The Panther Post
EHMS Weekly Update 3/4/24 - 3/8/24
Principal's Message
Good afternoon,
Sign ups for conferences were sent out by teachers on Wednesday evening. If you are looking to arrange a conference with individual teachers, please make sure to see the Parentsquare sent by each teacher. As always, if you would prefer a team meeting, please reach out to your child's Team Leader to arrange, as we can always accommodate one.
We hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend and we hope to see you at this weekend's production of Beauty and the Beast Jr!
Best,
Christina & Emily
Save the dates!
Fri March 8th - 10th - EHMS Drama Club Production of Beauty and the Beast Jr.
Mon March 11th - Special Education Parents Information Town Hall, 5:30pm
Tues March 12th - Music Department Step Up Concert
Wed March 20th - 21st - Early release for students - Spring Parent Conferences
Mon March 25th - Board of Education Meeting Town Hall, 6:30pm
Tues March 26th - K-12 Art Show at EHHS
Thursday March 28th - Early Release for students - Staff Professional Development
Friday March 29th - No School - Good Friday
We hope to see you at this weekend’s performances of Beauty and the Beast Jr. It’s been truly rewarding witnessing the talent of our middle school students in their own production right here at East Hampton Middle School. The East Hampton Middle School PTO has played a significant role in aiding the EHMS Drama Club and remains steadfast in supporting upcoming productions. Below in the Panther Post you will see more details from our PTO.
TEAM NEWSLETTERS
Team newsletters are linked below! Enjoy our latest editions from our teams including Unified Arts!
Unified Arts Welcome Newsletter!
EHMS Athletics
EAST HAMPTON MS ATHLETICS SCHEDULE MARCH 11 - MARCH 15 (subject to change)
MONDAY, MARCH 11
Softball tryouts 2:35 until 4:30 pm (Grade 7 only)
Baseball tryouts 4:30-6 pm (Grade 7 only)
Arrive at 4:15 by gym doors
TUESDAY, MARCH 12
Softball tryouts 2:35 until 4:30 pm (Grades 6 and 8)
Baseball tryouts 4:30-6 pm (Grades 6 and 8)
Arrive at 4:15 by gym doors
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13
Softball tryouts 2:35 until 4:30 pm (Grade 7 only)
Baseball tryouts 4:30-6 pm (Grade 7 only)
Arrive at 4:15 by gym doors
THURSDAY, MARCH 14
Softball tryouts 2:35 until 4:30 pm (Grades 6 and 8)
Baseball tryouts 4:30-6 pm (Grades 6 and 8)
Arrive at 4:15 by gym doors
FRIDAY, MARCH 15
Softball tryouts 2:35 until 4:30 pm (Grades 6, 7 and 8)
Baseball tryouts 4:30-6 pm (Grades 6, 7 and 8)
Arrive at 4:15 by gym doors
Note: teams to be announced via Parentsquare.
A Look Into Our Panther Community!
Thank you to Mrs. Emery and Mr. Bishop, our Student Council advisors for their work in preparing for our 6th grade Winter Wonderland dance. Below are some pictures of the event. Our 7th grade dance will be happening in May. Look out for communication on that!
EHMS launched Read Across America week by introducing a fun reading initiative that will continue until April break. Students can embark on a virtual journey across the United States through a Google Slides presentation available via their ELA Google Classroom. Each state they explore unveils a poet and poem from that region. After coloring in each state visited, students can return their maps to the LMC for a treat!
Students in 7th grade math are working on Operations with Rational Numbers. This week students participated in many different activities to help solidify their skills. In this activity, students engaged in an Error Analysis activity which included finding, explaining, and correcting errors.
8th grade art students undertook a baking assignment as part of a photography project to learn and understand some basic concepts of photography such as image quality, composition, lighting, focal points and applying digital image editing skills.
Positive Office Referrals
Below are some students who have received Positive Office Referrals for their behaviors that have exemplified our PBIS pillars of Respect, Responsibility, Compassion and Pride. Students were able to choose a reward from our menu of options like eating outside with friends! Great job! Our students celebrated this week are:
6th & 7th Graders
Tobias Finn and Kayleigh Philbrick
8th Graders
Sean Hargreaves, Elizabeth Beer, Cayden Schoonerman, and Alyssa Levenduski
Say Something Week
This week, East Hampton Middle School participated in Say Something Call to Action Week. Say Something is a free program offered by Sandy Hook Promise that trains middle and high school students how to identify warning signs, intervene, and get help for individuals before they hurt themselves or others. Our Panther Ambassadors, along with our SAVE Promise Club advisors, Joanna Mercaldi and Stacey Vasquez, planned various activities for students including, wearing green or orange, and reminding students of our anonymous reporting system that is linked to our website. Students also were provided a trusted adult card that they provided to a staff member they felt was someone they could trust and go to if needed.
Our library is a very busy place during FLEX time! Colby, our therapy dog, has come to visit and students had signed up to read to him. Colby had very relaxing morning this week! Students who have won Positive Office Referrals got to play chess with friends this week. Also, students have been able to sign up for our American Sign Language enrichment by Mrs. Isaac.
Mrs. Phillips' class won our last PBIS activity where classes phoned in to name that movie. Pictured below is the class and their ice cream reward!
Parent Informational Meeting on Special Education
As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment, we are pleased to invite you to a Parent Informational Meeting on Special Education.
Date: March 11, 2024
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: Town Hall, Room 117
During this meeting, we will cover various aspects of our support services and special education programs, including:
- An overview of student services and the special education services offered at our schools.
- The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process.
- Common special education disability categories.
- Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- The importance of reevaluations.
