HMMS Happenings!
March 23, 2023
Dear HMMS Families,
I hope this newsletter finds you all well, and enjoying the transition to Spring! Students and teachers continue to work hard in the final trimester of the 2022-2023 school year. Can you believe it?! The Spring season brings with it lots of activity, warmer temperatures, and many different responsibilities for middle school students to balance. It also brings lots of fun events and celebrations! Thank you for all the ways you are working with your child and partnering with us to finish our school year strong!
See below for information and timely updates regarding the following:
- Kindness Club: Donation drive to support The Wandering Heart Project
- Advisory Update: Social & Emotional Learning
- Information on Spring Safety Drills
- MCAS Testing Dates for Spring 2023 (testing begins next week!)
- HMMS Yearbooks - ordering deadline is April 14th
- Lifelong Learning Summer Programs - information to register!
- Health Reminders from the Nurse's Office
A reminder that Friday, March 24th is an Early Release Day for students
and dismissal will be at 10:45 am.
As always, we have included Main Office contact information and "Important Dates to Remember" at the bottom of this newsletter.
Sincerely,
Ms. Motte
Principal
HMMS Kindness Club: The Wandering Heart Project
The HMMS Kindness Club is working on a donation drive to help the The Wandering Heart Project. The mission at The Wandering Heart Project is to ensure foster and homeless children of all ages throughout Massachusetts have access to basic essentials and clothing.
HMMS Kindness Club will be supporting a collection of the following items:
* Bathing Suits for Camp (sizes 6-young adult)
* Journals
* Deodorant
* Kids Toothpaste/Toothbrush
* Baby Wash and Baby Lotion
* New Sneakers of all sizes
Advisory groups are encouraged to make a contribution.
The collection ends March 31st.
For more information on this organization, click here:
Social Emotional Learning & Advisory
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) continues to be an important area of learning and growth for our middle school students. Below are some ways we are embedding SEL into our daily advisory program at HMMS.
Advisory
During the months of February & March, Advisory groups continued their work with lessons from the Second Step curriculum. The focus during this time has been on thoughts, feelings, and emotions with lessons designed to meet the needs of each grade level. For example, sixth grade groups have worked to describe how strong emotions can influence the decisions they make; seventh grade groups have worked to distinguish helpful thoughts from unhelpful thoughts and the impact unhelpful thoughts can have on decision-making; and eighth grade groups have worked to reframe certain types of stress as opportunities for growth.
In addition to Second Step lessons, Advisory groups also regularly participate in various team building activities. Some groups have identified favorites such as Silent Ball and Emoji Pictionary, while other groups may vary it up each week with a different game. Students have fun engaging in different challenges while also building communication and cooperation skills and making connections with their peers.
And lastly, Advisory groups have spent time recognizing Black History Month (February), Women's History Month (March) and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March ) by discussing various heroes and leaders, such as Langston Hughes, Katherine G. Johnson, Georgia O'Keefe, Stevie Wonder and the FHS Unified Basketball Team. These moments of learning about others help build social awareness and inclusivity within our school community.
Spring Safety Drills
We practice safety drills each year so that our students and staff will know their important roles in these unique situations. HMMS has scheduled our spring safety drills for the following dates:
HMMS Lockdown Drill Practice: Tuesday, March 28
HMMS Fire Drill Practice: Friday, April 14
It is important that as parents/guardians, you feel confident that your child is safe while at school. Please feel free to use the information below as a resource in talking with your child, should you feel it is necessary.
Q. What does a lockdown drill sound, look, and feel like?
A. When we are ready to begin our lockdown drill, Mrs. Simon, Mr. Healy or Ms. Motte will make an announcement indicating that this safety drill is beginning. After hearing this announcement, students move to their previously identified safe place while teachers secure the door(s), turn off the lights, and close the shades. Once everyone is positioned in their safe places, they wait quietly for a period of a few minutes while school administration and the police department check the building. Students then hear another friendly announcement indicating that the lockdown drill is over and normal classroom activities may be resumed.
Q. What happens if my child is in an open space or the bathroom when the lockdown announcement is made?
A. If a student is anywhere other than their classroom when a lockdown announcement is made they should stop and listen to an authority figure for safety. If a student is with a teacher, they will direct them to the identified safe space. If a student is alone and traveling in the hall they should enter the closest classroom door. Staff members are responsible for checking hallways prior to securing their doors. If a student is in the bathroom, they should stop and listen to the adult who is responsible for checking that bathroom.
