Focus on Education
January 2019
What is a Brickie?
The graphic defines being a Brickie well! Read it again! It says it all about being a true Brickie! Let's make 2019 a time to keep owning our pride and tradition!
Brickies do what they plan and get the job done. Goal setting is important! Then… Work, Work, Work!
A student's ability to set and achieve realistic goals is linked to higher grades, lower college-dropout rates and greater well-being in adulthood. In a recent study in the Journal of Applied Psychology, college students who completed an intensive written exercise identifying their goals and mapping out steps to reach them posted a significant increase in grades and credits earned, compared with other students. A solution to help our Brickies is to teach him/her to trim the goal into smaller steps and practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting.
Here are some tips that can help students set effective goals:
1. Goals are intentional commitments to action, not a wish list.
"I want to get an A" lacks power. "I will work hard (How), to earn an A," is intentional and powerful.
2. Be specific.
“Find help" is too general. "I will find 5 resources that will help me before the end of the month" is better.
3. Share your goals with someone who cares if you reach them.
Sharing your intentions with your parents, your best friend, or your teacher will help ensure success.
4. Write down your goals and put them where you will see them.
The more often you read your list, the more results you get.
5. Review and revise your list.
Experiment with different ways of stating your goals. Goal setting improves with practice!
Help your child succeed by setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals!
Our students can login into Google and access these forms. You can do this together and have them submit to their teacher. Monitor progress together!
Check out our website for the Google Doc and more information!
Use our Google Goal Setting Form to Get Started in 2019! #BrickieUP
Set Goals for Yourself: Personally and Professionally!
- I will contact 2 parents via phone each week with student updates.
- I will make sure my grades are updated for the week by Monday. (Pick any day - minimum of once per week)
- I will provide formative feedback each class period so I can gauge where my class is and where I need to reteach, etc.
Example: Personally
- I will make myself a priority by walking a lap during my lunch period.
- I will utilize my health membership or the HHS Cardio Lab 2-3x per week.
- I will have a sit-down family dinner at least 2x during the week.
- I will send an email or write a note to a friends I have not seen in a while.
ILEARN for Parents!
*What resources are available to help prepare my child for ILEARN?
• Indiana’s Released Items Repository allows students to interact with released items and try some of the tools and features at: https://www. doe.in.gov/assessment/ilearn-sample-items-andscoring.
• Indiana’s ILEARN Portal provides information and resources for understanding the assessment at: https://ilearn.portal.airast.org/.
• The ILEARN for Families website answers questions about ILEARN at: https://www.doe.in.gov/assessment/ ilearn-families.
Check out our School City of Hobart Parent/Student Learning Center at the link below!
Get Ready for the PSAT and SAT!
Are you ready? Game Day is just around the corner!
Just like athletes prepare for their upcoming games, musicians prepare for concerts, and actresses prepare for performances — students prepare for exams! Why? Because practice puts brains in your muscles like Sam Snead once said.
On April 9, students in grades 7, 8, and 9 will be taking the PSAT! The PSAT — long known for being a Practice Exam — plays a much different role nowadays. PSAT scores are used to predict college, and career readiness AND are used to fulfill prerequisite requirements so students can earn college credit for classes they are already taking while in High School.
If you haven’t already heard, Hobart University — at HHS— now offers a ton of programs and courses for students to earn free college credit! BUT, they have to qualify!
Also, juniors will be taking the SAT. The new legislation in Indiana requires that current high school students either pass their graduation qualifying exam (ISTEP+) or opt into the Indiana Graduation Pathways. By earning a qualifying score on the SAT, students can fulfill the third graduation pathway requirement thereby demonstrating postsecondary ready competency.
Whether taking the PSAT or SAT in April — Game Day is quickly approaching.
For those taking the PSAT, a 26+ in English, Reading, Writing (ERW) and a 24.5+ in Math is the cut score needed for many dual credit courses. For those taking the SAT in need of fulfilling the postsecondary ready competency requirement, a 480 in English Reading, Writing (ERW) and a 530 in Math are needed to fulfill the SAT College & Career Readiness Benchmark!!!
Go to www.khanacademy.org/sat to diagnose skills, take full-length practice tests, familiarize oneself with instructions, and work on differentiated practice based on precisely what each individual student needs! Parents / Guardians, there’s even a way to monitor progress - go to www.khanacademy.org/sat to get started!
HHS's "Careers In The Trades" Newsletter!
Did you know …
There are a lot of workers who spend five years or less in every job they take on? In January 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the average employee tenure was 4.2 years, down from 4.6 years in January 2014.
So what?
It’s more important than ever for you to make sure you have options for what skills you develop and what credentials you earn so that you are marketable.
What will it take for you to be successful?
The successful worker is one who is up-to-date on trends in their industry and who is always learning and refining skills and abilities.
What can you do now to prepare for the future?
