Dear Parents & Guardians,
It has been a beautiful summer and I hope you have all had some time to relax and enjoy your families. It is almost time to say goodbye to summer and hello to a brand new school year that I’m sure will be filled with exciting times, challenges and possibilities. I want to thank you in advance for all of your continued support. I feel very fortunate to work in a community with such dedicated, caring and supportive parents and students.
We are in full swing preparing the building for the upcoming 2016-2017 school year. Our front office, guidance, custodial and maintenance personnel have been working extremely hard preparing for the first day of school on Wednesday, August 31. I know you will join me in thanking them for all of their hard work, diligence and commitment to the building and our students. In addition, many of our teachers have done substantial work this summer writing curriculum and participating in professional development courses and workshops. The learning never stops here at HHS!
Next week the school will really come alive as fall sports will start and our student council will have its first meeting of the year. We will also host 9th Grade Orientation for the class of 2020 on Wednesday, August 24, from 8:30am - 1pm and New Teacher Orientation on Tuesday, August 23, and Wednesday, August 24. Our New Student/ International Student Orientation is scheduled for Thursday, August 25, from 11 - 1pm, and on Wednesday, August 31, we will officially open our doors for another school year -- hopefully, our best yet! Another upcoming important date to keep in mind is our Back to School Night, scheduled for Thursday, September 15 at 7pm.
At HHS, we will use many ways to share information with you throughout the course of the school year. For example, each student has a hillers.org email address and will receive emails from administration about upcoming events. I will also send out a monthly newsletter recapping the previous month and highlighting our amazing students and staff. Additionally, to subscribe to receive information, announcements and news from your child’s grade level, you can click on the following link http://www.hopkinton.k12.ma.us/domain/411. Simply enter your name, check the appropriate grade levels and submit. There is no need to register for emergency phone or email chains, as those communications will come directly through iPass iAuto Alerts. If you have a Twitter account, please consider following us at username @HopkintonHS. All are encouraged to read the Student Weekly Memos and Principal’s Blog, both located on the high school homepage for weekly updates.
In an effort to incorporate common planning time for HHS faculty, as well as to explore the benefits of a later start time for students and staff, this year we will institute what we’re calling Hiller Days. Hiller Days will be scheduled once a month between September and May. We feel strongly that common planning time helps improve instruction by allowing teachers to share best practices, review student work and plan curriculum and lessons together. This common planning time for teachers will fall between 7:20 and 8:00 am on the last Friday of each month starting in September. The bell schedule and specific Hiller Days for the year can be found on the school website.
Please note that, on Hiller Days, school will open at the normal time and buses will run on a regular schedule. However, first period will not start until 8:00 am, so students are not expected to be at the high school until that time. If your son/daughter comes to school prior to 8:00 am, s/he can go to the library, cafeteria, athletic center, or guidance office as they can on any other day if they arrive early. As usual, breakfast will be served and, in addition, the fitness center will be available for student use. Lastly, the week in which we have a Hiller Day scheduled there will not be an advisory period, so instructional time will be preserved in order to accomplish our goal of creating more common planning time and exploring a later start time.
Lastly, this summer we have welcomed quite a few new faces to the Hopkinton High School family. Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members to HHS:
Caitlin Burke (Intensive Special Education Teacher)
Caitlin earned her Bachelor of Arts from Lafayette College in 2008. In addition to her Special Education certification, she is also certified in History. Caitlin taught in the Northbridge School District and also served as a Special Education Department Head. She has coached field hockey at the varsity level since 2011.
Ijen Chen (Mandarin Teacher)
Ijen earned her Bachelor of Arts from National Cheng-Chi University in Taiwan in Land Economics before earning her Masters of Art degree in Psychology from Boston University and her Master of Science in Education degree in Special Education in Severe Need from Simmons College. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has worked in various districts most recently the Marlborough Public Schools and Melmark New England. Ijen will be teaching our Honors Mandarin IV class this upcoming year.
Andrew Couto (Science Teacher)
Andrew earned his Bachelor of Science from UMASS Amherst in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation before earning his Masters of Art degree in Teaching from UMASS Dartmouth. He has worked as a Science teacher at the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School since 2012 where he coached both the Science Olympiad and the Science Bowl teams. He conducted his student teaching in the Wareham Public Schools. Andrew will be teaching sections of both Biology and Anatomy and Physiology this upcoming year.
Richard Guyette (Long Term Substitute Guidance Counselor)
Richard received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from Regis College and his Masters of Education in School Guidance Cambridge College. Richard has previously served as a Guidance Counselor at Norton High School and completed his Guidance Internship at Dover Sherborn Middle/High School. Prior to his career in education, Richard worked in Marketing Operations and Business Strategies at EMC and in Promotion and Public Relations for NESN. Richard enjoys coaching soccer and basketball.
Jessica LeBel (.5 Transition Specialist)
Jessica earned her Bachelor of Social Work from Cedar Crest College. She has worked as the Coordinator of Residential Life at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts since 2013. Prior to that she served as a case manager/social worker at the Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Cedar Crest Campus in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Courtney Miville (Foreign Language Teacher)
Courtney earned her Bachelor of Arts from Connecticut College in Hispanic Studies with a minor in Latin before earning her Master of Science degree in Ecological Teaching and Learning from Lesley University. She has worked as a Spanish teacher at Nauset Regional High School since 2010. Courtney has also served as a Student Council Co-Advisor, Fundraiser Designer and Coordinator, Ecology Club Co-Advisor, Rotary Interact Club Co-Advisor, and has participated in the Interdistrict School for Art and Communication Service Learning program. Courtney will be teaching sections of Spanish II and Global Spanish this upcoming year.
Patrick O’Brien (Guidance Counselor)
Patrick will be returning to HHS after a year at Canton High School. During the 2014-15 school year, Pat served as a long-term sub for both Ms. King and Ms. Wurster, so he is very familiar with the high school guidance department. He obtained his Bachelor of Science from Roger Williams University and a Master of Education in School Counseling from Bridgewater State University. Pat has served as an Assistant Varsity Lacrosse Coach at Newton South High School and a Behavioral Specialist at the Stevens Treatment Program in Swansea. Pat is also a graduate of HHS.
I hope you enjoy these last few weeks of summer and I look forward to working with you in the upcoming year!
Go Hillers!
Evan Bishop
Principal
