Welcome to the 24-25 School Year!

MISSION: Our mission is to ensure high levels of academic and social/emotional learning for all Mt. Horeb Middle School students and staff.

VISION: The preparation and practices of our middle school reflect our commitment to successfully develop students’ skills for high school.

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On Tuesday, September 3rd we will welcome our 6th grade students and new 7th and 8th grade students to the middle school. On Wednesday, September 4th we look forward to our 7th and 8th grade students joining their younger classmates. As we begin planning for the new year, we are looking forward to helping guide, teach, and support our students over the course of the next 10 months.

Starting the year with a positive attitude about school goes a long way toward a student's success. Inspire your middle schooler to develop a winning outlook with these strategies. Look for positives - help your child find something interesting about every class. Celebrate Achievements - congratulate your child when they have worked hard and found success in school. No matter how big or small. Seek help - successful students know to get help when they face challenges. Having a plan in place will help set them up for success.

On behalf of all of us at the middle school, we are eager for another opportunity to help your child learn and grow.

As always, if you ever have questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Sincerely,

Paul Christiansen, Principal

christiansenpaul@mounthorebschools.org

608.437.7331

Catie Goninen, Assistant Principal

goninencatie@mounthorebschools.org

608.437.7332

MISSION (OUR WHY): Our mission is to ensure high levels of academic and social/emotional learning for all Mount Horeb Middle School students and staff.

VISION (OUR WHAT): The preparation and practices of our middle school reflect our commitment to successfully develop students’ skills for high school.

COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS (OUR HOW): In an effort to reach our mission, we as a middle school aspire towards a culture of learning, a positive climate, collaborative professional learning communities, the social/emotional development of students, and relationships with middle school families through the following collective commitments:

• Culture of Learning

• We will hold high academic and behavioral expectations for all students.

• We will explicitly teach a challenging and developmentally appropriate curriculum, where we address student needs and focus on learning.

• We will explicitly teach students to make responsible, respectful, and ready decisions for their learning and behaviors.

• We will provide a wide variety of educational opportunities and experiences to support the development of well-rounded individuals.

• Positive climate

• We will come to school each day with a positive mindset.

• We will foster positive relationships with students and each other.

• We will share and acknowledge our successes, and those of our students.

• PLC model around collaboration

• We will work collaboratively to grow as professionals.

• We will create and administer common assessments as teams, and use the results to improve our individual and collective practices.

• We will monitor student achievement, through the use of data, to drive instruction and develop interventions.

• We will use data to learn, not to judge.

• Social/Emotional development of students

• We will honor the whole child by treating them with respect and care, and attend to their social/emotional needs.

• We will address the cultural, linguistic, artistic, and physical needs of our students.

• We will help students learn strategies to cope with the stressors of middle school.

• Relationships with families

• We will listen to the concerns of our students’ families, address their needs to the best extent possible, and make them feel welcome in the middle school.

• We will provide parents and guardians with resources, strategies, and information to help all students find success in middle school.

Drop-In: Wednesday, August 28, 2024 from 5 PM - 7 PM

Please remember that our drop in begins at 5 pm while the elementary buildings open at 4 pm. This is an opportunity for students and parents/guardians to meet teachers, find classrooms and put their school supplies in lockers.

If your child needs rescue medication or medication as needed, while at school please bring those with you. Required documentation per our Board Policy (#453.4) must be completed as well. You can complete this in advance and give it to our school nurse, Ms. Goodwin during our drop-in.

Medication forms are located on the MHASD website under the district heading followed by departments - health services - forms.

https://www.mounthorebschools.org/district/forms.cfm

As this is a very busy night, we ask that you complete all other registration information online prior to Drop-In on the 28th.

Back to School Information Link (supply lists, new student guide, bell schedule)

School Nutrition: Need to find the lunch menu, add money to your account, or apply for free or reduced price meals? The School Nutrition webpage is the place to go. You can also go through LINQ Connect on your device to see updated breakfast and lunch menus.

Looking for transportation information? Here is the page to head to. Find out general information and bus riding expectations. Route information is coming soon.

First Day of School:

Tuesday, September 3 (6 GRADE ONLY) - Wednesday, September 4 (7 & 8 Grade begin)

• Students may arrive between 7:45-8:00 AM
• Viking Hour begins at 8:00 AM daily indicating students should be in their classroom and ready for instruction.
• Dismissal is at 3:25 PM. This dismissal time is consistent with the High School and Intermediate Center.

6th Grade Parent Information: Thursday, September 12 from 6:00 - 7:15 p.m.

Parents of sixth grade students, please join us for a sixth grade parent Information night, scheduled on Thursday, September 12 beginning at 6:00 pm. This is not an event sixth grade students should attend. This event gives parents an opportunity to meet the sixth grade teaching staff, learn about classes, and ask questions.

• Club and Tree House programs will be held from 6:00 PM – 6:25 PM

• Club and Tree House are in separate locations

• 6:25 PM – 6:35 PM – group transition time

• Applied Arts Presentation 6:35 - 7:15 PM

• Club and Tree House combined

Picture Day: Picture day is scheduled for Thursday, September 5, 2024

Schedules: Schedules are available through the parent portal within Infinite Campus. If you have questions please contact Ms. Krisann Weier. weierkrisann@mhasd.k12.wi.us

Mount Horeb Middle School students and parents/guardians are asked to make their course selections carefully. Course changes can only be made at the request of the student and parent/guardian within the first two weeks of the first quarter or the last two weeks of the second quarter. Any course requests made in the last two weeks of the second quarter will be made effective at the start of the second semester. A primary factor in the consideration of adding or dropping a class will be the space available in the course and within the student’s schedule.

• Requests for course changes that are made outside of these time frames require the recommendation of the Student Services Team (School Counselor, Psychologist, Social Worker, Nurse) as well as approval by a building administrator.

