Hello Gilbert H. Hood Families,
It’s been a chilly but busy February! As we head in to the week before the Winter Break, please join us in encouraging our students to stay focused and work hard. Working together–staff, families, and students–brings our greatest successes.
Lift-ups:
Lift up to the students and staff involved in our first every Unified Basketball team. They put on an amazing showcase assembly for our school. The gym was filled with joy, encouragement, and school spirit!
Some important information and reminders for the upcoming weeks:
Husky Hullabaloo Fundraiser - Continues this week
Help us reach our $10,000 for 7th and 8th grade year end activities and 8th grade promotion.
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SIGN UP your student(s) on MyBooster.com.
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SHARE with your family/friends using the SHARE tools on MyBooster.com.
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GIVE a donation.
So far we’ve raised $2274 towards our goal of $10,000. Every donation counts and brings us closer to supporting 7th and 8th grade year end activities and 8th grade promotion for our students!
Winter Spirit Week - February 16-20 ( flyer)
Student Council is hosting a Winter Spirit Week, February 16-20.
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Monday 2/16: Pajama Day
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Tuesday 2/17: Rhyme Without A Reason
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Wednesday 2/18: Blast From The Past
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Thursday 2/19: GHHMS School Pride
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Friday 2/20: Anything But A Backpack
Spring Coaching Opportunities
GHH is looking for coaches to join our spring athletics program this season. We currently have openings for:
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Girls Softball Coach
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Boys Lacrosse Coach
These coaching positions include a stipend upon successful completion of the season. The spring season begins March 30 and runs through the end of the school year. Coaches must be available beginning at 2:00 PM each school day for practices and athlete supervision. If you are interested in either position, please contact Danielle Paradis, Athletic Director, at dparadis@sau10.org.
Remote Learning Plan
When weather or other emergency conditions make it unsafe to open school buildings, the district may call a Remote Learning Day instead of a traditional school closure. Here is an overview of what families can expect on those days: Remote Learning - Parent Message
Grades 1–8 Students
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Students will access learning through Google Classroom.
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On a Remote Learning Day, students should:
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Check Google Classroom for directions and assignments.
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Complete a brief attendance check-in form in Google Classroom by 12:00 p.m.
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Complete the assigned learning activities.
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Families and students should also check school email and ParentSquare for updates or messages.
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Teachers are available by email during the day to provide support.
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Students are expected to follow the district’s Acceptable Use Policy and online behavior expectations.
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Teachers and support staff will be available during the school day to assist students and families as needed.
Yearbook Sales ( flyer)
The 2026 Gilbert H. Hood Yearbook is now on sale! Don't miss your chance to reserve your copy. Here’s the link to purchase: link
One School One Book - Begins March 2
Our whole school is going to read a book together! For the month of March, students and staff will be reading Because of Mr. Terupt, together in advisory. The idea is to participate in a common literacy-based activity–together, as a whole school community. When a whole school reads a book together, we’ll have a lot to talk about!
About the Book: Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
This story follows seven unique fifth graders who are all impacted by their new, unconventional teacher, Mr. Terupt. As the students navigate a transformative school year, they learn lessons in empathy, forgiveness, and the power of personal responsibility. However, when a tragic accident occurs on a snowy day, the students must lean on the lessons Mr. Terupt taught them to find strength in each other. It is a moving exploration of how one person can change the lives of many.
Community Resources for Derry Families
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Derry Strong Website: https://sites.google.com/sau10.org/keep-calm-carry-online/home
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Greater Derry Food Services information: Flyers
Upcoming Dates:
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February 16-20: Husky Hullabaloo continues
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February 20: Closing assembly for Husky Hullabaloo
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February 23-27: Winter Break
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March 2: Students return to school
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March 2: One School One Book begins
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March 9: School Board Meeting, 6:30, Derry Municipal Center
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March 10: No School ; Town and School Election, Pinkerton
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March 10: PTSA Meeting, 6:00, GHH library
**To keep up to date on the daily happenings at GHH, be sure to check our daily announcements that are posted on our school website under the “Resources” tab. The Morning Meeting Notices spreadsheet is constantly updated and available for reference.
On-Going Reminders
Morning Car Drop Off - We need your help
For the safety of everyone, follow these procedures if you are driving in the morning car rider line behind the building:
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Wait to drop off your child(ren) until you are in the drop-off zone and signalled by a staff member . The drop-off zone is between the crosswalk near the dining hall doors (Door 16) to the corner of the building.
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Do not proceed or bypass vehicles where students are exiting a vehicle and approaching the sidewalk.
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Throughout the process, drive slowly and cautiously. (Sometimes the actions of middle school students can be unpredictable!)
The safety of our students, staff, and families must remain our top priority. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Annual Information Update
If you have not already done so for this school year, please complete your child's Annual Information Update through PowerSchool. This must be done every year for ALL NEW and RETURNING STUDENTS. Here is a link to the PowerSchool Parent Portal sign in page: https://sau10.powerschool.com/public/home.html Please call the office if you have questions or need assistance: 603-432-1224.
Assignment Completion Report
We’re excited to share a helpful feature in PowerSchool. Parents can generate a report showing all missing, late, or incomplete assignments across classes. To access the report:
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Log in to the Parent Portal. (link)
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On the left side menu, click Student Reports.
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Under the heading Currently Published Reports, choose T2 Assignment Completion Report.
See this video for further assistance: GHH Parent Video
You can also find your child’s archived reports here, including learning reports (report cards). We email you when new reports are published, but they’ll also remain available in this section.
Afterschool Enrichment Program
The Gilbert H. Hood Middle School Afterschool Enrichment program is a FREE program that runs September 2, 2025 to May 28, 2026 every Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 2 to 5:30 pm . Students enrolled in this program are expected to attend 3 days a week. Students can ALSO attend any clubs or sports offered at the school. Further details are provided on the attached flyer. The program is FUN, keeps students safe, provides engaging activities, and positive social interactions with a long-term goal of increased community engagement. To register: https://bit.ly/AfterschoolEnrichment
Afterschool Clubs & Activities
Students should pay attention to the announcements during Morning Meeting to get information about clubs they may be interested in joining. These daily announcements are also posted on our school website under the “Resources” tab. The Morning Meeting Notices spreadsheet is constantly updated and available for reference.
Derry Cooperative School District Free & Reduced Lunch Application
We invite you to watch this informative video regarding filling out the free and reduced lunch application: https://youtu.be/V6Y8kMqapgc