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Hemenway Happenings Week of 4/13/2025

Posted Date: 4/13/25 (5:30 PM)

Hemenway Happenings  4/13/2025

Hemenway Happenings Welcome to the 2024 - 2025 School Year ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
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Hemenway Happenings Welcome to the 2024 - 2025 School Year

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A  Message from  the Principal

04/06/2025

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We had a wonderful week at Hemenway!

First and foremost, a heartfelt thank you to our incredible PTO for organizing a memorable staff appreciation event. The red carpet and star-themed celebration truly made our staff feel valued and special.

A highlight of the week was our 3rd-grade animal presentations. The students showcased their knowledge and creativity. Thank you to the parents and teachers who supported and encouraged our young learners during this event.

Our students continue to make progress with MCAS testing. Having completed the ELA portion, we are now preparing to begin the math assessments.

Please note the following important dates:

Friday, April 18: No school in observance of Good Friday.

Monday, April 21 – Friday, April 25: Spring Recess – No school.

Take a look at our Spirt Week calendar for next week

Thank you for your continued support of our school community. Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable week ahead!

Warm regards

Dr. Marguerite Lackard

Principal

Dr. Marguerite Lackard, Principal mlackard@framingham.k12.ma.us

Mrs. Kelly Napierski, Assistant Principal knapierski@framingham.k12.ma.us

Upcoming Dates:

National Autism Month 

Animal Cruelty Prevention Month


April 9: April Bus Evacuation Drills; PTO Meeting @ 6:30 - 7:30p.m

April 10: Early Release; Teacher Appreciation

April 12: April 20:Passover

April 18: Good Friday; No School

April 20: Easter

April 22: Earth Day 

April 21 - 25: Spring Recess/ Break

Upcoming Dates

Music Concert Details

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

- 5th Grade Band (9:45-10:15am)

- 5th Grade Chorus (10:20-10:35am)

- 4th Grade (10:40-10:55am)

- 3rd Grade (11:00-11:15am)

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

- Kindergarten (9:45-10:00am)

- 1st Grade (10:15-10:30 am)

- 2nd Grade (10:45-11:00 am)

Hemenway Bookfair 5/30 - 6/3

Hemenway Pride in Your Work Night Thursday, 06/5⋅@ 6:00 – 7:30pm

Other Important Dates To Remember

Parent Conferences Elementary:1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29

HEMENWAY MCAS Dates

ELA Grade 3: 3/24; 3/26 Grade 4: 4/1; 4/2 Grade 5: 4/7; 4/9 

Math Grade 3: 4/29; 5/1 Grade 4: 5/5; 5/6 Grade 5: 5/8; 5/12 

Science: Grade 55/16; 5/20

Vocal Survey: Grade 4: 5/7; Grade 55/20

Hemenway School Council Elections for Parent Representatives

Dear Parents and Guardians:

The Massachusetts Education Reform Act requires that each school form a School Council. Below is a brief summary of the School Council’s responsibilities, the electoral process, as well as information on how to apply to be a member of the Hemenway School Council.

The Purpose of the School Council:

• Assist and advise the principal in adopting educational goals for the school;

• Assist and advise the principal in identifying the educational needs of the students attending the school;

• Assist and advise the principal in reviewing the annual school budget;

• Assist and advise the principal in formulating a school improvement plan.

 Membership:

Our school council will consist of the principal who will serve as president, two teachers elected by the professional staff, two parents elected by the parent community and a community member selected by the principal. One of the elected or appointed members will be elected, by the council, to serve as co-chair for the year.

Parent elections are conducted by the parent executive board (ie, PTO). Any parent, who has a student at Hemenway School, can run for election to the school council and all parents can vote for two parent representatives.

Office Terms:

Members will be elected for periods of two years. For the 2025-2027 school years, two parents will be chosen.

Meeting times:

The meetings will take place approximately once every month. The first meeting will be Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 8:00 am either in the Hemenway conference room and/or via Google Meet.

