Panther Peridodical
HMS 3rd Nine Weeks Newsletter 2017-2018 School Year
Two Down and Two to Go
The mid-year holidays are here.
The second semester will dawn with some adjustments to how we run 3rd period. We are reviewing the student results on the mid-year Scantron (Global Scholar) assessments to address the weaknesses identified through the results. This means that Monday-Thursday their teacher may change. Students will also have an opportunity to review their winter scores and set goals for the Spring administration of the test. The Spring administration will be used by the state for the Winter 2018 report card so it is imperative that students are present and focused when we begin the assessment in April. These final scores will also be a significant part of the process for determining student eligibility for advanced level classes as well as the need for intervention classes.
Additionally, when students completed the Fall assessment, a learning target for the year was generated based on the student's score. Students who successfully met their mid-year learning target (their annual target cut in half) in Math or Reading could exempt certain 1st Semester diagnostic tests provided they had at least a "C" average in the class to be exempted. We will use a variation of this for the Spring. More information will be sent out after the mid-year holidays.
Look for the 4th Nine Weeks Newsletter the week of March 5. Until next time,
From all of us at Hueytown Middle School, we wish you the happiest of holidays.
Go Panthers!
School Attendance
Under the Alabama Plan 2020, schools are required to maintain a 95% rate of attendance for all students for the entire year. Once a student misses nine days, that student is at 95%. Because of the way the College and Career Readiness Standards rely on cooperative learning, it is very difficult to duplicate cooperative learning groups in make-up work. When scheduling appointments please be mindful of the attendance requirement.
Parents may write an excuse to cover seven (7) days for the year. After the seventh day, only doctor’s excuses may be accepted. Please keep this in mind when scheduling family trips because once those seven days are used they are gone for the year.
Please also keep in mind that students have three school days in which to bring in their excuse for an absence. After three days, the absences become unexcused and no make-up work will be given out. Work missed for unexcused absences will be recorded in the grade-book as zeros.
Check-ins and Check-outs must also have excuses. Work missed because of an unexcused check-in or check-out is not eligible for make-up and will be recorded as zeros. Just like normal absences, parents have three days in which to turn their excuses for check-ins or check-outs. After three days, they become unexcused and cannot be changed.
Grading Parameters
For the 2017-2018 school year, middle school grading will remain as last year with the following parameters:
- 75% Assessments
- 25% Classwork/Homework
We do not administer nine weeks assessments. At the end of the 1st and 2nd Semesters, we will administer semester diagnostics on a modified schedule. The full schedule for 2nd Semester Diagnostics will be posted in May.
These diagnostics will be teacher created and cover the content covered for that semester. The diagnostics will count as a 100 point assessment in the 75% assessment category for the 4th Nine Weeks.
Pride of the Panthers/Panther Passes
For the 2017-2018 year, we are continuing our efforts to improve student attendance and encourage students to do the right thing. Students who are caught doing the right thing can receive “Panther Passes.” We also give Panther Passes on random days to students who are present and on time to 1st period so do not forget that school starts at 7:55 AM. Other examples of ways students can earn a Panther Pass include (but are not limited to): going out of the way to help another student, working diligently on an assignment while others are goofing off, etc...
Once earned, a Panther Pass can never be taken away.
Every two to three weeks, during morning gym time, students may have the opportunity to cash in their Panther Passes for various prizes.
Prizes range from 1 Panther Pass for a random prize drawing to 30 Panther Passes to exempt one semester diagnostic providing the student has a “C” average in the class. It is possible that a student could save up enough passes to exempt more than one diagnostic.
Additionally, any student who has an overall “A” average at the end of the semester, no unexcused absences, no unexcused tardies no unexcused check-ins, no unexcused check-outs and no discipline referrals will be eligible to exempt all semester diagnostics for that semester and will receive a free “T-Shirt.” Students who are eligible both semesters will be recognized at the end of the year awards ceremony and will receive a special prize.
Important Dates for the 3rd Nine Weeks
- Dec 20th - Jan 7th - School Closed for Mid-Year Holidays
- Dec 27th - 29th - HMS Baseball Camp
- Jan 8th - Students return from Mid-Year Holidays.
- Jan 8th - Report Cards sent home with students
- Jan 9th - NJHS Monthly Meeting after school in Room 201
- Jan 15th - MLK Holiday - School Closed
- Jan 22nd - CARE Meeting at Hueytown Middle School
- Jan 23rd - January PTA Meeting in HMS Cafeteria
- Jan 27th - Mrs. HMS Pageant in the Hueytown High School Auditorium
- Jan 29th - Feb 1st - Cheer Clinic after school
- Feb 2nd - Cheer Tryout for the 2018-2019 School Year after school
- Jan 30th - Debate Competition at Samford University
- Feb 6th - Progress Reports sent home with students
- Feb 6th - Monthly FBLA Meeting after school in Business Tech Lab
- Feb 1st - Monthly FCCLA Meeting after school in the FACS classroom
- Feb 19th - President's Day - Schools Closed
- Feb 27th - Debate Competition at Samford University after school
- Mar 2nd - Career Day
- Mar 6th - Monthly FBLA Meeting after school in Business Tech Lab
- Mar 7th - Monthly FCCLA Meeting after school in FACS classroom
- Mar 9th - End of Third Nine Weeks
- Mar 12th - Professional Development Day - School's Closed
- Mar 14th - Reports cards sent home with students
These dates are current as of 12/21/2017. Additional dates and activities will be added over time. Please check the Facebook page on a regular basis.
Athletic Schedules
Tentative 2018 HMS Softball Schedule - Coach McAlister is looking to add 3 more games so the schedule may change