HPMS Weekly Update - 5/13/22
Updates and resources for the families of HPMS students!
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a great week! If you are available and would like to support our senior BHP Bears, please feel free to come watch their parade on Monday, May 16th at 6PM. You can park in either lot in front of our school and watch them as they come down Brock Avenue at little after 6PM (they will start at the elementary schools). We'd love to have lots of folks here to support their success!
Also, I want to thank 8th graders Rhiley Bannister and Max Walfield for doing a great job of leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Salute to the SC Flag at the Anderson 2 Board Meeting this past Monday! They did an awesome job and represented our school so well!
Next, I want to thank the PTO for providing some treats for our teachers and staff last week! We so appreciate them supporting us here at HPMS!
I also want to once again say how incredible the band concert was last Friday night! I didn't get to include it in the newsletter last week because the concert was later on Friday evening, but I wanted to be sure to say how wonderfully the advanced and beginning bands did! Our band students and Ms. Curry did an incredible job!
Additionally, as noted in the important dates section below, we are having a field day this year for our students. It will be the morning of June 1st. We will provide more information in the coming days. Please note that this day is a half day.
We have another two extremely important days coming up next week at HPMS! Tuesday, May 17th will be SC Ready testing for math, and 6th grade students will take their science state test on Thursday, May 19th. These are our critical state tests that evaluate the learning of our students and our progress as a school. These days are deeply important to our school and community, and you all can help us out tremendously this week! Here are some important reminders:
- We need everyone here, on time, and ready to go on Tuesday and Thursday morning! It will help students and teachers to be much more relaxed if students are here on time and ready to begin.
- Students need to have their Chromebooks fully charged at home!
- Students need to get plenty of rest on Monday and Wednesday night!
- Students need to be encouraged to take their time and do their best! These tests are not timed, so as long as they are making progress, they can have as much time as needed!
- I cannot begin to tell you the impact that your voice has when you are adamant with your child to do his or her best on these days!
- Thank you for your help and your incredible support!
Once again, we had the highest ever school-wide scores we've had on the diagnostic on both ELA and math, so what that means is our students are more prepared for SC Ready than ever. I am excited for them to show what they know!
The Algebra I End-of-Course Test will follow on the 25th, and everyone will take the TDA field test on May 26th.
Summer School
Information regarding summer school has already been distributed to some students. Additional notices will be sent home soon, and we appreciate your help in getting these items returned to us.
Summer school will be hosted at BHP, Monday-Thursday, June 6-30, 8AM-12:30PM
Yearbook Update
Yearbooks can be ordered online at JostensYearbooks.com until May 20.
Cash or check can also be sent to school and given to Mr. Taylor.
As of this writing, we have 35 left to sell, and we expect to sell out this year.
Summer Feeding Program
Honea Path Elementary School
June 6, 2022 —June 30, 2022
Monday—Thursday
Breakfast 7:45am-8:30am
Lunch 10:30am-12:30pm
Belton-Honea Path High
June 6, 2022—June 30, 2022
Monday—Thursday
Breakfast 7:45am-8:30am
Lunch 10:30am-12:30pm
ALL children and teens 18 years of age and younger may receive a meal at no charge, regardless of the school normally attended. All meals must be eaten on site. There will be no to-go meals provided.
BHP Dance Team Tryouts
This is an awesome opportunity to showcase your talent, be part of a team, and support your BHP Bears at home JV football games!
Who is eligible to audition? Current 6th-11th graders who will be enrolled in 7th-12th grade at Honea Path Middle, Belton Middle, or BHP High School for the 2022-2023 school year.
When are auditions? Auditions are held at Upstate Dance & Baton (21 North Main Street, Honea Path) on Tuesday, May 31st from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Parents should come in from 7:45pm-8:00pm for additional information. Basic requirements are: flexibility, presentation, positive attitude, and the ability to learn quickly.
Attire: Tryout attire should be black shorts, a solid color tank top, hair in a high ponytail, and makeup like it would be for gameday.
For specific questions concerning the BHP dance team auditions and responsibilities throughout the year, please contact 864-844-1248. Girls who make the team will need to take class in the summer and throughout the school year. The team will also participate in events such as Christmas showcase, community events, Christmas parades, and the recital.
