HMMS Happenings!
The HMMS staff, lead by our Crazy Reading Ladies, brought 302 students to Foxboro today for a special screening of The Finest Hours! This was our biggest All In! group to date - thank you so much for your support of this annual adventure!
Student Dismissal and Car Pick-Ups
In an effort to recommit to the practices that make our school community run most efficiently, Ms. Cotillo, Mr. Parnell and I have been stationing ourselves outside to help re-establish traffic patterns at drop-off and dismissal.
As a reminder, the HMMS Student Handbook (pp.14-15) contains the following guidelines:
If you are dropping off or picking your child up by car for safety sake:
Please follow the traffic pattern for student drop off and pick up by car. Cars need to line up along the driveway. Students should not exit or enter a vehicle unless it is front of the building. Students should exit vehicles on the right hand side next to the building. Please do not drop your student off in the parking lot or on the street.
Please trust that this system works when everyone follows the rules and is indeed the safest and most efficient system. We have worked carefully with the Franklin Police Department to develop this traffic plan.
We understand that there has been a lack of clarity regarding drop-offs, pick-ups and traffic flow. We are committed to helping traffic flow as quickly as possible during these busy times. By waving cars to pull up in the line and only allowing students to get picked up in the front of the building, we hope to make things run more smoothly.
We thank you for your support and cooperation in following the plan as outlined above.
We are also working in collaboration with Oak Street and FHS as we know that parking practices in our lot also need to be re-examined. Stay tuned for more information and updates on that...
Cell Phones
Monday and Tuesday of this week, the HMMS administration and teachers met with each grade level to review the change to student cell phone habits. As stated last week, the expectation will now be that all student cell phones are turned off and kept in a student's locked locker during the school day.
We allowed for some transition time this week for students to adjust to this new habit, giving lots of reminders each morning for students during their locker break. As we anticipated, students have been doing a great job following this new policy! Beginning February 1st, students will be expected to follow the cell phone policy without repeated reminders.
During our grade level meetings, students were given an opportunity to ask questions about this change. "What if there is an emergency?" and "What if I have to contact my family during the day?" were common questions that were asked. We reviewed practices that are in place in school (e.g. phones in each classroom and in the office, emergency cards for each student with parent contact information, etc.) and clarified that these will be the practices we use during the school day instead of using cell phones.
This means that students will reach out with a phone call instead of a text message if they need to contact families during the day. If you need to reach your student during the school day, you may call the office and we will get that message to your student.
Ideally, we encourage plans to be made ahead of time to avoid last minute phone calls, but understand that unexpected changes will happen. In the event of such a change, you will be able to make contact with your student during the school day using the school phones.
We appreciate your support in reassuring your student and helping him/her adjust to this new habit.
Lost and Found
Our Lost and Found table is overflowing!
If your student has misplaced something (a lunch bag, article of clothing, shoes, binder, etc.) please be sure he or she visits our Lost and Found table, located in the main lobby just outside the main office.
The Lost and Found table will be cleared Friday, February 12th.
At that time, any items left on our table will be donated or discarded. Please be sure to check (or double check) before Feb 12th to claim your lost items!
That's all for now! Have a great weekend!
Ms. Motte
Upcoming Dates
Feb. 4 World Geography Night, 5:45 @ HMMS
Feb. 8-12 HMMS Spirit Week! More information to come...
Feb 15-19 February Vacation Week, No School