Eagle Eye
HVMS E-Newsletter
HVMS Summer Update - 7/11/2022
Hello, HVMS Family!
We are excited to be approaching the start of the 2022-2023 school year, which will be the 50th year students have attended Hidden Valley Middle School! We look forward to seeing students who were with us last year, and we eagerly await meeting our new students.
The Eagle Eye E-Newsletter is an electronic newsletter that we send out twice monthly to communicate what is happening at HVMS. In this newsletter, we will share general school information, upcoming events, celebrations of students and staff members, and information on the instructional program at HVMS.
Please take a few minutes to read through our summer newsletter to see what is coming up at HVMS and learn more about our operating procedures before the first day of school. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Hidden Valley Middle School
Helping Students Find Their Wings Since 1972
Our mission at Hidden Valley Middle School is to cultivate knowledge, to promote civic responsibility, to provide opportunities for the exploration of interests and abilities, to foster positive attitudes, and to develop essential skills necessary for all students to become productive citizens capable of thriving in the dynamic world of the twenty-first century.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Summary (more details below):
- July 26: Schedule Pick-Up Night
- August 8: New Student Orientation
- August 8: Back-to-School Open House
- August 11: First Day of School
Schedule Pick-Up Night: Tuesday, July 26
New Student Orientation: Monday, August 8
All new students (including all 6th graders) and their parents/guardians are invited to attend an orientation at the school on Monday, August 8, from 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. The program will provide students an opportunity to meet each of their teachers and to locate their classrooms. Parents/guardians will meet with the administration and the counseling department to learn about the middle school experience.
Back-to-School Open House: Monday, August 8
On Monday, August 8, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., HVMS will host a Back-to-School Open House to prepare students and their families for the upcoming school year. The building will be open to parents and students from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., and teachers will be in their rooms to meet you and your students.
First Day of School
Thursday, August 11, marks the first day of school for the 2022-23 school year. All students will report to their advisory room at 8:20 a.m. for attendance and opening routines. Plenty of assistance is available in the hallways for our new students who might need some extra help to find their way. After meeting in advisory, students will attend all of their A-day classes. School is dismissed at 3:25 p.m.
SCHOOL INFORMATION
Administration
Our HVMS administrative team looks forward to working with your kids this coming year to help them develop academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. Each grade level has an administrator who will continue with the same group of students for the entirety of their three years here with us at HVMS.
- Principal: Chris Benson (cbenson@rcps.us) - 8th Grade Administrator
- Assistant Principal: Evan Noell (enoell@rcps.us) - 7th Grade Administrator
- Assistant Principal: Heather Riganti (hriganti@rcps.us) - 6th Grade Administrator
Student First Day Forms
The Annual Verification (ANVER - formerly known as Student First Day Forms Online) opened on July 8th and will stay open through August 5th. We ask that one parent per student log in to their ParentVUE account and complete the Annual Verification. This process is extremely important since this is where you update your contact information, emergency contact information, student health information, and accept all needed acknowledgments. Parents will no longer receive a SNAP code letter in the mail; ANVER is done completely through your ParentVUE account. If you can’t access your ParentVUE account or have any questions, please contact our front office.
More information is available on the RCPS website: https://www.rcps.us/Page/356
School Supply List
Students have the option to purchase some general supplies that we have found to be beneficial at the start of school. These items include:
- #2 pencils
- Pens
- Colored pencils
- Markers
- Large eraser
- Glue sticks
- Dry erase markers
- Highlighters
- Scissors
- Flash drive
- Ear buds
- Loose leaf paper
- Index cards
- Tissues
S.O.A.R. Expectations
The Hidden Valley Middle School culture is based on collaboration between the teachers, staff, administration, students, and school community. We strive to create a safe learning environment that is conducive to student learning and the creation of positive relationships. S.O.A.R. Expectations, which is based on reinforcing positive student behaviors and correcting inappropriate student behaviors, is the primary tool to accomplish our goal. Please see our student handbook below for more information.
Student Handbook
Eagle Advisory
Here at Hidden Valley Middle School, we have an advisory program in which students meet in small groups each week with an adult advisor who guides them through lessons centered on social-emotional learning. The advisor assigned to each student will move with the students as they progress through middle school. The goals of this program are to help build students' social-emotional capacities and to help ensure that all students have at least one adult in the building with whom they can foster a trusting relationship.
COUNSELING
School Counselors
Mrs. Farley and Ms. Long, our school counselors, are here to help our young Eagles succeed as students and citizens. Students are assigned to counselors alphabetically by last name. If you have questions concerning your child during the school year, please contact the appropriate counselor as follows:
- A-K: Melinda Farley (mfarley@rcps.us)
- L-Z: Maggie Long (mlong@rcps.us)
Counselors help students develop their educational potential through skill-based lessons and units that assist in developing competence in essential life skills such as self-confidence, motivation, decision-making and goal-setting, communication, interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, and responsible behavior. They intervene on behalf of students whose immediate personal concerns or problems put their continued educational, career, personal, or social development at risk. Counselors' primary tasks are to provide counseling to students individually or in group settings. They also consult with teachers, parents/guardians, and administrators on behalf of students.
LIFE Counselor
The role of the LIFE counselor is to lead individuals and foster empowerment with our students. LIFE counselors provide individual and group counseling to students. Counselors also provide education on approved mental health, trauma, and substance topics to our students, staff, and parents. LIFE counselors focus on prevention and intervention to promote academic, personal growth, and well-being.
- LIFE Counselor: Ashley Spanfelner (aspanfelner@rcps.us)
INSTRUCTION
HVMS Eagles are Opportunity Ready!
RCPS Mission: To invest in our community's future by preparing our students with Opportunity Ready skills as defined in the RCPS Profile of a Graduate.
RCPS Vision: Preparing every student, in every school, and in every classroom to be Opportunity Ready.
Our HVMS students demonstrate opportunity ready skills on a daily basis both in the classroom and in the community. We would love to start sharing out more of what our students are doing that demonstrate the following skills:
- Citizenship
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Career Plan
- Creativity
- Competence
- Centeredness
- Critical Thinking
HVMS PTSO
Our PTSO is instrumental in providing support to our entire school community, and the success of the program depends on you! We will have opportunities to join the PTSO at our Schedule Pick-Up Night (July 26) and our Back-to-School Open House (August 8). Dues are $5 per individual who is joining. 100% of our membership fees go directly to supporting our school community. If you have any questions about membership, please contact Meredith Burrow: mereburrow@yahoo.com
Please click below to learn more about our HVMS PTSO:
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
Laptops
Roanoke County Schools will be providing all middle school students a laptop they can use at home and school for the 2022-23 school year at no charge to students. Laptops will be distributed to students during the first few days of school.
SCHOOL SAFETY
Vaccination Requirements for Rising 7th Graders
In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 1090 which effectively requires Virginia’s immunization recommendations and requirements to coincide with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The legislation became effective July 1, 2021 and amends the Code of Virginia §32.1-46.
Students entering 7th grade can meet the vaccination requirement by presenting proof of their first dose of human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV), one booster of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine (Tdap), and their first dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY). These vaccines are required for both boys and girls before entering 7th grade. However, a parent has the right to decide if their child receives the HPV vaccine. A student may attend school and be missing the HPV vaccine. Parents are encouraged to discuss this with your healthcare provider.
The Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Departments will offer vaccination opportunities for children in need of immunizations required for school attendance. Please visit the website listed below to find the schedule and details regarding whether or not an appointment is needed. As new information about clinics is made available, this page will be updated:
Health Clinic Vaccination Schedule
All children must be accompanied by an adult and have an up-to-date vaccination record with them. Please bring any insurance cards for your child(ren). Vaccines required for school attendance are available at no cost to you.
Regardless of the chosen location to receive the vaccines, please obtain documentation and take it to your child’s current school.
Traffic Pattern
Mornings: If you drop off your child in the morning, turn right into the first entrance past the football field. This is the drop off lane. Proceed all the way to the end of the building to drop off your child at the sidewalk near the bus parking lot. When exiting, be cautious of entering buses.
Afternoons: Please turn right into the second entrance and park in a space to wait for your child to exit the building. Please be very careful when leaving, and please watch for pedestrians and buses! Students may not be picked up from the car rider line in the afternoons.
ATHLETICS
6th, 7th, and 8th grade students are allowed to compete on the middle school athletic teams. All participating students must have a current sports physical dated on or after May 1, 2022. No student will be permitted to participate in tryouts or practice without a completed physical form on file. Additionally, all students must have health insurance if they want to participate.
Athletic ticket prices: adult tickets will be $5, and student tickets are $2. These funds are used to help offset the cost for officials, transportation to away games, and team equipment.
HELPFUL LINKS
ABOUT US
Website: http://www.rcps.us/hvms
Location: 4902 Hidden Valley School Road, Roanoke, VA, USA
Phone: (540) 772-7570
Facebook: facebook.com/HVMSConnect/
Twitter: @HVMSConnect