HEMLOCK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Dec. 12th - Dec. 18th
Update from our Superintendent
This is our 16th week of the 2020-2021 school year. It remains our goal to provide you with regular updates.
We will continue as scheduled for PK-8 with face-to-face instruction and based on the MDHHS order our high school students grade 9-12 will remain remote until after the Christmas break.
Next week, it will be my goal to provide you a tentative snapshot for the month of January so that you can best prepare and schedule accordingly.
We appreciate everyone's patience as our team of teachers, support staff, and building principals have been able to provide more face-to-face instruction than any other public school district in our county.
Our team continues to refine our COVID-19 Dashboard with data updates in real-time and a location that brings pertinent information together into an easy to access place.
We need everyone to continue to do their part by doing daily health screeners, keeping sick children home, and following the 3 W's: wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance.
Please do not send children to a school with any sickness symptoms, cough, fever, etc. Sending children sick to school places our face-to-face instruction program at risk and creates inconvenience for you when we have to send your child home before the end of the school day.
Please continue to encourage your child to utilize our free breakfast and lunch program for all; it makes your morning easier knowing that breakfast and lunch are already taken care of. We also have times for you to pick up free food for all students when we have remote days (989) 642-4700 for more information.
All the best,
Don Killinbeck, Ed.D.
(989) 642-5282
Synchronous Learning
Please make sure that your student is logging in at the beginning of each hour. The teacher will take attendance, give direction for the class and then they will be available for any questions that the students may have at that time. Students will start their day and must be logged on by 8:00 am.
Synchronous learning is for ALL STUDENTS .... remote and face-to-face!!!!
HMS CAFETERIA NEWS
HMS CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WEEK
The Student Council will be having Christmas Spirit Week next week. Check out the flier below and dress up to show your Christmas Spirit every day. We will be taking a tally every day to see which grade has the most participation. Let's try to get the whole school in the spirit!!!
Hemlock Public School District is committed to its mission and vision to innovate, collaborate, educate a community of learners. Recently, the district released an internal proposal for the instructional staff to pitch ideas that would improve instruction and remote learning due to the changing landscape of education in this new era of handling COVID-19 and a world-wide health crisis/pandemic.
High school teacher Karen Willour and middle school teacher Jeremy Stedry both submitted a proposal to enhance their classes with the use of a Jamboard.
Superintendent Don Killingbeck said, “I am very pleased with these teachers who are demonstrating the forward-thinking that we need in our educators today. Both of their proposals were thought-provoking and made good sense to support.”
Middle School Principal Chase shared, “This is just another example of how Hemlock Public School District supports innovation and moving programs ahead.”
Rauchholz Memorial Library
Round 3 of Christmas Movie Mania!
Follow the link to vote for your favorites: https://forms.gle/6rdBxnWXftPWeeyHA
Round 2 Results: (18 voters - winning movie listed first):
A Charlie Brown Christmas - 94%
How the Toys Saved Christmas - 6%
It's a Wonderful Life - 77%
Jack Frost (1979) - 23%
Prancer - 63%
Klaus - 37%
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas - 71%
The Chronicles of Narnia - 29%
Home Alone - 82%
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - 18%
Christmas with the Kranks - 53%
Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - 47%
The Santa Clause - 77%
The Polar Express - 23%
The Star - 67%
Mrs. Santa Claus - 33%
Frosty the Snowman - 65%
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) - 35%
Elf - 88%
Santa Buddies - 12%
Die Hard - 65%
The Holiday - 35%
Jingle All the Way - 65%
While You Were Sleeping - 35%
A Christmas Story - 94%
An Elf's Story - 6%
White Christmas - 81%
The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas - 19%
A Christmas Carol (2009) - 69%
Scrooged - 31%
The Nightmare Before Christmas - 56%
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer - 44%
Recently, Hemlock Public School District Board of Education passed a resolution to name the newly built STEM Center after Tom and Dana Lockwood with a sunset of 2040. The STEM Center and Lockwood’s journey started several years ago when the district attempted to launch a newly formed FIRST Robotics team. Before launching the team, the district needed a mentor or two. Tom and Dana volunteered and what they thought might be a few hours a week turned into a family affair, taking much of the families’ free time. The Lockwood’s, however, would not have it any other way, with both of their sons taking part in what was has evolved into a K-12 robotics program. The program has grown to have multiple teams and dozens of mentors and sponsors.
