Select a destination GPS-Home Budget Info (GPS) FY11-12 Budget Info (GPS) FY10-11 Budget Info-Virtual School FY10-11 Bullying Plan Bus Routes Calendar 2011-2012 Did You Know District Calendar District Policies Driving Directions Enroll in Preschool @ GPS Enroll in Kindergarten @ GPS Enroll in Grades 1-12 Film Festival Forms & Applications: Staff Free & Reduced Application GHS Apparel-Green Wave GHS Sports Schedules Health News & Forms In the News Job Application Job Opportunities Library Home Page Lunch Menus MCAS & MEPA Testing Schedule Mission Statement NCLB Report Cards Parent-Student Handbook Powerschool @ GPSK12 Presentations Professional Development Registration: PreK Registration: Kindergarten Registration: Grades 1-12 Special Education Special Education-MA Defs Special Education PAC Sports (Athletic) Forms Summer Meals 2011 Summer Reading (K-5) Summer Reading (Middle) Summer Reading (High School) Superintendent's Journal Superintendent's Updates Technology Trouble Ticket Tutoring Program Volunteers (VIPs)

GPS Email

Events Calendar

Staff Directory

GPS PowerSchool

Admin Directory

Job Openings

Prof. Dev.

Home

Greenfield High School

8th Grade Academy

Math & Science Academy
Grades 6 & 7

MA Virtual School
@ Greenfield

Poet Seat
Therapeutic Day Program

Greenfield Middle School

The Discovery School
@ Four Corners

Federal Street Elem.

Newton School Elem.

Academy of Early Learning

GPSK12-Moodle

Math Sites 4 Fun & Practice

Town of Greenfield

Federal Street Elementary School connecting with downtown
BY RAHIMA WADE
Greenfield Town Crier
January 7, 2012 (click here)
(pdf)

Greenfield has four elementary schools: Federal Street, Newton, The Discovery School at Four Corners, and the 4th / 5th grades at Greenfield Middle School. This is the first of a four part series highlighting the unique aspects of these schools. All of the schools are staffed by certified teachers who offer an exemplary standards-based curricu­lum in literacy, math, science, social studies, and the arts. All the elementary schools emphasize a social skills curriculum based on the Responsive Classroom model, including daily morning meetings, all school community meetings and lessons in treating others with respect and kindness. Each school also has an innovative focus and features special curricular and extracurricular offerings for their students and school community.

Federal Street Elementary is focused on developing connections with Greenfield's downtown and local community. Recently, all students in the school participated in its annual "Wreath Walk" during which they delivered class­decorated wreaths to the Fire Station, the Public Library, the Mayor's office, and seven other community locations. Students in grades two through four each take ten swimming les­sons at the Greenfield YMCA downtown.

Federal Street Elementary also reaches out to parents with special events. In Octo­ber, the school sponsored a free Harvest Dinner for all students' families. With a cider press loaned from Orchard Equipment of Conway and 14 crates of apples from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst's orchards, students made cider, apple sauce, and apple butter. The school's food department donated enough macaroni and cheese to feed 145 people in style. The cafete­ria was transformed into an elegant setting, with table cloths and flowers.

Federal Street's teachers assure students have commu­nity experiences as part of the academic curriculum. Kinder­garten classes go on field trips to the fire station, police station, local hospital and can walk to the public library so all children have library cards. First and second grade students have mixed grade "Com­munity Days" four times a year. Based on the day's theme, students participate in music, art, cooking and other hands­on activities. The next Commu­nity Day will be a partnership with Greenfield Community College's Health Sciences pro­grams. Students will engage in activities involving exercise, nutrition, and physical and dental health.

Principal Nancy Putnam is enthusiastic about Federal Street and welcomes parents to visit. She continues to devel­op Greenfield's "downtown school." "Our community activities and curriculum at Federal Street help our stu­dents and their families feel more connected to each other and to the town we live in," noted Putnam. "We are looking forward to creating even stronger partnerships with Greenfield's downtown busi­nesses and local organiza­tions."

For more info about Federal Street Elementary School, con­tact Nancy Putnam at nan­put1@gpsk12.org or 772-1380. If you would like to become involved as a volunteer, contact Rahima Wade, District Volunteer Coordinator, Green­field VIPs (Volunteers in Public Schools) at volunteer@gpsk12.org or 772-1311.

