.holliston.k12.ma.us

Dawn Neborsky, Vice Chair                        NeborskyD@hsc.holliston.k12.ma.us

Stacey Raffi                                              RaffiS@hsc.holliston.k12.ma.us

Lisa Kocian                                                  KocianL@hsc.holliston.k12.ma.us

Catherine Savard                                        SavardMC@hsc.holliston.k12.ma.us

Minnie Gupta                                               GuptaM@hsc.holliston.k12.ma.us

Amanda Bigelow                                          BigelowA@hsc.holliston.k12.ma.us

Recording of Grade 2-3 Parent Information Night Link

Friday, April 1, 2022 Dear Parent/Guardian(s) of ,   Important Dates March 29-April 5 - Online Kindergarten Registation  Wednesday, April 6 - K-2 Early Release, No PM Preschool, Professional Development  Friday, April 8 - Food Pantry Donations (optional) Thursday, April 14 - Incoming Kindergarten Lottery, if needed Friday, April 15 - No School, Good Friday Monday, April 18-Friday, April 22 - No School, April Break Wednesday, April 27 - Grade 2 into Grade 3 Miller School Parent Orientation   NEW! Early Release Day Wednesday, April 6th Next week, on Wednesday, April 6 will be an early release day for students in kindergarten through grades 2. AM Preschool - Dismisses at 11:30am (typical time) K-2 - Dismisses at 11:55am No PM Preschool NEW! RAMS Mary Poppins Musical Friday, April 8 - Sunday, April 10 We are so excited our second grade students were able to walk over to the middle school this morning to see a 20 minute preview of the RAMS ReACT theater club's upcoming play, Mary Poppins!  This is the first RAMS ReACT musical since 2019. The cast and crew would love you to join them in their production of Mary Poppins as well! If you are interested tickets are online this year.   NEW! HEF's Bowling Fundraiser Thursday, April 14 Please click here to learn more about HEF’s Bowling Fundraiser!   NEW! Miller Incoming 3rd Grade Parent Orientation Wednesday, April 27 Save the date! More infomormation about the grade 2 into grade 3 Miller school parent orientation will be shared in the future.    REMINDER! Kindergarten Registration March 29-April 5 For students who will be 5 on or before September 1, 2022, online kindergarten registation takes place from March 29 through noon on April 5.  In order to be considered for any potential lotteries for French Immersion or Montessori, all applications must be complete by 12noon on Tuesday, April 5th.  A virtual kindergarten information night was held earlier this week. Please click here to access the recording.  Kindergarten registration checklist New student registration form Returning student kindergarten registration form 2022-2023 Extended Day Enrollment Extended Day is pleased to announce that registration for Summer Oasis 2022 and the 2022-23 school year. Please visit their website for information and registration links.   2022-2023 Preschool Registration If you are interested in registering your 3 or 4 year-old for preschool at Placentino, please contact the Placentino School office.    COVID Testing Options Every student has the opportunity to participate in COVID testing two times per week: COVID-19 Safety Checks (a weekly PCR test) and antigen tests to be administered at home.   If you have not enrolled in these testing opportunities, please consider doing so below. Routine COVID-19 Safety Check. Please click here to give consent for all COVID Testing offered at HPS (which currently includes COVID-19 Safety Checks and testing your child in the health office if they are symptomatic. This is a PCR test. Testing at Placentino occurs on Tuesdays and results are typically received on Wednesday You will only be contacted if your child tests positive ​ Weekly Home Antigen tests. Please click here to opt into receiving home antigen testing kits.  Two tests are distributed to be used over the course of two weeks. HPS asks that you test on Friday evening. If your child tests positive, please contact our health office.  If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 testing offered at HPS, please contact our health office at 508-429-0647 ext 1206,  harkinc@holliston.k12.ma.us or holmes@holliston.k12.ma.us   If your child tests positive for COVID, PLEASE email our nursing staff as soon as possible so that they can advise you on next steps including return to school dates and protocols.   Placentino Family Calendar If you would like to add our Placentino Family Google Calendar to your computer/device please click here.   Open Positions at HPS If you know anyone looking to work for Holliston Public Schools, we are still looking for full time paraprofessionals, part-time paraprofessionals, lunch monitors, and many other positions. In addition, we are also still looking for daily substitutes.    CARE At Placentino we CARE Cooperation     Acceptance     Responsibility     Effort   Instagram & Twitter Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @SamPlacentino.   Sincerely, Dr. Slaney, Ms. Lassey, and Mrs. Dicruttalo

 

2022-2023 Kindergarten Registration

 

Kindergarten Registration Checklist

If you are interested in kindergarten or preschool registration please contact the Placentino office at 508-429-0647.

