Talon Talk

Hello HMS Families!

We have made it to the last 2 months of the year and our students are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! 8th graders are starting to feel like they are 9th graders and becoming rebellious, 7th graders are becoming restless and rambunctious, 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. short 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. This has also been upheld from the beginning of the year.

We have made it to the testing marathon portion of our year. This month MAP prep is a big part of our students days and we want them to be as prepared as possible for the MAP tests scheduled at the end of the month. Be ready for them to be tired of MAP by the end, help us by making sure they get plenty of sleep and eat regular breakfast, especially during our testing weeks!

We have completed our third and final iReady diagnostic test for the year! These tests give teachers and students insight into how students are doing. They also serve as a practice test for the MAP test. Students set goals and conference with teachers to increase success on this test. Students have seen their scores and will be receiving rewards for meeting them. If you would like to receive your student's test results, please email Mrs. Fennewald at afennewald@holdenschools.org and she will send them to you.

3/11 - 3/15

Explo- Chase H.; 6th- Owen S.; 7th- Zack H.; 8th- Jaden W.

3/18 - 3/22

Explo- Avery F.; 6th- Sonja H. (not pictured); 7th- Sydney H.; 8th- Sawyer B.

3/25 - 4/1

Explo- Audrey E.; 6th- Camden T.; 7th- Colleen H.; 8th- Izzy D.

Meet our office staff!

From left to right: Mrs. Hanneken (counselor), Mrs. Wiskur (secretary), Mrs. Siemer (nurse), Mrs. McConville (secretary)

They have 65 years combined experience in the school system. They hold degrees from JCAD (paramedics), Manchester University, Olivet Nazarene University, St. Francis, and Purdue. In the ultimate debate between Italian food versus Mexican food, only one person preferred Italian. Each of these women make our building a better place every day!