Eagle Eye
HVMS E-Newsletter
HVMS Summer Update - 7/12/2021
Hello, HVMS Family!
We are excited to be approaching the start of our 2021-2022 school year! 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 27: Schedule Pick-Up Night
- August 10: New Student Orientation
- August 10: Back-to-School Open House
- August 12: First Day of School
Schedule Pick-Up Night: Tuesday, July 27
New Student Orientation: Tuesday, August 10
All new students and their parents (including all 6th graders) are invited to attend an orientation at the school on Tuesday, August 10, from 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The program will provide students an opportunity to meet each of their teachers and to locate their classrooms. Parents will meet with the administration and guidance to learn about the middle school experience.
Buddies for New Students
We need returning students as “buddies” for our new 7th and 8th graders coming to HVMS. All Ambassadors who are available should plan to attend. You will need to be here at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 10 for orientation, and we will meet in the Forum. Come and bring a smile!
Back-to-School Open House: Tuesday, August 10
On Tuesday, August 10, 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 student.
Grade level meetings will also be held during this time to help familiarize you with the grade level staff and hopefully answer some of your questions. Meetings will be held at the following times:
- 6th Grade—5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- 7th Grade—5:45 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
- 8th Grade—6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
*Grade level teachers will not be in their rooms during grade level meetings.
We will have food trucks on site from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., so please feel free to grab some dinner while you are here! Seating will be available in our outdoor picnic area as well as in the cafeteria (until our grade level presentations begin).
First Day of School
Thursday, August 12, marks the first day of school for the 2021-22 school year. All students will report to their advisory room at 8:20 a.m. for attendance and opening routines. Large posters will be displayed throughout the school listing advisory rooms for each grade. 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 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) - 7th Grade Administrator
- Assistant Principal: Evan Noell (enoell@rcps.us) - 6th Grade Administrator
- Assistant Principal: Jessica Yates (jyates@rcps.us) - 8th Grade Administrator
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. Childress and Mrs. Cook, 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: Lisa Childress (lchildress@rcps.us)
- L-Z: Callie Cook (cmcook@rcps.us)
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)
PTA
Our PTA 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 PTA at our Schedule Pick-Up Night (July 27) and our Back-to-School Open House (August 10). Please click below to learn more about our HVMS PTA:
Nutrition
Breakfast and lunch meals will be free for students during the 2021-2022 school year due to an extension of federal funding.
School nutrition associates are needed across Roanoke County! Please see the flyer to the right if you are interested in learning more about joining the RCPS Nutrition Team.
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
Laptops
Roanoke County Schools will be providing all middle school students a laptop they can use at home and school for the 2021-22 school year at no charge to students. Laptops will be distributed to students during the first few days of school.
InfoSnap
Parents of returning students can use their existing account or can create a new secure account that they will use each year for student first day forms. All InfoSnap information needs to be loaded by Monday, August 9.
SCHOOL SAFETY
Immunization
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). This legislation becomes effective July 1, 2021 and amends the Code of Virginia § 32.1-46.A.4.
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 his or her 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.
You can make an appointment with your child’s healthcare provider. The local health departments will administer school required vaccines at no charge. The health department requires a copy of your child’s immunization record.
Roanoke County Health Department information follows:
Roanoke County/Salem Health Department
105 E. Calhoun Street
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 387-5530
Roanoke County/Vinton Health Department
227 S. Pollard Street
Vinton, VA 24179
(540) 857-7800
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 marked space to wait for your child to exit the building. Please be very careful when leaving, and please watch for pedestrians and buses!
ATHLETICS
The Athletic Department is looking forward to another successful school year. Please make sure to check out our Eagles in action.
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.
Only 7th and 8th grade students are allowed to compete on the middle school athletic teams. 6th grade students are permitted to participate in a noncompetitive capacity.
All participating students must have a current sports physical dated on or after May 1, 2021. 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.
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