Paw Notes
Aliamanu Middle School --- February 2022
IMPORTANT DATES TO ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR
2/5- Free Car Wash for AMS Families @8am-12pm, AMS Campus
2/7- NO SCHOOL, Teacher Institute Day
2/8- Return to student uniforms, Early release day @ 1:15 pm
2/9 @ 9 am- "Stress and Coping" Parent Presentation
2/17- @ 2:30 pm- School Community Council Meeting
2/21- NO SCHOOL, Presidents Day
2/22- Early release day @ 1:15 pm
2/24- Progress Reports available via Infinite Campus
Please use the hyperlinks provided above to easily access events!
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Gratitude and Happiness
I'd like to take a moment to express our appreciation for you, our AMS Ohana. We know that the last few months have brought challenges to many of our families, yet our students continue to show up to school happy, ready to learn, and eager to connect with our staff. We appreciate everything you are doing at home to send your student(s) to school prepared for success, no matter the challenges.
As a staff, our commitment to you is to do the best that we can for our kids. We work daily to collaborate, grow, and change as we strive to become the school we want to be. We are committed to the work we do, and one of our key goals is to help grow happy, considerate, confident students, while providing opportunities for each and every Panther to shine.
Whether it is in providing a beautiful environment with our mele' murals, encouraging our students via our building messages to "DREAM BIG", or ensuring an opportunity for solitude near our koi pond or fountain, we want to empower our students to reach their potential and work hard to be their best.
In our classrooms and around campus, we strive to provide activity days and club and intramural opportunities that appeal to students with a variety of interests. From kickball to orchestra, and astrophysics to community service, we are focusing on positive learning experiences that allow students to show their stuff while encouraging students and staff to recognize their colleagues who have touched their lives in a positive way.
Why are we doing this? Because we want our students to be happy. Research has show that happiness leads to success as happy people seek to undertake new goals that reinforce their happiness and other positive emotions. Happy middle schoolers feel confident, optimistic, energetic, and goal-oriented.
The success of your students is what AMS is all about. It is important to every adult on our campus that our students feel welcome and cared for so that they will, in turn, feel motivated to do their best, because WE KNOW they can.
Thank you for entrusting your students with us, we appreciate your support and partnership. As always, we want to hear from you if you have questions or feedback for our staff. Please call our front office or attend one of our "Ask Admin" opportunities should you desire to talk. Our door is always open for you.
Al Hetrick, Proud Principal
From our Vice Principals
Did you know that research demonstrates a strong correlation between academic achievement and a safe school environment? Students need to feel and be safe at school, as do employees. For that reason, we host scheduled, unannounced drills to ensure that all of our AMS ohana are aware of and familiar with proper procedures, should the need arise.
Thank you for your help in reinforcing the importance of these drills by engaging you child in a meaningful discussion about the importance of their mindful and orderly participation during drills.
Thank you, and Go Panthers!
HAPPENINGS AROUND CAMPUS
Congratulations to Our AMS Spelling Bee Finalists and Champion!
Live-streamed to the AMS population, they demonstrated amazing spelling skills and grace under pressure by spelling words such as "conurbation", "plastron", and "hawsers". Congratulations to our winner, Nino, who won the Bee with the word "coracle", a small boat made by covering a wicker frame from leather and hide. Well done!
Intramural Kickball Champions
Mahalo to those who came out and played, and those who came out to cheer our teams on. It is great to see students and staff having fun outside of the classroom.
Advisory Covid Safety Poster Competition
UPCOMING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
Valentine Grams
NASA SPARX Challenge
We are excited about this opportunity, and we hope you are too! Students who participate in the program will engage in mission-driven activities and authentic STEM experiences,
Starting this week, a NASA Media Release for Parent and Minor will be sent home. Please fill out the form and return it on or by February 7, 2022, to your student's advisory teacher. This media release form is a NASA requirement as photos or videos may be taken of your child.
Please check with your child for weekly assignments that may be coming up in the next few weeks. We can accomplish great things when we work together!
Junior Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program
Does your student want to learn how to communicate more effectively? Strive to become a better leader? If so, the Jr. Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program is for them! Sponsored by Mrs. Orias, this club will meet virtually, one afternoon a week.
Students, come join us and find out more about Jr. Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program at our interest meeting.
Date: February 2, 2022
Location: Room C-5
Time: 11:15 AM -11:45 AM
American Heart Association Heart Challenge
AMS is kicking off our participation in the American Heart Challenge program on 2/4/22!
To get ready, please help your child join our school team by downloading the FREE American Heart Challenge App apple or android or by visiting www.heart.org/ahc.
Your child will choose their heart healthy challenge:
- Get 8 hours of Sleep Every Night
- Complete an Act of Kindness Each Day
- Get Moving for One Hour Daily!
Once registered, get started on Finn’s Mission by personalizing your page, sending emails or texts, and posting on social media! You will also learn Hands Only CPR and how to spot a stroke F.A.S.T.!!
Help us reach our goal of 100% of students taking the online challenge this year! Students who register before the assembly will get a special shout out during the live presentation and a Glow with Heart Sticker! Thank you for your support!
SPECIAL SCHOOL INCENTIVES:
The top class to complete Finn’s Missions will receive an ice cream treat!
If our school reaches a goal of $1500, then we will win a school wide prize!
Pacific Islander Club T Shirt Drive
Hi Panther Ohana. The Pacific Islander Club is hosting a donation drive to collect t-shirts. We will be collecting these shirts and making them into blankets and donating them. We would love your support and help in this. This drive will go from 2/8 until 2/18. Please drop donations off with Mr. Sissel in D-5 or contact him or a member of the club to find out more information.
FREE Saturday Morning Astrophysics
SMAP (Saturday Morning Astrophysics at Purdue) is for students in grades 7-12 and offers students opportunities to do experiments and learn about astronomy and astrophysics and to engage with content professionals and others of similar interests. These opportunities are VIRTUAL and FREE! To learn more, please visit their website @
Meet and Eat
Did you know that every Thursday during lunch, students are invited to join Ms. Hadden and their peers and participate in computer games, karaoke, bingo, movies and more?
Students should listen for the announcement of each week’s activity on Panthervision and pick up their pass on Monday or Tuesday during recess if they'd like to participate in this fun event.
Who do you want to "Uplift"?
PANTHER OHANA NEWS
FREE Car Wash for Our AMS Ohana
Stress and Coping Parent Presentation
Transition Coordinator Needed
Do you have a heart for new students and a desire to help support middle schoolers as they transition into or out of Aliamanu Middle School? If so, we’d love you to apply for a job in the AMS Transition Center!
We are looking for a part time, paid employee to help run our transition program. This is a 17 hour a week position and applicants should be available to work at least 11am-1pm Monday through Friday, as many of our transition programs take place during student lunch times.
If you are interested in learning more about this position, please contact Cheryl Fontes in our front office at 808-421-4100. Mahalo!
Substitute Teacher Class
If you are interested in substituting for HIDOE but have not attended a state approved teacher education program, you must participate in a Substitute Teacher Certification Class. HIDOE will be offering this class in Feb/Mar. The class will be virtual M-F and in person on Saturday. Interested candidates should register online at http://bit.ly/wcsawahreg and someone will contact them. Payment and class reservation will be in-person at the WCSA Wahiawa Site on Leilehua's campus
Dates & Times:
February 28 (Mon) – March 4 (Fri) Virtual: 4:00pm – 9:00pm
March 5 (Sat) In person: 8:30am – 1:30pm
Need to be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test dated within 72 hours prior to March 5.
Cost: $70 (non- refundable) Cash only
Location: In person (Saturday) Leilehua High School, Cafeteria
Updated Covid-19 Protocols
Please be sure to complete a wellness check for your student each morning before sending them to school, regardless of vaccination status. This is vital to keeping our campus as safe as possible.
Individuals who are exhibiting any symptoms, or who have been directed to quarantine by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health, should not come to campus. If your student has symptoms of illness, please see the return to school/work criteria listed below.
Please note, "Day Zero" is the day symptoms start or, if your student is, and remains, asymptomatic, the day they receive a positive test result. To keep track of your student's return to school day, please count 5 days after day zero, and have your student return to school on "Day Six".
Keeping our schools and students safe is a community commitment, and we appreciate your support in this mission.
In-School Weekly Covid Testing for AMS Students
This is a reminder that AMS is offering free weekly covid testing for students in our health room. If you are interested in having your student participate, but have not registered yet, please use this link to register them. Once they are registered, students are able to come in every Thursday before school, or during recess or lunch recess for testing.
February's Lunch Schedule
Moving?
PANTHER OHANA RESOURCES
Welcome To Our New MFLC, Ms. Kristi Sakamoto
As our Military and Family Life Counselor, Ms. Sakamoto can assist military affiliated students with a variety of issues, such as school adjustments, deployments, communication concerns, behavioral issues, and more. To learn more about the program, please open the flier found here.
If you would like to speak with Ms. Sakamoto, please reach out via phone at 808-294-3760, and, if you are interested in having your military affiliated child participate with the MFLC, please complete the consent form available here.
Additional resources available to military families via militaryonesource.mil can also be found here.
Welcome to Our Intern School Counselor, Ms. Brianna Ray
AMR Youth Center
Does your student like snacks? Friends? Fun?
The AMR Youth Center provides transportation for those students that live or whose parents work at the Aliamanu Military Reservation. Students must be registered with the Army Child and Youth Services program first prior to utilizing the afterschool bus transportation. There is no registration cost. Registration forms are located at the AMR Youth Center at the address below or it can be emailed to the parents/guardian of the youth. Afterschool bus transportation cost $15/month.
Please contact the Youth Center at 808-833-0920 to learn more.
MCEC Parent Webinars
Kakou Connection Newsletter
District's School Social Workers and Human Services Professionals, presents information and resources inspired by the idea that "We are all in this together", focusing on the idea of love and taking care of yourself as well as others.
Please click here to access the newsletter's content.
Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps Summer Program for Youth 17 +
To learn more about this program, please click here.
Girls Who Code Summer Opportunities for High School Students
The Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is a live, virtual, 2-week introductory computer science course on a set schedule.
The Self-Paced Program is a 6-week flexible computer science course for current eligible 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade US students (including SIP alumni and graduating seniors) and international students ages 14-18 who prefer not to adhere to a set schedule.
If you have a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT who is interested, please visit https://girlswhocodesm.smapply.io/ for more information.
PTSO CORNER
Next PTSO Meeting- Tuesday March 8th- Officer Elections
About Us
Email: jennifer.iverson@k12.hi.us
Website: aliamanumiddleschool.org
Location: 3217 Salt Lake Boulevard, Honolulu, HI, USA
Phone: 808-421-4100
Twitter: @AliamanuMiddle
The Department of Education expressly prohibits retaliation against anyone engaging in protected activity. Protected activity is defined as anyone who files a complaint of discrimination, participates in complaint proceedings dealing with discrimination, inquires about their rights under discrimination laws, or otherwise opposes acts of discrimination.