HMS UPDATE
School Opening Preparations
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
It was my pleasure to see so many of our students at pick-up this week. Thank you for the well wishes and expressions of understanding. Thank you to all the district personnel who helped prepare and run our pick-up. Specifically the HMS Main Office, HMS custodians, the district IT staff, Mrs. Rivera, district security, and Mrs. Verhalen and Mr. Gorecki.
As stated in the update from earlier this week, I wanted to provide parents with more information about the supplies, the schedule, and other important items.
Be Well,
Doug Layman
Principal
HMS Parent Q & A
As per Mr. McQueeney's communication, each building and the special services department has posted their video responses to submitted parent questions.
I encourage parents of students receiving IEP services to view the SPECIAL SERVICES VIDEO (Mrs. Castorina provides a overall summary between 5:00-8:00 in the video).
You are welcome to watch the HMS Video. I have provided a written summary of the most common questions here.
Chromebook/Supply Pick-Up MAKE-UPS
If someone else is picking up your child's belongings you must e-mail julie.tantillo@sparta.org.
If you received a chromebook that appears damaged, please contact tech@sparta.org as soon as possible.
Class Assignments and Parent Portal
I am including the information below for any new parents or those that may have missed our last communication. All parents should know that if you can see a "list" schedule in the parent portal please ignore. Not all of our courses and intervention programs are listed, or if they are they may not be accurate in terms of frequency. All you need to know is the homeroom teacher, switch teacher and Resource teacher if applicable. Those assignments are accurate.
Classroom assignments will be available on the Parent Portal.
Directions to Access Genesis Parent Portal:
Visit: www.sparta.org select:
Genesis Parent Portal on the right side of the screen under Quick Links.
User Name: Enter your email address.
Password: If you are a new student the password is in the letter that was recently emailed to you from Genesis. You will be required to create your own personal password which will allow you to access all information throughout the school year.
You will not be able to access this information unless you have acknowledged reading all required documents and have signed off on them in the portal. We think it is important to review some of these documents with your child, so I encourage you to not wait until the day of to review and sign off on all documents.
Please make sure your contact information is up to date in the Parent Portal. This is used for school emergencies, transportation related information, delayed openings and closings. All district communications will come through the district’s website and app.
Google Classroom
School Supplies
FOLDER:
Upper Left Inside: A diagram of Google Shortcuts that are helpful for all of us to know
Lower Left flap: 100s chart
Upper Right Inside: students can write their username and pw information here for safekeeping. Teachers will assist in helping students fill in some of the blank areas.
Lower Right flap: All the school contact info, and a space for you to write down your teachers' email addresses. Note that with our virtual schedule we start at 9:10, not 9:00.
Back side: Google Meet etiquette guide.
IN THE FOLDER:
Storyworks magazine for September: Save for ELA.
Free and Reduced Lunch Application (yes STPS will have meals available despite the virtual setting)
Base 10 Blocks: Save for Math. I suggest cutting them up carefully and putting in a plastic bag.
Helen Morgan Schedule: A good place to write down your schedule once it is shared by your HR teacher. I apologize that some copies have the incorrect time. How do you know if you have the wrong one? 4th grade yellow copies have the wrong times. Please use the schedule pictured above for correct times.
District Calendar
Digital Learning Pledge: We got this from Common Sense Media, and I encourage all parents and students to review together and sign.
Multiplication Chart: keep handy for math class.
4th Grade Packets: save for further instructions
5th Grade Packets: save for further instructions
Supplies:
Pencil Pouch
Glue
Highlighter
Permanent marker
White Board Markers*
Crayons
Pencils
Protractor/Ruler
Post-It Notes
Red Pen
2 Composition Books
Bag of Counters (5th Grade)
Canvas Bag (5th Grade): Save for ELA!
Envision Math Workbook: Make sure it is Volume 1
Social Studies Texts (4th Grade Only)
Agenda:
While all assignments will be posted in Google Classroom and on a weekly schedule, it is always recommended to write down assignments and upcoming due dates in the agenda book. In addition, the back of the agenda has a handful of helpful math reference charts and tables (place value, money, decimal/fractions, multiplication chart, and measurement conversions.
Art Supplies:
A big round of applause for Mrs. Keenan who bagged all of those art supplies for MAS AND HMS. If you didn't get a brown bag of supplies, don't worry, you weren't left out. This year Art and Spanish will be running on semesters. So some homerooms will have Art twice per week and no Spanish, while other homerooms have Spanish twice per week, and no Art. At the midpoint of the year, regardless of when we return to school, we will switch.
Back-Ordered:
We also ordered for each student an individual white board and a plastic sleeve to go over worksheets/paper for dry-erase markups. Once received we will announce a plan for how to pick-up as they are really helpful in a virtual setting.
When can we meet (in-person) the teachers?
Next Update
-Meet the Teacher Update
-Getting Ready for Day 1
Helen Morgan School
Email: doug.layman@sparta.org
Website: www.sparta.org
Location: Sparta, NJ
Phone: 973.729.5770
Twitter: @bulldogblasts