News from Panther Headquarters
February 2017
From the desk of the Principal...
Hello Panther Families –
This month I would like to touch on two critical topics than help to define a highly effective, world-class learning community: Safety & Academic Growth and Achievement.
Let me first mention Safety. This is paramount among all other aspects of school. Safety must always be kept to the forefront because unless our students are kept safe and feel safe when attending HIJH, nothing else really matters. Being a safe school encompasses many areas of school. We pride ourselves on ensuring that our students will be in a safe and caring environment within the walls of HIJH. We proactively address social issues such as bullying and character education consistently through our PAWS initiative. But, we also need families help to ensure that our students and staff are safe upon entering or leaving school in our parking lots. We have several students who are car riders in AM and PM. We have a system in place where cars pull up to a cone near Door # 19 to maximize the number of cars along the curb where students can get out and get in their respective vehicles. When the vehicle pulls away from the curb, we ask that parents drive slowly and watch carefully for those students or staff members who may be walking from the lot to the sidewalk. Essentially, only staff members and their children should be walking in from the parking lot. All car riders MUST be dropped off or picked up at the curb for safety. I know it is difficult to patiently wait in a car line, but in the interest of safety, we do not allow parents to park in the lot and have their child walk across the parking lot. Please help keep our students safe and adhere to this rule daily.
Next, I want to take this opportunity focus on Academic Growth and Achievement. HIJH has once again been recognized by the Indiana Dept. of Education as an A-Rated school! Given the new, more rigorous Indiana Academic Standards, this is quite an accomplishment. The A-Rating is a combination of student achievement (50%) AND student growth (50%). We know that our incoming students are already high achievers, but the fact that our students are able to show high growth from August until May is a true testament to the quality and hard work of our staff in partnership with our families. I am truly proud to be part of such an outstanding school, school district, and community.
Thank you!
Upcoming Important Dates
February 1 HSE Parent Night 7-9 at HSE - 8th graders
February 3 Half Day for Students - 11:05 Dismissal
February 3 PTO Meeting 9:30
February 13, 16, 17 Escape Room Field Trip - 6th graders
February 15 DC Trip Meeting at HIJH 7-8 pm - 8th graders
February 16 DC Trip Meeting at FCJH 7-8 pm - 8th graders
February 16 Dine to Donate City Barbeque Fishers
February 20 NO SCHOOL - Presidents Day
February 21 FLEX DAY
February 27 - March 10 ISTEP Testing
Early Dismissals and Returning to School
Counselor's Corner
Scheduling Information for 2017-2018
Current 7th grade students should watch for a Skylert being sent explaining scheduling choices for their 8th grade year. Sometime this semester,
7th graders will meet in classrooms with their junior high counselor to discuss 8th grade courses for the 2017-2018 school year. Through the Skylert will be a link to select their elective for 8th grade at that time. Please know that you will also receive verification of the courses your child selected later in the spring.
Current 8th Graders-
HSEHS students will be scheduled on Feb. 13th –Feb. 15th.
Fishers High School students will be scheduled on Feb. 24th.
8th Grade Parents should have received a high school scheduling letter in the mail. This letter states the date and time to meet in the next three weeks, with their High School Counselor to go over next school year’s scheduling options. If you are unsure of the appointment time for your child, please call the HIJH guidance office at 594-4124 and we will be happy to remind you of the date and time. If your child will not attend HSEHS next year, we will still meet with them to discuss their course options. These course selections are sent to the attending school with their records.
Looking ahead to 2017-2018
If you are a current 7th grader and will not be returning to the Hamilton Southeastern school district OR a current 8th grader and not planning on attending Hamilton Southeastern High School, please phone the guidance office at 594-4124 to report your intentions for the new school year. Whether it includes plans for a move, an address change or you will be attending another school, private or public; we appreciate knowing this in advance (preferably by May 1st). Advanced notice of your next year plans allow for our staff to prepare and forward your child’s records to the new attending school in a timely fashion. Thank you in advance for your notice.
Testing Dates to Note:
Mark your calendars to ensure your child is in attendance these testing periods.
ISTEP+ Part 1 - Applied Skills (CCRA)
February 27 - March 10th, 2017
ISTEP+ Part 2 - Multiple Choice & Technology (CCRA)
April 17th - May 5th, 2017
It is extremely important that your child be in attendance and on time during these testing days. Please assist us by ensuring that your child is well rested and eats a healthy breakfast. Also, it would be advantageous to reschedule any appointments you have scheduled during these days. Thank you in advance for your assistance with this testing process.
Moving or Have Moved?
