[HMS News] Parent Flash 9-26-08

[William Carozza]

Parent Flash 9-26-08

There is no lack of activity here at Harold Martin School. Here’s a  
few thoughts I have as I look out on this wet day.

* Have you noticed the construction on the walkway? As you may have  
heard, thanks to the Safe Routes to Schools Committee and grant  
funding, we are building an attractive walkway leading into HMS (at no  
expense to tax payers). We hope to encourage some student walkers to  
school (always accompanied by adults) and most immediately, it will be  
much safer walking into the school for events when drivers have to  
park on Main Street. You’ll hear much more in the coming months and I  
think it’s likely that we’ll have a dedication tied to our continuing  
50th Celebration sometime in the spring.

* NECAP testing begins next week for third graders. Letters have gone  
out to all third grade families, but it’s important for all to know  
that this is an important assessment that all third through eighth  
grade students complete and it’s designed more as an indication on how  
a school is performed as compared to NH standards, rather than  
individual student.

* I hope you have a chance this weekend to check out the re-vamped  
Principal’s Pages, Blog, and Podcasts. I will be recording a new  
Podcast this weekend. Head to: http://hopkintonschools.org/hms/principal

* I receive many tips for new web sites and I’m reticent to share them  
all. But here’s one that is unique and very helpful for the family.  
It’s entitled Enjoying Life With Kids in New Hampshire and it has  
excellent ideas on creative things to do with your children in our  
Granite State. Check it out at: http://kidsinnh.wordpress.com/

* One of my all time favorite musician/storytellers, Odds Bodkin, is  
coming to Harold Martin for a concert on October 1 during the school  
day. If you want to hear some of his music and read about his  
fascinating life, head to http://www.oddsbodkin.com/. I hope you’ll  
ask your child about the concert when they get home.

* October is a busy month. Please join us on October 2 for PTA and on  
the 25th for our annual Halloween Parade and Party. Details follow.

Due to the impending rainy weekend, my wife and I went to the  
Deerfield Fair last night to bulk up on Fair food and see so many  
friends and family. It was a first for us as we let our eighth grader  
hang out with his friends and our other two kids are in college. Don’t  
get me wrong, it’s great having the time together for just to the two  
of us, but we do miss the hustle and bustle of three kids walking  
around the Fair together.

When my kids were younger and my father was alive, he would see the  
occasional exasperation of parenthood on our faces, and he would often  
say, “Willy, keep in mind that these are the good ol’ days”. He was  
absolutely right. Enjoy these years; they happen for such a brief time.

Enjoy your family this weekend.

Sincerely,

Bill Carozza, Principal


*****

POSITION OPEN

We are looking for a part time preschool assistant to work mornings in  
our preschool from 8 AM to 11:30 PM. If you are interested, please  
email Bill Carozza at bcarozza at hopkintonschools.org.

*****

Up for Discussion at the next PTA Meeting

A representative from Casey Family Services, a local child welfare  
agency, will be sharing with us information about ways to support  
children who are in the NH foster care system. There are currently 3  
youth in the Hopkinton/Concord area that are in need of a family. Come  
and find out more about how you could provide a home on a full time  
basis, or even just on weekends.

SEEK (Seeking Excellent Education for our Kids), a parent driven  
organization,

will be doing a presentation on their goals and mission.

Do you have topic ideas for parenting seminars?

We’d love to hear them!

So, much to discuss…but when do we meet?

The next PTA meeting is Thursday, October 2nd @ 6:30

in the Harold Martin Preschool Room.

The National Honor Society provides babysitting.

We are a new board looking for new ideas and input!

Please join us!

