
Hero Happenings!
Hellstern Middle School Newsletter, Springdale, AR
August 21, 2023
Free & Reduced Lunches
Attention families:
If your student currently receives Free or Reduced lunch at Hellstern, you must submit a Free/Reduced Lunch application for 2023-24 school year. The application for households must be renewed annually to avoid losing benefits. Follow the link below to submit yours now! Free/Reduced Lunch Application
First Day of School
Football Fundraiser
Optional Soccer Practices
Snack Pack Program
The Samaritan Community Center is partnering with schools to provide sacks of food to eligible children on a weekly basis through the SnackPacks for Kids program. The program will provide 8-10 food items to students so they will have food available for the weekend. The following is a list of the types of foods that could be provided: Shelf Stable 1% Milk, Pudding Cups, Fruit Snacks, Cereal, Slim Jim, Cheese and Crackers, Easy Mac, Ramen Noodles, Shortbread Cookies, and tuna or chicken packet.
If you would like for your child to receive snack packs this year at Hellstern, please email aashworth@sdale.org or lmckee@sdale.org.
Other Samaritan Resources for Families:
From our art teachers...
Keep'em talkin'!!
History 6 - Tell the difference between the Paleolithic Age and the Neolithic Age.
ELA 7- How do you make an inference?
Acc. Math 7 - What have you enjoyed doing most this week in math? Why?
Language Lab 7 - What is the purpose of using punctuation in our writing?
Art 7 - Tell me about your Album Cover art?
Stagecraft - What's a new theatre term you learned this week?
Science 7 - Why is perspective important in science?
History 7 - Give an example of a non-fiction text feature.
Art 6 - Can you tell me about the game 'exquisite characters?’ How did it work, and what did you enjoy about it?
Adv. Art 7 - Are there any specific materials, topics, or projects you're excited about creating?
Science 6 - How did you work as a team to create your "hero helmet"?
Health 6 - What does HEALTH mean / What does HEALTH refer to?
Keycode 6/7 - What are soft skills?
Math 6 - What have you learned about being a mathematician at HMS?
Band - Have you had a parent complete your Band Registration Form?
Have you ordered your instrument and/or instrument supplies?
ELA 6 - What is metacognition?
EAST - What was your name in the Name Game?
Band Information
The deadline for band students to turn in their Registration Forms and order instruments and/or supplies is Monday, August 21st.
- If parents need extra time or need to set up a payment plan, please email Mrs. Huffman at julie.huffman@sdale.org
- If parents need financial assistance for getting an instrument, you may select that option on the Band Registration Form and/or communicate the need to Mrs. Huffman.
- If students need a loaner instrument while theirs is in the repair shop, please communicate that need to Mrs. Huffman.
Music Store Links:
Hellstern's Bell Schedule
Hellstern Dictionary
- HAC - This is the Home Access Center. Students are (or will be) learning about HAC because they login to this system to access and check their grades. They should be doing this every Monday with their advisors. Students can use their Chromebooks and login at home too - so if you ever want to see your students CURRENT grades, ask them to login for you. If you want your own parent login, we can help you get one during Parent-Teacher conferences in just a few weeks.
- The Wheel - 6th graders have a new class each 9-weeks. The wheel consists of careers, music, health, and art.
- Clubs - Once a quarter, students participate in clubs as part of their end-of-quarter celebration. Clubs are non-academic/hobby-related learning experiences. Teachers have offered topics ranging from "cake decorating" to "puzzle club" to "dance party".
- Athletics - Once students enter 7th grade we talk about "athletics". In the education world, this refers to all Arkansas Athletic Association (AAA) sactioned sports. In 7th grade, these sports are football, basketball, volleyball, cross-country, and track. Soccer is not a AAA sanctioned sport, it is considered a "club" until high school (grade 9).
- HERO Standards - These are our anchor standards for academic and social behaviors. HERO stands for: H - Here to Learn; E - Engaged in Learning; R - Respectful to myself and others; O - Own it!
- Hero Hour - This is a class offered every day. It is a flexible time of the day to accomplish many things such as the following:
- Monday - Students have ADVISORY and they go to their advisors room during Hero Hour. Students will check their grades, get any papers that need to go home to parents, get organized for the week, and listen to the Monday assembly. This is kind of like the student's "home room".
- Tuesday, Wedensday, & Thursday, - Students have PRIME TIME. PrimeTime is when every teacher in the building is offering either extensions (for students that have mastered standards and need to be pushed) OR intervention (for students that need extra help on mastering a standard or learning target). Students might get selected by teachers for either extensions or interventions. If students are not selected by teachers, then they can choose a session. All of these sessions are based on essential standards and current learning targets.
