Friday Memo
April 14, 2023
Important Dates
April 17 - 7 Unity to Main Event; Department Meetings after school
April 17-18: EOC Testing
April 20 - Orchestra Concert
April 21 - Hixson Walk-a-Thon; Model UN Field Trip
April 24 - Late Start Day
April 24-28: MAP Spirit Week
April 26 - Choir Concert, 6:30 pm; Administrative Professionals Day
April 28 - Art 3 Show, Old Orchard
May 1 - School Principal's Day
May 4 - Jazz Concert, 6:30 pm
May 2-5: MAP Testing
May 8 - 12: Teacher Appreciation Week; Late Start Day
May 9-10: NWEA Testing
May 11-Fine Arts Festival
May 12 - 8th grade to 6 Flags
May 22 - 8th grade Promotion Ceremony, 6pm @ Roberts gym
May 24 - Band Pops Concert
May 26 - Last day of school; Kona Ice visit; dismissal at 12:30 pm
Please submit Team Leaders and CLT Leaders to Dr. Mayes by April 28, 2023.
MAP Spirit Week: April 24- 28
Please welcome Scharma Banks as the 6th grade Counselor for next year!
Scharma Banks has over 15 years of experience as a school counselor, with the majority of those years in the middle school setting. She has a passion for helping our young people to reach their full potential. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family and doing activities that bring her joy. Mrs. Banks is excited to join the Hixson community and to be a part of supporting our students and families.
Trauma Informed Sexual Abuse Education - 4/28/23
On Friday, April 28 during Statesman Time, we will administer the required annual Trauma Informed Sexual Abuse education video to students during Statesman Time. Please click the link below to access the video. I have also provided a link to the opt out list. Parents/guardians have been informed of the training, and they also have the video to preview. Students who are opted out must report to the Cafeteria until the video is over.
Script (please read on the designated dates)
- On April 27, 2023 during Statesman Time, please read at the beginning of class…All Hixson students will view a video on the topic of sexual abuse tomorrow, April 28, 2023. We are required by Missouri law to provide each 6-12th grade student with annual training on this subject. We understand this can be a sensitive topic and potentially cause some students additional stress. Therefore, if you feel like you need to be excused from watching this video due to the sensitive nature, please let me know before the end of class. You will report to the Cafeteria until the video is over.
- On April 28, 2023 during Statesman Time, before you play the video…[Send students who are opted out of the video to the Cafeteria prior to reading the message below.]
- As I shared yesterday, we will view a video today on the topic of sexual abuse. We are required by Missouri law to provide each 6-12th grade student with annual training on this subject. If after viewing this video, you feel like you may require additional support, please sign up to see your grade level counselor. They will respond to requests as they are received. Please understand this may take some time to work through requests but they will do their best to see every student in a timely manner.
Play the video.
There is no expectation for you to facilitate a conversation with your students about sexual abuse. If a student is uncomfortable or needs additional support, please send them to their counselor.
High Sub Need Days Next Week
April 19, 2023
April 20, 2023
April 21, 2023
WGSD Presents: The Heart of the PLC Mini-Conference, August 14, 2023 (carries a $90 presenter stipend)
We are excited to announce an exciting opportunity for professional learning in August when we return for the 2023-2024 school year. The WGSD principals and the Learning Department are planning an in-district Professional Learning Communities (PLC) mini-conference for all WGSD staff on August 14, 2023. We are working very hard to organize a meaningful learning experience that will help us align our PLC practices and language district-wide, elevate our instructional core, and be responsive to student needs. Therefore, we are thrilled to offer an opportunity for you to present at this conference!
We will have a full day set aside for professional development on August 14, 2023. Since we collectively participate in CLTs across all levels, we have decided to come together and plan a district-wide mini-conference. Multiple sessions will be offered throughout the day for you to attend. You will deepen your understanding of how PLC works, helps us become even better practitioners, and helps us provide an equitable education for ALL students.
If you are interested in presenting at this mini-conference, please review the list of possible topics below to get an idea of what we are looking to offer during the conference.
If you are interested and willing to share your knowledge with others, please complete the Presenter Information Form below. Please complete the form by the end of the day on Friday, April 21st.
The Heart of the CLT Mini-Conference Presenter Form
Thank you for your consideration!
WGSD Principals and Learning Department
SEL Training Day for Staff - Reminder
P.S. We will have snacks!!!
