Paw Notes
Aliamanu Middle School --- January 2022
Important dates to add to your calendar
Administrative Team
1/11: PTSO Meeting @6:45 pm
1/12: Ask Admin Open Q&A Session @ 8:15 am &
"Help! My Child Is So Disorganized" Parent Presentation @9:00 am
1/17: No School, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1/19: School Community Council Meeting/discussion of "Strive Hi" results @ 2:15 pm
1/28: No School, waiver day for staff development
Welcome Back!
Happy New Year, Ha’oli makahiki hou, and welcome to the start of the second semester! We are excited to be back and have hit the ground running.
In 2022, we remain focused on providing positive, engaging experiences for all of our students. Right before break, we concluded our inaugural Amazing Shake competition and I am bursting with pride at the courage, poise, and resiliency of our students. All who participated put themselves out there in an environment that can be daunting even to adults, and they shone. Thank you for your support of this program.
As we enter the second semester, I encourage you to keep supporting our students academically by monitoring their progress using Infinite Campus.
Both inside and outside of the classroom, “student voice” is extremely important at Aliamanu Middle School. Students speak, and we listen! With the support of our faculty and staff, we will continue to host a variety of clubs and in-school activities, many of which have been student-initiated. This beautifully reflects our mission to empower and inspire all students to apply their knowledge, skills, and aptitudes to achieve personal goals and contribute meaningfully to society.
Additionally, we are pleased to announce that we have been given approval to begin a few outside sports. These are exciting times and we are thrilled that you and your student(s) are on the journey with us!
Al Hetrick, Proud Principal
From our Vice Principals
As we enter the second semester, we want to remind our families that ID badges serve multiple purposes here at AMS. Two of the most important include providing an additional level of campus safety for identifying members of our school, and allowing students to access their meal accounts and purchase breakfast and/or lunch. Please check with your child regarding the status of their student ID. If it is lost or misplaced, they should bring $5 in cash to the front office before school or during recess and our amazing staff will take their photo and make them a replacement ID card.
Additionally, if your student has not yet purchased a bus pass for 3rd quarter, please do this ASAP to help all students get home from school more efficiently.
Should you have a financial need you'd like to discuss with regard to these costs, please reach out to us. Thank you, and Go Panthers!
Happenings Around Campus
December Activity Day
With over 40 different staff -run activities, students were able to learn or practice skills, have fun with their friends and teachers, and celebrate all that they have accomplished in the second quarter. From shibori tie-dying to flag football, board games to malasada making, and everything in between, students (and staff) had a blast.
Steamposium
Volunteers from NAVSAC and the AMS community listened and learned as students presented on topics such as "How can Music Affect a Human or Animal’s Personality, Behavior, or Mental Stability?" and "How can we create a device that will help astronauts with medical emergencies in space?". Volunteer mentors then provided feedback to the presenters and students and volunteers participated in a collaborative discussion to hone their STEAM knowledge and presentation skills.
Mahalo to everyone who participated in this wonderful event.
What do the Iron Chef and the rock cycle have in common?
Panther Ambassadors Welcome New Students
Congratulations to Our Fabulous "Amazing Shake" Participants and Winner
The feedback from students, staff, and community members about this competition was phenomenal. Students reported that the event "pushed them to do something new" and "made them really proud" while staff members mentioned seeing a difference in the positive climate in our school as a result of student participation. Community members who graciously volunteered for the event mentioned how impressed and inspired they were by our 7th and 8th graders who presented, networked, displayed poise under pressure, and demonstrated their empowerment by taking part in this event. Several mentioned how excited they were for students to have this unique opportunity and how they wished they could have done something similar growing up.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success, and we can't wait to make this an annual AMS tradition!
JANUARY PANTHERS OF THE MONTH
The 7th grade Panther of the Month for January is Avery Combs. Avery is a conscientious student and always there to help others. He is friendly and encouraging, willing to take time to explain things to others when they are confused. With his own work, Avery is a careful thinker, asking for help when needed. Great work, Avery!
The 8th grade Panther of the Month for January is Alohi Hetrick. Alohi is an outstanding role model in several ways. She works cooperatively, always helping others and making sure that they understand. Additionally, Alohi uses her teamwork skills to help her peers collaborate successfully on class projects. Congratulations, Alohi!
Upcoming Student Opportunities
Meet and Eat
Did you know that every Thursday during lunch, students are invited to join Ms. Hadden and their peers and participate in computer games, karaoke, bingo, movies and more?
