Husky Howl

Hello Homer Huskies! I hope everyone had an amazing summer and is ready to dive into an even more amazing school year! I know I had a great summer tidepooling, gardening, and playing with my kids and dogs. I also got to travel to Nashville to attend the National Principal's Conference to learn from other principals from around the country and also share some of the cool things we are doing at Homer Middle School! We also got chickens for the first time ever this summer, so it has been fun to learn how to take care of them!

I can’t believe we are already at the end of week 2 of the school year and heading into September! We are in full swing at HMS with our classes, advisory and fall sports. It is so great to be back in our school routine and have our hall buzzing with students and staff!

Please take a few moments to follow HMS on Facebook and Instagram (@hmsalaska), as we keep these very up to date with pictures and announcements about what is happening at HMS. You can also check out our school website (https://kpbsd.org/schools/homer-middle/), although it is updated far less often. You can also join our HMS Public Google Calendar to help you keep up to date too (Google Calendar Link Click Here) As always, if you need anything at all during the school year, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can email me at mredmond@kpbsd.k12.ak.us or call the office at 907-235-5700.

-Principal Redmond

Interested in joining Battle of the Books? See Ms. Jerri in the Library!

September 2- NO SCHOOL

September 3- First ALICE drill of the year (during advisory) with building evacuation practice

September 3- Boys Soccer Parent Meeting 5:30

September 5- AKtoDC Parent Meeting 5:30 (8th grade only)

September 9- Math MAP Test in advisory

September 10- Reading MAP test in advisory

September 11- Language Arts MAP test in advisory

September 13- Early release @ 2:20 pm

September 16-20- MAP test makeups as needed

September 19- Mid-Quarter Progress Reports EMAILED out to parents

September 26- PICTURE DAY

October 1- Student of the Month and Advisory games assembly

October 7- Intramural basketball season starts (you must have paperwork complete and turned in to attend practice)

Reminder to our student athletes that eligibility is checked every Monday at 3:45. If you have any Fs at that time, you are ineligible for competitions for the next week. If a student athlete is ineligible for competitions, they are still expected to attend practices. In addition, student athletes must be present for the entire day (or the Friday before a weekend competition), including being on time for school in the morning to be able to compete or practice that day.

Soccer Schedule (subject to change)- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m7lY0oKYiRGN743jRdI9hkWFeEDmPhF3acrQbkUGNiQ/edit

Cross Country Schedule (subject to change)- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IJver6bGlMysXNK5UXdLxSKhJ5ekOWaQ9hmttkguujc/edit

All students (new and returning) are required to have registration paperwork completed every school year. You can complete your child's paperwork at this link https://forms.kpbsd.org/. If your child is a returning student, nothing is required to be completed in person. If your child is a new student, you will need to drop off a copy of their birth certificate and physical form.

There is also a $25 band/choir fee and a $10 art fee for each student. If you have not paid these fees yet you may do so by sending cash/check to school or logging into PowerSchool to pay online with a credit card.

If you have not paid your $60 fee for soccer or cross country, please remember to submit that before the first competition, which is next Friday!

We want to welcome our new staff to our Homer Husky Team! Make sure to say hi to them soon!

Kale Engebretsen- 7th Grade Math

Mike Tozzo- Special Education

Damara Burnett- Intervention

Tanya Shafer- Secretary

Andrea Rainwater- Attendance Secretary

Laura Luttrell- Student Teacher in Ms. Booz's classes

Hello Husky Families!

I hope your child has a healthy school year. Please reach out to me if you have any health-related questions. The KPBSD Symptom Free Protocol is the same as last year, if your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms, they are required to stay home to prevent spreading the infection. And most importantly, to get well. The symptoms include:

• Active vomiting or diarrhea
• Fever of 100 or higher, chills, and generalized aches (without use of fever-reducing medications)
• Taking the first 24 hours of antibiotic treatment
• An undiagnosed, new and/or untreated rash or skin condition

Lastly, please be aware that the Homer and outlying areas have recently had some cases of pertussis (whooping cough). Typically, symptoms of pertussis are severe coughing spells that can lead to vomiting. If you are concerned that your child may have pertussis, let me know and I can work with you to connect to healthcare provider. Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics, and it is important to start treatment as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of the bacteria to others.

Thank you!

Nurse Rebekah

The use of electronic devices, such as cell phones, bluetooth headphones, smart watches, etc., not provided by the school for student use, is not allowed in school by students. If students bring these items to school, they must turn them off when entering the building and leave them off and out of sight until the last bell rings. The school is limited in resources and will not assist in searching for lost electronics. The only exception to this rule is if a teacher gives permission for a student to use a device for a specific activity in class.

• All students are warned of this rule explicitly at the beginning of the school year.
• 1st offense- Device is taken away and given to the office. Student may get device back at the end of the school day.
• 2nd offense (and each offense thereafter)- Device is taken away and given to the office. A parent or guardian will be called and the parent/guardian or designee must pick up the device.