Talking Points if your Children Have Questions:
Remember, children need brief, simple information that is balanced with reassurance. Additionally, they need to hear adults talking about this topic with confidence.
Children are safe at home and at school
Just like you go to school to learn, the teachers at your school have learned how to keep you safe in emergency situations
Lockdown drills are one way the school practices keeping students safe. During these drills, you practice waiting quietly in your safe place. During this drill, you will hear someone from the main office on the loudspeaker.
Remember, you are safe at home and at school.
Sign Up for HMMS PCC Emails!
Our HMMS PCC is committed to our students, staff and school community. We would not be able to bring our students enrichment opportunities such as author visits, assemblies, field trips and end of year celebrations without them.
Please click on the link here to
There are lots of different ways to get involved!
8th GRADERS: Register for High School Experience!
High School Experience is a transitional program to help 8th graders as they move to the high school next year. The program runs on August 8th & 9th from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Students will...
Tour and learn to navigate your new school
Meet and greet with FHS faculty & peers
Learn how to read a class schedule
Participate in team building activities
Communicate with upperclassmen student leaders
Learn the “ins and outs” from an “expert”
And more!
Here is a brief video describing the program!
Use this website to register:
High School Experience Registration
Questions? Contact: Kristin Letendre Smith, Director: High School Experience (smithk@franklinps.net)
Lifelong Learning Summer Programs
Franklin's Lifelong Learning Institute has posted their 2023 summer programs for students in grades K through 12. By clicking on the links below you will be able to view class descriptions, dates, cost, etc. and find information to register.
Summer Art, Grades 6-9
Summer Music, Grades 3-9
Preparing for College, Grade 12
Ready. Set. Kindergarten!, Grade K
STAR, Grades K-5
Summer STEM, Grades 1-10
Solutions Summer Adventure, Grades K-5
High School Experience, Grade 9
Click here to view LLL Programs by Week and by Grade!
Health Reminders from the HMMS Nurses
As per Franklin Public Schools policy, please remember and adhere to the following protocols:
Keep your child home from school if :
your child has a fever of 100 degrees or higher
your child is vomiting or has diarrhea
your child has a contagious illness such as flu, strep throat, chicken pox, COVID, etc. If unsure, please contact the school nurse for guidance.
your child's eye is pink, red, or itchy, and/or a crusty drainage from the eye is present.
your child has tested positive on a rapid antigen or PCR test for COVID and/or awaiting results of COVID testing (all positive COVID test results should be reported to school nurse for return to school guidance/masking protocol upon return).
Students may return to school when :
fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medicines.
24 hours after the start of antibiotic therapy for a bacterial infection.
24 hours without vomiting or diarrhea.
We are committed to maintaining the health and wellness of our students and staff. Thank you for your help, and as always, please contact the Health Office with any additional questions and or concerns that you may have.
Carrie Kalemkerides, LPN
Oak Street/Horace Mann Nurse
Phone (508) 541-6230 ext. 2639
Fax (508) 613-1506
Stephanie Leeber, MSN, RN.
Oak Street/Horace Mann Nurse
Phone (508) 541-7890 Ext. 2640
Fax (508) 613-1506
Important Dates to Remember...
March
- Fri, Mar 24: Early Release Day (dismissal at 10:45 am) PD afternoon for Staff
- Fri, Mar 24: Trimester 2 Grades Posted in Aspen (2pm)
- Mon, Mar 27: Club Photos with O'Connor Studios (during the school day)
- Wed, Mar 29: 7th & 8th grade ELA MCAS
- Thu, Mar 30: 7th & 8th grade ELA MCAS
- Tue, Apr 4: 6th grade ELA MCAS
- Wed, Apr 5: 6th grade ELA MCAS
- Fri, Apr 7: No School (good Friday)
- Fri, Apr 14: Early Release Day (dismissal at 10:45 am), PD afternoon for Staff
- Apr 17- 21: No School (April Vacation)
About HMMS
508-541-6230 ext 2816
Mr. Healy's contact information
508-541-6230 ext 2846
Email: name@franklinps.net
Website: https://www.franklinps.net/horacemann
Location: 224 Oak Street, Franklin, MA, USA
Phone: 508-541-6230
Twitter: @HMMSLightning