Welcome to Hopkins Academy in Hadley, Massachusetts. Founded in 1664, Hopkins is one of the oldest secondary schools in the United States, with a long tradition of excellence in academics, athletics and the arts. Providing public education for Hadley residents (limited school choice openings are determined on a yearly basis) in grades 7-12, grades 7 and 8 function as a middle school, while grades 9-12 follow an alternating day, modified long block schedule. Instruction is provided by a staff of highly qualified professionals and support personnel in a safe, secure and nurturing environment.

Enjoy your visit, and please feel free to contact me at anytime with any questions or concerns.

Diana Bonneville, Principal

Words from the Principal

January 2012

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians:

Happy New Year! Preparing for midterm exams and keeping our fingers crossed for good weather, it is hard to believe that the school year is almost half over. Mrs. Hyslip did a wonderful job filling in as the long-term middle school math substitute teacher for the past five weeks, and we are very grateful for all of her hard work and dedication. We are pleased to welcome Mr. Mike Burgess to the middle school team, who will take over the math position. We wish him a successful second semester!

Hopkins Academy will be hosting our 2nd Annual Career Fair on the morning of May 1st for students in grades 9-12. Student feedback that we received last year was extremely positive. We will follow the same format as last year, which allows students to choose three careers they would like to explore from a list of 15 presenters. We’d like to offer a broad range of careers to meet the needs of all students (trades, the arts, sciences, engineering, liberal arts, etc.) with a strong emphasis on the sciences. Some occupations that students would like to see represented include: pharmacist, dentist, elementary teacher, fashion designer, social worker, chef, pilot, translator, forensic investigator, neuro-psychologist, historian, electrical engineer, surgeon, fitness instructor, plumber, defense attorney, electrician, investment banker, marine biologist and actor. If you or anyone you know has one of these careers and would be willing to assist us, please inform the main office by February 27th. After the 27th, we will open slots for those who would like to volunteer as presenters with other occupations. Presenters should be prepared to discuss their job responsibilities, qualifications and educational background, pros/cons and any other interesting facts about their careers. Presenters will be each be given three 25 minute presentations to groups of students (approximately 15 students per group). Please e-mail me at dbonneville@hadleyschools.org with questions or suggestions.

The Board of Trustees met in November and awarded our school $37,150 for administrative and teacher initiatives: MCAS remediation, middle school computer lab, Nature's Classroom 7th grade field trip, MCAS and Honor Roll Breakfasts, Special Education assisted technology software, SMART Response Systems, publications, Disney World band field trip and a sound system for the Promethean Board. This financial support goes a long way in increasing opportunities for our students and recognizing their achievements. Also, Cumberland Farms recently donated $2,066 to our school as part of their Grand Opening fundraising efforts. Lots of hot drinks were purchased during the snow storm in late October, which significantly increased the amount of their financial support! This money will go towards our 350th birthday preparations, beautification of the building and grounds, and student activities. We just bought new gold letters to replace the white cracked ones that are in front of our school. Thank you, Cumberland Farms!

I'd like to recognize many students and clubs for their outstanding achievement. Lauren Robinson, Matt Waskiewicz, Adam Daniere, Ben Pitta, Avery Hanlon and Mike Dwyer, under the guidance of Mrs. Slocum and Mrs. Parsons, represent our school in As Schools Match Wits. Make sure to watch their competition against Monument Mountain Regional High School on February 25th on channel 57. I know you will be impressed with their knowledge!

Our Equestrian Club under the guidance of Mrs. Susan Duncan, the advisor, is being recognized by the United States Equestrian Federation at a luncheon in Ohio in January for its first place finish at the Interscholastic Association National Competition. While Carly Dion and Mallory Hudak are unable to attend due to conflicts with college, Alix Shipman and Monica Czerwinski will be representing Hopkins Academy. Congratulations on this amazing achievement!

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Sportsmanship Committee has recognized Hopkins Academy on the 2011 MIAA Sportsmanship Honor Roll. This honor recognizes schools that did not have any coaches or student-athletes disqualified from a contest for an entire academic year. Congratulations!

Hopkins Academy basketball games are legendary in the Pioneer Valley for their athleticism, spirit, cheerleaders and pep band. We realize that practices and games for the middle school, junior varsity basketball and cheerleading teams may not start promptly after school. I'd like to take this opportunity to remind parents that students are not properly supervised after school unless they are with a teacher. The school and the coaches are not responsible for watching students until game or practice time. Students and parents are expected to make transportation arrangements, as students are not supervised until the practice or game begins. We do not have the financial resources or manpower to accomplish this task. Students are allowed to stay with teachers for extra help or attend the homework center but cannot simply "hang out" in our school halls. Likewise, it is the parents' decision and responsibility to allow their student to walk to Cumberland Farms or Primo's or any other destination. I hope this clarifies any misconceptions. Also, if a student has missed school, the student is not allowed to attend or participate in extra-curricular activities, such as attending games or dances. If your student has missed school due to an extenuating circumstance, such as a funeral or college visit, but would like to attend or participate in an extracurricular activity, please obtain administrative permission.

It's time to acknowledge our November and December recipients for "Students of the Month"! Congratulations!

Grades	November	December
Grade 7:	Kishan Patel	Ally Jenks
Grade 8:	Aurora Grant-Wingate	Emily Fedor
Grade 9:	Avery Hanlon	Brandon Bushey
Grade 10:	Scott Dwyer	Savannah Ring
Grade 11:	Amanda Olson	Katie Keegan
Grade 12:	Emma Binkowski	Michael Leveille

Also, congratulations to 8th grader Thomas Kowal-Safron, who was chosen to represent our community in Governor Patrick’s Project 351. Best wishes for a terrific 2012!

Respectfully,
Diana Bonneville
Principal

Diana Bonneville - Principal
dbonneville@hadleyschools.org

^ Top of Page

Superintendent's Office | Hopkins Academy | Hadley Elementary School | Special Education Department | Health Department | Lunch Menu | School Schedule | Bus Schedule | News & Events | Contact | Site Map | Home