HMMS Happenings!
October 1, 2023
Dear HMMS Families,
I hope this newsletter finds you well, enjoying this weekend as we turn the calendar to October! Overall, we have had a great start to the 2023-2024 school year. Teacher excitement and student engagement is high as classes settle in and delve deep into their academic content. Take a walk through our hallways on any given day an you may see: hands-on experiments and group discussion in science, book talks and presentations in ELA, speaking, listening and singing in Spanish, group work to solve engineering problems in STEM. These are just some examples of the great energy coming from our HMMS classrooms during the school day.
See below for timely information and updates as we enter another busy month:
-Back to School Night is Thursday, October 12!
-School Update: Arrival, Dismissal and Attendance
-BLAST begins October 3rd!
-Chromebook Habits, Registration & Insurance
-Flu Shot Clinic
-Franklin Food Pantry - Food Elves Needed!
-Team Time & Advisory Update
-PCC Update
At the bottom of this newsletter will always be a running list of "Important Dates to Remember". The list is currently updated through November.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to someone in the main office.
HMMS Office: 508-541-6230
Ms. Motte, HMMS Principal: motter@franklinps.net phone ext. 2816
Mr. Jeffers, HMMS Assistant Principal: jeffers@franklinps.net phone ext. 2846
Mrs. MacDonald, HMMS Secretary: macdonaldam@franklinps.net phone ext. 2869
Sincerely,
Ms. Motte
Principal
HMMS Back to School Night is October 12!
At 6:30pm, we will all gather in the HMMS Auditorium for a brief introduction and opening remarks from Ms. Motte and Mr. Jeffers. From there, parents/guardians will attend "classes" to meet the teachers and learn more about each subject for the year.
Prior to the evening event, students will bring a copy of their schedule home for parents/guardians to follow that night. Be on the lookout for your schedule, we will also have extra copies available in the lobby.
We look forward to seeing you on October 12th!
School Update: Arrival, Dismissal & Attendance
As you have all experienced our HMMS/Oak Street parking lot is a very busy place, especially at our drop-off and pick-up times. Each year we commit to working collaboratively with Oak Street, Solutions and FHS to ensure our practices are safe and efficient.
Franklin DPW completed some curb work in our drop off/pick-up lane this summer and created two turn lanes for easier traffic flow out of the parking lot. Franklin Police continue to consult with school administration and Officer Ayer has been present many days at arrival and dismissal to help manage flow and safety during these congested times of the day.
Traffic this year has been flowing well, thanks to all of these efforts. Thank you for your continued patience and attention as we try to get drop-off and pick-up cars through as quickly and safely as possible.
A reminder that students must be in their first period class (Advisory) by 7:20 am in order to be marked on-time and present for the school day. With our return to lockers this year, please keep in mind that students who are being dropped off need sufficient time to enter the building, go to their lockers and then report to Advisory. If you are dropping off in the morning, please try to drop off by 7:10 to ensure your child has plenty of time to go to their locker and prepare for the day.
I am reposting our drop-off and pick-up processes from our HMMS Student/Family Handbook below. Please help us ensure the safety of all by following these practices. Please continue to report any concerns you have and we will do everything we can to address them.
Drop off and Pick up at HMMS
Please follow the drop off and pick up procedures as outlined below.
If you are dropping off or picking up your child by car, for safety sake:
Please follow the traffic pattern for student drop off and pick up by car. HMMS staff will be stationed outside to direct traffic and keep the line moving.
Cars need to line up along the driveway and flow into the parking lot. This will minimize back-up along Oak Street.
Please do not drop your student off in the parking lot at drop off or ask your student to meet you in the parking lot at pick up. Use of the parking lot crosswalk is limited during these times to ensure a safe and orderly process.
Students should not exit or enter a vehicle unless it is along the sidewalk in front of the building. Students should exit vehicles on the right hand side next to the building.
When walking to school, please be sure your child is walking safely using sidewalks and crosswalks to get to school.
Please trust that this system works when everyone follows the rules and is indeed the safest and most efficient system. We have worked carefully with the Franklin Police Department to develop this traffic plan.
BLAST is BACK at HMMS!
See the flyer below for information and dates for BLAST this year.
Attached is also a Library Card Registration Form to sign your child up for their own card (they will need this to participate in BLAST).
FLU Clinic October 11
Chromebook Habits, Registration & Insurance
CHROMEBOOK HABITS
Developing good technology routines and habits becomes an important part of life for every middle school student. Students are issued a school Chromebook at the start of 6th grade that they will use through their middle and high school years in Franklin Public Schools. Students are responsible for keeping their device in good condition.