- Friday - On Friday, students go back to their advisories. On Friday, they reflect on their week, do some team building, or participate in character lessons.
Car-Rider/Arrival/Dismissal
We made it through the first week! Here are some reminders that will help us TREMENDOUSLY with traffic for our car-riders.
Things to remember:
- It is a state law that you are not using a cell phone when you are on school property. Please help us with this and do not use your cell phone during arrival and dismissal.
- We open our doors at 7:45am. We do not have staff to supervise students before 7:45am. If you arrive early and are waiting for your student to disembark please pull as far forward as you can.
- If you are carpooling, YAY YOU!! Pull to the front of the line to let the kids out. It takes a little longer for a carload of students to get out and this will avoid halting the line for everyone else.
- On both sides, you do NOT have to drop your student at their entrance - pull all the way forward and let them walk back to the correct door. If it is ever storming during arrival, we open all doors under every awning, so students can enter any door.
We start distributing Chromebooks this week - please turn in AUAs!
From PTO
Our PTO sold out of most sizes of shirts at our Locker Day event. They will do another order - info for that is coming soon!
Join the PTO Facebook page to get updates from PTO.
3rd Annual Soap Giving
Our 3rd Annual Soap Giving kicks off on Tuesday, August 15th and will run through Saturday, August 26th.
We will donate one full-size bar of soap for every bar purchased.
This year we have partnered with the Treehouse Pantry who provide students and families in the Springdale Schools food, school supplies, hygiene supplies, shoes, and other essential items.
We believe in supporting our community and the back to school season is the perfect time to give back.
All in store and online purchases will qualify for donations.
Milk & Sugar Bath Co.
122 W. Emma Ave.
Springdale, AR 72764
479.334.7627
Lunch Menu - August 21-25
Upcoming Dates
August
21 - Deadline to have your band instrument at school or at least ordered. Deadline for band payments paid or payment plan communicated.
28 - Vision/Hearing Screening - 6th graders
28 - HMS Band Social at Lokomotion (5:30-7:30pm)
September
13 - Back to School Rally at the NWA Naturals Ballpark (4-7pm)
25 & 26 - Parent Teacher Student Conferences @ Hellstern
25-29 - Hellstern Book Fair (Library Fundraiser)
Hellstern Athletics
Football - All games scheduled to start at 5:30pm
Home games are played at HBHS.
Aug. 24 - AWAY vs. Bentonville FulbrightAug. 31 - AWAY vs. SMS
Sept. 7 - HOME vs. Fayetteville Ramay
Sept. 14 - HOME vs. Rogers Kirksey
Sept. 21 - AWAY vs. Springdale HTMS
Sept. 28 - AWAY vs. Ft. Smith Ramsey
Oct. 5 - AWAY vs. Ft. Smith Chaffin
Oct. 12 - no game
Oct. 19 - HOME vs. Rogers Elmwood
Oct. 26 - HOME vs. Bentonville Washington
Nov. 2 - Championship Week (TBD)
Cross-Country - Schedule
Sept. 2 - Shiloh
Sept. 13 - Fayetteville
Sept. 16 - Siloam Springs
Sept. 23 - Berryville
Sept. 30 - Chili Pepper (University of AR)
Oct. 7 - Springdale Schools Invitational (Sonora MS)
Oct. 12 - 8th grade conference (Bentonville) (date could change)
Oct. 17 - Thrive Invitational (Rogers High School)
Oct. 24 - 9th grade conference (Rogers High School)
Volleyball Schedule (4:30B/5:30A)
Home games are played at CJHS
Aug. 21 - Away @ Rogers Elmwood
Aug. 22 - Home @ Rogers Kirksey
Aug. 28 - Away @ Shiloh (**4:30A)
Aug. 29 - Home @ Bentonville Fulbright
Sept. 5 - Away @ Ft. Smith Chaffin
Sept. 6 - Home @ Rogers Oakdale
Sept. 11 - Away @ Springdale GJHS
Sept. 12 - Away @ Bentonville Lincoln
Sept. 18 - Home @ Ft. Smith Darby
Sept. 19 - Away @ Fayetteville Woodland
Sept. 25 - Away @ Springdale SWJH (playing at HBHS)
Sept. 26 - Away @ Bentonville Grimsley
Oct. 2 - Away @ Rogers Lingle
Oct. 3 - Home @ Ft. Smith Ramsey
Oct. 9 - Home @ Springdale LJHS
Oct. 10 - Home @ Bentonville Washington
Oct. 16 - Home @ Ft. Smith Kimmons
Oct. 17 - Away @ Fayetteville Ramay