New Technology in Greenfield Schools
BY RAHIMA WADE
Greenfield Town Crier
October 7, 2011 (click here)
(pdf)

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN THE GREENFIELD SCHOOLS HAVE THE WORLD AT THEIR fingertips, thanks to several new software programs adopted by the district. Greenfield Superinten­dent Susan Hollins is dedicated to bringing the small school district up-to-speed with educational technology offerings.

Discovery Education brings students face to face with real life examples, in pho­tos and movie clips, of topics they are studying in the classroom. "It gives all students quick background knowledge and it makes learning real for students who don't have a picture in their heads of an aardvark or a cumulus cloud," noted Tech­nology Director, Carol Holzberg. The Greenfield Education Foundation is support­ing this program for the elementary schools.

Students' literacy development is a key focus for two of the district's programs. Destiny is new automated library software in place in the middle and high schools and currently planned for implementation in the district's elementary schools as well. This program will allow students to search the entire school system collection from school or home. And for middle and high school special education students, Don Johnston's Solo 6 Suite helps learners via a talking word processor and a writ­ing organizer that focuses on building paragraphs based on main ideas.

Building on initial success, several existing programs are being expanded in the district. With more books at each grade level, Accelerated Reader will enable kindergarten through ninth grade students to enhance their love for reading and advance in reading at their own pace. The NWEA Measures of Academic Progress will assist all teachers and students with zeroing in on learning levels, setting goals, and individualizing instruction to target the development of specific skills. Study Island, first used in Greenfield's virtual school curriculum, is now available to all students and is accessible from both school and home.

Holzberg sees many benefits to classroom instruction from the district's technol­ogy programs. "They are meant to reinforce learning standards and curriculum, to add a multimedia dimension, and provide information through additional path­ways," she noted. "Students enjoy the interactive quality that online educational activities can provide. They also enjoy the self-paced instruction and information control that computer-based learning offers."

The district is also focused on providing technology tools for teachers to enhance their professional knowledge and skills. PD 360 gives teachers access to profession­al development seminars and collaborative discussion groups online. The seminars can be accessed at any time, include videos of techniques being used in real class­rooms, and are taught by nationally-renowned experts in their fields. Greenfield is one of the first districts in Massachusetts to provide the PD 360 program for its teachers.

While many people have contributed to implementing the district's new technolo­gy programs, Holzberg emphasized that "having a visionary superintendent who is open to tools that provide opportunities for teachers and students really makes a difference."

Greenfield Town Crier, October 7, 2011

Greenfield Town Crier, September 23, 2011

Volunteers Open Library: Greenfield Middle School Stacks Reopened
(November 20, 2008)

Federal Students Summer Art with Tina Clark 2011

High School Seniors Sign up to Votel
(October 2. 2008)

4th Graders Like the Middle School
(September 5, 2008)

New Courses Coming Even in Tight Times
(August 27. 2008)

Rotary Reads Across the District
(May, 2008)

School officials give F to dropout study
(November 2007)

Array of Choices at the Middle School
(October 2007)

Calcari earns Gottschalk award
(April 3, 2008)

Federal Street School-New Sign
(August 2007)

GHS students demonstrate real-life marketing savvy
(March 31, 2008)

New Music Teacher @ GMS
(August 2007)

Longer school day going over well
(February 12. 2008)

Greenfield Schools Off Watch
(August 2007)

Greenfield Schools Off Watch
(August 2007)

Great News Department: Greenfield voted "off watch!"
(August 2007)

Penning their way to mindfulness
(July 2007)

Woodshop, drama, chorus are back at middle school
(August 2007)

The Green River Connection
(Summer '07)

Newton School increases science with longer day
(August 2007)

Title 1 Spring Event
(Spring 2007)

Greenfield's interim superintendent
hits her stride
(August 2007)

Greenfield High School Accomplishments 2006-7
(February 2007)

This Compass Points to Four Corners (not North)!
(February 2007)

Greenfield Public Schools: Art Shows
(May 2007)

Penning Their Way to Mindfulness at Poet Seat
(August 2007)

Walls. Halls & Windows: Greenfield's 2nd Annual Art Exhibit
(May 2007)

Green River Connection/Artwork
Summer 2007

Technology Helps Students Make the Grade at GHS
(March 2007)

Title 1 Spring 2007-Event
(Spring 2007)

In the Great News Department
(August 2007)

Greenfield High School: Accomplishments 2006-07
(Spring 2007)

Woodshop, drama, chorus are back at middle school
(August 2007)