Walk-a-Thon: April 21, 2023 (INFO SHARE)
We will hold our first Walk-a-Thon at Hixson on Friday, April 21. Please see the blurb below that will go out to parents today. Please contact Andrew Bennett with any questions!
We are excited to announce the Inaugural Hixson Walkathon Fundraiser! Families register at the below link and can easily share a link on social media or through email/text to family and friends to get flat pledges for their student's walkathon through an easy-to-use website. The walkathon will be a fun event which will take place on Friday, April 21st during your PE classes. The PE teachers and volunteers run the event, and you can help us raise money for your student's walkathon in the following ways:
1. Please register your student(s) at this website:
https://getmovinfundhub.com/register?school_uuid=6402290a7d6b5
2. Personalize your student's fundraising page with a photo or video.
3. Share your student's personalized link (found on their FundHub profile) on social media or with your family and friends to raise money for Hixson's PTO. Donations are a flat donation to the student's participation, not a donation per lap like some walkathons.
The students are going to love the incentives we have created. They will be announced in announcements and in future social media posts and emails.
4. Sign up here to volunteer on the day of the event, April 21, 2023! We welcome parents to join us to monitor the walkathon which will happen all around the Hixson building/Moss field and we need snack table supervisors to help hand out snacks and rubber bands which is how the students will count their laps. You can register your student here to get started:
https://getmovinfundhub.com/register?school_uuid=6402290a7d6b5
Click the flyer to view a larger version of it.
Author Visit: Soman Chainani - April 25!
Soman Chainani, author of The School for Good and Evil Series is coming to Hixson for an all day author event on Tuesday, April 25. Each grade level will attend a one hour presentation from Soman Chainani.
If students own or would like to purchase a copy of his book(s) they will be able to enter a signing line to get it autographed! We are partnering with the Novel Neighbor for purchasing books; click here to purchase books online. We also have physical order forms in the library (as do all ELA teachers). All money and orders are due to the library by Friday, April 21st.
Click here to watch a book trailer for the first The School for Good and Evil book.
Click here to watch the trailer for the recently released Netflix adaptation.
Please contact Jordan Haddock at haddock.jordan@wgmail.org if you have any questions.
Are you interested in getting your Gifted Certification?
If yes, you may join a cohort group starting in the fall with courses being offered through Maryville University. Classes will take place at a Parkway school and the cost is $329.00 per credit hour. This is a draft of the courses that will be offered.
Please email me if you are interested in obtaining your gifted certification, and I will answer any questions you have and provide additional information.
PTO Getting to Know You Series
create a post for you? Do not feel like you need to answer every question....just a few so that we can write a little biography about you. And send a picture because everyone loves putting a face to the names we hear about over the dinner table. Thank you so much!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-hPdR98I-mZHgtAN44dbc7Bi2v40FWzomG9o-TSpuAlO_4Q/viewform
Budget Timeline
Reminder about Field Trip Procedures
Chromebook Collection
We will begin the collection of the Chromebooks on May 11th and will finish up collections by May 19th. Below is the schedule for collection. This year's collection will take place during ELA classes. More detailed information will be rolled out closer to the time of collection. We wanted to share this information with you now so you can make plans for the second semester.
If you have a need for Chromebooks in your class after collection has begun please submit a technology request well before the month of May so Jason Heisel can plan accordingly. The request should have a minimum and max need.
Example: Need at least 3 Chromebooks and would love to have 15 Chromebooks available for the following dates: May 12-May 15th to allow learners to finish up submitting late work
Please keep in mind that a team of people worked to create this schedule based on feedback from last year and this year as well as working around major events that are on the calendar and testing schedules.
If you have any questions please let Jason P. Heisel, our building technology specialist, know via email.
Preparing Your Classroom for Summer Break & Summer School Classroom Use
- Please clear your teacher desk of everything, including drawers and surfaces.
- Remove all personal belongings from the classroom.
- Mark all things that are trash with a noticeable, legible sign.
- If your classroom has a tile floor, then the bookshelves have to be emptied. We will have boxes available. Please be mindful of how heavy you make the boxes. The saran wrap idea at the end of last year didn't work as well as I thought it would.
- We will be using the 6th grade wing for summer school.
Please don't hesitate to reach out should you have any questions.
Hixson Middle School
Email: mayes.shenita@wgmail.org
Website: https://www.webster.k12.mo.us/Hixson
Location: 630 South Elm Avenue, St. Louis, MO, USA
Phone: 314-963-6450