By taking dual credit classes while in high school and working to earn a certificate, technical certificate, or associate's degree - you can save a lot of time and money while working towards finding and keeping your dream job. Talk to your counselor and see what HU can do for you!!!
"When Doctors Say 'Read', New Parents Listen" by The Hechinger Report
"Teens, Technology, and Romantic Relationships" by Pew Research Center for Internet & Technology
Teenage years bring a lot of firsts. For most, it means the first date, first kiss, first job and perhaps first time driving a car. It’s the time when schoolyard crushes turn into romantic relationships and, for the teens of today, social media often plays a big role.
Flirting can happen via text, Snapchat, and other platforms. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 63% of teens with dating experience have sent flirtatious messages to someone they like, and 14% of teens without dating experience have done so.
Often teens will say things online such as “hey you are cute” and other compliments. Teens tell me that they would not say these things face-to-face but online it is fun. Often a person can tell someone is interested just by whether they send a Snapchat or a direct text (a direct text carries more weight).
Clearly, tweens and teens might not have any interest in discussing flirting with their parents. But I believe that talking about the pressure that can come along with, or masquerade as flirting, is important. Masquerading is when a person is more interested in “hooking up” than they are getting to know someone better and moving toward a relationship. (The term “hooking up” is ambiguous, it includes anything from kissing to sex. Unfortunately, the clearer term “making out” no longer exists).
The Pew study examined the extent to which not all flirting behavior is appreciated or appropriate. Thirty-five percent of teen girls surveyed had blocked or unfriended someone who was flirting in a way that made them uncomfortable, which is double the 16% of boys who had taken that step. And 10% of teens who were in a relationship reported their partner used the internet to pressure them to engage in unwanted sexual activity.
Even though teens may be well-versed in using and communicating via text messaging and social media, they surely have things to contemplate regarding relationships—we all do.
Discussing personal issues with youth (and, yes, their social world does feel very personal to them) can be nerve-wracking for parents. This national survey should give you gusto. It found that kids age 10-15 are ready to talk about tough issues before their parents are, including the issue of being pressured into sexual activity.
ReThink App For Tweens, Teens, And Everyone!
With ReThink™, our goal is to conquer the silent pandemic of cyberbullying that is affecting millions. When cyberbullying occurs, children are often advised to block the bully and tell a parent or guardian. Research has found that 9 out of 10 children suffer in silence - they do not tell anyone. Cyberbullied victims suffer from depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and more likely to drop out of school. Several solutions that are in place today address bullying after the damage is done. ReThink is the first ever solution to proactively prevent cyberbullying before the damage is done. ReThink stops cyberbullying at the root of this issue, before hurtful messages go out on the internet.
ReThink™ provides an important opportunity for adolescents to change their minds and not post hurtful messages online. With a moment to pause, review and reconsider their decisions online, adolescents learn to make better choices on and off of the internet.\
Parents, ReThink™ is a free app that is available for download on Android and iOS devices. Empower your child to make positive decisions online with ReThink. With ReThink, children can learn to think before posting or sending any offensive content that may later regret. Encourage your child to become a responsible digital citizen while enjoying peace of mind.
To install ReThink on an Android Device click here
To install ReThink on an iOS Device click here
To find out more about how you can help, please watch the video from founder Trisha Prabhu below!Youth Mover, Brandon White, Is Back!
In the high school and middle school levels, students started out in groups. They learned about teamwork while taking pieces of legos and joining them together one by one to create their own groups signature lego creation. Then the groups were partnered with another group to join those creations. Then again, until all groups individual lego creations were combined into one massive creation! It really help them to see that when you work together and combine one's personal ideas with another's, incredible outcomes can be created!
In the younger grade levels, they were put into groups and given the task to create certain objects with the legos, again each adding one piece at a time. From hearts and bracelets to the tallest lego skyscraper, students learned that working together and putting what matters first will help build a stronger relationship, stronger goals, stronger discipline, and a stronger YOU.
We hope the students enjoyed the different task they were given and look forward to seeing him again in the near future! Thanks Brandon for inspiring the Brickies!
High School PLTW CIM Class Will Brighten Your Day!
In the PLTW class Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), students have been learning about prototyping, designing products for mass production and how to use the computer-controlled milling machine to create products. For their final they had to design an LED edge lit sign, alter portions of the code for the mill, and then mill out the final product in acrylic with a wooden base. Students also reviewed safe practices with power tools and learned basics of soldering electrical wire for this project. The entire class put in 110% effort to make awesome custom pieces, several of which were given as Christmas gifts for family and friends!
JROTC Educates Our Young Brickies With The Junior Achievement Program!
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating students in grades K-12 about entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs.
The programs help prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, how to create jobs which make their communities more robust, and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. Students put these lessons into action and learn the value of contributing to their communities.