If you have moved or plan to move anytime in the school year, district policy requires us to have documentation for your new residency. We MUST have a copy of your lease or closing statement which shows the new address. Within 45 days of the change, we will also need a copy of any utility bill and/ or a copy of your license, tax statement or car registration, all with the new address. (this listing is on the district website) We only need ONE document of those to change the address; the others may be turned in within 45 days of the change. Skyward and bus information will NOT be changed until these items are provided.
For those families who have moved and have provided ONE document, please assist us in getting those other documents to us as soon as you get them. This saves our staff a great deal of time in reminding you to do so. Thanks!
Honor Roll Postings are on the HIJH Website!
Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate/ Junior High posts honor rolls on the HIJH website. You may access the high honor roll and regular honor roll as follows:
Go to http://www.hse.k12.in.us/HIJ/home.aspx
Select “Guidance” at the top of the page (above the panther logo)
On the next page select “Guidance Resources”
Scroll down to “Guidance Documents” & select the honor roll you wish to view
Click here Twenty-First Century Scholars, and Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS).
Messages from the Nurse
*All vision screening for 5th and 8th grade is complete. We have emailed out failure notices. If you received one please send us a follow up note for school records, once your child visits the eye doctor.
*According to the CDC influenza activity is rising in the U.S. at this time and activity is expected to increase further in the coming weeks; they state, It’s not too late to get a flu shot! A yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older is recommended. For more information, call your doctor, visit your local pharmacy or department of health. Signs and symptoms of the flu include: fever (but not always) and or chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea are more common in children than adults. More info here https://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm
* Please remind your student to wash their hands frequently throughout the school day to help stop the spread of germs. Please remember if your child has a fever of 100 degrees or more to return to school they must be fever free WITHOUT the use of medication for 24 hours before they may return. This policy also applies to vomiting and diarrhea. Students should not be coming to school just to take a test when ill, we have make up policies for these circumstances. Please help keep our students and staff healthy by following HSE Illness Policy (it can be found in the online Handbook).
*2016-2017 (Current 5th graders) --All students who will be in 6th grade for the 2017-2018 school year are required to receive immunizations for Tdap and meningococcal. As your student gets these shots throughout this school year be sure to send us a copy too. Thanks! Tamera Terew, BSN, RN, & Erika Allen, BSN, RN Clinic Nurses 317-594-4120 #5025 tterew@hse.k12.in.us or eallen@hse.k12.in.us
Music Notes
ATTENTION ALL 6th GRADE STUDENTS AND PARENTS!
The HIJH Band, Choir, and Orchestra Programs WANT YOU! You have an exciting opportunity to participate in band, choir, or orchestra next year at HIJH. Participants will learn how to read music and how to play an instrument or develop their abilities as a vocalist. Classes will meet every day at HIJH just like any other academic class. Every student at HIJH receives SLT time, even the students in a performance ensemble!!!!! Sixth and Seventh grade students who are not currently in band, choir, or orchestra have the opportunity to join as seventh or eighth grade students next year! No experience required!
All you need to do is put band, choir, or orchestra on your schedule as an elective! Students who are currently in band, choir or orchestra simply need to write down band, choir or orchestra to continue to participate next year!
Grab your friends and don’t miss out on all of the fun! COME BE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS!!
Students in the HIJH Band, Choir, and Orchestra take a trip to Kings Island at the end of the school year as well as a couple of evenings at Ben and Ari’s! Don’t miss out on all the fun!
For questions or more information please contact Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Yoder, or Ms. Oyler!
Michelle Oyler – Band moyler@hse.k12.in.us
Cindy Johnson – Choir cjohnson@hse.k12.in.us
Ben Yoder – Orchestra byoder@hse.k12.in.us
HIJH Sports Information
Call Out Meeting: Thursday, March 2nd after school in the Main Gym. Parents please pick up in south lot along curb near doors 1, 3, 4 & 5 by 3:45 pm
First practice: Tuesday, March 14th after school until 5 pm
***All athletes must have IHSAA sports physical on file with Mr. Guest & have the online signature forms completed before participating.***
Boys 7th & 8th Grade Boys Golf Information
Call Out Meeting: Tuesday March 14th after school in Cafeteria until 3:30 pm. Parents please pick up in south lot along curb near doors 1, 3, 4 & 5 by 3:45 pm
Tryouts: Monday, March 20th - Thursday, March 23rd 3-5 pm (transportation provided to golf course, parents must pick up after)
***All players will get at least 2 day of tryouts. Tryout schedule will be determined at call out meeting.***
***All players must have an IHSAA sports physical on file with Mr. Guest AND have completed the online signature forms before trying out. ****
iPad Helpful Hints
Watch Out for These Bad News Items on Student iPads
VPNs
VPNs have students access another server instead of accessing the school or home server. If this is not a VPN that you personally set up on your home network than this is an item of concern. People can download free VPN apps and use stranger’s servers to get around security settings at schools or at home, which can lead to several problems (i.e. accessing blocked/inappropriate information, not being able to access secure sites like Blackboard, having Safari stop working, causing unexplainable glitches, etc.). Additionally, while they are using the stranger’s server, the stranger can access any information that is sent to or from the iPad.
