HAJHS August Newsletter
Academic Year: 2024-2025
7th Grade Orientation
7th Grade Orientation will be held on Monday, August 19th starting at 5pm. Students will report to their homerooms upon arrival. Parents will report to the auditorium to hear presentations from staff during this time.
Students will receive their schedules during orientation. Homeroom assignments will also be released via Infinite Campus on August 15th.
Welcome to the Junior High! We look forward to seeing you on August 22nd.
Meet the Teacher Night
Meet the Teacher Night will be held Monday, August 19th from 6:00-7:30 pm. Meet the Teacher Night will begin immediately following 7th Grade Orientation.
Meet the Teacher Night will follow an Open House format. This means parents and students can arrive at any time, decide which classrooms to visit and move through the student's schedule at your own pace.
We hope to see you there!
Golden Tiger Pride Day
Golden Tiger Pride Day that will take place this SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2024 at Tiger Stadium from 10:00am-3:00pm. Below you will see the schedule of events for the day.
Schedule of Events
10:00 - Girls Soccer Scrimmage vs Central Cambria
12:30pm - TBA
2:00pm - Meet the Tigers and Band/Cheerleaders perform
3:00pm Events End
School Supplies
As the school year begins and progresses, individual teachers may inform students of classroom needs. However, the following supplies are suggested for the start of the new school year.
Backpack
Highlighters - Yellow, Orange, Pink, Green, Blue
One inch – three-ring binder
Two-pocket folders
Pencils - #2
Pens – 1 each Blue, Black, and Red Ink
Packs of lined 3x5 index cards
Composition notebook
Single Subject Notebooks
TI-30XS Multiview Calculator (optional but highly recommended) or TI-30X IIS (optional). Both are available for purchase online. Some local stores carry them as well. Please note: Students will be provided with calculators at school; however, if your child wishes to have his/her own, the above are recommended.
Lock for Gym Locker
Cafeteria Information
Join us for Breakfast and Lunch daily! Lunches are planned to include a meat/meat alternative, bread/grain, vegetables, fruit & milk. Breakfasts include a variety of entrees, fruit, juice, and milk. In addition to full meals, students can purchase a variety of snacks and beverages at ala carte prices.
Cafeteria Account
A computer system is used to track cafeteria transactions including money deposits and meal purchases. It is important to keep a positive balance on the account.
1. PAYMENT WITH CASH OR CHECK:
Students may deposit money into their cafeteria account at breakfast or lunch time when they are going through the serving line. Please make your check payable to “HASD Cafeterias”.
2. PAYMENTS MADE EASY through School Café
You can add money to your child’s account through the School Café App that is available at the Apple App Store or on Google Play or by visiting School Café at https://www.schoolcafe.com/HOLLIDAYSBURGAREASD. A service fee of $2.25 will be applied to each deposit transaction made. If you have several students throughout the district, you can make one transaction, then transfer money to each child’s account.
3. MANAGE BALANCES
In addition to making payments through School Café, you can view purchase history, check the current account balance and sign up to receive low balance alerts. For convenience, you can also set up automatic payments to replenish cafeteria funds.
4. THE CAFETERIA LINE
When a student purchases a meal or ala carte food item, they will need to enter their six-digit Identification Number in the PIN pad when they reach the cashier. The total amount of their purchase is then debited from their cafeteria account.
5. A LA CARTE
Snack items are available for purchase.
6. APPLY FOR FREE & REDUCED MEALS (a new application is required each year)
Apply, submit, and track your application through the School Café App.
Get the App at the Apple App Store or on Google Play
You may also apply on-line at https://www.schoolcafe.com/HOLLIDAYSBURGAREASD
ALLERGY?
Please contact the Food Service Office directly if your child requires any necessary medical accommodations due to a food allergy or intolerance. A medical for special dietary needs form will need to be completed and is available in the main office or the nurse’s office.
Menus are emailed monthly and available in the school office
If you have questions about your child’s lunch account balance, please contact
Rebecca Kane, Cafeteria Manager at 814-695-4426 or email rebecca.kane@hasdtigers.com
Chromebook Information Packet
In order to best prepare our Junior High students, the Chromebook Information Packet is included below for your review. Three signature pages were sent to parents/guardians of Junior High students. These pages are: “Student/Parent/Guardian Chromebook Agreement Signature Page,” “Technology Protection Plan” and "Acceptable Use Policy."
These pages must be completed, signed, and returned (even if you are not interested in the Technology Protection Plan) with your child on August 22nd in order for your child to receive his/her Chromebook.
Chromebooks are utilized in most classes as part of the learning process. Students can not receive their Chromebook until these signature pages are returned. Please have these forms filled out and turned in as soon as possible.
Junior High Fundraiser
Thursday, August 29th kicks off our annual Junior High Magazine/Cookie Dough Fundraiser! Students will receive their sales packets and order forms on this day, after the assembly. The Junior High holds only one fundraiser per school year for grade-level activities. A "Fair Share" program is offered to families who are not interested in fundraising for their students' share for the year-end class trips/activities. Each student will be required to either sell magazines and/or cookie dough OR pay their Fair Share amount. The Magazine/Cookie Dough sale will run from Thursday, August 29th to Wednesday, September 11th. All orders are due in the main office by Thursday, September 12th.
Cookie Dough delivery and pick-up is scheduled for Tuesday, October 29th in the Junior High Cafeteria from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
Fair Share amounts:
7th Grade - $40.00 or sell 6 magazines or cookie dough
8th Grade - $60.00 or sell 8 magazines or cookie dough
9th Grade - $25.00 or sell 4 magazines or cookie dough
Payment for the fundraiser or Fair Share balance can be made via cash or check. If possible, please make one check per student when selling the fundraiser. Payment by check should be made to HAJHS.
