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Tiger Time
February Newsletter
Greetings HFMS Families,
And just like that we have completed the first semester. Believe it or not we are actually halfway through the third nine weeks, so things are really rolling regardless of all the winter weather. Speaking of that, winter is not over yet and with the possibility of more snow soon, letโs recap where we are with our situation. Basically, weโve used up all of our โfree daysโ (there were 5) and so far weโve completed four virtual days which means we have one left. So our next snow day will be virtual and thatโs it. For example, if we were to miss three days next week, only the first day would be a virtual or the official term NTID (non-traditional instructional day). The state allows us to have five of these days, after that we start tacking days on at the end of the school year. And as much fun as a snow day can be, I think we all can do without that scenario.
Since we are now well into the second semester, please take some time to review your childโs progress for the year to date. This can be a critical time if a student is struggling in a particular class or if they have low grades which could lead to potential summer school or even retention. In almost every case, the culprit is missing work. Zeroes kill grades and it is often difficult to recover from multiple zeroes. Encourage your child to complete all of their work and to always turn it in on time. This practice guarantees a passing grade even when the subject in question may not be a studentโs strong suit.
As always, please do not ever hesitate to reach out to myself or our admin team if there are questions or concerns you have at any time throughout the school year.
Take care,
Eric R. Vandell
Principal, HFMS
๐ Attendance Update
I am THRILLED to share that we have 50% of our students with no attendance concerns and we are more than half way through the school year. This is a terrific improvement from last school year. Keep up the momentum!
Tips for successful second half of the year:
- Review with your child the attendance goal-Miss 9 days or less!
- Submit absence notes to school to avoid unexcused absences.
- As the weather continues to be cold, dress appropriately to avoid getting sick.
- For medical appointments, schedule in the morning or afternoon so your child does not need to miss a full school day.
- Plan out of town trips for non-school days. Check with the 2024-2025 school calendar for planning ahead.
Let's Roar to Success, and Miss 9 Days or Less!
๐ซ Student Council Update
๐ Midterm Grades
Parents and Guardians, the mid-point of the third-nine weeks was this week! Please be sure to log in to Canvas and check on your student's grades. This is a gentle reminder that missing assignments may result in a 0, negatively affecting their grades. Due dates are assigned by the teacher and late work may not be accepted. Please review all grades with your child, as we are getting close to beginning after school tutoring for failing students.
๐ Scheduling for the 2025-2026 School Year
๐ February Dates
Feb. 3
- Basketball vs. South Middle-Boys away, Girls home
- LSIC Presentation at the Board Office 5:30pm
Feb. 4
- Basketball vs. Hedgesville-Boys home, Girls away
- Winter Sport Picutres
Feb. 6
- Basketball vs. Mountain Ridge-Boys home, Girls away
Feb. 7
- Regional Science Fair at WV School for the Deaf and Blind-Registration begins at 9am
Feb. 8
- County Social Studies Fair at HFMS beginning at 9am
Feb. 10
- Basketball vs. Hedgesville-Boys away
Feb. 11
- Scheduling Night for Rising 6th Graders-5:00-5:45pm
- Parent Teacher Conferences-6:00-8:00pm
- Basketball vs. Hedgesville-Girls home and 8th grade Recognition for Girl's Basketball and Cheer
Feb. 12
- Basketball vs. Spring Mills-Boys away, Girls home
Feb. 13
- Basketball vs. North Middle-Boys home, Girls away
Feb. 14
- Faculty Senate, 2-hour release for students
Feb. 17
- No school for students, Staff Professional Development Day
Feb. 20
- Harpers Ferry Hearts Dance-sponsored by Student Council-3-4:45pm; $10 entrance cost
Feb. 28
- Blue Ridge Community and James Rumsey trip for our 8th grade students
๐ฏ Spirit Time
Show your HFMS spirit by purchasing a 4" magnet for just $5. Reach out to the school for more information. Students may purchase at any time.