HPMS Weekly Update - 2/25/22
Updates and resources for the families of HPMS students!
Dear Families,
I hope you all had a great week! Please note that we will be having Family Literacy Night at HPMS from 5:30-7PM on March 3rd! I have posted the flyer below. This event will take place in-person at the school, and we hope to see you here at HPMS!
Additionally, the 8th grade team has asked me to remind all 8th grade parents that money for Roper Mountain field trip for 8th grade students must be brought to the school by Thursday, March 3rd. No money will be accepted after that time.
We had two great events this week that I'd like to highlight as well. First, Mrs. Hayes' theater students performed a "Wax Museum" demonstration for our students to honor Black History Month this year. Students were tasked to research an African American individual of their choosing, dress for the occupation or role this person served in, pose "frozen" as a statue, and recite interesting historical facts and information about this person to classmates as they walked through the "museum." This interactive approach to history and culture took place on Thursday and Friday of this week, and it was a great success. We were all very proud of how these students showcased history and how their classmates were supportive, respectful, and engaged with the program. I've provided photos below.
Additionally, we had our opening reception for the District 2 Art Showcase this past Thursday, and HPMS was wonderfully represented. We are so proud of these students! I've placed photos of this event below as well. If you weren't able to attend, the Belton Art Center is open at various times during the week for parents and students to view the work posted there.
Mrs. Janet Taylor provided an update from the 8th grade students this week. They had the opportunity to talk about their job shadowing experience from the beginning of the month.
The students also worked in pairs using the internet to create a budget based on living in Anderson County. This included the average cost of a place to live, utilities along with other expenses needed to live. Students then used the Onet program to see what their desired job pays in SC on average. Students were able to see if they would be able to cover all their monthly expenses based on the job they would like to pursue.
Mrs. Taylor said, "I feel this was an eye opening experience for our 8th grade students. Several of them were shocked to see just how much it costs to have a place to live, eat and necessities." This was a great experience for them to provide them with some practical life knowledge for future planning!
Please take a moment today to check out our new website at hpms.anderson2.org! I also want to ask everyone everyone to please download our new Anderson School District 2 app if you haven't already done so! This is a great way to quickly stay connected to what is going on at the school and get important updates. It is available on the App Store and Google Play. I have linked the app below, so if you're on your phone while reading this, you can go ahead and download the app from there!
HPMS Artists Update
We are excited to announce that the following students have been selected to represent HPMS and participate in the Youth ART Month Exhibition at the Anderson ARTS Center!
Marshall Burdette
Kamryn Griffin
Averee Sealy
Adrionna Brock
Brianna Jones
Zoey Rudolph
Peyton Simpson
Melina Hanley
Paisley Kay
Elainna Lopez
The YAM Exhibition at the Anderson Arts Center Warehouse will run Feb. 22 - Mar. 11 (Tues. through Fri. from 10am - 5pm). Opening Reception is on Sunday, Feb. 27th with the Awards Presentation at 2:00 pm.
Additionally, the Anderson 2 2021-2022 Spring Art Exhibition will run from Feb. 24-Mar. 24 at the Belton Center for the Arts.
We are so proud of our talented students!
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.
Cafeteria Snack Prices
Due to the significant increase in food costs, snack pricing in the cafeteria will increase beginning January 3, 2022. Chips, fruit snacks, cookies and snack crackers which are currently .50 each will be increased to .60 each. The cafeterias will post signage and begin telling the students and faculty next week during meal service.
All students will continue to receive both breakfast and lunch at no charge.
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
After School Program
The After School Program began earlier this week. At this time, we still have slots available. If you are interested in having your child participate in this program, please contact Mr. Allen Taylor - ataylor@asd2.org.
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
HPMS Literacy Night 2022
"Wax Museum" Project
ASD2 Art Showcase 2022
HPMS Library Checkouts Update
HPMS Artist Info
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 ON THIS LINK FOR OUR 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
- 2/24-3/24 - ASD2 Spring Art Exhibit at Belton Center for the Arts
- 2/27 - Opening Reception - Anderson Art Exhibit - 3-5 PM
- 3/3 - NAEP Testing - 8th Grade Students Only
- 3/3 - Literacy Night @ HPMS - 5:30-7PM
- 3/9 - Spring Picture Day
- 3/14 - PD Day / No School for Students
- 3/22 - End of Q3
- 3/31 - Q3 Report Cards Issued
- 4/7 - TDA Field Test for Students
- 4/18 - eLearning Day for Students - (will be an A-day)
- 4/20 - ELA Spring Diagnostic Test
- 4/26 - Chromebooks Set Up for State Testing
- 4/27 - Math Spring Diagnostic Test
- 5/10 - SC Ready ELA Testing Day 1
- 5/12 - SC Ready ELA Testing Day 2
- 5/17 - SC Ready Math Testing
- 5/19 - SC PASS Testing 6th Grade Science
- 5/25 - Algebra I EOC
- 5/30 - Memorial Day - School Closed
- 6/2 - End Q4/Final Day/Report Cards