WELCOME BACK, HPS STUDENTS! 

The long wait is over—tomorrow is officially the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! 

Our hallways are ready, our classrooms are set, and our amazing teachers and staff cannot wait to see your bright faces back on campus. Whether you're taking your first steps into middle school, stepping up as high school seniors, or somewhere in between, this year is full of brand-new opportunities to learn, grow, and shine!

A quick checklist for Day 1: 

• Bring your big smiles, positivity, and excitement
• Pack a water bottle and your back-to-school essentials
• Give yourself a little extra time for arrival and buses tomorrow morning

Let’s make the 2026-2027 school year our best one yet! 

First day of school—are you ready?

(Note for our youngest learners: PreK and Kindergarten, we will see you next week!)

The official 2026-2027 School Bus Routes & Schedules are ready! Please take a moment today to review your child’s pickup/drop-off times and bus stop locations to ensure a smooth transition for morning one.

🔗 Check your routes here: 2026-2027 School Bus Routes

A few friendly reminders for a safe start tomorrow: Have your student at their designated stop 5–10 minutes before the scheduled pickup time. Make sure your child’s name and contact information are easily accessible in or on their backpack.  Drivers are adjusting to new routes during the first week, so please allow a little buffer time as schedules settle!

If you have any last-minute questions, please reach out to our Transportation Department at [Insert Email/Phone Number].

We can't wait to see everyone! 

Big thanks to Jay Januszewski and the Knights of Columbus Council #5004!

We are so grateful for their incredible generosity in donating various school supplies and over 70 backpacks for our kiddos in need at Tilton Elementary School!

Support like this helps make sure our students are set up for success from day one. Thank you for making a huge difference in our school community! 

HHS Summer Internship Spotlight! 

Another shoutout to Kaylee M., a rising junior in our CTE Healthcare Occupations program, for her outstanding work at Bethany Communities' Café Connection!

Kaylee has been an integral part of Café Connection this summer, working hard with the participants on a skit that had an amazing turnout. Beyond her professionalism, Kaylee consistently goes above and beyond in her commitment to her internship.

A huge thank you to Bethany Communities for opening their doors to our HHS CTE students and providing such a wonderful experience!

We are so proud of you, Kaylee! 

SUMMER INTERN SPOTLIGHT! 

Our Summer Program at Nettle Middle School was extra special this year, and we want to give a massive shoutout to our incredible group of interns and team members! 

The program was a much richer environment thanks to the dedication, hard work, and energy of Eddie Feoli, Spencer Stokes, Milly Diaz, Michael Rampersaud, Madison Davis, Emma Villar, Angelo Pozuelos, and Ellen Fahy.

Our students truly looked up to these future Massachusetts educators and enjoyed learning alongside them! From going the extra mile in the classroom, to working diligently with our EL learners, to stepping up whenever students or mentors needed support, they showed up every single day with passion and commitment. They even helped guide students on exciting local hands-on projects, like exploring Haverhill history downtown! 

A huge thank you as well to our phenomenal Mentor Teachers, who served as fabulous role models for these future teachers. 

Thank you to everyone involved for making such a lasting impact on our students and school community this summer. The future of education is bright! 

HHS Summer Internship Spotlight! 

Olivia F. and Cecily R., rising seniors in our CTE Biomedical Science program, who are completing an internship with Greater Lawrence Family Health Center!

Throughout the summer, Olivia and Cecily are gaining invaluable hands-on experience in the pharmacy setting and the opportunity to shadow clinical professionals. Both shared that this experience gave them a clearer direction for their future careers in healthcare. 

A huge thank you to Greater Lawrence Family Health Center for this incredible partnership and for providing our students with meaningful, real-world experience!

We can't wait to see what the future holds for Olivia and Cecily! 

HHS Summer Internship Spotlight!  

Amelia G., a rising senior in our CTE Biomedical Science program, for successfully completing her summer internship with Parkland Medical Center! During her final showcase presentation, Amelia presented her project focusing on glucometer competencies, standardizing operator procedures, and the critical importance of handling expired glucometer test strips to ensure quality patient care.

