Panther Peridodical
HMS 4th Nine Weeks Newsletter 2016-2017 School Year
Entering the Home Stretch
We have begun our ramp-up to ACT Aspire testing this month and have introduced an incentive program for our students. It is imperative that all students are at school on testing days and focused to try their best. Follow this link to view the incentives:
The HMS Clean-Up efforts will continue this semester as we work to complete some of the things we did not have time to finish 1st Semester. Please take note of any announcements on the school's Facebook page, the HMS Clean-Up Facebook page and the weekly SchoolMessenger broadcast so that you can help us make Hueytown Middle School a better place for all of our students.
As many of you know, SchoolCast was replaced by SchoolMessenger this past summer. This new program does not give direct access to parents as a way to update contact information like SchoolCast did. Additionally, we have learned that some parent contact information is not transferring over from Chalkable to SchoolMessenger and in some cases, no contacts at all have been transferred. We are correcting these as fast as we are able and we ask for your patience. Please check our Facebook page regularly as we are attempting to post updates there on a regular basis. Not all updates posted on the Facebook page will be posted through SchoolMessenger in an effort to keep the weekly message a manageable size.
Go Panthers!
District Policy Change for Check-outs
Due to a district-wide re-evaluation of student check-out policies, effective January 1, 2017, high school age students will no longer be able to check-out younger students even if a note from a parent is sent to the school. Please do not ask for exceptions as we will not be able to grant your request. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Attendance Requirements for Extracurricular Events
We recognize that some of our competitions are at a distance from school. Consequently, participants may check out at 2 PM to reach the competition venue.
School Attendance
Under the Alabama Plan 2020, schools are required to maintain a 95% rate of attendance for all students for the entire year. Once a student misses nine days, that student is at 95%. Because of the way the College and Career Readiness Standards rely on cooperative learning, it is very difficult to duplicate cooperative learning groups in make-up work. When scheduling appointments please be mindful of the attendance requirement.
Parents may write an excuse to cover seven (7) days for the year. After the seventh day, only doctor’s excuses may be accepted. Please keep this in mind when scheduling family trips because once those seven days are used they are gone for the year.
Please also keep in mind that students have three school days in which to bring in their excuse for an absence. After three days, the absences become unexcused and no make-up work will be given out. Work missed for unexcused absences will be recorded in the grade-book as zeros.
Check-ins and Check-outs must also have excuses. Work missed because of an unexcused check-in or check-out is not eligible for make-up and will be recorded as zeros. Just like normal absences, parents have three days in which to turn their excuses for check-ins or check-outs. After three days, they become unexcused and cannot be changed.
Important Dates for the 4th Nine Weeks
- Mar 13th - Monthly NJHS meeting in Room 201 after school
- Mar 14th - Spring Pictures during PE
- Mar 14th - Monthly Art Club Meeting after school
- Mar 15th - 3rd Nine Weeks Report Cards posted in the Home Portal of Chalkable
- Mar 17th - 5th Grade Tour of HMS
- Mar 18th - HMS Clean-up from 8-12
- Mar 21st - 3rd Nine Weeks Awards Day Ceremony: 8:30 AM - 6th Grade, 9:00 AM - 7th Grade, 9:30 AM - 8th Grade
- Mar 24th - 8th Grade Tour of HHS
- Mar 27th - 31st - Spring Break - School Closed
- Apr 4th - Monthly FBLA Meeting after school
- Apr 5th - Monthly FCCLA Meeting after school
- Apr 10th - Monthly NJHS Meeting after school
- Apr 11th - Monthly Art Club Meeting after school
- Apr 14th - School Holiday - School Closed
- Apr 17th - Teacher PD Day - School Closed
- Apr 17th - Hueytown Area Schools CARE Meeting at HES 6 PM
- Apr 26th - HHS Representatives meet with 8th Graders to register for classes for the 2017-2018 school year
- Apr 28th - National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony in the Competition Gym
- May 2nd - Monthly FBLA Meeting after school
- May 3rd - Monthly FCCLA Meeting after school
- May 4th - Progress reports posted to the Home Portal of Chalkable
- May 5th - Hueytown Middle School Beach Bash - Students who were present on their testing day, put forth their best effort on the test and did not have any discipline on their testing day will be eligible.
- May 8th - Monthly NJHS Meeting after school
- May 9th - Monthly Art Club Meeting after school
- May 9th - Spring Band Concert in the HHS Auditorium
- May 19th - 25th - 2nd Semester Diagnostics - we will run a modified schedule. The daily schedule will be posted to the Facebook page and sent out via SchoolMessenger email by May 12th.
- May 22nd - End of the Year Awards Ceremony at HHS beginning at 6 PM
- May 25th - Last day of school for students
- June 3rd - Report cards mailed
These dates are current as of 3/8/2017. Additional dates and activities will be added over time. Please check the Facebook page on a regular basis.
Grading Parameters
For the 2016-2017 school year, middle school grading will remain as last year with the following parameters:
- 75% Assessments
- 25% Classwork/Homework
We do not administer nine weeks assessments. At the end of the 1st and 2nd Semesters, we will administer semester diagnostics on a modified schedule. The full schedule for 2nd Semester Diagnostics will be posted in May.
These diagnostics will be teacher created and cover the content covered for that semester. The diagnostics will count as a 100 point assessment in the 75% assessment category for the 4th Nine Weeks.
Pride of the Panthers/Panther Passes
For the 2016-2017 year, we are continuing our efforts to improve student attendance and encourage students to do the right thing. Students who are caught doing the right thing can receive “Panther Passes.” We also give Panther Passes on random days to students who are present and on time to 1st period so do not forget that school starts at 7:55 AM. Other examples of ways students can earn a Panther Pass include (but are not limited to): going out of the way to help another student, working diligently on an assignment while others are goofing off, etc...
Once earned, a Panther Pass can never be taken away.
Every two to three weeks, during morning gym time, students may have the opportunity to cash in their Panther Passes for various prizes.
Prizes range from 1 Panther Pass for a random prize drawing to 30 Panther Passes to exempt one semester diagnostic providing the student has a “C” average in the class. It is possible that a student could save up enough passes to exempt more than one diagnostic.
Additionally, any student who has an overall “A” average at the end of the semester, no unexcused absences, no unexcused tardies no unexcused check-ins, no unexcused check-outs and no discipline referrals will be eligible to exempt all semester diagnostics for that semester and will receive a free “T-Shirt.” Students who are eligible both semesters will be recognized at the end of the year awards ceremony and will receive a special prize.