Hello Students and Families!

I hope you are all healthy and doing well. We are about to begin our fourth week of our Distance Learning Plan. I am proud to report that our estimated student participation over the first two weeks is 83% as a building! Thank you to all our teachers and staff members who have made the online learning and paper packets possible.

I also want to thank you, the students and families, who are participating. You have found a way to build schoolwork into your daily routines. This is no easy task! I want to encourage you to continue trying your very best for the remaining four weeks of our Distance Learning. Remember, we are asking for your best efforts, we are not expecting you to master everything we send home.

I want to close with a challenge: I challenge you to reach out to a friend who you may have heard is not participating in our Distance Learning right now and encourage them to log in and participate. I would love to report over 90% participation in my next communication.

Sincerely,

Scott Stockwell

Principal HMS

Hello Hopkins Community,

I hope you are all doing well and staying safe. Many of you have been asking about putting in your course requests for next school year and we are now ready to go with those. Below are the dates when you can enter your requests into PowerSchool:

May 11- May 15: Incoming 9th and 10th graders ONLY

- Mrs. Weaver will be available via Zoom (the link is below) to answer questions on May 12 from 9:30 AM-12 PM and May 14 from 9 AM-12 PM. Please utilize those available office hours to ask questions about scheduling. Mr. Crook will also have some availability this week to answer questions from incoming 9th graders.

Please see the attached PowerPoint Slideshow BEFORE beginning the scheduling process- even if you've put in requests before.(You will need to download it to watch it) There are many changes to the classes this coming school year. If you have questions on what classes you've taken please go to the "Grade History" tab along the left side of your PowerSchool- they are all listed there. If you have failed a required class, please make sure you also request that back into your schedule.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13aWyUYi18T98_hlLUcZXDQ_xwTWubwkK/view?usp=sharing_eil&ts=5eb065a6

Again, please watch the PowerPoint before starting (there is audio) and look through all the planning tools on the Google Classroom (Code: uy2zusv) Both these things will help you immensely when choosing your classes. See you on Zoom, if you have questions

I hope each of you has a great week!

9th/10th grade Zoom links:

Tuesday:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89147167606?pwd=bnA3Tlpac0lhNnYzUDl6a3J0RnNJQT09

Meeting ID: 891 4716 7606
Password: 4fPWiT

Thursday:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81809946653?pwd=VHdEcDljNDFIeHZBOS9UTDk4RmVUZz09

Meeting ID: 818 0994 6653
Password: 3drpW3

Amanda Weaver, School Counselor

Hopkins High School

(269) 793-7616 X 1510

amanweav@hpsvikings.org

"See the light in others, and treat them as if that is all you see"

If you had signed up for the Choir's "Blue Man Group" field trip, please read below:

Here is what we know as of now:

1. Due to the world wide COVID-19 pandemic, the Middle School Choirs will not be going to see The Blue Man Group at Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium this year (originally scheduled for May 1st, 2020).

2. Mr. Oaster received confirmation that Miller Auditorium was "postponing" the rest of the seasons shows--including The Blue Man Group Show we bought tickets for in April.

However, Miller Auditorium then abruptly closed their ticket offices after that announcement (the same day they sent that email out to ticket holders) and they have not yet reopened. That has caused our emails and phone calls to them to go unanswered thus far.

3. I have formally requested a FULL refund of our ticket money from Miller Auditorium as of April 10th. I have heard nothing back from Miller Auditorium in weeks. We can assume we will not hear anything back from them for at least a few more weeks--May 16th possibly?

4. As a director, I am currently NOT looking to postpone this trip till this next year (or whenever Miller might reschedule)--however, we DO have other trips tentatively planned for next year's M.S. choirs though (Spring 2021 Chicago trip that we are crossing our fingers for.....?).