JA's unique approach allows volunteers from the community to deliver our curriculum while sharing their experiences with students. Embodying the heart of JA, our classroom volunteers transform the key concepts of our lessons into a message that inspires and empowers students to believe in themselves, showing them they can make a difference in the world.
Again this year we would like to give a special shout-out to our JROTC Cadets who took the time to go into the elementary classrooms and help educatate and mold the young minds of our Brickies! What better role models to have in the classroom. Thank you to all that volunteered their time!
Joan Martin's Student Council Gives Back To The Community!
PLTW Principles of Engineering Class Are Full Of Holiday Cheer!
Many people drive around during the Holidays admiring the lights put on houses and in yards. As the years move on more and more unique lighting features emerge and we are enthralled with the new invention. This year, our PLTW Principles of Engineering class brought out the big guns and created the LightBox Program that displayed at many of our schools! The best part is that they were also synced with a local radio station! It was amazing to see and exciting for the students who were able to see their school all decorated!
As a practice run engineering students created a display for the School Board meeting.They had to come up with a design, determine how it would look and function, get it into place then complete a test run. At the board meeting, Ares Marks represented the class and spoke to the board about the project. You can check out the video from the meeting below!
As their final phase of the project they spent the days creating "The Holiday Lightshow" displays at many of our SCOH schools! Directed by Mr. Bennett, the HHS Engineering class, with an assist from Mrs.Kistler and her students at HMS, have worked hard to get the structures and lights in place, as well as coding the lights to sync to the music. It was a one of a kind project and very awesome to see! Thanks for all of your hard work Brickies and a special thanks to Hobart Community Foundation, Hobart Ace Hardware and Toshiba America for their support in this project!
Nurse's Corner for January!
Flu- Each New Year We Face the Flu, Vaccinate so it Doesn’t Get You! Contact your healthcare provider or make an appointment at our Brickie Clinic 219-945-9383.
Vaccinations- All students should be up to date on their vaccinations. Indiana state law requires you to have up to date immunizations. if you have any questions or concerns please contact your school nurse.
Health Conditions- If your student has a specific health condition or needs special care during the school day such as medication, treatments, or monitoring, please inform your school nurse and provide your nurse with a care plan. Individual health care plans help keep your student safe and healthy.
Sick students- Please keep all sick children home from school- this includes fever greater than 100 degrees, vomiting or diarrhea. If you are unsure, please call your healthcare provider or school nurse for advice. Please do not send your student to school and instruct them to go directly to the nurse before the school day begins. If your student is sick, please follow the call off procedures. Again, if you have any questions or concerns please contact your school nurse.
Head Lice- It’s that time of year where our students break out their coats, scarves and hats. Please encourage your child not to share such items as hats, scarves, brushes or any personal items. Lice is not a danger to your child’s health, it is simply an annoying problem that comes around this time of year, so no need to panic. Please know that anyone and everyone can get lice. Getting lice has nothing to do with you being clean or dirty, it only has to do with the fact that you are human. It is very important to check your family for lice this time of year regularly. If you find any live lice or eggs, it is absolutely necessary to treat each “infected” person, but more importantly, you must notify the school so that we can effectively and confidentially assist you with monitoring. The school nurse can assist you with proper treatment options as well as identify and demonstrate for you what to do.
CLOTHING- Please make sure your student has an extra change of clothing in his/her backpack in case needed for unseen circumstances that may arise during the school day.
If you have any questions, please call your school nurse or visit our school web page at http://www.hobart.k12.in.us for more information on student health, school forms, and other helpful links.
Help ALL Brickies Get A Lunch!
Here Comes The Bus App
HMS 7th and 8th Grade Band Chamber Concert
Wednesday, Jan 24, 2018, 07:00 PM
Hobart Middle School, East 8th Street, Hobart, IN, United States
No School in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Monday, Jan 21, 2019, 07:30 AM
School City of Hobart, Hobart, IN, USA
Showcase of Preschools
Building Brickies will be hosting the Showcase of Preschools on February 7th from 5-7pm at the Early Learning @ George Earle. Local preschools will be present to answer your questions about their programs and assist with any needs you may have.
This is a free event open to all Hobart families.
No registration needed!
Park in the back parking lot at the Early Learning Center and enter through Door #8. Attendees will be entered into a raffle for the chance to win a free SpringFest wristband!
Thursday, Feb 7, 2019, 05:00 PM
The Early Learning Center at George Earle, North Wilson Street, Hobart, IN, USA
Prince/Princess/Character Tea Party sponsored by the Junior Class - SAVE THE DATE!
Saturday, Feb 9, 2019, 10:00 AM
Hobart High School, East 10th Street, Hobart, IN, USA
SpringFest! SAVE THE DATE!
Friday, Mar 15, 2019, 05:00 PM
Hobart High School, East 10th Street, Hobart, IN, USA
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