Worthington School District
147 Huntington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
413-238-5856
gmorsedobosz@hr-k12.org
Dear Community:
Happy Friday!
Hope you enjoyed the long weekend. Last weekend’s weather was absolutely perfect for leaf peeping! I was able to spend time with my son Owen who came home from college, and we celebrated his 20th birthday! Amazing how quickly time goes by!
This is Fire Prevention Week, and the Worthington Fire Department came to school today for a visit! Captain Mike and Firefighter Mike were here to talk with the students about fire safety and took them on a tour of the fire truck! Make sure to ask your child what they learned today!
The Third and Fourth grade students are studying weather, and this week Brian Lapis from 22 News came for a visit to talk about weather! Students were really engaged and asked inquisitive questions about weather patterns they notice happening year round in Worthington and around the world.
School Counselor: The district is excited to announce that we have hired Alexis King as our School Counselor. Alexis will be at Conwell on Mondays. Please see her bio below.
Hello, my name is Alexis King, and I was born and raised in Pittsfield where I attended public schools right up until my graduation from PHS. Growing up most of my time was spent playing sports, biking, hiking, skiing, and just spending time outside. Upon graduation, I left the area and lived north of Boston where I got my undergrad. I quickly realized that the city wasn’t for me, so I moved to Killington, VT. While there, I was able to integrate into that small-knit community and become heavily involved in events put on by the town, the resort, and the small businesses. After moving back home, I’ve rediscovered my love for the Berkshire/Hampshire County area and have been so excited to grow back into that community.
In my former role as Community Outreach Coordinator at Berkshire Humane Society, I was able to pair my love of animals with strengthening our community relationships, including the children in our community. As the camp director of Berkshire Humane Society’s Camp Humane, I worked with elementary and middle school kids on a variety of activities, all in support of the shelter. In that role, I was also lucky enough to work with kids who were looking for volunteer opportunities. During these times, I was able to help them learn, train, and perform the duties assigned to them. The sense of pride they felt at the end of their volunteering time was always worth the effort.
Throughout high school, I spent a lot of time in Windsor and the surrounding towns, exploring everything from trails to the sandwiches at Old Creamery Co-op. Knowing how much I enjoyed the area then, my boyfriend and I made the decision to buy a home in Windsor this spring, and are grateful we did every day (so are our dogs). We’re both lucky to be close to work and to Westfield, where I’m pursuing my master’s in counseling. My ultimate career goal has always been to be able to bring my love for the outdoors, and passion for mental health, to a school community, as kids are by far my favorite people. I strongly believe that all kids are able to conquer the world, they just need the support to do so. I look forward to the opportunity to support the students at R.H. Conwell as they create the absolute best version of themselves.
Superintendent Goals: Please see the attached Superintendent/School Committee Goals that were approved during last night’s school committee meeting. Worthington School District, Superintendent Goals 2022-2023 w/SC Goals
Family Breakfast and Lunch: We would like to invite family members to breakfast and lunch. For the month of October we have the following dates scheduled. Breakfast on October 18 beginning at 8:30 a.m. and lunch on October 24 beginning at 12:30 p.m. Please look for a sign-up sheet from Ms. Ashley in the green folders.
Cost for adults to purchase breakfast or lunch.
- Breakfast is $3.00.
- Lunch is $5.00.
Reminders from Nurse’s Office:
- If your child is going to be absent or tardy, please email mbreymann@hr-k12.org and louellet@hr-k12.org.
- This past week we began to see Covid-19 in the school, as well as a variety of colds and stomach bugs. If any family needs rapid Covid tests, please call.
- Please make sure to send your child in with a water bottle.
- If you have a health concern and feel that a call to Nurse Meg is warranted to help make a decision about sending your child to school, please text Nurse Meg at 413-320-8172 or email her at mbreymann@hr-K12.org before 7:00 a.m. and until 7p.m.
- During school hours, Nurse Meg can be reached at 413-238-5856 extension 1.
News from the Hilltown Family Center: On Monday, October 17 the Hilltown Family Center will hold a free infant group (birth to 9 months) from 8:30 to 9:30 in the PreK room of RH Conwell Elementary School in Worthington. This will be followed by a toddler play group (9 mos. to 5 years) from 9:45 to 11:00. Families should park in the lot to the right of the school and proceed to the front door of the school. To sign up for breakfast ($2.00 per individual) please email atompkins@hr-k12.org.
Upcoming Events:
October 18: Parent Breakfast
October 20: PTO meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m.
October 21: COA to join us for breakfast and an intergenerational sing along with Roger Ticknell.
October 27: Virtual Parent Meeting
October 28: ALL School Morning Meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. Families are invited to join us. Please email louellet@hr-k12.org if you are planning to join the morning meeting.
October 31: Harvest Festival – Begins at 1:15PM with the annual school parade twice around the building. Please feel free to gather near the sidewalk to watch. The parade will start around 1:15 from the front door.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Warmly,
Gretchen Morse-Dobosz
Principal/Superintendent, Worthington School District
gmorsedobosz@hr-k12.org