- Strategies for supporting your child's educational journey.
- Resources available to parents within the special education community.
This meeting aims to provide valuable insights into how we work together to ensure the success and well-being of every student. Your participation and engagement are crucial as we strive to create a collaborative and supportive partnership between parents and educators.
We look forward to your attendance and encourage you to reach out if you have any preliminary questions or specific topics you would like us to address during this or any future meetings. Thank you for your continued support in creating an inclusive educational experience for all students.
EHMS PTO
Please join us at our meeting Wednesday, March 13th 5:30pm in the school library. We’re gearing up for several spring events and fundraisers. The spring spirit wear sale begins next week and we will start planning our largest fundraiser of the year - the Panther Prowl! More details to come via Parent Square.
Beauty and the Beast!
The EHMS PTO will be hosting a concessions table at all Beauty and the Beast performances this weekend with baked goods, snacks and water available for purchase. In addition, there will be “Kisses for the Cast” for $1 and single “Beast’s Red Roses” sold for $2 to gift to your student cast member.
There will be a 50/50 raffle (cash only) with funds going to support much-needed upgrades to lights, sound and the electrical system in the Commons. This major project will ensure that productions by EHMS students can remain at EHMS and be presented in the best possible way. With your support, we can shine the (new) lights on our very talented student performers!
Spring Book Fair - volunteers needed!
The spring book fair is coming and your help is needed to make sure it runs smoothly. Please consider volunteering for one of the shifts on conference dates Wednesday, March 20th and Thursday, March 21st. Link to sign up is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mOBWN44YsDc11pwdpIjZROv6RyxhOdmGhXs-1xPl40Y/edit?usp=sharing
EarlyAct Opportunities
Looking for a way to give back? Want to help make the world a better place? Then please join the EarlyAct Club at any of our upcoming events and opportunities to spread compassion! ALL are welcome and no previous club experience is required. Check out our rolling monthly agenda to see where you can help us to make a difference!
Safe School Climate Plan
Take a Virtual Visit to our Library Media Center
Important reminders:
School breakfast is a great way for students to start their school day and its FREE to everyone!
Please review your student(s)’s available balance for any lunch purchases at our secure “e-Funds for Schools” portal: https://payments.efundsforschools.com/v3/districts/56523 Funds should be added on an as needed basis to ensure the account balance covers all purchases.
Communications to families about your meal account come directly from the payment portal. Please be alert to these emails and remove from your “junk” status the following addresses:
Friday was our finale of celebrating National School Breakfast Week, with a Hawaiian theme! Miss Ruth and Miss Ali offered: Ham, Egg and Cheese on Hawaiian Rolls, Banana Bread and Tropical Fruit salad with pineapple, berries, kiwi and mango!
March Breakfast Menu
March Lunch Menu
Important Attendance Reminder
A phone call does not excuse an absence..
A phone call is appreciated, but only an email to our attendance inbox or written note can officially excuse absence 1 through 9. Below is our attendance email:
Note: Between the school name and the word Attendance is a underscore ( _ )
EHMS_Attendance@easthamptonct.org
If a student has four unexcused absences in one month or 10 unexcused absences in a year they are classified as truant. If a child misses 18 or more days in a school year – excused or unexcused absences – the student is classified as chronically absent.
Access to the East Hampton attendance policy is available HERE
Technology Support
If your child is having any Chromebook or technology issues please click on the link below to do some troubleshooting: EHMS TroubleShooting Tips
If the troubleshooting doesn't work click on the link below to submit an IT work ticket:
Please encourage your child to take pride and care in their device. Below is a video to review the proper care of Chromebooks with your child.
School Based Health
Happy New Year! Did you resolve to be more on top of your and your child’s health this year? Here’s an easy solution: Sign your child up for School-Based Health Care. Your child’s school works with Community Health Center, Inc.’s School-Based Health Care program to provide health services to your child during the school day. This means they won’t miss as much class and you don’t need to miss work to support their health care needs. Learn more about the services offered at your child’s school and enroll today at SBHC1.com!
Helpful Resources
School Safety Statement
Board of Education Statement on School Safety: The East Hampton Board of Education is committed to a safe and secure learning environment that honors and celebrates the diversity of our students, our community, and our nation. The Board of Education in partnership with the school community will not tolerate any threat of violence in the schools or any hate speech that targets any race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Each student is held to the highest standards of responsible decision making within a culture that is expected to foster compassion, caring, and empathy.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement of the East Hampton Public Schools: The school community of East Hampton is committed to the mission of honoring and celebrating the diversity of our students, our community, and our nation. We strive to guide our students to conscious, deliberate, individual and collective actions that cultivate the respect of all races, religions, and social backgrounds. Our school community endeavors to produce graduates who are equipped with a greater understanding of the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Nondiscrimination Statement of the East Hampton Public Schools: The East Hampton Board of Education, in compliance with federal and state law, affirms its policy of equal educational opportunity for all students and equal employment opportunity for all persons. It is the policy of the District to promote nondiscrimination and an environment free of harassment regardless of an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability (including but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability, or learning disability), genetic information, marital status, or age or because of the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, or age of any persons with whom the individual associates. The District shall provide to all students without discrimination, course offerings, counseling, assistance, employment, athletics, and extracurricular activities. The District shall provide equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The District shall make reasonable accommodations for identified physical and mental impairments that constitute disabilities, consistent with federal and state statutes and regulations.
Contact
Email: camaral@easthamptonct.org
Website: https://www.easthamptonps.org/o/ehms
Location: 19 Childs Road, East Hampton, CT, USA
Phone: (860) 365 4060