It is amazing to think that we are almost at the end of the school year. We appreciate the support and enthusiasm you have shown over the past ten months. HJH couldn't have asked for a better year as a campus!

National Teacher Appreciation Week will take place next week. Our teachers have done an outstanding job challenging our students academically this year in the classrooms. They've developed relationships with our students and have made memories that will last a lifetime. Several of them could be seen amongst the fans cheering them on at their extra-curricular events. A simple way to express your appreciation is letting them know by email, note or even speaking to them in person. We are very proud of the hard work our teachers have shown this year. They have poured their hearts and souls into their classrooms, and for that we are truly thankful.

As we come to the end of this school year, I would like to reiterate the crucial role that parents play in their students' success. The education of your student relies heavily on your support and partnership with us. Throughout the past year, our students have shown growth and we are looking forward to a successful year-end. Please continue to support your child these next few weeks as we prepare them for a smooth finish. Please take a moment to look at this month's events and all the great things happening on our campus. Go Cats!

Clayton Farrell

Principal Hallsville Junior High

We kindly invite you to participate in the Leader in Me Family Survey. Your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping us understand how well we are supporting leadership development, academic success, and a positive school culture. The survey is short, confidential, and an important part of our ongoing efforts to improve. Thank you for taking a few moments to share your insights and support our school's continued growth. Click here.

Teacher Appreciation Week is fast approaching! Let’s show the HJH teachers how much they are

loved! Teacher Appreciation Week is a special time dedicated to showing gratitude and recognition to the educators who play a crucial role in shaping the minds and futures of students. This week is an opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks for their unwavering dedication, patience, and the positive impact they have on the lives of our children. The first flyer shows the items that the parent group is providing to the teachers! The HJH Parent Support Group is taking donations for the Bubba’s 33 meal for Friday, May 9th. You can scan the QR code or Text to Pay if you would like to contribute to the meal. The second flyer is just a listing of cute/fun ideas that your child could individually do for their teachers. These are just suggestions! Thank you for making it a special week for our teachers!

April 30th Rising 8th Grade Course Change Requests Due

April 30th APEX Games Kick Off

1st-2nd Talent Show Auditions

2nd Library Books Due

2nd Yearbook EOY Reward

2nd-4th KYKX Big Bass Tournament

2nd-4th Xanadu Musical

3rd Auxiliary Spring Show

5th Academic Student Showcase

5th-9th Teacher Appreciation Week

6th TSI Testing (8th ONLY)

7th STUCO & Honor Society EOY Trip

8th UIL EOY Trip

8th Boys Soccer vs Marshall

8th Choir Spring Show

9th GT STEM Day (8th ONLY)

9th Honor Society Officer Tryout

10th 8th Grade Dance

12th Honor Society Induction

12th Tennis @ Longview

13th Theatre EOY Trip

14th Cheer EOY Trip

14th Reading by Design EOY Trip

15th Majorette & Flag Tryouts

15th Girls Athletic EOY Trip

15th FFA Banquet

16th HJH Talent Show

16th Senior Walk

16th Band Spring Show

17th Band EOY Trip

19th Choir EOY Trip

20th iReady Incentive

20th UIL M/S EOY Trip

21st APEX Color Games Celebration

21st 4th 9 Week Reward - Powder Puff Game

21st Kona Ice

22nd 8th Grade Award Ceremony/Celebration

22nd End of MP4

22nd Last Day of School/Early Release

23rd HHS Graduation

26th Memorial Day

*Please join SportsYou located at the bottom of our newsletter for complete schedules and game locations

*Students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian in order to attend home events

*Details of these events are listed below

We will conclude the 2024-2025 school year on Thursday, May 22nd. Reminder to all parents, this will be an early release day. The school day will end at 12:30pm.

Please join us on Thursday, May 22nd to celebrate the success of our 8th graders in the HJH Auditorium. The award ceremony will begin at 8:30am. Your child will be given information on any awards they will be receiving. At the conclusion of the ceremony, 8th grade students will participate in an exciting celebration. Parents are welcomed to the award ceremony only. We hope to see you there.

All freshmen enrolled in the Associate Degree Pathway are required to take the TSIA. A Google Form was shared during and after the Dual Credit Meeting for students to select a testing date. Testing will take place at the Training Facility located behind the Hallsville ISD Administration Building. Students will need $10 in exact change to test. The flyer with the stoplight graphic outlines the scoring process for your student. If they score in the green or yellow zones, they will be eligible to take dual credit courses as a freshman. However, students who score in the yellow zone will need to retake the TSIA next year and achieve a green score to continue dual credit courses beyond their freshman year. Students scoring in the red zone are not eligible for dual credit this year but may retake the test in the future. Any student scoring in the red zone will be contacted by a high school counselor to change the dual credit courses listed their freshmen year. Students will need to be picked up from the training center once they are finished with their test.

