Panther Press
for the Week of April 9th Plus
Reminders from the Principal
State testing begins this week. Due to the test schedule, students will begin reporting back to their regular 3rd period class (when not on a testing day) beginning Monday. This change will carry us through the end of the year.
Make sure you are continually reminding students about the mandate with regards to digital devices in the testing rooms, their test days, test locations and testing incentives.
The mandate against digital devices in the testing room applies to the adults as well as students. Adults in violation of this mandate will have their device confiscated, turned over to the district and written up for insubordination. Adults in the testing room should also be mindful that they are to be monitoring students as they test during the test session. Grading of papers, reading of magazines and leaving the test group unsupervised are just a few examples of behaviors that will result in a test irregularity on the teacher's part. Test irregularities on the adult's part will result in a letter of reprimand.
All teachers are required to administer a unit assessment every 4.5 weeks and they must be labeled as a unit assessment in your gradebook. These assessments must also appear in the gradebook to reflect grades for that time period. While the expectation is that all teachers will administer at least one unit test every 4.5 weeks, the total number of assessments each nine weeks is determined by the classroom teacher. With assessments counting 75% of the nine weeks grade it behooves each teacher to have more than two. All teachers are required to have spoken to or had face-to-face contact with parents of students who have an "F" in their class BEFORE the end of each 9 weeks. It is NOT the responsibility of the EX ED teacher to make those contacts for the classroom teacher, either. These are non-negotiables.
All staff are responsible for electronic communications and items shared through the google platform. A copy of the current staff handbook for HMS is on the google drive.
All teachers should be uploading evidence to EducateAlabama on a regular basis. Do not wait until the last minute. If you are having issues with EducateAlabama, follow the instructions on the EducateAlabama site for contacting the Help desk.
Here is a list of reminders for this semester:
1. If we want things to change the change starts with us.
2. All employees will be professional.
3. Attendance counts even for the adults. Attendance must be taken each class period and posted.
4. Our expectations for students have to be taught and have to be consistent across the team if not grade level.
5. All teachers are expected to be on time for school and duty.
6. Hall duty does not mean standing in a huddle and talking about the students. It means actively supervising students in all areas of the building. This includes the lunchroom. Teachers do not have a duty free lunch. Teachers are expected to monitor students to the lunchroom, in the lunchroom (including the line) and on the way back from the lunchroom.
7. All students are expected to be in the classroom when the tardy bell rings.
8. No student should be allowed out of class without a pass, period.
9. Teachers and staff are expected to be on campus all day. Permission to leave campus must be given by an administrator and only if it is school related.
10. 3rd Period Advisement and Career Prep Lessons are not optional. It is the expectation that these lessons will be delivered each Friday including when a teacher is absent.
11. Sub folders should contain emergency lesson plans for a teacher's classes including 3rd period. Rosters for all classes must be included in the Sub-Folders.
Go Panthers!
Spring Testing Incentives and Reminders
We have begun our ramp-up to the Spring Assessment of the Scantron Performance Series and are introducing an incentive program for our students. It is imperative that all students are at school on testing days and focused to try their best. To encourage students, we are offering the following incentives:
1) Any student who successfully makes their Spring learning target on the Scantron Performance Series Reading Assessment, has no unexcused attendance April 9 through May 4, has no test irregularities during testing and has at least a "C" average in the class can exempt either their English OR their Social Studies final exam in May.
2) Any student who successfully makes their Spring learning target on the Scantron Performance Series Math Assessment, has no unexcused attendance April 9 through May 4, has no test irregularities during testing and has at least a "C" average in the class can exempt either their Math OR their Science final exam in May.
3) All students who have no unexcused attendance April 9 through May 4 and no Class II offenses on test days will be eligible to participate in our End of Testing Beach Bash.
As a reminder to all parents and students, students are not allowed to have ANY digital devices in their possession during testing. Digital devices include cell phones, smart watches, Ipods, tablets and their equivalents. Any student found in possession of a digital device in a testing room will receive at a minimum a Class II, have their device confiscated and the device will be turned over to the district. Test irregularities are at a minimum Class II offences.
Unexcused attendance includes all unexcused absences, check-ins, check-outs and tardies to class.
Important Reminders for the Week of April 9th Plus
Apr 9 - May 4 - Spring Testing Window (see schedule distributed by Dr. Foster)
Apr 9 - Timecards required to be approved and corrected by 3 PM
Apr 9 - NJHS Meeting after school in Room 201
Apr 9 - HMS tennis vs Westminster Academy at Inverness Country Club
Apr 9 - HMS Baseball vs Locust Fork at Bud Newell Field
Apr 10 - NO Faculty Meetings this week - Read YOUR EMAIL DAILY
Apr 10 - HMS PTA Meeting in the Cafeteria
Apr 10 - HMS Baseball at Thompson Middle
Apr 10 - HMS Softball vs Bragg @ Natalie Bunn Field
Apr 11 - 6th Grade Field and Track Day @ Corner
Apr 12 - HMS Golf team vs Corner and McAdory at Marcum Golf Course
Apr 12 - HMS Baseball vs Minor @ Bud Newell Field
Apr 12 - HMS Softball @ Bragg
Apr 13-14 - Jefferson County Softball Tournament @ Corner - See Coach McAlister for details
Apr 13 - 14 Jefferson County Baseball Tournament @ North Jefferson - See Coach Evans for details
Apr 13 - Grades posted by 3 PM
Apr 16 - CARE Meeting @ Concord Elementary
Apr 17 - Progress Reports Sent home with students
Apr 19 - Jefferson County Track Championship @ MJHS
Apr 20 - Spring Play on the 6th Grade Hall
Apr 27 - Professional Development 1/2 Day - Teacher Workday 1/2 Day - No students
May 4 - Beach Bash for Students who meet expectations
May 9 - 8th Grade Tour of Hueytown High School
PLUS Team Rotation
No PLUS Team Meetings in April due to testing
PLUS Team time set aside on Apr 27 PD Day
No PLUS Team Meetings in May
Lesson Plan, Unit Assessments & Contact Log Administrators
- 6th Grade teachers, Poe, Finch, Overton, and Owens submit to Mr. Anders via email.
- 7th Grade teachers, Gonzalez, Moreno, Evans, Williams and Channel submit to Mr. Powell via email.
- 8th Grade teachers, Cerka-Wilkes, A. Smith, Kunath, Whitfield and Richards-Broome submit to Dr. Foster via email.
Lesson Plans/Parent Contact Log Calendar
April 20 (LP Apr 23 – May 4, PC through Apr 19)
May 4 (LP May 7 – May 24, PC through May 3)
May 25 (PC through May 24)