How to check for and delete them:
If a student is actively on a VPN, then you’ll see VPN listed up by Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in settings. Additionally, if you go to General in Settings, and go to where VPN is listed towards the bottom there will either be an account listed below the VPN button. To get rid of a VPN often involves simply deleting the app used to download it and deleting the profile mentioned in the previous sentence.
Vshare/illegal free apps
There are apps/sites that allow for paid apps to be downloaded illegally for free. Vshare is the most well-known of these. These apps can install viruses to iPads, make iPads completely unusable, and more.
Fake apps
Some people use fake apps to hide messages, photos, etc. So for example, there’s an app that looks like it’s a calculator, but it’s really a secret folder of saved items they don’t want others to see.
Some steps you can take if you think your student is using fake apps:
· Have conversations on the dangers of some of these apps.
· Use the internet and parent sites to stay up to date on what the popular fake apps are.
· Check storage and iCloud usage to see if any apps that appear innocent and small are taking up a surprising amount of storage. (A real calculator app typically doesn’t take up much room, for example. Several messages and photos will.)
· Set up some Restrictions regarding downloading or deleting apps on their device.
· Look at their recent downloads via the App Store.
Yearbook Orders
Washington DC Trip for 8th Grade Students
Attention all parents of 8th graders going on the Washington D.C. trip: There will now be two pre-trip informational meetings:
Meeting ONE is from 7-8 pm in the HIJH Panther Hall on Wednesday Feb 15th (Please park in North Lot and enter at door 14)
Meeting TWO is from 7-8 pm in the FCJH auditeria on Thursday Feb 16th. (Please park in Bus Parking Lot and use the main entrance)
It is MANDATORY that all students going on the trip attend ONE of these two meetings (whichever is more convenient for you.) Parents are welcome to attend with their 8th grader. The purpose of these meetings will be to handout packing lists, supplies, flight info, and to go over trip plans and guidelines. Important information about the trip will be coming home from these meetings and will be posted on our trip website www.dctrip.info . If you have any additional questions please contact Eric Brown (ebrown@hse.k12.in.us )
PTO News
DINE TO DONATE: Dine out on Thursday February 16th to support the PTO dine to Donate at City BBQ fishers. Twenty five percent (25%) of sales comes back to HIJH . Click here for the flyer to find out more information.
STAFF APPRECIATION: HIJH PTO staff appreciation committee will host a staff luncheon on February 3rd. The menu includes soup, chili, salad & desserts. If you are donating items, please label them "PTO Staff Appreciation", and drop them off in the main office any time before 9am on February 3rd. If you cannot get your item to the school or have questions regarding staff appreciation, please email one of the coordinators. Thank you in advance for your willingness to help out! http://signup.com/go/LAxPDQ
PANTHER FEST: Save the date of Friday, March 24 for our second annual Panther Fest: A night of games, sports, challenging activities, music, food, and fun for HIJH 5th and 6th grade students. From 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM our school will be transformed into a carnival, street fair, dance club, sports arena, and fun house all rolled into one. Mark your calendars now and save the date. Registration information and volunteer requests will be coming out soon. Contact Tim Baldwin (baldwin.timothy@gmail.com) with any questions.
PANTHER PALOOZA: Thank you to the many parents who helped make the first ever Panther Palooza a huge success! And a very big thanks to the committee chairs for lending your time and talent!
Co-Chairs - Tonia Lotz & Gina Shipley
Admissions - Marie Farber & Detra Warner
Concessions - Marabeth Pereira & Jen Watkins
Volunteers - Becky Gerig
Snow Ball - Krista Francis
Cake Walk - Kari Kittleson & Laura Brisben
Gladiator Challenge - Laura Shatkowski & Todd Gerig
Panther - Mindy Irish
HIJH Connect
8th Grade Parent Night-February 1
Middle Years
February Multicultural Holidays
Click here to learn more about February Multicultural Holidays.
Notification of Pesticide Application
NEWS AROUND THE DISTRICT
Permitted use of school newsletters as required by the Equal Access Act is not an endorsement of this group or this group’s beliefs by Hamilton Southeastern Schools or the Board of School Trustees.
Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate Junior High
Ph: 317-594-4120
Attendance: 317-594-4126
Guidance: 317-594-4124
Fax: 317-594-4129
hse.k12.in.us/hij/home.aspx
Twitter: @HIJPanthers
Athletics Twitter: @HIJathletics