Family Update

Posted on April 10, 2026

Dear Families, 

There are so many wonderful experiences happening at Walnut Square!  100% of Grade 3 Superstars completed both sessions of ELA MCAS testing this week!  This is an amazing accomplishment!  Thank you to our families for your support and commitment to daily school attendance.  Grade 2 Superstars had a visit with members from the American Legion Auxiliary to learn about the significance of the poppy.  During this visit, students learned about the profound significance of the poppy and began preparing their posters for the upcoming Poppy Art Contest.  I am incredibly grateful to the American Legion Auxiliary for their generosity in donating a copy of the book A Poppy is to Remember to each 2nd grade classroom, along with the art supplies and specialized poster paper needed for all our second graders to participate.  Partnerships with community organizations like these are truly valuable;  thank you for your dedication to enriching our Superstars’ education and supporting our teachers!

This week, we also partnered with Team Haverhill for Tuesday’s Title 1 Event:  Earth Month Clean Up/Nature walk with Team Haverhill Around Lake Pentucket!  You can click here to read more about Family Activities and Resources as well as complete the Title 1 Event Evaluation if you didn’t get a chance to attend.  Thank you to Team Haverhill for their incredible partnership and generosity in providing the clean-up grabbers, buckets, trash bags, gloves, snacks, and water that made the event such a success!  We are truly grateful for community organizations like Team Haverhill that partner with us to create these meaningful opportunities for our students and families to connect with the local environment.

To keep that spirit of stewardship going, please join the Walnut Square community as we celebrate a special milestone during the City’s Annual Earth Day City-wide Cleanup, centered around this year’s theme: “A Green and Clean 250th USA City!”  We invite you to meet us at the Walnut Square School on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM to help refresh the heart of our neighborhood.  Our team will focus on tidying the school grounds, including the sidewalks and play areas, as well as the Green Pocket Park next to the school.  This cleanup is particularly meaningful because the pocket park is a place of growth; our Saturday efforts will prepare the ground for a special tree planting to commemorate Arbor Day on Monday, April 27th.  Whether you are a student, a parent, or a neighbor, your hands make a huge difference in keeping our local spaces vibrant for the city’s 250th anniversary.  Let’s roll up our sleeves and show Walnut Square some love by clicking here to RSVP today!

In addition to preparing for our cleanup efforts, we would like to share a few friendly reminders to help keep our students comfortable throughout the day.  Please ensure your child brings a reusable water bottle to school to stay hydrated, and please pack a spare change of clothes into their backpack.  Having these essentials on hand ensures that our young volunteers are ready for a day of active work and any unexpected messes that happen during a busy school day!

Looking ahead to the coming week, we are excited to kick off our “April Showers Bring Math Powers” Spirit Week from April 13th through the 17th!  We start on Monday, April 13th, by showing that “You Can Count on Math” with shirts featuring numbers, followed by Tuesday’s “Math Shapes Your Mind” theme where students can wear shapes or their favorite workout and sports gear.  On Wednesday, we celebrate how “Math Ties Into Everything” with ties, hair ties, or tie-dye apparel, and on Thursday, we highlight that “Math is Full of Patterns” by wearing stripes, polka dots, plaid, or checkers.  We wrap up the week on Friday by honoring our “Superstar Problem Solvers” in Walnut Square t-shirts or blue shirts.  Don’t forget that we also have a wonderful community evening planned for Monday, April 13th, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM for our Title 1 and PTO Art Night- we hope to see you there!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Jen Rubera

Principal

You’re Invited:  Haverhill’s Annual Earth Day City-Wide Cleanup Event Invitation

Please join the Walnut Square community for the City’s Annual Earth Day City-wide Cleanup.  This year, we are celebrating a special milestone with our theme: “A Green and Clean 250th USA City!”

Event Details:

  • When: Saturday, April 25, 2026

  • Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

  • Meeting Location: Walnut Square School

Our Specific Focus:

While the city tidies up everywhere, our team is dedicated to refreshing the heart of our neighborhood. We will be focusing on:

  • Walnut Square School grounds (sidewalks and play areas).

  • The Green Pocket Park right next to the school.  The pocket park abutting our school is more than just a cleanup site; it’s a place of growth!  We are excited to announce that this park will be the location of a special tree planting to commemorate Arbor Day on Monday, April 27th.  By cleaning the park on Saturday, we are preparing the ground for this new addition to our community!