5. Mr. Oaster is letting you know that as soon as he has confirmed a refund with Miller Auditorium, that refunds will be headed back your way---however, the refunds (if received from Miller) will be given back via the "same payment method" that it was received by Mr. Oaster. That means that Choir Student Accounts would be credited back if you paid out of a choir student account. That means if you paid via cash or check, you would receive a refund in the form of a check back from our school, but again--that is only AFTER we receive a full refund from Miller Auditorium.

Hopefully this helps to answer some of your possible questions.

I will let you know more as soon as I know more.

All my best,

Mr. Oaster

JacoOast@hpsvikings.org

Hello Everyone,

The 2020 HMS Photo Contest finalists have been chosen!

Three professional Michigan photographers were gracious enough to lend their time to judge this year's competition. The judges were asked to look for the very best photos that included the following: clarity and crispness of image quality, advanced lighting techniques, and an artistic theme represented through student voice.

Out of the 100 photographs submitted, the top HMS finalists are:

Olivia Brenner

Kassidy Colegrove

Sage Collier

Tally Laarman

Isabella Laskowski

Oliver Mead

Addison Moored

Allison Poll

Quinn Poll

Caleb Steingold

Emily Tomes

Congratulations to the finalists!

Also, thank you to all the talented artists that submitted photos to this year's contest. The top 3 winners will be announced through email next Friday, May 15th.

1st prize-$50, 2nd prize-$30, 3rd prize-$20.

Please take a minute to watch the slideshow of this year's top finalists and their photographs below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Ex3Ht7-auWaX6DbGN_jxv_QoY6kyKGP/view?usp=drive_web

To order your yearbook visit:

www.inter-state.com/yearbook

and enter code: 44165J

Remember to pick up your student lunches on Tuesday and Friday!

***Meals will be delivered through June 5th***

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. – Watson Township Hall, Hilliards or Salem Township Hall
10:50 – 11:05 a.m. – Topaz Trailer Park
10:55 – 11:10 am. – Hopkins Fire Barn or Sycamore Elementary
11:15 – 11:30 a.m. – Sapphire Estates Trailer Park
11:20 – 11:35 a.m. – Monterey Township Hall

https://open.spotify.com/show/1AnhCCXD35bkQCNLLrYWWT?si=ieRaa0gKTRq3BCD4zoP68Q

Email: stepcaul@hpsvikings.org
Website: hpsvikings.org
Location: 215 Clark Street, Hopkins, MI, USA
Phone: (269) 793-7407
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HopkinsMiddleSchool/
Twitter: @hpsmiddleschool

ATTENDANCE

Please call the Middle School office at (269) 793-7407 within 24 hours of your students' absence. You may leave a message on our voicemail system day or night. When reporting illness, please inform the secretary of the type of symptoms your child is experiencing (fever, sore throat, ect.). If your child is absent 2 days or more, you may request homework. If your student is absent only 1 day, homework may be picked up from their teachers the following day. You may also email absences to jennhitc@hpsvikings.org.

PHONE CALLS

Telephones in the office are to be used for illness and emergencies only.

IMMUNIZATIONS

Please report all immunizations that your child has had so we are able to keep our school records up to date. All new students and all 6th graders must be completely up to date on all immunizations. Contact the HMS office if you have any questions.

MEDICATION

ALL medications needing to be dispensed to students must be supplied from home. The school does not provide any type of medication. All prescription medication must be provided in a pharmacy labeled bottle. Tylenol/Aspirin must be brought to the office in an unopened bottle. All students requiring any type of medication must have a medication form completed by their parents and on file in the office.

CHANGES in Phone Numbers, Home Address & E-Mail

Please inform the office any time there are changes in your address or phone numbers. We need to have this information so we can update our records and successfully contact you if needed.

The Hopkins Public School District Board of Education complies with all federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, sex, marital status, height, weight, or disability in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Mr. Gary Wood Superintendent of Schools, Hopkins Public Schools, 400 Clark Street, Hopkins, MI 49328 Phone 269-793-7261.