While in school, students use their Chromebook devices in every class. Teachers manage their classroom assignments and agendas via Google Classroom, timely announcements are shared via our HMMS landing page or Gmail, and access to articles and research is provided via various school programs and online subscriptions.
It is essential that students have their device every day for school. Some helpful habits we encourage you to work on with your child at home include:
-Proper storage of their Chromebook to avoid damage
-Nightly charging of their school Chromebook
-Bringing their school device to and from school each day
-Use of their school device at home for school related purposes only.
CHROMEBOOK REGISTRATION & INSURANCE WINDOW CLOSES OCTOBER 13
Click HERE to register your child's Chromebook and purchase insurance.
The Franklin Public Schools Chromebook optional insurance program provides coverage against accidental damage (drops, spills, etc.) There is no deductible and no limit to the number of claims that can be made for a Chromebook. Insurance can be purchased only via online payment and only during the open enrollment window, beginning now through October 13, 2023. This form must be completed for each device your child/children may have.
Coverage Option - The cost for coverage is $45 per year, per device with lower rates for those who qualify for free/reduced meals. Coverage includes Accidental Damage from cracked screens and liquid spills, liquid submersion, fire, flood damage, vandalism, natural disasters, and power surge due to lightning.
NOT COVERED: Intentional damage,
case carvings, broken chargers, will not be covered. Additionally, if a device is lost or stolen (as determined by our insurance provider), families may be responsible for the total cost of the device. Please note that full loss due to theft is only covered when accompanied by a police report.
Note: While the insurance is OPTIONAL, those choosing NOT to insure devices will be responsible for the full replacement cost of $250.00 should an accident or loss occur. Full replacement cost will be the only option available and partial costs to repair a damaged Chromebook will not be considered regardless of the damage as we do not repair these devices in-house.
Franklin Food Pantry Volunteer Opportunity!
Team Time & Advisory Update
Team Time with Ms. Motte & Mr. Jeffers
The last two schedule cycles, Mr. Jeffers and I have met with each grade level to check in how the school year is going and to set our intentions for a positive year. We reviewed our HMMS Core Values (Community, Respect, Achievement, Growth) and focused conversation on what it means to be a positive member of the HMMS community. We reviewed the Six Pillars of Character and launched our Six Pillar Card program where students can be recognized by their teachers when they put one of the Six Pillars into action: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.
Mr. Jeffers and also I reviewed school norms and expectations for the various locations students visit during each day - classrooms, lockers, cafeteria, bathrooms, hallways, and buses. Our goal is to set clear and consistent expectations so that all students have a safe and comfortable environment to grow and achieve.
Advisory Update
In the month of October, Advisory groups will spend time working on collaborative projects highlighting Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 - Oct 15) and Massachusetts STEM Week (Oct 16-20). They will also continue their work using the Second Step SEL Curriculum to understand the importance of self-reflection, identity, and having a growth mindset. Watch the clip below on growth mindset for an example of what groups are learning and talking about during Advisory time. Students will also explore strategies in mindfulness to manage challenges, minimize stress and help achieve their goals.
HMMS PCC Updates
For questions related to the PCC and how you can get involved, please contact anyone on this year's HMMS PCC board:
Erin Finn, President - Erin.b.finn@gmail.com
Vanessa DeMichele, Treasurer - v.j.demichele@gmail.com
Asrid Bairos, Secretary - astridm515@gmail.com
You will be hearing more about our "Day of Awesomeness" fundraiser later this month! Information will be shared with students at school and at HMMS Back to School Night on October 12th!
Important Dates to Remember...
October
- Oct 3 - BLAST at HMMS! 10-11 am
- Oct 4-6 - Grade 6 YMCA Field Trip (more info from 6th grade teachers)
- Mon Oct 9 - No School, Indigenous People Day
- Thu Oct 12 - HMMS Back to School Night! 6:30-8:00pm
- Thu Oct 26 - Fall Picture Retakes
- Wed Oct 18 - Early Release Day for Students, dismissal at 10:45am
- Oct 23-27 - HMMS Spirit Week! more info to come...
November
- Tue Nov 7 - No School (Election Day)
- Thu Nov 9 - Early Release Day for Students (10:45 am dismissal)
- Fri Nov 10 - No School (Veteran's Day)
- Nov 15 & 16 - Early Release Days for Students (10:45 am dismissal)
- Nov 15 & 16 - Teacher & Parent/Guardian Conferences (11:45-2:10 pm)
- Nov 22-24 - No School (Thanksgiving Break)
About HMMS
508-541-6230 ext 2816
Mr. Jeffers' contact information
508-541-6230 ext 2846
Email: name@franklinps.net
Website: https://www.franklinps.net/horacemann
Location: 224 Oak Street, Franklin, MA, USA
Phone: 508-541-6230
Twitter: @HMMSLightning