Calling all vendors: HPTA Summer Activities and Wellness Fair is March 10!

Posted Dec 10, 2011

The HPTA is excited to announce the Second Annual Summer Activities and Wellness Fair

Date: Saturday, March 10, 2012
Time: 10 am – 2pm
Place: Hopkinton High School Foyer and Atrium

To take advantage of the traffic created by the hugely popular annual Wellness Fair, the Activities Fair will be held at the same location during the same time.

To reserve a rectangular table, register before February 29.
Otherwise only round tables will be available.

$150 per 2′ by 6′ table
Electrical connections available for an additional $25.
 
Click here to reserve your tables now!
 
Click here for more information.
 

Contact HPTA Summer Camp Fair Coordinators:

Margaret Powers: mbpowers@yahoo.com or (508)435-0030
Sue Potas: suepotas@verizon.net or (508)414-5599
 

We accept payment by VISA, MasterCard or eCheck online.
Checks are accepted too. Make checks payable to “HPTA” and mail PO Box 608, Hopkinton MA 01748.

Day camps, overnight camps and family camps will have the chance to connect with families from Hopkinton and surrounding towns. Hopkinton has received national coverage, including being ranked in Boston Magazine’s Best High Schools in the Commonwealth, Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live 2009” and the 2010 Newsweek’s “America’s Best High Schools.”

We are a “camp-friendly” town! All articles mention our robust PTA, which has a sophisticated communications team. We leverage many vehicles to connect with our families, including weekly member email blasts, a dynamic website, a monthly blog, a Facebook page, local cable news and neighborhood signage.

We’re well-connected with local papers, businesses, religious institutions and sister PTA organizations. Feel free to contact us with any questions. We look forward to working with you to promote your camp!

Upcoming Events, Wellness

New Wellness Coordinator To Lead Hopkinton School District

Posted Dec 1, 2011

Danielle Petrucci has been named K-12 Wellness Department Coordinator for the Hopkinton School District.  She brings her passion for health and physical education to this role, and holds Masters Degrees in Education in Health/Family and Consumer Science from Cambridge College, and in Education in Organizational Management from Endicott College.  She also has taught in the Boston  and Hamilton-Wenham school systems.

In her first year, Pertucci hopes to develop relationships with the Wellness faculty, students, school administrators, and the community to understand our district’s needs.  She will also lead the Wellness Department through the transition to the newest revision of the MA Health and Physical Education Framework, and help in assuring that our school district is compliant with Federal and State law, which requires that all schools develop a local wellness policy and establish a plan for measuring the implementation of that policy.

On November 30, Petrucci presented the 2010 Metro-West Adolescent Health Survey to the Hopkinton Community alongside Hopkinton Youth Services Coordinator Jean Vallera Vazza, and Hopkinton High School Principal Alyson Geary. The survey was administered to both middle and high school students last fall and addressed topics such as substance abuse, mental health, physical activity, nutrition, bullying, cyber-bullying, and sexual behavior.

The presentation, entitled “Uncovering Adolescent Behaviors,” identified areas of risk behavior where Hopkinton students are in need of intervention and prevention strategies, and shared what the data suggests about our students’ habits, behaviors and decision-making. The data revealed improvements in several areas, including: alcohol abuse; drinking and driving; and nutrition. It also highlighted the need for improvement in areas like marijuana use, bullying, cyber-bullying, and mental health.

The Metro-West Adolescent Health Survey results will be used to direct a coordinated effort by the Hopkinton School District Wellness and Guidance Departments, the Wellness Advisory Committee, the Hopkinton Youth Commission, the Hopkinton Youth Services Department, parents, and the community at large, to improve the overall health of Hopkinton’s youth.

For more information contact Danielle Petrucci at dpetrucci@hopkinton.k12.ma.us.

Article by Deb Dionne

The Runner, Wellness

Uncovering Adolescent Behaviors

Posted Nov 14, 2011

Save the Date: November 30th, 7pm @ Hopkinton High School Auditorium

On Wednesday, November 30th at 7pm, Hopkinton High School will host a special presentation to release the data received from our 2010 Metro-West Adolescent Health Survey. This survey was administered to both middle and high school students last fall and we have recently received and analyzed the results. Topics such as substance abuse, mental health, physical activity, nutrition, bullying, cyber-bullying and sexual behavior are all addressed in the survey. The purpose of the presentation is to share what the data is telling us about our students’ habits, behaviors and decision-making. This data will be instrumental in determining changes in curriculum and school programs, securing funding for health and wellness related initiatives and informing us whether our current programs and interventions are having an impact.

The presentation is a collaboration between the Hopkinton Public Schools and the Hopkinton Youth Services Department. Jean Vazza (Hopkinton Youth Services) and Danielle Petrucci (Wellness Coordinator for Hopkinton Public Schools) will be the presenters for this event. We strongly encourage all parents and interested community members to attend. We are certain that the information shared will be of benefit to you and your child.

Wellness

Cara Filler’s “The Power of Choice”

Posted Oct 31, 2010

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Lily Augustini for the High School’s Blog, HHSPress.org. The program Augustini writes about was funded by the HPTA.


On October 6th, 2010, “America’s Next Top Role Model” Cara Filler arrived at Hopkinton High School in hopes of educating students on the power of choice. Cara travels throughout the world visiting over 200 schools a year, and she has spoken at over 1,500 school assemblies.

According to Carafiller.com, she has been North America’s leading female motivational speaker since 1994, and “Her ‘Power of Choice!’ message has moved and inspired over a million young lives across Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand.”

Stacey Place, a wellness teacher at Hopkinton High School, heard about Cara Filler at a conference and recommended her presentation to Ms. Geary, HHS principal.

