Family Update

Posted on April 2, 2026

Dear Families,

Hello, April!  The new month begins with a busy schedule, beginning with two days of school followed by no school on Friday, April 3rd.  Looking ahead, Wednesday, April 8th is an early release day with dismissal at 11:35 am.  Our early release day is an exciting day- all students who come to school will get a prize and an opportunity to win a special raffle prize!   This month holds a special significance for our Grade 3 students, who will be taking the ELA MCAS for the first time on Tuesday, April 7th (Session 1) and Thursday, April 9th (Session 2); this is a wonderful opportunity for them to show everything they have learned, and I am so proud of their hard work and the work of our school staff in helping to prepare them!  Our calendar is full of community events, including a PTO/Site Council Meeting on Monday, April 6th from 5:00-7:15 pm, a Title 1 Earth Month Nature Walk around Lake Pentucket on April 7th from 5:00-6:30 pm, and a Title 1 and PTO Art Night on Monday, April 13th from 5:30-7:00 pm.  I am also excited to celebrate “April Showers Bring Math Powers” Spirit Week from April 13th through the 17th.  Superstars are encouraged to join the fun by wearing numbers on Monday, shapes or sports gear on Tuesday, ties or tie-dye on Wednesday, patterns on Thursday, and their Walnut Square blue or school t-shirts on Friday to show that our Superstars are amazing problem solvers!  All of the events are listed below as well as on our school calendar page on the website.

I want to take this opportunity to share the latest progress toward our school-wide attendance goals for the 2025-2026 school year.  As you can see from the graph, our chronic absence rates are currently trending well below our targets of 17.7% for the whole school and 13.0% for Grades K-3.  This is because of your incredible commitment to ensuring your children are in school and ready to learn every single day.  I want to extend a heartfelt thank you for your continued support and partnership;  your efforts in prioritizing daily attendance directly impact our Superstars’ academic success.  Let’s keep up this fantastic momentum as we work together to finish the year strong!

Understanding the Graph

  • The Lines (Blue & Green): These show our actual progress. Currently, our absence rates are staying very low, which is exactly where we want them to be.
  • The Dashed Lines (Red & Orange): These represent our “ceilings”—the maximum rates we are aiming to stay under for the year.
  • The Goal: By keeping the solid lines well below the dashed lines, we ensure more “time on learning” for every student at Walnut Square.
  • If you have any questions about this, please let me know!

There are so many exciting opportunities to connect this month, and I encourage you to join us for as many as you can!  To help us prepare materials and ensure we have a great turnout, please take a moment to sign up for our upcoming events using the links provided below or by returning the permission slips sent home in your child’s folder.  Whether it’s exploring nature during our Earth Month walk, getting creative at Art Night, or showing school spirit during Math Week, your participation is what makes our Walnut Square community so special.  Thank you again for everything you do to support our Superstars!  Have a great long weekend!

Sincerely,

Jen Rubera

Principal

Title 1 Event Invitation:  Join Us for an Earth Month Cleanup and Nature Walk at Lake Pentucket!

We warmly invite our families to celebrate Earth Month by giving back to our local environment!  On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, from 5:00 to 6:30 PM, we are partnering with Team Haverhill for a community cleanup and nature walk around beautiful Lake Pentucket.  This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the fresh air, learn about our local ecosystem, and work together to keep our neighborhood beautiful. Team Haverhill will generously provide all necessary cleaning supplies, so all you need to bring is your community spirit and comfortable walking shoes!

After the clean up and hike, families will receive information and tips to experience nature as a family.  This event will be held rain or shine, so proper dress and footwear are highly recommended!  The trail is 1.1 miles long, and carriages and bikes are not recommended as it is a hiking trail.  Please leave pets at home.

Event Details & RSVP

  • When: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 | 5:00 – 6:30 PM

  • Where: Lake Pentucket

  • Deadline: Please RSVP by Friday, April 3rd to ensure we have enough supplies for everyone.

  • Questions? Reach out to Jen Rubera at jrubera@haverhill-ps.org.

Click on the link to RSVP:  https://forms.gle/AEWAUHTdX1ZeVKax6

Title 1 and PTO Event Invitation:  Join Us for Art Night!

Walnut Square School  and PTO cordially invites you to attend our Title I and PTO Art Night on Monday, April 13, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.  During this special evening, families will have the exciting opportunity to learn about various famous artists while creating their own unique masterpieces using a variety of fun and new art supplies.  We are thrilled to announce that the finished artwork will be showcased at the Haverhill Public Library for a Public Exhibition throughout the month of April.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, all art supplies for the event have been donated, and the PTO will kindly be providing pizza for all attendees to enjoy.  If you have any questions regarding the event, please feel free to reach out to the PTO at ptowalnutsquare@gmail.com.  We ask that you please RSVP by Friday, April 3, 2026, by clicking on this link:  http://art.walnutpto.org or by filling out and returning the bottom portion of the invitation form to the school by Thursday, April 2nd.

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 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.archive.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 

  • Monday, April 6th:  PTO/Site Council Meeting 5:00-7:15 pm
  • Tuesday, April 7th:  Grade 3 ELA MCAS Session 1
  • Tuesday, April 7th:  Title 1 Earth Month Clean Up Nature Walk Around Lake Pentucket.  5:00-6:30 pm
  • Thursday, April 9th:  Grade 3 ELA MCAS Session 2

    • ELA Make-up Dates: April 10th and April 13th – 17th

  • 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. 4/8
        • Wed. 5/13
        • Wed. 6/17 (Last day of School