*****

Hopkinton PTA Halloween Parade & Party

Join us on Saturday, October 25 from 10-11:30am for our annual  
Halloween event at Harold Martin School. Children and their families  
are invited to dress up in costumes and parade down Main Street  
(weather permitting) and then trick-or-treat throughout the school.  
More information will be coming soon but right now we are looking for  
parents to do one of two things:

1. Donate candy or small trinkets to be handed out the day of the event.

2. Dress up and decorate a classroom door and hand out candy.



If you can donate items, send them in to school marked "Hopkinton  
PTA". If you are able to help out that day by staffing a door, please  
contact Arlene McGrath at afpmcgrath at aol.com or 746-4660 or Julie  
Morris at juliemoris at tds.net or 746-4137

*****

Hopkinton Cub Scout Pack 77 has started up its 2008-2009 season, and  
is calling all boys in grades 1 through 5 to join in the fun!  Parents/ 
boys interested in joining can checkout the Pack during its kickoff  
"movie and popcorn" Pack meeting at 7pm on Friday Sept 26th at Maple  
Street School.

If you cannot attend this meeting, but are still interested in the Cub  
Scouts, contact Bill Tworek at nh.pack77.cubmaster at gmail.com (746-2266).

General information on what Cub Scouts are all about can be found  
online at scouting.org/cubscouts.

*****

BIG TRUCK SHOW

Sunday October 12 from 12 PM to 4 PM . Held at Milton Caterpillar in  
Warner Exit 7 off I-89. Tickets are $5 and family of four or more is $  
20 with children 3 and under free. There will be dozens of equipment  
to look at and some to go through. There will be representatives at  
each piece to ensure safety. The NH National Guard, Hopkinton Fire  
Department ladder truck, big wrecker, cement and dump trucks along  
with other construction equipment, a big semi with living quarters and  
much more. Also a Race Car from Bates Racing Team along with the  
driver. We have raffles for Pats Peak passes, Monarch and Fisher Cat  
tickets, a CAT remote control wheel loader and a motorized CAT  
excavator with lights and sounds. The proceeds will go to Outreach in  
Hopkinton and Contoocook. For more information call Cathy at 746-4364.

*****

H.Y.S.A.

Hopkinton Youth Sports Association

Basketball and Bitty Ball Registrations

Wednesday, October 1st @MSS library 5 – 7 pm

Monday, October 6th @MSS library 5 – 7 pm

$45 per player Kindergarten through 2nd grade

$55 per player 3rd through 8th grade

($125 Max. per family)

Financial assistance available by calling Brenda Quinn 746-2338 or  
John Reidy 746-2510

$25 late fee assessed after October 26th

Please be prepared to volunteer as a coach, assistant coach or a team- 
parent!  Volunteers enable HYSA to provide quality sports programs for  
the youth of Hopkinton.  Registrations received after October 20th  
will be subject to the basketball commissioner’s approval. To sign-up  
online go to www.HYSA-NH.com. Online registration is available after  
September 15th. Register now to ensure your child’s participation. All  
registration after 10/26 must be done on line. After teams are  
established additional sign-ups will be put on a waiting list.

*****

Indoor Soccer Team

Hopkinton Recreation is gearing up to start our own Co-ed Indoor  
Soccer team to play at the Fieldhouse Sports recreational facility in  
Bow.  The games will start the week of October 20 and end mid  
December.  Men must be 25 years or older and women must be 21 years  
and older.  This is a fun league for all levels of play, no matter  
your experience.  Cost will be between $90 and $110, depending on how  
many players we get.  Call 746-2915 to register and for more  
information. Spots are limited.

Haunted House Volunteers

Are you interested in being part of Hopkinton’s 4th Annual Haunted  
House?  We are looking for volunteers to help out with this year’s  
event, called “Alien Invasion”.  We need people to help build  
spaceships and props, set-up, and take part in the event.  Call  
746-2915 for more information.

Community Scrapbook Sessions

Whether you’re old or young, scrapbooking keeps your memories alive.  
Join Hopkinton Recreation as we bring you Liz Durant and her  
scrapbooking expertise. This community event is for either experts or  
beginners. The sessions are drop-in and are held on the following  
dates October 3rd from 6pm-10pm and October 8th from 10am-2pm at the  
Grange Hall on Cedar St..  Cost is free. Bring your pictures and  
scrapbook if you have one. Other materials and tools will be  
provided.  Call 746-2915 for more information.


_ _

Bill Carozza  | Principal
____________________________
Harold Martin School
271 Main St.
Hopkinton, NH 03229
p. 603 .746 .3473
w. www.hopkintonschools.org/hms/principal