We are thrilled to provide our 8th-grade students with valuable opportunities to explore their future pathways. Here are some highlights the past couple of months:

• Career Fair: Community members visited the Junior High to share insights about various professions and career options.
• High School CTE Showcase: The High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) department introduced students to the programs and opportunities available during their high school years.
• Counselor Meetings: High School Counselors met with students to discuss their four-year plans and finalize individualized academic pathways.

Please review the attached timeline for key events over the next few months. Reminder, all course request changes need to be made by Wednesday, April 30th! We encourage you to have meaningful conversations with your child about their goals and aspirations for high school and beyond. Let’s work together to set them on the path to success!

Mark Your Calendar!
The 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. is scheduled for May 26–29, 2026. If you have a current 7th grader and are interested in learning more or signing them up, please join us for an informational meeting on Tuesday, May 6th at 5:30 PM in the HJH cafeteria. Contact mmayes@hisd.com for for more information.

HJH Football Parent Meeting – Mark Your Calendars!

Summer is right around the corner, and that means we're getting closer to football season! We’re excited to kick things off with our 2025 HJH Football Parent Meeting on:

Date: August 11th
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: HJH Main Gym

This meeting is for all incoming 7th and 8th grade football parents. Your athlete is more than welcome to attend with you!

To stay up to date on everything related to HJH Football and any upcoming information, please join our SportsYou group using the link/code below:

HJH Football Code: RBTDCAYK

We’re looking forward to a great season ahead—One Heartbeat!

Shows are at 6:30pm on Friday, May 2nd and 2:30pm on both Saturday, May 3rd, and Sunday, May 4th. Tickets sold online and at the door. $12 for everyone. Free for HJH students and staff (at the door only).

The HJH Bobcat Anglers will finish up their tournament season on May 2nd-4th at the KYKX Big Bass Tournament at Lake O' the Pines. The Ultimate High School Fishing Classic Championship with be held at The Boulders in Tyler on Saturday, May 17th. Good luck to our Bobcat Anglers.

The Bobcat Math & Science Team (MST) had a very successful year and will be celebrating with a trip to Tyler. On Tuesday, May 20th the team will spend the day bowling, playing games and eating pizza at Grand Slam! The fee for each student is $10. We will be taking a school bus there and back so be on the lookout for an email with specific times during the week before the trip.

Thank you to all of the coaches, parents and family members for your continued support throughout the entire year.

For returning students, we will resume after school practices in August. Please be on the lookout for some summer practice to get you ready for next season!

The HJH UIL Team had a very successful year and will be celebrating with a trip to Tyler. On Thursday, May 8th the team will spend the day bowling, playing games and eating pizza at Urban Air! The fee for each student is $10. We will be taking a school bus there and back so be on the lookout for an email with specific times during the week before the trip.

Thank you to all of the coaches, parents and family members for your continued support throughout the entire year.

We are excited to announce that the 2nd Annual "Pickles for Poetry" program will begin May 5th!

Here's how it works:

• Choose a Poem: Encourage your child to select a poem they enjoy and practice reading it aloud.
• Pickle Passes: Students can obtain a pass from their RLA teacher
• Read to Librarians: Students can then come and read their chosen poem to our librarians.
• Rewards: For participating, students will have the option to receive either pickles or pickle juice. If your child is not a fan of pickles, they can opt for a green bead necklace instead.
• Participation Limit: Students can participate multiple times, but there is a limit of one trip per day until the pickle supply runs out.

We had so much fun with this program last year! We hope this fun initiative not only inspires a love for poetry, but also encourages students to work on their speaking skills!

Please join us on Thursday, May 15th at 6:00pm in the Hallsville High School Cafeteria for the Hallsville FFA Banquet. We hope to see you there as we recognize the amazing year we had in FFA.

If you still haven’t ordered your ‘24-’25 yearbook, don’t worry! HJH Yearbook is keeping the school store open until the last day of school! Click the link here to visit the store, search up our campus, and grab your copy!

Pre-ordered copies will be distributed during Meet The Teacher for the ‘25-’26 school year. Any copies ordered for incoming freshmen will be sent to the high school. Thank you so much for your support this year!