Honea Path Youth Town Council
The town of Honea Path has developed its first ever Youth Town Council. 8th grader Jared Morris, from HPMS, is the President. They are searching the Honea Path community for more youth leaders to serve as board members. Students who reside in Honea Path and are currently in grades 3rd-12th are eligible and will be considered. This is a great way to have young voices be heard in our community and raise up future leaders! Applications are available in the front office at school, and they can be submitted to Town Hall on or before May 31st 2022. If you have further questions, please contact Tina Scott @ adjupstate@gmail.com.
4-H Leadership Camp Information
The South Carolina 4-H Pinckney Leadership Program is committed to empowering students to grow their leadership abilities and awareness in civic engagement. Founded after the late Senator, Clementa Pinckney, they work hard to create events and opportunities that set forth the standards and principles valued by Senator Pinckney. 2022 Summer Program applications are open. They are looking for students who want to learn and grow in their leadership to join the 4-H Pinckney Leadership Program this summer.
Rising 7th and 8th graders can apply for camp here: 2022 South Carolina 4-H Pinckney Leadership Camp. Youth can get the full camp experience at Camp Long in Aiken, SC from July 24-29.
State Department Tutoring Resource
This is a great resource from the state for students and parents. The link below is a quick Screencastify video that shows how to go to the Tutor.com program through discus. (No audio)
https://watch.screencastify.com/v/xXFJ54tuo7maIx8GiJDr
Grade Level Newsletters/Agendas
Click Here for the 6th Grade Newsletter/Agenda
Click Here for the 7th Grade Newsletter/Agenda
Click Here for the 8th Grade Newsletter/Agenda
Free and Reduced Lunch Application
We recognize that lunch and breakfast are free at this time for everyone; however, having accurate information about our free and reduced lunch recipients is critical to the funding of our school and district. Please view the application and fill it out if you believe you qualify!
Free and Reduced Meal Application Link
Thank you,
John Michael Hall, Principal of Honea Path Middle School
Tutor.com Information
The flyers above explain how students can utilize Tutor.com for free through scdiscus.org. Also, the link below is to a video tutorial that explains how it works and what features it offers. This is an excellent resource and we want to make sure all of our students have the information needed to access it.
General Information
COVID Protocol Update
We strongly encourage mask wearing for our students at this time. We cannot and will not mandate masks for students, but your help with this effort of keeping our students and staff safe, our doors open, and our children learning is so greatly appreciated. The short version is that we want our students here learning and our teachers here teaching, and we believe that the simple step of mask wearing will help us in that critical effort.
If you haven't seen the message from Superintendent Johns, here is the link to the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvbW0d1Rb90
Please also note that the State Department of Education has now reinstituted its mask requirement for bus riders.
Arrival and General Procedures
Please continue to assist us in the mornings with drop offs. Around 7:35, when we start getting more cars, it is very helpful to us and the other parents in line if you will pull forward, at least until the end of the brick flowerbed wall out front to let your child out if you are in the front of the line. We ask that other cars behind the lead car to pull forward as well. This adds only a few extra steps for your student, but it goes much faster for everyone and helps everyone get to class on time if we can unload 4 or more students at a time out front. Please note that homeroom begins at 7:50. We recognize that this is an adjustment from what it was last year, but this is to provide as much class time to our students as possible. Please note that students will have to sign in as late if they are coming into the building after 7:55.
Dress Code Information
We appreciate in advance your help with our updated dress code for this year. There were some changes made across all secondary schools in the district to handle the dress code. I ask you to please review these for yourself and with your students. They have been covered in school with the teachers, but we greatly appreciate your help at home. The most common issues we see are holes in pants that are far too large or too high, shorts that are too short, shirts that are too short or cut too low, exposed undergarments, and shirts/tops that aren't long enough over leggings. Please also note that we don't allow blankets or hats/hoodies worn in the building.
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT HPMS DRESS CODE
Student Cell Phone Information
Please help us by reminding students that they are only to use their phones during designated times (before 7:50, during lunch, during recess when applicable, and whenever they have teacher/administrative approval). Please help us with this by contacting the school directly if you need to speak with students. Texting students or having them call home during the day without administrative approval can result in an infraction if it becomes known to us. We have phones available for emergency use in the front office, and we will absolutely make sure you are notified in the event of an emergency.
