Hocker Grove Family Newsletter
November 17, 2020
SECTION 1: NEW/UPDATED INFORMATION THIS WEEK
Academic Enrichment Begins This Week!!
Academic Enrichment for in-person students started this week and will continue each week Monday-Thursday from 3:45-4:30pm. This is a great opportunity for students to finish daily assignments, study for a test, or catch-up on missing work! There will be a meal provided and the late bus is available for bus riders. Please email Ms. Schmitt at jessicaschmitt@smsd.org if you have any questions.
Academic Enrichment for Remote students:
Academic Enrichment for remote students also started this week and will continue each week Monday-Thursday from 3:50-4:30pm. Students will be able to log into a WebEx room for additional tutoring on assignments, study for tests, and complete missing work. The link to access Academic Enrichment online is: https://smsd.webex.com/meet/hgacademicenrichment Please email Ms. Schmitt at jessicaschmitt@smsd.org if you have any questions.
Final Opportunity to Change Learning Model Selection
- Option 1 (In-person learning)- students may learn in-person, hybrid or remote depending on the COVID-19 numbers and recommendation from JCDHE
- Option 2 (Remote learning)- students will learn remotely only. There will be no opportunity to learn in-person.
If you want your student to stay in their current learning model (option 1 or 2), there is no need to do anything. Only families that want to change their learning model, will need to submit a selection. If no selection is made, the default will be for the student to remain in their current learning model.
The form to make a learning model change will open up in Skyward at 9:00 am on November 19 and will close on November 30.
Attendance for Isolated/Quarantined Students
Remote Learners with a Substitute Teacher
We will make every effort to cover all remote classes with a substitute when that is needed, but because of the challenges that sometimes come up, we feel it is best to have a standard protocol for students entering classes when they are remote learners:
- Your student should login to BOTH Webex AND Canvas EVERY class period
- If a student finds themselves waiting in a Webex lobby for an extended period of time (10 minutes or more), the student should revert to information posted on Canvas.
- Canvas will house any updated directions for the day if a substitute teacher is teaching the class. In cases such as this, an HG staff member will post a message for your student that will help them navigate to the appropriate Webex space, assignment, asynchronous activity, or work-around .
Free COVID-19 Testing Available
November 16-20 is International Education Week
SECTION 2: STILL RELEVANT
Important Upcoming Dates
November 19-30 Learning Model Change Window open in Skyward
November 23-27 No School, Thanksgiving Break
December 21 and 22 Remote Learning Days for all students
December 22 Early Dismissal at 1:45 pm/Final day before Winter Break
December 23-January 4 Winter Break
January 5 Students Return from Winter Break
January 22 Final Day of First Semester
Updated District Calendar available at https://bit.ly/smsdcalendar
Art Show
Opportunity to Change Learning Model
Johnson County Toy and Food Drive
SECTION 3: MAINSTAY NEWS
Bell Schedule
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.
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.
COVID-19 Resources
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