The Husky Howl
September 7-11, 2020; Semester I, Week 2
A NOTE FROM YOUR HUGHES MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
WOW! What an amazing week! Each day brought new challenges and everyone pulled together to make the necessary changes for the next day. Needless to say, our plan is better now than it was a week ago.
We really appreciate parents and students helping us to introduce the new processes and procedures for each grade level systematically and methodically with one grade at a time. We know that it was inconvenient for some but ultimately we all benefited from the process. All students, new or returning had unfamiliar territory to navigate. The benefits of the week will be manifested when the entire "In-Person" student body returns on Tuesday and beyond. Thanks again for your flexibility.
We want to say a huge thank you to all of the parents who joined us on the ZOOM calls last week. There were some great questions, great encouragement, and great comments that helped us identify what parents were seeing from their perspective. We loved seeing your faces and hearing your comments and questions. We answered most of the questions. However, we wanted to address some topics in this newsletter. (See below.) We also want you to know that we are really trying to update our HMS website regularly with helpful information for you. Please get in the habit of checking out the site when a question arises. Also, if you think of something that might benefit the masses, let us know so we can update the site even more.
In closing, we want to remind parents that whether your child is learning from home or at school, we are committed to your child making significant progress this year. Having a solid foundation for learning WILL make a difference in future learning. We are dedicated to providing quality instruction, intervention, and enrichment.
As always we appreciate your support from the home-front. Asking genuine questions about your child's learning in core classes as well as elective classes helps your child know YOU CARE about his/her success!
Until next time,
Your HMS Administrative Team
YOUR HMS ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
OUR FEARLESS PRINCIPAL - Mrs. Schimming
BRAD SCHILDER
Academic Assistant Principal
JAKE DALEIDEN
Assistant Principal
7th Grade M-Z
8th Grade A-Z
Joy Burchfield
Assistant Principal
6th Grade A-Z
7th Grade A-L
TEACHERS GETTING READY FOR CHANGES
TEACHERS HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT VIRTUAL TEACHING
OUR CAFETERIA CREW ARE SHOWING FLEXIBILITY
MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE
DAILY BELL SCHEDULE
NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
THIS WEEK AT HMS
- Monday, September 7 - Labor Day (No School for any student or staff member)
- Tuesday-Friday, September 8-11 - ALL On-Campus Learners will attend school at HMS (Whoop!); ALL Virtual Learners will continue learning from home (Yippee!)
- Tuesday-Thursday, September 8-10 - 7th Grade Volleyball tryouts begin @ 7:00 AM; 8th Grade Volleyball tryouts until 5:00 PM
- Thursday, September 10 - Husky Choir Virtual Parent Meeting - 6:00-7:00
NEXT WEEK AT HMS
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES ARE HERE!
Make sure to stay in touch for any changes in the schedules.
NOTICE: 7th GRADE PARENTS OF ATHLETES
7th grade football practice begins each morning at 6:20 starting Tuesday, September 8. Athletes may be dropped off on the west side of the building for this practice.
In order to maintain a safe environment for students and staff, the west side drop off lane is reserved for buses from 7:30-8:15. No parent vehicle is allowed during this time. Any student that has not been dropped off for athletics by 7:30, must use the Parent Drop Off drive through lane on the east side of the HMS building. The entrance for this lane opens at 7:45.
DID YOU KNOW?
CELL PHONE USE
Cell phones need to be turned off from the 8:15 bell until the 3:45 bell unless usage is monitored by a teacher.
GREAT PARENT QUESTIONS/ANSWERS FROM GRADE LEVEL ZOOM MEETINGS
- On Thursday you should have received information for gaining Parental Access to Schoology. If you did not, CLICK the link for directions.
- There are students and parents who have inquired about schedule changes. With the restrictions of COVID-19, some classes are at capacity with in-person and virtual learners. Adding students to classes without a legitimate educational reason could be difficult. Please visit the HMS Virtual Counseling Center site to get the most updated information about schedule changes, counseling appointments, and other resources our counseling department is offering.
- If your student is in need of a Chromebook repair, use the attached document to request assistance from the BISD Technology Department. Form for Chromebook repairs They will call or email you to set up an appointment to pick up and/or deliver the student's Chromebook.
- ZOOM has presented challenges for many over the last week. For example, some can not hear all communication on the call while others are getting caught up in the Waiting Room. ZOOM has great systems but it has presented tools we are still mastering. Please have your child email their teacher if they are having difficulty. (It's probably a good idea to review with your child how to send an appropriate email to teachers and administrators. It may look a little different than a friend email.) Communication is key to getting on the right track when you are depending on someone else for help.
- When a child is having difficulty with a login, there are some alternate paths to follow for assistance. Your child's teachers should have shared a 411 Form for Assistance with specific information about their particular classes. If you did not receive this form, please contact your child's teacher for more information.
- There is no plan to request any additional school supplies this year. We understand some are in difficult financial situations which can make it difficult to purchase the regular supplies. We have requested a 3-ring binder with 7 pockets (one for each class), pens and pencils, notebook paper or composition notebook, and of course a charged Chromebook AND charger. Because of the increased use of the Chromebook at school, many are unable to last with one charge. A water bottle is also requested because water fountains are limited to only bottle filling stations.
- All 7th and 8th grade athletes must have physicals turned in before they can begin official workouts. This is required by the UIL, BISD, and HMS. It is for the safety and well-being of all athletes. Deadline is Tuesday morning.
- Most IDs have been created!! For returning students, files school pictures were used. New students' pictures will be taken at school this week. We will be passing them out this week. Students need to wear them everyday. Lanyards have been graciously donated but your family may replace it if necessary.
- With the necessary screen time our students are experiencing, it is extremely important that on-campus learners and synchronous virtual learners complete the day's work then take a much needed break from the screen. Outside play, organized sports, and/or other types of large muscle exercise are good for the whole body. We hope asynchronous virtual learners will work breaks along the way in their day, too.
- Our attendance team is working so hard to reconcile the attendance for in-person, synchronous, and asynchronous learners. WHAT A MONUMENTAL TASK! Each morning all teachers must reconcile the asynchronous learners who turned work in after hours and then the office can reconcile attendance for the previous day. We are all getting the system mastered. If your child is counted absent when he/she was not, please contact the teacher so he/she can help verify the attendance and make it right in the office.
CLICK LINKS TO STAY INFORMED
Hughes Huskies
Email: hmscomm@bisdmail.net
Website: https://www.burlesonisd.net/Domain/17
Location: 316 Southwest Thomas Street, Burleson, TX, USA
Phone: 817-245-0600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hughes-Middle-School-137476863287677/
Twitter: @HughesHuskies