We are so proud of you, Amelia! 

What an incredible weekend at the Calvary Baptist Church’s Community Back-to-School Block Party! Haverhill Public Schools McKinney-Vento Liaison Maria Maldonado Cruz had a fantastic time hosting a community resource table—the energy was unmatched, and seeing our community unite to wrap around our youth was truly inspiring.

Event Highlights: Sneaker Giveaway & Fun: Calvary Baptist Church generously provided brand-new sneakers to local youth, plus a delicious lunch and great entertainment for everyone. Community Connections: Students had great interactions with our local Police Officers, School Resource Officers (SROs), and Fire Department team! Support & Resources: We shared critical information regarding the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, while handing out free backpacks and essential hygiene supplies. Interactive Fun: We asked students, "What does 'HOME' mean to you?"—and their heartfelt responses were incredibly moving. Plus, over 100 kids created their very own "Back-to-School Survival Kits" (the Smarties candies were definitely the biggest hit!).

Huge thank you to everyone who stopped by and helped make this day so special! Here’s to a strong, supported start to the new school year! 

Exploring the Future!

This summer, our amazing School Counseling Department—Mrs. Arivella, Mrs. Crowley, Mrs. Cruz, and Ms. Marshall—took students on four incredible college visits! 

Our students had the opportunity to explore a variety of postsecondary options, getting a firsthand look at campus life at: 

• Endicott College
• Salem State University
• Saint Anselm College
• Assumption University

At each stop, students attended informational presentations, took guided campus tours, scored some great promotional swag, and learned all about transportation and the surrounding communities.

Huge thanks to our counseling team for helping our students dream big and plan for what's next! 

This summer, Haverhill High School students are taking the next step in their clean energy innovation journey at Pinnacle in downtown Haverhill.

During a two-week internship, students will explore the Lemelson-MIT Invention Process while revisiting the clean energy challenges they uncovered through interviews with industry professionals during last spring's internship. By combining research, collaboration, and inventive thinking, they'll transform community-identified problems into opportunities for green innovation. We are excited to continue this collaboration with HHS, New Invents and Mass Clean Energy!

HHS Summer Internship Spotlight: Interns- Alex A., Lauryn C., Sophie C., Aya E., and Melissa D.

For the outstanding work they are doing this summer at Merrimack Health Lawrence!  

As students in our CTE Biomedical Science and Healthcare programs, they are gaining valuable experiences and a deeper understanding of what it’s like to work in a healthcare environment. They have represented HHS with professionalism and a strong willingness to learn. Keep up the amazing work, Hillies! 

A special thank you to our partners at Merrimack Health Lawrence for their continued support of our students. The next generation of healthcare professionals.

That’s a wrap on Summer Credit Recovery at Gateway Academy!

Our 8th–12th graders brought incredible focus and energy to our intensive summer sessions, taking courses across Science, Math, Social Studies, English, and Farm to Table!

Garden to Truck: Farm to Table students kept our raised beds thriving, harvested fresh crops, and explored the Hungry Hillie food truck to prepare for exciting work opportunities this school year!

Graduation Goal: Shoutout to our newest graduate who completed his final diploma requirements this summer!

71 Credits Recovered: Thanks to hard work and personalized SEL and academic support from our amazing staff, students earned

71 credits toward their futures!

We are so proud of everyone’s growth and determination. Enjoy the rest of your summer! 

Summer Enrichment Fun at HPS

What an incredible summer of learning and fun! Our Summer Step Up to Kindergarten program at Golden Hill School with Mrs. Whelan and Ms. Smith has been full of smiles, creativity, and big milestones.

Check out what our future Kindergarten superstars have been up to:

• Exploring Letterland: Our students had a blast diving into Letterland and learning through play with letters!

• Name Practice: Lots of hands-on practice recognizing and writing their own names.

• Tool Time: Learning explicitly how to use and care for their school materials.

