Panther Periodical
HMS 3rd Nine Weeks Newsletter 2018-2019 School Year
Vision of the Zone
2nd Semester Right Around the Corner
We hope everyone has a joyful mid-year holiday. Report cards will be sent home with the students on Jan 9. I will send out a telephone blast to remind everyone that the students have them to give to you that afternoon.
Please make sure you review the section on school attendance in this newsletter.
We will continue making our weekly SchoolMessenger broadcasts on Saturdays. When the weekly broadcast runs long, expect it to be split into two parts with a second broadcast on Sunday afternoons. Please also 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 so as to not make the weekly message excessively long.
Towards the bottom of the newsletter you will find a section on the ways students can exempt semester diagnostics in May. Please read over these so that you are familiar with them. They will be repeated in the 4th Nine Weeks Newsletter and reminders will be posted closer to the date.
Every student received an agenda when they picked up their schedule this year so parents also have the student handbook. Please review the handbook to become aware of school policies and procedures.
The Jefferson County Student Code of Conduct went digital this year and can be accessed by following this link:
Look for the 4th Nine Weeks Newsletter the week of March 4. Until next time,
Go Panthers!
Hueytown Middle School CIP at a Glance
School Attendance
Under the state accountability guidelines, any student who misses 15 or more days is considered chronically absent. Excused and Unexcused absences are counted in this total. Please keep this in mind when scheduling appointments and family trips.
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, a check-out or a check-in. After three days, the absence, check-out or check-in becomes unexcused and no make-up work will be given out. Work missed for unexcused absences, check-outs and check-ins will be recorded in the grade-book as zeros.
To participate in extra-curricular activities, a student must be present for a minimum of 1/2 school day. This includes participation in dances, competitions and practices.
C.A.R.E.
Three times during the school year, the Hueytown Area Schools host a Citizens Advocating a Return to Excellence (CARE) meeting at one of the schools in which parents and community members are invited to hear about the great things that are going on in our schools. The principals from Brighton, Concord Elementary, Hueytown Elementary, Hueytown High, Hueytown Middle and North Highland Elementary Schools all make presentations and answer questions. On occasion, local government, county government and county school leaders may also attend to provide additional information and updates to those in attendance. The format changes somewhat from time to time and may include presentations/performances from student groups from the host school.
2018-2019 CARE Meeting Dates:
- October 22, 2018, at Hueytown High School beginning at 6 PM
- January 28, 2019, at Hueytown Elementary School beginning at 6 PM
- April 15, 2019, at Brighton School beginning at 6 PM
- July 15, 2019, Hueytown Middle School beginning at 10 AM
Grading Parameters
For the 2018-2019 school year, middle school grading will remain as last year with the following parameters:
- 75% Assessments
- 25% Classwork/Homework
Consequently, we do not administer nine weeks assessments. At the end of the 1st and 2nd Semester we will administer semester diagnostics on a modified schedule. The full schedule will be posted at the first of December. 1st Semester diagnostics will be begin December 12th and run through December 18th. Please keep this in mind when scheduling appointments.
These diagnostics will be teacher created and cover the content to be covered for that semester. The diagnostics will count as a 100 point assessment in the 75% assessment category for the 2nd and 4th Nine Weeks, respectively.
Pride of the Panthers/Panther Passes
For the 2018-2019 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, students will have the opportunity to cash in their Panther Passes for various opportunities and activities. One such incentive is to cash-in 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, unexcused tardies 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.
Important Dates for the 3rd Nine Weeks
Jan 7 - Students return from the Mid-Year Holidays
Jan 9 - Report cards go home with students
Jan 10 - Miss HMS Pageant Tickets go on sale in the main office at 5 PM
Jan 15 - NJHS Meeting after school in Room 104
Jan 16 - 2nd Nine Weeks Awards Day I: 8:30 AM - 6th Grade, 9:00 AM - 7th Grade
Jan 16 - Student Council Meeting after school in FACS classroom
Jan 17 - 2nd Nine Weeks Awards Day II: 8:30 AM - 8th Grade
Jan 21 - MLK, Jr. Holiday - Schools closed for students
Jan 22 - Counselors begin meetings with current 6th & 7th Graders for pre-registration for 2019-2020 school year
Jan 28 - CARE Meeting @ HES 6 PM
Jan 29 - Debate Competition after school @ Samford
Jan 30 - Student Council Meeting after school in FACS classroom
Jan 31 - Mandatory Cheer Parent Meeting for 2019-2020 Cheer Tryouts 6 PM in Cafeteria
Feb 2 - Miss HMS Pageant @ HHS 2 PM
Feb 5 - FBLA Meeting after school in the Bus Tech Lab
Feb 6 - FCCLA Meeting after school in the FACS classroom
Feb 7 - Progress Reports sent home with students
Feb 12 - NJHS Meeting after school in room 102
Feb 13 - Student Council Meeting after school in FACS classroom
Feb 18 - Presidents' Day - School closed
Feb 26 - Debate Competition after school at Samford
Feb 27 - Student Council Meeting after school in FACS Classroom
Mar 1 - Career Day
Mar 5 - FBLA Meeting after school in the Bus Tech Lab
Feb 6 - FCCLA Meeting after school in FACS classroom
Mar 8 - End of 3rd Nine Weeks
Mar 11 - PD Day - School Closed
Mar 13 - Report Cards sent home with students
These dates are current as of 12/18/2018. Additional dates and activities will be added over time. Please check the Facebook page on a regular basis.
Semester Diagnostic Exemption Options
1. Pride of the Panthers - Must have an "A" average for the semester in every class, no unexcused attendance (includes absences, check-ins, check-outs & tardies) and no discipline referrals
2. Panther Passes - 30 Panther Passes and a "C" average in the class for the semester
3. Math Scantron Exemptions - to use Spring Math Scantron Scores to exempt a semester diagnostic (either Math or Science) the student a) must meet or exceed their learning target in Math, b) must have perfect attendance on testing days - no absences, tardies, check-ins/outs (exact dates of testing will be posted closer to the test window), c) have no Class IIs or IIIs on testing days and d) must have a clear balance in the lunchroom, library and front office.
4. Reading Scantron Exemptions - to use Spring Reading Scantron Scores to exempt a semester diagnostic (either English/Language or Social Studies) the student a) must meet or exceed their learning target in Reading, b) must have perfect attendance on testing days - no absences, tardies, check-ins/outs (exact dates of testing will be posted closer to the test window) , c) have no Class IIs or IIIs on testing days and d) must have a clear balance in the lunchroom, library and front office.
Exemptions are a privileged extended to the student body as a whole and may be revoked at the discretion of the school. Deadlines for the submission of Panther Passes, sign-ups for Pride of the Panthers and Scantron Exemptions will be posted in the 4th Nine Weeks Newsletter as well as announced in SchoolMessenger broadcasts prior to the dates. These are hard deadlines and students and parents should plan accordingly to ensure all requirements are met by the posted due date. Late submissions will not be accepted.