Regular attendance at school is a vital part of student success. Parents/guardians are expected to call or email the school by 9:30 am whenever their child will be absent.

Phone Number: 907-235-5700

Email: tshafer@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

• Excused Absence- a parent has notified the school that their child is or will be absent from school.
• Unexcused Absence- a parent has not notified the school that their child is or will be absent from school.
• A student is considered absent from a class period once they are 15 minutes late.

When a student will be absent from school for 5 consecutive days or more, a prearranged absence form must be completed and submitted to the office in advance of the absence. The student is expected to be responsible for completing this form and following up with his or her teachers about missing work once he or she is back from the absence.

If a student will be absent more than 10 consecutive days, the parent is required to meet with the principal to discuss the absence and determine next steps.

Doors open for students at 8:30 am. No supervision is provided outdoors before 8:30 am. Class starts promptly at 9:00 am. If you are dropping off or picking up students, please follow the traffic pattern through the parking lot for this line. Do not, at any time, enter the school bus loading area of the parking lot. Load/unload as quickly and safely as possible. All students enter the building through the MPR in the morning and exit the school through the main front door in the afternoon. School releases at 3:50 pm.

We also offer morning study hall from 8-8:30 in the library. This is a quiet time for students to work on homework or read. If students are dropped off before 8:30 am, they should enter the school to attend study hall. Please do not drop students off early if they do not intend to attend study hall, as there is no supervision outside.

If you need info about bussing, please contact Apple Bus at 907.235.0124.

Students are required to have a bus note if they need to get off the bus at a different stop than usual. Parents/guardians must do the following by 2:00 PM to request a bus note for their child.

• Step 1: Call First Student at 907-235-0124 to find out the bus number and bus stop name you are requesting for the bus pass. You also need to verify that there will be space on the bus for the bus pass to be accepted by the driver.

• Step 2: Call or email the HMS secretary to request the bus pass and provide all info needed. (bus number, stop name, destination contact name and phone number, dates for pass).

Our bell schedule is slightly different this year. Check out our bell schedules for a regular day, early release, and late start on our website directly at this link!

https://kpbsd.org/schools/homer-middle/bell-schedules/

See our full student handbook here https://kpbsd.org/schools/homer-middle/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/05/Homer-Middle-School-Handbook-2024-2025.docx-3.pdf

Hi 8th Grade Families!

We are so excited to be leading our ninth trip to Washington D.C. and New York City during Spring Break 2025! This trip will take us from a Broadway Show to the Statue of Liberty, a walk through Times Square, a visit to Arlington National Cemetery and up the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial. These are just a few of the highlights from the trip's itinerary and we'd love to have your student join us. This link will give you all the trips details and a more detailed look into the program and EF Explore America.

https://www.efexploreamerica.com/tour-website/2737149KT

If you’d like to learn more join us a Thursday, September 5th at 5:30 in the HMS library or feel free to reach out directly with any questions.

Malia Oliver

Trip leader

aktodc2025@gmail.com

Have you updated your registration for this year yet? If not please do so here https://forms.kpbsd.org/guardian/login?returnUrl=%2Fguardian .

Add funds to your child's lunch account here https://kpbsd.revtrak.net/

Check your child's grades and see if you still owe any course fees in PowerSchool here https://kpbsd.org/students-parents/powerschool/

Are you interested in volunteering at Homer Middle School? Complete the KPBSD volunteer application at this link https://kpbsd.org/departments/assistant-superintendent/instructional-services/hr/volunteer/. Once you are approved, reach out to the office and we can find a way for you to help!

Please take the time to complete the surveys below. They can be filled out at any point in the year and as many times as you would like! We value your compliments and constructive feedback!

• Morning tutoring- 8:00-8:30 am every day in the library

• Morning library- 8:30-8:50 am every day the library is open for work time

• Enrichment- set up a time to meet with a teacher in advance

• Enrichment- the library is open every day to work on class work

• Advisory- most Tuesdays will be study hall. Study hall time may be available other days in advisory as well.

• After school tutoring- will be starting soon!

• Work on school work when I am at home!

KPBSD Calendar Committee

Interested in applying to serve on the district Calendar Committee? Apply at the following link by September 20th!

https://kpbsd.org/calendar-committee-application/

KPB Safe Streets Plan Public Workshops

Development of the first ever Safe Streets and Roads for All Comprehensive Action Plan is moving along, and we’d like to notify Council and Assembly members of the upcoming Public Workshop #2 meeting times and places:

SEWARD: September 10, 2024, 5-7 PM at the Seward Library

KENAI: September 11, 2024, 5-7 PM at the Challenger Center

HOMER: September 12, 2024, 5-7 PM at the Kachemak Bay Campus (Pioneer Room)

The team will be debuting a data-rich, interactive dashboard in the next week displaying our Borough’s crash data analysis for years 2018-2022. The public workshops will give everyone the opportunity to learn more about plan development, ask questions of the team, and give valuable feedback. The plan site link is https://kpb.us/safestreets

Please see the image for info.