Worthington School District
147 Huntington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
413-238-5856
gmorsedobosz@hr-k12.org
Dear Community:
Happy Friday! What a wonky weather week! Temperatures have definitely dropped! Just a friendly reminder to make sure and send your child to school with a winter hat and mittens!
Update from Mrs. Madden:
Crazy Color Spirit Day!
The entire school will be participating in a spirit day on Friday, January 26. This will be a great way students can show school spirit, bond with their classmates and teachers and have fun! This week each classroom is voting on the color they will wear to represent their class. Teachers will let families know soon what color their class has chosen. The day has been planned by the after-school program student leadership group, Spring Into Action!
After-School Program Update
Summer Program
The After-School Program will be offering a summer program starting July 8th and ending August 1st. The program will run Mondays through Thursdays from 8:45 am to 2:45 pm. Students enrolled in R.H. Conwell in grades K to 6 are eligible to attend (K to 6 for the 23-24 school year). There is no fee for attending the program due to funding through the DESE 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant. Students must enroll/attend 80% of the program days. This is a grant requirement and the program will be working on projects and activities that build off of eachother each day. Students will be going on fun field trips that will connect with our projects. More information and registration forms will be available in February.
Spring Pictures: If you are interested in having your child photographed this spring, please email Ms. Lisa at louellet@hr-k12.org. She has met with a representative from O’Connor Studio and we would like to try them out. You can check out the website here to learn more about them.
Hillside Pizza: Help the school raise super funds! Get your delicious superbowl pizza and cookies from Hillside Pizza, and help the school reach its goal of 125 pizzas/cookie tubs sold! Orders are due by Friday, February 2, for pick up Friday February 9, just in time for the big game. All proceeds go to help fund kids’ field trips, extra activities and supplies! You can pick up an order form at the front office.. Thank you for your support!
Walk, Roll or Ride to school: On Wednesday February 7, we will walk together to school. Buses and parents will drop students at the Worthington Golf Club where we will all walk down Ridge Road together. Watch this space for more details!
Babysitting Course OFFERING: We are partnering with UMASS Amherst’s 4-H Youth Development program to offer a full day babysitting course to students over April break for students 12 years and older. Mature 11 year olds will be considered as well if availability allows. The training course teaches youth what they need to know to be caring, trustworthy, responsible, and competent babysitters. The course will help develop confidence in handling various situations while babysitting, and will cover topics such as general safety, first aid, child development, nutrition, entertaining children, and the business of babysitting. All youth that complete the course will receive a babysitter’s ID, certificate of completion. 4-H babysitting manual, and first aid supplies. If interested, please contact Nurse Steph at sfaas@hr-k12.org.
Hampshire Regional High School Update: The HRHS Administration and Counseling Department are excited to invite all 5th and 6th grade families to an information night on January 25, 2024 at 6 pm in the HRHS auditorium. Parents and guardians are invited to learn about the elementary to middle school transition, middle and high school programming, extracurriculars, athletics, and more about Hampshire Regional! Tours will also be led by the high school Student Council. While this event is for parents and guardians, we will offer many other transition activities for 6th-grade students in the spring. We look forward to meeting you! If you have any questions, please reach out to HRHS Principal Lauren Hotz at Lhotz@hr-k12.org.
Preschool Open House: Are you interested in signing your little one up for preschool? Come join us on March 9, 2024 from 9-11 a.m. to meet the preschool team and tour the preschool classroom. All interested families are welcome to join us at 8:00 a.m. for a homemade pancake breakfast and then join us in preschool at 9:00. . All proceeds will be for future Nature’s Classroom trips.
Update from the Nurse’s Office:
Please send your children to school with warm outerwear! We have seen many students in the health office seeking winter gear. As the temperatures continue to drop, and as we get more snow, it is critical students have warm coats, snow pants, boots, hats, and gloves/mittens to safely play outside.
We have no older child socks to loan when feet get wet. We would appreciate any larger or adult sized, even unmatched socks. Also, please remind your students that when there is snow on the ground, they must stay on the blacktop if they are not wearing boots AND snowpants.
We have just received a shipment of fresh Covid-19 antigen tests. Unfortunately they expire at the end of March. Contact us and we will send some home for you.
Thank you!
News from the cafeteria:
Hi! Happy New Year! The HOTM is Apples! Here is a link with fun info and activities to do with apples! www.massfarmtoschool.org Don’t forget to sign up for family meals, sign up sheets have gone home in folders for both breakfast and lunch. Just a reminder for students coming for breakfast in the morning breakfast starts at 8:30 and ends at 8:50, please arrive early enough for your student to have time to eat. Thank you!
Family breakfast is Friday, January 26. If you would like to purchase lunch for $6.00, please sign up below and return this form with payment
by Monday, January 22nd.
Please include cash or a check made payable to the Town of Worthington.
Name(s): ___________________________________________________________________________________
Total Cost: $ ____________________________
Preschool Lunch starts at 11:45
K – 6 Lunch starts at 12:30
Please enter at the Cafeteria Door and sign your name and the date on the visitor sheet. We look forward to seeing you!
We are able to provide treats for special celebrations in the classrooms. Please check out the link here for more information and the order form.
The cafeteria now has a peanut free table at lunch time due to the presence of a student in the school with a severe peanut allergy.
Upcoming Events:
January 26: Coffee with the Principal during family breakfast. Come meet Interim School Counselor, Lisa Sage.
● Join us for All School Morning Meeting beginning at 9:10 in the cafeteria.
February 8: School Committee meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.
February 9: Valentine’s Day Dance sponsored by the PTO. Dance will be in the school cafeteria beginning at 6:00 p.m.
February 19 -23: School Vacation Week
Have a wonderful weekend! Warmly,
Gretchen Morse-Dobosz
Superintendent/Principal