TIME PERIOD – School begins at 9:15 AM 

8:50 – 9:15 AM: General drop-off period 

School doors open at 8:50 AM. Breakfast is served.

Students go to breakfast or down the hallways and wait until 9 am to go to their classrooms.  

School bell rings at 9:15 AM. Students who enter the building after 9:15 must report to the office for a late pass. 

TRAFFIC PATTERN

Entrance and exits are one-way. Enter on the WEST side of the school. When entering during drop-off, stay right to allow buses and authorized cars to pass on the left and go around the building.  

VALET OR ROLLING DROP-OFF

When dropping your child off to school in the morning, we ask all adults to remain in their vehicle. Please enter the school lot and follow the ONE-WAY traffic pattern. Please drive to the front of the school and remain on the left lane by the curb. Pull all the way forward. Adults remain in their vehicle and school staff will open your car door and escort students onto the sidewalk and into the building. For safety reasons during this high volume of traffic, parking is restricted for caretakers that have a scheduled meeting.

BICYLCES

Older children, with parent permission, are allowed to ride bicycles to/from school. Bicycles need to be secured in the bike rack in the front of the school.  At the end of the day, children riding a bike will be dismissed with “walkers” and they will walk their bike across the crosswalk escorted by the crossing guard. Parents must contact the Principal or Assistant Principal and request a meeting to review these rules before a student begins riding his/her bike to school.

CROSSWALKS

Always use the crosswalks when walking to and from Hemenway. There is a crossing guard stationed at the Water St. crosswalk east of Hemenway (car exit). Visibility can be very limited at the crosswalk by Heritage during busy school times. The safest crosswalk is the one on the East side with the crossing guard.

TIME PERIOD – Dismissal is 3:30 PM 

The school bell rings and bus students are brought to the cafeteria to wait for their bus. 
 

CAREGIVER PICK-UP

Students are brought out and line up according to grade level. We ask that caregivers stand outside their cars.  As children identify that their caregiver is present, they will signal to the Hemenway staff member.  The staff member  will  then release them to their caregiver. 

FRONT PATH

Student pick up located outside in the front of the building 

Students who are designated Front Path will be escorted by staff across the bus lane via the sidewalk on the east side of the building and walk on the sidewalk to the crossing guard. Note: A Kindergartener cannot be dismissed as Front Path unless an older sibling accompanies him/her.

BACK PATH

Student pick up at the end of the back path at the rear of the school 

Students who are designated Back Path will be escorted by staff across the bus lane at the rear of the building and down the path behind the school that leads to Donovan Drive.

REPORTING AN ABSENCE OR TARDY

• Absence line: 508-626-9149  
• Call between 4:00 P. M. and 8:30 A.M. if your child is to be absent OR tardy.  
• Late students must report directly to the office upon arrival.

DISMISSING A STUDENT EARLY

A written request from a parent is necessary for ANY dismissal changes. Requests should be emailed or brought into the school office before the start of the school day. No requests will be taken after 1:30pm unless it is an emergency.

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

Teachers hold parent teacher conferences twice a year. These are usually held during school hours on early release day. Teachers will communicate directly with parents for date/time slots.  The fall conference is a progress report. The spring conference is a summary of the year and an assessment of your child’s progress. 

REPORT CARDS

The city has moved to a standards-based report card system. Report cards are shared twice a year. Report Cards can be found on the SIS (Aspen X2) portal. 

CURRICULUM NIGHTS

In the early fall, Hemenway hosts Curriculum Nights over two evenings. The first evening is Grades K-2, and the second evening is Grades 3-5. Teachers and administration will discuss the general curriculum for the year and the expectations in each grade.  Parents will also see classrooms and have time to ask questions to the staff and teachers. It is recommended that children do not attend.

The lost and found is located in the lobby outside the main office. Items not claimed (after a certain period of time and with notification) all items are donated to goodwill.

SCHOOL PARKING LOT

Parking is limited in the school parking lot, and it’s best to avoid it during the morning and afternoon rush, except for scheduled meetings. The only parking spaces available for parents are in front of the school; it is staff only parking on the sides of the building. NOTE: You may not pull into the school lot from 3–3:30 PM. 

ON-STREET PARKING

Parking on Water Street is prohibited. Parking is permitted on nearby side streets: Bacon, Hemenway, and Donovan. Parking is only allowed on one side of the street. Families must follow the town’s odd year/odd side OR even year/even side regulations. For example, in 2022 (an EVEN year), parking is allowed on the EVEN side of the street ONLY. You will get ticketed for parking on the wrong side of the street.

CORI FORMS

CORI, Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information, is good for 3 years.  It is required if you are going to be working or volunteering in the school or on a field trip. Please check in with the office to confirm your CORI hasn’t expired before signing up for an event this year. An online CORI form can be found here.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Helping with events

The PTO is excited to host fun activities and events each year. Information about these events is posted on the lobby bulletin board and in our weekly PTO newsletter. There is always a need for volunteers and chaperones for events and field trips – we cannot do it without your help!  Please be sure that you have a processed CORI prior to volunteering in school or field trip.   

Mystery reader

Kindergarten Only 

Teachers may ask for various “mystery readers” during the course of the year to read books to the class. The “mystery” is that the students don’t know who is coming to read, and your arrival will surprise and delight all! Please note that you MUST bring a photo ID. Once you arrive at the school the office will enter your information into the Raptor system and issue you a visitor’s badge.

Hemenway Happenings

Hemenway Happenings is the school’s weekly newsletter. It is sent to parents via ParentSquare and includes messages and important school announcements from the principal and staff. It is an informative resource for parents and a great way to stay connected.

PTO Newsletter 

The PTO newsletter is emailed weekly. It includes PTO meeting and event info, fundraising news, volunteer opportunities, and school news highlights. 

Hemenway Facebook Page