 

Click the link below to view the March 28th Information Session:

 March 28th Kindergarten Information Session Recording

Given the impending winter storm arriving later today into tomorrow, Thursday, 12/17/2020 will be a remote learning day for all students. Students will follow their typical school-day schedule within the remote learning platform. Additional information has been or will be provided from the building administration at each building with specific details necessary for tomorrow.

While the remote learning platform may present with challenges, we need to be prepared to switch to remote instruction for all students at any time related to COVID-19 cases. By providing this notification to caregivers, families, and staff early in the day, this will allow everyone to be better prepared for this shift tomorrow. Students will soon be heading into an eleven-da vacation break from school, and we are hoping to minimize additional disruption to teaching and learning in this manner.

Should the storm result in significant power outages leading to a different decision, you may hear from me again. However, at this time, staff and students will be remote tomorrow. Thank you all for your patience and understanding!

Sincerely,

Susan E. Kustka, Ed.D.

Superintendent

What You Can Find in this edition of RAMS News May 1, 2022 MCAS reminder Grade 6: Hale Reservation Trip Information Course Selection Forms Safe & Supportive Lesson-Sexism Grade 8 Community Service Day Intruder Response Drill Library Books RAMS Yearbook Ordering Information MS PTO Calendar   MCAS-Math Just a reminder that students in grades 6-8 will be taking Math MCAS on Tuesday, May 3 and Thursday, May 5.  Grade 8 student will also be taking the Science MCAS on Wednesday, May 11 and Monday, May 16.  Please help your child remember to charge their chromebooks the night before.   Grade 6 Hale Reservation We are excited to announce that we will be taking our Grade 6 students to Hale Reservation located in Westwood, Massachusetts on June 13th and 14th. Hale has offered us a two day event for our students and staff to participate in team building activities and outdoor adventures.   Your child has been given with the paperwork to be completed, but below is a link should you need to print another copy. All paperwork and payment is due by Wednesday, May 11. We really want every child to be able to participate. Should you need financial assistance please reach out to David Jordan at jordand@holliston.k12.ma.us   A BIG thank you to our grade 6 teachers for pulling off this opportunity for our students so quickly!! Hale Reservation Packet   Course Selection Forms Just a friendly reminder that all course selection sheets for students going into grade 7 and grade 8 for the 22-23 school year were due on April 11. Please be sure to complete these as soon as possible. PowerSchool Course Registration 22-23   Safe & Supportive Lesson-Sexism This Friday, May 6th we are rolling out our 6th RAMS Safe & Supportive Lesson, by examining Sexism. All studetns in grade 6-8 will be provided this lesson by one of their classroom teachers. We look forward to another day of great learning, understanding, and perspective here at RAMS.     Grade 8 Community Service Day Our 8th Grade Community Service Day is fast approaching.  It is scheduled for May 27th.  Community Service Day Letters and Permission Slips will be sent home with students next Frida, May 6.. Please be sure to complete these and return to homerooms so that your student can participate.   Safety Drill-Intruder Response It is ever more important for our staff and students to continuously practice our various school safety drills; both Fire Drills & Intruder Response Drills.  On Wednesday, May 25 at 8:30am we will practice our first Intruder Response Drill of the year with ALL RAMS staff and students.  As in previous years, our first Intruder Response Drill is discussion based which is led by staff, in collaboration with the Holliston Police & Fire Departments. During this drill students and teachers will remain in their classrooms, while Mr. Jordan and Mrs. Beattie use the PA system to implement the drill.  The drill will begin with administration addressing the entire building regarding the importance of practicing these drills, they will then read through 2-3 scenarios that will elicit problem solving responses from students and their teachers where they determine if they should exit the building or remain in their location. Those choosing to exit the building will be required to report to the back field, where an administrator will redirect them back into the building upon completion of the drill...  