If you are interested in running for one of the vacant parent positions on the Hemenway School Council, please fill out the form below and return it to the Main Office, or you can send it electronically to Dr. Marguerite Lackard: mlackard@framingham.k12.ma.us by Tuesday August 19, 2025. If you send it to the main office, confirm with Dr. Lackard by phone or email that it was received. Voting will be carried out by the Hemenway PTO, and will take place the week of September 10, 2025. All parents and guardians, who have children attending Hemenway School, are eligible to vote for two candidates to represent them on the Hemenway School Council.

NAME:______________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS:___________________________________________________________________

PHONE NUMBER: ____________________________________________________________

Your CHILD’s/CHILDREN’s name/names___________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

 

*********On a separate piece of paper *********

Please explain why you are interested in being a member of the Hemenway School Council. This information will be replicated on each candidate's profile sheet and will be sent home to all families enabling parents to vote for the candidates they would like to represent them on the Hemenway School Council. Please submit your statement, along with the information above, if you are interested in running for the Hemenway School Council.

Thank you so much!

Best,

Information

The 2025 - 2026 District Calendar is complete and uploaded onto our district website. Please see below for the official first days of school to put on your calendar!

  • First Day for Staff: Monday, August 2_, 2025

  • First Day of School for Grades 1 - 12: Wednesday, August 27, 2025

  • First Day of School for Pre-K and Kindergarten: Tuesday, September 2, 2025


Morning Car Drop-Off

To ensure a smooth and safe morning drop-off experience for all, we kindly ask that you promptly drop off your child and avoid lingering in the car drop-off lane. This consideration helps prevent traffic congestion on the main road and ensures a timely arrival for everyone. Do note, students can not be dropped-off earlier than 8:50 a.m. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Student Drop-Off

Student can not be dropped-off earlier than 8:50 a.m. Staff are usually not in the building before 8:50, so it's unsafe to leave your child unsupervised in-front of the school in the mornings 


Interpreting Service

* We have scheduled dedicated times for our Portuguese-speaking parents to call the Mon -Thurs from 9:00 9:15 a.m. and Thursday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. and Thursday afternoons from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. We hope you find this service helpful and convenient.

Attendance

We want to take a moment to highlight the importance of consistent attendance. Students are expected to attend school for all 180 days, except in cases of severe weather or health concerns. Students can only learn if they are present in school. Regular attendance is key to effective learning, and many parents have done an excellent job ensuring their children are present. We commend your efforts and appreciate your partnership in prioritizing education. Please plan vacations and other activities outside of school days to minimize absences. We can do this together.


Student Clothing

***Please place a small label on your child's belongings - Name & homeroom. This will help with returning clothing items that are misplaced

Reminder

If you need to dismiss your child early or know they will be absent, please email the teacher as well as Mrs. Nicola Quaranto at nquaranto@framingham.k12.ma.us. She does not speak Portuguese, but we will do our best to accommodate efficient communications


School ID

Attach your child/children's school ID to their bag pack. It helps with safety and several school procedures

Breakfast begins at 9:00 am in the school cafeteria for anyone who is interested. Breakfast and lunch are offered FREE of charge


All classrooms have snack time. I t is a designated working snack. All of our classrooms are NUTFREE, please provide your child with a healthy snack. Please contact the office if you need

assistance.

Healthy snacks may include: whole fruits and vegetables: apples, pears, peaches, oranges, and grapes. Also try baby carrots, cucumber slices, and pepper strips. Other quick snack options, things like apple sauce, cheddar snacks, pretzels, popcorn, raisins, dried fruit, or fruit snacks. There are many nut-free options out there, please check the labels. This is a time when we stress to children that sharing food is not recommended due to dietary and allergy restrictions. Please discuss this with your children.


Behaviors

To assist parents and the school staff in maintaining good order and discipline for all

students, Framingham Schools has developed the Code of Student Conduct. Please review


Here is our FPS Elementary School Family and Student Handbook. Please, review the information enclosed.