Students should listen for the announcement of each week’s activity on Panthervision and pick up their pass on Monday or Tuesday during recess if they'd like to participate in this fun event.
Get Caught "Doing Good"
The AMS staff is always on the look-out for students contributing to our society by doing the right thing without being asked!
Examples could be sharing supplies with a peer who doesn’t have something, offering to help out in the classroom, picking up trash that isn’t theirs on the campus, etc.
When a student is "Caught Doing Good," they receive a sticker from an AMS staff member and can then enter a weekly drawing for a free after school snack.
Who do you want to "Uplift"?
Soccer Tryouts and Coaches
Students should listen to our Panthervision morning broadcast for details on tryouts within the coming weeks.
Families, we are still in need of a coach for the girls team. If you are interested in helping out, please contact our vice principal, Mr.Trent Horita, at 808-421-4100
Texaco Poster Contest
The deadline for submission is April 1, 2022. Students can register to participate in the poster contest here and specific formatting instructions for the poster can be found here.
Panther Ohana News
Updated Covid-19 Protocols
Please be sure to complete a wellness check for your student each morning before sending them to school, regardless of vaccination status.
If your student has symptoms of illness, please see the return to school/work criteria listed below.
Keeping our schools and students safe is a community commitment, and we appreciate your support in this mission.
In-School Weekly Covid Testing for AMS Students
This is a reminder that AMS is offering free weekly covid testing for students in our health room. If you are interested in having your student participate, but have not registered yet, please use this link to register them. Once they are registered, students are able to come in every Thursday before school, or during recess or lunch recess for testing.
Modified January Schedules
Third Quarter Bus Payments
Third quarter has officially begun, so if you haven't yet had an opportunity to purchase your student's bus pass please do so to help ensure your student's transportation. Payment is by cash only. Families are also welcome to come to the main office to pay between the hours of 7 am and 3 pm.
As a reminder, the bus costs are as follows:
$72—round trip each day
$36—one way each day
$12.50 for a sheet of 10 one-way trips.
Help! My Child is So Disorganized! Parent Presentation
Mark your calendar to join us at 9 am on Wednesday, January 12th via this link and gain some tips to help your student be more organized in the new year.
Report Card Distribution
Moving?
Course Registration for 2022-23
Current 7th grade students and their parents should have received an email with course descriptions and a link to submit schedule requests on January 7. All schedule requests are due no later than January 17th.
In keeping with our commitment to student voice and empowering and inspiring our students, next year AMS will be moving to a 7 period day so students have more course options. We believe that middle school is a huge period of development where students should be able to experiment with different skills and content, and our 2022-23 elective course offerings reflect these beliefs.
Please note that all current 7th grade students are automatically registered for 8th grade unless an official withdrawal form has been submitted. We always recommend students pick electives just in case plans change.
If you have a 6th grader coming to Aliamanu Middle School next year, their information and link to will go out the week of January 10.
Geographic Exception (GE) forms are available in the front office and should be submitted between now and March 1st if you wish your student to attend a school outside of their districted school.
Panther Ohana Resources
Looking for ways to make a "Happier January"?
AMR Youth Center
Does your student like snacks? Friends? Fun?
If so, please contact the Youth Center at 808-833-0920 to learn more.
The Aloha News Project
Summer enrichment opportunities
Online and Residential programs for gifted and talented students via Johns Hopkins University
Information for summer school programs at Radford and Moanalua High are typically posted to the school's webpage at the end of February, and registration usually takes place in April
Fees do apply to summer school courses in Hawaii Public Schools.
Bereavement Resources
Kakou Connection Newsletter
District's School Social Workers and Human Services Professionals, presents information about schools, mental health, resources for families dealing with homelessness, and more, inspired by the idea that "We are all in this together".
Please click here to access the newsletter's content.
PTSO Corner
PTSO Meeting- Tuesday January 11th
About Us
Email: jennifer.iverson@k12.hi.us
Website: aliamanumiddleschool.org
Location: 3217 Salt Lake Boulevard, Honolulu, HI, USA
Phone: 808-421-4100
Twitter: @AliamanuMiddle
The Department of Education expressly prohibits retaliation against anyone engaging in protected activity. Protected activity is defined as anyone who files a complaint of discrimination, participates in complaint proceedings dealing with discrimination, inquires about their rights under discrimination laws, or otherwise opposes acts of discrimination.