Thank you to my first group of JHS students and their parents. This year, we have created gift bags for the needy, donated a substantial amount of food to the food shelter, made blankets for Hallsville Angels, and donated diapers, wipes, and stuffed animals to Mercy Ministry. We also celebrated our amazingly fabulous staff at HJH! I am so very proud of each of you.

I look forward to seeing what your high school years have in store for you. Do great things!

Please join us on Thursday, May 22nd to celebrate the success of our 8th graders in the HJH Auditorium. The award ceremony will begin at 8:30am. Your child will be given information on any awards they will be receiving. At the conclusion of the ceremony, 8th grade students will participate in an exciting celebration. Parents are welcomed to the award ceremony only. We hope to see you there. Please check in by the auditorium doors on the east side of the building. Thank you.

KONA Ice will be on campus on Wednesday, May 21st. Students can purchase drinks during their lunch times. Cash or cards are accepted. Parents can also pre-register their child's drink using the code in the graphic provided. Scan the QR code provided in the graphic attached for the direct link and put in the event code, or just click the graphic.

We are preparing to continue to grow students and strengthen skills this summer at Hallsville Junior High. Be on the lookout for invitations to attend. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Nicole Williams at nwilliams@hisd.com

The school day starts at 7:50am and ends at 3:35pm. At 7:45am, students will be released from the gym to their classrooms, and morning announcements will start at 7:50am. Attendance is taken every period at the Jr. High. Any student arriving late or leaving early will be marked absent for the periods that he/she misses. All absences, full or partial day, require documentation to be excused. If a student misses more than 20 minutes of a class without valid documentation, the student will be considered absent for this purpose.

When a student is absent and returns to school, he/she MUST bring a note signed by the parent explaining the reason for the absence or a note from a doctor. Any absence of more than 5 consecutive days for illness will require a statement from a doctor verifying the illness. Parent notes must be turned in within 3 days of the absence.

*Any documentation needing to be turned in can be done so through the reception desk, attendance office, or emailed directly to Mrs. Dorsey at bdorsey@hisd.com.

Parent notes must be turned in within 3 days of the absence. Per our handbook, early pick-ups are unexcused unless our nurse sends your student home or we receive documentation from a doctor's office for that date. Any documentation needing to be turned in can be done so through the reception desk or attendance office, or emailed directly to Mrs. Dorsey at bdorsey@hisd.com.

Texas Education Agency states that a student must attend a class 90% of the time it is offered to earn credit for that class. Students with less than 90% attendance will not earn credit and cannot be promoted to the next grade level. Both excused and unexcused absences count toward time missed in a class. The state will allow us to place a student in the next grade level if that student has completed a principal approved plan to recover attendance. You will be notified if your student falls below 90% attendance and requires credit recovery. Credit recovery classes began Saturday, February 22nd and will continue into April.

If your child is needs extra support in a classroom we have opportunities for them to receive assistance outside the school day. Teachers are available before and after school for tutorials. Even if the day you can bring your child early or pick them up late doesn't match with their teacher's tutorial schedule, someone in that department can help. Please contact your teacher if you feel your child needs the extra support to be successful this school year.

Every 2nd Thursday of the month, students and staff are encouraged to wear college shirts to endorse education beyond high school. This month will be Thursday, April 10th. On this day, we can come together regardless of our college mascot and cheer on our students as they begin to prepare for their future.

In an effort to practice our safety protocols, HJH will regularly perform safety drills to ensure our students and staff know how to respond in a crisis situation. Safety is our number one priority and we will continue to practice all state mandated drills throughout the school year so that our students and staff are prepared. In the event of an actual emergency, HJH will communicate to our families in a timely manner to keep you informed.

*In May, we will conduct a reverse lockdown drill. During this drill, students and staff will evacuate the building, then immediately re-enter and secure the building by going into lockdown.

The Class of 2029 8th Grade Dance, “Let’s Glow,” will be held on Saturday, May 10th @ The Reserve. The dance is only offered to current HJH 8th grade students, and the signed parent waiver is the students’ admission into the dance. Any student with a current DAEP suspension placement on the day of the dance will not be permitted to attend. The dance will be drop-off and pick-up only. Only approved volunteers/chaperones are allowed in the dance. Dance pictures will be shared with all 8th grade parents via Skyward. We look forward to a fun evening!

The 4th 9 weeks always seems to fly by so quickly! As the weather turns warmer and schedules grow busier leading into summer, we wish your family a wonderful end to the school year. There are many exciting events, end of year projects, end of year activities, field trips, celebrations, etc. still to come over the next four weeks. Students…continue to work hard and try to enjoy the present moment, even though it feels a bit hectic!