Safety Reminders - It is important to us that we maintain a safe and secure building. We would like to remind everyone that the building remains locked at all times. Visitors are anyone who is not a student or staff. Any visitors to the building are required to ring the bell, announce themselves, and their intended business at the school. If you are coming to pick up your child, enter when buzzed in, and sit by the table in-front of the office. Please, sign the log on the table as you wait for us to get your child. If you are visiting for a scheduled meeting, a staff member will meet you at the entrance to let you in. It is very important that anyone who is exiting the building ensure the doors close behind you. Please do not walk into the building as someone is exiting or let someone in. While we recognize this may seem impolite, it is our policy to ensure our building remains secure. We greatly appreciate your understanding and patience as we know there are times were you may be asked to wait.


Items Not Allowed During School

The following items are not allowed during school hours at school without permission:

Electronic games or devices, laser pens or pointers

Squirt guns, water guns, etc.

Skateboards/sneakers with built-in wheels.

Lighters, matches or lighting devices, alcohol, 

Dismissing a Student Early

A written request from a parent is necessary for ANY dismissal changes. Requests should be emailed to the classroom teacher and or brought into the school office before the start of the school day. No requests will be taken after 2:30 p.m. unless it is an emergency. Usually no student will be dismissed based on a telephone request.

Early Student Pick-Up

If you need to pick up your child early from school, kindly send a note with your child. This ensures that both the classroom teacher and our office staff are aware, allowing them sufficient time to ensure a safe and smooth pick-up process. Arriving just minutes before the bell can lead to chaos and miscommunication. Your cooperation in following an orderly procedure is greatly appreciated. Office Contact - Mrs. Nicola Quaranto at nquaranto@framingham.k12.ma.us

Communications Process

  • Reporting absences - Call office staff 508-626-9149. Call between 4:00 pm and 8:30am if your child is to be absent OR tardy.
  • Picking-up your child early from school - note sent to the classroom teacher & call Office Staff. If your child goes to the afterschool program, notify the director of the Hemenway program also
  • Immunizations - School Nurse 508-782-6302 or mhenri77@framingham.k12.ma.us
  • Transportation - Sign-up for a bus. Visit the transportation website to access information regarding transportation.
  • Special Education information - Kathryn Thomas, kproulx@framingham.k12.ma.us
  • Issues occurring in the classroom - should be shared with the classroom teacher
  • After school programing - Contact Phylicia Daniels or Jaylen Williams (508-745-0785)
  • Social Emotional Issues needing to be addressed - our social worker or guidance counselor -clangan@framingham.k12.ma.us or kriley@framingham.k12.ma.us
  • Basic Needs (Coats or shoes) - shared with our social worker, psychologist or guidance counselor - clangan@framingham.k12.ma.us or kriley@framingham.k12.ma.us
  • Family Concerns that may impacting the student in school - contact our Guidance Counselor
  • Food Services Update -kwilcox@framingham.k12.ma.us
  • Academic concerns - the classroom teacher

Parking Issues

We have recently received concerns from our neighbors on Bacon Road regarding parking issues during drop-off and pick-up times. Specifically, instances of double parking and blocking driveways have been reported, leading to traffic congestion and inconvenience for residents.


To address these concerns and ensure the safety and well-being of our community, we kindly request your cooperation with the following guidelines:

Single-Side Parking: Please park only on one side of Bacon Road to maintain clear passage for traffic and emergency vehicles.

Avoid Blocking Driveways: Ensure that driveways of our neighbors remain accessible at all times.

By adhering to these practices, we can foster positive relationships with our neighbors and maintain a safe environment for our students.


Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued support.


Review Bus Expectations With Your Students Who Ride The Bus (In  3 languages)

Supporting Students on the Bus

Supporting Students on the Bus

Supporting Students on the Bus by Sara DeLuca | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, businesses and more

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Explorers Spring Recess Programming Announcement

Pre-K/Elementary Summer Programs
Family Support Coordinator Summer Smore

Registration will open on Tuesday, April 1 at 4:00pm and is open to all Framingham Public School students Pre-K through 5th Grade. Registration will close on Tuesday, April 8 at 4:00pm or once the program reaches spacing capacity at 100 students.