• Students are required to meet with the counselor and classroom teacher if requesting a schedule change. They must also complete the schedule form which must be signed by the student, parent, and administrator.

Exceptions

• Exceptions and appeals to scheduling policies are made to and approved by the building administration.

Annual Notices: Please utilize the following link for District and Building Level Annual Notices: Annual Notices

Voluntary Insurance: If you are interested in voluntary student insurance coverage for the school year, please go to the insurance company's website. Parents have the ability to sign up online directly at the website www.1stAgency.com and then follow the directions at the "Find Your School" menu. After selecting our district, parents will have the opportunity to see the brochure and enroll online with a credit card.

As you may be aware, students at Mount Horeb Middle School are assigned to an academic interdisciplinary house. Our social studies, science, language arts, and math teachers meet several times a week to plan instruction and special events/activities, as well as problem solve student/family concerns collectively for their house of students. This is one way of making our school feel a little smaller for students and parents alike.

Like anything, there may be some misconceptions about our housing structure:

• It doesn’t matter if your child is in the Tree, Club, Light, Harbor, Discovery, or Adventure House; the designation has nothing to do with a student’s progress. Students are not placed in a house by academic ability. Actually, with few exceptions, students are placed in classes through the use of Infinite Campus.

• Teachers all teach the same curriculum, no matter which house they’re in. It’s the same course with the same outcomes for all students no matter which house or teacher your student has… and yes, all of our teachers are great - no matter which house they are in!

• Some Houses may do slightly different activities than others, but school operations and expectations are the same for everyone.

In addition to academic letter grades, we also communicate work habit expectations with students and families for each class. Work habit expectations are life skills that will help students be good life-long learners. Work habits are measured and reported quarterly. The ratings include - exceeding expectations, meeting expectations, approaching expectations, and needs improvement.

Some may ask, aren't these expectations part of students' letter grades? The answer is, no. Letter grades show what students have learned. Work habits communicate students' academic behaviors. These behaviors include things such as participation, students doing their best work, working together with peers, and being ready to learn during class.

Here is a link to the Work Habit Expectations matrix. Please be looking for these measurements in Infinite Campus along with academic grades.

Infinite Campus Parent Portal

All eligibility requirements for the 24-25 co-curricular activities have been updated and are now available online. Please visit the Mount Horeb Middle School website https://www.mounthorebschools.org/schools/middle/activities-athletics/MSAthletics.cfm to access the Code of Conduct Video and Google Form and other requirements.

All required forms and athletic fee must be on file in the middle school office by the first day of practice in order for athletes to participate.

Middle School Cross Country and Wrestling are open to all grade levels. Volleyball, Girls and Boys Basketball and Track are open to 7th and 8th grade students only.

Please contact Catie Goninen, Associate Principal, or Chris Farrell, Administrative Assistant, at 608.437.7347 if you have any questions.

With all after school activities we ask that students continue to follow our behavioral expectations of being RESPONSIBLE, RESPECTFUL AND READY. Please help remind your child of these things when giving them permission to attend after school events.

Football games in particular are a very active event for our middle school students. All middle school students should either be in the bleachers with their parents or seated in the middle school section on the north end of the field. They are more than welcome to leave that area for concessions or restroom use, but need to return to the middle school section after that.

Please help support our Vikings by reiterating this with your child.

Hello Viking Fans! On behalf of the Activities Department, I want to thank our students and parents for their continued support of Mt Horeb Activities. The tremendous fan support that we receive from parents, students, and the community is recognized as some of the best around. Our students, coaches, and advisors appreciate the support that you show. In order to ensure that our events are orderly, safe, and enjoyable for all spectators, large and small, the Activities Department would like to remind our fans of the following expectations:

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

• All middle school students must be seated with parents or designated Middle School student section; for football games, the middle school section is located on the north side of the stadium.

• Students are not allowed to go into the visiting team section and are not allowed on the south hill. Please stay in your section and enjoy the game.

• The south hill of the football stadium is reserved for younger ages and their families. Any students or kids sitting on that hill must be with an adult. Please respect this area so that families with small children can also enjoy the game.

• No costumes or masks are allowed at sporting events. Students must follow the school dress-code.

• No footballs, soccer balls, kick balls, etc...allowed at sporting events.

• Pets/animals are not allowed past the ticket office.

• Exhibit good sportsmanship: be respectful during the National Anthem, schools songs, player introductions, and be positive at all times when cheering.

• Remember to represent Mt Horeb in a positive manner.

• If Middle School students are showing inappropriate behavior, a parent will be called to take the student home.

Thank you and GO VIKINGS!

Kolleen Nesheim

Activities Director

Please access the Mount Horeb Middle School home page for a detailed calendar with all school activities listed along with any changes that may have been made: https://www.mounthorebschools.org/schools/middle/

Quarters

Quarter One Ends: November 6

Quarter Two Ends: January 24

Quarter Three Ends April 4

Quarter Four Ends: June 11

Early Release 12:40 PM Dismissal

September 9

October 14

November 11

December 9

January 24

February 10

March 10

April 14

May 12

June 11 Last day of school 11:15 AM dismissal

Parent Teacher Conferences

October 8 and 19 4:00-7:45 PM

March 13 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

As always, if you ever have a question, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly.

-Paul

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Paul Christiansen, Principal

christiansenpaul@mounthorebschools.org

608.437.7331

Catie Goninen, Assistant Principal

goninencatie@mounthorebschools.org

608.437.7332

Email: christiansenpaul@mounthorebschools.org

Website: https://www.mounthorebschools.org/schools/middle/
Location: 900 East Garfield Street, Mount Horeb, WI, USA
Phone: 608.437.7306
Twitter: @christiansenpMH