The main goal of the assembly was “getting a good message out to the kids”, explained Ms. Geary. “We’re hoping for this to create a starting point for more conversation.”

Administration feels that the school needs to come together and talk about issues involving the decisions we make and their negative consequences.

Cara Filler began her motivational speaking at a young age.  Her strong passion for decision-making resulted from the tragic death of her identical twin sister, Mairin, which occurred the day after their eighteenth birthday.

That day, Mairin made the decision to ride in a car that was traveling at 110 mph without speaking up for herself.  This decision was life-changing, not only for Mairin, but for the people involved in her life.

One of those people was Cara, whose life would never be the same without her best friend.  Cara does not demand people to make good decisions; instead, she hopes to influence them on making strong choices for themselves and the lives of others. HHS students had a lot to say about Cara’s presentation.

Sam Chirco, a junior at HHS, stated, “I liked it a lot. It was very informative and it hit home. It had an impact on everyone, not just me.”  Mitch Seagars, a senior at HHS, joked, “I liked it…I thought it was a lot like a bear, because whenever there’s an assembly it seems really large and intimidating, but when it comes down to the core of it, it’s warm and fuzzy.”

Although Cara’s visit was appreciated by many students at HHS, there are some students who chose not to benefit from her message.

When asked if Cara had a significant effect on our high school, Sophie Doherty, a junior at HHS, revealed, “I’m kind of on the fence about that because there’s a lot of people that never listen.”  Officer

Powers also brought up an important point when he said, “I hope this lasts longer than the one day period…where afterward people forget. So I think it should be brought up at a later date”.

Did Cara Filler have a significant effect on you? Do you think your peers will be influenced by her? How can we be sure?

Visit Cara Filler- The Drive to Safe Lives on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/DrivetoSaveLives to see how Cara has impacted more than 200 other schools around the world.

Enrichment Programs, High School, Schools, The Runner, Wellness

Feedback on HPTA’s first general meeting

Posted Oct 25, 2009

“I’ll honestly tell you that I got so much out of the nutritionist’s presentation. There will be big changes in my house, that is for sure! 

We have a wonderful PTA, and it is nice to be there for the opening of a new year.”  

Center School Principal Jen Parsons on the recent nutritional seminar held during the HPTA’s first general meeting of the year. 

“The program was very informative, something that makes us stop and think about our nutrition….always a good thing!”
Hopkinton Schools Wellness Coordinator Jill Leach

General Info, The Runner, Wellness

Fun Ideas for Food-Free Celebrations in School

Posted Sep 16, 2009
Are you a bit stumped about how to celebrate your child’s birthday in school without cupcakes? Take a look at our list. Have more ideas? Share them with other parents here on our blog or on Facebook.


From the Asthma & Allergy Bulletin by AAFA-NE, Winter 2008
The birthday child can:
Wear a special crown, cape or button
  • Receive a small gift or certificate from the class or school
  • Bring in a T-shirt or something else for classmates to sign
  • Have a special privilege or job (be the leader) for the day
  • Be allowed to skip a homework or class assignment
  • Give out small favors (pencils, stickers) to classmates
  • Choose a book to donate to the class or school library
  • Make the school’s morning announcements or lead the Pledge of Allegiance
  • Share something special or show something special about him/herself, be the “star of the day”
The class can:
  • Sing Happy Birthday
  • Decorate a big birthday card or poster
  • Make a birthday book in which the kids can write or dictate kind compliments about the birthday child or contribute drawings
  • Have a party involving crafts, movies or music
The school can:
  • Announce birthdays over the PA system, at school meetings or in the cafeteria
From Food Allergy News by FAAN, Aug-Sept 2007
Birthday Celebrations
  • Allow the birthday child to bring in a guest to read a favorite book to the class
  • Keep a supply of special “birthday pencils” to similar items and have the principal or teacher present one to the birthday child
  • Assign the birthday child to special classroom jobs, such as line leader, chalkboard washer or another desirable activity
  • Suggest that parents donate an item that is of interest to the child (i.e. a new basketball, book, board game or colored chalk) in honor of the child’s special day
  • Have children in the class make cards for the birthday child
Class Parties
  • Have the class vote on a fun party theme (e.g. holiday, luau, western hoedown or circus)
  • Schedule time for party games, such as board games or relay races and award small prizes that fit the party’s theme
  • Plan an arts-and-crafts activity, such as drawing, painting posters or building with clay, or allow children to work on their favorite puzzles.
Incentives and Rewards
  • Hold a special awards ceremony and present each student with a personalized certificate
  • Award a lunch with the teacher or a visit with the principal
  • Give trinkets such as stickers, erasers, rubber balls or yo-yos
  • Allow the student, to be the teacher’s helper for the day
  • Allow extra recess time for the class (group effort) or let the child be the first to get to the playground and the last to leave (individual effort)

Center School, Elmwood School, Hopkins School, Schools, The Runner, Wellness

Wellness

TV-Free Week

Wondering what to do without TV? Check out these great TV-Free ideas:

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails.htm
This is a great website about State Parks in the area. The site provides information about places to go boating, hiking, walking.

http://www.ecoanimal.com/dogfun/massachusetts.html
This is a wonderful resource if you have a dog. This sites lists all the different parks in Massachusetts where you can bring your dog to walk. Some places allow them off leash and the site also references different beaches where dogs are allowed to swim.

http://www.singletracks.com/php/database.php?state_id=19
This is a great resource for bike riding. Simply plug in your area code and the site will list bike trails and routes within your geographic area. You can also choose by level — beginner, intermediate or advanced, and a variety of other criteria.

http://www.letterboxing.org/america.htm
This is a fun site about letter boxing which is a unique hobby that mixes hiking/walking with a scavenger hunt. For the one closest to Hopkinton you would search under Central Massachusetts or Boston East Central.