Talon Talk

March is here and with spring time right around the corner comes excitement from students. We have finally had some warmer days, MAP testing is right around the corner, and the kids can see the light at the end of the tunnel. With this excitement can come a change in behavior. 8th graders are starting to feel like they are 9th graders, 7th graders are becoming restless and ready to move up to the 8th grade, and our 6th graders are looking less and less like the elementary students that we once knew in August. With the end in sight, it is so important to know the that there are still policies and expectations to uphold at HMS. Regardless of how bright the light at the end of the school year tunnel is, our kids have to remember we are still in school. Some consistent policies that students find themselves rebelling against are: Dress Code (its spring) and food and drink rules.

• Dress Code is evaluated daily by all teachers and when questioned, is decided on by the school administrator. If your student is unsure of the appropriateness of an outfit or the functionality of an outfit, please encourage them to change. Sometimes the functionality of the clothing causes more issues than how it looks (i.e. shorts that ride up high when they sit and stand back up)
• Outside Food and Drink are not permitted outside the commons. Students that bing those things into school in the morning will be asked to dispose of them before going to class. This has not changed from the beginning of the year.
• Energy drinks are not allowed for students. If they bring it into the building, it will be confiscated and not returned to the student. Examples of these drinks would be Red Bulls, Monsters, and Alanis. This has also been upheld from the beginning of the year.

Coming up, we have our annual fundraiser of selling chocolate from March 17 - April 7. Permission slips will be sent home with students and emailed. Thank you for helping to support our school through this fundraiser!

Our Incredible Special Education Team:

Mr. Pemburlin, Mrs. Phelps, and Mr. Bernier
Thanks for everything you do!

Middle school is tough and this time of year in middle school can be especially challenging with the end of the year quickly approaching. In an article by Harvard Health, the top three things they share that parents can do to help their students are:

1. Help them stay organized and on task.

2. Be mindful of the effects of screen time — and social media.

3. Get to know their teachers and school culture.

Read the rest of the article for more information. You are doing an important job and it’s not an easy one!

6th Grade: Brooke J., Braeden H., Jameson C.

7th Grade: Brooklin J., Colby J., Colby M.

8th Grade: Porter E. and Colleen H.

The weather once again this January has disrupted our school schedule a bit, and we are playing catch up in Advisory classes. Our character trait in January has been optimism. That’s a great word for all of us to improve upon as we attempt to get caught up on days/lessons/assignments we have missed due to snow days and late start. The students have learned that with awareness and work, we all can turn negative attitudes into one of optimism. It helps improve our health, relationships, and success rate by turning bad situations into ones of hope and looking forward.

In February, we will learn about Compassion and stepping into someone else’s shoes to see what others deal with in their daily lives. We will celebrate Random Acts of Kindness this month and have activities that give students a chance to practice this. It is also Black History Month. We study what civil rights and civil liberties are and also learn about key figures and the many valuable contributions black Americans have made to the United States throughout history.

Tuesdays and Thursdays continue to be academic days for students to get caught up, study, read, etc. We always are working on mindfulness of our emotions and bodies and becoming aware of when our body is sending us a message that we’re struggling and need help regulating; then finding and practicing techniques that work for us. Teamwork, conversation, and self-reflection are integrated in all lessons to help our students mature and grow into responsible, capable, self-aware, kind individuals.

To increase communication about after school activities, we have started a Google Calendar for parents and families to access. If there are activities that you do not see on this calendar, please send an email to Mrs. Fennewald at afennewald@holdenschools.org so that we can add these items.