The following are the scheduled year-end activities:
7th Grade***** Pittsburgh Pirate Game (Fundraiser/Fair Share Sponsored)
8th Grade ***** Hershey Park (Fundraiser/Fair Share Sponsored)
9th Grade***** Blue and White Dance (Fundraiser/Fair Share Sponsored)
If you have any questions, please email Amanda Hammel at amanda.hammel@hasdtigers.com.
Helpful Infinite Campus Information
Updating Contact Information in Infinite Campus
Please follow the steps below to update your contact information in Infinite Campus:
1. Click on the Infinite Campus Parent/Student Portal link.
2. Login with your username and password. Please contact icparentsupport@hasdtigers.com or call (814) 695-4426 ext 6147 to reset your password if forgotten.
3. Once logged into the portal, click on the three horizontal lines ("hamburger") in the upper right and select More from the menu.
You will be able to make the following changes:
- Family Information - Update phone numbers, email addresses, and contact order for people within the household
- Address Information - Update the main household phone number
- Select a student (if you have multiple children in the district) and click on Demographics to add/remove/update any non-household contacts
4. ALL ADDRESS CHANGES must be submitted through Linda Conway at the administration office. You must have proof of residency. More information regarding address changes can be found by clicking on Household Information in Infinite Campus. For more information about what constitutes proof of residency, please review this page.
5. Changes are not automatic. Changes are sent to a queue that will require a district employee to approve the changes.
If you have any questions or issues accessing Infinite Campus, please call (814) 695-4426 ext 6147 or email icparentsupport@hasdtigers.com.
Parent Square
We are excited to announce that we adopted a new form of school-to-home communication at Hollidaysburg Area School District called ParentSquare. It is important to note that School Messenger will no longer be used for communications, and that your communications will look different moving forward. All notifications and emergencies will be sent via ParentSquare.
This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with HASD. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:
Send and receive district, school, and class information
Share pictures and files
See calendar items
Sign up to volunteer
Schedule parent-teacher conferences
and much more . . . all in one centralized place!
All district and school, grade level and classroom information will be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text (or phone call for certain emergency alerts if a text message fails to be delivered). For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).
By default, parents/guardians will receive texts and emails in a "digest" which means a daily summary of notifications at one time in the evening, usually about 6pm. You can change this to receive instant notifications by either text or email if preferred. ParentSquare app notifications are completely controlled by parents and are set to show instant in-app notifications by default.
ParentSquare Overview for Parents/Guardians Video
ParentSquare Parent/Guardian Training Video
Please refer to the email that was sent by Justin Arthur on Wednesday, August 7th. If you have questions or need a copy of the resources, please see the Junior High Main Office.
National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)
Students who maintain a 94% GPA through the first 3 marking periods of their 8th grade year will be invited to apply for membership in the HAJHS Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. In addition to their GPA, students will be evaluated by the faculty council on the basis of service, leadership, character, and citizenship. Requirements for admission include, but are not limited to: 1) being active in 2 (two) school related activities in either 7th or 8th grade, 2) having participated in at least 1 (one) community service event in either 7th or 8th grade, 3) be enrolled in a minimum of 3 (three) college bound level classes, and 4) have had no more than 3 (three) detentions or 1 (one) suspension. If you believe your child may be eligible to apply, please review these requirements early with them.
A Note from the Nurse
If a student is feeling ill, it is important for the student to visit the nurse's office in order to ensure the student is assessed appropriately and assisted as needed. The nurse will contact the student's parent/guardian if it is determined that the student should be sent home. This will be reflected in the student's attendance records.
If a student contacts a parent on their own to be picked up due to an illness and does not visit the nurse, an early dismissal will be entered in to the student's attendance records, which counts toward parent excuse totals.
Whenever a student is picked up early, a parent/guardian must sign the student out by checking in using the LobbyGuard system in the main entrance vestibule.
From the Attendance Office
All attendance excuses may be emailed to the Attendance Secretary, Amanda Hammel at amanda.hammel@hasdtigers.com or you may fill out this FORM.
Early Dismissals:
- Students needing an early dismissal need to bring a written excuse indicating the time of the early dismissal and the reason for the request.
- After checking in with their first period teacher for attendance, students will report to the lobby outside the Main Office for an early dismissal pass.
- Students are responsible to report to the main office at the time of their dismissal, we do not interrupt class to call students.
- Please note the time on the written excuse is the time the student is dismissed from class, please allow enough time for them to meet you in the lobby.
- All students must be signed out by the person picking them up using the LobbyGuard system in the foyer.
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
The Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meets monthly during the school year at the HAJHS on the third Wednesday of the month (Time TBD). All parents and guardians are members and are invited to come to the meetings. Attending meetings is a good way to meet other parents and learn about what is happening at the Junior High School. PAC organizes many activities at the Junior High.
If you are interested in volunteering, please see the Junior High main office or access the volunteer signup form at hasdtigers.com - Junior High Page - Parents Tab - Parent Advisory Committee.
Tiger Pack Program
If you would like to participate in the Tiger Pack Program by receiving a bag of food weekly for your child(ren), please have your student(s) return the form that was mailed home. Forms are also available in the Main Office and attached below. A new signup form must be submitted every year. If you would like to donate to Tiger Pack or have any other questions, please contact Chris Burkey at christine.burkey@hasdtigers.com for additional information.
Hollidaysburg Area Junior High School
Website: https://jh.hasdtigers.com/
Location: 1000 Hewit Street, Hollidaysburg, PA, USA
Phone: (814) 695-4426
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollidaysburgAreaSD
Twitter: @Tigerwires