Hocker Grove Family Newsletter
October 13, 2020.
SECTION 1: NEW/UPDATED INFORMATION THIS WEEK
Good Afternoon Eagle Families,
As we shared last week, all secondary schools are moving to hybrid learning beginning October 26. An email was sent out yesterday to all families with students that have selected Option 1 (In Person Learning) to confirm your student as a Group A or Group B student. Group A or Group B designation determines the days that students come to school during the hybrid learning model. Group A students will come to school on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning October 26 while Group B students will be learning in person on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Any days that students aren't at school, will be spent learning remotely from home.
Please note, Option 2 (remote) students will not be affected. They will continue to learn remotely.
Measures that will be in place to ensure student and staff safety include:
- Social Distancing guidelines followed in all areas of the building (classrooms, hallways, restrooms, lunchroom)
- Following mask guidelines at all times (non-negotiable)
- One way hallways in our academic wing to reduce incidental contact between students. Dividing lines will be in place where one way hallways aren't possible (electives and main hallways).
- Structured procedures for restroom use to avoid overcrowding
- Staggered arrival for car riders and walkers
- Staggered dismissal of students
- Contact tracing conducted by school nurse in the event that a student tests positive or exhibits symptoms of COVID-19
The HGMS PBIS (Positive Intervention Behavior Supports) coaches are using this week to crate videos of our processes and procedures to be shared out with families prior to bringing students back. Families will be encouraged to show these videos to students in advance of coming to school so everyone knows what to expect. We will also spend time in classes before and after the October 26 return date to help hybrid students know how to stay safe and meet expectations.
All families are encouraged to review the district's middle school reopening plan for specific information.
In order to reduce contact time at school and to ensure adequate supervision of students, no student should not arrive to school prior to 8:20 am unless they remain in the car with their parent. Doors to the building will opened at that time.
Bus riders will be released from buses one bus at a time by an adult as the flow of traffic allows for proper social distancing.
Save The Date- Hocker Grove Preview Night
Bell Schedule
Panorama Social Emotional Learning Survey
The Panorama Survey can be completed by students in the remote, hybrid or in- building learning environment. Parents/Guardians would have opted their student(s) in or out of the survey during the 20-21 registration process. Survey data will be reviewed at the district and classroom level to determine areas of strength, as well as areas where more instruction and/or support is needed. Once survey results are returned, parents/guardians are welcome to see and discuss the results with their students’ teachers, social workers, and counselors. Sample survey questions can be found here and here.
SECTION 2: STILL RELEVANT
Tasty Tuesday to Support HG PTA is Tonight
Important Upcoming Dates
October 13 PTA Tasty Tuesday @ Mission McDonald's 4-8 pm (See flyer)
October 26 First Day of Hybrid Learning for Option 1 Group A students
October 28 First Day of Hybrid Learning for Option 1 Group B students
November 6 End of 1st Quarter- No School PreK-12, Teacher Workday
November 9 Start of 2nd Quarter
November 12 Parent-Teacher Conferences PK-8, Evening
November 13 No School PreK-12 for Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 23-27 No School, Thanksgiving Break
Updated District Calendar available at https://bit.ly/smsdcalendar
CORE Program for Eighth Grade Students
We have a new student opportunity provided in partnership with Shawnee Mission North.
Shawnee Mission North’s Coalition of Racial Equality (CORE) is piloting a new program just for eighth-graders. CORE’s College Advising Program is a new personalized program designed to help eighth-grade students prepare for high school and later college during these unprecedented times. The program works to create a friendly, supportive, and motivating environment for eighth-graders and equip them with the tools to be successful in educational settings. The goal is to allow students to realize their potential by learning about future experiences and the best ways to approach them, and overcoming the difficulties that these circumstances have presented.
In an effort to expand the impact of SMN CORE (Coalition of Racial Equality), CORE’s College Advising was created specifically to guide and mentor eighth-grade students in the district. Students who take part in this program will gain expertise and skills in areas such as college readiness, communications, study skills, and professionalism. Don’t miss this opportunity to prepare for the future.
More information is attached to the Skyward message you received with this link. If interested please fill out this form. https://forms.gle/vXRGLPTE1bjQifex5
Contact Ms. Kim Gilman at KimGilman@smsd.org with any questions.
Observer Accounts for Parents in Canvas
If you would like to become an “observer” of your student in his/her Canvas courses please follow the directions below.
Canvas Parent Directions:
- Download the Canvas Parent App from the App or Google Play store.
- Follow the Canvas instructional guide here to setup your observer account.
- To find your student’s “Pairing Code”
b. Click on “Settings” > then click on “Pair with Observer” (Right side)
c. Enter this “Pairing code” when prompted in your Canvas Parent App.
i. Note that each parent needs a different code, therefore repeating this process to generate a different code
ii. If more than one student, you will be prompted to “add student” on the app. Repeat the process to generate their observer code.
Parent-Teacher Communication Reminder
Remote Learning Log Form
Student Fee Payment
We are asking all parents to pay fees ONLINE this year.