Whether you are a student, a parent, or a neighbor, your hands make a huge difference in keeping our local spaces vibrant and green for the city’s 250th year.

Let’s roll up our sleeves and show Walnut Square some love!  Please RSVP by clicking here on this link.  

HPS Update on Summer Extended Year Programming & Staffing

We are excited to announce a fresh direction for this year’s summer programs! To enhance the student experience, we are revamping our extended-year offerings for grades K-4 through a new partnership with our Discovery and Access 21 Clubs.   The Literacy Academy and the Language Institute are merging with Discovery and Access 21 to provide a more hands-on learning experience using DESE-approved curriculum.  The district will continue to identify students to invite based on data.  In addition, our community partners, The YMCA and The Boys and Girls Club, will be offering an afternoon program with limited openings.

Applications will be going out in the next few weeks – please check your email.

Attached is a summary of the Summer 2026 Learning Opportunities for our students. Please keep in mind that most of these programs are by invitation, based on specific criteria.

HPS Transportation Update

The new Family App for transportation tracking is now available, though please note that this system is serviced and managed by NRT rather than Haverhill Public Schools.  Currently, eligibility is limited to students riding “Big Bus” vehicles, as the service is not yet provided for specialized transportation.  To get started, please refer to the Setup Guides in English or Spanish for step-by-step instructions on downloading the app and linking your account.   Should you encounter any technical issues, we encourage you to contact the dedicated Help-Desk directly at BeaconConnect@gobeacon.com for the most expedited support. We appreciate your cooperation as we roll out this new tool to improve our communication with you; please click the link below to access the full guide.

Superstar Reading at Home Resources

Mark Your Calendar!

Please visit https://walnutsquare.haverhill-ps.org/events/   or view the calendar on Parent Square to stay informed about important dates and events!  You also have the opportunity to subscribe to the Walnut Square calendar to get updates right on your device!

April 2026 

  • April 13th-17th:  April Showers Bring Math Powers Spirit Week
    • Monday, April 13th: You Can Count on Math!  Wear a shirt with a number on it.
    • Tuesday, April 14th:  Math Shapes Your Mind!  Wear a shirt with shapes or wear your favorite workout clothes or sports clothes.
    • Wednesday, April 15th:  Math Ties Into Everything!  Wear your favorite tie, hair ties, or tie-dye apparel.
    • Thursday, April 16th:  Math is Full of Patterns!  Wear your favorite patterns (stripes, polka dots, plaid, or checkered clothes) to show that math is all about patterns.
    • Friday, April 17th:  Our Superstars are Problem Solvers!  Wear your Walnut Square t-shirt or a blue shirt to school.
  • Monday, April 13th 5:30 to 7:00 pm:  Title 1 and PTO Art Night
  • April 20th-24th:  NO SCHOOL SPRING RECESS
  • Saturday, April 25th: Haverhill’s Annual Earth Day Clean Up 8:30-1:00 pm **We will be cleaning Walnut Square School and the park abutting our school.
  • Tuesday, April 28th:  Pre-K – 8 Progress Reports Issued- Third Trimester

May 2026 

  • Monday, May 4th:  PTO/Site Council Meeting
  • Monday, May 4th- Friday, May 8th:  Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week
  • Monday, May 11th:  Grade 3 MCAS Session 1
  • Tuesday, May 12th:  Grade 3 MCAS Session 2

    • Math Make-up Dates: May 14th, 15th, 18th, and 19th

  • Wednesday, May 13th:  Early Release Day- Dismissal is 11:35 am
  • Thursday, May 14th 4:00-7:00 pm:  HPS City-Wide Art Show at HHS
  • Friday, May 22nd:  K-3 Spring Music Concert 10:15 am
  • Friday, May 29th:  K-3 Spring Music Concert 10:15 am RAIN DATE
  • Monday, May 25th:  Memorial Day- NO SCHOOL

June 2026 

  • Wednesday, June 17th:  Last Day of School *Early Release Day- Dismissal is 11:35 am

 

Early Release Dates:

      • Dismissal time is 11:35 am on the following dates:
        • Wed. 5/13
        • Wed. 6/17 (Last day of School