• "Scissor Salad": After reading Scissors on Strike, students practiced their fine-motor cutting skills to make their very own "scissor salad!"

• Young Artists: Learning how to move from quick sketches to creating detailed, colorful illustrations.

• Mo Willems Fun: Reading favorite Mo Willems stories and drawing illustrations of the iconic Pigeon and Duckling!

 We are so proud of how much these little learners have grown and can't wait to see them shine this school year.

HHS Internship Spotlight: Leah.A 

Leah, a rising senior in the CTE Biomedical Science Program, has been gaining a valuable experience during her second internship atTufts Medicine Lowell General Hospital.

Leah shared that this experience has confirmed that she is absolutely pursuing a career in nursing! She is also looking forward to an upcoming shadowing opportunity to further explore the nursing profession.  Leah, Thank you for your professionalism. We are incredibly proud of you. Keep up the great work

 A special thank you to Lowell General, for continuing to provide meaningful learning experiences that inspire and prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals. 

Huge congratulations to the Haverhill Community Playground Committee on hitting a massive milestone! 

Thanks to years of hard work and dedication from our amazing parent volunteers and community supporters, the Golden Hill playground project has raised over $400,000 toward its goal — including an incredible $150,000 grant from Amazon announced this week! 

Shout-out to Mayor Barrett, Representative Andy Vargas, and Senator Barry Finegold in attendance to celebrate and show their support for our students! 

Best of all? This brand-new playground will be a fully inclusive space where children of all ages and abilities can play, laugh, and grow together — right here at Golden Hill Elementary! 

Groundbreaking is expected this October!

Want to check out the plans or support the project?

Learn more here: Haverhill Community Playground website!

Recently, the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the MLSC announced $12.3 million in funding through four tracks of the MLSC's Education and Workforce Development Grant Program. A total of 68 awards will serve 78,000 students and train 720 teachers from more than 400 public schools, colleges, and nonprofit organizations across the Commonwealth.

Haverhill Public Schools is thrilled and grateful to be named a recipient of this fabulous grant! This opportunity will allow us to continue expanding hands-on life sciences learning for our students.

•  $7.3 million awarded to 22 colleges and post-secondary training programs
•  $2.4 million awarded to support more than 173 public schools
• $1.9 million awarded to support two transformational workforce initiatives serving 9 organizations

$568,890 awarded to 21 nonprofit organizations providing life sciences out-of-school time programming for students from more than 200 public schools

“The groundbreaking discoveries and medical breakthroughs that happen in Massachusetts are made possible by the extraordinary talent we cultivate here,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These awards will expand opportunities for learners across the Commonwealth to gain the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experiences they need to succeed in one of our state’s most important industries.”

To date, the MLSC has invested more than $240 million through various programs supporting education and workforce training that strengthens the Commonwealth’s life sciences talent pipeline. These investments have supported more than 478 public schools, 30 nonprofit organizations, and 65 colleges and universities across the state, expanding access to life sciences learning opportunities and training initiatives for the residents.

Read the full press release here: MLSC Press Release

HHS Summer Intern Spotlight: Brady B. 

Brady, a rising senior in Haverhill High's CTE Computer Science program, is spending his summer interning with the Engineering Department at Rapid Coatings.

Brady has been assisting with 3D printing and die-cutting while gaining valuable experience as a fully integrated team member. This opportunity gives him a firsthand look at the collaboration that propels the engineering field.

Thank you to Rapid Coatings for investing in our students and providing Brady with such an outstanding learning experience. We appreciate your partnership with the HHS CTE program in preparing the next generation of professionals!

Hillie Pride Spotlight: Learning Doesn't Stop in the Summer! 

Just because it’s summer break doesn't mean our incredible staff and students at Haverhill Public Schools aren't busy growing, learning, and leading! 

Recently, Taylor Trussell, a dedicated teacher at HHS, attended the Best Buddies Leadership Conference at Indiana University in Bloomington to represent our Haverhill Best Buddies Chapter!