- The Online fee payment portal is now open and we appreciate your patience as student schedules are now finalized. Go to www.smsd.org hover over the “Families” tab and click the link entitled “Pay Fees Online”. The site can also be found at this link: https://www.smsd.org/families/pay-fees. You may also call the Hocker Grove Bookkeeper with Credit Card information to pay fees.
- Required fees include: Textbook ($80.00) covers the cost of textbooks which are still a necessity even though many are now electronic, ID card ($5.00) for printing student id cards , and Elective Course fees (Art, Humanities, Industrial Tech classes-Robotics, Design & Modeling, Projects) covering the cost of supplies for these elective classes only if students are enrolled.
- Optional fees – Student Activity ticket (offsets costs of school-wide activities and reward trips) and Yearbook – these will automatically be deleted from the student’s account if it is unpaid at the end of first quarter. The online system will allow parents the option to not pay these fees.
- All payment plans and KanCare 19 can be completed over the phone or email. KanCare has been applied to many accounts already, so please check fees in Skyward to see if the textbook & ID card fees have been waived. Please contact our bookkeeper, Michele Dirks for help with this. micheledirks@smsd.org or 913-993-0220
- Past due fees were due June 1, 2020. Please pay these NOW to avoid being sent to collections.
- If you need to pay by check, you will need to go to the pay fees online portal to find out your student fees. Please make your check payable to Hocker Grove. Mail your check with your students ID number to Hocker Grove, attn: Bookkeeper, 10400 Johnson Dr. Shawnee, KS 66203
SECTION 3: MAINSTAY NEWS
Checking Out HGMS Library Books
Follow these steps to getting the latest releases or your favorite title!
- Open your Chrome browser and type in www.gofollett.com
- Type in “Hocker Grove Middle School” and then “Log In”.
- Log in with your student ID # and the SAME password you use to log in to your MacBook.
- Once logged in, you can either search for a specific title or subject, or you can browse the titles shown.
- Click on a title and click “Hold” to reserve it.
- BEFORE YOU COME TO SCHOOL: Check your student's Destiny account. If the book(s) is checked out to your student, then it is ready for pickup. If it is NOT showing as checked out to the student with a due date, it is NOT READY.
- Requests (holds) will usually be filled within 24 hours.
- It is NOT a same day pickup.
- The office is open 8am-4pm M-F.
- If students have an overdue HG book, they will not be allowed to check out additional books until it is returned; all holds will be deleted. Overdue books will also show on the student account. If you wish to make arrangements with Mrs. Edds to hold a book to be picked up when you return the overdue one, please email Mrs. Edds at CarolEdds@smsd.org.
- If a hold has disappeared AND a student does not have any overdue books, that means the book was not found and the hold was deleted.
- Students are allowed a MAXIMUM of 2 books at this time. The checkout period is 3 weeks.
- A blue crate for returned library books is now on the table in the office.
COVID-19 Resources
Meals Provided For SMSD Families
Meals are funded entirely by USDA as part of their Summer Meals Program extension. These free meals will continue as long as federal funding is available and could end prior to 12/31/20. We encourage families to continue to apply for free and reduced meals in the event the funding is no longer available by clicking here. Qualifying may allow for other support through the district so it is important to continue to apply for free and reduced meals.
- Meals will be available for pick up at all 47 SMSD schools.
- Pick up is on Fridays from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
- No advance ordering is needed. (The online digital ordering system has been disabled.)
- Available only for students enrolled in SMSD.
- May pick up meals for all of your students at your most convenient location.
- At pick up, the student(s) SMSD ID number(s) will need to be presented. Please have this ready in advance. (Student ID may be found in Skyward.)
- Pick up will be just inside the doors of school. Pease wear a mask and follow social distancing.
During remote learning each week’s pick up will include 7 breakfast and 7 lunches for each student.
Menus are available on the district web page by clicking here and are subject to change due to availability. All entrées and sides need to be taken home and refrigerated or frozen until ready to heat or consume.
- Each breakfast meal includes these components: fruit, grain, and milk
- Each lunch meal includes these components: protein, fruit/vegetable, grain, and milk
When the district is able to move to the hybrid model, the students will receive their in-person meals at no cost during the two days they are in school. Meals may be picked up on Friday for the other 5 days of the week. Any extra ala carte purchases the students make while in-person learning will require money to be on their food service account.
Meals are prepared by District Food Services staff and distributed following food safety and sanitary practices.
Please contact the Food Service office with questions at (913)993-9710 or foodservices@smsd.org.
The school breakfast & lunch menus, digital pre-order information and other nutrition information are available on the district’s website at https://www.smsd.org/about/departments/food-service.
Hocker Grove Middle School
Email: ChrisKase@smsd.org
Website: hockergrove.smsd.org
Location: 10400 Johnson Dr, Shawnee, KS, USA
Phone: 913-993-0200
Facebook: facebook.com/HockerGroveMiddleSchool
Twitter: @HockerGroveMS