MHMS Update

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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Thank you for your time during parent teacher conferences. It is always wonderful getting to know our new parents, continuing to build positive relationships with all of our families, and working together to support our middle school students.

Please find information below regarding:

• Unity Day
• Bullying Prevention Month
• A note from our School Nurse
• Work Habit Expectations
• Academic and Career Planning

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

Crumble has been such a great resource for our middle school students and our district as a whole. He brings a smile and feeling of happiness to so many each day.

Please don't hesitate to ask your child about Crumble.

Dear Families,

It has been reported from the Department of Health Services Bureau of Communicable Diseases that pertussis (whooping cough) is increasing nationwide and has been reported in 49 Wisconsin Counties as of September 20, 2024. It is likely that the Mount Horeb School District will see cases of pertussis. This is in addition to other respiratory infections such as influenza, COVID, RSV and the common cold.

Schools, parents, and caregivers often do not know what specific illness a child may have; rather, children present with symptoms. If someone has the following symptoms, they should stay home because their illness could affect their ability to participate in school and there is concern that they might spread an infection to other students and staff.

• Fever (100.4 or greater), including a fever with a new rash.

• Vomiting more than twice in the preceding 24 hours.

• Diarrhea that causes ‘accidents’, is bloody, or results in greater than two bowel movements above what the child normally experiences in a 24-hour period.

• Skin sores that are draining fluid on an uncovered part of the body and are unable to be covered with a bandage.

• Respiratory virus symptoms that are worsening or not improving and not better explained by another cause such as seasonal allergies.

Please take a look at the signs and symptoms of Pertussis. Not every child with a cough has pertussis but if the cough becomes severe and is followed by a deep breath that makes a “whoop” sound or vomiting or coughing that makes it difficult to breath, please follow up with a medical provider. Pertussis generally requires antibiotics for treatment.

Thank you,

The Mount Horeb Nursing Team

C.J. Goodwin and Christy Staats

We are midway through the first quarter. You will see Work Habit Expectations posted in Infinite Campus. That also means that this is a great time to sit down with your child and look at their academic progress. All grades are updated weekly. You can access both work habits and academic grades through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal

As you have likely read before, in addition to academic letter grades, for the past six years we also communicate work habit expectations with students and families for each class. Work habit expectations are skills that will help students be good life-long learners. Work habits are measured and recorded 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.

Work habits are noted as EE (exceeds expectations), ME (meets expectations), AP (approaching expectations) or NI (needs improvement). Here is a link to the Work Habit Expectations matrix.

On a related topic, do you want to learn more about Evidence Based Grading? There is information on our district's website.

Proactive Steps:

• Teach and reteach
• Viking Hour
• Student Services Support
• Friendship/Support Groups
• Problem-Solving Team Meetings

Reporting an incident:

• District Bullying and Harassment Form followed by Investigation Report
• Directly to any adult in the Middle School

Responses to bullying or other negative behaviors:

• Educate
• Restorative
• Corrective
• Punitive
• Specific Student or Safety Plans

In an effort to ensure all students and families are aware of what bullying is, what MHMS does proactively to prevent bullying, how incidences of bullying can be reported, and what is done once an incident is reported, we are sharing details about what supports are in place for our students.

Throughout the year, middle school students will learn how to recognize bullying in various contexts, how to use strategies to stand up safely to bullying, and how to seek help if they or someone they know is being bullied.

Here are some key definitions your child will be learning:

• Bullying: intentional, one-sided, physical, verbal, or social aggression. It’s often repeated over time and occurs when there’s a real or perceived power imbalance.
• Bystander: anyone who’s aware that bullying is happening
• Cyberbullying: the use of technology to harass, threaten, or intimidate another person
• Physical bullying: hurting someone’s body or possessions
• Relational bullying: hurting someone’s reputation or relationships, such as by excluding them
• Upstander: someone who stands up for a person being bullied
• Verbal bullying: saying or writing mean things about someone

We encourage students to report any instances of bullying they witness or experience to you and to trusted adults at our school. Please contact a middle school staff member if you need support in reporting or dealing with bullying.

Did you know that all middle school students think about their own academic and career planning. Students spend time throughout the year thinking about their personal skills, goals, and values in order to explore possible career options for themselves in the future. They work to identify what they are interested in even if they are not necessarily good at it yet, what they are already good at, what they identify as values in choosing a career, and more.

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

-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