Details: 

  • Date: Tuesday, April 22 - Friday, April 25

  • Time: 7:30am - 5:30pm

  • Location: McCarthy Elementary School, 8 Flagg Dr, Framingham, MA 01702

  • Transportation is not provided. Caregiver drop off and pick up is required.

  • Breakfast/Lunch will be provided, we kindly ask that you pack a nut-free snack each day.

Pricing:

  • Non-Explorers rate, $320: Families who are not currently enrolled in the Explorers before and after school program at their specific school.

  • Explorers rate, $260: Families that are currently enrolled in the Explorers before and after school program at their specific school receive a discounted rate for all non school days and vacation programs. This discount will be automatically applied at checkout.


PTO Newsletter

Parent Square

Get ParentSquare to be Updated with Communication from the school and District

Cori Forms

Cori Forms for Parent Volunteers

Attentance  Matters

Theme of the Month

I will accept others for who they are

Read Alouds, Resources & Activities

It’s Ok to be Different: Todd Parr (Spanish) (Portuguese)

Whoever You Are: Mem Fox (Spanish) (Portuguese)

I am Enough: Grace Byers (Spanish)

Lovely: Jess Hong

Mixed: A Colorful Story: Arree Chung (Spanish)

The World’s Family: Miranda Paul

All My Stripes: Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer

The Name Jar: Yangsook Choi

The World Needs More Purple People: Kristen Bell & Benjamin Hart

Please know that students are not permitted to use Smartwatches and/or Phones during the school day.


  • Students should not wear Smartwatches or Fit Bits that connect to the internet through Wi-Fi or cell service and communicate with others. Why? They are distracting and we want your children to get the most from their time in the classroom.
  • Students who do have these devices must store them in their backpack during the school day and are not permitted to make or receive calls or text messages on their devices during the school day.
  • Parents wishing to reach students during school hours are asked to call the main office at 508-626-9149 and leave a message for the student. If a student needs to make a phone call or contact home, they may go to the office and ask to use the phone.

Pictures of the Week

Staff Appreciation





3rd Grade Projects





Hemenway Facebook

****Hemenway Facebook. Like and follow our Facebook page! ****

School Lunch Menu
CORI Forms for Parent Volunteers
Hemenway Elementary School Website

School Hours 9:15am - 3:30 pm

Students are welcome to begin arriving at school at 9:00 am, when teachers will be present to greet them.

Early Release Days
  • Students are dismissed at 1:05pm.
  • Lunch IS served.
  • If your child rides the bus, you can expect them to arrive at their stop approximately two and a half hours earlier than normal.
  • Early Release days: 
  • September 19
  • October 10
  • November 14
  • December 12
  • March 13
  • April 10
Half Days

Students are dismissed at 12:30pm.

Lunch IS NOT served.

If your child rides the bus, you can expect them to arrive at their stop three hours earlier than normal.

Half Day: Last day of school.


Attendance and Reporting Your Child Absent:

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 to the classroom teacher and Mrs. Nicola Quaranto at nquaranto@framingham.k12.ma.us or brought into the school office before the start of the school day. No requests will be taken after 2:30 pm unless it is an emergency. No student will be dismissed based on a telephone request.

Attendance Matters - Helping Your Child Succeed in School

Hemenway School Hours and Phone Numbers

Doors Open: 9:00am

Breakfast: 9:00am - 9:15am

School Begins: 9:15am

School Dismissal: 3:30pm

Office: 508-626-9150

Fax: 508-788-9276

Great Articles For Parents

Lunch Menus

Click HERE to access lunch menus

Bus Information

Click HERE to access information regarding transportation.


PTO Information

PTO Smore

Read about the great things PTO is engaged in doing in our school

About Hemenway Elementary School / Hemenway Tips and Tricks


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Hemenway PTO team
Hemenway PTO

Press the button to learn more about the PTO


Hemenway Elementary School's picture
Hemenway Elementary School
https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/Domain/17

729 Water Street

Framingham, MA 01701

Phone: 508-626-9150

Fax: 508-877-2262