As the STEM programs grew, the need for a dedicated space became more and more apparent. The couple originally thought a simple pole barn might suffice, what started off as an attempt to raise around $100,000 turned into a project that generated over a quarter of a million in donations and tens of thousands of in-kind donations. The Lockwood’s have forever changed the face of robotics and STEM education in our community. This endeavor has created a world-class facility that will serve as an inspiration to our community and the region.
Holiday Coloring Contest
The RTCA will be hosting a Holiday Coloring Contest for children that live or attend school in Hemlock. Please see the information below. The contest will start December 1, 2020 and end at noon on December 18, 2020. Children will not be judged on the best coloring job, rather we will draw their entry from all those submitted giving skilled and not so skilled artist the same chance to win one of the three prizes.
There is a different coloring sheet for each age group. Your child must sign their name on the back page as well as having parents sign their name giving permission for their child to enter the contest. We also ask that you provide a phone number on the back of the sheet so we know how to contact the winner.
Good luck and we look forward to seeing all the fantastic entries. The RTCA committee.
Christmas Stocking
Christmas Pupp
Christmas Town
Coming Soon!!!!
The new ACE Hardware is preparing to open under new owners Ryan, Byron and Brandon Clouse. The hardware is next to the new grocery store Rosati's Fresh Market and will open on Friday, December 11th.
Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra's "Home for the Holidays"
Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra’s second concert of the 2020-2021 season ... “Home for the Holidays.’’
Starting at 8pm Tuesday, Dec. 8, from the Temple Theater in downtown Saginaw, it is airing over the Internet in real time, what is called live streamed. Harking back to the early days of television and its live only programs.
And for those who can’t make that fleeting date, it will also be recorded that night and made available to view at 3:30pm and 7:30pm Sunday, Dec. 13.
Performing under the baton of Fouad Fakhouri are the six-member Saginaw Bay Brass, the five-member Saginaw Bay String Consort, and double quartet St. Lorenz Chamber Singers from Frankenmuth.
Among the mixed bag selections are:
—Arrangements of “Veni Veni” and “In Dulci Jubilo” by Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller.
— “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo” by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
—“See the Conquering Hero” from “Judas Maccabaeus” and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from The Messiah by Handel.
— “Winter Night Gives Birth to Day” by Scott Hyslop, the conductor of the St. Lorenz Chamber Singers.
— “Gloria in excelsis” by Vivaldi.
— “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson.
— “Concerto Grosso” by Corelli.
— And arrangements of “Fantasia for Christmas,” “The First Noel,” “Christmas Time Is Here” and “A Christmas Portrait.”
Tickets are $12 per household and available at saginawbayorchestra.com/concerts. The links to the live concert and the two recorded ones will be emailed to each buyer one hour prior to start time.
The digital program book is available by texting “program’ 298-244-7818.
This concert is sponsored by Wildfire Credit Union, Ascension-St. Mary's and WEYI-TV25.
The first artificial Christmas tree was made in Germany, fashioned out of goose feathers that are dyed green!
Common decorations on a Christmas tree each have their specific meanings. Candles – the light of the world, the Star at the top is a reminder of the first Christmas night and Candy canes are to represent the Shepherd’s cane.
“Jingle bells” was composed in 1857, and not for Christmas – it was meant to be a Thanksgiving song.
December 12th is Poinsettia Day.
Allison Cordingly, 12/15
Nicholas Handa, 12/15
Jaxson Fromholz, 12/17
Grady Galbraith, 12/17
Dayton Pretzer, 12/17
Sean Grove, 12/18
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT ..................
- Friday, 12/18: Virtual day for everyone!
- Monday, 12/21 - Friday, 1/1: No School. Christmas break!!!
- Friday, 1/15: End of 2nd Marking Period and 1st Semester
- Monday, 1/18: No School!
HEMLOCK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Email: kienitz.kris@hemlockps.com
Website: hemlockps.com
Location: 525 North Maple Street, Hemlock, MI, USA
Phone: 989-642-5253