“The world’s favorite season is Spring. All things seem possible in May.”

–Edwin Way Teale (American Naturalist and Photographer)

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is our feelings, our thinking, our emotions, and our moods. Feeling down, angry, and stressed is a normal part of life. Just like it’s normal to feel happy, confident, and carefree. We all have positive and negative emotions that come and go based on what’s happening around us. These are everyday feelings. Good mental health is about experiencing emotions and knowing how to process those feelings in healthy ways. There are many ways to process our feelings such as talking to someone we trust or taking a break and doing something we enjoy. For example, listening to music, playing a sport, drawing, reading, journaling, etc.

If you or someone you know are struggling with mental health issues, please contact a trusted adult.

HJH Meet the Teacher: August 7th, 5:00-6:30

Community Pep Rally: August 7th, 6:00-8:00

First Day of School: August 12th, 2025

HISD looks to a have a GREAT year in 2024-2025! Attached is a copy of the HISD calendar.

• Teachers will ask that phones be turned in class.
• Phones may be used in the hallway before/after school, during transition, and in the cafeteria during lunch.
• No cell phone used in the hallway during instructional time.
• Devices used for other purposes will be confiscated immediately and the following fees will be charged:

• First offense: Student may pick up from the office at the end of the school day.

• Second offense: Parent must pick up from the office (no charge).

• Additional offenses: $15 fine for every incident thereafter and parent must pick up from the office.

• Any items not collected after July 1,2025 will become property of Hallsville Junior High.

Parent Drop-off/Pick-up:

The map below has instructions for parent pick-up and drop-off. Please make sure you enter in the correct locations and stay in line. The first couple of weeks will be hectic. Thank you in advance for understanding and being patient as we work to make these processes as efficient as possible for our students.

Car Tags for parent pick-up will be passed out during Meet the Teachers or afternoon pick-up on the 1st day.

Parent Drop-Off:

• Gym Parking Lot
• Do not enter via Bobcat Lane once the parking lot is already full
• Enter through the stadium home side parking lot on Rob Street
• Doors open at 7:15am, no students should be dropped off prior to this time
• Students will enter through 100 hall doors located above the gym and make their way to the gym
• After 7:50am, students should be taken to the main entrance
  

Parent Pick-Up:

• Gym Parking Lot
• Do not enter via Bobcat Lane once the parking lot is already full
• Enter through the stadium home side parking lot on Rob Street
• School dismisses at 3:35pm and once all staff is in position we will begin calling names. It is important that you have a car tag in your window to maximize efficiency with this process
• If for some reason your child does not come to your car, please pull your vehicle across Bobcat Lane to our stadium parking lot and our Officer will help locate your child and get them to you safely
• This allows for our flow of traffic to continue as we work to get all students home safely
• At 3:55pm all students remaining at pick-up will be escorted to the front of the building and you may pick your child up from there

7th/8th Grade Boys Athletics:

• 8th Grade Boys begin their day at the fieldhouse and may be dropped off in the fieldhouse parking lot
• 7th Grade Boys end their day at the fieldhouse and may be picked up at the fieldhouse parking lot
• ONLY Boys Athletics may be picked up or dropped off at this location

*Students may NOT be dropped off or picked up anywhere other than these locations

Bullying:

is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. Bullying can threaten students’ physical and emotional safety at school and can negatively impact their ability to learn.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

• An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
  

• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying could include actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

Harassment:

means threatening to cause harm or bodily injury to another student, engaging in sexually intimidating conduct, causing physical damage to the property of another student, subjecting another student to physical confinement or restraint, or maliciously taking any action that substantially harms another student's physical or emotional health or safety.

Parents and Guardians,

We are reaching out to bring your attention to an important new policy change that has been passed by the 88th Texas Legislature and will be taking effect immediately in our district.

House Bill 114 (HB 114) has been enacted to respond to the increasing concerns around e-cigarettes, vaping, marijuana, and THC related products amongst our youth. The Bill mandates that any student found in possession of, under the influence of, selling, gifting, or delivering these substances within a 300-feet radius of any school premises, will be immediately removed and placed in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP).

You can access the full version of the Bill here: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/pdf/HB00114F.pdf

Please take a moment to discuss the implications of this new law with your children, emphasizing the importance of adhering to school policies and laws for their own welfare and for the betterment of the school community as a whole.

Thank you,

HISD Administration

Website: https://www.hisd.com/Domain/9
Location: 1 Bobcat Lane, Hallsville, TX, USA
Phone: 903-668-5990
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HallsvilleJH/