HMS Connection

A Message from Mr. Smith

Hello HMS Community!

As we begin to settle into the school year, we are excited to see our after school activities getting started. Students can take part in a wide variety of clubs, sports, and student organizations after dismissal each day. Please check our Daily Notices (link found below) each day for more information. We are also working to expand our notification to parents as to what options are available to students each week, so be on the look out!

Please check out our Week-at-a-Glance document attached to this newsletter to see what we have planned for next week.

HMS Activity Fee

As a reminder, families are asked to pay an "Activity Fee" at HMS each year. These funds help to defray costs associated with after-school clubs and activities. You can complete this process by clicking here.

If you need assistance with this or any other school related fees, please do not hesitate to reach out to either a school administrator, a school counselor, or any faculty member you feel comfortable with.

Handbook Assemblies

This past week all students took part in grade level assemblies to discuss the HMS handbook and related topics. We were even joined by Opry, the HPS comfort dog, for part of our grade eight meeting. Led by administrators, counselors, and Officer Ramsey, these assemblies are designed to explain and reinforce the norms and routines of daily life at HMS. We also discussed the topics of bullying and appropriate social media use. The overall theme of the assembly was that we are all here together everyday and we must take care of each other!

In the very near future students and parents will be emailed a link asking that both you and your child review the HMS Handbook and the HPS Code of Discipline. Both documents will be included in the link along with a way for you to signify that you and your child have read and agree to both.

Saving the Planet, Four Turtles at a Time!

Once again this year HMS has the honor of helping save an endangered species. Under the guidance of grade eight science teacher, Mrs. Flaherty, students will feed and care for four Northern Red-Bellied Cooter turtles over the course of this school year. Once they are able to survive on their own they will be released back into the wild. In order to be part of this program, Mrs. Flaherty had to obtain a special permit from the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife. We are proud that HMS has been entrusted with this responsibility!

Forms, Forms, Forms!

"Back to school" means homework for everyone, not just the students! We ask that if you have not yet done so, please complete the health form, which was previously sent home.

In addition, Hingham Middle School works closely with a number of local organizations which provide support to our school and our students. If you do not wish for us to share your contact information with these groups, or if you do not want your child used in any photographs or videos which might be shared, please click this link and complete the Opt Out forms.

Grade Six students and parents must complete the Chromebook Usage Agreement, which can be found here.

Finally, we ask that you and your middle schooler read and review both the Bus Safety Rules and the Food Allergy notification attached to this news letter.

Thank you!

COVID Protocol Reminders

As a reminder, we are asking all members of the HMS community to work together to help keep everyone healthy and safe. Please review the information and reminders below related to COVID-19, as it relates to school and attendance.

Thank you

• Isolation and Exposure Precautions - All students and staff should follow the updated isolation and exposure guidance issued by DPH, in alignment with recently issued guidance from CDC. Contact tracing is no longer recommended statewide in K-12 schools.

• Masking - There is no statewide requirement or recommendation for universal masking in schools, apart from in school health offices. As always, any individual who wishes to continue to mask, including those who face a higher risk from COVID-19, will be supported in that choice.
• COVID-19 Testing - In line with recent CDC guidance, pool (screening) testing and test to stay will not be implemented.
• Vaccinations - All individuals are encouraged to stay up-to-date with vaccination as vaccines remain the best way to help protect yourself and others.

COVID-19 Symptoms

Parents and caregivers are asked to remain vigilant for the following COVID-19 symptoms. Caregivers are asked to report any positive cases of their children to their school nurse immediately. The information shared with nurses will remain confidential. The reporting will allow the schools to monitor any outbreaks and respond appropriately.

• Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• New loss of taste or smell

• Muscle aches or body aches

• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as a chronic cough)

• Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms

• Nausea, vomiting, when in combination with other symptoms

• Headache, when in combination with other symptoms

• Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms

• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies), when in combination with other symptoms.

Take care and stay safe!

Daily Notices

Wondering what's going on at HMS each day? You can check out our Daily Notices by clicking here. Updated every day!

Hello HMS Parents,

The HMS PTO welcomes you to a new school year! Our goal is to enrich the educational environment at school and to create a closer connection between school and home. To succeed, we rely on our parents and caregivers— the most important part of the PTO! Throughout the year we will be looking for volunteers and donations for events. Right now, we are asking that each family submit their annual dues of $45. These dues go toward valuable initiatives including Teacher Appreciation, Teacher Mini Grants, Cultural Enrichment and Parent Education. Payment of dues also gives you access to our online directory.

Dues are $45/family and can be paid via Venmo (@HMSPTO-1103) or by check made out to HMS PTO and delivered to the Main Office.

We look forward to meeting all of you and wish all of your children a happy and successful school year.

School Council

We have an open position for a parent representative on the HMS School Council.

There are two School Council Representatives at HMS, each with a two-year term. The School

Council is responsible for developing an annual school improvement plan. Meetings are held

monthly with HMS administration, our two parent representatives, a teacher representative, a

community representative and our school committee liaison. Currently, we have one opening

for school council representative to serve alongside Laura Accettella, who is starting the second

year of her term.

If you are interested in this position, please send an email to HMSPTOnews@gmail.com by

Friday, September 16th. Please include a short description of what experience you will bring to

the role.

A vote will be distributed the following week via Google Forms and every HMS Parent will have

the opportunity to vote for the candidate they feel will best represent them for the 2022-2024

school years.

Please contact Karen Daly at dalykare@gmail.com with any questions.

Thank you,

Karen Daly (Co-President - HMS PTO)

Brian Sweeney (Co-President - HMS PTO)

Open House

The HMS Open House is planned for the evening of Thursday, September 29.

In order to accommodate the large crowds we typically see, the evening is broken into two sessions.

Session I - Grade Six

5:45: Principal's Welcome Message in the Auditorium

6:00 - 7:10: Classroom Presentations

Session II - Grades Seven and Eight

7:30: Principal's Welcome Message in the Auditorium

7:45 - 8:45: Classroom Presentations

As we have done in the past, we will offer shuttle service from Resurrection Church to help with parking. Please plan accordingly

We look forward to seeing you!

Picture Re-Takes

Students who missed picture day or would like to have them retaken can do so on October 18 from 2:00 to 4:00 in the cafeteria.

Student Social Events

Each year our amazing PTO plans and organizes a number of after-school events for our students. We have several planned for the coming weeks. All require tickets in advance and are open to HMS students only. Please watch for more information on the following . . .

• October 14, 2:00 PM - Grade Six Fall Fest
• October 14, 7:00 PM - Grade Eight Campfire (at PRS back field)
• October 28, 7:00 PM - Grade Seven Halloween Social

We hope to see many of our students there!

Foster Building Project

Looking to learn more about the Foster School building project? Click the link below.

Learn more about the Foster Building Project

Hingham CARES Events

The Hingham CARES organization is sponsoring the following events:

TUE, 9/27 @ 7PM

Hingham Middle School auditorium

TEENS AND MARIJUANA

Keynote speech by Laura Stack on the risks of today's marijuana on the developing teen brain.

Laura will be signing her book after her speech.

Hingham CARES and Duxbury FACTS are co-sponsors of this FREE event.

Seats can be reserved here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-risks-of-todays-marijuana-with-laura-stack-tickets-407517093597

WED, 9/28 @ 11AM

Hingham Town Hall

RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MODERN DAY MARIJUANA

Panel discussion on various aspects of modern marijuana

Panelists include: Laura Stack, DA Tim Cruz, Dr. Todd Kerensky of South Shore Health and Jack Richman who is a Drug Recognition Expert with the Hingham Police Department