HIDDEN RIVER HEADLINES 5/8/20
9224 Paradise Lake Road, Snohomish, WA 98296
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Principal's Message
Hello, Hidden River Families!
It is hard to believe that we have been away from the school building for 7 weeks (not including Spring Break) now, and that there are 6 weeks to go until June 19! Since we have crossed the halfway point of our remote learning adventure, we thought we would emphasize some of the things we are celebrating around the Hidden River community this week.
We are celebrating our teachers! At the end of this very unique Teacher Appreciation Week, never has it been more clear the level of dedication and commitment our teachers (and all our staff members) have to our students. From emails, to phone calls, to Zoom sessions, to adjusting assignments, to collaborating together, they are absolutely sold out for our students-- for your kids. Many people took the time this week to honor their work, which was really amazing to hear and read about. Thank you for your words of encouragement and affirmation to our teaching staff.
We are celebrating our student engagement and connection! Last week we hit a high point of student connection and engagement, with 85% of our students attending ALL four core academic classes (English / Language Arts Block, Science, and Math). This is outstanding and rivals our in-building attendance rate. This is also a huge shout-out to you as parents, as we know their engagement and connection is a direct reflection of the support and expectations you set at home.
We are celebrating the fact that even though there still are students who are not engaged/connected to all four of their core academic classes, we have made personal connection in a consistent way with every student at Hidden River Middle School. Hidden River students, the adults in your life value you and are personally invested in your success. That is why every single one of our staff members has been so committed to the personal contacts we have been making every Monday and Friday morning since March 16.
We are celebrating the fact that we have been able to interact with our parent community in much more direct and consistent ways throughout our remote learning period, either to problem solve things that come up, adjust expectations, or respond to feedback you are providing.
Even in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and in the midst of crises that have occurred as a result of these circumstances, we are deeply grateful to be working in service of all of our Hidden River kids.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support, and GO HAWKS!!!
The Schedule for Next Week - It’s an “A” Week
Our remote learning schedule for next week is below and also linked here. Please note that it is an "A" week … so students will be attending their "A" Day classes all week. Please remember that the Monday and Wednesday class periods are when teachers will be giving instruction (mostly through Zoom meetings) to students, and the Tuesday and Thursday time slots are when students can receive extra support and, in many cases, receive smaller group instruction as needed. Some students may not need this level of support on Tuesday and Thursday and may spend that time just working on assignments and projects from their classes.
Grading Update
On Thursday, 5/7/20, the Monroe School District sent an email to all families in the Monroe School District regarding our grading practices during remote learning. One slight change to the information that was sent on Thursday is that the plan for completion to reach standard on essential skills will be provided only to students who have not engaged in remote learning, as indicated by the Asterisk (*) mark in the Distance Learning category of the grade book. This information has been updated and is reflected on our website, linked here.
Our teachers will be organizing all graded assignments during the remote learning time frame into a specific category in our Skyward Online Grade Book. This category is called “Distance Learning,” and will be weighted as 0% in the grade book.
This will allow parents and students to see the overall grade (through Term 3) in each class as it was when we left the building on March 13. It will also allow parents and students to see how students have been doing since we left on March 13th (by looking in each class’s “Distance Learning” Category grade only). At the end of the year, teachers will use the Term 3 grade and how students performed in Distance Learning to make a final determination for the overall grade for the semester. Based on guidance from the state, no student will receive a lower grade at the end of the year than when we left the building in March. The purpose for this approach is to recognize this learning environment is extremely challenging for many students and families. Both middle schools have tried to craft a solution that takes into account the uniqueness of this circumstance we are experiencing.
Learning Resources and Helping Students with Their Work
Reminder! You can find each class’s weekly learning resources by accessing Canvas or by using this link.
Attendance / Student Engagement
Keep up the great work, Hawks! Last week, we had 85% of our students attend ALL FOUR core academic classes! Remember, you will be considered engaged in each class if:
You attend a Zoom class and complete that weeks work for that class
You attend Office Hours and complete that weeks work
You attend Hawk Time sessions through Zoom to get the extra help you need for that class
You do not attend any Zoom calls but still complete that weeks work for that class
You create an alternate plan with your teachers for what your engagement looks like for that class
Stay Connected! Stay Engaged!
Jonathan Judy
Assistant Principal
SPECIAL THANK YOU TEACHERS!
WISHING ALL MOMS A VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
HIV PREVENTION EDUCATION CURRICULUM
Dear Hidden River Middle School families,
This letter is to remind you that we make health education a priority in our district. Students in grades 5 through 12 will learn information, as required by law, about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS. This instruction will be made available on your teacher’s classroom page during the week of June 8th for participating students.
This year, to minimize the educational burden on families, we are utilizing short videos approved by the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in place of our comprehensive human growth and development curriculum. Please consider that in the absence of this curriculum, the medically and scientifically accurate information presented in these videos, although age-appropriate, may introduce terms or concepts your student may not have had the opportunity to learn about yet.
We encourage you to review the video appropriate to your student’s grade level, as you have the right to opt your child out of participating. Please select a website link below to review the content for your grade:
- 5th grade: Marissa’s Story | Discussion Guide
- 6th -8th grade: Understanding HIV/AIDS
- 9th-12th grade: HIV - How to Protect Yourself and Others, STD Prevention - Beyond Condoms, Living with HIV, Understanding Sexual Consent and the Law
By law, parents must attest to reviewing this content before they can excuse their child from HIV prevention education. If, after reviewing the content, you intend to excuse your child from viewing the HIV prevention education videos, please fill out the opt-out form and return it to your child’s teacher via email no later than May 29, 2020.
Even if you choose not to have your child participate in this learning program, recognize that students tend to talk about this content with one another, and your child will likely receive second-hand information from their peers. Previewing the curriculum in advance will help you respond to any questions your child may have.
Due to social distancing requirements, this online review of content takes the place of our annual parent preview night. If you opted your student out of the HIV Prevention Education curriculum in the Fall, you will still need to review and opt-out of this content because it is different from the full curriculum material you previously reviewed.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Brett Wille, Principal
Jonathan Judy, Assistant Principal
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
Our continued wellness focus is Building a Self-Care Routine. Think, talk, or write each day about one of these self-care reflection questions and keep track of your reflections by playing Self-Care Bingo (linked above)! Also, the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley has shared four daily self-care activities that support our well-being: Move // Nourish // Connect // Be. Please enjoy the article here.
Each week, we are providing students with resources and activities focused on social emotional wellness. These can be found under the Educational Resources and Social Emotional Resources tab on our website.
HRM daily reflection questions and prompts:
-Monday: What is something positive from last week?
-Tuesday: I am thankful for...
-Wednesday: I am proud of...
-Thursday: How have I shown kindness?
-Friday: What has been challenging?
-Looking back at my week: What is a highlight? What am I proud of?
Lily Shafer
HRMS Counselor
PHONE LINE OFFICE HOURS
Our phones are now open and answered Monday through Friday from 8:00-11:00 a.m. and 12:00-3:00 p.m. If we don't answer, we have stepped away from our desk, but please leave a message and your call will be returned. We are here for you!
RETURNING HRMS BASKETBALL AND WRESTLING UNIFORMS
Parents are welcome to drop off their student’s basketball or wrestling uniform during our weekday office hours of 8:00-11:00 a.m. or 12:00-3:00 p.m. Please call (360) 804-4100 once you arrive, and a staff member will walk out and meet you at your vehicle. There wasn’t much time to collect the uniforms when our seasons ended, so we’re inviting families to do so now in order to avoid fines down the road. Thank you!
LIBRARY HAPPENINGS
Check it out!
Our Overdrive ebook and audiobook selection has expanded. Go to msd.lib.overdrive.com or find the Overdrive link located on the Monroe School District website in the Online Resources section. Make sure you sign in with your school Google account. Contact Ms. O'Neill if you have any questions.
SCHOLASTIC VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR
Our Scholastic Virtual Book Fair starts on Monday, May 11. https://www.scholastic.com/bf/hiddenriver
When shopping at the online book fair, you should see a yellow banner at the top of each page that tells you your purchases are benefiting Hidden River.
YEARBOOKS
Great news! Our yearbooks will once again be on sale starting for sale starting Monday, May 18th! Please note that we are not be able to accept payments at school, so purchases may only be made online. Yearbooks are $33.00 each until June 26th.
As for yearbook distribution, things will look a lot different this year. Yearbooks will still be given out in June, but we do not know yet how we will be distributing them to students. We are working on a plan and will relay information as the date gets closer. Stay tuned!
HIDDEN RIVER PURPOSE
Core Values: "Our Kids, Our Community"
- Have a Positive Attitude
- Act with Integrity
- Wholehearted Respect
- Keep our Commitments
- Serve our Community
REFERENCE LINKS
https://www.monroe.wednet.edu/departments/health-services/coronavirus/meals-for-students
COMMUNITY RESOURCES (FROM MONROE SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE)
https://www.monroe.wednet.edu/departments/health-services/coronavirus/community-resources
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
https://www.monroe.wednet.edu/departments/health-services/coronavirus/educational-resources
DIGITAL LEARNING
https://www.monroe.wednet.edu/departments/digital-learning
TECHNOLOGY HELP 7 am-4 pm
(360) 804-2520
CLASS OF 2024 MONROE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS REGISTRATION
https://www.monroe.wednet.edu/mhs/student-learning/course-registration
THE NEXT EDITION OF HIDDEN RIVER HEADLINES WILL BE ON MAY 15, 2020
WE MISS YOU HIDDEN RIVER HAWKS!!!
About Us
Principal
Brett Wille
Assistant Principal
Jonathan Judy
Counselor
Lily Shafer
Office Manager
Liz Holton
ASB/Counseling Secretary
Athletic Secretary
Michele Engvall
Attendance Secretary
Debbie Schelfhout
Health Room
Nurse
Sherah Bustamante
Health Room Assistant
Heidi Brennan
(360) 804-4132
Family Engagement Liason
Kathy Jackson
PTO OFFICERS
President: Tod Johnson
Vice President: Misty Simoneaux
Secretary: Amy Rushton
Treasurer: Heidi Workman
Fax
(360) 804-4199
Attendance Hotline
(360) 804-4101
District Notice of Non-Discrimination
Monroe School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
Civil Rights Coordinator:
Joanne Dickinson and Title IX Coordinator, 360-804-2539, dickinsonj@monroe.wednet.edu;
504 Coordinator: David Paratore, 360-804-2609, paratored@monroe.wednet.edu.
Address: 200 E Fremont St., Monroe, WA 98272.