Bus Drivers Needed!
Bus drivers are needed to ensure a timely pick up and drop off for our students. If you are interested in becoming a bus driver for our district, please see this link. Once opened scroll to page 2. Bus Driver Information
HPMS Wall of Honor
Help us honor our heroes! Get your submission in TODAY!
HPMS Wall of Honor Submission Form LINK
PTO
If you’re interested in volunteering to help with the PTO, or if you're just interested in finding out ways to help support our students and teachers, please contact the PTO at hpmspto@gmail.com for more information! We would love to have you involved!
COVID Contact/Positive Test Procedure
It is critical that you let us know if someone in your household has been diagnosed with COVID or your student has been named a close contact due to a contact that occurred outside of school. If you become aware of this after school hours or on the weekend, please feel free to email me at jmhall@asd2.org AND Nurse Snipes at msnipes@asd2.org. We also encourage you to call during school hours ASAP and hold your student out of school until you receive more information from us based on our guidelines from DHEC. Your help with this is critical to keeping the school safe for everyone.
HPMS Parent/Student Handbook
This is our updated version and we ask all parents to familiarize yourself
with our policies and procedures.
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT HANDBOOK
Arrival
Please drop your students off at or after 7:30 to aid in arrival procedures. Students who arrive before 7:30 will be seated in the hallways. All students who arrive at or after 7:30 will report directly to their teacher's classroom. Staff will be supervising to make sure social distancing is maintained.
Dismissal Procedures
If you are going to pick up your child in the afternoon, please create a placard to display in your windshield with their printed first and last names large enough for our staff to see from the outside).
Bus riders will be dismissed by bus to maintain social distancing. This will be the same process that we will use throughout the school year with the understanding that we may adjust according to potential new guidelines or conditions.
Links to Information (You may have to right-click on some links to open them)
Car Rider Dismissal Procedures
At this time, we will follow the procedure shown in the map I have provided. I’ve broken the directions down by grade level for you here:
6th Grade - 6th grade students will continue to be dismissed to the front “car loop,” and we will continue to have parents pull forward as much as possible. The only change to this for 6th grade parents is that we are asking you all to approach the school from the Main Street side of Central Avenue. This will keep us from backing up on to 252 from Brock, and it should require very little driving out of the way to get in line.
7th Grade - 7th grade students will now cross the road to get in cars which will be on Park Avenue on the right side of the road. Please do not block the entrance/exit to the parking lot in front of the school when you are in line. Park Avenue is wide enough that if you will pull to the right, it will still allow traffic through on Park as needed. We are asking that you turn left onto Brock Avenue to help us keep that crosswalk cleared.
8th Grade - 8th grade students will still continue to go to the parking lot across the street for dismissal. We are asking that you turn left out of the parking lot when you leave. We realize that this is less convenient for those of you who normally turn right, but it will keep from having two sets of traffic turning onto Brock Avenue at the same time and creating a bottleneck. If you are picking up two or more students, you are welcomed to use this lot as well, regardless of grade level.
We will have someone helping to direct traffic and keeping the entrance unblocked at the parking lot exit. We ask that you drive even more carefully than usual around the school because there will be several different valves of traffic going to and from the school.
Google Classroom Cheat Sheet for Parents and Students
Upcoming Events
- 5/16 - BHP Senior Parade - 6PM (Come join us in front of HPMS to support the seniors!)
- 5/17 - SC Ready Math Testing
- 5/19 - SC PASS Testing 6th Grade Science
- 5/20 - Last day to order yearbooks
- 5/25 - Algebra I EOC
- 5/26 - TDA Field Test
- 5/27 - Student Chromebook Collection
- 5/27 - BHP Graduation
- 5/30 - Memorial Day - School Closed
- 5/31 - Awards Day in the Morning - Grade Level Ceremonies - Information Coming Soon
- 6/1 - Field Day/Half day for students - Breakfast Service Only
- 6/2 - End Q4/Final Day/Report Cards/Half day for students - Breakfast Service Only