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Over the course of about a month, Hoosac Valley High School students wrote letters to all 360 students at the elementary school. These letters were delivered on Wednesday, the last school day before the holiday break.

Hoosac Valley High Students Deliver Holiday Letters to Elementary School

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — Hoosac Valley Elementary School's 360 pupils were brought holiday cheer on Wednesday when 20 Hoosac Valley High School students delivered every child a handwritten letter for the holidays. 

"We had a group of high school students reach out to us and ask if they could handwrite letters to every single student from pre-K to third grade," said Erin Beaulac, principal of Hoosac Valley Elementary. "They wanted to wish them well for the holidays and to send some happy notes to all of our students here at the school." 
 
The high school students delivered the letters Wednesday morning, the last school day before the holiday break. Kaylea Nocher, a teacher at the high school, said writing the letters allowed the students to bring the elementary school kids kindness during the holiday season.
 
"I think a small act of kindness can go a really long way," she said. "I think all of these high schoolers, not just the seniors but everyone involved, they were able to see how kindness is spread without an incentive." 
 
Nocher said there were no awards for writing letters or delivering them. The reward, she said, was bringing happiness and holiday greetings to the children at the elementary school. 
 
"They're not doing this for a pizza party or a free class period," she said. "They really just did it from the kindness of their hearts."
 
It took about a month for the high school students to write the 360 letters. Natalie Pompi, one of the 20 students who delivered letters on Wednesday, said they would write letters whenever they had a chance to. 
 
"Whenever we had free time, Kaylea would be walking around, all the teachers had copies of the paper," she said. "And it said for 'This year for the holidays, I wish for you,' and then we drew them a little picture and a note. And then whenever we had free time or a free period, we'd grab one, make one and then it just piled up like that." 
 
Another high school student, Lucas Waterman, said all of the kids, none of whom knew they were getting letters that day, were overjoyed.
 
"They loved it," he said. "some of their faces, you could see this just made their whole Christmas. It was pretty nice to see." 
 
The event, Pompi said, brought holiday cheer to the high school students just as much as it did to the elementary school students. 
 
"Walking in and giving them a letter and then having them be so comfortable to just come up to you be like, 'This is my name, this is what I have,'" she said. "That's just really special, especially in the holiday times." 
 
After the high school students reached out to her about the letters, Beaulac said they worked with Colleen Byrd, principal of Hoosac Valley High School to help organize the delivery. All three of the district's schools, Beaulac explained, have been trying to work more closely with one another, which helped to make this event possible. 
 
"We're really trying to unify all the schools," she said. "And an activity like this, while it seems small, is really powerful."
 
Beaulac said everyone at the elementary school, students and faculty alike, were grateful for the letters.  
 
"The teachers were coming up to me saying how appreciative they were for all of you for making these cards individually and how the students were reacting to them," she said. "They were really feeling loved and it’s just that extra something this holiday season. So you all made a difference."

Tags: holiday story,   HVRSD,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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