Here is what Taylor had to share about this amazing experience:

"There were over 2,800 attendees with people visiting from Canada, Spain, Ghana, and other countries! The theme this year was 'One Team, One World'—celebrating the FIFA World Cup! ⚽🌍

While at the conference, I met other amazing advisors and chapter presidents from local Best Buddies chapters. I attended info sessions about avoiding burnout, making our school environment and clubs more inclusive, and learned all about their newest programs!

Highlights included meeting Subodh from Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, and even Anthony Shriver, the founder of Best Buddies!!

I had an amazing weekend full of inclusion, learning, talent, and so much fun!"

For 185 years, Haverhill High School has been home to amazing individuals doing incredible things every single day. We are so proud of our educators who bring this kind of passion, positivity, and inclusion back to our school community!

WE ARE HAVERHILL!  Brown & Gold forever! 

We are so excited to share a fantastic podcast episode highlighting the amazing work happening right here in Haverhill Public Schools! 

In the latest episode of On Your Mark, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with our Superintendent, Margaret Marotta, and Assistant Superintendent, Bonnie Antkowiak. Together, they discuss how Haverhill is building stronger, more coherent literacy systems across all grade levels—from early reading instruction to secondary literacy, high-dosage tutoring, MTSS, and high-quality instructional materials. 

They also dive into what makes our district so special:

• Deep community pride
• A rich and diverse student population
• Strong pathways for our educators to grow and thrive
• Helping our students access grade-level learning and build confidence as lifelong readers!

Tune in, celebrate our district, and see why WeAreHaverhill!

Watch the episode here: On Your Mark Podcast

Learning doesn't stop when summer begins! Our incredible Summer Enrichment students at Gateway Academy have been hitting the road and taking their curiosity on tour across New England! 

Recently, our explorers took two amazing field trips:

• Museum of Science (Boston, MA): Diving headfirst into hands-on exhibits, incredible discoveries, and all things STEM!

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (Holderness, NH): Getting up close with native wildlife and exploring the great outdoors!

We love seeing our students stay curious, try new things, and make unforgettable summer memories together. Experiences like these are just one more reason why... WE ARE HAVERHILL! 

HHS Intern Spotlight:

Amelia G., a rising senior in Haverhill High School’s CTE Biomedical program. This summer, she is participating in the Parkland Medical Summer Healthcare Career Exploration Internship, becoming the first HHS student to be accepted into this opportunity. Throughout the summer, she is shadowing professionals across a variety of hospital departments, gaining valuable insight into careers in healthcare. We are proud of her dedication and commitment to this experience. Keep up the great work, Amelia! 

A special thank you to Parkland Medical Center for welcoming our HHS CTE intern this summer.

COMING SOON TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU! 

Yesterday, Haverhill High School took delivery of something absolutely incredible—our very own Hillie-inspired Food Truck! 

This isn't just any food truck; it is a one-of-a-kind innovation that perfectly captures what makes our community so special. It embodies the creativity, teamwork, and unstoppable pride that proves exactly why WE ARE HAVERHILL! 

This amazing project is the brainchild of our phenomenal Food Service Department, who planned, budgeted, and worked tirelessly to bring this dream to life.

What’s the Hillie Food Truck up to?

• Feeding the Community: Rolling into local neighborhoods to deliver free meals to Haverhill's children.

• Hands-On Learning: Partnering with our Gateway Academy students in their incredible Farm-to-Table program.

• Real-World Experience: HHS & Gateway students will be directly involved in running, operating, and maintaining the truck—learning invaluable business and culinary skills!

• Game Day & Event Eats: You'll see the truck at sports games and local events selling mouth-watering food prepared right inside the truck to help support the program!

Huge Shout-Out to our talented CTE Graphic Design and Visual Arts students for designing the stunning, custom wrap on the outside of the truck. You all crushed it!

We are just waiting on the final permits to clear before we officially hit the road. Keep your eyes peeled, Haverhill!

We gotta know... ARE YOU HUNGRY, HILLIES?!