The Holliston Police Department, along with Chief Cassidy of the Holliston Fire Department will be on site to assist in the drill. It is anticipated that this drill will last approximately 30 minutes, at the start of our school day on Wednesday, May 25 at 8:30am. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Mr. Jordan or Mrs. Beattie.   Walk & Roll Initiative-May 4th In collaboration with Safe Routes to School, RAMS will be participating in our annual Walk and Roll To School Event on Wednesday, May 4th.  The purpose of this event is to promote students to walk to and from school. Walking not only has an impact on one's physical health, but is a wonderful way to engage in positive self care.  We will be hanging a banner in the front of the school entrance for students to sign as a way to celebrate their participation.  Remember we also have 3 Park & Walk lots, where you can drop your child closer to RAMS and they can walk or ride from there; CVS, St. Mary’s Church, Baptist Church (High St). We can’t wait to see this event's success! Annual Walk & Roll to School Flyer   Message from our Library We have noticed a lot of library activity this year. We are so excited that students are reading and enjoying the library space!  With all the activity, we are, however, noticing an increase in overdues and some missing books, so we wanted to review our library lending policies with families.  Students are allowed to borrow two books at one time from the library. The typical loaning period for a book is two weeks. If students need an extension, they can visit the library or email Mrs. McDaniel to do so. A due date slip is located in each book with the due date stamped inside to help students remember when their books are due. It is a student's responsibility to return the book by the due date. When students are ready to return a book, please remind them to place the item in the book drop on the side of the circulation desk so we can make sure it is removed properly from their account. Students should not try to reshelve their book.  Please also remind them to check their lockers for any library books. Thank you in advance for reviewing these policies with all of our RAMS readers! Lastly, all students have access to our digital library platform, Sora, which has hundreds of audiobooks and e-books!  If anyone needs help accessing this platform, please reach out to Mrs. McDaniel at mcdanielk@holliston.k12.ma.us   RAMS Yearbook 21-22 It’s time to order your RAMS Yearbook. If you are interested in purchasing a yearbook for your student, please use the link below to place your order online. Yearbooks will be distributed the last week of school. RAMS Yearbook Order Form   MS PTO Middle School PTO Meeting Our next Middle School PTO meeting will be Tuesday, May 10 at 9:00 am. Please email hollistonpto@gmail.com if you would like to be on the distribution for meeting details. Lunch Volunteers Needed! We need your help! We are looking for volunteer lunch monitors so that students may enjoy their lunch outside (weather permitting). Please sign up here. Teacher Appreciation Week Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2-6! We will show our appreciation for our teachers with events throughout the week - please join us by taking time to send in a personal thank you to your teachers! Join the Middle School PTO! It’s easy – visit www.HollistonPTO.org to join!  Just $15 to support your child, their teachers and many programs within the school. Calendar May 2-6    Teacher Appreciation Week 3        MCAS Math (Gr 6-8) 5        MCAS Math (Gr 6-8) 6        Safe & Supportive Lesson-Sexism (gr 6-8) 11      MCAS Science (Gr 8 only) 16      Mcas Science (Gr 8 only) 25      Intruder Response Drill 27      Grade 8 Community Service Day

 

Dear RAMS Families & Staff, Please consider donating this week to a great cause, being coordinated by our very own Project 351 Ambassador and Grade 8 student Jay Patel.  Jay is collecting for the organization Cradles to Crayons, and is looking for gently used clothing sizes 0 -20 and/or adult size small, as well as "new" childrens pajamas and socks.  All bins are located in our Main Lobby and will be there until Friday, April 8.  Please consider donating to this wonderful cause. Jay is working incredibly hard to not only make an impact for those in need, but also in representing RAMS as one of the 351 middle schools in the state of Massachusetts!!